how readers can help a book succeed
It's not just about buying it!
We are somehow less than two weeks out from the publication of THE HITCHCOCK HOTEL. I can’t believe how quickly these pre-pub months have flown by. I’m in the thick of launch prep now—writing essays, getting interviewed on podcasts, planning my book tour wardrobe, managing event details, buying launch gifts for my publishing teams. A week from tomorrow I leave for Toronto, my first stop on the tour!
The closer we get to launch, the more often I’m asked by friends, family, and readers how they can help make a book’s publication a success. (The kindness behind this question makes me want to sob.) The answer is there are a number of ways to bolster your favorite authors, so today I thought I’d take the time to explain five of them.1
1. Pre-order the book!
We have to start with the most obvious. First week sales numbers include all pre-orders and determine whether a book hits the bestseller lists, so now is the most helpful time to make a purchase if you're planning on it. Your local bookstore is the best place to shop, but here are a few other options as well.
Apple Books (audio)
Audible (audio)
Pre-ordering an author’s book is the #1 way you can support them, but if you don’t get around to a pre-order, buying the book at any point in time is a close second.
2. Request the book at your local library.
Proving that the world is an unfair place, we do not all have unlimited funds for book buying. Requesting the book from your library is free AND majorly helpful to authors. Did you know libraries pay publishers a higher price per book than consumers do? Most library websites have a link where you can submit requests; otherwise you can just write them an email asking for the title.
3. Leave a review.
Once you’ve read the book, and if you enjoyed it, please spread the word! The more reviews a book has on Goodreads and Amazon, the more often the algorithm will recommend it to potential readers. You don't have to purchase it on Amazon to write a review there. Also, no one is grading your review—one short and sweet line will more than suffice!
If you’re not sure where to start, how about: “I loved this book because…” or “This book is perfect for…” Spooky season? Whodunit lovers? Anyone looking for an atmospheric thriller with plenty of twists and turns? Finish the sentence however you see fit!
4. Attend an event.
This is my third book publication but, thanks to the pandemic, my first book tour! As I mentioned last time, I'll be loitering in bookstores, libraries, and writing festivals near you this month and next. If you live close to Toronto, New York City, Chicago, Phoenix, Houston, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, or Vancouver, I would love to see your glowing face. (One of a writer's greatest fears is no one showing up to her IRL events, so please help a girl out here.) For more details, check out the Events page on my website.
5. Spread the word on social media.
I'm not choosy. Instagram, TikTok, Twitter (X, whatever), Threads, Facebook, LinkedIn, Substack... wherever you're willing to post, I am so very thankful. The path of least resistance is reposting one of my many posts on Instagram or Twitter to your own feed.
OR if you'd like original text but don't feel like writing the words yourself, I've done the work for you below. I’ve also included some photo options below to pair the text with!
I can’t wait for @stephaniewrobel’s new book! #TheHitchcockHotel is a fiendishly clever thriller about a Hitchcock fanatic with an agenda who invites his old friends for a weekend stay at his secluded themed hotel. Buy it here: https://shorturl.at/CWx62.
#TheHitchcockHotel by @stephwrobel is out in 2 weeks! Checking in is a breeze. Checking out is another story. Grab your copy here: https://tinyurl.com/ykhn6jv8.
Pre-order @stephaniewrobel's new reunion thriller, #TheHitchcockHotel, out 9/24! Riley Sager called it "jaw-dropping," and Alex Michaelides pronounced it "twisty as a Hitchcock film." https://rb.gy/5lqspz
Note: I'm @stephaniewrobel on Instagram and @stephwrobel on Twitter/X.
(Author in the wild)
(US/Canada cover)
(UK cover)
Other thrilling (sorry) news
Amazon editors picked The Hitchcock Hotel as one of the best thrillers of September!
Crime by the Box, a thriller subscription box service, chose The Hitchcock Hotel for their October pick!
My interview with the Functional Nerds podcast is now live!
The Hitchcock Hotel made roundups in A.V. Club, Paste Magazine, Novel Suspects, and SheReads!
I'm so grateful for all of the support The Hitchcock Hotel has already received. THANK YOU to everyone who has pre-ordered, blurbed, and cheered on the book from afar. If it weren’t for you, I’d still be writing TV scripts for Coors Light, which was not as fun as it sounds. (Did you know you can’t show people drinking alcohol in US commercials? You may see an actor lift a bottle to their lips, but it’s illegal to show them actually imbibing. There’s your factoid for the day.) You being here means a lot, is what I’m trying to say.
Two weeks until grass on pillows, shower intruders, and crow attacks!
Shoutout to my friend and fellow author Andrea Bartz, whose own Substack inspired this post. Thanks, Andi!