February is a Real Clown Car
Look how many posts I can fit in one month
In this edition…
Wrap-up on my Fair Trade Books signing over the weekend
Night of the Witch-Hunter early reviews + a shameless beseeching for more reviews of my work
Looking forward: Ghoulish Fest in March
A “Fair” Day in Red Wing
This past Saturday I got to be the visiting “local” author for Fair Trade Books in Red Wing, MN (about an hour’s drive outside of Saint Paul). Run by Rick and Zoe, it’s a wonderful little shop stacked floor to ceiling with books new and used, vinyl, and jigsaw puzzles (I mean, what more do you need?).
In addition, they have a tradition where if it is your first time visiting the shop, they will pick out and gift you a bespoke book. (I got an Ellery Queen novel!)
For this signing, I was selling copies of the anthology And One Day We Will Die and my newest published writing endeavor the novella JK-LOL from Mad Axe Media. I was set up facing the door and chatted with just about everyone who into the store over the course of 2 hours.
Going strictly off walk-in sales, I sold 6 books total. Not the best haul but far from the worst. And just off of walk-ins, I’m totally satisfied.
I am always happy to do book events, not because I’m an extrovert (far from it), but because it’s a chance to refine pitching. Trying to boil down for strangers what your book is about over and over again will help strengthen those muscles. It’s inevitable.
Reviews (of the Witch-Hunter)
Speaking of local bookstores supporting my books, check out these photos from Next Chapter Booksellers in Saint Paul, MN. The store’s KILLER VHS display is something to behold and I was thrilled to have early copies of Night of the Witch-Hunter there.
According to the folks working at the store when I visited, a customer got them into the Killer VHS series, they read ‘em, dug ‘em, and now there’s a display.
Which just goes to show how much word of mouth and positive reviews can impact a book’s (or series of books’) success. So far with Night of the Witch-Hunter, early reviews and word of mouth have both been trending toward the positive. I mean look at a sample of some Goodreads comments:
“def recommend if you wanna read about rad girls refusing to take anyone's shit.”
“Another fantastic addition to the Killer VHS series!”
“172 pages of non stop fun!”
“Badass witchery at every corner and nostalgia to kick it up a notch”
“All the stars!”
“a nostalgic gory gut punch thick with superstition and supernatural scares”
“This book fucks.” [My all-time favorite review quote. Thanks, unstable.books!)
I can’t wait for more folks to read this book when it comes out on March 18 and I am so grateful to have this positive early word of mouth. Who knows? Will this be my first book to break 100 reviews on GoodReads or Amazon?
Review Me, Baby
See that’s the thing, while I have received some wonderful, touching compliments on my writing, stories, characters, ideas, etc. and have had authors I admire (contemporaries and those ahead of me on the ladder of success), I still haven’t been able to break through on the review front.
A lot of times in reviews I get, I see people write things like, “I’ve read/heard of Patrick Barb but based on this I’ll be seeking out more of his stuff.” And folks, let me tell you, I have stuff. Multiple novellas, 2 collections, a novelette, a chapbook, an anthology, and a novel later this year.
But to get people to read these books in these algorithmic days of ours, you need people (lots of people) who have already read said work to tell people they have read the work and what they liked about it/if they’d recommend it.
I mean, look, I stand behind almost every project with my name on the cover (I’ll wait to tell you about the bastard step-child project when rights revert) and I want more than anything for these works to find their audience, to connect with readers who will vibe with these pieces.
So, cards on the table, here’s what I would love to get your help with my dear readers. IF you have ever read and enjoyed (or even like moderately tolerated…though why would you sign up for this newsletter then?) one of my books, go to GoodReads, Amazon, B&N.com. StoryGraph, whatever, and leave a review.
It’s a mutually beneficial relationship, assuming you enjoy my work. And again, why would you come to this newsletter otherwise?
Gettin’ Ghoulish
Look ahead to March, other than the release of Night of the Witch-Hunter (MARCH 18!), my biggest to-do of next month will be my trip to San Antonio to attend my first Ghoulish Fest. I’ve heard nothing but great things about the show from friends like Bridget D. Brave and Sam Richard of Weirdpunk fame (both of who will be at the show again this year), so I’m really looking forward to it.
The show itself is Friday March 14 through Saturday March 15, but I will be in town on the 13th and flying home on the 16th. I’m a vendor so I’m traveling with books a-plenty. Including some pre-release-date copies of Night of the Witch-Hunter? Maaaaaaaybe (yes).
I will also have (assuming all goes well with shipping and it arrives on the date promised) a table runner to go with my books. I figured it was time to up my tabling game and so a little investment in presentation was made.
Fantastic writer and designer Todd Keisling, a gentleman and a scholar to boot, came through big-time with this design/mock-up. I’ll try to remember to share photos of the real thing when it arrives.
So many cool folks going to this show and of course the great folks at Ghoulish—Max, Lori, Mindy, etc. (in case I left anyone out/also I figure this covers the dogs as well)—are a bright spot in the small press arena. (And Lord knows we need all the bright spots we can get these days.)
I gotta get some reading done before I get there though. I’m in the middle of Max’s I Believe in Mr. Bones and it is one of the funniest, most-fucked-up reads I’ve experienced in a while. Seriously, they’re a sharp writer with multiple wicked turns of phrase per page. If you’re not reading Max Booth, why the hell not?
Anyway, when it comes to the show, in addition to selling books, I’ll be on panels like a Spooky Spelling Bee, a guide to horror collecting (where I can talk about plans to be buried with all the books I didn’t read like some sort of librarian pharaoh), and one called “Creating Art During the Apocalypse” (where I will bring all my Dad powers to bear). There’s also a ghost tour, a mass author signing, and a spooky campfire storytelling contest (which I’m cookin’ up something for). Phew! That’s a packed 2 days.
If you’re in or around San Antonio, I hope to see you there!
That’s all for now. Be kind. Don’t take any bullshit.
I believe in you.
Okay, well, maybe not YOU.
PS Speaking of Clown Cars, here’s a P.Barb deep-cut: An original webcomic “Clown Car” from yours truly and Ross Radke (art) and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (lettering).