Radio plug on way up to Crufts , Want to hear it?

M. Welshman

M. Welshman

Morning folks.
On the way up to Crufts I was listening to Radio Gloucestershire and the presenter asked if anyone was going to the show. I managed to scribbled the phone number down and took the next exit off the M5 to stop at a lay-by and phone in. The producer took some details and rang back to say Faye Hatcher would like to do an interview with me - but would I be prepared to wait 15 minutes. Anything for a plug, so naturally said 'Yes'.
Anyone interested can still listen to it.  www.bbc.co.uk/radiogloucestershire.  Click on listen again.  Then when the radio player page comes up, click on Faye Hatcher and her Sat. 10th show will start playing.  I'm 45 minutes into the show so spin on 3 x 15 mins from the 9.00 am start. The quality's not that good as I was on my mobile and had traffic roaring past so it was a bit difficult for me to hear and to have ready answers. Still a plug's a plug and Faye was great in that she did ask me about P in P, bless her. 

Howard

Great plug, Malcolm. It came over really well. The dog blog bit was very funny! I bet you've had a lot of hits on Amazon as a consequence.

Carol

How did Crufts go Malcolm, did you get much attention?

M. Welshman

Crufts was crazy.  I knew I had arrived as soon as I stepped out of the car and into a dog poo. I had brought with me 200 glossy postcards about the book, cover on the front, details on the back.Took me awhile to work out a system for distributing them without too much wastage.  I eventually worked the show rings congratulating  people sitting with their dogs who had rosettes displayed on their kennels. Then asked if they ever read James Herriot and switched into interview mode.  Amazing results.  Lost count of those who genuinely were interested in the book and said they would buy a copy when I gave them a card. Some asked for more as they said they had friends who would definitely be interested. It was exhausting but I shifted all 200 postcards.I also went round all the Charity and Dog Mag stands where again there seemed genuine interest.  The RSPCA was going to send details through to their publication department.  Likewise Your Dog. At a stand for a new company called 'The College of Animal Welfare' I was told they would like to do a review of the book.  I had my pic taken in front of the Superstarpets stand with my poster of book and Arthur-Rex. That will go on their website. So all in all, a very productive day. Wish I had thought of going up the previous days.  Prove of the pudding will be in the selling.  But I'm sure a good number of books will get bought.

Carol

Glad to hear you got such a positive response. Make sure you tell your publisher how successful it was, as more publicity will bring more book orders and they need to be prepared.

M. Welshman

You're spot on there Carol.  I've actually just e-mailed Robert Hale expressing my concerns. Likewise been in touch with the interested paperback publisher. Just wonder how this coming week will pan out.

Carol

Let's hope it encourages them to make a decision, and ensure the books are available.

Tessa Tangent

Rex sounds a brilliant little character!  What a great example of how to do my own PR later on... thank you. 

I read your reviews (positive) and mentioned the book to fellow animal lover and hysterical friend of mine who can talk for England.  She's from Dorset so you can now sit back and relax about your advertising for that area of the world!!  She'll do it for you once she reads your book....

M. Welshman

Thanks Tessa. What part of Dorset is your friend based in? I lived as a lad in Bournemouth and used to take parties of school kids for hikes along the coastline at Swanage - esp each March - to study the slow-worms and adders that were just coming out of hiberation at that time. I'm due to give an interview on Dorchester Hospital Radio soon which is linked in with SW Dorset Newspaper,the talking newspaper for the blind where it is hoped I can give a series of readings from P in P.  Yet another publicity angle for you to consider .

josiehenley

Hi MW, wow this all sounds great. You’re certainly giving us a good role model of a writer who gets out there and markets himself. Good idea to target people with your postcards to avoid wastage. I’m trying to get more into walking up to people and just starting to chat about my writing but it’s a bit weird! In general I’m not shy, not backward at coming forward, but with my writing it always seems arrogant – still, the arrogant ones are the ones that win when it comes to marketing. I can do it with my magazine, because I feel a bit more detached from that as I’m only one of a group and can claim credit as an editor, but with my book I’m having to bite the bullet and put myself out there. I think that many writers find this really difficult.

Re Dorset, I mentioned you to Laura on Friday and she said you’d asked if you could come along and read from P&P, but she said it hadn’t fitted in with the theme of the evening. Shame that, because it would have been good to meet you and take the stage together! Maybe there’ll be another event somewhere… Anyway, I mention it because from what I can gather, Huckleberry’s do these sorts of events quite regularly so as you’re in that neck of the woods it might be worth pursuing them for another evening. They also run two book clubs. The promoter for the event was David, he’s left me a comment at my MySpace page so you can link to him from there. He may have some ideas for places you can go locally with P&P. They are quite a literary crowd so not sure if they’d be into non-fic, but it’s always worth a try, isn’t it?

Anyway, I’ll listen to the radio show when I get home as I can’t listen in work, but it does sound positive. Did you enter Arthur-Rex in Crufts or was he just along for the ride?

Tessa Tangent

Sharon's just moving back to near where she started in Dorset (seeing as she was old schoolfriend of mine in Romford, Essex!).  She'll be near Tricketts Cross and Ferndown with husband and, more importantly it seems, a golden and black labrador.  The female golden is diabetic and Sharon gives her those two injections each day - subtly; just as she dips her head for her food.

Tessa Tangent

Anyway, I have a feeling about this book, MW, and when TT has a feeling about books, then listen.  It'll be a success and yes you should be preparing for paperback.

I wish you well with the next.... and well done!!

M. Welshman

Thanks TT. I sincerely hope your 'feeling' translates into a solid commitment from a paperback house. Actually just 3 hours back I did have a 'holding' e-mail from the publishing director of the paperback house that's currently looking at the book. And it was a nice friendly one wishing me luck with the present publicity. Maybe your vibes resulted in that e-mail being sent. Just need the next one to say they're taking it on.  Send out some extra strong vibes please.  <g>

Carol

We're all sending positive vibes MW.

Tessa Tangent

Sending as I type, MW..... :O)

brownfox

I'm sure you'll hear in April MW.  I expect the publishing house concerned is waiting for the new financial year.  They've probably spent up for the present year and I'm sure you're at the top of their list for 2007/8.

M. Welshman

That's kind of you to say so Brownfox.  You've more confidence than I have. Pity you're not the commissioning editor. Ohoo... er.... Maybe you are..  Now Brownfox what a lovely red coat you have...and such a long, soft mane...and those eyes....oh those wonderful eyes....reading and savouring Pets in Prospect.

Jay Mandal

Are you recording your broadcasts?

brownfox

Sorry to disappoint you MDW, but you're barking up the wrong tree here. My comments were based on my own experience of working in libraries.  At this time of year, anything involving expense of any kind is put on hold til April. 
Gosh!  I've just realised I've made my first ever pun.  'Barking', I mean.  I know it's not a very good one.  My brain doesn't seem to work in a punn-y way.

M. Welshman

No Jay. BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Radio Swindon sent me CDs of their respective interviews.  And I listened to a few of the others via the internet. Mixed efforts. Got floored a couple of times by awkward questions. One lady presenter's question sticks in my mind. She had been saying how youngsters wanted to be pop stars or vets. The glamour etc And then suddenly asked had love ever entered my life through being a vet.  Err..mmm,  Awkward pause.

Jay Mandal

Can you remind us what the 'D' stands for, Brownfox?