By Tom Joyce —

For many beginning horror writers, working a room at a conference or “tabling” at a convention are nightmarish prospects. And not in a good way.

Fortunately, author Robert P. Ottone is here to offer advice on making friends and contacts, selling books, and managing to have fun at conferences and conventions.

ON MINGLING

• If you see a celebrity guest whose work you admire, by all means approach them and tell them so. But take note if they’re in the middle of a conversation or taking a break from the crowd. You might have to give them a quick hello-and-goodbye or approach them later.
• Don’t spend the conference glomming onto celebrity guests and blowing off your fellow beginners. It’s obvious and not a good look. You’ll make a far better impression if you approach celebrity guests as a fellow human being than a gushing fan. Don’t be offended if they don’t remember you. They meet A LOT of people.
• Enjoy hanging out with your friends from previous conventions, but be sure to make some new ones. When you meet more people, you have a better experience and learn more. And you never know when a conversation could lead to an opportunity.
• Don’t do an obviously rehearsed “bit.” Just be yourself.
• Don’t look at your phone. Have conversations.
• Even if you’re an introvert, people in the horror community will make it easy on you by being the nicest people on the planet. And they share your interest in writing and horror, so you always have something to talk about.

ON SELLING BOOKS AT A TABLE

• After a while, you develop a sense for who’s just browsing and who’s interested. If you’re already interacting with someone, briefly break eye contact and say “Can you wait a second?” to the new potential buyer. If it’s a horror event, everyone will be totally cool about it. “It’s like a mutual, awkward love fest,” Robert said.
• No matter how many books you have in print, Robert recommends bringing the following to sell and no more: one novel you consider your signature work, one new novel, and one short-story collection. In his experience, those three things are all that’s necessary for a successful weekend of sales and introducing your work to new readers. Since large numbers of books are difficult to haul, why subject yourself to it?
• And more titles don’t necessarily mean more sales.  He’s seen authors show up with a single debut novel and sell out, and some authors “come with every book they’ve ever written and go home with every book they’ve ever written.”
• When people ask what a book is about, there are two approaches that he would NOT recommend. The first is providing too much information. A pile-on of descriptors along the lines of “the third book in my analog-punk, neo-noir series set in the fantasy universe of –” can leave a browser more confused than inclined to buy.
• Another is providing too little information as part of a meta-textual promotion campaign where cryptic information guides people to scan a QR code or download something. If they want to learn more about your book, don’t make them work for it.
• Don’t launch into a repetitive pitch. Have conversations.

ROBERT’S LATEST

Two-Time Bram Stoker Award-winning author Robert P. Ottone brings the terror of Amityville back to life with chilling precision in Amityville Awakens, out Oct. 6.

The Amityville Horror House is demolished, unleashing terror upon the unsuspecting suburban community of North Amityville and its neighboring Village. With the fabled house gone, the two towns begin experiencing an onslaught of unsettling phenomena.

People go missing. A putrid, almost fungal spore-like mold begins festering across lawns. Shadows move and orbs glitter in the night. An unlikely band of characters comes together to battle a supernatural nightmare that threatens to tear all of Long Island apart.

Ottone’s inspired, fresh take on the most famous haunted house in the world is a sprawling supernatural tale of evil as it often comes: where you live, where you sleep.

Robert P. Ottone is a two-time Bram Stoker Award winning author from Long Island. He is the author of the novels AMITYVILLE AWAKENS, THE VILE THING WE CREATED, THE TRIANGLE, THERE’S SOMETHING SINISTER IN CENTERFIELD and the collections TEAR ME OPEN: FEARS UNWRAPPED and HER INFERNAL NAME & OTHER NIGHTMARES. He lives in upstate New York with his wife, where he enjoys cigars, video games, film and a good cocktail. He is represented by Stephen Barbara, InkWell Management.

Tom Joyce is a volunteer and affiliate member who writes a monthly feature for the HWA blog called “Nuts & Bolts,” featuring interviews about the craft and business of writing. Please contact him at TomJHWA@gmail.com if you have suggestions for future interviews.