Speaking tours are a great way to promote our books; garnering the interest of our potential audience without screaming, “buy my book!” This type of exposure can be a good platform for our future releases as well.
Author Doug Benton, as well as being a special friend, is the author of several works of poetry and what I would call, “directive storytelling” works of fiction. He is by far one of the most talented writers I have ever met.
I recently had the opportunity to briefly interview him regarding his upcoming speaking tour. I've posted the interview below.
Carol Denbow: Doug, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk a little with us about your upcoming speaking tour. You are the author of a couple books, one I am very familiar with, and the other is a new release. Can you start by telling us a little about each one?
Doug Benton: Well, let me start by thanking you for the opportunity to discuss my work. As you know, The Road To Veritas was published back in 2005. In fact, you were most helpful with that one. It is a collection of narrative poetry dealing with life, liberty and spiritual truth.
In November of 2009, my most recent book, The Hummingbird Goose was released. It is a book for children of all ages that addresses the age old myth of the hitchhiking hummingbird through a fable of faith in friends and family.
Carol Denbow: I understand you are attempting to organize a speaking tour. Are you focusing on one particular book or will you try to touch on each one?
Doug Benton: I will be primarily selling The Hummingbird Goose while developing interest in my next book.
Carol Denbow: How did you decide who exactly your audience would be for your books?
Doug Benton: Well, as it turns out, the market potential is still evolving. The preliminary feedback is far ranging. Frankly, I was pleasantly surprised at how many parents and grandparents have seen fit to buy The Hummingbird Goose to be read aloud to kids.
Carol Denbow: How did you go about finding suitable locations to speak?
Doug Benton: As you know, I have a background in Christian broadcasting and ministry. Many of my friends and colleagues are pastors and workers in the recovery field. Referrals for guest speaking are a natural outcome of such association.
In addition to promoting The Goose, this tour is a preview of my upcoming non-fiction work A Most Excellent Way which chronicles the eight years of “hands-on-experience” my wife and I had sheltering those recovering from drug and/or alcohol abuse.
Carol Denbow: How many tour stops would you consider “enough” to see results?
Doug Benton: “Enough” is an elusive term. I expect that referrals will result in developing many venues for the tour.
Carol Denbow: How do you find is the best way to “break the ice” with an unfamiliar audience?
Doug Benton: Humor is a great “ice breaker,” Carol and you know how funny-looking I am.
Carol Denbow: LOL! How will you go about selling your books to your listeners?
Doug Benton: The topics of the tour will deal largely with the methods we discovered for restoring “self-respect” and its companion “self-discipline” to those abused by life. The preliminary speaking engagements in the Portland area have resulted in both book sales and in gathering contact information for my e-mail feature Living Bread Crumbs. I am building a data base for continuing contact with my readers.
Carol Denbow: Do you have any additional words of wisdom for our readers?
Doug Benton: Science has determined that the “Human Spark”, the quality that sets homo sapiens apart from other creatures, seems to arise from the development of language. Insight and imagination are shared through the documentation of language….writing. Authorship provides the “footprints” that mark the human path. What a privilege it is to leave tracks!
Carol Denbow: If our Blog visitors would like to learn more about your work, do you have a Website we can send them to?
Doug Benton: www.hummningbirdgoose.com or www.booksaboutabba.com
Carol Denbow: Now let’s ask the important questions. Have you any “concrete” scheduled tour stops you can share with our readers in the event they would like to come and listen? If not, where will they be able to see your tour schedule once it’s all organized?
Doug Benton: I have a radio interview with Light House Radio Group (K-Light) later this month and I will begin to develop the tour schedule after that. I will be publishing the incremental schedule by e-mail. If any of your readers would like to be included in future mailings you may contact me at dgbntn@hotmail.com.
Carol Denbow: Well I thank you Doug for sharing this information with us. F.Y.I., K-Light Radio is in Oregon). Hopefully by reading this, our Blog visitors will be able to get some ideas for their own speaking tours.
Read some of my favorite poems by Doug at http://www.booksaboutabba.com/poems.php, then come back here and leave your comments. If you are interested in knowing more about Doug Benton, please e-mail him or click on his Website.
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