Some of you may know that this month is the five year anniversary of our website. Last year, we started doing free book events here in Milwaukee. We’ve reached hundreds of people that I’ve never would have known before doing these events. Now we have an active email and Facebook list of people who have attended our events and we keep them informed of any other book events around our area. With more and more Af-Am authors out here vying for attention of readers, how do you reach Thelma?
Who is Thelma you ask? Let me introduce you to her. Thelma represents the average African American woman reader. She started reading contemporary African American fiction when Terry McMillan made her debut with Waiting to Exhale in 1992. She was in her 20s or 30s at the time and could identify with the characters. As the years moved on, Thelma gravitated to a lot of other contemporary Af-Am fiction authors that came after Terry such as Eric Jerome Dickey, Bebe Moore Campbell, etc. Fast forward to 2010 and Thelma is now in her late 30s and 40s, or even early 50s. She’s a wife, mother, and gainfully employed. She barely keeps up with her email account and is not really a big internet savvy person. Thelma may or may not be a part of a book club, but she still loves to read when she can. Thelma has also expanded her reading options to include erotica, street lit, mysteries, and Christian fiction. Her first love is still contemporary fiction.
The Thelma that I’m talking about in this example is not a real person. But there are readers out here who may have one or more of these characteristics.
So authors I ask you...Do you even consider them in the marketing and promotion of your book? How do reach someone like this? What things have you done in this effort?
Radiah
