I have decided to continue to go it on my own, just as I have done from the beginning of this adventure. This next step is a lot different from writing, doing my own illustrations/cover design, starting up of my own publishing company and selling a few books to friends and family. I am talking about marketing my product. From all I have read, the best advice is to start marketing your self-published work to a local audience. Of course, you need to identify your audience first. I know what my audience is—clearly the immediate elementary grades.
So thanks to the great teachers at Buckhorn Elementary in Valrico, Florida, and my wife who taught there for 20 years, I was allowed to come in last month and do a classroom presentation to all the 4th and 5th grade classes. It went very well. With the preorders and the few bought after my visit, I sold nearly $400.00 in books from my trilogy. Ten students bought the last book, Heroes of Meadowfield, which is not yet in print.
Selling books was a real plus, but being back in a classroom after nearly five years of retirement was very exciting. Author Richard Louv (2008) has pointed out how most young children have a “bug period,” and that hands-on experience is crucial at this time if they are to develop naturalistic mindsets. I couldn't agree more and I hope my visit there at Buckhorn and my insect PowerPoint helped do its part to nurture the students' love of nature.
My next school visit will be in May at Deer Park Elementary School in Pasco County Florida where my sister-in-law teaches. I have developed some pretty cool posters to drum up interest in my trilogy before my visit. Here are two of them:
So thanks to the great teachers at Buckhorn Elementary in Valrico, Florida, and my wife who taught there for 20 years, I was allowed to come in last month and do a classroom presentation to all the 4th and 5th grade classes. It went very well. With the preorders and the few bought after my visit, I sold nearly $400.00 in books from my trilogy. Ten students bought the last book, Heroes of Meadowfield, which is not yet in print.
Selling books was a real plus, but being back in a classroom after nearly five years of retirement was very exciting. Author Richard Louv (2008) has pointed out how most young children have a “bug period,” and that hands-on experience is crucial at this time if they are to develop naturalistic mindsets. I couldn't agree more and I hope my visit there at Buckhorn and my insect PowerPoint helped do its part to nurture the students' love of nature.
My next school visit will be in May at Deer Park Elementary School in Pasco County Florida where my sister-in-law teaches. I have developed some pretty cool posters to drum up interest in my trilogy before my visit. Here are two of them:
 Wish me luck! |  |
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