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"By working with Togather, companies also find out which of their customers have the clout in their community to serve as effective brand ambassadors. The whole model is to drive demand driven events, Kessler explained. He said, “We are really focused now on using digital tools to drive effective offline engagement.”
Togather: Dumbo startup crowdsources event interest before they happen
Baratunde Thurston, CEO of Cultivated Wit and author of How to Be Black; and Tanner Colby, author of Some of My Best Friends are Black previewed their Togather event this week with Soledad O'Brien, discussing race, identity, and the persistent color line on Brian Lehrer's show this morning! Catch up here if you missed it, and get your tickets here!
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[Our National Conversation about Conversations About Race: An evening of interracial conversation with Baratunde Thurston & Tanner Colby, moderated by America's leading multiracial conversationalist Soledad O'Brien — September 5, 7pm @ Subculture, 45 Bleecker St: http://www.togather.com/event/646/baratunde-and-tanner-in-new-york.html]
It's official: we broke a world record for the most book clubs visited by an author in a single month!
77 book clubs in 31 days. Jennifer Miller and Togather teamed up with hundreds of the most awesome readers in the country and now we can brag about it: we've made book club history.
They said it was crazy, but we did it! And it was awesome. Check out Jen's video recap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyssSt15rko
...and see what others had to say about it: Check us out in The Washington Post, Bookstalker and Galleycat.
From the Trinity book group in Nashville, TN... (here's hostess Rosanna Anderson "wearing" Gadfly!)
...to Mashable HQ in NYC
...Gadfly traveled the country (sometimes with the help of Skype...) and tomorrow marks the successful last day of the first-ever book club tour.
Now, a note from Ms. Jennifer Miller herself:
Wow! It was a long month, but you helped me visit a whopping 77 book clubs in 31 days. I'm pretty sure ours is the number to beat! I can't tell you how amazing and gratifying it has been to talk with so many thoughtful readers about Gadfly--and to learn so many things about the novel that even I didn't know! (Seriously, I feel so much smarter after talking with you all!)
Two important details before I sign off: This September, I'll be holding the drawing for the book club prep school pack; three clubs will receive a special care package from me as a thank you for helping me set the world record. Finally, if you enjoyed Gadfly and had fun talking with me, then tell your friends! I will happy skype with any group who wants to chat about the novel.
Best Wishes and Happy Reading!
Jen
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Thanks to all of the amazing readers who joined us on this journey! We made this for you:
Join us as Brooklyn Brewery founder and former AP foreign correspondent Steve Hindy interviews photojournalist Michael Kamber about his career and his mission to create the most comprehensive collection of rare eyewitness accounts of the Iraq War to date. Both men will reflect on the often shocking and sometimes heroic actions that journalists undertake in trying to cover the war, as they discuss the role of media and issues of censorship.
Ticket includes admission and a free Brooklyn Brewery beer. All proceeds from the events in this series benefit RISC (Reporters Instructed in Saving Colleagues).
Kathleen Grissom's debut novel, The Kitchen House, was released in February 2010, to acclaim and modest sales. But then last year, almost two and a half years after it was published, The Kitchen House hit the NYT bestseller list, and it got there in an innovative way: Grissom set out on an innovative, intimate new kind of book tour. She visited and called book clubs all over the country, talking to readers about her book.
We reached out to Grissom to ask for her advice about outreach and events, and to get the firsthand story of how she built her unique success.
Togather: You had several careers before your first novel was published. Did you always know that you wanted to be a writer, and if so, do you think you started late?
Kathleen Grissom: Actually, I don’t believe that I started late, I believe that I started when I was ready.
Susan Isaacs was once asked if she always wanted to be a writer. Her answer was something along these lines. “I didn’t know that I could be a writer. I thought that writers were extraordinary people. When I grew up and found out that they were just ordinary people who might write something extraordinary, I then realized that I, too, could be a writer.” And that was the way I felt. I didn’t know I could be a writer.
Togather: When The Kitchen House was first published, it succeeded at a modest level. What were your publisher's expectations, and how did they differ from yours?
KG: When I heard from the publisher that they printed 11,000 copies and that was considered a good run, I thought back to my advertising days. There, if we had something that we worked hard to produce and we did a marketing campaign and it was selling, we didn’t set it on the shelf and think about the next one—we put a push behind it because it was selling. My book wasn’t flying off the shelves, but it was selling, and the feedback that I was getting was really strong. People would email me or come up when I did book events and say, “I love this book, there is something about it that touches my heart.” And I thought, if that’s the case, I’m sure it will touch other people’s hearts as well. I knew there was still a product to sell, and the only way I knew how to do it was to reach out to book bloggers and ask them to read the book and to do a review.
Togather: How did you know which bloggers to contact?
KG: I went online and typed in something like “historical novel blog reviewers.” I would find one good contact, then I would read their blog so I could start a genuine conversation instead of blindly sending something out. Then, if I had established something of a relationship, I would ask that blogger if they could or would refer me to other book bloggers they thought would be helpful.
Togather: I think it’s also really amazing that you were willing to connect with so many book clubs, both using the telephone and also traveling to meet with small groups of people. Do you have any stories of a club that was especially fun to talk to?
KG: I actually just had one the other night that was especially fun, because it was mothers and daughters. The daughters are 16 years old and they read the book along with their mothers. We had a very interesting discussion and both mothers and daughters took part.
I also went down to Louisiana and spoke to a high school group of honor students who had read the book, and that was very interesting as well.
Another adorable book group was one made up of three women in a nursing home—a book group of three! The hostess wanted to surprise her friends, so she didn’t tell them that I was calling until she had me on speaker-phone. It was great to speak to them but nobody had any questions because they didn’t know I was going to call! I had such a good laugh when I got off the phone that day—they were so darn excited and even sent me pictures later on.
Togather: Do you use the Internet to stay in touch with readers?
Kathleen: Absolutely. I have information on my website, and Simon & Schuster also have a website with my name and how to contact me. I get so many contacts through both our websites. Most of my talks at book clubs came through emails I get from readers and the websites.
Togather: Does it make sense to do events even for just a few people, as you did for the nursing home ladies?
KG: At least one of these women was bound to have a sister or an aunt or a daughter who reads. It always amazes me how one person can make a difference. Even talking to a small book club, it’s only 15 minutes or maybe a half hour of your time, but the fun and the connections you get out of that outreach are priceless.
Sometimes if you want to get something done, you just have to do it yourself. Bring a friend to the library, if they haven't enjoyed one in a while. Start a book club at work, and encourage everyone to buy from the bookstore down the street. Attend author events to support the writers you love, and to learn about the ones you'll love next.
We like to think that the power lies in our own hands -- not just the hands of avid readers, but any one of us who cares about ideas, learning, dreaming, and sharing those experiences with the people in our lives.
It's no small task, but we can work together to make it happen. Saving books means saving creativity and innovation. Who wouldn't want that?
It’s National Library Week! Team Togather loves libraries (though let’s be honest, who doesn’t?). As we were sharing some of our favorite library moments today, we thought it'd be fun to share them with you, too.
Jessie: When I was a freshman at NYU, I went to see a panel of Czech authors discuss their latest books at the NYU library. Most of them had written about life during and after Prague’s famous Velvet Revolution and their experiences living in Eastern Europe throughout the Cold War. Their stories about Prague’s tumultuous history and unique culture inspired me to study abroad there in the spring of my sophomore year.
Taylor: Living and attending college in Boston for the last 4 years, The Boston Public Library Courtyard was always my go-to spot whenever the slightest hint of warm weather arrived in the city. It's the perfect urban oasis where the likes of Harvard professors, wide-eyed freshman, and tourists from all over the world can all be spotted enjoying the lavish gardens while cozying up with their favorite book. Although I admittedly never read anything while hanging out here, some of my prime people-watching (an activity I take very seriously) was done in this quaintly nestled retreat in Downtown's bustling Copley Square. Especially during these last few days, I can't help but to get a little nostalgic for my favorite library in my favorite city.
Dana: I was in a teen reading club at my local library the summer before 7th grade. It was a pretty small group, and one of the girls commandeered our first meeting and made us look up ghost stories on the internet instead of talking about the book. I was kind of mad at her for derailing the whole thing but didn’t see her again. Two years later, we had an English class together and have been best friends ever since. She’s still obsessed with ghost stories.
Emilio: There is really nothing else like the library, at least not in the neighborhood I was raised in. In our small working class enclave, more than an hour into the Bronx on the red line, it is a place where the local youths hang out hang, their parents still at work, where the chess players, hunched over their rooks and pawns, complain loudly about said youths, and the young mothers drop of their kids, because in their words, “they’re your problem now.” Occasionally people even read. I’ve worked at this library for as long as I can remember, and it's been like a second home to me.
We’d love to know your favorite library stories. How has a library impacted your life?
We're really looking forward to a new online series coming your way from the lovely writer, crafter, and handmade advocate, Kelly Rand. As someone who successfully turned their passion project into a lucrative small business, Kelly knows a thing or two about pursuing a career as a self-employed artist and the risks and rewards that follow. During each session in her series, we'll hear from different creative guests on their stories of success, change, fear, failure and innovation across a number of industries and backgrounds.
To kick off our “Work It” series, Kelly will host an interactive discussion on April 30th about what it takes to make it in the crafting biz. The chat will feature Grace Dobush, fellow entrepreneur and author of The Crafty Superstar Ultimate Craft Business Guide. Stephen Fraser, co-founder of Spoonflower, a print-on-demand fabric and wallpaper company, will also join us to discuss the ins and outs of setting up shop, spreading the word and defining smart goals. The trio of crafters will provide useful insights and tips for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Reserve your spot here, and be on the lookout for more events in the “Work It” series to be announced soon! All proceeds benefit Hello Craft, Kelly's non-profit trade association dedicated to the advancement of independent crafters and the handmade movement.
This Tuesday I’m doing an online hangout and Q&A around “How To Be Black.”
The first 9 RSVPs get free mugs, and the first eight or 9 will get to directly interact via video. Others can still type things that I’ll address without seeing your faces.
Most excitingly, the writer of How To Be The Black Person Reading How To Be Black, Lauren White, will be interviewing me.
You might not know her as Kate Tkacik, but if you're involved with Tumblr’s library scene, you’ll know her by her username, thelifeguardlibrarian. In 2011, Kate began to build a network of librarians on Tumblr, now known as Tumblarians. In addition, she is a 2013 Library Journal Mover & Shaker and a contributor to Library Journal.
We spoke with Kate via email about building the Tumblarian community; why it started, how it grew, and all of the great things that have come (and will continue to do so in the future) from connecting such a widely spread group of people with just a few hashtags.
Togather: What inspired you to create a community of librarians? What made you decide to find them on Tumblr?
Kate: Inspiration! A few friends know this, but I was very skeptical about Tumblr—I didn’t get it and I didn’t see much within it. At first glance it was a confusing mass of pretty visuals, memes, and selfies.
But when I was halfway through library school and headed into the job hunt, I needed to find a way to stretch my legs a bit online, and I wanted to do so without all the responsibility of a traditional blog. From my first sputter-start weeks on tumblr, I had no thoughts of creating a librarian community. I was just trying to scrape up some followers. About six months in, I started to get into the rhythm and vibe of tumblr, and I started connecting with folks in the #lit and #education communities.
I recognized an opportunity in the space for librarians to do what these groups have been doing for quite a few years. And I started understanding tagging and how tags could (and would) create a sharing community. After gaining some confidence through the #lit group, I decided to start posting up as much as possible to get librarians to use a standard set of tags (#libraries, #librarians, and eventually #tumblarians) on their posts so we could find each other. And it worked!
Togather: What did you do to ensure that the Tumblarian community would grow? How did you prevent it from losing momentum?
Kate: One thing I’ve tried my best to do is keep the call out there for tagging. I like to shout about it as loudly as the Internet will allow. New users are joining every day—we (myself and other early adopters) shouldn’t assume librarians joining the platform already knowing what’s up and where to find us. Just try to pull me down from my #libraries #librarians #tumblarians soap box. I’m surprisingly scrappy.
The momentum has taken care of itself thanks to the community and to tumblr itself. Molly McArdle of LibraryJournal, Erin Shea of Darien Library, and Daniel Ransom of ThePinakes have been particular advocates of #tumblarians—and they were all using tumblr well before me. Beyond that tumblr is my very favorite of all the internets because they really give a hoot about what their users are up to. It wasn’t long before Rachel Fershleiser, Literary and Non-profit Outreach at tumblr, reached out to me to say hi and get me involved with a meet up in Chicago. It was encouraging to hear from Rachel and validated the work we Tumblarians had been up to for so many months.
Togather: Has the Tumblarian community changed or benefitted the library profession? How? What do you think it could accomplish?
Kate: I would say we’re definitely making an impact, though on a small, personalized, and individual scale—which should not discourage the community in any way. Tumblr has led me to solid IRL friendships and professional relationships. And I know with certainty I’m not the only librarian on tumblr who would say the same. We’re sharing news, advice, opinions, job opportunities, best practices, reading lists, book reviews, lesson plans—and heaps of GIFs and geeky effusions. I can only assume connecting in these ways in of benefit to the profession.
What can we accomplish? I’ll think of that more as “what can we do next?” Something that’s very important to me is to continue to diversify our ranks and create an inclusive space for challenging conversations. This has started to happen a bit here and there, but I want more (MOAR!). Tumblr, as a platform, attracts a vast range of users, many of whom are young and are seeking a less traditional online space away from Facebook and blogs. I really want to capitalize on how wonderfully varied the tumblr community is already and invite as many perspectives as possible into the dialogue around librarianship. Many of us know well what the current demographic of our profession looks like—that doesn’t mean the tumblarian community should look just the same.
Togather: What was the most difficult part of building the Tumblarian community?
Kate: Tumblr has only been fun! I thought a good deal about this when I first heard I was nominated for Movers & Shakers. What a funny thing to be rewarded for doing something that is so enjoyable! Usually we get payout on what takes all our energy and effort—writing a long paper, completing a difficult project, whatever. Tumblr’s just fun. Maintaining the list and staying caught up on ask’s and emails is a little more time consuming now, but it’s great to have so many people reaching out.
Togather: Do you have any advice for someone new to Tumblr who wants to get involved with Tumblarians?
Kate: Introduce yourself and tag that first post #tumblarians. We’ll find you.
The next in our series of Togather team book reports comes from Client Services Coordinator Michael Mannheimer, who read Pauls Toutonghi's Evel Knievel Days. Pauls is based in Portland, but has upcoming travel dates all over the west and midwest this summer. Maybe he wouldn't mind stopping by a bar or bookstore in your town -- why not ask?
It's been a while since I read a novel that I really connected with, but the main character of Paul Toutonghi's second novel Evel Knievel Days and I have a lot in common: we're both slightly OCD, passionate about playing the right old country song on the dive bar jukebox (everything is always OK with Patsy Cline by your side), and constanIy overwhelmed by our FEELINGS. Evel Knievel Days tells the story of Khosi Saqr, a nervous kid with a voracious imagination who is just a little too smart for his small town upbringing. Khosi lives with his single mother in Butte, Montana, a tiny mining town known mostly for being the birthplace of the daredevil biker whose namesake festival gives the book its title. Khosi eventually works up the courage to travel to Egypt in search of his long-lost father, but the book isn't a coming of age novel as much as it's about how a city, a physical place, can shape your identity.
I love how Toutonghi constantly keeps you guessing where Khosi will end up. His descriptions of earthy, rustic Montana and the bustling city of Cairo make you feel like you're right there with our hero, tagging behind him as he navigates narrow streets and greets tourists as the guide of the Copper King Mansion. It's also a great book for anyone who really obsesses over food—Khosi's mother, Amy Clark, is the best Egyptian chef in town, and her cooking is sometimes the only thing keeping these characters from falling apart.
Part ghost story, part loving tribute to baklava and creme brûlée, Evel Knievel Days is the rare book that makes you thirst for your hometown, wherever that may be. I can't wait to see what Toutonghi comes up with next.
We've already gushed a bit about our excitement for novelist Jennifer Miller's mission to set a world record by meeting with 100 book clubs in a single month. It's definitely ambitious, and maybe a little bit nuts, but she's already almost halfway to her goal!
Our team tallied up the count this morning and we're blown away by the progress she's made in just a few short weeks. With a few local events on the East coast, and a bunch of video chats with groups in other areas of the country, we're seeing supporters pop up all over the map -- in Nashville, Plano, Duxbury and Richmond, to name a few cities, as well as right here in Brooklyn.
And to be honest, we shouldn't be surprised. Jen pulled off some creative (and thrifty!) book promo stunts when The Year of The Gadfly came out in hardcover last year, including selling copies of her book and giving away free cookies at novelade stands on the sidewalks of New York City.
If your book club, library, local bookstore, friends, colleagues, neighbors, classmates, cousins, aunts, etc. want to go down in history as record-setting legends, let us know. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is even giving away one free signed copy of the book to each group that signs up! Just check out Jen's page on Togather or contact us directly for more info and availability: taylor [at] togather [dot] com.
Let’s be clear: maximizing the authors to maximize the number of people in the room is well-intentioned but ultimately not productive. I think of it as the Sizzler approach to readings: it leaves everyone stuffed, but still unsatisfied. If you’ve never had the treat of going to a Sizzler, I should explain that it’s a restaurant where a cacophonous salad bar is your main option insuring that you’ll stuff yourself with some weird, indigestible combination of foods, like fried shrimp and penne a la vodka and jello salad and pea soup and clams casino. All good things, but together – yuck.
Andrew weighs in on events that feature a bunch of different types of authors-- why they're so common, why they're a bad idea, and what to do instead.
Here at the Togather office, we've all been reading books by Togather authors. Here's our library outreach coordinator Dana Skwirut's report on Liz Moore's novel Heft, which makes us want to create a book club event with Liz, stat.
I’ll admit it. Heft made me cry.
It’s hard to explain why without embarking on a tl;dr journey that is ultimately too TMI for even my high school livejournal account, let alone a very public place like this. It’s also hard to explain without giving too much away. Also, I don’t even like admitting that it happened.
Heft is the story of Arthur Opp, an obese former academic who has not left his Brooklyn home in nearly a decade, and Kel Keller, an all-star high school athlete living in Yonkers. Kel is the son of one of Arthur’s former students, Charlene, who sets the story in motion by calling Arthur, who she hasn’t spoken to in nearly twenty years.
I really had no idea what to expect when I started reading Heft, and I certainly didn’t expect what happens or the effect it had on me, but Liz Moore’s characters are entirely relatable and live through events that are universally human. They remind us that even though our individual details are different, we are all still able to connect through shared feelings and experiences.
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