Promote that Book with a Short Story or Article

Promote that Book with a Short Story or Article

         An author toils and stresses to write a book. Every scene, every chapter links together to create the whole. If an artist paints a masterpiece, would he give pieces of it away? Then why should an author give parts of their masterpiece to people? Sure, people love things for free: I do. But, I don't want to give away bits and pieces of my books. Therefore, I write a short story that links to my novel or an article that links to my book and give those away.

         My first step for a short story to promote my newest novel, Burnt Offering, meant I had to pick which minor characters from the novel to use as main characters in the story. I chose two couples, parents and their son and his wife, who experience an event from the novel. Their experiences and perspective differ from that of the other characters even though they all are part of a devastating event. .

         In the 8th Century BC, King Ahaz offered one or more of his children to be burnt alive as an offering to the idol Moleck. His nobles and others in the kingdom followed his lead. The screams of babies and children, the stench of burning flesh, and the drums of priests trying to drown out the cries filled the Judean air on sacrifice days.

         In my novel the residents of Bethlehem refused to allow a statue of Moleck in their town, so the king had one built out of sight. One day, one the king's advisors and supporter of Moleck brought forces to Bethlehem to take children to be sacrificed. The novel shows some of the main characters who came to town for market caught and hiding but able to see and hear the horror. In the short story, characters who appear later, are also in town and observe the same horror.

          After the end of the story, I have information about the novel so that if readers are interested, they can find it.

         I printed copies to give at book events, to leave in libraries and bookstores, and to hand out at meetings. I give links on social media to allow people to download the story.




Short story, "Sacrafice," to promote novel Burnt Offering.