Lindstrom Literary Management LLC

News and Views

Spotlight on Marketing

Selling books no longer relies solely on garnering favorable reviews as in the old days, when books had the luxury of time to build an audience. In fact, writers should always be thinking of ways to create interest in their titles and their “brand.” Many LLM authors have explored unusual and inexpensive ways to draw attention to their books.

Hailey Lind has the unique advantage of being two authors in one. Sisters Carolyn Lawes, an historian who teaches at the University of Norfolk, and Julie Goodson-Lawes, an artist, have worked hard to promote their Art Lover’s Mystery Series’ three books, Feint of Art, Shooting Gallery and Brush with Death.

We created a logo for the mystery series, printed stationery and used an online version of the stationery for emails. Julie is a self-taught artist who learned her craft the old-fashioned way, by copying Old Masters. Because these mysteries involve art forgery and theft, Julie and Kristin Lindstrom developed an unusual concept for the series: a Portrait Contest.

News and Views

The contest is aimed at readers, booksellers, librarians and editors and a new contest is announced with the publication of each book.

The prize: a portrait painted by Julie of the winner or a loved one (from a photograph) in the style of an Old Master – Julie can produce knock-offs from Michaelangelo to Rembrandt. Julie values these portraits at $2,500. The first contest, launched with the publication of Shooting Gallery, pulled 450 entries.

The contest and the book first was promoted via a three-part direct mail effort aimed at national newspaper book review editors, lifestyle editors, and independent bookstores. The goal was to get the logo in front of as many people as possible as often as possible, so that ultimately it will be recognized on sight.