What is a Book Trailer?

This is the question my grandmother (Age: 96 1/2) has been asking me. I seriously think she thinks it's a trailer I attach to my book. So this blog is for you, Gram. Even though you'll never figure out how to read it.

What is a book trailer? It's just like a preview for a movie--except it's for a book. Unless Lifetime snatches up the movie rights, this is as close as I'm ever going to get to seeing my work on a big or small screen.

How did I get a book trailer? Well, I won it. Last year, when A Man of His Word was known as Indian Princess, it not only won its category in the Hot Prospect contest, it won the Grand Prize! As it, it was judged the best book in the contest. Yes, I'm still excited about it!

For my reward, I could choose some cold, hard cash--or an all-included book trailer from Belle Media that was worth twice as much as the cash. The money was tempting (all the better to buy boots with), but I thought a book trailer would have more brand-name value.

I had a year to redeem my prize. Good thing, too, because a book trailer without the book's cover isn't nearly as cool as one with the cover. Finally, though, the cover came down the line. It's at the end of the trailer, so make sure you stick around until the end!

I was working with Carol Webb of Bella Media Management, and she was very understanding of my complete and total cluelessness on the process. For instance, she told me to find some images that I liked. So I went crazy and pulled all sorts of images from iStock. When she sent me the first draft of the video, Dan the Hero was Native American (he's really white), Rosebud was reclining on a motorcycle (no motorcycles in the book), and there were lots of pictures of cows (no cows in the book at all). These were all things I think of when I write--but they weren't this book. So I found better images, sent those to Carol, and she didn't even yell at me once. What a nice lady!

After some more back-and-forth, me getting a youtube account, and (finally!) that cover, the book trailer is ready!

And the end result (have I dragged this out long enough for you? Yes? Okay!)

So, what do you think? Did it make you want to buy a book? Did it at least make you smile? I sure did. If you want to pre-order the book, go here!