Vampires Loose in Our Schools!
Well, vampire authors, anyway.
Ever since the idea for Eighth Grade Bites popped into my little head, I've had images of visiting local schools and talking to kids about Vlad. Kids are amazing--intriguing, funny people that love cheesy jokes almost as much as I do. And can you just imagine the joy in their voices when I tell them the title? I can't think of a single eighth grader who wouldn't agree. Eighth grade does, in fact, bite. It did when I was in it. It does now. Sure, times have changed, but some things are set in stone.
But then last night I wondered aloud if promoting my books in local schools was even a remote possibility. I wasn't sure if this was something that authors did, as no authors had come to visit the podunk, craptown, in-the-armpit-of-nowhere middle school I attended. So I thought about it all night and hoped it would be something I could arrange once Vlad is unleashed upon the world.
This morning, Miss Snark gave me my answer. Not only did she state that YA authors are encouraged to do this kind of promotion, but that classroom visits and meeting with librarians is essential! Book geek that I am, I was ecstatic. I love libraries. And I love hanging out with cool people (and, let's face it, if you're a fan of my books, you must be cool). What's more, she echoed something that I firmly believe--that a YA author needs a huge web presence and that he/she will be expected to be there for his/her fans (and through all 3,000 emails a month).
I'm game.
I'm totally game. You might say that I'm chomping at the bit, or that I'm bloody eager, or that I'm...okay, enough puns for today. I'm nervous about doing promotions, of course (my kind tends to lurk through the dark in sole existences--you know, writers), but this kind of promotion sounds unbelievably fun.
Bring it on.
Ever since the idea for Eighth Grade Bites popped into my little head, I've had images of visiting local schools and talking to kids about Vlad. Kids are amazing--intriguing, funny people that love cheesy jokes almost as much as I do. And can you just imagine the joy in their voices when I tell them the title? I can't think of a single eighth grader who wouldn't agree. Eighth grade does, in fact, bite. It did when I was in it. It does now. Sure, times have changed, but some things are set in stone.
But then last night I wondered aloud if promoting my books in local schools was even a remote possibility. I wasn't sure if this was something that authors did, as no authors had come to visit the podunk, craptown, in-the-armpit-of-nowhere middle school I attended. So I thought about it all night and hoped it would be something I could arrange once Vlad is unleashed upon the world.
This morning, Miss Snark gave me my answer. Not only did she state that YA authors are encouraged to do this kind of promotion, but that classroom visits and meeting with librarians is essential! Book geek that I am, I was ecstatic. I love libraries. And I love hanging out with cool people (and, let's face it, if you're a fan of my books, you must be cool). What's more, she echoed something that I firmly believe--that a YA author needs a huge web presence and that he/she will be expected to be there for his/her fans (and through all 3,000 emails a month).
I'm game.
I'm totally game. You might say that I'm chomping at the bit, or that I'm bloody eager, or that I'm...okay, enough puns for today. I'm nervous about doing promotions, of course (my kind tends to lurk through the dark in sole existences--you know, writers), but this kind of promotion sounds unbelievably fun.
Bring it on.
posted by Heather Brewer at 7:18 AM
2 Comments:
Katelyn's school has been visited by several authors in the last few years. The kids get totally excited!!
School has changed! And so have kids--it's so cool that they're into books now and love meeting authors.
I'm planning on bringing them bribes of cheap plastic fangs, though...y'know...just in case.
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