If I Can Make It There, Etc
Posted on January 14, 2013 Posted by John Scalzi 26 Comments
I’ve had the occasional report of a big damn Audible.com ad with Redshirts on it at or near Times Square for a while now, but finally someone has sent a picture of it to me (thank you, Ken!) and here it is, at the corner of 42nd Street and 8th Avenue.
Sweeeeeeeeet.
I don’t know. Maybe one day I’ll become jaded at the sight of big damn billboard with one of my books on it, but when that day comes, I hope you all line up to smack me across the head. Because I’m not gonna lie: this stuff is great.
I love that you get a buzz off this stuff. Because something like this would make me feel like the coolest person in the world all day.
John, were you or your publisher approached by Audible ? If not do you have any idea how this happened ?
Dawn:
Audible is the publisher of the audiobook version, and I have a pretty good relationship with them in a general sense. Also, Redshirts did pretty well for them even prior to the ads (and was a NYT Bestseller in hardcover) so it was a good candidate for being a representative of Audible’s SF offerings.
There are also Audible ads featuring Redshirts in subways cars in New York City.
Come and meet those dancing feet…
I am delighted that such things give you joy! The first time I saw a book of mine on the shelf in a bookstore with my name visible on the cover, I was ecstatic for about 3 seconds, and then suddenly felt great anxiety, as though I was naked in public. Not what I had expected to feel. Your reaction is MUCH healthier!!!
No – it’s awesome, no matter how your slice it. Even better, it’s not from your publisher – so that means Audible thinks you’re worth the effort….
Actually Audible is my audiobook publisher for this particular book. But still!
The audio version of Redshirts may be my fave audiobook ever. Nice to see it featured on that very bright (one might even say “loud”) billboard. :D
Any plans to go to NYC and see it in person? If it were me, I think I would have to stand in Times Square and look up at that puppy and refrain from grabbing passers-by and saying, “That’s me!” And of course there’s plenty else to do in New York if you’ve got a free weekend (and you can fit it in the budget).
BW:
I will be back in NYC eventually but not anytime in the next month or so. I will probably miss out on this one.
Congratulations, John, that’s truly spectacular.
Is there any way to measure the increase in sales from the billboard and/or subway ads? I don’t mean “measure” in a precise sense, but rather broadly speaking. Do you think that this kind of advertising benefits the author directly, or is more using the author to benefit audible? Not that it matters, really. I’m not suggesting audible is *using* you for nefarious purposes; I’m just curious about literary advertising generally.
Amazing!!! Congrats. I’d say “You deserve it!” But you already know that ;)
Congratulations! \o/
I grok the “someday this may be old hat, but that day is not today” thing. My “kid” (not really; I am not his mother, just his photographer) has dragged my photo credit into every major publication except for the NYT and Rolling Stone. I live in hope. And it definitely hasn’t gotten old. *g*
In slightly related “Scalzi’s book used as example is X” . . . TidBITS used The Human Division as an example of editing book metadata in iTunes. ;-)
It’s beautiful. I’m happy for you.
Awesome possum!
What a great picture! Once again, though, it seems fortune favors the prepared.
“I hope you all line up to smack me across the head.”
Just give me a call and I’ll be on the first plane. Hey, what else are fans for anyway.
You could always have a pic taken of yourself pointing up in the air and have it Photoshopped over a pic of the billboard.
Wow that’s fabulous :) congrats Ceri
Freaking cool! I’ll second the curiosity about the affect on sales.
Like Seth G @11:06, I too heard an entire tap-dancing chorus. Presumably in some other universe, this billboard is advertising “Redshirts: The Musical!”
I don’t know, John. Once your name and your book are in lights like that, I’m not sure if it’s possible to ever get jaded of it. Well done.
I hate musicals and I would go to see “Redshirts The Musical.”
I happened to be walking by this corner on Sunday and saw the ad come up!