BIG NEWS! Preorders are already available for THE LILAC PEOPLE! (I’m surprised, too.) The best part of preorders starting so early is there’s more chance to get some momentum going. With that in mind, I’m hoping you can help me out by doing any of these nine things to support my debut about trans fascism:
- Preorder THE LILAC PEOPLE
For better or for worse, this is the most helpful thing a reader can do to support a book. The publishing industry is a business at the end of the day, and money talks loudly. If a book is selling well, the given publisher may put in more marketing efforts, pick the author up for another book, etc. Also, since an author’s future book publications are dependent on the sales of their past book(s), good book sales also help secure the given author’s future career as a writer.
Preorders are especially important because they not only create momentum (the earlier the preorders start coming in, the better), but all preorder sales accumulate and count toward the book’s official first week on the market. This is high-and-above a book’s best chance to get onto a given “bestsellers” list (that is based on actual sales). So in order of buying importance, it goes 1) preorders, 2) buying on the day of the release, 3) buying within the first week of the release, and 4) buying at any other time.
- Request THE LILAC PEOPLE from your local library/ies
If you don’t see it listed yet, please request it. If you see it already listed, please request a hold on it. This matters because libraries buy books based on the interest level they’re receiving. Likewise, this puts a given book on their radar. This in turn ups the chances they’ll recommend the book to a given patron, as well as mention the book on library- and bookstore-specific sites such as Edelweiss, which are key ways such entities spread the word about given books and get them on each other’s radar.
- Request THE LILAC PEOPLE from your local independent bookstore(s)
Not unlike libraries, it’s helpful to ask if a given bookstore has a copy of the book. Even if you don’t intend to purchase it, it helps get the book on the bookstore’s radar, and they will likely buy copy/ies if they get multiple inquiries about the book. (And again, they may also in turn get the book on other bookstores’ radars through such sites as Edelweiss.) Also, just like librarians, it ups the chances that the booksellers will recommend the book to patrons.
- Suggest THE LILAC PEOPLE for personal/local/town/city book clubs
Even if the book doesn’t get picked as the next read, it still gets it on people’s radar. If the book does get picked, that additionally provides opportunity for me to engage in a discussion, whether virtually or in person.
- Mention THE LILAC PEOPLE to relevant professors and teachers
They might purchase the book as part of their class curriculum and/or get the college/university/learning center to have me come in for a discussion. For literature and creative writing classes, this book is great for studies on narrative style, ethical/accurate historical fiction, and expressions of trauma. On the history side, it’s great for discussing WWII, the Holocaust, the Weimar Republic, German and US history, trans history, queer history, and historical erasure. For gender studies, political science, and social science classes, it’s great for discussing book bans/burnings, fascism, propaganda, marginalization, identity, community, and current political climates.
- Add THE LILAC PEOPLE to your Goodreads to-read list
Please add the book to your Goodreads to-read list. The more people who add it to their to-read list, the more the algorithms pick up on it, and the more it’ll be suggested to fellow readers.
- Rate THE LILAC PEOPLE on Goodreads and/or Amazon
After you get your hands on the book, please rate it if you enjoyed it. Yes, you all know how I feel about the toxicity of numerical book rating systems, especially when they’re poorly regulated. However, they unfortunately still stand as something that can help get a book noticed.
The earlier you can rate the book, the better. The first week of a book’s launch is particularly helpful, even more on the first day. If enough reviews come in on the first day and/or week, it’ll get picked up by Amazon’s algorithms. (Ever wonder why saboteurs jump in to 1-star a book the moment the book’s rating system opens? Yeah.)
Relatedly, this book can probably use all the love it can get. Let’s be honest. I’m a trans author…who wrote a trans book…about trans fascism. We already know there are likely going to be attempts to tank my book’s rating. Any 5-star reviews to help counteract that—and, even better, get ahead of it—are greatly appreciated.
- Boost THE LILAC PEOPLE on social media
Again, getting the book on people’s radars is very helpful. It can be as simple as a screenshot of the book cover and saying “Can’t wait to read!” or whatever strikes your fancy. Feel free to @todd_milo (on Instagram) and #TheLilacPeople.
- Tell your friends and loved ones about THE LILAC PEOPLE
I’m on repeat here, I know. Publishers (and authors) are often still mystified as to what actually gets a book to become a bestseller and what doesn’t…with one exception. Word of mouth stands as the best way to get a book noticed. People tell people tell people. This has been a key component of “successful” books for years. So please, tell people about the book. You’ll help make a big difference.
Thank you for considering any of the above ways to support me and my debut!
