Prairie Dog Cowboy Book Marketing Brainstorm & Review

Prairie Dog Cowboy
by: V. Gilbert Zabel

Illustrated by Jordan Vinyard

Website: http://prairiedogcowboy.weebly.com

Blog: http://vivianzabel.blogspot.com

ISBN: 978-0-9797513-7-0

Publisher: 4RV Publishing LLC http://4rvpublishingllc.com

Although his mother says he’ll never be able do anything but work with his back, Buddy Roberts wants to be a cowboy. From the time he’s four-years old, he herds his father’s cows and calves on foot even in winter.

The neighboring rancher, Caleb Hyman, is impressed with Buddy. He wonders why the child works hard while his older brother, Jake, is doted on and spoiled. But,

Caleb can see the man that Buddy will become, encourages him, and teaches him to rope. Once Buddy can rope a prairie dog, Caleb promises he'll give the boy a job on his ranch. Not an easy thing to do, but Buddy works hard to reach his appointed goal.

Prairie Dog Cowboy is a testament of a time when life was hard, but people weren't afraid of hard work. The day-to-day occurrences represented are an accurate telling of the time, history that should not be lost.

Book Review

When he is a small boy of four years old, Buddy is working his father's farm. All he wants is to be a cowboy and gain the love of his family. His neighbor, Caleb watches the boy grow into a man and takes him under his wing. The love that is denied him from his own family is lavished upon him by Caleb.

Vivian Zabel plops her reader's down in the late pioneer days of Oklahoma. The flavor of the time period is flawlessly depicted. Her main character, Buddy worms his way into the reader's heart. His strong work ethic and intense loyalty are deeply ingrained in the boy from a young age and hark back to a time gone by.

For an enjoyable reading experience coupled with a historical depiction of the time period, read "Prairie Dog Cowboy." this historian.

Book Promotion Brainstorming for "Prairie Dog Cowboy"

Blogs, Websites & Magazines to Advertise and or Review Books

There are many places to promote this book. The following list supplies many places to search.

Oklahoma Tourist attractions

Dude Ranches

Cowboy bed & breakfasts

Western, Cowboy or Pioneer themed hotel

Best Western gift shops

Western clothing shops

Ranch supply stores

Pioneer days

Rodeo gift store

Roping & riding arena

Roping association

Roping magazines

Equestrian

Ranching

Future Farmers of America

Rodeo, pioneer days, vacation horse rental places

Miscellaneous Ways to Market Your Book

Book signings

At book signings – Do you know someone that can do lasso tricks?

Rodeo, pioneer days, vacation horse rental places

WEBSITE DOWNLOADS

-Prairiedog scavenger hunt- library research questions– create library research document that fits the book. You can include questions on everything that fits the book – prairie dogs, lassos, cowboys, roping,, Oklahoma frontier, etc…

-How to make an igloo like Buddy

-more lessons & activities for download on your site

-The cowboy code –make it up

-Roping tricks

-An article / interview with real cowboys and try to find a cowgirl

CONTESTS

Illustration / art – winning entry could win a prize of having their art work displayed online.

Have a western witing contest first ? Supply a series of prompts to choose from that compliment Prairie Dog Cowboy

-the pregnancy

-Caleb’s story it would show why he seems to care fror Buddy

- an alternate reason for Buddy’s mother to dislike him

Post the winning story and accept illustrations for a cover.

Create a “book” (simply a clear photo with winning illustration for story cover

IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS, CHIME IN. LEAVE A COMMENT.

Prairie Dog Cowboy Interview

Prairie Dog Cowboy
by : V. Gilbert Zabel

Illustrated by Jordan Vinyard

Website: http://prairiedogcowboy.weebly.com

Blog: http://vivianzabel.blogspot.com

ISBN: 978-0-9797513-7-0

Publisher: 4RV Publishing LLC http://4rvpublishingllc.com

Although his mother says he’ll never be able do anything but work with his back, Buddy Roberts wants to be a cowboy. From the time he’s four-years old, he herds his father’s cows and calves on foot even in winter.

The neighboring rancher, Caleb Hyman, is impressed with Buddy. He wonders why the child works hard while his older brother, Jake, is doted on and spoiled. But,

Caleb can see the man that Buddy will become, encourages him, and teaches him to rope. Once Buddy can rope a prairie dog, Caleb promises he'll give the boy a job on his ranch. Not an easy thing to do, but Buddy works hard to reach his appointed goal.

Prairie Dog Cowboy is a testament of a time when life was hard, but people weren't afraid of hard work. The day-to-day occurrences represented are an accurate telling of the time, history that should not be lost.

Author Biography

When Vivian Zabel listened to her husband’s stories of working on his

family farm, becoming a cowboy, and breaking horses, she wanted to be able to incorporate those into a book. With her love of history, and a challenge to write a juvenile novel dealing with frontier life, she discovered where to use those stories. Prairie Dog Cowboy was born.

Vivian Zabel Interview

Author of Prairie Dog Cowboy

Aday: Where did you come up with your characters so that they are so vividly created in your reader’s minds?

Vivian: Many characters are taken from people I know, often a combination of people I know. The villains are usually people I don’t like. Wonderful way for revenge. *laugh*

Aday: What determined the setting and time period? Did it take much research?

Vivian: I’ve always been interested in history, so the time period wasn’t difficult to research. The setting is known to me, and to get more information about the “Hyman Ranch,” the Mayer Ranch in real life, I had help. Dallas Mayer, the co-owner and wife of the present Mayer owner of the home place, sent me the research she had for the Mayer Ranch to be declared a Centennial Ranch.

Aday: Tell us about your road to publication. What did you find particularly difficult or challenging?

Vivian: By the time I retired from teaching, I had had stories, poetry, and articles published in various magazines, but I couldn’t devote the time needed for novels until after retirement.

However, getting accepted by major publishers is usually very difficult, even impossible, unless a person is already famous. I collected rejection slips. The one time a publisher wanted one of my books, they wanted me to completely change the ending, which would change the whole purpose of the plot.

Finally after struggling for years, a few of us started a publishing company to fill that gap between vanity presses and self-publishing and the major publishing companies. Anything I wrote was put through tougher editing than any other submission. If my work didn’t major up, it was not accepted. The same was true if anyone of the major staff submitted anything.

Now the major challenge is finding time to write.

Aday: How long did it take to write and edit; submit; get accepted and receive it in book form?

Vivian: Prairie Dog Cowboy took nearly two years from conception to printing. I “wrote” the book mentally, then typed it. I’m one who does some revisions as she works. When I finished, I edited and revised at least four times before sending it to editors. Six editors went through the manuscript, and I revised after each edit. Two editors went through it at least three or four times each, with me revising after each time. Then I read and revised at least two more times before the book was approved to go to the book designer.

After the designer formatted the book, she and I went through the book line by line, page by page making the final changes.

Aday: When you received the book and opened the package what was the first thing you did?

Vivian: I held the book and ran my hands over the cover. It’s a wonder I didn’t remove the images and text.

Aday: Do you have any schedule, rituals or preparations you make before you sit down to write a novel?

Vivian: I develop the full plot including main characters in my head first. By the time I sit at the computer, the story and people are “real.” The mental movie has run from beginning to end.

Of course some things change as I type the manuscript, but the main components stay the same.

Aday: How will you promote the book? Do you have any ideas how you will promote the book at the outset of writing your book?

Vivian: Prairie Dog Cowboy came out Fall, 2008. I use the Internet to promote. I have blog tours.

I approach libraries and schools for presentations, and do them. I attend book festivals and volunteer to make presentations. I’m talking and helping people know me and my vocation of writing.

I have book signings as often as possible with my time and physical constraints.

Aday: What is a piece of advice you can give to authors?

Vivian: Keep learning and writing. If you’re not published yet, be sure you know how to write, first, and have your work edited by people who know what is needed for a well-written book, story, poem, or article. Correct grammar and mechanics are a must, but writing is more.

COME BACK ARMED WITH IDEAS TO PROMOTE "PRAIRIE DOG COWBOY" AND LEAVE A COMMENT AT THE NEXT POST.