For those of you wondering how that A/B book cover test went for the re-release of 13 TO LIFE, it went WONDERFULLY. I learned SO much. This post was also originally published last year (2024) on this day on Substack.
Recently I let you know about the A/B testing I did for two potential book covers in the running for the new edition of 13 TO LIFE. I shared the two ads that ran at the same time and with the same budget. The results were pretty spectacular with one cover getting significantly more traction with viewers than the other. The winning cover is this one:
I love it. It’s symbolically potent and provides a callback to the original cover. Having been a history teacher, that’s very desirable to me.
So where will readers be able to get this book? Online, of course, through the major retailers, and at the signings I am doing this fall, starting next week. At those signings there will be limited edition copies that are…a bit “tricked out.” They will be very limited, especially to start. If you can’t make it to a signing (and I get it, I live in the wilds of upstate New York (and most of my signings will be in smallish places—it is a small-town story), there will be some we’ll make available on a couple of vetted online stores, along with 13 TO LIFE merch. More on that later.
Where Will These Signings Be, Shannon?
Great question, thank you for asking!
🐺RICHFIELD SPRINGS, NY: Spring Park on September 28th Author and Artist Expo in Richfield Springs from 10am-4pm thanks to the Richfield Springs Public Library.
🐺VESTAL/BINGHAMTON, NY: Barnes & Noble in Vestal, NY October 19th from 11am-2pm thanks to the great folks at our most local B&N. You’ll be able to buy their shelf stock and “trade-up” at my table to get a Limited Edition copy until I run out of them.
🐺ONEONTA/MILFORD/GILBERTSVILLE/UNADILLA/OTEGO. NY: Author Expo 2024 at CANO in Oneonta, NY on October 20th from 2-4pm —there will be two options: standard or Limited Edition.
🐺JOHNSTOWN/GLOVERSVILLE, NY: Mysteries on Main Street in Johnstown, NY October 26th (1-3pm). Standard and Limited Edition stock will be available.
These are the signings I have booked at this point for fall. Would I like to add a couple more? Yes. Would they likely be elsewhere in NY or PA or NJ? Yes. That said, if you have a connection to a bookseller or librarian looking for an award-winning author to chat with people about writing and publishing and to sell books to, reach out! Got a book club looking for something different to read? Reach out! I love to chat with people and share stories and information about writing and publishing. It’s good for my soul and makes the educator in me happy.
And let’s not forget, I also will have copies of Beastly Babes: Nine Classic Tales of Female Vampires which will be available at these events, too.
If you aren’t sure about if you’d like a particular book or not, I suggest you check out the Spotify playlists for each one. I’m still doing final adjustments to the 13 TO LIFE playlists, but if you’re trying to wrap your head around a book or character’s vibe, the QR codes below may help.
Absurdly gigantic 13 to Life playlist on Spotify. Just point your smart phone’s camera at that and the link should pop up.
Above is the (enormous…so sorry!) QR code for the main 13 to Life playlist. Below is the Beastly Babes playlist. Both are through Spotify (which offers a free membership).
