Nearly A Nerd.com

Win the Sword of Blood by ’spreading the word’

I recently stumbled upon a somewhat novel Guerrilla marketing effort for a audio novella prequel that involves a broadsword giveaway stamped with a unique and exclusive flash fiction story that will be signed in blood by the author.

The sword is the object/subject of J.C. Hutchens’s free prequel novella podcast Personal Effects: Sword of Blood.  This story precedes his new novel Personal Effects: Dark Art.  There is a full blown “out of book transmedia experience” going on involving not only the sword but also IDs, business cards, documents, phone numbers and Googling the characters and institutions in the text to reveal real websites.

But what I feel makes this promotion somewhat unique is that you must spread the word person to person not just tweeting or blogging about it.  Here’s what you must do, according to the site, to win the sword:

• You must have a copy of Personal Effects: Dark Art on hand. (Borrow one from a friend. Order a copy here. If you can’t obtain a copy, play them the videos at my homepage.)
  
• You must conduct a “show and tell” of the novel and its transmedia items (IDs, biz cards, documents, etc.) to several family members or co-workers.
• Simply show off the book, and tell your pals about the novel and its “out of book” transmedia experience.
• You must pass out copies of the Order Form PDF (found below) to each person you chat with.
• You can do this in your home, at a friend’s house, or at your workplace.
• You must document this Show And Tell session with at least one photograph.
• Email that photo to J.C. at 7thSonNovel.com by July 31.

I won’t be going person to person doing a “show and tell” but I have listened to two episodes of the podcast.  So far, it ain’t bad.  Lets hope whoever wins the sword will either blog, tweet or post the flash fiction story emblazoned upon it.