What is a Local Author to Do?

As a self-published author in this time of Coronavirus, I have found the publicity outlets that once were available have been shutdown or taken on a different form. Society has turned to technology to fill the void of our face to face to discussions. For me, the new platform which has become the new norm, loses a level of human contact. To discuss an issue and to read the body language, the curl of the lip, the blink of the eye, the muffled chuckle is lost in transmission over the "air waves."

My historical fiction novel White Gloves is set in Norwich during 1860 was published by Dorrance Publishing Company in April 2020, at the start of the Coronavirus outbreak. And here is the dilemma, while I had in mind book discussions, sales at farmer's markets, bazaars and even the Eastern States Exposition, the virus derailed my best plans as it did for all of us.

In this crazy time that we are all experiencing, self published authors are left wondering how to get the word out about our books. This is a concern of many members of the various writing groups sponsored by local libraries. With the access to local crafts shows, bazaars, and even the cancellation of the Big "E" this year, what is an author to do?

It has been suggested to utilize the social media publicity features to help boost sales of a newly published book or for that matter anything. And for me, there lies the problem. I am a believer in in the actual spoken word to get the word out about my book and gatherings are now out of the question. Book clubs and writer's groups zoomed or facetimed their way into our homes. While this is now the norm, for me something is lost in transmission. Perhaps it's the lack of body language or the inability to see what each other is thinking on a more intimate scale.

Creativity has become a skill, a lifeline to keep our daily lives in focus as we explore our own limitations, whether it is for financial stability or just plain sanity! It was never more true than now to fall back to the saying "Necessity is the mother of invention."

So this brings me to my solution for my situation.

A drive by book signing! Why not? The Big "E" this year had drive by food vendors. Who didn't want to go get their famous cream puff, fried chocolate bars, fried Oreos or for that matter anything fried! What a brilliant idea!

A well placed social media ad, couple of lawn signs, a pop-up canopy, a couple of socially distant chairs, a stack of books with pens ready at the draw and I was set. The first drive-by book signing drew in fifteen people. That's fifteen more copies of White Gloves sold then if I didn't get creative! One person, who had already read White Gloves came and stayed for a question and answer period - an author's dream come true and right in my driveway! All of course done with social distancing in check.

I found myself offering up White Gloves to potential readers as a tool in which the reader can transport themselves to a simpler time, a time to get away from this era and find a story of mystery, intrigue, and redemption! But the reader quickly finds out wishing for the good old days, is really reliving memories that have been rinsed clean as old wounds heal.

White Gloves has strong and believable characters that is so important to society right now. Characters that work together to overcome the evil. And aren't we all doing that to some extent during this time of Corona? I encourage you to read a book that has this same theme though out with characters we cane call heroes or in the case of White Gloves, heroines!

White Gloves is available at the following Norwich businesses; Olde Tymes Restaurant, Harts Greenhouse and Florist, The Gallery at the Wauregan, Norwich Rare Coin and Jewelry and Small Potatoes. Also Amazon.