Welcome
April 19th, 2006Welcome to our Fatherstyle Blog. Jim and I will use this space to provide you with an inside look at our experiences writing and promoting our book. More importantly, we’ll also share our thoughts about common parenting issues and parenting topics in the news. It won’t surprise you to discover that we’ll discuss many of these subjects from a fatherstyle perspective. But we’ll also do our best to look at them from as many angles as possible.
Our hope is to create a meaningful dialogue about the topics that matter so much to all of us. Please communicate with us by email and let us know what you’re thinking and what you’d like to read more about. And, of course, please give us your reaction to The Fatherstyle Advantage. We spent a lot of time writing it, and we’re curious to finally learn what real-world parents will think of it. Just because Jim and I have written a book of parenting advice doesn’t mean we think we have all the answers.
Kevin O’Shea
Now the Real Work Begins [Kevin O’Shea]
April 28th, 2006When Jim and I agreed to undertake the project that became The Fatherstyle Advantage two and a half years ago, he warned me that writing a book is the easy part. What did I know? Jim has written several successful books, so he has servedas my wise guide through the world of proposals, agents, publishers, editors, marketing people, and publicists. Every day I give thanks that I didn’t have to go through this process alone, if only because I never even would have found an agent without Jim.
The book’s official publication date is this Monday, May 1, but in reality it’s been available on Amazon.com and other web retailers for several weeks. The book is now in stores, though we can’t guarantee that more than one copy is in stock.
Now the real work begins: the marketing. Again, although we’re only now beginning to sell the books we’ve been deep in the process of publicity for some time. Jim and I are blessed because our publisher, Stewart, Tabori & Chang, has hired Rose Carrano, a top-notch independent publicist, to help us market the book. Rose’s job is to make as many people as possible aware of the book and its message, and she’s doing a great job. Already over a dozen regional parenting magazines have agreed to publish excerpts, and our national book tour is comingtogether for early June. Everything is pegged to Father’s Day, even though the book is written for mothers and fathers.
In the midst of all of this activity, Jim and I have to keep our focus on what made us write the book in the first place: the message that we can all become better parents by adopting some of the techniques of today’s most involved fathers. That’s what all of this is about. After all, a book is not just another product: it’s a vehicle for communicating ideas.
The News is All Good So Far [Kevin O’Shea]
May 1st, 2006The book was officially released today, and the early response continues to be strongly positive. Over a dozen regional parenting publications (including one in Canada) will be running excerpts from the book during the next couple of months. Several web sites will feature reviews of the book. Jim and I already have a couple of appearances scheduled in Michigan (May 23 at Baldwin Library in Birmingham, co-sponsored by the Book Beat and June 1 at the Borders Arborland in Ann Arbor) and some out of state as well. The exact dates and cities for our book tour will be coming together during the next few weeks. As our bookstore appearances are set, the media interviews will follow.
Our first reviews were posted on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com today! They’re very positive, so we’re pleased. Our Amazon ranking shot up today, due to who-knows-what forces. If you’re reading this, please take a few minutes to post a review on one of the book retailer web sites.
Jim and I are busy planning our book launch party on May 13 and contacting friends and family to get word of mouth advertising underway. The next month and a half promises to be busy and exciting. And incredibly stressful.
Bridging the Gap [Kevin O’Shea]
May 4th, 2006I’ve started to hear from readers with their comments about the book (all positive so far). It’s very gratifying, but strange as well because we actually wrote the book so long ago. I have a similar reaction when people tell me how much they enjoyed my latest column in Metro Parent magazine. I write the columns months in advance, so I’m never sure which piece they’re talking about. I’ve learned that the nature of the writing process itself creates a distance between writer and reader. I’m happy that we’re starting to bridge the gap.
Our appearance at Baldwin Public Library in Birmingham, Michigan has been moved until June 13. Everyone felt that we’d attract more attention closer to Father’s Day. I hope to see many readers there. It’ll be the first chance Jim and I have to talk to readers since the book was officially released.
Along those lines, Jim and I hope to hear from book club reading the book. It’s a good choice because so many book clubs are made up of women and so many of those women are mothers, too. Much of the material in the book is new and conroversial enough to generate some fascinating exchanges. We’d be thrilled to participate in book club discussions in person (if possible) or by phone. PLease contact us!
My family and I are going away for a few days, so I’ll be out of touch briefly. It’ll be good to get away from the computer–I’m checking Amazon.com so often that it’s in danger of becoming a compulsion.
I’ll be posting again next week. In the meantime, please write to Jim and I to let us know what you think of the book. We’re eager to hear from you.
Book Party, Big Review, and an Expanding Schedule [Kevin O’Shea]
May 15th, 2006Jim and I hosted a book party for about 100 friends on Saturday evening. The event was a great success despite the necessity of moving the whole party indoors. Michigan weather means that even in May it may be pouring rain and fifty degrees (it was). But everyone had fun, we sold a lot of books, and we heard some fascinating comments and questions about The Fatherstyle Advantage. Jim and I are still working on how we can describe the book in a sentence or two, something that becomes important as we begin our round of radio and television interviews. One frustration: how to explain that the book is for mothers and fathers despite the title and the tie-in to Father’s Day.
Speaking of which…we’ll be taping our first radio interview for the nationally syndicated Family Matters Radio program on May 31. We’ll post the broadcast date as soon as we know it. We’ve also been booked on the Fox Morning Show in Chicago for Tuesday, June 6 between 6 and 9 a.m. That coincides with our appearance and signing that evening at the Book Stall in Winnetka (you can vist thebookstall.com for details). Please come if you live in the area, and bring a friend or two as well. We’d love to meet you!
I’m always delighted to visit Chicago. I spent four years at Northwestern University in beautiful (really!) Evanston, just north of the city (1980-84), and I spent a summer clerking at a law firm in the Loop after my first year of law school (1985). Family ties brought me back to Detroit, but I’ve always wondered how my life might have been different if I’d settled in the Windy City.
In other exciting news, the book received a very positive review in the influential Library Journal. The review can be read on the Barnes & Noble site on the page featuring our book. Just search for The Fatherstyle Advantage and it’ll take you there. While the reviewer mentions a couple of minor complaints about the book (both legitimate), he recommends that libraries purchase it! With over 16,000 public libraries (including mains and branches) in the U.S., we’re hoping that translates into some big sales. The review also provides us with some great quotes for promotion purposes.
During the next two weeks we’ll be adding appearances and interviews at a much more rapid pace. Please keep your eye on our schedule, as we’ll be updating it frequently. If you’d like us to come to your city, please contact your local bookstore and direct them to our site. Radio and television interviews will then follow. Jim and I are grateful for all the attention tied to Father’s Day, but we’re going to keep actively promoting the book long after that day has passed, so we’re eager to schedule appearances through the summer and fall.
May 21st, 2006
My first item of business is to correct a careless mistake I made in last week’s edition of Fatherstyle Today, our e-newsletter. I extolled the virtues of the National Fatherhood Initiative and its outstanding web site, but I gave the wrong web address. You can find the NFI at fatherhood.org, not fatherhood.com. My apologies to the NFI.
Many people have been asking me what they can do to help promote the book. A few things come to mind. First, you can tell your friends, relatives, and co-workers about the book. Word of mouth is essential for the success of any book, but especially an advice book. Second, you can post reviews of the book on both Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. A number of friends have told us that they’ve written reviews, but only a few have shown up on the sites. We could use many more. It only takes a few minutes to post a review, so please let other readers know what you think about The Fatherstyle Advantage. Third, you can add our book to your book club’s reading list and then invite us to join your discussion (in person or by telephone). Jim and I are eager to meet and talk with readers about our book.
Jim and I are hearing from a lot more people about the book. All reaction is favorable, of course (people are too polite to say anything negative). We’re getting excited to embark on our book tour (actually several short trips) in June. We’ll keep you posted via the Event Calendar on this site and our Fatherstyle Today e-newsletter if you’ve registered to receive it.
Helping Get the Word Out [Kevin O’Shea]
May 21st, 2006Many people have been asking me what they can do to help promote the book. A few things come to mind. First, you can tell your friends, relatives, and co-workers about the book. Word of mouth is essential for the success of any book, but especially an advice book. Second, you can post reviews of the book on both Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. A number of friends have told us that they’ve written reviews, but only a few have shown up on the sites. We could use many more. It only takes a few minutes to post a review, so please let other readers know what you think about The Fatherstyle Advantage. Third, you can add our book to your book club’s reading list and then invite us to join your discussion (in person or by telephone). Jim and I are eager to meet and talk with readers about our book.
Jim and I are hearing from a lot more people about the book. All reaction is favorable, of course (people are too polite to say anything negative). We’re getting excited to embark on our book tour (actually several short trips) in June. We’ll keep you posted via the Event Calendar on this site and our Fatherstyle Today e-newsletter if you’ve registered to receive it.
The Good News Keeps Coming [Kevin O’Shea]
May 23rd, 2006Yesterday Jimand I learned that our book has been selected as a featured Father’s Day title on BarnesandNoble.com. This means that visitors to the site who follow the link “Father’s Day Gift Guide” will find the book listed with several others under the “Celebrating Dads” heading. We’re thrilled, in part because this also means that many Barnes & Noble stores will feature The Fatherstyle Advantage on a special Father’s Day gift table. We hope it translates into a lot of additional sales.
Which brings me to another point: Borders. While Barnes & Noble has ordered several copies of the book for each store, Borders chose to order exactly one copy per store, even in our immediate area (where the book is getting much more publicity). Today I spoke with the managers of our local Borders and was told that all buying decisions are made by higher-ups and they have no discretion to purchase more copies. This despite the fact that Jim and I have heard from frustrated friends who can’t find the book at Borders because their sole copy is gone. The managers both suggested that customers can simply order the book. To which I replied, then why does the store exist? They can order the book from home if that’s how they want to buy it. Sheesh. It’s difficult to udnerstand, especially because Borders HG is only a half hour from here. My advice: if you want to buy the book in a store, you’ll have better luck at Barnes & Noble. If you want to buy online, try B&N’s site or Amazon.com. And please post a review! If you visit a bookstore that doesn’t have a copy of the book, please complain to the manager. That’s the only way they know there’s a problem.
Speaking of Borders, Jim and I will be appearing at the Borders Arborland (Ann Arbor, Michigan) on Thursday, June 1 at 7 p.m. Please come out and see us and bring a friend or two. We’ll also be at the Baldwin Library in Birmingham, Michigan on Tuesday, June 13 at 7 p.m. The latter event requires registration (limited seating) so call the library at 248-647-1700 to reserve your spot. Again, bring a friend and do your last-minute Father’s Day shopping.
Jim and I will be taping three radio programs within the next week. One’s in Kansas City, one’s a nattionally syndicated show, and the last is Armin Brott’s program out of San Francisco. If you’re not familiar with Armin, visit his excellent web site at MrDad.com. He’s written a load of great books about fatherhood, and he’s a passionate advocate of involved fathering. We quote him in our book on a number of points. Armin was in Detroit last fall to keynote the 6th Annual Michigan Fathers Conference (an event Jim and I are both closely involved in planning and executing). He’s a great guy and it was a genuine honor to meet him. I’ll let you know of broadcast dates for all of these interviews as soon as I know them.
A final note of interest: I sent a short email to Douglas Lord of the Connecticut State Library, who gave the book such a generous review in Library Journal last week. Although he had a couple of problems with the book (slow to start, too much generalizing), he had obviously read it closely and he wrote a careful review. I said as much and thanked him for his effort. He responded today. Believe it or not, he’s never had another author thank him! He told me how much he enjoyed the book’s straightforward style and how he thinks Jim and I have done a service to parents by writing it. A very nice man with a clear commitment to books and reading.
Father’s Day Is In Sight [Kevin O’Shea]
May 30th, 2006Jim and I are preparing for a busy couple of weeks leading up to Father’s Day. In addition to our previously scheduled appearances, we’re doing radio interviews (by telephone) in San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Kansas City, and Chicago. We have a couple of local events later this week, then we’re headed to Chicago on Monday for our first trip.
We continue to get good local exposure for the book. My children and I appeared on the cover of Signature Magazine, an insert for The Sunday Detroit News and Free Press that goes to over 100,000 homes in the northern suburbs and the Grosse Pointes. The article, entitled “The Importance of Dad” features my family and two other area dads and their kids. Lynne Meredith Schreiber, who wrote the piece, did an excellent job of highlighting the way today’s dads make time to be involved parents.
In a few days we’ll see two local parenting publications, Metro Parent and Livingston Parent, that are running excerpts from The Fatherstyle Advantage in their June issues. And, as I’ve noted in previous posts, more than a dozen other regional parenting magazines around the country are also running excerpts in June.
Our sales ranking on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble has fluctuated wildly over the past couple of weeks, going as high (low?) as 30,000 and as low (high?) as 225,000. That’s out of over 5 million books, so it’s better than it sounds at first glance. My suspicion is that it doesn’t take too many purchases to push up the ranking dramatically, but I may be wrong.
The kind folks at Baldwin Library in Birmingham (especially Youth Librarian Connie Imer) are really promoting our appearance there on Tuesday, June 13 at 7 p.m. We’re featured on their main web page and on bookmarks and flyers going home to area students. Look for more news about that event in the local papers in coming weeks. Please turn out to meet us and talk about the book. Jim and I are anxious to finally participate in discussions about some of the ideas we’ve been working on in private for the past two years!
Again, please heed my plea to post reviews on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. It will only take a few minutes, and it will let other parents know that this is a book worth reading. Also, please let your local bookstore know that you’ve heard about the book and encourage them to stock more than one copy on their shelves!
Although our publisher has understandably tied the release of the book to Father’s Day in order to get the maximum amount of publicity, Jim and I will continue to promote The Fatherstyle Advantage long after June 18. If you have any ideas to help us keep interest in the book alive through the summer and well into the fall, please let us know.
My next post will follow our first book signing at the Borders Arborland in Ann Arbor this Thursday, June 1 at 7 p.m. There will be special giveaways for those who buy the first dozen books. I hope to see many of you there!
Chicago, Chicago [Kevin O’Shea]
June 4th, 2006Jim and I are off to Chicago tomorrow. We have an early morning interview on the Fox Morning Radio Show and an evening appearance and signing at The Bookstall in Winnetka. If you’re in the area, please come and meet us. I’ll write about the details of the trip after our return.
Jim and I had a signing last Thursday evening at the Borders Arborland in Ann Arbor, Michigan. We sold a bunch of books and met some interesting people. The staff was terrific and extremely supportive. We’ve already done a couple of radio interviews as well. This week 17 regional parenting publications will be running excerpts and/or reviews of the book. We’ve already seen a few, and they look great. We’re hoping readers go out and buy the book after they’ve read the excerpts.
My family and I appeared on the cover of Signature, a local magazine that’s mailed to 100,000 homes in the northern suburbs of Detroit. The response has been amazing–you’d think we’d been in Newsweek. If you’d like to read the articel and view the photos, visit the web site of Third Street Publications and follow the link to Signature magazine’s June issue.
Remember, please turn out to meet us at Baldwin Library in Birmingham on the evening of June 13 at 7 p.m. It promises to be a lively event! Library events are the best opportunity for authors and readers to connect in a relaxed, unhurried atmosphere.