Michael Thal is a wonderful author, with heartfelt books and knowledge of a good read for young people. He stopped by today to give us newbie authors tips on how to promote on the radio-
How to become a guest on talk radio
By Michael Thal
My friend Joe loves my novel, Goodbye Tchaikovsky. He said, “The book is heart-felt, deals with an important issue (hearing loss), and it tugs at any reader’s emotions.”
Reviewer Bob Rich said, “It’s not often that a book aimed at Young Adults makes me want to cry. Michael Thal managed this with his story of David, a violin virtuoso who suddenly went profoundly deaf the day after his twelfth birthday.”
More people had to know about Goodbye Tchaikovsky and talk radio is a great place to promote it. So I went into the Google search engine and queried “Talk Shows + Los Angeles”. Then I sent e-mails to grab the attention of producers.
Yes, I mentioned Goodbye Tchaikovsky, but since interviewing authors of fiction isn’t on the top of talk show topics, I picked the central issue of the novel—hearing loss. In my query I explained that 17% of American adults report some degree of hearing loss. That’s 36 million people! I ended my pitch with this: “My goal is to inform the public about the difficulties of hearing loss and perhaps teach them how to interact with those who suffer from this unseen disability.”
The next day I received an e-mail from David Cruz’s producer. The David Cruz Show airs weekdays from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. weekdays on KTLX AM1150. She said, “David is interested in your novel and your experiences with hearing loss. Can you be on the show?” She gave me a choice of dates.
The talk show experience was exhilarating. David Cruz asked a few questions and I spent ten minutes discussing Goodbye Tchaikovsky and the problems inherent to hearing loss. Since I’m also a teacher, he had a question about a recent Los Angeles educational issue that has been in the news. There was an added bonus, too. For two days my novel and a link to purchase it was on David’s website.
After my appearance, friends called to wish me congratulations. They felt I sounded professional and informative. I was elated.
There are just so many talk show hosts in the Los Angeles area. I broadened my search and uncovered a valuable free website, Radio Guest List.com. Once a speaker signs up, he or she will receive a daily list of talk shows looking for experts in various fields or on a plethora of topics. Today, I read each producer query and respond to the ones that would be interested in my topic.
Speaking on a radio talk show is a wonderful way of getting word out about your book or field of expertise. You get exposure to thousands of listeners and it’s fun.
The Legend of Koolura:
Goodbye Tchaikovsky:
http://tinyurl.com/bh95ht7
Author Website:
http://www.michaelthal.com/
Book Trailers:
Koolura: http://tinyurl.com/a69ysgp
Tchaikovsky: http://tinyurl.com/a8uc6tx