Cheater’s Guide now shipping and buyable
I’m as surprised as anyone, but Amazon’s now shipping the Cheater’s Guide to Baseball, and so is Barnes and Noble, Powell’s, and all kinds of good places.
Remember, your purchase indirectly supports USSM.
The next really simple thing you can do for the book is review it. If you loved it, liked it, didn’t like it, when you’re done, throw something up on Amazon or B&N. Reviews are good.
And if you liked it, please, go ahead and tell people. Bug them to buy it. Buy it for them. And if they need a signed copy, let me know, and we’ll work something out.
If you’ve got other ideas on how I can sell more of these things, please let me know. Or comment. Whatever. It’s my first solo book, I’m inexperienced and eager.
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45 Responses to “Cheater’s Guide now shipping and buyable”
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Do you have any idea how soon the Barnes and Noble retail stores will get it in? Figuring with shipping it will be the same to just go pick it up if they have it in the next day or so.
Nope. I thought it would be on shelves and available everywhere April 2nd. This is a total surprise to me.
Walk around with a sandwich board outside Safeco! “Cheatah’s Guide, gitcha Cheatah’s Guide heah!”
so, now there are real, tangible copies, is the publisher getting those free copies out to the area media?
I know they are, because I’ve heard from some people (not the area media).
and the possiblity of cheating can lead to very odd things, indeed.
You might already know this, but it would be worthwhile to go to all your local bookstores, see if they have copies, and then go to the manager, tell them you’re the author, and ask if they want you to sign the store’s copies.
Something like that will probably get you more prominent in-store placement, and maybe even an in-store booksigning or two.
Yup, I’m all over that.
I don’t comment much around here but I read the site every day. Just bought my copy from Amazon, ironically along with the 2007 Baseball Prospectus.
Good luck with the book. I’ll tell all my friends.
So, when’s the book tour?
I got my “your order has been shipped” email today from Amazon. They were very proud of themselves for shipping early.
I’m telling my baseball friends. The price is awesome. I’ll probably show up in April on your Portland Powell’s swing to get mine signed.
Have you given any thought to a separate blog? You know, The Cheater’s Guide blog, with different content than here? That might push a few copies, too.
He’s got one:
http://www.zumsteg.net/cheatersguide/
Have you asked the Mariners team shop to sell the book?
I have not asked.
The Cheater’s Guide site features the first possible bug, too, tossed out by Deanna.
I am currently working in Waterton SD and went into the tiny little mall here to the even smaller B. Dalton’s and asked about the book expecting to have to special order it. Much to my surprise this little store had already ordered 6 copies and 4 were already spoken for.
The manager took my order, then placed an order for 4 more.
#12… that’s what I get for not doing my research before opening my mouth!
Hey, thanks, ddavis, that’s really heartening to hear.
I’ll let you know when they arrive in the Great White North. It should be a close race between the book and…. spring. :S
Walk around with a sandwich board outside Safeco! “Cheatah’s Guide, gitcha Cheatah’s Guide heah!â€
I would totally buy it if it came with a free Reuben Dog.
It was an apocalyptic read.
Really effective thing to do:
Drop in to as many bookstores as you can that sell your book.
Find the book.
Bring one copy up to the customer service and say, “hey, I wrote this one. Would you like me to sign some stock?”
They’ll say sure and then go find any other copies (for some reason it’s frowned upon to round up all your copies and bring them, looks desperate I guess)
Note that unless you’re Thomas Pynchon (you’re not, are you?) no bookseller will be impressed to meet you. Nothing personal.
Chat up the booksellers. They’re the ones recommending the book to customers. They have enormous power and a whole lot of authors treat them like crap.
Reap massive rewards.
Best of all it’s honest and normal and not really a trick at all.
I think J.D. Salinger or Harper Lee might merit a few double-takes.
Better yet: Get caught marking in your books. Get arrested for defacing private property. Wait till you get a booking mug shot to reveal that you’re the book’s author. Much cop-shop hilarity ensues, followed by a well-attended press conference.
Watertown, SD . . . If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.
Seriously, that’s a good sign. Congrats, Derek.
From what I understand, somebody other than myself has ordered a copy from McCall ,Idaho as well. So that’s pretty sick.
I wish I had your book right now. I’m spending the night in a parking lot and I need reading material.
I’m not sure if I should ask, but why are you spending the night in a parking lot?
Just got an email from Amazon….my copy is shipped and hopefully will be here by tuesday!
woohoo…my copy shipped today.
Send complimentary copies of the book to the Mariners with a note that they need all of the help they can get. You should get some press for the blatant publicity stunt.
I found your book in an Amazon box on my doorstep last night. I was surprised since I was not expecting it this early. Congratulations. I’ll post a review after I have read it.
You shouldn’t have asked, Goose.
Another thing I’m sure you’ve thought of, but just in case … I’d drop a line to the owners of all the other main baseball blogs out there, saying who you are and what the book is about, and asking them to mention it.
USSMariner is a well-known enough site that I’d guess most of the similar sites for other teams would give a link and a thumbs-up, especially since the topic is universal enough to lead to discussions among any segmented fanbase (for example, if the Nationals aren’t cheating, they probably should think about starting).
Yeah, I had publicity send copies to many other-team blogs. And I offered to do interviews/etc. So I’m top of that.
One more thing … do you have any vacations planned (like going to see your family or in-laws, if they’re not local)? If so, it would be worth it to call the bookstores in that area, to see if you can get on the booksigning calendar.
And keep on posting notices here … see if you can set up an unofficial street team type of thing to get people who read USSMariner.com who may lot live in the Seattle area to periodically call the bookstores where they live and ask if copies are available.
But it really sounds like you’re doing a great job of networking.
Now some real fun begins as people start posting reviews at Amazon etc…
I am not sure how your relationship works with the publisher, but if the content is appropriate, you may be able to set up a partnership with Little League, Babe Ruth, USA Baseball etc. They are always looking for fundraising opportunities.
One good review from Cal Ripken and a buck or two per copy and you could sell a ton of books.
Last year Little League did this with Harold Reynolds training videos (before Harold ran into issues with ESPN.)
See if you can get someone on ESPN.com to read it and review it – a ton of people read that site. Rob Neyer or Bill Simmons or someone like that? Doesn’t matter what you actually think of the person, you just need the publicity (did anyone ever figure out what happened to Neyer over the past few years anyway?)…
I’m working on that, too. I really wanted to get Simmons a super-advance manuscript, because I thought it was something where he might enjoy it and be able to offer a funny blurb (“Is this the funniest baseball book ever? Can I get a ruling on that?”) and also because I thought Simmons, just in terms of tone and stuff, might have some good feedback. I never heard from him, my editor never heard from him, mutual friends… I understand, though – he probably gets 80,000,000 emails/second even though he doesn’t publish his address, and he’s incredibly busy.
But I did give that the old college try.
I’d look into doing a lunchtime reading at Powell’s in P-town some weekend, when the M’s are on the road and the Beavers have an afternoon game. You can walk with your fans down the street for the game. Perhaps the Beavers would set up a signing table during the game as well. Hey, it’s minor league ball. We are desperate for entertainment, and this book looks entertaining to me.
I’m doing an event at Powells @ Hawthorne already, I’m not sure how I’d get others.
Hmm, I ordered mine in January from Barnes and Noble .com and I have not received a shipment notice. I went online and checked my order status and it just says, “your order has not yet shipped.”
bummer
Actually, I just checked again and it says: expected ship date: April 2, 2007
DMZ –
Will you be able to sign this first print gem on Opening Day? I’m assuming that you’ll be at the Safe that day.
If you’re on your pre-game ‘cheap beer’ tour prior to the 335 start – let us know which watering hole you’re at – I’ll bring my copy (sure it will arrive before Monday) and a Sharpie.
Looking forward to the read!
Again, I don’t know the publisher relationship, but I thought I would throw out another idea:
After the initial push, find another baseball book that you like and you feel is complementary to your book and put together a two book set (or three) for sale at Costco.
It is weird, but the same person who wouldn’t spend $15 on a book would spend $30 on two.