First, my big news! The Last Ferry Out is officially out in paperback wherever books are sold! I’m so proud of my queer, twisty suspense about a lockdown affair that turns deadly, and the paperback has all sorts of cool bonus content: an edited Q&A from my launch conversation with bestselling author Kirstin Chen, discussion questions for your book club, original drink and snack recipes from famed NYC Mexican restaurant La Esquina, and more. I really hope you dig it!
I’ll be doing a few fun events in the coming weeks to celebrate, including an Instagram Live with the incredible Amie McNee!
For the authors among you, I thought I’d kill two birds with one stone by sharing my publication-day checklist (steal it for your own book birthday)! My top tip, and here I am begging you: MAKE IT INCREDIBLY EASY FOR PEOPLE TO SIGNAL-BOOST YOUR BOOK. (Yes, I am shouting.) Here’s how:
Post a great photo of the book (or, better yet, a photo of you with the book cover) to Instagram so people can easily share it to their Stories. Bonus points if there are a number of great shots of the book in your grid, so folks have options.
Post a short book description and buy link to Threads, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. Voila, now people can repost!
Send an email to your contacts informing them of the release date and begging for their help, spelling out exactly what you’d like them to do. People like marching orders + not having to think too hard! (I only do this for the hardcover release so that no one can accuse me of emailing them too often, lol.) Here’s the email I sent out for The Last Ferry Out’s hardcover release last year; feel free to follow a similar format! Notice how I literally wrote people’s posts for them. (Just remember to bcc so that no one gets stuck in reply-all hell.)
Hi friends,
My new novel, The Last Ferry Out, is finally out in the world! It’s a queer, twisty thriller about a grieving woman who visits the tropical island where her fiancée died and gets to know the enchanting expats there...but soon begins to suspect that the death was no accident—and she might be trapped on the island with her partner’s killer. NPR’s Fresh Air said, “Bartz’s evocative writing and propulsive, intricate mystery makes for a great summer read,” and I can’t wait for readers to dive in!
Word of mouth is an important part of building buzz around a book—so to everyone who’s preordered, cheered it on, or talked it up, THANK YOU! If you’re willing to support The Last Ferry Out, here are some ideas:
1. The first week of sales determines whether a book will hit the bestseller list, so if you’re gonna buy a copy, now’s the time! Your local independent bookstore is always the most author-friendly bet, but here are some other buy links:
The Last Ferry Out is also available as an e-book and audiobook.
2. If you belong to your local library, you can request the book and they’ll special order it for your branch.
3. I’d be so grateful if you posted about the book via Instagram,TikTok, BlueSky, Facebook, sky-writing, billboard, LinkedIn—wherever! (You could even forward this email to friends who might enjoy the book.) Feel free to share posts from my Instagram, Facebook, or Threads or to post the cover (attached) or a photo you take of the book. Anything you’d like to write is fab, but if you’re stuck, here are some ideas:
My friend @andibartz’s new thriller is out TODAY! #TheLastFerryOut is about a woman who travels to the island where her fiancée died and meets a group of enchanting expats there...but begins to suspect the death was no accident—and she might be trapped on an island with her partner’s killer. Get your copy here: https://bookshop.org/a/97707/9780593597996
#TheLastFerryOut by my friend @andibartz is out now! NPR called her new thriller, about a woman investigating her fiancée’s “accidental” death on an island, “a propulsive, intricate mystery.” Order here! https://bookshop.org/a/97707/9780593597996
Happy pub day, @andibartz! #TheLastFerryOut is a twisty mystery about a mysterious group of expats who just might share a deadly secret. Get your copy here: https://bookshop.org/a/97707/9780593597996
4. The best way to throw even more love my way is to leave a review on Goodreads, Amazon, and/or Barnes & Noble (you do not need to purchase it to write a review). Even a one-liner helps immensely. Once a book hits a certain number of reviews, the algorithm recommends it to more people.
5. I have in-person events coming up in [here I named cities from that tour]. I’d love to see you there: andreabartz.com/events
Emails like this come but once a book launch (that’s every two years or so, for those keeping track at home!), but if you’d like to stay up to date on my books, you can sign up for my newsletter here.
Wow, you’re still here!? From the bottom of my heart, thank you for celebrating this book with me! I’m so grateful for each and every one of you. Happy reading!
Warmly,
Andi
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