Who said debut authors can’t go on tours? Well, virtually everyone. Book tours are designed for authors that have written successful novels. Successful to a point that they are recognizable in public and were able to secure large audiences. My novel was coming out in June 2023 and I’ve been working towards that for the past year and a half, not to count the previous four years that I spent writing, hating, loving and threatening to destroy my novel (Hi Ayten!).
I reached out to several PR companies and mentioned “book tour” with hope (and barely audible voice). “Well” they began, “we can contact local bookstores and gage the reaction” and then they suggested I reach out to bookstores myself and propose an event. “It’s all about your ability to gather a crowd” they said. At that point, I was wondering if I will do the crowd gathering, why do I need a PR firm?!
Besides, gathering a crowd is something I’ve been doing the entire 20 years in the US. In Chicago, I organized Novruz parties from food to playlist and official statements. Then I moved to Washington DC and dived into a busier scene of Azerbaijani diaspora, connecting with students, professors, embassy staff and other professionals working in the city. I’ve danced Azeri dances at the annual Turkish Fest, moderated a panel at a conference organized by USAN and hung out at USACC more times than I can count.
If the audience were Azeri-Americans, I certainly didn’t need a PR firm to organize events for me. Why did I get that MBA if not to put it to good use now when my dream has come true?
I took a blank notepad, made a list of things to do and set to work. The result was a six city, nine event tour that ended up being one of the most exhilarating experiences in my life. And it simply can’t stay inside me.
SO! I covered Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Toronto, Washington DC and New York in June 18-30th 2023. I’ve sold over a 1000 books (online + in person), took hundreds of photographs, learned how to make a tote bag, a banner and got a crash course on public speaking! I also made amazing friends and memories that will last a lifetime. My novel became an instant Amazon Bestseller in three categories - Middle Eastern Literature, Immigrants and Emigrants and City Life Fiction.
I invite you to subscribe to blog just for the fun and the jokes (and the book reviews), but also if you have a dream and not much to rely on except your enthusiasm, then you might want to hear the story of one optimistic writer.
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