I’ve done many book tours over the years, most recently when my publisher, Simon & Schuster’s Atria Books, sent me on the road this fall to promote my new novel, Miss Dreamsville and the Lost Heiress of Collier County.
Book tours are becoming less common, so if you’re selected to do one, you’ll want to make the most of it. Here are a few things I’ve learned along the way:
First, when your publicity team plans your tour, be involved. Try to avoid choosing flights on the same day as your book-signing, and whenever possible, ask for non-stop flights.
Do bring a companion. On my current tour, I’ve been bringing my husband because a) he’s fun to be with, and b) he inspired a character in my novel. My readers love to meet him at my book-signings and often ask him questions about the “real” Miss Dreamsville – his mother, a redhead from Boston who made a rocky transition when the family moved to a small town in Florida in the early 1960s.
If traveling solo, resist the urge to talk about your book to strangers, especially your seatmate on the plane. Don’t use up your energy (and wear out your voice) to sell one book.
Do bring what I call “emergency food” (e.g., trail mix, dried fruit) in your carry-on bag. There may not be time for you to eat a real meal.
Be prepared for anything to happen during your presentation. I’ve had my share of surprises, including a marching band outside a store where I was speaking; a rock ‘n roll band booked at the same time as my talk at a Borders bookstore; and, at a library, a homeless man who attempted to hijack my talk so that he could present his own agenda. Smile, and carry on!
Don’t reveal any secrets from your book – in my case, who the “lost heiress” is.
Do anticipate that someone may question a fact in your book. Occasionally, I will encounter a reader who objects to my depiction of the KKK as a serious problem in Florida, although there is plenty of evidence to back me up. Be ready to spout off a list of sources.
Do talk about your most colorful characters, and how or why you invented them. Dolores, “a former stripper turned alligator hunter,” for example, was inspired by a number of real women I met and interviewed as a newspaper reporter in Florida in the early 1980s. Readers love this type of back-story.
Last but not least, remember that you are part of a team. Like the members of the fictional book club in my novel – outcasts in a small town who find strength in numbers – remind yourself that you aren’t going it alone. Many people have worked hard on your book, from the editorial staff and production department to the sales force, publicity and marketing teams. They are all rooting for you, every step of the way.