Has your CEO or client authored a book lately? If so, here's a place to pitch it for free...albeit for a limited time.
Phoenix-based Five Star Publications announces the launch of www.cheappublicity.com, a digital directory of "authors, speakers and experts" that's searchable by name and category.
The site seeks to fill air time for talk show hosts, organization meeting planners and lawyers who require expert witnesses, according to Five Star president Linda Radke.
Listing on the site is free for the first two months, but after that you'll have to pay $99 on a biannual basis to maintain your popularity on the site's lecture circuit. The fee jumps even higher - $199 for the six-month rate - after January of 2000. Not exactly cheap publicity (especially for PR types who prefer to get it for free).
Meanwhile, plugged into another corner of the digital world, www.bookviews.com may be interested in profiling your hot new book title. The site is run by Alan Caruba, a charter member of the National Book Critics Circle, who says he gets 20,000 hits a day from readers interested in the latest books on self-help, spirituality, cooking, humor, music, business, fiction, and even PR.
The good news is if he likes your book, he'll run a nice review, complete with sale price and publisher. For a fee, he'll throw in a link to amazon.com so readers can buy it.
Caruba doesn't tear books to shreds in reviews...so if he doesn't like your title, no sweat.
When it comes to topical preferences, likes and dislikes, Caruba is pretty much an open book (sorry, we couldn't resist). If you're touting a fiction or nonfiction selection with broad appeal, it's got a chance.
Origami? Skip it, he advises.
Pitch your best books to Caruba at [email protected] or phone 973/753-6392. Or send mail to The Caruba Organization at Box 40, Maplewood, NJ 07040.