Mike O’Mary is series editor of the Dream of Things anthologies including Saying Goodbye, an anthology of true stories about people saying goodbye to the people, places and things in our lives with grace, dignity and good humor. He is founder of Dream of Things, a book publisher and online retailer. He is also author of The Note, a book about the power of appreciation, and Wise Men and Other Stories, a collection of holiday-related essays. For more information, visit www.goodbyebook.com.
Q: Thank you for this interview, Mike. Can we start out by having you tell us briefly what your new book is about?
Mike: Saying Goodbye is an anthology of true stories about how we say goodbye to the people, places and things in our lives. The book includes sad stories, some very funny ones, and others that mix joy with sorrow. Taken together, they serve as amazing examples of people saying heartfelt goodbyes with grace, dignity and good humor.
Q: More and more authors are realizing the potential for sales that derives from virtual book tours. Can you tell us your personal reasons why you chose a virtual book tour to help get the word out about your new book?
Mike: Blog tours are a great way to spread the word about good books. It used to be that you could try to get reviews in the book sections of major newspapers. But newspapers have cut back so much that there’s very little space for book reviews. So blogging is the way of the future for the book industry. But it’s only going to work if people help spread the word when they hear about a good book and recommend it to their friends. Word-of-mouth marketing is the difference between success or failure for a small publisher.
Q: Is this the first time you have heard of them? If not, where did you hear of them?
Mike: I started a blog about a year ago, but only learned about blog tours as I began to look for ways to promote books like Saying Goodbye. The website for Book Blogger Appreciation Week was a good source of information.
Q: As you know, a virtual book tour involves – among other things – interviews and guest posts. Do you prefer one over the other?
Mike: I like a mix. I love reviews because I’m anxious to get feedback on the book. But I like doing Q&As and guest posts because it’s an opportunity to share other information about the book and the ideas behind it.
Q: What do you hope to achieve through promoting your book through a virtual book tour?
Mike: All any publisher or author hopes is that readers will take a moment to see what the book is about, take a closer look, and tell other people who might be interested in the topic.
Q: Do you promote online through other means? Website? Blog?
Mike: Yes…websites (dreamofthings.com, goodbyebook.com), blogs and e-newsletters (dreamofthings.com, mfainabox.com, bookclubcookbook.com), and via social media like Facebook, Twitter, SheWrites, Goodreads, etc.
Q: Who maintains your website/blog?
Mike: I take care of the content, and I get help on things that involve design or require extensive knowledge of html.
Q: What are your experiences with offline booksignings? Do you have much luck selling your book through that method?
Mike: As a publisher, I don’t find book signings to be cost effective. But book signings are a great way for authors to meet readers, and vice versa, so I support them for that reason.
Q: Here’s a fun question. If money were no object, how would you promote your book?
Mike: I’d fly 1,000 people to Hawaii for a big book launch party and luau.
Q: Thank you for this interview, Mike. Do you have any final words?
Mike: For writers, realize that writing is only half the battle. You also have to be prepared to do everything you can to help promote your book. And for readers, all I have is a big “Thank you!” You could spend your time watching TV or playing video games or surfing the Internet, but you choose to read books. Thank you!
You can visit Mike’s official tour page by clicking here!