The Two-Month Mark: What it Looks Like

The Unlikely Disciple’s official launch date is March 26, so we’re a little more than two months away from publication.  January has been a crazy month for book pre-publicity, and I’ve been assured that February will only be busier.  Which could prove a little challenging, since I’m trying really hard to maintain some semblance of normal college life this semester.  Regardless, pre-publication buzz-building is an exciting experience, and I’m trying to soak it all in.

Here’s what we’ve got so far:

• A mention in USA Today’s “Winter Books Calendar,” which compiles lists of upcoming books and provides short synopses and publication dates for each one.  My book’s entry is here.
• Two pre-publication reviews.  One is from Publishers Weekly, who kindly said that “Roose may be young…but he writes like a seasoned veteran.”  One is from Booklist, who called the book “level-headed, nuanced, keenly observant” and remarked that I told my story “entertainingly.”  Both PW and Booklist are respected trade publications, and both tend to be bellwethers of future reviews, so I’m really excited that they liked the book.
• A great long-lead print media line-up.  I can’t reveal specific titles just yet, but among the magazines slated to cover/excerpt The Unlikely Disciple are two women’s magazines, two men’s magazines (one of which features tasteful nudity — not mine, mind you), a pop-science magazine, a prominent online magazine, and two widely-read Christian monthlies.  And that’s just print.  TV and radio pitches are going out right now – thanks to my amazing publicist Tanisha Christie, who has been indefatigable in her pursuit of coverage – so my fingers are crossed.
• This site, which is getting more and more complete every day.  In the coming weeks, we’ll be rolling out new interactive features like an “Exam Room,” where you can test your skills on actual Liberty University exams.  (Sample question:  “True or False: According to Acts 20:21, both repentance and faith are necessary for salvation.”)  Look for video shorts, an expanded photo gallery, and a cleaner look for this blog.  (The answer is “True,” by the way.)
• Galleys (basically, advance reading copies bound in paperback and given to media types) went out this month to hundreds of reviewers and booksellers, and I’ve been getting some great feedback via e-mail.  Even conservative Christians have written to tell me that they appreciate the conciliatory tone of the book, which warms my heart to an Obama-esque extent.

I hope to use this blog for more than shameless self-promotion, but I’ll be posting periodic updates on how media/review stuff is going.  I’ll also be posting reviews (well, the good ones) as they come in on my “Press” page, which you can get to here.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 21st, 2009 at 12:46 am .