Contacts and hand-selling can make a difference in a book’s sales

Authors and publishers should remember that contacts, word-of-mouth, and handselling can help sell books–as author Angela Davis-Gardner knows.

According to an article in the News & Observer, Angela Davis-Gardner took many years to write each book (she’s written three so far), and when three different agents couldn’t sell her current book, Plum Wine, she thought her career was over. But finally a small university press agreed to publish her book (for which she didn’t receive an advance).

Then a wonderful thing happened. Nancy Olson, the owner of Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, loved Plum Wine so much that she got behind the book in a big way. She called Liz Darhansoff, an agent who she was friends with–and she wrote to owners of other independent bookstores, “sending a copy of Plum Wine with a handwritten note saying, ‘Please read this; it is so beautiful.’” Independent bookstores started recommending the book–and it started selling. Nancy Olson alone sold 1,500 copies of the book at her store–and her letter to other bookstores probably had a huge effect as well.

The agent, Liz Darhansoff, also loved the book, and got it put out for auction.

Plum Wine has now has gone through seven printings and sold 57,000 copies.

Angela Davis-Gardner believes the book would have sold the 1,000-copy press run and nothing more, if it hadn’t been for bookseller Nancy Olson.

I love stories like this; they’re so inspiring! And I love how a good book can finally find its audience–after years of rejection. Sometimes through connections, sometimes through word of mouth, sometimes through luck, and sometimes through all of those things.

Do you ever tell a friend about a book you love?

Thanks to Shelf Awareness for the info.

August 26th, 2008