Selling a Picture Book - My Mini Book Tour by Linda K. Sienkiewicz

 

Let me first say that selling doesn’t come easily to me. The fear of rejection is real. In fact, I was reeling after the response from the very first independent bookstore I went in to cold. Luckily, after that initial snub, things went smoother, and now Gordy and the Ghost Crab is being carried at several stores in North Carolina. But I wanted to get my book into stores where I knew the book would sell well, which happen to be in the same area where I got my inspiration for the story.

My approach:

I made a list of about ten bookstores and shops. From prior trips down south, my biggest hope was to get into two Outer Banks indie bookstores, Buxton Village Books and Books to be Red. Don and I mapped a drive south on Highway 12 to Ocracoke Island, and planned to stop in any stores that looked like a good fit.

I called or emailed as many bookstores as possible a week before our trip and introduced myself as a children’s book author with a picture book of interest to their customers. I told them the story involves a boy’s first encounter with a ghost crab, it includes science facts, and it’s the only picture book with factual information on ghost crabs. I told the store owners I’d be in the area and could offer them signed copies at a wholesale price as well as wrapped play sets. 

Both Buxton Village and Books to be Red asked me to email them a sell sheet.

Buxton Village responded to my email on the same day by ordering 12 books and 6 play sets. Ocracoke’s Books to be Red didn’t respond to my email, but I knew I’d see her in person when we arrived on the island. I wasn’t able to reach all the bookstores on my list, which meant I’d have to go in cold to some shops.

I designed a sell sheet with ordering and contact information, details about the book, and author quotes. I bought gold “autographed by author” stickers. I packed up my play sets (the book, a little pail and shovel, and a windup crab). Then we hit the road with a positive mindset.

First on my travel route was an indie bookstore in Historic Winchester, VA. That owner would not look at or touch my book. When I leafed through it, hoping to engage her, she pointedly refused. She said, “I appreciate that you have a book. As an independent book store owner, I simply can’t take books from just anyone who walks in off the street.” She whisked the flyer I handed her off the counter and tossed it underneath as if I were peddling drugs. I said thank you and left. Once my anger faded, I laughed about it. Apparently, some indie bookstores adhere to strict policies! 

In Kitty Hawk, NC, I visited Gray’s Outer Banks Clothing, Kitty Hawk Kites, and two other gift shops and bookstores. I showed the book to the store associates, talked it up, and gave them a sell sheet. Gray’s marketing department emailed me a few days later to request signed copies at wholesale price. They have four stores in Kitty Hawk and Corolla, have been in business since 1948, so I did a happy dance. We dropped off a box of books for them on our drive home.

Once we were in Ocracoke, I made an appointment to talk to the owner at Books to be Red. The owner bought four books and four play sets. She orders books from Ingram on a weekly basis, so, fingers crossed she’ll order more books when those sell. I feel confident they will.

Then I posted on Facebook and Instagram how happy Gordy was to be in Books to be Red and Buxton Village Books, and tagged the post #Ocracoke, #OcracokeIsland, #Hatteras, etc. This move paid off when I went into the Ocracoke Preservation Society museum gift shop. The person behind the desk had seen my Instagram post and happily purchased signed copies for their gift shop.

As I took pictures of the book and play set at the beach, I realized I could take Gordy on a tour of Ocracoke. I cut his image from a book cover and glued it to a board I had with me. Now I had my own “Flat Gordy” to take around the village. I took enough photos to hopefully generate interest in the book throughout the entire summer on Facebook and Instagram.

Now that we’re home, I plan to follow up with phone calls to a few stores where I left flyers. I also need to visit indie bookstores in Michigan. Gordy and I will have to plan a few more trips.

Promoting yourself and your work is not always easy, but no one can promote your work better than you. And the good news is the more you do, the easier it gets. Try offering your books wholesale as opposed to consignment, especially when you’re dealing with stores that are out of state. Finally, don’t limit yourself to bookstores, either. Gift shops sell books, too. All you need to do is find the right fit.

Linda K. Sienkiewicz’s short stories, poetry, essays and art have been published in numerous literary journals and anthologies. Her newest release is a children's picture book, GORDY AND THE GHOST CRAB. Among her awards are five Finalist awards for her debut novel, IN THE CONTEXT OF LOVE, a Pushcart Prize Nomination, and a poetry chapbook award from Heartlands. She has three other poetry chapbooks. She studied at Cooper School of Art in Cleveland, Ohio, and earned a Masters Degree (MFA) from the University of Southern Maine. Linda lives with her husband in Rochester, Michigan where they spoil their grandchildren and send them back home.

Learn more at https://lindaksienkiewicz.com/.

Coming up on The Mitten Blog:

Another thoughtful post from our SCBWI-MI Equity and Inclusion Team and a few weeks off for summer vacation! But first, it's time for our quarterly Ask the Editor feature. Thanks to everyone who sent questions to editor Katherine Gibson Easter. Come back next Friday, July 2nd, to read all the questions and answers.

Book Birthday Blog with Linda Sienkiewicz

 

 Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog! 

Where we celebrate new books by Michigan's children's book authors and illustrators

Congratulations to Linda Sienkiewicz on the release of her new book, Gordy and the Ghost Crab!  

 

 

 

Congratulations on the release of Gordy and the Ghost Crab! What inspired this seaside story?

It began with a little story I wrote for my grandchildren. We were vacationing in the Outer Banks of North Carolina when my grandson, then three, was totally freaked out by a ghost crab that ran across the top of his shoe one evening. The next day, we tried to find a book for him about ghost crabs in the local bookshop, but there wasn’t anything. My daughter said, “You’ll just have to write him one, Mom.” So that’s what I did.
 

How did writing for a picture book compare to your previous experience of writing for adult fiction, like your award-winning title In The Context of Love?

Writing is a learning process, and the more you learn, the more you find you have yet to learn. Even though you need to rely on good storytelling with a character arc and compelling plot, details such as layout and individual word choice become really important in a picture book.
 

As both the author and illustrator of Gordy and the Ghost Crab, you had control not only over the narrative, but the visual aspects of the story as well. What did your process for creating this picture book look like? Did you plan to illustrate it from the beginning?

Initially I drew up a little book for my grandson with magic marker and colored pencil, but I didn’t plan to illustrate the text for publication until much later. For one thing, I had gone to art school in the seventies long before digital art existed. I had studied figure drawing, but never drew children. Or ocean waves. Or crabs! Then I decided, why not try? I bought myself an iPad and Apple Pen and started playing around on Adobe Sketch, and had a blast. It was a year-long learning process where I honed my skills and developed a style that I thought matched the story.

Of course, then I had to learn about layout and what parts of the story to illustrate. When I found a publisher, I learned that my illustrations were not the optimal size and had to redo them all. Then, after the book was laid out, the editor told me there were three more pages to fill, so I expanded the science facts at the end of the story, and added more drawings. 

 

Who are some of your favorite or most inspiring writers? How about artists?

My favorite fiction writers are Anne Tyler and fellow Michigander Bonnie Jo Campbell. My very favorite children’s book is Bubble Trouble by Margaret Mahy, illustrated by Polly Dunbar. The language play is wonderful, the illustrations are so unique, and the story has such suspense!
 

What has your experience of releasing a book in the current times been? Do you have any advice for authors also releasing their book in this time of social distancing and changing school situations?

Get comfortable with Zoom and doing live video on Facebook and Instagram! With Zoom, you can appear all over the country without leaving home—what could be better!

I put together a Pre-K – 8 teacher’s guide for the book that includes language arts, social studies, math, and science so that it can be used in the classroom, with or without Zoom.

I’ve been creating posts for Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. I’ve made a book trailer that I’ve posted everywhere I can think of. Since my book is beach related, I hope to visit bookstores and gift shops along the Atlantic coast next summer, fingers crossed. I plan to run a contest through Rafflecopter to give away a large plush ghost crab, too. 

Always so much to do! 

 

What’s something you hope your readers take away from Gordy and the Ghost Crab?

For children, what we imagine is often counter to reality. Gordy’s big brother tells him a story about ghost crabs that scares him. Then he has to make a choice about whether or not to protect a little ghost crab from a girl with a net, so there’s a lesson about caring for others and problem solving. You can be afraid and brave at the same time. The book also has lots of fun facts about different kinds of crabs. Learn about the things you’re most afraid of and they won’t be so scary!

 

What’s coming up, any new ideas in the works? Where can our readers go to learn more about you?

I’m working on my second novel, which also takes place in the Outer Banks, on remote Ocracoke Island.

I blog about books, writing and life at http://lindaksienkiewicz.com/blog
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindaksienkiewicz/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindaKSienkwicz
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindasienkiewicz.author

 

A little bit about the book:

Gordy is afraid of the crashing ocean waves and a strange creature he sees skittering across the beach. It doesn't help his fears when his big brother tells him it's a ghost crab that will pinch off all his toes. What will Gordy do when he meets a girl intent on capturing a ghost crab? Will he stay away, or will he rescue the little crab?

The story highlights empathy, problem solving and the value of caring for nature. The book also includes fun facts about different types of common crabs and offers a gentle conservation message.

 

Order it on Amazon or Barnes and Noble!

A little bit about the author:

Linda K. Sienkiewicz’s poetry, short stories and art have been widely published in literary journals and anthologies. Gordy and the Ghost Crab is her first picture book. Her first novel, In the Context of Love, won four finalist awards, including the Hoffer Award and the Sarton Award for Fiction. She also has a poetry chapbook award, three other poetry chapbooks, and a Pushcart Prize Nomination. Her MFA is from Stonecoast at the University of Southern Maine. She volunteers at The Neighborhood House, a nonprofit social services organization.