Literary Relations

It's a good idea to maintain good relations with those people marketing your book. Late last year, I e-mailed the head of marketing to introduce myself and let her know that I'm available for whatever press she'd like me to do. I told the marketing folks that I have a background in Communications and understand the job they must do. I made it a point that I don't want to be a headache to them.

This is good advice to aspiring writers out there: Be nice to the Public Relations people. They are the ones who try to get the word about your book into the world.

I used to do Public Relations for an arts organization. I would get phone calls from artists who made my life hell. They would demand that I contact this newspaper or that radio station. Some of them would YELL at me, wondering why they weren't on the cover of the LA Times. The last thing I wanted to do was get idiots like that press coverage. I'd rather they crawl under a rock and stay there. Apparently, they did; I never heard another word from those demanding, egotisical types.

I was a much younger man then and I SWORE that I'd never behave that way. I think I've kept my word.