I have found a couple of things in promoting my non-fiction, “Hurricane of Independence.” First, in speaking, you don’t need gimmicks like a slideshow – in fact, I never use them as a speaker, or when I was a teacher. Instead, I use my words and rhetorical devices to engage the reader in an exciting narrative story that will keep their attention for roughly 30 minutes depending on the audience. Secondly, there is an art to attracting customers over to the table at a book-signing and encapsulating the entire book in one lengthy sentence. What will make them buy the book? You only have their attention for 10-20 seconds and have to capture their imagination. My own pitch involves both the second deadliest hurricane in history and the Revolutionary War to appeal to history buffs and general readers. I’ve perfected the pitch within a month of my first book coming out to where almost 80-90% of the people who stop and talk, buy the book.

I have also discovered very quickly who is going to buy books and focus my attention on them. The reality is that most college students at the local college where I do a lot of signings are not going to read the book, whereas their parents will stop and talk and probably buy the book.

Interesting info – thanks.