Exploiting Others' Work To Promote Your Own

A Literal Literary Loser Gets Clickbait-ish

Did I get your attention with the title? I’ve been told I need catchier titles.

“Exploit” is such a strong word, isn’t it? I didn’t exactly mean “exploit.” I more meant “take advantage of.” (That doesn’t sound much better, does it?) How about “jump on the bandwagon?” “Piggyback?”

Oh, what the hell, let’s lean fully in and go with “exploit.”

Because that’s what I’m doing today.

Back in March of 2024, I published a post called “Using Nonfiction News Hooks To Sell Your Fiction.” There, I talked about how, instead of merely marketing your book as yet another generic novel, you intrigue folks by offering tidbits they might not know about its setting or other non-fiction elements, like the way I exposed what goes on behind the scenes at an international figure skating competition with my Figure Skating Mystery Series, or how I explained Birobidzhan in “My Mother’s Secret: A Novel of the Jewish Autonomous Region.”

But that was low-key exploitation. For my upcoming historical fiction, “Go On Pretending,” I’m kicking it up a notch.

When you send out a press release about your book, you’ve got to give it a news hook, something that actually makes it broadly newsworthy. (You writing a book is newsworthy only to you.) It’s why I promote my figure skating mysteries during every winter competitive season (sometimes it works better than others).

A publicity whore (TM) like me needs to constantly be on the lookout for real-life news events that I can exploit… er, piggyback on. Sometimes, that means hitching myself to another creator’s hard work.

For instance, currently in the theaters and on Netflix, is the feature film, “The Six Triple Eight,” which highlights the bravery and heroism of an all-female, all-Black World War II battalion.

Hmmm… how can I exploit these brave and heroic women, not to mention Tyler Perry’s efforts to get their story to the screen, to promote myself?

I know! Folks searching for information about the movie, or the real-life story behind the movie, are likely to be people who are interested in little-known aspects of World War 2 history, especially as it pertains to minority soldiers.

Guess what? In my upcoming novel, “Go On Pretending,” I highlight a little-known aspect of World War 2 history, especially as it pertains to minority soldiers!

If you’re a regular reader of this Substack, thank you for being here, I truly appreciate each and every one of you! And if you’re new — here because you were searching for more information on “The Six Triple Eight” and ended up being redirected due to my exploiting others’ work to promote my own — I hope you’ll enjoy the below excerpt and come back for more. I have been pretty transparent about my motives. (Does that make what I’m doing OK?)

***

The year is 1951. The setting is the broadcast studio for the radio soap opera, “The Guiding Light.” Producer Rose Janowitz is about to introduce her regular cast to their new colleague, African-American actor Jonas Cain….

“Good-morning,” Rose addressed her cast, the various members of The Guiding Light’s Bauer family, from the patriarch known as Papa to the actors playing his children, their assorted love interests, friends and nemeses. Faces swiveled in her direction, including the director and audio technicians. “This is Mr. Jonas Cain. He will be assuming the role of Edmund Bard.”

If the expressions Rose was seeing came close to what must have splashed across her features when she first spied Jonas, any hope she harbored of coming off as unflustered skipped out the window. Recalling his resume, which she surely hadn’t been reading obsessively since the audition, Rose enlightened, “Mr. Cain is a graduate of Columbia University. English major. And a veteran.” Even six years after the war’s end, a former soldier still garnered some respect. “Where did you serve, Mr. Cain?”

“In the European theater,” he answered cautiously, not nearly as pleased with Rose’s line of questioning as she was. “The Battle of the Bulge.”

A snort from the back of the room, an actor Rose wasn’t familiar with – she didn’t bother with casting the smaller, under-5 lines roles – raised his chin to drawl, “I was at the Bulge. There were no colored soldiers at the Bulge. You’re a liar, boy.”

“With all due respect, sir,” Jonas emphasized the final word, setting an example of how one should address a fellow man, “My 761st Tank Battalion broke through the German lines in Tillet so the rest of you could come strolling in after. One of our tankers, Private Ernest Jenkins, received the Silver Star from General George Patton himself for our efforts. Kraut bastards got a pounding they won’t soon forget from The Harlem Hellfighters.”

Rose had been about to step in to shield Theo Goetz, who played Papa Bauer. He was a Jew, born in Vienna, Austria. A proud naturalized American, but Jonas’ Kraut slur could still prove offensive to him, when the unnamed actor countered, “Eleanor’s niggers is more like it.”

Mrs. Roosevelt’s outspoken efforts to end Jim Crow laws and integrate the military, all of which came to a head when she was photographed personally handing out refreshments inside Washington DC’s first mixed canteen amongst Negro servicemen and white hostesses, earned all colored soldiers the demaning sobriquet.

Rose had been about to chastise the use of the epithet Kraut. But now she stood frozen in the face of an even worse slander. There was no question it was up to her. Except she had no idea what to say.

***

“Go On Pretending” is now available for pre-order. Get it here and receive the book two months ahead of its official publication date, plus a free thank you gift!