The Gray Monk

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November 21, 2006

A fun plug?

One of the Postulant's friends in the US has bought my book - and evidently feels it's worth plugging it! He has posted the photo below on a Forum he frequents and is working on a review. I like this guy - and his T-Shirt slogan says a great deal.

The book is available from Amazon UK or Amazon US or Amazon Germany and I dare say many more as well as from W H Smith (On order) and Waterstones (on order).

The interesting thing about this little exercise has been discovering just how difficult it is to use the book sellers search engines. You would think that "Out of time" is distinct from "Time Out", but evidently not. Even asking for results in alphabetical order produces Time Out (400 plus guides) ahead of everything else. I am told this is because the big publishers pay to have their products come up on any and every combination of search on these sites. The second thing is the revelation of just how difficult it is for the small author making his first entree into the market to get into the system. You are up against the bottomless promotion budgets of the big publishers who think nothing of throwing £100,000 at promoting their latest offering which tends to leave the small man at the bottom of the stack where his or her book is never even going to see the light of a display shelf. Even getting a review published in a magazine, a newspaper or aired on radio or television is down to how much money you or your publisher is prepared to throw at the chosen medium. It seems that the rule is, no money up front, no review.

So, let me say right now that I appreciate the help and support of every single person who has taken the trouble to buy the book or even to vist any of the sellers sites and search for it. I hope it gives you as much fun and pleasure reading it as I had from writing it. Will I give up after this? Probably not, I am one of those who always swims against the current and tackles the man-eating giant, its what I do, so I will keep pushing at doors until someone notices. Anyone who wants tio help me do the pushing is welcome to join my little tilt at the great big windmills.

Posted by The Gray Monk at November 21, 2006 04:32 PM

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