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What's So Special About Special Sales? A monthly column about the lucrative world of special market sales.

This month - "Almost Famous" Author Keeps Bouncing Back: Cancellation of Rosie appearance spurs publicity; Corporate donation to fund further marketing efforts

We've been following the story of Amelia Frahm, author of the book Tickles Tabitha's Cancer-tankerous Mommy, who had secured an appearance on the Rosie O'Donnell show. Her book came out in October of 2001, in time for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a tie-in that also helped secure the coveted Rosie spot. Well, but for a little thing like World Peace, everything might have worked out fine. The week Frahm was scheduled to appear, anthrax was found in the NBC studios at Rockefeller Plaza, and Rosie shows for the upcoming week were canceled. "Despite a year where the media was consumed by world events, I did manage to grasp some attention for my book," says Frahm. "I'm learning how to put a positive spin on anything, even a PR nightmare." Here, in her own words, is her story.

The Almost Famous Author

This time last year nobody but me would have dreamed I would be invited to appear on the Rosie O'Donnell Show. Even more farfetched is the idea that my appearance would be cancelled due to the threat of biological war.

I'm not exactly a large publishing conglomerate. I'm not even a respectable small independent. At present, I'm a one-woman, one-book publisher, but I do plan to do more books. In October of 2000 I took a leap of faith and established the Nutcracker Publishing Company to publish a children's book called Tickles Tabitha's Cancer-tankerous Mommy.

I've compared publishing my first children's book with my diagnosis of breast cancer. With both I often felt sick to my stomach, but when I realized I was going to survive, my nausea subsided and I began to feel a sense of empowerment. If I could survive both cancer and book publishing, I could survive anything.

Getting the call from the producers of the Rosie O'Donnell show was a little like getting the call saying I had breast cancer--only instead of crying hysterically, I laughed hysterically. Publishers with more skill than I possess have pitched well-deserving books to national television talk shows for decades without so much as a, "No thanks." For a first-timer like me to get an invitation to appear on such a show was a little like winning the lottery--unbelievable! (Incidentally, so was getting breast cancer at age 34.)

Due to my husband's career we have had a rather transient lifestyle, and have lived in cities all over the U.S. No fewer than six hometown newspapers in six states from Minnesota to Florida received news releases about the hometown author who would be appearing on the Rosie O'Donnell Show. All six did a feature with my photo and the time my segment would air in their area.

The weekend before the Monday I was scheduled to fly to New York City to do the show I got a call from an O'Donnell staff member. All Rosie O'Donnell shows for the upcoming week had been canceled because Anthrax had been found in NBC studios at Rockefeller Plaza where the show airs.

The hometown hero/author (me) had been shoved off her pedestal by terrorism but luckily her publisher (also me) had learned a little something this past year: First, never moan and groan to the media; save it for other publishers. I ranted, raved and commiserated with my esteemed and usually more experienced publishing colleagues. Then I called all the newspapers; TV and radio stations that had interviewed me prior to this and in an apologetic tone explained the situation. I sent out a news release that read, "Threat of Anthrax Causes Rosie O'Donnell to Cancel Shows and Author's Appearance." Most of the media I contacted ran a small blip and waited to see if I would be rescheduled.

Unfortunately, I did not get rescheduled, but what I did get was the reason for yet another news release. The headline on this one was, "Anthrax Targets Author, Her Book Survives." Also, I got mileage from the 200 autographed copies of Tickles Tabitha's Cancer-tankerous Mommy I had sent to the Rosie O'Donnell Show for distribution to audience embers during my appearance, which was scheduled during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Although they opted not to schedule me they did choose to mention my book on the air and give it to audience members.

Just as some of my publishing colleagues predicted, any news about your book is good news. Ironically I'm still being stopped and congratulated for having been on the show. I know I received more hometown newspaper coverage for not appearing on the Rosie O'Donnell show than if I had actually appeared. My nonappearance has resulted in several other promotional opportunities. Let's face it, people like the underdog, and now this underdog's book has been seen on Rosie!

In life, at least in my life and especially in the life of a self-publisher, the highs and lows often occur at the exact same time. I've learned you cannot control life but you can choose the way you react. If you're the sort of person who can be kicked on your butt, get up smiling and tell whoever or whatever kicked you down "Thank-you" and then compliment them on the manner in which they kicked, you just might make it in publishing. It doesn't hurt to have a thick skull and sense of humor either!

Amelia Frahm is a respected (now that her book has been seen on "Rosie") author, publisher, speaker and cancer survivor. Her Nutcracker Publishing Company publishes "Children's Books Adults Will Want To Crack Open."

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Postscript:

Who Needs Chocolate? Ten thousand dollars is sweet enough. The latest development at Nutcracker...

Ten thousand dollars and a dozen red roses made Valentine's Month at the Nutcracker Publishing Company extra sweet this year, even without the traditional box of chocolates. New York-based specialty pharmaceutical company Barr Laboratories applauded Amelia Frahm's self-publishing efforts and awarded her company $10,000 in support of Tickles Tabitha's Cancer-tankerous Mommy.

Barr said the book which focuses on the many issues faced by families dealing with cancer was, "humorous and practical and we are proud to be associated with it." The pharmaceutical company also thanked Frahm for agreeing to appear in its 2001 Corporate Stockholders Report Magazine. Photographed at her home-office in Minnesota, Frahm was pictured with her children and with her book. Barr called the photos "wonderful" and admitted using Frahm who has succeeded as author, publisher, mother and cancer survivor sent a "powerful message."

In December Frahm was selected to the 2002 National Cancer Survivor's Day Speakers Bureau right along side a few more recognizable names such a Ted Kennedy Jr., and Cokie Roberts. Not bad for a publishing company staffed by one determined woman... The book has also received the recommendation of the National Oncology Nursing Society.

Frahm said she plans to use the donated money to fund an upcoming marketing campaign. She is looking for other corporate tie-ins for the book, such as a "banana split pie" depicted in the book she hopes will attract food corporations who advocate cancer awareness and often use premium books for company promotions.