Little did I know when I made the decision to turn my personal journal into a book to help others that it would take longer to edit, design and publish than to write. When I held Letting Go in my hand for the first time I felt a huge sense of pride and accomplishment. The time and money invested seemed well spent. Being a first-time author I was totally unprepared for what follows the birth of a book.
Now what? Once I went through my circle of influence - friends, family and clients - now how do I find the people who can most benefit from Letting Go? Talk about being unprepared. I’m a pharmacist turned animal communicator. I don’t have a promoter or sales type personality. It’s just not who I am.
Frustration and discouragement crept back into my life. I spent months online trying to follow suggestions of others with more experience. I joined a local writers group in search of people with more experience than I. They became a wonderful source of support and friendship.
While many of the presenters are focused on the craft of writing, we had a wonderful presentation on book promotion by Christy Tillery French. When I went up to thank Christy for all the wonderful information she shared, she offered to review Letting Go. I mailed her a copy immediately. Her lovely review was published on TheMidwestBookReview.com in February 09.
I followed my publisher’s advice about starting a blog. After only a few posts I received a comment from Carol Upton from Vancouver. Carol has interests in animals and animal communication as well being a publicist of authors, artists, etc. I followed the path the Universe was showing me and hired Carol as my publicist. What I’d spent months trying to accomplish, Carol did in hours with infinitely more success.
As a result of Carol’s expertise and contacts, I began receiving requests for radio interviews from hosts all over the US and Canada. As the interview requests kept arriving, Carol began to submit articles I’d written. Everyone she’s submitted has been published, some in print and online, some on multiple sites. The positive response from Carol’s efforts lessened my frustration and discouragement.
With a few months, I had three features published in local magazines and newspapers. One was an article I submitted to “Western North Carolina Women.” The other two were from Carol’s efforts. What I didn’t know how to do in my own town Carol accomplished from Western Canada. I was featured in “All About Women” in my town. The third was in “The News Herald,” which is a newspaper about an hour from my home. I believe this illustrates the importance of working with someone that is far more experienced at what you need than you are.
For me, promotion is without a doubt the most challenging part of being an author. I’ve learned that as with everything in life patience is a key element. Everything has its perfect timing. I trust that the Universe knows better than I how to help Letting Go find the people who need it the most, but nothing happens without effort. Once Carol sends me a positive response to her inquiry, it is up to me to pursue the lead. It’s always about timing.
Perseverance is crucial to help survive the ebb and flow of book marketing and sales. I surrender to the timing of the Universe and let it work its wonders. I truly believe the people who are ready to read Letting Go will find it, but it requires that I do all I can to help it find them.
Without pursuit, perseverance and patience, I would have given up on promoting Letting Go by now. Calling on each of these Ps at the appropriate time has allowed me to put the hours into promotion that it requires. Although the promotion of Letting Go has delayed the start of the first of my animal-communication books, I do believe that everything happens for a reason.
Recently I was given a metaphor for all the efforts I’ve put forth promoting Letting Go and my animal work. It’s like pushing a snowball up a mountainside. It’s extremely challenging requiring an enormous amount of effort. But, once you reach the pinnacle with a tap of your little finger it effortlessly rushes down the other side building its own momentum along the way. My friend encouraged me to “keep pushing.”
So, don’t give up when you’re feeling frustrated and discouraged. Muster all the pursuit, perseverance and patience you have and keep pushing until you reach your pinnacle, and then, TAP!
Nancy A. Kaiser lives in the healing Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina surrounded by her family of dogs, cats and a horse. She is the author of Letting Go: An Ordinary Woman’s Extraordinary Journey of Healing & Transformation, about her recovery from trauma with the help of animals and nature. Nancy operates Just Ask Communications, a practice devoted to healing the human-animal bond through enhanced communication and understanding and does sessions in-person, via phone or on Skype. Visit her at: www.NancyKaiserAnimalCommunicator.com