At a LIVE Reading/Signing ... at World Famous Danceland, Manitou Beach, SK.
(left to right: Me, Matthew Grandguillot, August Grandguillot)
Later, towards the end of my second book (Again, the LIVE LINK) "A Work in Progress: The Life my Brother Saved" there is a lucid recollection of my eldest brother telling the story, that he heard from a cousin, of the G-G-G-G-G-G-Grandfather So-and-So Gaudet who hooked up with a Mi'kmaq woman, and the rest . is. history!
"Vision"
Here is a sneak preview of the artwork created in collaboration with First Nations' Medicine Man and close friend the late Douglas Severight. This artwork (called, simply, "Vision") and its story loom large in "A Work in Progress: The Life my Brother Saved".
Saskatchewan-based Story-Teller (and host of Shaw TV "Lit Happens") holds copies of book 1 and 2.
When you hear the recently taped "Lit Happens" segment (once it comes out) you will hear the host Danica Lorer refer to me as a "Proud Metis Man". Now that the oral history referred to above will be in the public domain, my claim to my proud Metis heritage is official.
Standing with the "Dancing..." banner...
About the Artist/Author: To Read More, Please Visit mrgaudet.com
I met with Danica Lorer well before our interview to give her lots of time to read my books.
I would like to express my gratitude to Danica and the network for carrying through with this. Every little step forward in pushing ahead with promotion of my books is appreciated, and I will certainly make the most of it.
On set at Shaw Cable TV's "Lit Happens" with host Danica Lorer.
Was I nervous doing this? Well, not really. You might say I have done enough of this kind of thing in the past, that I am used to this particular type of stress. I think of it this way: you must recognize the butterflies swirling around in your stomach prior to something like this and COMMAND them to simply fly in formation!
Holding a copy of my first book "Dancing with Rejection".
While this in itself is nothing extraordinary... though I deeply appreciate EVERY SINGLE book sale (more on that later) ... the reason why I am pointing this out to my readers is that in this case, the books are destined to be button-holed into the hands of BOOK CLUB MEMBERS.
My friend (Best-Selling Author) Carey Rigby-Wilcox holds a copy of my second book "A Work in Progress".
Do you know what this could mean? According to the lady from Boulder (who shall remain unnamed) her intention is to FAN the FLAME under these two books. Not literally of course, that would NOT be a good thing.
In my patron's words, " You've sold a hell of a lot of book and you only have 4 reviews?!?! Well, that's un-American and probably un-Canadian! The book is incredible by the way. I am shocked you couldn't get it published. They are fools to have passed up the chance. It's brilliantly written."
Thank you for that! However, I must add, that I did not approach traditional publishers with my manuscript(s). I am REALLY ONSIDE with the self-publishing phenom. That is another whole different post!
In case you, dear reader, are empathizing with the part about REVIEWS, please feel free to rectify that situation by logging on to my Amazon.com landing pages for book 1 and book 2. Any and all reviews are always welcome.
Now, back to the EXCITING PROSPECT of my books landing in the hands of BOOK CLUB MEMBERS in Colorado. That potentially EXPLOSIVE development has left my head swimming, I won't lie.
You can rest assured that I will let you know what, if anything, comes of this in the coming weeks!
About the Artist/Author: Please Visit www.mrgaudet.com to Read More.
There are certain things you, as an author (or wannabe author) can do to BUILD BOOK BUZZ. Of course, every case is different. There is no cookie-cutter solution. Having said that, I want to share my own experience.
You might say, I was over-eager to create some excitement around my new love-child... so I rushed into a very small book-reading at a tiny book-store in Saskatoon. About 10 people attended. Although I thoroughly enjoyed myself, this was a strategic mistake. A couple of months later I expressed my desire to hold a reading at a larger book-store in the same city.
The person in charge of this took extra care to explain that since I had already held my "launch", they could not accommodate me. My feeling at the time was, I never called it a "launch" and also, she could have invested her energy in welcoming me with open arms, versus spending such an inordinate amount of time pushing me away with her long, drawn-out explanation.
My point is... do NOT rush into a less than favorable situation in a small venue. Wait for your cards to line up in a venue that will serve your purposes. It's probably a good idea to generate some advance media coverage and online buzz prior to a live reading. That way, your chances of attracting a fair-sized turnout of fans, supporters, friends and admirers will be greatly enhanced.
Here is a good example of a pre-launch (or live reading) article, that appeared on the front-page of a Nova Scotian newspaper:
Mural painter and author to hold public reading of memoirs in Truro
Michael Gaudet has painted murals across Canada since the 1970s. He recently released his second book, ‘A Work In Progress’, which he will be reading from at the Truro library on Wed., Dec. 13.SUBMITTED
TRURO, N.S.
Michael Gaudet has been painting murals across Canada since the late 1970s, in his words, to ‘leave his mark on the world.’
Now, he is coming back to his hometown to give a reading from his memoirs ‘Dancing With Rejection’ and ‘A Work In Progress’ at the Truro library on Wednesday, Dec. 13.
“The first book, ‘Dancing With Rejection,’ a lot of it is set right in Nova Scotia so I want to read some passages that were reminiscent of the province,” said Gaudet.
Next, what is the meaning of "LAUNCH"? When will you know you are ready? Is it really a one-time thing that cannot be replicated over and over again? Be careful using that word... it has a definite meaning and finality to it.
Back to my strategy... There is a local TV Show on Shaw Cable here in Saskatchewan that is dedicated to the literary scene called "Lit Happens". I made a special effort to meet the host (Saskatchewan-based Story-Teller Danica Lorer) to present her with complimentary copies of BOTH my books. ("Dancing with Rejection: A Beginner's Guide to Immortality" and "A Work in Progress: The Life my Brother Saved") She graciously agreed to send me a picture of her holding her acquisitions. This picture has become a staple of my social media promotion.
"Lit Happens" host Danica Lorer was gracious enough to send me this beautiful photo.
A couple of years ago, I was interviewed on "Lit Happens" by the former host, the late great Wes Funk. Here is that interview:
Also, Sasktel Max TV created a wonderful short film that features some of my best artwork, as well as a live reading from my first book:
Now, I am excited to announce that Danica Lorer will be conducting a fresh new interview to build on all of the momentum. You might say, I have done all of the legwork required to EARN more high-profile publicity, in order to create a real BUZZ around my first two books, and also my career as a mural-painter.
Happy Trails, fellow authors. I hope I have communicated a little of what it means to build momentum, and to grasp the opportunity when it comes your way. You have heard the expression "Strike while the iron is hot", right? Well, I am here to tell you, you must come up with creative ways to HEAT IT UP in the first place. You have to come up with a strategy to stand out from the milling crowd. The good news is, with a little perseverance and insight, it is totally possible. You might even say, INEVITABLE. Remember, all it takes to rise above the primordial muck is to show the world that you have something a little special. And oh, it also helps if you have the ability to write a RIP-ROARING good tale!
