Finders Keepers

How are the wee, small hours treating you these days? Mine are busy. I’m annoyed to say that my mind needs to CHILL OUT when I lay me down to sleep but it, like everyone else in my house, needs to be told directions at least thrice before listening to Mama. My overactive-thinking mode really irritates Marc, or it would were he ever able to stay awake for more than four seconds upon hitting the pillow. I swear this is how it happens: Marc running around, brushing teeth, chatting about the day, being generally social. The MOMENT he lays his head down, his eyes go immediately bloodshot, closed, heavy, and he starts breathing like a man in a coma. DONE. OVER. No more conversation. The ONLY thing that can stir the man from slumber, is, well, inappropriate for my grandma to read (Hi, Grandma!).

So there I’m left to think, think, thinky-think. These days I’m thinking about how to get my novel STRETCH MARKS into the hands of people who would read it and like it, people in the market for a yummy fall read with laughter and tears, a faith-infused story that is NOT a sermon...Did you know that even in this fancy-shmancy age of technology and digital stuff, the number one reason a person buys a book is still because of a personal recommendation? Word of mouth. Plain and simple.

So what if I ask you to yap about the book? What if I make up some crazy, fun way to get the book out there, in your communities, to people who’d like to happen upon a good read? Here’s my idea, indebted in part to the lovely, witty author Amy Krouse Rosenthal:

THE FINDERS KEEPERS PROJECT

1. You decide you like STRETCH MARKS. You are a nice person.
2. I send you a few books with my undying gratitude.
3. You keep one for yourself (the one signed to you or your Auntie Irma or whomever you choose).
4. You take the others and leave them in places prospective Kimberly Stuart readers hang out. The OB office, the cool emergent church down the street, a playgroup, the diaper section at Target, a park bench by a playground, etc.
5. You let me know by e-mail or post on Facebook or Twitter where you went, what happened, if you got to meet Oprah and slip her a copy, and so on.



6. If you are so inclined, send me a photo of your most creative drop-off and I’ll enter you to win a fantastic GRANDE PRIZE-O-RAMA, which will involve getting cool stuff in the mail and lunch on me.

Any takers? My publisher has been kind enough to send books for this very purpose, but once they’re gone, they’re gone. So e-mail me at kimberly@kimberlystuart.com right this very second if you’re interested. Fun, free book, a giveaway, and the chance to accost Oprah. What could be better?

Thanks, dear readers. I can feel myself sleeping better already.

www.kimberlystuart.com
kimberly@kimberlystuart.com