Now it's my turn!
First, thanks guys for making last week so much fun on the blog! It got tons of hits, and was very cool for me. If you think of more questions, shoot ‘em my way. I will always try to answer your questions. (Anyone up for a Cheating at Solitaire edition?)
But first I’m going to turn the tables. That’s right. It’s my turn. (picture Ally laughing and rubbing hands together maniacally.)
All writers (at least this one) are insecure and pretty darn worried most of the time about writing good books or thinking up ideas for new books and selling the books that are already out there.
Well, of that list, the third is the one we have the least amount of control over, so naturally that’s the one some of us obsess over the most.
So that’s where you guys can really help me. If you liked the book (and I hope you did and that’s why you’re reading this), maybe you won’t mind helping me think of ways to spread the word.
But first, some questions:
- How did you hear about my book and what made you pick it up?
- Do you have any ideas for how we can help more people hear about the Gallagher Girls?
Thanks, guys! I really can’t wait to hear what you have to say!
Have a great day,
Ally
posted by Ally Carter at Sunday, June 18, 2006
13 Comments:
1. How did you hear about my book and what made you pick it up? I saw the thumbnail of the cover on MySpace, above your name, so I clicked to learn more. I discovered the book revolved around intelligent young women learning to be spies, and I added it to my Books to Read list. I enjoy a good spy story, and I like comedies that provide escapism.
2. Do you usually hear about a book before you buy it? If so, where do you hear about the books you buy? Yes, always. I am research girl. I do research at work or online.
3. Where do you get your books (online, chain store, independent bookstore, library)? I read very quickly, going through a book a day, so I rely on the library for the vast majority of my books. I could never afford to purchase all of the books I read, and I'm extremely grateful for the library system. I purchase books at chain stores or online only when I am given gift certificates for those establishments.
4. Where do you and your friends hang out online? I frequent websites regarding my interests, my clients, my work, and the news.
5. Do you have any ideas for how we can help more people hear about the Gallagher Girls? You have the website, a blog, and MySpace, three great tools that will help you reach your audience and connect to fans and other authors alike. You could start a street team, which I'd be more than willing to help with; since the first book is already out, you could wait until closer to the second book's release and/or the film if/when that is imminent.
1. How did you hear about my book and what made you pick it up? I saw while shopping at Chapters and browsing the teen section; it was the cover that made me pick it up, and the blurb about the book that made me buy it.
2. Do you usually hear about a book before you buy it? If so, where do you hear about the books you buy? Yes and no. About half of the books I buy I hear about either online through various blogs I read, or through recs from friends. The other half just jumps out at me at the store.
3. Where do you get your books (online, chain store, independent bookstore, library)? Mostly at the bookstore (Chapters - a chain) or the library, but I have a tendency to haunt used bookstores as well.
4. Where do you and your friends hang out online? LiveJournal and various blogs.
5. Do you have any ideas for how we can help more people hear about the Gallagher Girls? I think you've got a great start already, and would have to think over this question for a longer period of time to come up with any suggestions.
1. How did you hear about my book and what made you pick it up?
Well I saw it at Barnes and Nobles and had to pick it up. I don't know what it was but something about your book told me "READ ME!" I'm an avid reader but I hardly buy hardbacks. But I did for your book.
2. Do you usually hear about a book before you buy it? If so, where do you hear about the books you buy?
I don't really hear about books. My friends are really into books like I am, but if I find one I like and talk about it enough, I can convince them to read it just to shut me up. Usually I just wander around bookstores like Barnes and Nobles until something catches my attention.
3. Where do you get your books (online, chain store, independent bookstore, library)?
I get my books at bookstores both independent and chain stores.
4. Where do you and your friends hang out online?
We hang out on myspace. It's our sin.
5. Do you have any ideas for how we can help more people hear about the Gallagher Girls?
Well I will definitely recommend it to all my friends and some of the book people I know so that can guarantee a few that way. I would definitely looking for reviewers in magazines and newspapers. I promise as soon as school picks up again, I will definitely slip the book to one of our writers on staff or I'll do it myself. That could get you some readers to hope for.
i didnt really hear about the book, i just stumbled upon it at the bookstore, the cover made me want to read the book (its really good too)i cant put it down...i usually never hear about the books i get, i just go to barnes and noble every now and then to get a book to read...i get my books at barnes and noble almost 100% of the time...well right now the WORLD CUP is going on, and im a big soccer fan, so right now im on that a lot, but i go online to other websites and such too...
Hey Ally! It's Laurie...I was on vaca but now I'm back. Yes I saw Britt and it was awful....wardrobe and hair included. On another note I picked up0 and finished cheating at solitaire on wed. It was great! And now to answer your questions...
1) I didn't, I saw it in a bookstore, and it had a cool girl on the cover and I read the inside flap and was like a school sort of like mine.....awesome!
2) Sometimes sometimes not, if I'm looking for books not really but if my friends recommend it or I see it in a mag then yeah.
3) Friends, websites, or magazines.
4) chain store
5) all over the place, myspace, facebook, livejournal, ummm in terms of other stuff, alloy.com, super stupid game sites....yeah
6) Yes! Well I am doing my best on the friends thing but I think magazines/magazine and teen websites would be great. Either putting an ad for the book, or doing an interview which always makes me want to read the book, or getting yourself on the summer must read lists....which I know is out of your control.
Site and mag ideas:
GL
Teen Vogue
17
Cosmo Girl
other ones I forget....
alloy.com
delias.com
girlslife.com
....Hope that helps : )
Hey, Ally,
1. I am writing a YA book and am almost done. I was agent shopping, and thought that Kristen might be a good fit. I read Love You Kill You to see what sort of thing was coming out of her agency. I loved it so much, I went out and got Solitaire right away.
2. I am an impulse book buyer. I do, hoever read the reviews on Amazon.
3. Chain stores, Used book stores, and Amazon.
4. My friends don't really hang out on line.
5. Go into the schools. Any time you can be a guest speaker (Young Author's Day ETC..)is a chance to open doors.
I hope you have found this helpful. I have become an Ally Carter fan very quickly. Please keep up the great work.
Let's see...
#1, I actually read Kristin's blog (I'm working on a cozy mystery right now) and was just browsing her 'clients who blog' list. I started reading your blog because you are very down to earth and quite funny! The book caught my attention when I decided to read the excerpt from your site.
#2 You know, it depends. I read about 1-2 books a week. I have a HUGE handful of authors where I buy anything they write. That is a large portion of my books that I pick up. On the other hand, there are many a time I browse the bookstore to find new authors or authors I haven't been exposed to. The bargain section is great for that at the chain stores. I can buy hardbacks of authors I don't know, but still only pay paperback price or cheaper.
#3 I mostly shop at Barnes and Noble. I have a member's card so I get 10% off of all purchases. If it's a book that I don't want to buy (like from an author I don't know anything about) I get it off of Paperbackswap.com. It's a great site for people who read books quickly and own a lot of books. (I will say though, I bought yours at B&N, and it's not going to be put into Paperbackswap either!)
#4 Well, i'm online most of the day at work. Some of my job pertains to it. But, I read several writing blogs/sites, etc. I also do most of my research for my writing online.
#5 Hmmm, I would have to agree with some and say I would have to think about it more. My suggestion was to try and go around talking to schools, but someone suggested that. I know if I was in school, I would be sooooo stoked if you came and talk about the book. Most schools have book fairs around this time of year. I'm not sure how you get your book in book fairs, but I know I always had my parents buy me a HUGE stack of books when the time came around every year. OH! Since summer is coming up, maybe you can get summer camps to work your book in to a day's activity. That would be cool! How to be a spy 101. LOL
1) I did not hear about your book anywheree. It was on the hot reads at barnes and nobles. It looked interesting, so i bought it.I meant the summary on the jacket looked interesting.
2) No. I just look at barnes and nobles and i pick it up bases on the summary.
4) Myspace and Xanga
5)
You know how if one author writes a praise for another on the book cover, like on the front of Bad Kitty, it says Meg Cabot, author of the Princess diaries, thought it Bedazzles or something like that, it make people want to read those books too. So if you asked a writer to put your comment on the front of their novel, prferably a very famous one, you would also get more publicity.
Thanks, guys! You all rock!!!
Ally
1.How did you hear about my book and what made you pick it up? – The title made me pick it up… people always say never judge a book by it's cover but that’s always what I do. if the cover and the title don’t pull my focus I won’t pick up the book – I just loved your cover!
2.Do you usually hear about a book before you buy it? If so, where do you hear about the books you buy? I usually spend hours a week in a book store such as Barns and Noble just browsing and finding interesting books to read, I vary rarely hear about a book before I buy it – but my friends usually come to me for what’s a good fun read. since i read so much.
3.Where do you get your books (online, chain store, independent bookstore, library)? I buy them at Barns and Noble most of the time
4.Where do you and your friends hang out online? We hang out at Greatest Journal
5.Do you have any ideas for how we can help more people hear about the Gallagher Girls? Not good at PR … but since I do see you have a My space noteing random people and telling them about your book might be a good idea – I have found a lot of good music via getting random notes from artist.
How did you hear about my book and what made you pick it up?
I was at chapters looking for books to read and I saw your book on the shelves. I have to admit it was the plaid that attracted me and then when I read the summary I finally saw a book that was good and was not about spoiled little rich girls (which seems to be the subject of most books nowadays, thank you Gossip girls and the O.C).
Do you usually hear about a book before you buy it? If so, where do you hear about the books you buy?
Not Necessarily. I usually choose an author and try to read all of their books. ]
Where do you get your books (online, chain store, independent bookstore, library)?
I usually get my books either at chapters or an amazing used book store near my house.
Where do you and your friends hang out online?
Online I usually spend my time looking for spoilers about my fave TV shows.
Do you have any ideas for how we can help more people hear about the Gallagher Girls?
Word of mouth always helps (I already recommended it to several people). the website definitely helps...I think you've got it all.
1. How did you hear about my book and what made you pick it up?
One of my friends was ranting about it, (like REALLY ranting, I mean like... The little insignia on the uniform doodled on the front of her note book ranting) and I heard the title, and was like "Your book is officially mine for one day while I read it." >_> And then she took it back again.
2. Do you usually hear about a book before you buy it? If so, where do you hear about the books you buy?
I do hear a bit about a book (sometimes from a librarian or teacher) and then I plan a little trip to a bookstore or library and check out or read part of every book on my current "to-read-and-review" list. Often though, I hate to say, I browse titles and walk the sections a bit. If something catches my eye, a unique title, a fun cover, I take another look.
Where do you get your books (online, chain store, independent bookstore, library)?
Libraries, rarely online (Though I have actually ordered from an Aulstralian bookstore before, the book wasn't out yet in the US), but often bookstores. Alas, I am very poor after visits there.
Where do you and your friends hang out online?
I have forums and random odd places I frequent, but none of them are really... common traffic zones. Livejournal though is a great spot. *remembers to go and plug in a reccomendation on hers*
Do you have any ideas for how we can help more people hear about the Gallagher Girls?
I know what really works well is when I get a heads-up from one of the librarians or school teachers. So... get the word out to them? Though sometimes, you need word of mouth. Some kids arn't willing to take a teacher's word, because they feel the teacher might have different qualities that teacher looks for in a book than they do.
And also, just so I can say this at least one more time COME TO ITHACA AGAIN. Kids love it when we get to take off part of the morning to go listen to someone OTHER than our principal. I mean, you've already got a good opinion for getting us out of class, so what do you have to lose?
I first saw LYKY at the local library, my friend picked it up and said "this looks interesting". A while (weeks, months?) later, I needed something to read and checked it out. I almost never buy books, but when I do, I like to read part of the book before I decide to get it or not. I read so quickly that if I didn't use a library, I would be broke in a couple of weeks. I tend to not hang out online w/friends. I would say word-of-mouth is a good way to let other people know about LYKY/GG2. Any other way I can't think of right now.
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