The Soul Expressions Bus Tour
By Lynn Andriani -- Publishers Weekly, 8/14/2007 12:40:00 PM
Next Stop: Wal-Mart
Traveling by bus through the midwest in August may not sound like every writer's dream. But factor in a chance to crack the mother of all mass merchandisers, Wal-Mart, and the trip starts to sound a lot more appealing.
Next month Levy Home Entertainment will bring together 20 African-American authors, put them on a bus and shuttle them around to eight Wal-Mart stores in two states over the course of four days for its Soul Expressions Author Tour. The authors from at least 10 publishing houses will board the luxury coach bus and meet readers at stores between Indianapolis and Chicago. Levy has taken this "more is more" approach in promoting writers for seven years now, creating cruise ship vacations wherein authors kick back with readers, and loading authors onto tour buses to visit a string of the mass merchandisers Levy distributes books to, which also includes Kmart. But this is the first time it's uniting African-American authors. Heather Foy, senior public relations manager at Harlequin, which is sending four authors on the Soul Expressions tour, explained the appeal: "These tours are a great alternative to sending a single author out on the road because the group of authors is a powerful draw for large numbers of readers."
The authors on the Soul Expressions tour are almost all women, and most write romantic fiction, though a memoir and a young adult novel are among the books being promoted. Sarah Donaldson, sales promotions coordinator at Levy, said publishers send authors who are "riding on the cusp of a certain level of success" who they are "trying to build." These include Francis Ray, Teri Woods and Donna Hill. Among the publishing houses represented are Avon, Baker Publishing Group, Ballantine, Grand Central, Harlem Moon, Harlequin, Kensington, Pocket Books, St. Martin’s and Strebor Books. Pam Nelson, Levy's director of advertising and sales promotions, said Levy chose to organize an African-American author tour because the genre is growing so quickly. She also said the cluster of Wal-Mart stores in the Indianapolis and Chicago areas influenced Levy's decision to hold the tour there, despite the fact that so many African-American authors tour to the South. "Geographically, it made sense," Nelson said.
Foy, of Harlequin, said she and her colleagues chose a range of authors that will appeal to the crowds attending the events along the tour. The Harlequin authors—Brenda Jackson, Donna Hill, Rochelle Alers and Earl Sewell—write books in both the contemporary romance and YA genres. "These tours are a tremendous way for our authors to meet legions of new fans," Foy said. "The authors who have attended Levy tours in the past have always raved about the experience." Pam Spengler-Jaffee, director of publicity for paperbacks at Avon/Morrow, which has three authors on the tour, has also had her authors participate in previous Levy author tours. "The added exposure at the Levy accounts really does help," she said.
As it has for past events, Levy will promote the Soul Expressions tour heavily in Wal-Mart stores and in local media, including signage in all the stores as well as print coverage and radio advertising. Donaldson, of Levy, would not discuss the financial arrangements of the tour, although Foy said that in Harlequin’s case, at least, the publisher covers the cost of authors traveling to and from the tour, and their accommodations along the tour. The publisher pays a fee to Levy per author to defray the cost of author’s meals, the bus transportation while on route, and all the promotion of the tour.
The Soul Expressions tour will begin in Indianapolis on August 9 and end in Chicago on August 12.
Authors Put Their Soul Into Selling
Chicago radio personality Bonnie DeShong stands at the front of a tour bus and speaks in a loud voice: "We gonna go to Wal-Mart! We gonna kick butt! We gonna sell books! Y’all excited?" A cheer erupts from the passengers and we’re on our way.
It’s day one of the Soul Expressions bus tour, a four-day book publicity event organized by Levy Home Entertainment. Between Thursday and Sunday, 19 African-American authors will visit 12 Wal-Mart stores between Indianapolis and Chicago. They’ll sign their works, meet readers and attempt to sell some 6,000 books.
First stop: Wal-Mart Store #3529 - Lawrence, Indiana - 10 a.m.. Pam Nelson, Levy’s director of advertising and sales promotions, sends the authors off the bus and toward the massive superstore with the mantra "A signed book is a sold book." And she’s right; a crowd has already gathered inside the store, eager to shake hands with their favorite authors and have them autograph their books. At a U-shaped formation of tables, situated between the clothing department and the "portrait studio," the 19 authors charm customers. Most of the customers are women, though one husband and wife leave the area with their shopping cart piled high with paperbacks and the free tote bag Levy throws in--which all the authors have signed, too. The husband says these signed books make great gifts for his wife’s sisters.
Back on the bus, the women--and one lucky man, Keysha’s Drama author Earl Sewell--chat about where they’re from. Some are reading each other’s books, though one is heavily engrossed in HP7. The bus rolls through the August heat, past housing developments and churches. We stop for lunch at Tossed, and the waitress brings out complimentary desserts for three authors whose books she loves.
Second stop: Wal-Mart Store #1557 - Fishers, Indiana - 2 p.m.. There are fewer customers at the book signing area of this store, but that doesn’t deter the authors. They’re up out of their seats, walking over to customers and introducing themselves. Of course, they want to sell their own books. But for Weapons of Mass Seduction author Lori Bryant-Woolridge, it’s more than an individual effort: "It’s a great opportunity, not just for us, but for the entire classification of African-American literature. And it’s fun." Some of the authors know each other, but many are meeting for the first time.
Third stop: Wal-Mart Store #1728 - Anderson, Indiana - 4:15 p.m.. This stop is supposed to be a "stock signing," so there are no chairs set up for the authors to meet and greet patrons. But a crowd has gathered nonetheless. It’s a little chaotic, as a large group gathers around the one small table piled with b
ooks, but no one seems to mind. We leave the store after a half hour, and step into the sweltering air outside. Nappily Married author Trisha R. Thomas isn’t dogged by the heat or the day’s grueling pace: "It’s such an honor to be on the tour. I’m so glad St. Martin’s sent me."
Fourth stop: Wal-Mart Store #1518 - Indianapolis, Indiana - 6 p.m.. We’re not even inside the store, and a customer rushes up to author Beverly Jenkins, clutching a battered paperback edition of a Jenkins book that’s at least 10 years old, Indigo. She's a diehard fan and had to be the first person at this store to meet longtime author Jenkins. We’re a half hour early to this store, but the book signing area is already crowded. A local radio station has set up speakers next to the book displays, and the mood is festive and relaxed as the authors and customers mingle. In an hour, many authors sell out their inventory--which is at least 40 books each.
Around 7:15 p.m., the authors and readers hug goodbye. One woman tells In Bed With Her Boss author Brenda Jackson, "Y’all keep writin’!" and Jackson answers with, "Y’all keep buyin’!" After a group shot, all 19 authors stumble onto the bus, exhausted. Bonnie, who has taken on the role of cheerleader/bus mom, assumes her position at the front of the bus. "Soul Expressions! One down, a whole lot more to go!"
"A Million Girls Would Kill For This Gig"
Nineteen African-American authors gather in the lobby of the Marriott Indiana North at 8:00 a.m. Friday. Everyone’s talking about the press coverage of their tour. Someone says, "Naleighna, you’re quoted!" and the author of Every Woman Needs a Wife lets out a squeal.
Welcome to day two of the Soul Expressions bus tour. Yesterday the group logged 91 miles and hit four Wal-Marts in the Indianapolis area. Today we’ll go farther afield, into northern Indiana, and land in Chicago late tonight.
First stop: Wal-Mart Store #5025 - Fort Wayne, Ind. - 11 a.m.. After a two-hour drive, the bus pulls up to the Wal-Mart in Indiana’s second-largest city. The store’s staff has set up a long table, festooned with a yellow tablecloth, sunflower garlands and pitchers of water. A crowd grows, and some fans greet the authors with screams. They’re meeting their favorite writers and it’s a big moment for them. "It’s not often this happens for us," says one store employee. He’s thrilled with the turnout, and grins happily as customers load up on books and free tote bags. One woman, a bus driver, rushes up to the tables. She pulled her bus off the route to come and see what all the fuss was about.
Talking to Crush author Crystal Hubbard, it’s clear the customers aren’t the only ones in awe of such established authors as Francis Ray, Brenda Jackson and Donna Hill. "To quote The Devil Wears Prada," she says, "’A million girls would kill for this gig.’ The only thing that would make this better is if Harper Lee, Madeleine L’Engle and James Baldwin were on this bus, too."
We get back on the bus, and Subway sandwiches for lunch are on everyone’s seat. As usual, the organizers--an incredibly efficient group of women from Levy Home Entertainment--have kept their authors happy. We have a long drive to our next stop, so after lunch, Devar, who is the "wrangler" helping out with the tour (and the only man on the bus besides author Earl Sewell) suggests popping a movie in to the bus’s DVD player. He wants 300, the film adaptation of Frank Miller’s graphic novel, but there’s not enough testosterone on the bus for that to happen. Dreamgirls wins. The bus cruises through the Indiana countryside, passing farms and silos, and the authors--even Earl--lip synch their way through the film. Bonnie DeShong’s rendition of And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going brings the house down.
Second stop: Wal-Mart Store #2680 - South Bend, Ind. - 3:30 p.m.. Amid Notre Dame "Fighting Irish" merchandise, the authors take their places at the table. A fills the area for the next hour. As with most of the author visits on this tour, the customers are for the most part African-American, although there’s a notable exception at this stop: a white woman happens by, and picks up one--and in some cases, two--copies of every author’s book. She explains that her daughter is a teacher and is always looking for new material for her students.
Before we head to our final stop of the day, one of the tour organizers, Pam Nelson, announces, "Ladies--and Earl: We are going to stop at Starbucks!" Blueberries and cream frappucinos give the authors the lift they need to make it through the afternoon.
Third Stop: Wal-Mart Store #1487 - Michigan City, Ind. - 6:00 p.m.. Though this Wal-Mart is bustling, the turnout for Soul Expressions seems low. Some authors aren’t deterred; they’re calling out to customers, asking if they’ve read their latest books. Others, though, seem either relieved to have a break from the mayhem--or are just too tired to make the hard sell. There’s a mix of authors on the tour, some of them coming from self-published backgrounds and therefore having experience with pushing their work, and others having been helped by major publishing houses throughout their entire careers.
We pull in to Rodini’s restaurant in Michigan City at 8:00 p.m.. Three hardworking waitresses tend to our large party, which is seated at one long table with Earl at the head. Before long, the laughter over mishaps at readings and the events of the day have everyone roaring. The cozy atmosphere and huge portions seem to put everyone in a jovial mood, and authors who never met before Wednesday are swapping favorite secret-weapon scrabble words with each other and commiserating about the changes in African-American publishing over the past ten years.
At 10:30 p.m., we board the bus for Chicago. Most of the authors fall asleep. As they wake, Chicago’s skyline looms.
