I’m just finishing Lisey’s Story (Lisey's Story by Stephen King, a Review) and will start on Duma Key soon. Yep, I'm a fan.
There are countless reasons I think Stephen King is a master, most of which are writing related. But I also think he’s a free thinker, not bound by traditional convention. As the cliché goes, he thinks outside the box.
I don’t know much about Klout so this is not an endorsement. It’s very cool, however, that King is using social media to market his new story, Mile 81. He's also previewing his new book 11/22/63 in this same manner. Here’s the official press release:
STEPHEN KING’S EBOOK ORIGINAL MILE 81 TO GET KLOUT
New York, August 25, 2011—On September 1, 2011 Scribner will publish an eBook-only edition of Stephen King’s new short story Mile 81 (Scribner, $2.99/eBook; 80 pages). Available at all eBook retailers, Mile 81 is the chilling story of an insatiable car and a heroic kid whose worlds collide at an abandoned rest stop on the Maine Turnpike. Mile 81 also features a free excerpt from Stephen King’s next highly anticipated novel 11/22/63 (Scribner, on-sale: November 8, 2011).
In order to create a unique social media conversation about both of Stephen King’s forthcoming works, Scribner has teamed with Klout—the emerging standard for measuring online influence—who will offer a select number of Klout influencers the chance to download a free eBook of Mile 81 starting today, one week before it goes on sale nationwide. Through Klout’s Perks program, which offers exclusive products and experiences that are geared toward users’ preferences, the select influencers will be encouraged to discuss Mile 81 with their social media contacts and will also have the opportunity to share the eBook with one other person. The free eBook can be read on desktops and most eReaders.
"Social media contacts and influence are increasingly important,” said Susan Moldow, Executive Vice President and Publisher of Scribner. “Klout has been a pioneer in reaching key online influencers. We are excited to team up with them to promote the publication of this terrific new short story from Stephen King, and to preview 11/22/63 ahead of its November publication.”
It's 2011. We all need to use social media to promote our books.
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http://joycelansky.blogspot.com
Yup. We do need to use social media to promote ourselves.
ReplyDeleteNot since "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" has King tempted me into reading one of his books, and it was a long time prior to that that I had more or less given up on him. However, this story grabbed me from the overleaf and, though a bit long, kept up the interest without the predictable and repetetive over indulgence in the gore and vulgarity that has marred King's more recent works.
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