Loving Random Acts of Publicity

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There’s something about Darcy Pattison’s Random Acts of Publicity that I just love.
I’m not sure if it’s the simplicity of the idea…that we can pick any method we like to publicize a friend’s book. Or the idea that we can, in fact, help a writer friend out in such a simple but effective way. Possibly it’s just because the word “random” is thrown in there. I’ve always liked random. Wonder what that says about me? Anyway, whatever the something is about Random Acts of Publicity, I love it!
Maybe you’ll love it, too. If you have a friend who’s recently released a book (or maybe not so recently–it doesn’t matter!), why not give her or him a gift of publicity? Blog about it, link to it, like it on Facebook, review it, or talk about it, wherever, whenever you can. See how simple that is? And you should check out Darcy’s blog for giveaways this week (you can sign up your friend’s book for a chance to win all kinds of publicity packages).

The promotion’s going on all week over at Darcy’s place (and on the Facebook page). But you know what I’m thinking? Anytime is a good time for a random act of publicity. (Really. I love this idea!)

Finding Libba Bray (and Her Awesomeness)

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Holy whack-a-moley! I had to rush to get to the Decatur Book Festival in time to see Libba Bray on Saturday because a. I’d never seen her but heard tons of wonderful things about her presentation and b. Cathy-on-a-Stick wanted her picture with her.

I’m always amazed at how nice authors are when it comes to Cathy-on-a-Stick. In Ms. Bray’s case, the woman talked for about an hour– (And she was really funny and entertaining so if you ever get a chance to see her, you should go and experience for yourself how 45 minutes can go by in 13 minutes. I’ve never really understood that whole time/space continuum thing. And it’s not any clearer now.)and she had to catch a plane a couple hours later. But she sat out there for TWO hours and signed books and answered questions and posed for pics up till the very last minute.

I mean the VERY LAST MINUTE. A DBF helper let the few us at the very back of the line know that Ms. Bray may not be able to stay (I made a poem!). She HAD to catch that plane. So when I got up there, and she was still signing, I just said, “Here! Hold this, please! It’s Cathy-on-a-Stick and I have a blog and really, I’m a very nice person but I never know what Cathy-on-a-Stick might say.”

Good, old (not that old, really more like middle-aged) Libba Bray. She laughed, grabbed the stick, and I clicked and dashed so the next person could get her book signed.

So she’s my new favorite YA author. At least until the next one comes along to hold Cathy-on-a-Stick.

(P.S. Here’s her latest awesome book (BEAUTY QUEENS) which I bought and had signed. I may give it away in some sort of contest where you, the entrant, have to do somthing awesome. Because seriously, I stood in line for TWO HOURS an hour and a half almost an hour okay 28 minutes. See, I left the line after 12 minutes because I HAD to see Adam Gidwitz (A TALE DARK AND GRIMM). And he was pretty awesome, too, even if I didn’t catch up with him later for a pic with Cathy-on-a-Stick.  But then I came back and stood in Ms. Bray’s line again for 16 minutes. She was there the whole time, so you know, that has to count for a lot of awesomeness.)