I get invitations to be interviewed “about your books and your cat.” Reviewers request ARC copies “and a photo of Sulu reading this book.” They retweet the photos, often with the comment “I've just bought this book. The follower engagement in the social media has skyrocketed as people tweet to tell me how adorable they find my cat. Thousands of fans eagerly follow my Twitter stream to see the latest photos of the literate cat. The attention Sulu gains for my books phenomenal. Flocks of Twitter Followers for my Literate Cat Although he enjoys non-fiction on any subject and is fond of dark and creepy tales, he's a picky reader: when I gave him a volume of poetry, he vomited on it.

He's a traditionalist who prefers the smell of the printed page. The eager feline reader (and it's not even a book about a cat) Sulu enjoys this so much, he wants to pose for photos at least once a day. When I place an open book on the table and say “Sulu read” he lies down next to the book with his paw on the page, while I take photos. That's when I had the idea of training him to ‘read' books, and he took to the idea eagerly. Then he discovered books, savouring their texture and smell. Soon I taught him tricks: how to place his right paw in my right hand when I say “Sulu shake hands”, how to hop on the table, turn around himself, high-five with me, lie down, and more. When I went to the shelter to adopt a cat last year, I had no idea that I was getting a star promoter who would overhaul my marketing efforts, refine my author brand, make my tweets go viral and boost my sales.Ī nine-month-old youngster, Sulu settled in quickly, and turned out to be an exceptionally sweet-natured and smart cat. A Chance Encounter with my Marketing Expert Where other authors' book-promoting posts remain largely ignored, mine get liked, re-tweeted and re-shared.

My cat Sulu promotes them in the social media and attracts fans in droves.Įverybody, it seems, likes a cute cat, especially one that appears to read books. I've found the perfect way to create a buzz for my books.

Cutlass by Rayne Hall