Saturday, March 08, 2008

Werewolf Costume

A box of books arrives from Italy, copies of Ragazze Lupo, Fazi's translation of Lonely Werewolf Girl. It's a fine-looking book. And hefty too; it's a hardback, which I hadn't realised. I wonder if I could do anything useful with these books? If you'd like a free Italian copy and can give me some convincing reason to send you one - like for instance you have many friends and family in Italy and you promise you'll harass them all into buying it - then let me know.

Meanwhile I've been doing more email interviews for Italian magazines. This is good but it has led to world-record levels of sleeping on the couch afterwards, feeling that answering a few questions is probably enough work for the day.

The London Book Fair takes place at the start of April. My literary agents will be there, trying to make some more sales for me with foreign publishers. My agent did suggest that it would be good publicity for Lonely Werewolf Girl if I were to dress up in a werewolf costume and go around the book fair biting people. It's a reasonable suggestion. If I were to put on a suitable costume and deliver an energetic performance, maybe biting some publishers quite seriously and sending them to hospital, it would be bound to get some press coverage.

* Author bites publisher's leg *

* They never paid me enough royalties, says Millar *

It would probably do my career no harm at all. Sadly, I'm not really up to it. I don't have that killer instinct when it comes to getting publicity. It's a shame, really.

12 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:58 pm

    just finished it- i really enjoyed the book, martin. i like the idea of dressing up, perhaps you could just sit in a corner quietly drinking whisky rather than hurting people, though?

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  2. It is probably not a good idea to go around biting people: would you know where they have been? Not hygenic at all...
    Sadly I can't help ou getting rid of the Italian versions: none of my Italian friends like fantasy. It's a miracle they are friends at all, I suppose.

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  3. Maybe, if you are not up to it, you could get one of those infamous hot supermodels from your last posting to dress up in costume??

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  4. Anonymous4:50 am

    hahaha...i second the opinion of rubius. im sure quite a lot of people would buy the book if hot supermodels went around reading them. or at least pretending to.

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  5. OK, I see there may be problems in actually biting these publishers. Even though they may well deserve it, for their publishing crimes.

    Publicity via supermodels in werewolf costumes is a sensational idea. But I just can't see it happening, unfortunately.

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  6. Bite the publisher, it'll be fun. :) I'd love an italian version of the book, but just for novelty value really. Now if you had that problem with a dutch copy I could eriously help, one of the signed copies I bought went straight to Holland and I know a tonne of fantasy fans over there.

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  7. Anonymous2:10 pm

    "If you'd like a free Italian copy and can give me some convincing reason to send you one"->I'm an Italian girl and I would be very happy and gratefull in reciving one copy of your book directly from you:)))...the only problem is that I live in Rome!!! When will you come in Italy? So you can bring it to me personally!!!!
    ciaociao

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  8. I'm a very poor traveller! So I can't make it to Rome, unfortunately, though I'd like to.

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  9. Anonymous3:17 pm

    don't warry martin:) I'll be waiting for the book to the end of march!
    kisses
    sara

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  10. You know, we may be onto something here...Having Supermodels, perhaps dressed as Werewolves, biting publishers, might well be a Good Thing.

    Publishers would be lining up....

    I had never thought of it in terms of book promotion before, but, hey dream big, think outside the box....

    And if we can't get the supermodels, we can fall back on the fact that the book is Bloody Amazing.

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  11. martin -my son saw your book on the shelf in our little local bookshop and wanted it for easter. i said no cause he's saving his money for a new bike. you could make his day by sending him a copy in Italian. He's a brilliant cartoonist and will swap you...
    do you remember the susan of ed, vicky &co.? Alison's sister? I'm still in italy.. need a translator?

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  12. Uhhh the biting is a little to much but it will help sell books but I think the desire is a little weird.

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