Being My Own Guinea Pig
I first started blogging/raving about Liz Dubelman's video/flash/animated multimedia book trailers or Vidlits as she's dubbed them, last winter.
A lot of people wrote and me asked what exactly you could do with a book trailer other than post it on the author's and/or the publisher's website and hope it takes off via word of mouth.
I didn't think about that question all that much until my own publisher, Mira Books, said they were interested in doing a Vidlit for the July mass market release of THE HALO EFFECT.
Suddenly, I started to think about that question a lot.
Once you have something like a Vidlit how can you get maximum exposure and use out of it?
Introducing the first "GOOD BOOKS/GOOD CAUSE
BLOG-A-THON" campaign
The goal of this two-week campaign is to connect book lovers with a good cause and a great summer read via the vidlit for THE HALO EFFECT.
I've secured pledges from real-life supporters - my publisher, agent, family and friends – who will collectively donate $5 to the nonprofit literacy organization, Reading Is Fundamental , for each website or blog that links to the Vidlit for THE HALO EFFECT before July 19.
The goal is to get at least 500 blogs to link and raise $2500+ for the charity.
Working with publicist Lauren Cerand (lcerand at gmail.com), I'm making a serious outreach to cultural blogs, New York centric blogs (the book takes place in NY), entertainment blogs, blogs that focus on psychology, sexuality, true crime, women's issues, erotica, and yes, of course lit blogs.
THE HALO EFFECT is just the first book in the GOOD BOOK/GOOD CAUSE BLOG-A-THON series. I'll be blogging about how it goes and if it takes off watch this space to get information about how to get involved with your book and/or your author.
In the meantime, if you want to help raise some money for a good cause, all you have to do is blog about M.J. Rose's novel THE HALO EFFECT including a link to the short animated film for the novel (http://www.vidlit.com/mj/) just once! And $5 dollars will be donated to the nonprofit literary organization Reading is Fundamental. (If you want a copy of the book for review. contact lcerand at gmail.com while supplies last.)
Never let it be said that I don't pay attention. The SmallPress Blog (www.smallpress.typepad.com) gladly supports Vidlits, Reading is Fundamental, and M.J.!
Already up on the blog. 499 to go?
Posted by: Thomas Nixon | July 06, 2005 at 12:54 AM
Thanks so much!!!!!!!
Posted by: M.J. | July 06, 2005 at 01:30 AM
I also just put the link for vidlit's "Halo Efftect" up on my website this morning.
Gladly in support of MJ, "The Halo Effect", Reading is Fundamental, and Vidlits
Posted by: Leora Skolkin-Smith | July 06, 2005 at 06:01 AM
Does my interview with you count since I did link to your Vidlit?
http://myerskatt.blogspot.com/index.html#112049193216480386
Posted by: kitty | July 06, 2005 at 08:26 AM
I'll be putting one on my site this evening.
Posted by: mtkr | July 06, 2005 at 05:13 PM
I just put a link on my livejournal. http://www.livejournal.com/users/bonny_kathryn/
- Kathryn (of Readerville, although you probably don't know me).
Posted by: Kathryn | July 06, 2005 at 05:38 PM
Put a permanent box up in my sidebar for the Good Books/Good Cause Blog-A-Thon. I hope you are being hammered with requests to participate.
Posted by: Heather | July 07, 2005 at 05:23 PM
Ijust put up a link to VidLits on my blog, Ghost Word. Good luck with a commendable effort.
Posted by: Frances Dinkelspiel | July 08, 2005 at 01:50 PM
I'm a bit late, but I linked it, too!
Great idea! (And you have a lovely voice, M.J.!)
Posted by: patricia | July 12, 2005 at 08:51 AM
Posted at: http://www.livejournal.com/users/sbarret/.
Good luck with reaching your goal!
Posted by: Sandra | July 13, 2005 at 09:53 AM
For lack of a better place to notify you, posted on the left hand side of my site. Directed here by PBW.
Posted by: jm | July 13, 2005 at 12:46 PM
I bought your book and I posted the link to the vidlit. Good luck! Your book looks excellent and I can't wait to read it!
Posted by: Tracy | July 13, 2005 at 12:48 PM
What a great book marketing idea! I run a group for authors to discuss marketing so I'm off to tell them about it right away, and I'll post a link from my blog.
Posted by: Kate Allan | July 13, 2005 at 01:17 PM
One more coming up shortly!
Posted by: Georganna Hancock | July 14, 2005 at 02:58 PM
I belong to Kate Allen's Author's Marketing group and as the writer of Surviving the special Educational needs system: How to be a Velvet Bulldozer' applaud this particular bit of publishing bulldozing! Trying to think of a way of putting it on the www.special-educational-needs.co.uk website!
But will certainly tell my writing friends at the Writers' Summer School in August.
Posted by: sandy row | July 20, 2005 at 03:30 PM