Support Hungry Rats
There are a number of things you can do to help efforts to successfully publish Hungry Rats this year.
Buy the book!.
Spread the word!.
Collaborate!.
BUY THE BOOK!
Hungry Rats will be available right here as of September 1st, 2010. All you need is your credit card and your mailing address and you'll be able to own your own copy.
By late October, 2010, Hungry Rats will be available for order from Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and from most retail outlets, chain and independent. If they don't have any copies in stock, you can order one, and suggest they stock their shelves with a copy copies. If you live in southeast or northern Michigan, or Chicago, these could go in the Local Interests section.
Most importantly, don't forget that all author profits until December 31st, 2010 will be donated to the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, a local charity with an important mission and great administrative efficiency. By purchasing a copy of Hungry Rats, you will be helping real families in Michigan during this year of economic hardship.
SPREAD THE WORD
The second important thing you can do to help is to talk about it. I have a great bunch of friends and family -- the best anyone could ask for -- but this project is going to need to build some buzz if it's going to go anywhere. Fortunately, there's a lot here to talk about. Besides the richness of the story (which covers ground from lumberjacks to the occult to serial homicide to social dysfunction) a number of people have volunteered to collaborate on this project.
For any of these items I can be contacted on Facebook (http://facebook.com/connorryancoyne), Twitter (http://twitter.com/connorcoyne), or by email at connor [at] gothicfunk [dot] org.
Here are a few ways you can spread the word:
... Read Chapter 1 of Hungry Rats. Be sure to share it with your friends and family: the url is http://hungry-rats.com/chapter-one.php
... Watch the Hungry Rats promo videos here. All are artfully composed with original music, especially #2 and #3. Share them on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and any other of your social networks. Forward the link by email. Give the videos a positive rating.
... While we're on the subject of Facebook, scroll to the bottom of any page on this website (including this one) and click the 'Like' button. This way you'll show your support for the novel on Facebook and on this website.
... Join our Facebook Group -- Friends of Hungry Rats, and click 'Like' for Connor Coyne: A Writer of Weird and Ghostly Things.
... On Twitter, follow Connor Coyne.
... Help me book my promotional tour! If you know of any bookstores, festivals, or other venues that may be interested in hosting a reading or book signing, let me know.
... Contact your local newspaper or friendly literary blogger and request a review of Hungry Rats. Review copies may be available upon request for qualified reviewers.
... Put me in contact with any bloggers, podcasters, writers, or journalists who might want to interview me or write about the novel. This sort of lede is best communicated by word-of-mouth.
... Our Kickstarter Fundraising Campaign has wrapped up, but I could still use help with touring expenses and promotion. If you would like to make a donation to the Gothic Funk Press, please contact me.
COLLABORATE
Not enough? For the truly dedicated and creative among you (and give yourself credit; we all have creativity), volunteer your work as a collaborator. Hungry Rats is a 21st century novel, meaning that it can chart a more interactive course than the well-worn path from the bookshelf to the armchair. A number of individuals and organizations have already contributed to this project. From musicians to sociologists to careful observers, you have ideas and should share them. Email me at connor [at] gothicfunk [dot] org, and let me know your ideas.
