Unlike the launch of a new aircraft carrier, the launch of a first book by an unknown author does not involve bunting, a military band and the smashing of a bottle of Dom Perignon over the bow.  It is a much quieter affair.

After the manuscript is written, a novel is remorselessly edited first by the writer and then by the publisher which, in this case, is Oceanview Publishing. When these combined efforts result in what all those involved feel is a finished product, the manuscript is sent off for typesetting. The publisher and the author then scour the typeset version looking for the smallest of imperfections in the translation of the typed word to the printed version, which happens at least twice.

By the time all of this was done, I had read Incentive for Death end to end no less than 17 times. I am a compulsive reader, devouring at least three books per week since the age of 12 when a helpful librarian at the old Carnegie library in my hometown in Nebraska had hooked me on the wonders of consuming books. I was as addicted as a street junkie is to heroin. And still am. 

But, as I told my publisher’s staff last week in a Zoom call, I was absolutely ready to see the launch happen, much like the day when each of your children heads off to college to start the rest of their lives.  Listening to the audible version (which will be released around November 1) will likely be the last time I follow the initial travails of D.C. homicide detective McDermott “Mac” Burke.  I just want to put my debut novel on the shelf to gather dust while I move on to writing more tales in this series.  That’s because the act of writing itself is the sweetest pleasure of this chosen second act of my life.

There are scads of people out there writing books. Very few ultimately get published. Partially because the authors cannot find a literary agent willing to undertake the advocacy of their book to the appropriate publishing house. And partially because the business is so competitive that publishers have to scrutinize the submissions with an eye toward whether the finished product is marketable. Those decisions are based on the agents’ and publishers’ experience in the largely uncharted waters of what readers of that particular genre want to buy. While a lot of statistics are probably involved, I suspect that a crystal ball may have come into play at some point.

Both the publisher and the author are responsible for promoting the book, starting well before the actual publication date, a/k/a The Launch. The publisher distributes Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) to potential reviewers and market influencers, as well as promotions to various industry targets and social media.

As the author of this epistle, I also have responsibilities with respect to promotion of the novel. I have placed ads in Orlando magazine (readership 500,000), PineStraw magazine (circulation 15,000), and The Briefs (circ. 3,400) (a monthly publication of the Orange County Bar Association in Florida [I was a member for four decades]).  I am also pursuing an ad in the Croquet News (circ. 3,000) (quarterly publication of the U.S. Croquet Association of which I have been a member for 30 years).  I also placed an ad in Strand Magazine (claimed circ. of 5,000). Copies of these ads are attached below.

I also scheduled two author events, a fancy term for an interview and book signing with two independent bookstores. One in Winter Park, Florida (part of the Orlando area where I lived while practicing law) and one in Southern Pines, North Carolina (part of the Pinehurst area where I now live).

If you are in either of those areas, you can reserve free tickets to the book signings at the following links:

For the Writer’s Block Bookstore in Winter Park on Wednesday, October 11, follow this link.

For The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines on Monday, October 23, follow this link.

I will also be doing posts on LinkedIn and Facebook, as well as an interview with author Elena Hartwell Taylor who will post a blog on me and my novel on behalf of the Debut Writers Program of the International Thriller Writers (which should appear on various social media sites on October 3—the launch date).

Incentive for Death will be released in hardback and ebook versions on October 3.  The audible version will be available around November 1.  

To buy Incentive for Death you can go to any of the usual book sellers (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.), all of which have direct links below, and on my author website. 

Thanks for supporting my novel. Let me know your thoughts or comments on what worked for you and what did not. I’m not after kudos. I’m looking for candid input to make the next book even better. Best to all.

Jim Spoonhour

Photo by Nita Halloran