Getting Burned: Algonquin Publicity Stunt Attracts Police

by Rachel Deahl, PW Daily -- Publishers Weekly, 3/6/2007

Is there such a thing as being too creative when it comes to publicity? The Cartoon Network, which recently sparked a terrorism alert in Boston and paid a big fine, would be inclined to say yes. As might Algonquin Books, after itsoffbeat publicity campaign for its lead fall title prompted a call to the Massachusetts State Police. Trying to create buzz for Brock Clarke's September novel, An Arsonist's Guide to Writers Homes in New England, the house mailed a one-page, seemingly handwritten letter to book review editors and members of the press last Friday. The missive, on paper decorated with roses and butterflies addresses a Mr. Pulsifer, and implores him to "burn down Edith Wharton's house." The note, signed "Sincerely, Beatrice Hutchins, Lenox, MA," makes no mention of a book, publisher or publicity effort, nor that Pulsifer and Hutchins are characters from a novel.

A PW staffer who received the letter contacted the Edith Wharton House, which is indeed located in Lenox, for comment. Susan Wissler, v-p of The Mount, the formal name for Wharton's estate, said Friday that while the letter seemed like a joke, it contained sufficient "menace" to warrant involving the police.

Wissler, after notifying law enforcement about the note, said she was relieved to find out it was, in fact, a publicity campaign, which PW was able to determine. Wissler said, "From our perspective we thought it was probably a prank... but there are a lot of people out there who are Wharton fanatics and love her—or hate her." Wissler, who said she found the turn of events more amusing than anything else, added that she is now eager to find out more about the book. After talking with an Algonquin spokesperson, she even expressed interest in having Clarke stop at The Mount on his planned author tour.

Algonquin felt the book, which it will be pushing hard at BEA—the house plans a big galley giveaway and an announced 50,000 first printing—deserved a particularly innovative promotional effort.

The mailing campaign, which will continue with two more letters this week—also done in character and threatening the homes of two other deceased, iconic New England writers—will culminate with a galley of the book. When asked if the house had any concerns that the letter might alarm its recipients, Algonquin publicity director Michael Taeckens and Algonquin associate publisher Ina Stern said the intention was to provoke, not scare. A statement from the house noted, "[the letters] are clearly fictitious and written in an over-the-top, playful manner—and refer to events that never happened, including, as the opening of each letter refers to, the burning down of Emily Dickinson's house." Furthermore, Taeckens said, the novel itself includes a disclaimer from Clarke, reiterating that the book is a work of fiction and that Emily Dickinson's house still stands, along with the domiciles of "Mark Twain, Robert Frost, and assorted other literary greats mentioned herein." Perhaps all that doesn't end in arson, ends well.