Winner
of the 2015 PWA Shamus Award and the 2015 ITW Thriller Award for Best Original
Paperback Novel, Vincent Zandri is the NEW YORK TIMES, USA
TODAY, and AMAZON KINDLE No.1 bestselling author of more than 25 novels
including THE REMAINS, MOONLIGHT WEEPS, EVERYTHING BURNS, and ORCHARD GROVE. He
is also the author of numerous Amazon bestselling digital shorts, PATHOLOGICAL,
TRUE STORIES and MOONLIGHT MAFIA among them. Harlan Coben has described THE
INNOCENT (formerly As Catch Can) as "...gritty, fast-paced, lyrical and
haunting," while the New York Post called it
"Sensational...Masterful...Brilliant!" Zandri's list of domestic
publishers include Delacorte, Dell, Down & Out Books, Thomas & Mercer
and Polis Books, while his foreign publisher is Meme Publishers of Milan and
Paris. An MFA in Writing graduate of Vermont
College, Zandri's work is
translated in the Dutch, Russian, French, Italian, and Japanese. Recently,
Zandri was the subject of a major feature by the New York Times. He has also
made appearances on Bloomberg TV and FOX news. In December 2014, Suspense
Magazine named Zandri's, THE SHROUD KEY, as one of the "Best Books of
2014." Recently, Suspense Magazine selected WHEN SHADOWS COME as one of
the "Best Books of 2016". A freelance photo-journalist and the author
of the popular "lit blog," The Vincent Zandri Vox, Zandri has written
for Living Ready Magazine, RT, New York Newsday, Hudson Valley Magazine, The
Times Union (Albany), Game & Fish Magazine, and many more. He lives in New
York and Florence, Italy.
WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:
WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK
After your book was
released, what was the first thing you did when getting ready for your book
launch?
Contact Dorothy Thompson at Pump Up Your Book. She’s done
some remarkable work for me in the past with novels like The
Innocent and The
Remains.
After that, what was
your next step?
An announcement of the book’s release on all the major
social media platforms, like FB and Twitter. Also, set up a free book giveaway
on Goodreads. Finally I sent an announcement to my subscriber list.
Did you do anything
different to spice up your website in lieu of your upcoming book release?
I place all new releases and/or bestsellers at the top of
the page. My website is always
fluid.
Did you ever consider
using a PR agency to help you promote your book or did you prefer the DIY
route?
I’ve used PR firms in New York City
and Albany, but this is a very
expensive avenue to take. Tens of thousands of dollars. However, these firms
are very adept at selling both the author and the book. They can get you in
People Magazine, and Entertainment Weekly, maybe nail you a couple TV spots.
But in the end, the most bang for your buck by far comes with a virtual tour
like the kind PUYB puts out.
Were finding reviews
a top priority for you and, if yes, how did you approach that?
Again, the virtual tour is one of the expeditious ways to
gather honest reviews for your new novels.
What are your views
on social media for marketing your book?
The benefits are obvious and immediate if you have a lot of
followers. I’ve got around 5K on FB and 8K on Twitter, so it’s easy to get the
word out there. Of course, FB is becoming more of a pay to play outlet in terms
of ads, so I budget a certain amount of money each month to social media
advertising. Around $1K per month.
What social media has
worked best for you?
Facebook with Twitter a close second.
Did you write a press
release and do you think it worked for you?
I’ve never written one for myself. But my traditional
publishers put out press releases.
Did you revamp your
author’s page at Amazon in any way to prepare for the launch (https://authorcentral.amazon.com/)?
Only the biography.
Did you have other
books you offered for free in order to help sell your present book?
My present permafree is Moonlight
Falls.
Did you set up book
signings and, if so, how did that work for you?
I rarely, if ever, do book signings for my independently
published books since bookstores won’t take them. However, I’m doing a few
signings for my new traditionally published novel, The
Corruptions. It’s presently out in hardcover. It’s available at a bookstore
near you.
What was the best money
you ever spent on your book launch?
One more time…PUYB!
*Any tips for those
authors wanting to set up a successful book launch?
Interact with your social media fans and friends, but don’t
badger them about the new book. Build a solid subscriber base and give away
lots of books to get people reading and reviewing the new novel. Get them
talking about it. Word of mouth is still the best way to sell a novel. For more
info, or to contact me directly, go to WWW.VINCENTZANDRI.COM
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