I recently went back to visit family and friends in Singapore. It was great to catch up with the latest news, be entertained by the local drama and gossip, and indulge in lots of feasting.
At the same time, DJ and Wilson, my designated travelling teddy bears of the Bear Rebels, came along with me. They worked beary hard, using their furry charm to promote their adventure stories in The Bears, the Witch and the BookWyrm, and Bears in the Woods.
Their hard work paid off. My cousin bought a copy of each book. Someone’s granddaughter had made off with her original copy of Bears in the Woods and refused to return it. So, of course I had to get a signed copy of the other book for that granddaughter as well.
Another cousin also wanted a signed copy. She took a selfie with the bears and the books, posted it on Instagram, promoting them to her few hundred followers.
My niece, now a content creator with a department at the national university, gave me a few suggestions on how to promote to a young audience. It is a very specific and mercurial demographic, with unique challenges all its own.
It was an exhausting trip of three weeks, but I managed to sell a few books and gifted the rest to be actively promoted. I was pleasantly surprised and much encouraged by the enthusiastic response.
Having the right family connections do help. I thank God every day for my large and complicated family clan.
Julia Yeoh
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