First-time Novelist and Independent Publishing Company Meet with Unexpected Success

When a small independent publisher and a first-time novelist decided to work together, neither could have anticipated the incredible early results. The novel, Resurrecting Randi, has quickly gained praise from Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners and is winning ardent fans across the country.

"Being a small, independent publisher can make it difficult to compete with major houses that are used to having large PR budgets," stated Megan Renart, co-publisher of Balios Publishing. "We knew that we would have to find an innovative way to market this remarkable debut novel."

"Early on, we received great endorsements from Nobelist J. M. Coetzee and Pulitzer Prize winner David O'Shinsky," said Jennifer Watters, Director of Promotion for Balios. "Then we started receiving unsolicited e-mails from readers saying that they found Resurrecting Randi a book they could not put down. Many said it was one of the best books they have ever read!"

With a growing sense of the potential of Resurrecting Randi, Balios Publishing decided to seed the market with complimentary copies of the novel to readers who accepted this bargain: If they like the book, they will join a dedicated social networking site and become an advocate for the novel. (http://resrandi.ning.com/). The program rapidly gained advocates from more than twenty states and several countries. Once a member, advocates are encouraged to help spread the word among their friends, family, local book clubs and booksellers--even their local media. The more active advocates may even become eligible to share in book royalties.

"It's a great feeling to know that there are people out there who support you as a writer and truly appreciate your work," said author David P. Shepherd who is now working on his second novel.

Balios Publishing has now set its sights on gaining one thousand advocates who share the goal of seeing Resurrecting Randi reach the New York Times bestseller list.