Today is Tracks Day

Today is the day—Tracks has arrived via Atticus books. Tracks is on the bookshelves of bookstores (brick and mortar as well as online) across the nation.

Want a taste before you order your copy? Tune into Baltimore’s NPR station, WYPR, on the radio or online tomorrow. That’s 88.1 FM and www.wypr.org. I’m reading from Tracks on NPR’s The Signal at 12 noon and again at 7 p.m. on Friday, July 1. The broadcast will air again on Saturday, June 2.

With the release of Tracks, I’m sighing a breath of relief. It’s a big moment for me as a fiction writer—decades in the making. It may have only been five or six years from first draft to agent to bookstore shelf … but prior to writing the first lines of Tracks, I spent decades writing fiction. From the moment in the third grade when I got hooked by a short story assignment, I dreamed of the day I’d have a literary agent and an independent publisher share my novel with the world. All of the prior novel drafts, comments from publishers, agents, and editors, and hard knocks lead me to what has become my debut novel in stories.

As surely as I’m breathing that sigh of relief, I’m also holding my breath. I’m a debut fiction writer with a small indie press facing an army of goliaths. You may have notice I’ve punched up the publicity for Tracks, in recent weeks, and that’s why. It’s hard for a debut book to be heard in the chorus of established bestsellers.

So please consider sharing Tracks. Whether you tweet it, post about it on Facebook, send an email to your list, mention it in your newsletter, suggest it to your book club, share it with a friend, ask about it at a bookstore that doesn’t have it in stock, or just mention one of the stories that may have hit home with you in a conversation—anything you can do to spread the word about Tracks is very much appreciated. Each advocate is an extra arrow to still my quiver, to continue battle with an army of goliaths analogy.

Today has been a whirlwind with all of the activity on Facebook, online, postcards, phone calls, and all of the congratulations. Thanks to all.

It’s been a long and winding line of track. Now it’s time to enjoy the ride.

Learn more about Tracks at www.TracksNovel.com where you can read excerpts (long and short), listen to past NPR radio readings, find out what others are saying about Tracks, get a timetable of readings and events, and order your copy.

Yes, Amazon Has Tracks Too

The countdown continues; it’s only twelve days until the release of Tracks, a novel in stories from the author of Flightless Goose.

You can pre-order your copy anytime. You can buy your copy just about anywhere books are sold, including your favorite brick and mortar or online booksellers.

And in case you’re wondering, yes Amazon will have it too. In fact, it’s featured at Amazon’s website with a number of endorsements from other writers, information about the book, and free shipping for any orders of $25 or more.

(Note that Atticus Books is selling Tracks with free shipping and no minimum purchase requirement. Learn more at http://atticusbooksonline.com/online-bookstore/trade-paperbacks/tracks-a-novel-in-stories/)

But no one can argue with the ease of using Amazon. If you shop at Amazon, here’s where you can find Tracks on their website.

http://www.amazon.com/Tracks-Stories-Eric-D-Goodman/dp/0984510575/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1

Baltimore Sun’s Read Street—E-Marketing Books

This week The Baltimore Sun’s book blog, Read Street, published my article about the e-marketing of books. Specifically, Dave Rosenthal (the editor) asked me to write about my experiences in e-marketing Tracks, my novel in stories, and to mention the contest, which is still going on through June 30 (so it’s not too late to enter).

Dave Rosenthal wrote, “I'm always astounded that an author has time to write books -- what with all time needed to market their earlier works. So I asked local author Eric D. Goodman for a guest post on the topic …”

Read it on Read Street at the link below—and feel free to join the conversation by leaving a comment!

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/books/blog/2011/06/tracks_giveaway_and_a_lesson_i.html

Loyola Interview with Tracks and Goose Author

Tracks and Goose on the Tube

Recently, I did a television interview at Loyola University. In the interview, I talked about Tracks and Flightless Goose, writing in general, offered advice to aspiring writers, and discussed my own beginnings as a writer and inspirations for Tracks.

Watch the 10 minute video at the link below and you’ll even learn whether or not any of the characters in Tracks are based on real people, and what three people I’d want to hop on the train with. (At least my spontaneous answer when hit with the unexpected question.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWII9ds_eCk

Borders Offers 40 Percent Off

Borders is still in business. And they’re getting competitive. For a limited time, they’re offering a 40 percent off coupon. But Hurry--the offer only lasts from now until Monday!

You can order your copy of Tracks or Flightless Goose from Borders between now and Monday and you’ll get 40 percent off the cover price! You’ll also get free priority shipping on orders over $25, so buy one of each! (The 40 percent only applies to one item.)

Of course, you can also print the coupon and take it to a physical Borders bookstore, so you’ll get your 40 percent off without having to think about shipping.

Here is a link to the coupon offer.
http://www.bordersmedia.com/coup/20110610sa40.html?cmpid=SA_20110610

Let the Contest and Countdown Begin

We’ve turned the page of the calendar to Tracks Month! Tracks, a novel in stories, is being released by Atticus Books on June 30—let the countdown to Tracks Day begin!



Tracks is a chapter book that may be a little difficult for some of the readers of Flightless Goose. But it may make a good gift for a parent, aunt or uncle who enjoys reading a good book.

Atticus Books, the publisher of Tracks, wants to send two lucky readers a free copy of Tracks hot off the press! There are five easy ways to enter the contest. You can enter as many times as you’d like during the month of June, and each entry will increase your chances of winning one of the free books.

1. Share Tracks on Facebook. Write a post and share the link to www.TracksNovel.com, or repost / share one of my Tracks-related posts (like this one). Be creative!

2. Share Tracks on Twitter. Tweet all about Tracks and include a link to www.TracksNovel.com. Condense your wit to 180 characters!

3. Share Tracks with your contacts. Send an email blast to your list of friends and colleagues about Tracks and be sure to include the www.TracksNovel.com link.

4. “Like” the Lounge at http://www.facebook.com/#%21/pages/Tracks-the-lounge-car/182330691789512

5. “Friend” Franklin, the Conductor, at www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001923080723

Each time you do one of the above, just send an email to TracksNovel@gmail.com notifying us of your post/tweet/like/friend and you’ll be entered into the contest.

Two lucky winners will receive a free copy of Tracks, hot off the press—postage included for winners within the United States. In the case of a winner outside the United States, you can select the eBook version or pay the postage for your free printed book.

What are you waiting for? Remember that you can enter as often as you like during the month of June—so enter early and enter often!

Let the Tracks Contest and Countdown begin!