Not a lot new on the Iron Elves, not since yesterday anyway, but things are progressing well with Band of Sisters.  We’ve used some of our co-op money for front of store placement in B&N starting the first week in July which should raise awareness of the book dramatically.  Co-op, in case this is an unfamiliar term, is money that a retailer holds back from the books it sells that the publisher is compelled to spend in that chain promoting future books.  Essentially, it’s the bookstores’ way of saying ‘help us help you.’  You probably already know this, but all those books at the front of the store, or on end caps or otherwise stacked and displayed in high traffic areas or near the cash registers got there because a publisher paid for that placement using co-op money.  In turn, the bookstore will order more books from the publisher based on the co-op buy and the marketing the publisher is doing.  Both sides are working together to sell more books.  It’s no guarantee of course, but it does fit with the adage that perception becomes reality.  If you see twenty copies of a book stacked five feet from the door as you enter the store it’s hard to ignore it.  Even if the sale isn’t made then, the odds have increased that someone goes home, logs onto Amazon and buys it there. 

I’ll try to come up with more interesting things to talk about in the future, I promise!