This is a big day for Jeff Pearlman. His new book, Showtime, is formally released.
Pearlman, though, has been pounding the pavement, literally, and hitting the phones with abandon for weeks to promote his extensive look at the Los Angeles Lakers “Showtime” teams of the ’80s.
I will have more on the book later, but I was amused by a post on his site in which he discussed the process of trying to generate some publicity for Showtime. Pearlman is much more experienced at this exercise than me, but I now can relate as I attempt to hype my book, Babe Ruth’s Called Shot: The myth and Mystery Behind Baseball’s Greatest Home Run. (Notice the not so subtle plug).
Pearlman wrote about handing out flyers for the book at a Lakers game at the Staples Center.
Writing books is great. Tremendous. Awesome. It’s two years of being left alone; of digging; of feeling out a subject and reading and traveling around. Really, it’s one of my true loves, and I’m insanely fortunate to be doing this for a living.
Promoting books, on the other hand, is eh, um, well, awkward. But necessary awkward.
You call in favors. You ask friends and colleagues to spend money on your product. You Tweet incessantly, usually about yourself and your work. I don’t think I’m a huge ego guy, but book pimpin’ requires ego to emerge toward the forefront.
Later, he wrote:
PS: When Sweetness came out, I planned on handing out flyers at Soldier Field. Then the backlash happened following the SI excerpt. Then the violent threats started. Then the book burning. And I thought, “Eh … maybe not.”
In another post, Pearlman wrote:
Publicity, however, is a beast. Leigh Montville, one of the best of the best, once told me being an author is akin to living in a cave for two years, then emerging for two weeks of light before returning to the darkness. It’s a perfect analogy. Showtime (Amazon link right here) isn’t even out yet, and I’m squinting to guard my eyes from the light. I’m calling in every favor. I’m jumping at every media opportunity. I’m Tweeting nonstop. My website has been redesigned. You wanna have me on your radio show? Your podcast? Your neo-Nazi, anti-cookie, pro-Al Oliver transistor program? Um … OK. What time do I call in?
For better or for worse, this is a huge part of the process. Talking, talking, talking, talking—when you’re significantly more comfortable writing, writing, writing. You’re grateful for any opportunity; willing to go anywhere; delve into any topic. You wanna ask about John Rocker for the 987,533rd time? OK. You want me to drop some Young MC rhymes? No sweat. If you’re taking the time to talk Showtime, I’ll happily do whatever you ask.
I am Jeff Pearlman.
I am a book whore.
Yep, I can relate.
By the way, here are a couple of Q/As with Pearlman on the book.
Tom Hoffarth, Los Angeles Daily News.
I will have my own Q/A with Pearlman soon.