The pub date for Smasher: A Silicon Valley Thriller is October 1.(I learned today that the publisher is going to change the subtitle of my first book, Dot Dead, from “A Silicon Valley Mystery” to “A Silicon Valley Thriller” at its next printing. I guess I really am a thriller writer after all.)
Thank you to the readers of this blog who helped me pick out the author photo for Smasher. (Click here.)
There’s still lots to do.
My new website is under construction and will need lots of copy. I need business cards, postcards, and bookmarks. No press interviews are set up yet. I have some guest blogging appearances to worry about. I have empty days to fill visiting bookstores.
But I do have 16 appearances and signings scheduled in NorCal and SoCal beginning October 20. Best of all, about half of them will be with the award-winning all-around-terrific writer, Libby Fischer Hellman whose Doubleback will be out this October, too. I’ve never been part of this kind of crime fiction Martin-and-Lewis shtick before, but I have watched Theresa Schwegel and Megan Abbott do it twice so I think we’ll be ready.
One of the most fun things I’ve done is commission a book trailer. Talented writer and friend Ben Hess has a day job running Bay Area Picture Company, and he’s done great by Smasher. We’ll post a link to the trailer on my website, on the Midnight Ink site, on Facebook, YouTube, and wherever else we can think of. (Suggestions?) Anyway, he ended up with two versions – a “long” and “short” one. The long one is one minute fifty seconds, but I’m told that watching something that long would exercise the patience of a saint in this day and age, so I think we’ll go with the one shorter by forty seconds everywhere but the website. I've posted them below. Let me know what you think of them both, please.
Amidst all this, I’m trying to finish up my latest manuscript. I shipped off draft #3 to my agent last week and am waiting to see his keen insights in written form. No rest for the wicked.
Cheers.
P.S. Don’t worry about getting the complete schedule of Smasher appearances. You’ll probably hear from me, whether you want to or not.
Longer version
Shorter version
9 comments:
Very stylish, Keith! I love the music. I'll be asking you for advice someday when I need a trailer. :)
Nicely done! Catchy and intriguing.
I'm with Julia -- you'll be hearing from me, too.
I liked both versions of the trailer but, personally, Keith, I prefer the longer version. It really whet my curiosity and I can't wait til this book comes out.
PS: I love the photo that you chose.
Keith - nicely done, indeed.
I just joined International Thriller Writers. Now thinking of changing my books' subtitles to "A St. Just Thriller."
Seriously, I like the sound of Silicon Valley Thriller.
Very noir .... can't speak to the great music, because I'm at a hotel in Nashville and the biz center computer won't let the sound play. Love the pix, tho ... and I vote for the shorter version, given today's attention spans.
Kudos to your pal, the trailer-maker.
Great trailers! Shorter is probably better for both attention spans and anyone with slower download speeds.
For some reason I only saw the left half of the screen when I viewed the trailers embedded on Inkspot, but they downloaded in all their widescreen glory on my phone. Did anyone else have that problem? I haven't looked at them on Firefox, only IE 7.
I only saw half, too, at least for some frames. I thought it was my computer.
Oooh. Very nice, Keith. You did a good job with the narration, the folks on the video were nice-looking, and the music was beautiful. Good job!
Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
Mine shows only 3/4 of the video, too. Any idea how to fix? If you watch on YouTube you see the whole thing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SFjqtqMClM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlnKqIWQ_ik
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