Facebook Friends, Crossed Fingers, and Brass Knuckles

Jerry Cassidy has 470+ friends and counting on Facebook, which means he already has more friends than I do in just a few short weeks. I don’t know whether to be excited or depressed because of this. The question is getting asked, but for now I’ve just been deflecting. I want this viral campaign to grow organically, I want people to discover the answer for themselves before I start the spoon-feeding, and I don’t need it burning out before I get started.

I just submitted Jokers Wild into a short story competition. I’m proud of this piece. It manages, in my own biased opinion, to pack a solid punch, get a little dirty, and showcase my own brand of writing and style, all in a matter of eleven hundred words. I’m hoping to someday find a publication that will put this sucker in print, but maybe I’ll get lucky and make some money while I’m at it right now from this contest. Fingers crossed.

I’m also working on a solid pitch to add to the “About” section to hook all you potential readers and agents out there. This is not a simple story. And it’s not about vampires or werewolves. So I’m trying to melt this badass down into a couple brass sentences that can wrap around a white-knuckled sandwich and knock your teeth out. Literally speaking, of course.

The Answer?

Who is Jerry Cassidy?

In the next few weeks, with just one chapter in the bag and a road map for the rest still under construction, I am planning to launch a small viral campaign revolving around one of the primary questions my novel will raise: Who is Jerry Cassidy?

Nothing flashy. I intend to open a Facebook account in Jerry’s name to showcase his background, create character depth, spark interest, and get people asking the question. Get some fun stuff on there too. Favorite books/authors? Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, The Contortionist’s Handbook by Craig Clevenger, and The Patriot by Derek Fincher…

Maybe a Twitter account too, eventually. I need to find Jerry’s voice, and I think status updates and some twats should help me discover it. Probably a baritone.