March 28, 2009

Book Trailer Buzz? What's that?

I have a really good excuse for not blogging in 2 weeks . . . I've been busy making this mini wee movie. It's a sample book trailer (think movie preview) for my not quite yet published novel, LOVE WORTH FIRE. Have a look and tell me if you think I should give Michael Landon Jr a call. Or if it makes you want to read the book. Or if it just gives you hives.

Yeah, I'm not sure about book trailers. I mean, it seems like a novel idea, (Yes. That was a pun. Clever of you to notice.) but most reading friends I ask have never heard of or seen one. I don't think readers usually go to a publisher's website looking for something to read. They might go to a favorite author's website, but probably won't think of that when they're jonesing for a juicy good book. And what about the authors they haven't heard of?

Hmm. So how are these teeny trailers supposed to get people interested in a book if they're just hanging out politely on some nice, upstanding website? C'mon you writers: we put great gobs of guts & glory into making these mini movie masterpieces, shouldn't we make sure someone sees them? (And should blogger put a ban on aliterations???)

How can we hitch these babies onto something everyone will see? I wonder if Kindle books can handle video clips. Y'know, like previews that come with your DVDs. Just a thought. The wave of the future, baby. Wax your board and c'mon y'all ---let's ride! Let's brainstorm a way to promo the promo. All serious suggestions will be taken seriously.

Here's my mini wee movie.

(Sound on - for those of you who normally turn off your speakers because of the ding dong alerts that distract you while you're being a very serious writer or some other kind of very serious person.)

~Camille

9 comments:

carla stewart said...

I LOVE your book trailer. To tell you the truth, I don't know how they pan out in promo or if they're just something you show your friends. I enjoy them, but they probably wouldn't make me buy a book. How's that for honesty??? Now, just you wait--my publisher may want me to make one--that's when I'll be calling on you, you clever girl.

BTW, I saw a movie set in Scotland this evening, and I thought of you. It was called Water Horse-- about Nessie the sea monster, but the landscape was breathtaking. . . like the descriptions in your book.

Janet said...

That was actually quite good. We've been having a book trailer discussion on my blog too (come throw your two bits' worth in) and one commenter said the only trailer she ever liked (or was it the one she liked best) consisted of words and music. Looks like you're on the right track.

Word verification: dowaling. Wanna playing "Dowalling Bloggos?" ;o)

Camille Eide said...

Thank you Carla! Honestly honestly, I think you're right. I've heard pros & cons. I wouldn't buy a book I hadn't heard of on a trailer alone. I plunk down money on a book that I've either sampled or heard recommended by people whose taste run similar to mine. Word of mouth still rules! But what I like about a trailer, if done well, is the potential for visual-sound sensory appeal. You can (hopefully) inspire mood that engages more of the senses, in addition to what ought to be coming across in the text. Just my opinion, of course. I don't actually know this, I'm just making it up as I go. :-)

I've been wanting to see Water Horse. Thanks for the kind words.

Janet, thanks for the invite. Maybe I'd better listen to smart people talk before I ramble on about this any more. Thanks a bunch for the thumbs up. :-)

Cindy R. Wilson said...

Camille, that was just beautiful. Personally, I think well done trailers that have emotion behind them (such as yours) really give a reader the extra boost to want to read something. Just like movies, I suppose. I think you captured the feelings of heartache, longing, and wonder with what you've done. I would definitely read the book!

Jennifer Taylor said...

I liked your book trailer. I was excited to discover it was set in Scotland.

One of the things I've been told is to keep it short. I just finished my video book trailer, but I haven't posted it yet because I'm waiting for my final bookcover. Highland Blessings will be released in May 2010. It's a Scottish medieval.

Camille Eide said...

Thank you Cindy & Jennifer. This was fun, actually. Best to you both on your upcoming books.

~Camille

Ginny said...

Loved it! It's beautiful! But it might be a little too long as Jennifer suggested. I don't know what you would cut out though.

Jill Williamson said...

Great book trailer. You did so good on it. I'm dying to hear about Mount Hermon...

Hope to see you in April!

Jill

Unknown said...

Wow, Camille. I'm not a romance reader (being a guy really does affect that) but your pictures, teaser, and quiet piano music was moving, and piqued my curiosity about the book.

I'd say that, yes, these video book trailers would do well on a literary site, amazon could even include the option to embed a clip like that to plug your book.

Companies pay big buck$ to advertise on sites like Google and CNN. Seems that video ads like that would do ok on sites like Barnes and Noble, and BooksAMillion.

ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF. . . .

RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME:

I've published five novels and 2 novellas (more about those on my website.) I've been writing all my life, but decided in 2007 to get serious about being published.

I love action movies and Jane Austen. (she’s dead, I know. I found that out when I tried to get her to endorse my novel)

They let me play Bass guitar and sing in a worship band.

I can produce 4 dozen homemade cinnamon rolls in a flash for a crowd of drooling young adults. Or publishing house editors.

I used to have a Harley. Now we have seven grandkiddos. Decent trade, really.

I am a proud Grammy. Don't even think about taking candy from my babies.

I hate shopping (Yes, I'm aware that I'm a girl)

MY ROOTS:
I've lived in Oregon all my life, spent time in Eugene (Go DUCKS!), Springfield, Reedsport, and Smith River. Which is not really a town, but a river, about 70 miles long, a tributary of the Umpqua River in southwest Oregon.

Although it's not a town, it is a community with a strong sense of pioneer history. It's cool to say you've lived there, especially if you lived there during the days when you had to take a boat to school. No joke! The old farmhouse my grandfather and my mother grew up in still stands, nestled into a narrow, pasture carpeted valley, complete with a swimmin' hole and its own 'crick'. It may turn up in one of my novels.

There's a rumor that my ancestors had a connection with the Mafia back in Sicily. I used to fantasize as a kid about a big black limo with tinted windows pulling up and whisking me away from school. Ahhh. So THAT'S why I'm having so much trouble conjugating my dangling participles now.

NOT RANDOM: I am challenged by the truth and amazed by the grace of God. And it's either in spite of or because of that grace that I hold a PhD in Learning Stuff the Hard Way.