Guest Blogger - Michael Murphy -- Three Tips for Obtaining Media Coverage for Your Novel.

Well folks, I promised you a visit from Michael Murphy, author of the just released mystery, Scorpion Bay. He offered to write about his experience with campaigning and how to get the word out about his book. I hope you enjoy this and please feel free to post your questions and comments. Now, please give a warm welcome to my guest!

With the release of my new mystery/suspense novel, Scorpion Bay, I reached out to the media and was able to obtain an article in the local weekly, Peoria Times, http://x.co/WslA the Arizona Republic http://x.co/WslG, and an in studio interview on the highest rated morning news program in the state, Good Morning Arizona. Here’s a few tips I learned. Hope they’re helpful in your campaign.

1. Don’t make the pitch for the story to be about your book. Assume the media isn’t interested in an author having a new book released. Come up with and provide an angle on a unique story on the release. With my novel, I planned a Scorpion Bay launch party at the real Scorpion Bay in Lake Pleasant Arizona. Both newspapers played up that angle when I mentioned that several scenes took place at the Scorpion Bay Marina. The story then became about the marina, not about an author seeking publicity.

2. Product Placement. Placing a product in a movie is common these days. Obtaining the enthusiastic approval of the owner of Dillons Restaurant at Scorpion Bay to mention the restaurant (it was integral to the story), helped secure the location of the launch party which resulted in the newspaper interest.

3. Find a hook. With the television media, I approached the station more than two years ago to seek their help in researching the media aspects of Scorpion Bay. When the book was about to be released, I reached out to them and the hook was mentioned in the interview; “Good Morning Arizona often brings you stories of interest, but today ‘we are the story’. That was the hook that resulted in their interest in interviewing me.

At the launch party, I made a point to ask people who came to the table what brought them there and more than half mentioned the newspaper or television appearance. I sold forty-three books and concluded that 23 or more resulted from the media campaign.

Obtaining media coverage, however, isn’t just about selling a particular book; it’s more about establishing you as a credible author. A final tip, don’t be intimidated by the media, reach out to them and find a way to help them write the story.

Scorpion Bay by Michael Murphy

Also, visit Michael's website for more information:   Michael Murphy