Sales in Strange Places

   Authors don’t just write. Once the book gets published there is the need to help promote and sell. Maybe the authors with big-name publishers don’t concern themselves with the task, but that’s not how it works with House of Honor authors. We are part of the sales team. Depending on one's personality, sales may be fun, or it may be a chore. Me, well the verdict isn’t in yet. Regardless selling is work.

  House of Honor currently has only a few authors under contract. The small size has the good fortune to create bonding friendships. I have gotten the chance to meet some great people and exchange ideas. Five of us were together during a book fair in Nashville TN. I brought up a fun topic while we were together.

  The Question up for discussion? What’s your strangest book sale?

  Depending on perspective, I’m not sure who actually had the weirdest. My research did discover some pretty unusual opportunities to sell a book.   Keshia Willi, Robert Borders, and Jack Lafountain have been vendors at festivals not intending to sell books. Despite that, they all have done quite well and continue to. I met Jack and Robert last year at such an event. We were the only authors at a very large venue that sold everything.

  I recall, during a group chat, that Shaun McBride has made book sales in a factory breakroom. This proves it wise to take any advantage to promote the craft. I find a sale Judy Snyder made pretty unusual. All though it's doubtful she was comfortably seated, Judy sold five books while she was in the dentist's chair. Now that must be some slick talk, with dental tools in her mouth.

   Newcomer Cindy Ladage is from Midwest Illinois. She sold several copies of her recent release at her brother-in-law’s farm retirement auction. Going to an auction intent on buying a piece of farm equipment and buying a book? Some would find that odd, maybe. I know Cindy, so I don’t. In fact, the sale would be expected. Cindy and my blog readership intermingle, and that’s our following. Cindy and I shared a table in Nashville.

I expected our focus to be more on the books considering it was a book fair after all. What surprised me was we talked about tractors and agriculture with many who engaged with us. Okay so maybe there are tells that we are agriculture enthusiasts, Cindy is known by her title Traveling Adventures of a Farm Girl and my business logo includes an antique tractor.

  My books are available in the office of a grain elevator, I’ve also sold a book to the scale master of an ethanol plant. I’ve taken advantage of the moment to sell in a Harley Davidson dealership twice. Judy Snyder pointed out I could sell my books in the middle of a cornfield, which I have done on a couple of occasions. You go where the sales are. I’ve also sold books during an antique tractor pull. Knowing this, it's easy to see why I don’t see Cindy’s book sales that unusual.  

  Unusual is a matter of life perspective. The HoH authors I’ve met may not be able to make an easy sale in a cornfield. I’m sure they would try given the opportunity. It really doesn’t matter how unusual the book sale is though. What matters is making our books available, no matter what it takes.

Rick Shaw