Getting the Word Out

So… it turns out, when you write a book, and put it out yourself, you have to tell people about it so they can read it and review it and hopefully say nice things about it.

Over the last few weeks, while the book was in final editing stages, I sent out more than 80 emails to people all over the country telling them that I had a book, that the book was coming out, and that I’d be happy to send them a copy so they could read it and tell their readers about it.

All things being equal, it probably would have been best to start the process a month or two in advance of selling the book. But with spring and summer on the way, I knew that a lot of people would be packing up the old Kindle and heading out on vacation, and they’d want to have a book with them.

Which is a good thing for me (I hope) as I have a well-loved, inexpensive book they can put on their e-reader. I mean, come on… what better place to read a book about being trapped on an uncharted island than on the beach? What better place to read about a plane crash than on a plane? And there’s a boat in the book, too! And a tank! It’s the perfect travel book!

I digress.

It was time to get the word out. So I sent out 80-some emails, and got 21 replies back (so far) from folks willing to read and review, or let me come and chat up the book on their blog, or do a giveaway.

And word has started to spread on ye olde Internet:

The Firefly Book Loft featured my book on their “In My Mailbox” post this week.

The Zed word let the world know that my book is out there, as well.

And finally, I got my first review, at the King of Zombies blog. What did he have to say?

“Patterson provides fans of contemporary zombie fiction with a delightfully gruesome world of death and survival.”

And how!

Further reviews as they appear…