Free Books to Twenty People Who Can Afford Them

Poet's Challenge: Seeding the Mighty

In some circles we call the practice of leaving copies of our books in public places or giving free copies to high-profile celebrities "seeding"...perhaps the most legendary seeding "incident" occurred when television viewers being lead on a tour of the White House by Jackie found an Ian Fleming novel on JFK's nightstand. No doubt but that the phenomenon that was James Bond would not have erupted in the early sixties to the degree it did without that moment of exposure.

Usually during National Poetry Month I give away a few books...usually to schools and libraries, but someone asked me if I had ever given any to celebrities. Of course. A few of the others in the AEI's "Art&Soul" have received copies of my books, as have some poetic peers and actor Robert Davi, who is a great fan of the poetic arts. Also the full line ups of a few LA-based rock bands. Who? I'll never tell if they don't.

But the next question was "Who would you like to give copies of your books to? What persons would you most want to have drop you an email and ask for a free copy of one of your books?" We decided on a list format, twenty people. So, to my fellow authors, think about it...which twenty living celebrities or figures would you most like to give a copy of one of your books to?

Here's my list, made up of people for various reasons, I'd be willing to lose the revenues on a copy of one of my books, even if they didn't plug it. For the sake of argument, we'll assume we're talking about the massive volume THE COMPLEAT PANTHER CYCLES. And, if any of them, or their representatives, do contact me, I will make good on this promise:

Bill Clinton
Emma Thompson
Robin Williams
Dave Chapelle
David Bowie
"The Panther"
Steve Jobs
Prince
Daryl Hannah
David Letterman
Steve Martin
Gina Gershon
"The Goldenheart"
Bill Nighy
Roy Scheider
"The Wisp"
Michael Moorcock
Peter O'Toole
Teri Hatcher
Sean Young

Not a perfect list, ask me tomorrow and I'd probably change half a dozen, but I'll stand on this one. I, myself, was a little surprised there weren't more women on my list, particularly young women, on the list but I guess I figure they can talk me out of copies anyway. Three of my classic muses made the list, and maybe that was cheating on my part, so if they were banned from the official list, whom would I replace them with?

Jon Stewart
Qi Shu
Sting

There...now you can't say I copped out. Play all the silly guessing games you want about why certain people were on (or not on) this list...I have my reasons (I left Oprah off this list because very author pimps their books to Oprah)...but I am willing to listen to reason and if anyone wants to challenge for a place on the list and a free book, drop me a line, and I'll be happy to consider it...and I'll even send out a press release saying who got knocked off the list by you.

Now that's what marketing is all about...