I'm touring the country again.
I will be dropping in a minimum of 200 bookstores, from April 14 until May 14, signing copies of Afraid in the following cities:
Indianapolis, IN
Cincinnati, OH
Louisville, KY
Nashville, TN
Atlanta, GA
Tampa, FL
Orlando, FL
Jacksonville, FL
Savannah, GA
Columbia, SC
Asheville, NC
Richmond, VA
Washington DC
Baltimore, MD
Pittsburgh, PA
Cleveland, OH
Detroit, MI
Milwaukee, WI
Chicago, IL
I'm humbly asking my fans, peers, and curious onlookers to give me shelter for the night.
If you have a spare bedroom, and you live in one of these towns, and you get your spouse's permission, I'd love to stay in your humble home as opposed to a cheap motel.
Email me if you'd like to put me up for the night. Keep in mind that the date has to be somewhat flexible, because the last time I did a tour like this I wound up getting delayed in various states, which threw off the whole schedule. I anticipate similar delays with this tour.
What's in it for you: A free signed book, scintillating conversation with a semi-famous author, and a signed piece of paper that says JA KONRATH/JACK KILBORN SLEPT HERE, suitable for framing, if you're into framing signed pieces of paper.
If you throw in dinner, I'll give you two signed books.
Now let us commence with the Q & A.
Q: So you're really asking people to stay at their houses on tour?
A: Yes. I've done this before, and it worked well. I only have limited touring dollars, and this is the best way to stretch a buck.
Q: I want to see you on tour and get some books signed. Do you have any scheduled tour times?
A: Nope. The only time and place I've specifically pinned down is April 23-26. I'll be in Orlando, at the Romantic Times Convention. Because this is a driving tour where I'm stopping in bookstores to sign stock, I have no clear idea when I'll visit a certain bookstores, or even if I'll be able to visit all the ones on my list. I'd hate to have a loyal fan camped out in a bookstore parking lot for three days just so I can sign their book.
Q: But I really want to meet you.
A: I want to meet you, too. But this tour doesn't have any scheduled stops. If you really want to meet me, you can always invite me over.
Q: What bookstores are on your list?
A: I'm still putting the list together. It will be many of the bookstores I've visited in the past.
Q: You're doing a lot of self-promotion on your blog, lately. When are you going to go back to posting advice and tips?
A: If you're a writer, the self-promotion I'm currently doing is actual advice and tips in action. I'll be posting regular tour updates, so both writers and fans can follow what I'm doing.
Q: You're linking to a lot of Afraid reviews, including bad ones. Why link to people who didn't like the book?
A: Everyone has an opinion, and all opinions are valid. I believe all reviews, even bad ones, have the potential to ensnare curious readers.
Q: I saw copies of Afraid at Walmart. Will you be signing stock at Walmart?
A: No. I'm only dropping in bookstores.
Q: I'm a bookseller and I want you to stop by my store. How do I get you to come?
A: Email me. If you're a bit out of the way from the cites I posted, you can entice me by saying things like, "I know you'll be in Cincinnati but my store is 50 miles away, but if you stop by I'll make sure I have 80 copies of your books for you to sign that I promise to handsell." That will lure me to your store. Also, I'll be giving booksellers free copies of Afraid. My publisher, Grand Central, is supplying me with a bunch to give-away, and they're also partially funding the tour.
Q: Don't you ever sleep?
A: I'll sleep when I'm dead.
Other news:
If you want to get in on the Books for Ads deal and get a free JA Konrath signed hardcover, click on the link. If you've posted a widget, I need your address to send you a book.
Graham Storrs has some smart things to say about blog ad trading:
http://grahamstorrs.cantalibre.com/06/04/2009/book-ad-barter-begins/
The prolific and talented Jason Starr interviews me on his blog:
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=381319460&blogId=481695609
If you want to listen to me on Blog Talk Radio, doing my schtick about self-promotion on Morgan Mandel's show:
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com/2009/04/todays-guest-ja-konrath-aka-jack.html
Finally, more Afraid reviews:
http://anniegirl1138.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/a-review-of-jack-kilborns-debut-novel-afraid/
http://mysteriesinthemaking.blogspot.com/2009/04/afraid-by-jack-kilborn.html
http://hellnotes.com/afraid-book-review/
http://www.ezinearticles.com/?Afraid-by-Jack-Kilborn&id=2158497
http://bookreviewsbybobbie.wordpress.com/2009/03/31/book-review-of-afraid-arc/
http://unmainstreammomreads.blogspot.com/2009/03/101-afraid-by-jack-kilborn.html
http://libdrone.info/2009/04/book-review-afraid-by-jack-kilborn/
http://bkfaerie.blogspot.com/2009/03/afraid-by-jack-kilborn.html
http://grumpydan.blogspot.com/2009/03/afraid-by-jack-kilborn.html
http://www.nightsandweekends.com/articles/09/NW0900120.php
See you on the road...