The book is published. Now the hard work begins…

The Tourist Trail is available on the Kindle, on the iPad, and, at last, in paperback (from Amazon and from me).

Now the hard work begins.

I don’t mean to trivialize the writing of this book. Four years went into it and countless drafts.

But for the self-published, self-promotion is a steep uphill climb.

It’s challenging enough for writers with actual publishing houses behind them to get attention from reviewers and bloggers. In a sense, I’m competing with all of them — from the latest releases from Jennifer Weiner and Carl Hiaasen to the girl with the tattoo trilogy. We’re all competing for attention.

I’ve spent the past few days emailing book bloggers, reviewers, editors, even Oprah. Yes, I realize sending an email to Oprah is akin to playing the lottery.

But if you don’t play you can’t win.

Most book reviewers won’t even look at self-published works. That’s okay. My strategy isn’t fully dependent on reviewers.

Fortunately, there are numerous web sites and blogs devoted to the causes I write about in the novel: animal rights, conservation, anti-whaling, penguin research.

Yesterday I sent emails to 18 people. I got a few very nice replies that I will follow up with review copies.

Before long I will be on a first name basis at the Post Office.

I know there is an audience for this book, a potentially large audience.

And I’m beginning to find them. Or, to put it more optimistically, they’re beginning to find me.