Archive for October 2009
Winners!
Thanks, everyone, who sent pictures of Tinsel in stores. I got pics from all over, and we have two first-place winners, and second and third place winner. The first-place winners get a signed book and a gift card to the bookstore of their choice. The other two get a book. And there are honorable mentions,…
Read MoreLast Exit
Before I get all too wrapped up in the release of Tinsel, I got an e-mail recently that brings the real business of books into rather sharp focus. The e-mail is from Picador publishers, which is the paperback imprint for Henry Holt and other publishers that are all part of the same company. They’re the…
Read MoreHey man, nice shot!
Tinsel fans, I have so enjoyed your snapshots of the book in stores across the country. There are winners of the contest and I will announce them later this week! The book is definitely out and there’s lots of fun stuff is coming up in the days and weeks ahead. If anyone’s read it, and…
Read MoreCasey’s Coast to Coast: October 19, 1985
Today I drove up to the extremely picturesque Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia for a rare opportunity to hang out for an afternoon with my friend, the fantastic photographer KayLynn Deveney. She and her parents came to Philly for a few days from Albuquerque. KayLynn and I went to lunch and she showed me some…
Read MoreFAQs, with my best answers
This is from the press kit assembled by the extremely helpful Megan Wilson at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. I’m keeping it handy here so I can remember what my book’s about. Also I want Oprah or her minions to be able to easily find it in case they’ve foolishly misplaced their copy. A CONVERSATION WITH HANK…
Read MoreYOU CAN STILL WIN a signed copy of TINSEL
If you find it in a bookstore, take a picture of it, and e-mail me. You might also win a gift card to the bookstore of your choice. For the original posting of the rules, go here. I realize it’s not where you’re looking. Keep looking. Any day, anywhere. I know for a fact this…
Read MoreTinsel in November issue of Redbook
Nice, compact write-up of Tinsel by Anna Davies on p. 209 of the November issue of Redbook, on newsstands now. Anna was a solid interviewer and I am glad to be in Redbook (2.2 million circulation!), thus I am granting her very special dispensation from my ban on “Call it” leads, which I’ve campaigned against…
Read MoreMarketing 101
Boy, I am definitely going to keep this picture handy when people tell me Tinsel is too “negative” and bums them out about Christmas. Check out Wharton business school professor Joel Waldfogel’s new book: I totally have to send this to my editor, Andrea — after all our go-arounds in the hunt for the right…
Read MoreAll I want for Christmas is some screen presence
Here’s the video trailer for the book. (Don’t you know that the only way to get people to buy a book anymore is to throw together a three-minute movie?) Houghton Mifflin Harcourt arranged to have this done. Charles Halpin at Bookstream Inc. made it happen and a very nice videographer named Herb, from Silver Spring,…
Read MoreSo long, ol’ Century. Hello, Miller Time.
The Washington Post, my employer, is launching a redesign on Monday. It’s not an extreme makeover by any stretch, but it will be enough to get some readers upset, I guarantee. Already there’s been some kvetchin’ about the Sunday Magazine, which was the first to walk around in its new heels and new hairstyle. Erik…
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