PROMOBEATS INTERVIEW

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Beverley Richmond

Please join me in a big Word Museum and PromoBeats welcome to The Organized Writer, Julie Hood.

Moe: Please tell us what name(s) you write under, the name of your book(s), the genre of your book(s), and the formats.

Beverley Richmond: Hello. I am a writer living in southern Ontario in the town of Hillier. Although I have thought about using a 'pen name', I have been advised that since, in these modern times, the writer is as important as his works, real names should be used. Therefore my book titled "View from the Bedpan" is authored under my full name Beverley June Richmond. This non-fiction book is the true story of my hospital experiences and recovery following a near-fatal accident. It is a candid look at those experiences -- the good and the bad and the comical -- and offers helpful tips for anyone facing hospitalization. Humour is used throughout to help tell the story, and due to this the book was a nominee for the 2003 Stephen Leacock humour award. View from the Bedpan is published in soft cover by Essence Publishing under the Epic Press imprint.

Moe: What do you do to promote your book(s)?

Beverley Richmond: Because the book is self-published, marketing rests on my shoulders. I have tried many things but mostly press releases to the media, direct media calls pitching a story idea, and speaking to groups. I have also participated in in-store readings and set up displays (with book sales) at health fairs and health association conventions and workshops. Finding distributors and getting on their book lists is another form of marketing.

Moe: What method or methods of promotion have you used which work well?

Beverley Richmond: The most effective way of selling books is speaking to groups (the larger the better!) You must find groups that would be interested in your book and/or message, and approach them. Most associations and groups (service clubs, associations, professional groups) are looking for speakers for their monthly meetings and that is where you should be.

Keeping a "buzz" going in the media is also very important, for I have found that once the initial media blitz is over, bookstore sales drop off -- out of sight, out of mind. Directly contacting the media to 'sell' them on featuring your book in a story or interview is the next best method.

Sending press releases to the local and regional media is another important effective method. Making these translate into newspaper, magazine, or radio/TV features is the challenge.

Moe: What method or methods of promotion have you used that have not worked well?

Beverley Richmond: Getting on distributors' lists has been the least effective form of marketing. Unless there is constant media coverage of your title, sales drop off.

Moe: Where did you learn how to promote your books? Is there a special place or places where you find good promotion information?

Beverley Richmond: My work in the Communications Division at Harbourfront Corporation in Toronto exposed me to publicists and their activities promoting the public events at that facility. Speaking to other self-published authors about what worked for them and why, helped me as well. The marketing director of the company that published my book also was able to give me some ideas.

Moe: Do you like to promote? Or do you find it frustrating?

Beverley Richmond: I enjoyed the promotion at the beginning, while I was new 'news' the media buzz was on. After that, now two years later, it is just plain hard work. Self promoting is difficult. You have to remain positive and committed and confident. You have to be very organized and be able to think 'out of the box'. My brain injury has slowed me down considerably and that has been a constant hurdle to overcome. All in all, I have done OK. There are still large gaps in my marketing/promotion, so many things yet to do, but I am running out of time. Books have a 'shelf life' of about two years. After that it is hard to get the interest of the media.

Moe: Have you been interviewed as an author? By which mediums?

Beverley Richmond: I have been interviewed by radio and print, the most rewarding is seeing a print interview or review. Radio and TV are so fleeting but they can have a big impact on sales for a short while.

Moe: Do you have any good promotion tips for your fellow authors that you would like to share?

Beverley Richmond: Take a public speaking course if you are at all nervous about being in front of people. It is such an important part of promoting a book that if you can do a good job at this, the sales will come. It is the most time consuming aspect of marketing, but it is the most necessary and successful one.

Moe: Please add anything else here you'd like to say.

Beverley Richmond: Even though you have a book out, keep writing. Write short stories, enter contests, start a new book. I have discovered that it is the 'body of work' of a writer that is important. Many people have asked me: "What are you working on now?" and "When is your next book due out?". Keep developing yourself as a writer and continue to strive to be published.

Moe: Please add a short bio.

Beverley June Richmond was born and raised in Toronto. There she worked in administration, publishing, and promotion. She moved to the Belleville area where she worked in newspaper advertising sales until her near-fatal accident. She has been a newspaper columnist, has had short stories and articles published. "View from the Bedpan" is her first book. It was a nominee for the 2003 Leacock Award. It is now in second printing. View from the Bedpan ISBN # 1-55306-361-9) is available for $19.95 from Essence Publishing at 1-800-238-6376, fax 613-962-3055. It is also available from amazon.com and through major booksellers online.

10/04