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Text © Copyright 2015 by Lee Cuesta
Illustration © Copyright 2015 by Mia Hocking
Dan Klimke/DK77.com; Photography
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Sun shone
brighter as she glided higher in the blue, morning sky. Finally Canute opened his eyes.
“Good
morning, Sun,” he said. He pushed open
the wooden shutter on his window. “Why
is this your day?”
This illustration and text are the first appearance of
Canute, a Viking boy, in a new children’s picture book being published next
year by Lee Cuesta Enterprises and Associates. It’s a book for parents and grandparents who
love to cozy up with their child and read through a book that you both will
love due to the luscious illustrations and the captivating stories.
As a writer and a grandparent
myself, I wanted to produce a children’s book to help them learn the names of
the days, along with their correct sequence.
Then a good friend and colleague at the time mentioned that the names of
our days have Norse origins … and it clicked in my mind! I composed the text, and teamed up with Mia
Hocking, whose unique artwork brings authenticity to the ancient Scandinavian
mythology.
Now the
book is done, copyrighted, and its official publication date is October 24,
2015.
That is:
10.24.15
Precisely twelve months from now. One author and book publicist says we should
begin the marketing plan one year before publication: “For best results, start your plan a full
year before your publication.” So we are
right on schedule: the countdown begins
to 10.24.15 !!
Mia and I
agreed to not show Canute’s face in any of the illustrations. Now, because the face of Canute, the Viking
boy, never appears in our new book, we want you to show us what it is. We are “Looking For Canute.” It’s a contest that will culminate at the
book’s launch party on Saturday, 10.24.15.
I’ll give you more details about the Launch Party as the publication
date approaches. In the meantime, each
month I will post another illustration from the book showing Canute … maybe
along with other samples of Mia’s tantalizing illustrations.
As you look at these views of
Canute, how do you imagine his face? We
want you to send us either photos or drawings, whichever you prefer. Send your entries to sevenvikingdays@gmail.com. Lee Cuesta Enterprises and Associates will
award one prize in all three categories:
1. Photos
2. Drawing (by ages 14 and younger)
3. Drawing (by ages 15 and older)
No purchase necessary.
Void where prohibited. Family
members of either Lee Cuesta or Mia Hocking are not eligible.
The title
of our new book is not – I repeat, is not – “Looking For Canute.” I will reveal the book’s title in a future
post.
As you may know, I had one book
published previously, a novel based on the religious persecution in Chiapas, and the
autonomy movement in the American Southwest.
I learned from that experience that a book needs to be publicized,
reviewed and endorsed before its publication date, not after. The publicist I cited above also stated: “Once a book has been published, it is
difficult to start a publicity campaign.”
So that’s why we are starting our marketing plan right now.
First of all, we are setting up the
new website for the book. The domain
name is already registered, but I will announce it in a future post. It will include our “Looking For Canute”
contest, the 10.24.15 Launch Party details, and the Media Kit, among other
important items.
In addition, we will conduct a
fundraiser at razoo.com immediately.
This is very significant in order to raise the funds we need for the
book’s printing and publishing set-up cost; advance readers copies (ARC’s), or
galleys, for book reviews; the Launch Party, including venue, refreshments,
T-shirts, officially published books ready to sell, and three prizes for the “Looking
For Canute” winners. Also, we need to
produce a short video for the fundraiser, which may include reading through the
book, like LeVar Burton or Mister Rogers, with sound effects. So the video will be initially at razoo.com,
and eventually at YouTube. In next
month’s post, Mia and I will give you all the details about the book’s
fundraiser. Please join with us!!
Then comes social networking: Facebook; Twitter; my websites; Mia’s
website; the new website; press releases; mom’s groups; grandparents’ groups;
Nordic affinity groups; librarians’ groups; Baby Boomer tabloids; etc., etc. We will market and distribute the book
worldwide, focusing especially on the USA,
Canada, the UK and India.
After the fundraiser come the
endorsements and book reviews. And
finally the Launch Party on Saturday, 10.24.15.
Hope to see you there!!
Lee Cuesta
Footnote:
Jacqueline Deval is the author and book publicist that I
cited above.
