The Anatomy Of A Book Launch, From The Food To The Fans
Best-selling author Joshilyn Jackson launched her book “The Opposite Of Everyone” on Feb. 18 at the Decatur Library. Despite having published seven novels, this was only the third book launch Jackson has thrown.
“I can’t do it every book. It’s like a wedding. Only soap opera people can go to that many weddings and not run mad,” she explained.
In this edition of “Writer To Reader” on “City Lights,” Jackson elucidated her role in making a book launch successful.
During planning, not only do you have to think of location, food and partnering with a bookstore, but you have to make sure you invite everyone.
“Book launches are odd because normally when you have a party you invite a subset of your friends,” but at a book launch, “you invite everyone you like from every facet of your life,” Jackson said.
Attendees included Jackson’s friends from church, the community, indie bookstore owners, those who worked to promote the book and fans. While Jackson didn’t know more than a third of her audience personally, they had all read her books.
Jackson said those readers are why she had the party: “People who read my books, who love my books, who spend their time thinking about the ideas, who spend time in the world I spent two precious, unrepeated years of my life building … secretly that’s who the party was for.”
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