Dear Independent Bookstore Owner

I hate to be meeting like this, but hey, a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do to be noticed. Right?

Anyway, I'm writing to get you interested in my new novel, published this Thanksgiving by Kitsune Books. It's called Jesus Swept, and if I do say so myself, this book is to die for. Others think so, too. James Morrow says, "This tasty text continues to satisfy long after the last page is turned." Peggy Payne writes, "The voices are irreverent, yet the plot leads to sweet redemption." And John Manuel says, "the mad chase in all its futility, humor, and hope." You can read more about it at my website.

Everyone tells me the book business is brutal right now, so I've been thinking of ways to make Jesus Swept a winner for independent book stores. Here are ideas I'm working on.

Bumper art. This novel offers a philosophy of life you can put on a bumper sticker, so each copy of the book will come with a very cool stick-on flower. A total of ten thousand of these static-clings are available free to stores that chose to carry the book. Yours to sell or giveaway as you see fit.

Building a movement. In addition to the book website, we're building a mirror site to capitalize on growing interest in the "threads of life fully filled." Look for the launch of dogoodbenicehavefun.com in the next couple of weeks. Here's to the resurgence of flower power!

Philanthropy. Author profits from sales of the book will be donated to support Unitarian Universalist congregations.

Publicity. Book publicists at Phenix & Phenix will be helping spread the word about Jesus Swept to traditional media.

I'm hoping independent book stores will want to carry and promote Jesus Swept ... which is why I'm writing this post in the first place. So if you're a book store owner, or have friends who have friends who are book store owners, please jump aboard the Jesus Swept express. It should be fun!

James Protzman