A little creativity can go a long way when it comes to book promotion, and independent authors should play to their strengths. This was record label owner Guy Hale’s approach when he came to whitefox to help self-publish his music-inspired novel, Killing Me Softly.

As the first book in his ‘Comeback Trail’ trilogy, Guy knew he was in this for the long game and needed to build up a loyal fanbase who could fall in love with his characters and their journeys. Therefore his plan was to incorporate unique additional touches to draw readers in and elevate his work beyond the book itself. The starting point was his website (which readers could access via a QR code inside the book), where Guy positioned the book alongside other related merchandise such as magnets and t-shirts, encouraging them to further explore his work.  

And of course, with his prominent background in music, Guy leans into this theme, accompanying Killing Me Softly with a 12-song record linked to the main character, Jimmy Wayne, and put together by Billboard-topping blues-rock singer-songwriter Mike Zito. 

Having a close personal connection with your audience is crucial in developing readers who are also lifetime fans. Therefore, not to overlook the power of physical events, Guy promoted the book at multiple live events and gigs organized as part of his label, during which attendees were offered the opportunity to experience the soundtrack, purchase copies and meet the people behind it.  

Since the publication of his first book, Guy Hale has been working with whitefox on volumes two and three of the ‘Comeback Trail’ series, publishing November 2022 and summer 2023 respectively. Guy’s story so far as an independent author proves that you can have fun experimenting creatively when it comes to book marketing.