About two months after my first book The Magic that’s Ours had been released I walked into a mainstream bookstore and searched for a copy of my book. Try as I did I couldn’t find a copy anywhere on the shelf.(One of the things I do is to make sure that copies of my books are always in the front on the shelves.) I asked the assistant manageress if they had stock and on checking the computer she assured me that they had 3 copies. Not telling her who I was I asked for a copy. After searching for about 20 minutes, none of us were able to find a copy.

If you want your book to sell then it has to be visible. Authors with publishers as well self published authors both have to do the same promotional work-when in an area visit a bookstore and make sure it’s visible-especially if it’s a children’s book. The children book section is usually such a Smorgers Board that if your books not in the front then it will be difficult to locate all together. If you have posters of your covers then ask the store if they’ll hang one or two. They’re more often than not very accommodating.

Besides bookstores there are also school fetes, markets and fairs where you can organise a small stand or table. Many people are so happy to meet the author and purchase a signed copy that it is  always worthwhile. If not for the sales but also for meeting your readers and creating a database.

I find out about fetes and fairs from the Parenting magazines and local publications. I just phone the organiser who’s always happy to make space for a local author.