This is a quick note to all NY, NJ and New England teachers/librarians/Pony Club DCs:
I’m currently scheduling school, library and Pony Club visits for fall 2009 and spring 2010. There are some details on my Website, but please e-mail (jessica [at] jessicaburkhart [dot]) come for full info. I live in New York City and am willing to travel to visit your students.
Yes, I am happy to report that the PR Ninja will be suiting up again to tackle New York! Woo!
Happy summer!
Okay, so my camera decided to be grainy and weird, but you can at least see the poster! I designed that on Fireworks and took the file to my local Kinkos. I can use this poster at any event, so that’s why I left off the date and store name. I’m thrilled with how it turned out! It’s laminated on a foam core and it’s 12 x 18.
I also posted the file that I sent Kinkos, since that doc looks much more like the actual poster than the pic I just took!
You guys like it? 🙂
I’ve been thinking a lot over the weekend about book promo. A lot. Kind of obsessing about it, actually. Take the Reins has been out (officially) for a couple of weeks and I’m fixated on the ancient argument–the people who say, “Do publicity until you drop!” and the others who think, “Just write!”
I think I’ve done a decent amount of press work for Take the Reins. But the nagging feeling of, “Dude, you’re not doing enough! C’mon!” keeps coming back. Like, I had an actual nightmare about being a publicity slacker, LOL. 🙂 I was in a boardroom and people were shaking their heads with disapproving glares…scary! I half-expected Donald Trump to show up and fire me. I definitely have an intense fear of not doing enough.
Half of my writer friends say, “Yes! It’s enough publicity unless someone comes to you. Keep writing the books and put your focus there.” Others say, “Well, that’s great, but more publicity would be even better. Focus on publicity and writing.”
Personally, I’m on the side of doing publicity and writing, but keeping the main focus on writing. It’s tricky, as a new author, to figure out how to handle everything. Maybe it just comes with time and more books. Until then, I’m still trying to find a balance. 🙂
Any debut authors want to chime in?
ETA: We’re having a great discussion about this over at Lisa Schroeder’s!
Yesterday, I started mailing my “Hi! I’m a local author!” packets to local elementary and middle schools. Who knew there were so many in my area?! Awesome. So, I included a postcard and letter. (Yes, I blurred stuff.) But all of the letters will go to the school librarians. It’s not a hard sell type of pitch, but rather a way to let them know my book is coming out and that I’m available for talks.
Also, there’s a B-I-G article about Canterwood Crest coming out in March/April (that means it’ll be out in Feb) and I’m keeping it a secret for now (just want to make sure it’s not yanked at the last second for whatever reason), but it’s soooo exciting. I can’t wait!
And, Google-stalking produced a new find! I have an article in the Florida SCBWI Newsletter for fall 2008–“Vlogging: The New “It” Thing.” You can read the article (in PDF form) on page 2. Then, on page 4, there’s member news and a bit about TAKE THE REINS. Yay! The newsletter is even cooler because friends Danette Haworth, Mindy Alyse Weiss and Debbie Reed Fischer all got mentions or wrote articles.
Today, I went here! That’s the Tallahassee Democrat. 🙂
Nice sign, huh?
I did a follow up interview with Kathleen Laufenberg, the writer who interviewed me when I got the book deal. I was excited about going and had so much fun!
Kathleen asked me to read the first chapter of Take the Reins and it will go up on the Democrat’s Website as a podcast. Yay! 🙂 I was such a dork while I was reading, LOL. I had to redo it at least 5 times because I got distracted and/or messed up simple words. But I think the final result turned out okay. I’ll post a link when it goes live!
Thank you, Kathleen, for the interview.
Tomorrow, I’m off to my previously mentioned secret PR Ninja activity! 🙂 I’m not 
complaining about spending a little time away from the computer. Yes, I’m drafting TRIPLE FAULT, but my attention span is awful this week! I get more distracted the closer I get to the TTR release. I feel like Will Ferrell in Elf. There’s a scene in the movie when he’s eating M&Ms with spaghetti and maple syrup. He might be drinking Coke or coffee, too, but I don’t remember. Anyway, he’s bouncing off the walls and I’m feeling like that!
Remember to leave a comment here if you want to be entered to win a signed copy of 
TAKE THE REINS!
And yeah, I’m totally aware that my countdown clock has 22 days left. Twenty-two. Must. Ignore. 🙂
On Monday, I get to slip into my PR Ninja costume! (I really should find an avatar for this…) I’m going to meet someone downtown to do a PR-related thing. Could I be any more vague, LOL?
I’ll spill when it goes online. 🙂
(Other 2009 debut authors, does it just freak your freak (thanks, Ellen!) to see your countdown clock go down?!) I get dizzy/tingly/crazy watching my Sprout countdown clock tick.
Yesterday: Um. *looks away* Well…okay. 4 pages. Distractions, distractions!
1 giant pumpkin spice-flavored coffee
20+ attempts to actually write
2:30pm was the time I gave up and vowed to start again the next day
P.S. My blog had its highest monthly hit total in December 2008 since I started blogging. Thanks so much, guys!
P.P.S. Want to win a signed copy of TAKE THE REINS? Check yesterday’s post for details.
I worked through Thanksgiving, and man, did it feel good! I got a lot done on BEHIND THE BIT and it’s looking pretty! 🙂
I think I blogged before (or maybe I Facebooked it) about how my room had become a post office with Canterwood Crest mail. Well, I couldn’t take the clutter, so I moved it out to the table.
This is what it looks like:
(The newest postcard!)That’s minus a stack of envelopes that went out to indies that requested signed TAKE THE REINS postcards and offered to put them out in Jan. Thanks, guys! I really appreciate your interest. A few of the store owners said, “Oh, btw, we saw your book in the S&S catalog” or “I’m excited to recommend it.” One Kentucky bookstore owner even told me she was sure my book would do well in their state. You know, cause of the giant horse-loving population. That’s supercool!
Now, I have an excuse to buy the rainbow pack of Sharpies that I’ve been eyeing but previously had no use for. They’re perfect for postcard signing!
The postcards go fast. Really fast. 500 TTR postcards–spoken for and mostly gone. Less than 10 are left. 500 Chasing Blue postcards–already being sorted for stores/groups/stables/libraries, etc. 500 dual TTR/CB postcards–just arrived today. (If you own a bookstore/stable/whatever else and you’d like signed postcards, e-mail me.)
Yep, the TAKE THE REINS countdown is, well, going down! Less than 8 weeks. OMG. Bring it on! I am ready! My PR plan is begging to go into fullout action mode. I’m set to be a PR Ninja. 🙂
Jessica Burkhart 
