Clearly, Mr. Johnson would not approve of my FREE e-book promotion for JESTERS' DANCE available at https://www.amazon.com/author/rbrucewalker
But here’s the deal. Just under a year ago I published my
very entertaining, albeit black-humored novel about the advertising business.
While not exactly a roman à clef, it captured the soullessness
of my nearly 25 years experience as a copywriter, creative director and senior
executive with several leading agencies.
It is fiction of course. Names changed to protect the few
innocents that I have encountered in the business -- a remarkably short list, I
might add.
Imagine three agencies locked in mortal combat to win a
coveted pharma account with the client
who has organized the review teetering on the very edge of sanity.
Okay, so not much imagination is required. Still, it’s a rollicking
tale with plenty of twists and turns, and a couple of nice little surprises at
the end.
Big Celebrity
Endorsements
Ken Roman, the former Chairman & CEO of Ogilvy likened
it to “ … the gin and vermouth of an adman’s martini … its wit served up dry.”
Former McCann Worldwide Chief Creative Officer, Sean
Fitzpatrick, offered his own generous praise. “Finally, an advertising novel
that’s actually about advertising. I’m jealous.”
Arlene Dickinson, President of one of Canada’s hottest
independent shops was even more encouraging. “If you like Mad Men, you’re going
to love JESTERS’ DANCE.”
The result of all this adulation? Not much. I’ve sold a thousand
books or so, impressed family and friends, and managed the kind of catharsis
that few admen ever survive long enough to achieve.
But you know what? I’m not at all satisfied with my market
penetration. Not by a long shot.
The Death of a
Dream?
I penned my little labor of love … all 440 pages of it …
with big dreams of launching a second career as a novelist. Grand dreams, in
fact. The kind I used to reserve for the night before awards shows.
And while I stopped short of purchasing a villa in Provence
ala Peter Mayle, I just assumed that it was only a matter of time before I
would be the newest old darling of the e-publishing world.
But sadly, it hasn’t happened … yet.
And that’s where you all come in. Apparently, the key to
success in the brave new world of electronic publishing and book selling is
social networking; the digital dance; the old binary two-step, as it were.
And, in that regard, I have come up woefully short. But all
of that is about to change … with your kind assistance.
I am hoping you might help me get the book in the hands of
everyone you know who truly loves or is curious about the business.
And I’m hoping to make it very easy to do this.
Jesters’ Dance
Available FREE for Two Days only.
That’s right, I’m giving away my e-book absolutely free --
Mr. Johnson’s observation about blockheadedness notwithstanding.
The weary instructor who taught me copywriting way back when
once said that FREE was the most powerful word in advertising. I might have
even repeated this tired old trope a few times myself.
But June 27th and June 28th, I intend to test whether this
trusted adage remains true. You see I intend to give away JESTERS’ DANCE away
FREE to anybody who is willing to go to https://www.amazon.com/author/rbrucewalker
and download it.
Just scroll to the JESTERS’ DANCE cover. Make sure that the
Kindle price is showing as $0.00 and order the e-book. It is downloadable to any Kindle-enabled
e-reader, computer, tablet or smart phone.
I want to give away FREE books until the server at Amazon.com
is giving off steam. Or smelling vaguely of a potential electrical fire.
Please Let Me Give You
My Book
Why would I do this? Let’s just call it my gift to you. And,
to some extent, that’s truly what it is … an early Independence Day present with absolutely no strings
attached.
The benefit to me? Perhaps it will earn me a brief turn on
the Amazon Indie bestseller list … plus the satisfaction of knowing that there
might be a platform for my future work.
Go ahead click on this link: https://www.amazon.com/author/rbrucewalker.
It will take you directly to Amazon where there might even be a handsome, very
author-like looking photo of me.
Better still, if you could text … tweet … re-tweet … or otherwise launch
this link into your universe, I would be forever in your debt.
Who knows? It might even make for a fairly interesting case
study on the power of social marketing in the early portion of the second
post-millennial decade.
And seriously, I really do hope you'll enjoy the read. That’s the
discussion that I would like to start with this group.
Has anyone else out there attempted to capture the full horror and
majesty of the business in a novel lately?
Sincerely,
R. Bruce Walker
R. Bruce Walker is a former
Senior Vice President with Ogilvy & Mather West and was Executive Creative
Director at Venture Communications. He has been a copywriter and group head, respectively,
with two BBDO-owned agencies. He is the author of two novels -- JESTERS’ DANCE and the
recently released eco-thriller, THE LAST CANARY. You can read more about his
work at www.rbrucewalker.com
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