Robert Schwartz of Ashland, Oregon writes:
“I wrote and self-published a New Age book called Courageous Souls: Do We Plan Our Life Challenges Before Birth?
“It includes 10 stories of people who planned great challenges for the purpose of spiritual growth. The information about their pre-birth plans was obtained by four of the most gifted mediums in the country, including one who has the ability both to see and to hear the conversations we have with one another before we’re born.
“For example, there’s a story of a man who planned to have AIDS in order to teach the world lessons in tolerance. Another interviewee planned decades of alcoholism in order to reclaim his spirituality. There are other stories of people who planned breast cancer, having handicapped children (autism), deafness, blindness, drug addiction, losing a loved one, and severe accidents.
“One would think that such a provocative premise would lead to lots of PR. Yet I haven’t been able to generate much. What would the Hounds suggest?”
The concept of “Planned life” would be popular among the following segments of people.
1. Parents expecting children: The way to reach this segment is by advertising in the parenting magazines, blogs, local hospitals, etc.
2. Adults recovering from alchoholism, AIDs, etc.: Reach them by contacting the AAA office, hospice care facility, etc.
3. Adults trying to understand the purpose of life, so look for people that bought the book : “The Purpose Driven life” — and study how this author promoted her book.
4. Talk at alternative and spiritual meetings which are not dominated by a particular religious following.
5. You might be bold and decide to talk about jesus as someone who decided his life before birth, in-life with the stories in your book, but you might have a tough time coming up with a convincing the audience.
6. Finally, the most influential segment that you want to pursue is colleges. Reach out to the professors and distribute sample copies to the colleges where such subjects are discussed.
Good Luck!!!
I have a few ideas:
1.) The author and the psychic medium should offer to do a mini pre-birth planning reading for the features editor of local newspapers in their surrounding area. If the psychic is as good as he claims, the reporters should be intrigued enough to write a story about pre-birth planning.
2.)Mold the theme of your book into off-beat holiday press releases and media queries such as Valentine’s Day (e.g., If you’re alone this Valentine’s Day, it’s because you’ve planned it that way), Mother’s Day (You planned to be raised by Mommy Dearest) or even New Year’s (You planned your New Year’s resolutions before you were born).
3.) Find a supportive spiritual leader in your community and pitch the religion editor of your local newspaper together.
First, does he have a publisher or is he self-published? This type of book needs a publisher.
He should approach all of the publishing houses that have published similar books. Any publisher that does spiritual topics, those that have published other spiritual authors and especially any publisher that has published psychiatrist Dr. Weiss books such as Many lives, Many Masters.
He should advertise and market his book in the following magazines: Body and Soul, Spirituality and Health, Yoga Journal and in local spiritual magazines such as Point of Light in Pittsburgh. The Whole Health Expos that visit various U.S. cities would be great venues.
Since I am the publisher of Spiritual Fitness, and am a cancer survivor with a miraculous story, I wish I had known Robert earlier!!!
Nancy Mramor, Ph.D. Transformedia Speaking, Workshops, Spiritual Fitness Coaching, Psychotherapy
Robert,
I self-published a book about how past lives affect our love lives and like Joan said, it’s a woo-woo topic, and the media, at this time, doesn’t give much attention to those subjects. But can you blame them? There are too many people promoting ideas and doing things in the woo-woo field that give it a bad name.
I’m very familar with the topic of your book. I have found through past life regression work that we (our souls, not our personalities) really do plan our lives before we (our personalities) get here. If one experiences a life-between-life session, as Michael Newtwon Phd teaches and has written two books about, the experience makes it clear, even for skeptics, that pre-destination, karma and reincarnation are realities.
However, though I believe what you have written about is real, this is the main problem with your book: having a medium tell you that “you” planned something before “you” arrived on earth doesn’t hold much water, unless several mediums, seperately, told you the same exact thing. But even then the media likes to showcase “real” subjects by authors who have PHD after their names. And too many in the media are biased when reporting on woo-woo subjects, making the subjects seem less real than they really are.
Also, even though what you write about is very important information, the majority of our society does not want to accept responsiblity for something they may have planned before being born. They’d rather blame someone else. Unfortunately, at this time, this is the way it is.
I’ve done many past life readings and past life regression sessions where it was clear that what the person was experiencing now was because of what they did in a past life, and many don’t want to know the truth. Some are ready for it.
One idea you could do is to continue your research and write articles about it. Post them on your website. Tie the articles into current events and submit those articles to the sources Joan suggests.
Also, you may try experiments with several mediums to cross check information that is received about someone (with their permission, of course), the more famous the better, and then write articles about it.
Look at what Michael Newton did to promote his books about the same topic.
I don’t think you need to look for a publisher, as was suggested above. Being published by a “real” publisher may give you some credibility, but not much. Many self-published books are successful, as you know.
Best Wishes,
Stephen Petullo
http://www.holisticmakeover.com
Google “flying saucer” for conventions, blogs, websites (there’s an annual convention in Nevada, where you might get a booth). These people might be open to your concept.
This pitch may work best in the month of October when journalists are more likely to cover “spooky” and “somewhat spiritual” topics.
Congratulations Robert on your book. What a powerful question!
As a medical professional I have had the privilege and honor to witness many profound incidents over the years and more than once I’ve heard people state, ‘I couldn’t possible have planned this’.
In thinking back how they relate to what you described about your book is that it may be along the lines of, ‘is there a spiritual purpose to illness’ and the question ‘for what purpose am I here?
People also use a similar phrase when exciting things happen in their lives, ‘I couldn’t have planned this if I wanted to’. But could they? And that’s what you’re asking.
The following may be open to your book:
* Utilize the momentum of ‘The Secret’ so use a tie in
* Write articles and Google ‘article submission’ & choose wisely
* utilize the resources on Joan’s website
* contact churches that may be open to your topic: Unity and Science of Mind for example and see if they are looking for speakers
* Google ‘wholistic health fairs’, and investigate a booth/speaking possibilities
* I took a great class on pitching to the media from Susan Levin, http://www.speakerservices.com/mediaspeak
I recommend utilizing the principles of the Law of Attraction and then pay attention to what/who shows up. I also recommend that you keep my quote in mind, “a thought + an affirmation + an action + an intention + an emotion = a manifestation”. So figure out exactly what it is that you want and ‘attract’ what you desire.
In your research if you discovered and believe that you planned this book before you were born, then trust that the timing is right for this information to be heard by those that are open to hearing the message. Attract those individuals or institutions that may be interested in your chosen topic.
Have fun on your journey!
Mary Kraemer, R.N., Author of ‘Healing is an Inside Job’, Transformational Speaker, Medical Intuitive, Workshop leader, and Health and Wellness Coach
Robert,
Sounds like a great book!
As you explore your options for P.R. be sure to include the wisdom of your own heart. I have found that when the mind is overwhelmed or does not understand, the heart takes over. Don’t be afraid to ask your heart!
Open your heart and you will begin to attune to the divine timing of your own divine plan.
And also don’t be afraid to tune into the divine plan of your own book. You gave birth to your book. Your book is now a conscious being that anyone can attune to. Why not attune to your book and ask it what it wants? Ask it what it intends. Ask it how it wants to be marketed?
Your heart will guide you, if you ask. Your book will also guide you, if you ask.
I thought this was crazy at first, but then when I was bored with old marketing ways, I gave it a try. I was shocked when my second book ‘How To Be A Divine Presence In Everyday Life’ told me it wanted to go to a specific bookstore. I called that bookstore and to my surpise the owner said she was just praying that moment that someone would send her a book just like mine to go on her shelf. Right then I created a sale and another place for my book to shine its light.
I now always follow this process and my books go just where they want and to just the people they want to go to and my books love to be with those who want them.
You have written an unconventional book, don’t be afraid to use unconventioanal means to get your book where it was destined to be!
Joe Hurley is the owner of A Source of Light Publishing and Consulting. He has written and published five books on awakening, healing, accessing divine wisdom, and opening to pure unconditional love. His passion is following the heart and communicating multidimensionally. His website is http://www.TheDivineHeart.com