Harder Than It Looks

With an initial printing of 100,000 copies, a 19-city book tour and TV commercials promoting each bookstore appearance, Jack Klugman's self-published tribute to Odd Couple partner Tony Randall, Tony and Me: A Story of Friendship (Good Hill Press), sounds like a rousing endorsement of indie publishing over established publishing houses. But Adam Klugman, youngest son of the 83-year-old actor and Good Hill's publisher, offered a different view of the book's journey to publication, admitting, "It was very humbling, I didn't even see the mistakes I was making."

Although the younger Klugman's background in advertising was useful in marketing and packaging the book, Klugman said he was lost when it came to setting up a publishing company and getting distribution. "I came into this project a little naïve," he said. "I realized I was in deep water, but it wasn't until BEA that I saw how big those waves were."

Klugman said the main reason he and his father decided to self-publish was to get the book out quickly, but Klugman said he realized at BEA that to hit that goal, he needed help.

"I didn't know the first thing about how to produce a quality book or what the industry standards were," admitted Klugman. The first consulting firm he used merely gave him what he asked for, instead of telling him what he needed to do. At BEA, Klugman brought on Sally Dedecker, who advised him on how to handle such thorny issues as book size, binding, paper stock, margins, photo layouts, book tours and distribution. "I thought you hired a distributor and they put all your books into bookstores," said Klugman. "What I found out is that they choose you as much as you choose them."

Client Distribution Services is now on board to distribute the title and publicist Roger Bilheimer is helping to promote the book, which was released last week. "If we're a success, it's because I hired publishing veterans who were able to do about 18 months' worth of work in just six months," Klugman said.

Good Hill Press does have one important advantage many other indie houses don't—money. The Klugman family has invested $500,000 to set up Good Hill, which Klugman hopes will do more books after Tony and Me. But a large chunk of the initial investment is going toward promoting the book and Jack Klugman's bookstore tour that stretches into late November. "I've seen people spend a lot of money to create a product and then skimp on money to promote it," said Klugman.

Rather than buy newspapers ads to promote bookstore appearances, Klugman is appealing to his father's TV fanbase with a 30-second TV commercial he shot with his dad that will run in all cities Klugman is scheduled to visit. "Two thousand dollars will buy a nice newspaper ad," he said. "But for the same amount, I can purchase 85 spots on TVLand and other local stations. It may not drive the events, but the theory is worth it to risk the money."

A portion of the proceeds from the book's sale will go to the National Actors Theatre, which was founded by Randall in 1991.