Bill Folman

10 Reasons You Should Vote

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 00:13:00 GMT

Dear friends, I generally try to avoid getting political when I contact folks on my e-mail list, but next week's election is just too important. So, if you'll excuse the overt partisanship, I've listed below my reasons why I think it is crucial to vote Democrat in this election. Please take a moment to read them, and if you agree with me, please pass the list on to everyone you know. If you disagree with me, then don't pass it on. You can also post a link to the list on Facebook (the URL is <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-folman/10-reasons-you-must-voteb774777.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-folman/10-reasons-you-must-voteb774777.html</a>). Whatever your political inclinations are, I do hope you vote on November 2nd. All the best, Bill <hr/> 10 REASONS YOU SHOULD VOTE—AND VOTE DEMOCRAT by Bill Folman Yes, I know you’re angry about the state of our country. You’re worried about your future, worried about your employment status, worried about our national debt. And you should be. But before this anger and angst causes you to blindly vote for any new political face or—worse yet—sit out the election completely, you need to understand why it is very important for you to vote—and vote Democrat. <ol> <li>YOU DON’T WANT A FUTURE OF ECONOMIC CRASHES AND BUBBLES. If you don’t like the mess we’re in now, then we need to elect leaders who are willing to crack down on Wall Street—something Republicans have a lousy track record with. Over the last 30 years, Republicans (along with moderate Democrats like Bill Clinton) have eliminated key regulations that were put in place after the Great Depression in order to—you’ll never guess—PREVENT a second Great Depression. While both parties share the blame, the Republicans have been the ones leading the deregulation charge, and they continue to be the party pushing for more relaxed rules. This year, Democrats passed the most sweeping regulatory reform in half a century to try and restore sanity to our financial system. Now, many Republicans are hoping to repeal this legislation—and the important consumer protections that go with it. Don’t let them. </li><li>YOU WANT HEALTH INSURANCE. You’re in luck. The health care bill passed by the Democrats is going to make it easier and cheaper for you to get insurance if you happen to be self-employed, working part-time, or working for an employer who does not currently provide coverage. If you are a young person, you can now stay on your parents’ plan until you are 26 years old. If you have a preexisting condition, insurance companies can no longer deny you coverage. These are big important changes. The health care plan is not perfect, but as problems crop up, we can address them by adjusting the current legislation. Give control of Congress back to the Republicans, and they’ve promised to try and repeal the whole plan, putting us back to square one. Which brings me to … </li><li>WE CANNOT AFFORD 2+ YEARS OF GRIDLOCK IN CONGRESS. At a different time in our history, there might be nothing wrong with a few years where very little gets done, but not today—not when we are in the midst of multiple crises. And make no mistake: this current crop of Republican candidates is practically campaigning on the promise of gridlock. You’ll notice that none of them are talking about reaching across the aisle or finding common ground. Instead, they promise to be unyielding and to use valuable time revisiting and repealing legislation we spent the last two years passing. Mitch McConnell recently said that his key goal in retaking the Senate was to win back the presidency in 2012. Not to create jobs. To win back the presidency. Does this sound like a future senate majority leader who is ready to compromise for the good of his country? </li><li>YOU WANT AMERICAN EDUCATION TO GET BETTER. If you have kids or are planning on having them, then a strong public school system should be important to you. If that’s the case, don’t vote Republican. Even though our schools are falling behind, the Republican’s “Pledge to America” promises to cut our education funding by one-fifth. Republicans will tell you that education reform is not all about money, that there are problems with bureaucracy, and this is true. But guess what? Much of the problem IS money. How can we attract the best and brightest teachers if we aren’t willing to pay them competitive salaries? How can we avoid students falling through the cracks when we have 30 kids in a kindergarten classroom and not enough books for the high schoolers? These are money issues! You can talk all you want about private schools and vouchers, but most of our kids are going to go to public schools—and we need money to make them better. Incidentally, money invested in education is money we get back in the form of lower crime rates, increased tax revenue, and a more skilled workforce. </li><li>YOU WANT THE INTERNET TO REMAIN A FREE AND LEVEL PLAYING FIELD. Democrats have been trying to pass legislation to guarantee net neutrality so that broadband providers will not be able to discriminate between “preferred” websites and those run by Average Joes. Republicans have thus far blocked such legislation. If they get control of Congress, then net neutrality, and the web as we know it, may be gone for good. </li><li>YOU WANT LEADERS WHO AREN’T AFRAID TO PASS UNPOPULAR LEGISLATION WHEN NECESSARY. The Tea Partiers may hate to admit it, but most of this ugly bailout and stimulus stuff passed by Bush and Obama actually worked. TARP achieved its goal of stabilizing the banks and is almost completely paid back. The American auto industry has been saved, and, along with it, countless jobs. As for the stimulus, serious economists of both parties agree that without it, we would have lost twice as many jobs. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office says employment increased by between 1.4 million and 3.3 million people, compared with if there had been no stimulus. Today, the same Republicans who bad mouth the stimulus on the campaign trail are quietly applying to receive money from the stimulus budget to fund projects they know will create jobs. These emergency measures weren’t pretty and they weren’t perfect, but they have helped. </li><li>YOU HATE THE DEFICIT. In order to climb out of debt, the U.S. government needs to take in more money and spend less. Republicans, unfortunately, seem to think they can solve the entire problem through spending cuts alone. They are deliberately vague on the details because the numbers don’t remotely add up—and because they know their cuts are going to be most painful to middle and lower class Americans and seniors. Some Republicans are even talking about cutting Social Security, which would be an immense disaster (go to <a href="http://tinyurl.com/2awya59">http://tinyurl.com/2awya59</a> for the truth about Social Security). Democrats know that any cuts need to be sensible, so that they don’t hurt the people who most need help. They also must be balanced both by strategic investment and by the biggest no brainer of the election: allowing President Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans to expire. Don’t fall for the bogus Republican scare tactic about this “hurting small business”; less than 2% of small business owners are in this top bracket, and they’ll do just fine under the generous Clinton-era rates. Republicans talk tough on the deficit, but their strategies for dealing with it are too limited and too reckless. It is no wonder that the only president in the last 30 years to turn deficit into surplus was a Democrat. </li><li>YOU CARE ABOUT THE EARTH. You are worried about having clean drinking water and breathable air in thirty years. That’s why you need to vote for the party that consistently pushes for innovation and green technology—not the party that consistently opposes such investments. </li><li>YOU DON’T WANT A FUTURE IN WHICH ELECTIONS CAN BE PURCHASED BY THE HIGHEST BIDDER. Ever since the conservative Supreme Court handed down the Citizens United decision, wealthy powerful people from the U.S. and abroad have been free to pour unlimited—yes, unlimited!—amounts of money into our political campaigns. New corporations have sprung up to accept this outside money, corporations that are not required to disclose the names of their donors. While it is unclear the extent to which these new companies will influence the 2010 election, the potential for future abuse is obvious and scary. For the first time, candidates can receive an unlimited donation from someone whose identity will never be known! This is a shocking step backward that can only be reversed by new legislation. Republicans have no desire to change the status quo, so if you value transparency in government, you need to vote Democrat. </li></ol> And now for the one you’ve all been waiting for… 10. YOU WANT A JOB. Let’s be honest. No politician can promise to make private companies hire again. Whenever we climb out of a recession, hiring new workers is always the last thing companies do, and we’re simply not there yet. So what can our government do in the meantime? When companies refused to hire new workers after the 1929 crash, FDR hired them himself, putting unemployed Americans to work building bridges and highways. It was a success. Between 1933 and 1940, he cut unemployment nearly in half. Today, the Democrats are the party fighting to devote more funds to repairing roads, rails, and runways, and modernizing our energy grid. Republicans complain that this will increase our debt, but that’s false in the long term. We can either deal with our infrastructure problems today or put them off until tomorrow. Doing the work today is cheaper because the recession has given us super low prices on building materials and labor, as well as record low interest rates. Plus, it puts Americans to work immediately, bringing more money into the economy. This is another no brainer. Now if you don’t happen to work in an infrastructure related field, you might be wondering how this government investment will help YOU get a job. To answer that, I will give you one bonus reason to vote blue, one that addresses a fundamental philosophical difference between Republicans and Democrats … 11. YOU BELIEVE THAT WEALTH DOES NOT TRICKLE DOWN FROM ABOVE; IT FLOWS UPWARD. If you give a rich man $10, it will not affect his financial plans in any way. But give that same $10 to a man with a low income, and he’ll buy a sandwich. When those in the middle and those at the bottom have more money, they inject it back into the economy. This has been a core Democratic principal for years. Nowadays, when one criticizes Republicans for crafting policies that benefit the wealthy and powerful, that person is accused of playing class warfare. But let’s call a spade a spade. Republicans insist on securing tax cuts for the wealthiest of Americans, but they refuse to extend unemployment benefits to help families put food on the table. How is THAT not class warfare? Today, the average CEO pays a lower marginal tax rate than the average nurse does. How is THAT not class warfare? Republicans argue that we need the rich to get richer so they can start creating jobs for the rest of us, but history has proven this trickle down strategy to be bogus. U.S. corporations are holding on to record amounts of cash right now, but they’re still not hiring. So why cut the taxes of their CEOs? Use that same money to hire a teacher or a policeman. They will spend the money they earn, and we will all benefit. This election is too important to sit out. If you voted for Barack Obama in 2008, high on the promise of hope and change, do not stay on the sidelines now. Real change takes time, and problems of this magnitude take more than two years to fix. The Democrats have certainly made their share of mistakes these past couple years, but they are slowly getting us back on track. We can’t afford to go in reverse. Please vote Democrat on November 2nd, and please tell your friends to do the same. [ADDENDUM: Not every Democratic and Republican candidate fits neatly into the generalizations above, and it is important to learn about each specific candidate’s platform. But you must remember that, at the end of the day, most Senators and Representatives are going to vote with their party leaders. If you decide to stay home on election day because you are not particularly excited about your specific Democratic candidate, then you are actively working against President Obama’s agenda and actively empowering John Boehner, Mitch McConnell and the Republican movement. Even if you feel like you are choosing between the lesser of two evils, you need to make that choice! Apathy is not an option.]

a message from Bills wife

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:34:00 GMT

Hello friends, This is Carin Folman, Bill�s wife. My husband was someone who could find humor even in life�s darkest moments. That�s why I know he would want you to see this video. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRNS0I2x3JU">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRNS0I2x3JU</a> Please pass it on. Thank you, Carin

big news

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:26:00 GMT

Dear friends, Today, my novel, The Scandal Plan, is being released in paperback! As someone who never likes to pay big bucks for hardcovers, I�m so excited to have my book available for summer reading at a more affordable price (and with a cool new cover!). I've included the synopsis and some reviews below so those of you who are unfamiliar with the book can start visualizing how much fun it will be to curl up with on a beach blanket (or buy as a Father's Day gift). For those of you who haven�t already, please consider picking up a copy this week to give the book some momentum right out of the gate. Buying in the store is always best, but buying online is also fine. Just follow the Amazon link from my website: <a href="http://www.billfolman.com" target="_blank">www.billfolman.com</a>. Not every store will carry the book, but any store can order it. It's also available for Kindle. Please also consider supporting me by writing Amazon reviews, asking about the book in stores (this actually helps, even if you don't buy it), and most importantly ... telling your friends!!! Thanks so much! until soon, Bill THE SCANDAL PLAN Or: How to Win the Presidency by Cheating on Your Wife a novel by Bill Folman With only a few months until Election Day, presidential-hopeful Senator Ben Phillips is getting battered in the polls and his staff is getting desperate. Smart, capable, fair, and honest, Phillips is the perfect man for the job�but he bores the voting public because he's such a straight arrow. Fortunately, political guru Thomas Campman has had an epiphany: all the candidate needs to revitalize his image�and to clear his path to the White House�is a tiny fake sex scandal, because there's nothing more humanizing than a harmless bit of dirt from the past. But scandals�even the premeditated kind�rarely go as planned. And this made-up indiscretion is about to snowball into the biggest three-ring circus since Watergate. "Folman provides real laughs ... with a twisted plot and characters worthy of Carl Hiaasen." --Associated Press �A funny, fast-paced story with plenty of texture." ---Publisher's Weekly "Anyone who treats politics as a comedy must be either brilliant or insane. The Scandal Plan is thankfully and fantastically both�This is the good stuff."" --Brad Meltzer, New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Fate - -- You are subscribed to the following list: Bill Folman using the following email:example@example.com I promise not to send too many emails to you, but if you'd rather not be on this list, that's fine. You may automatically unsubscribe from the list at any time by visiting the following URL: <a href="http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/u/billmailinglist/"> http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/u/billmailinglist/ </a> If the above URL is inoperable, make sure that you have copied the entire address. Some mail readers will wrap a long URL and thus break this automatic unsubscribe mechanism. You may also change your subscription by visiting this list's main screen: <a href="http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/list/billmailinglist"> http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/list/billmailinglist </a> If you're still having trouble, please contact the list owner at: <a href="mailto:bfolman@hotmail.com"> bfolman@hotmail.com </a> <a href="http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/what_is_dada_mail/">Mailing List Powered by Dada Mail</a>

The Perfect Holiday Gift

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 06:19:00 GMT

Dear friends, Are you still looking for that perfect holiday gift? Nothing says �Season�s Greetings� quite like the gift of a book � specifically, my book: THE SCANDAL PLAN or: How to Win the Presidency by Cheating On Your Wife. If you order on Amazon by December 17th, free Super-Saver shipping gets the book to you by Christmas/early Chanukah. You can also try your luck at the local bookstore; although, if they don�t have the book in stock, they may need to order it themselves (bookstores can do this very quickly, but it may require a repeat trip for you if you don�t call ahead). The easiest way to order: click over to my website, <a href="http://www.billfolman.com" target="_blank">www.billfolman.com</a>, and follow the link to Amazon. Whatever gifts you give, however you spend your holidays, I wish every one of you the very best, and I thank you all for your support and enthusiasm this past year. Happy Holidays! Bill -- -- You are subscribed to the following list: Bill Folman using the following email:example@example.com I promise not to send too many emails to you, but if you'd rather not be on this list, that's fine. You may automatically unsubscribe from the list at any time by visiting the following URL: <a href="http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/u/billmailinglist/"> http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/u/billmailinglist/ </a> If the above URL is inoperable, make sure that you have copied the entire address. Some mail readers will wrap a long URL and thus break this automatic unsubscribe mechanism. You may also change your subscription by visiting this list's main screen: <a href="http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/list/billmailinglist"> http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/list/billmailinglist </a> If you're still having trouble, please contact the list owner at: <a href="mailto:bfolman@hotmail.com"> bfolman@hotmail.com </a>

Maybe You Shouldn't Vote

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:52:00 GMT

Check out my latest essay. If you like it, please pass it around. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-folman/maybe-you-shouldnt-voteb138779.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-folman/maybe-you-shouldnt-voteb138779.html</a> all the best, Bill

SCANDAL PLAN update + How to Give Online Love

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 01:06:00 GMT

Dear friends, If you have a free minute or two, I would love your assistance. But before I get to that, let me say some thank yous and give you the quick update: UPDATE First, I want to thank everyone who came out to see me on my recent east coast tour. The turnout was wonderful in every venue, and I can�t tell you how much your support meant to me. Second, thanks to all of you who have been buying my book. I've been getting so much wonderful feedback from so many people that my heart is warmed and my head swelled. Third, for all those who have asked, no, I can�t tell you how sales are doing. I�m not sure. I know we are not selling as well as Barbara Walters or Scott McClellan, but I also know that we are indeed selling books�and not just to people I know. It seems (as many of you have notified me) that there was a screw-up with our alleged placement on the Father�s Day table at Barnes & Noble. But the good news is that they are supposed to have the book on their Summer Reading table as of Tuesday, and I have heard initial reports that they are following through on this (please let me know what you observe). As for marketing, this is not a big budget book, so you are not (at least for the moment) going to see advertisements on the sides of buses for THE SCANDAL PLAN. Which means our strategy has been primarily to try to get the book into the hands of as many pundits, politicians, bloggers, and influential folks as we can,and hope for the best. That�s right: it all comes back to word of mouth. Which brings me to how you can help, with just a few clicks of your mouse. Here are a few things you can do. Each one takes only a minute or three. HOW TO HELP BY GIVING SOME ONLINE LOVE #1 � Write a review on Amazon.com. By now, many of you have already read the book. If you liked it, then please take a moment and share your thoughts online. Anyone can write a review so long as they are an Amazon customer in good standing. No need to over-think this one. Just be honest about what you liked, and try not to make it obvious if you know me. Needless to say, five star ratings are greatly appreciated. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/006144765X?tag=wwwbillfolman-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=006144765X&adid=15BGE7N0VV1TY0PMP1X1&">Click here.</a> #2 � Tag the product on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/006144765X?tag=wwwbillfolman-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=006144765X&adid=15BGE7N0VV1TY0PMP1X1&">Amazon.com</a>. You can do this when you review the book or separately from the product�s main page, as long as you are logged in to Amazon. Tags are keywords that make it easier for people to find the book. Right now, if you do a search for political satire, my book will not be anywhere near the first to come up. But if 500 people tag the product as a political satire, then guess what? It sure helps. I�ve included a list of 53 tags at the bottom of this e-mail that I think work well for this book. Please copy and paste the entire list (or only those you feel are relevant) into the box for your tags. This is a quick task that may really help if everyone does it. #3 � Post a review on the Barnes & Noble and Borders websites. Remember that review you wrote for Amazon? You can copy and paste it and use it on the Barnes & Noble and Borders websites. Unlike Amazon, you don�t even need to be a customer to post a review. So go for it! Here�s the product page for Barnes & Noble: <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Scandal-Plan/Bill-Folman/e/9780061447655">http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Scandal-Plan/Bill-Folman/e/9780061447655</a> And for Borders: <a href="http://www.borders.com/online/store/SearchResults?keyword=the+scandal+plan&type=0&simple=1">http://www.borders.com/online/store/SearchResults?keyword=the+scandal+plan&type=0&simple=1</a> #4 � Other Internet mischief � This last one is only for the truly ambitious, those who are really bored at work and looking for any form of procrastination. There are many other sites where you can rate books, recommend books, and write reviews. You can start with a few of these that I googled, and take it from there, plugging the book however you see fit. <a href="http://books.2donext.com/default.aspx">http://books.2donext.com/default.aspx</a> <a href="http://books.google.com/googlebooks/mylibrary/">http://books.google.com/googlebooks/mylibrary/</a> <a href="http://www.revish.com/">http://www.revish.com/</a> <a href="http://www.allreaders.com">http://www.allreaders.com</a> Thanks to those who have already posted reviews, and thanks in advance to all of you who may take a few moments today to help me with any of the above strategies. If you haven�t read the book yet and want to follow these links in the future, I�ve just posted a complete list of these and other ways you can help on my website at: <a href="http://www.billfolman.com/CampaignForMyBook.html">www.billfolman.com/CampaignForMyBook.html</a> Many thanks and a happy weekend to all! Until soon, Bill **************** TAGS FOR AMAZON.COM (Please Note: Amazon requires multiple tags to be separated by commas as below, but may not let you paste all of these at once. When I tried, it only let me do 10 at a time) political satire, politics, fiction, fast paced, summer read, beach read, funny book, novel, humor, satire, political fiction, political humor, gift idea, fun, action, adventure, comedy, reporter, republican, democrat, comeback, candidate, washington, farce, mistress, scandal, infidelity, cheating, wife, sex, president, presidential election, election, washington dc, fathers day gift, fathers day, gifts for men, progressive, book, great book, good read, gift for him, gift for her, gift for dad, politics and religion, worst president ever, dark comedy, great gift book, funny as hell, funny, debut novel, first novel, comic novel **************** -- You are subscribed to the following list: Bill Folman using the following email:example@example.com I promise not to send too many emails to you, but if you'd rather not be on this list, that's fine. You may automatically unsubscribe from the list at any time by visiting the following URL: <a href="http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/u/billmailinglist/"> http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/u/billmailinglist/ </a> If the above URL is inoperable, make sure that you have copied the entire address. Some mail readers will wrap a long URL and thus break this automatic unsubscribe mechanism. You may also change your subscription by visiting this list's main screen: <a href="http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/list/billmailinglist"> http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/list/billmailinglist </a> If you're still having trouble, please contact the list owner at: <a href="mailto:bfolman@hotmail.com"> bfolman@hotmail.com </a>

Im coming to Boston! . . . and Connecticut!

Mon, 26 May 2008 17:35:00 GMT

Dear Friends, I am very excited. In a little over a week, I am traveling east! I have one book event in Boston and then two in Connecticut. Please join me as I discuss, read from, and sign my new novel THE SCANDAL PLAN or: How to Win the Presidency by Cheating On Your Wife. I just had my first event in Los Angeles this past week and it was a huge success (Thanks again to all who came). I�m hoping for similar fun in New England. If you come to the Boston event, we�ll be dashing to one of the Boylston Street bars afterwards for drinks, food, and revelry. So please mark your calendars, tell your friends, and come on down! These should be a lot of fun. BOSTON, MA Thursday, June 05, 2008 6:00 PM BARNES & NOBLE 800 Boylston Street (in the Prudential Center) EASTON, CT Monday, June 09, 2008 7:00 PM EASTON LIBRARY 691 Morehouse Road FAIRFIELD, CT Wednesday, June 11, 2008 7:00 PM BORDERS BOOKS & MUSIC 1499 Post Road I�m really looking forward to seeing all my east coast friends again � and to meeting some new ones! In the meantime, if you want to learn more about the book and read some of the great press we�ve been getting, you can visit my website: <a href="http://www.billfolman.com" target="_blank">www.billfolman.com</a>. I can�t wait to see you in June! until then, Bill -- You are subscribed to the following list: Bill Folman using the following email:example@example.com I promise not to send too many emails to you, but if you'd rather not be on this list, that's fine. You may automatically unsubscribe from the list at any time by visiting the following URL: <a href="http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/u/billmailinglist/"> http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/u/billmailinglist/ </a> If the above URL is inoperable, make sure that you have copied the entire address. Some mail readers will wrap a long URL and thus break this automatic unsubscribe mechanism. You may also change your subscription by visiting this list's main screen: <a href="http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/list/billmailinglist"> http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/list/billmailinglist </a> If you're still having trouble, please contact the list owner at: <a href="mailto:bfolman@hotmail.com"> bfolman@hotmail.com </a>

Bill in USA Today plus guerilla tactics

Thu, 15 May 2008 06:36:00 GMT

Hello friends, I promise not to email you every other day, but, if ever there was a time to be a bit liberal with the send button, it is now. I�m writing for a few reasons: 1. THANK YOU THANK YOU! In the past couple days I have been inundated with emails from you folks, sending congratulations and good wishes. I normally like to respond to every email I receive, but in this case, that would take me all week. Please accept instead my heartfelt-if-admittedly-tacky group thank you. 2. USA TODAY. I�m in it. Today�s (Thursday�s) paper. There is a short profile of me as part of the paper�s New Voices feature. The URL is: <a title="USA Today - New Voices" href="http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2008-05-14-voices_N.htm" target="_blank">http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2008-05-14-voices_N.htm</a> 3. GUERILLA TACTICS. Different people have had different degrees of success in locating my book in stores. Some stores have it prominently displayed, some have it hidden away, and a few still do not carry it (I describe my own humbling experience in my <a title="Bill's Blog - Publication Day" href="http://www.billfolman.com/blog/2008/05/14/publication-day/" target="_blank">latest blog post</a>). Good press notwithstanding, a book by a first-time novelist will not sell if it is hidden away in the stacks. Word of mouth and good location are what sells books. This is why I need your help. Yes, you! For those who are up to the task, here are some ways you can help me make sure this book actually finds an audience. - Go to bookstores. If you walk past one, take five minutes and go in. Ask a salesperson if they carry the book. And TALK IT UP. �Oh yeah, I�m in the middle of this now, and I just can�t put it down. This book is so much fun. If you�re looking for a great summer read �� Tell them you know the author. Or don�t tell them. Whatever seems natural. If you feel comfortable, you can even ask them to move the book to a more visible location. But work the charm. And, most importantly, spread awareness. If everyone on my mailing list actually did this, it could really make a difference. - Barnes & Noble. We�re supposed to be on the Fathers� Day Fiction table, but in some stores, we are not. I need to know which stores those are so I can have my editor try to rectify this situation with his B&N representative. If you walk into a B&N and talk up the book, please take note of where the book is located and how many copies the store has, and please let me know asap. Thanks! - Amazon.com. 5 star reviews that don�t look like they are written by someone I know are greatly appreciated. Same thing with any other book rating sites. - Facebook. If you are reading the book and enjoying it, let your status reflect that. - While reading in public... Use the jacket for my book. Even over the cover of another book. This way people can see the juicy jacket and be intrigued by it. Maybe they�ll even ask you about it. You get the idea. Anything you can possibly do to spread the word and talk up my book would be greatly appreciated. Once again, I�m counting on your support. Thank you all a million times. And to those of you who are about to start reading or are mid-read, I bid you once again to enjoy! Your humble writer, Bill p.s. if you received Monday�s email at the same time you received this one, I apologize. I am using a new mailing list service, and I�m still working out the kinks. <a title="www.billfolman.com" href="http://www.billfolman.com" target="_blank">www.billfolman.com</a> -- You are subscribed to the following list: Bill Folman using the following email:example@example.com I promise not to send too many emails to you, but if you'd rather not be on this list, that's fine. You may automatically unsubscribe from the list at any time by visiting the following URL: <a href="http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/u/billmailinglist/"> http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/u/billmailinglist/ </a> If the above URL is inoperable, make sure that you have copied the entire address. Some mail readers will wrap a long URL and thus break this automatic unsubscribe mechanism. You may also change your subscription by visiting this list's main screen: <a href="http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/list/billmailinglist"> http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/list/billmailinglist </a> If you're still having trouble, please contact the list owner at: <a href="mailto:bfolman@hotmail.com"> bfolman@hotmail.com </a>

My very very very big news

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:03:00 GMT

Hello friends, I�m proud to announce an event four-and-a-half years in the making. Tomorrow, Tuesday May 13th, my debut novel will be released by William Morrow publishers. I�m writing to ask you to buy the book and to tell everyone you know about it. Before I give you the skinny on buying the book, here are the details: The novel is called THE SCANDAL PLAN or: How to Win the Presidency by Cheating On Your Wife, and it is a political satire about a straight-arrow presidential candidate, down-in-the-polls, whose campaign fakes a sex scandal to humanize his image. Publishers Weekly calls it "a funny, fast-paced story," and the Associated Press raves about the "twisted plot and characters worthy of Carl Hiaasen." Released on the heels of multiple sex scandals and in the middle of a historic presidential campaign, THE SCANDAL PLAN will make the perfect Father's Day gift, the perfect can't-put-down summer read, and the perfect antidote to politics as usual. There are several ways to order. 1. Go to a bookstore. Tomorrow. Barnes & Noble will have the book featured on their Father�s Day Fiction table, and you should also be able to find it in most other stores. If you don�t see it, ask the bookstore to order it! 2. Amazon.com. Today is the LAST DAY to get the pre-order price. Please follow the link from my website <a href="http://www.billfolman.com" target="_blank">www.billfolman.com</a> so they�ll give me an extra cut. 3. Come to a reading, and buy a copy there. I�ll be in LA on May 21st, Boston on June 5th, and Connecticut on June 9th and 11th. If you live in one of these places, please check out the details on my website and mark your calendars. Books are sold by word of mouth, but, much like movies, opening weekend still matters. That�s why, unless you are planning on buying a book at one of my readings, I�d urge you not to procrastinate. Let�s give this book a stellar Amazon sales ranking right out of the gate. My brand new website <a href="http://www.billfolman.com" target="_blank">www.billfolman.com</a> is the place to go for further information about the book, to read the great reviews, to find out about my readings/signings and to follow my musings on my new blog. Thank you in advance for your support, and happy reading to all! Bill Folman <img src="http://www.billfolman.com/FolmanImages/ScandalPlan-Promo.jpg" width="245" height="370"> -- You are subscribed to the following list: Bill Folman using the following email:example@example.com I promise not to send too many emails to you, but if you'd rather not be on this list, that's fine. You may automatically unsubscribe from the list at any time by visiting the following URL: <a href="http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/u/billmailinglist/"> http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/u/billmailinglist/ </a> If the above URL is inoperable, make sure that you have copied the entire address. Some mail readers will wrap a long URL and thus break this automatic unsubscribe mechanism. You may also change your subscription by visiting this list's main screen: <a href="http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/list/billmailinglist"> http://www.billfolman.com/mailinglist/mail.cgi/list/billmailinglist </a> If you're still having trouble, please contact the list owner at: <a href="mailto:bfolman@hotmail.com"> bfolman@hotmail.com </a>