How do you introduce your debut novel to over 1,000 ideal readers while raising $1000 for a worthy nonprofit organization? On June 13th and 14th, I found a way.
On those dates, The USTA Georgia Tennis League State Championship (age groups 55 & Over and 65 & Over) was held in Savannah at several venues. At The Franklin Creek Tennis Center at The Landings Club, I orchestrated a raffle and donated all proceeds to Special Pops. The raffle prize, with a retail value of $600, featured tennis wear, gear, and an Advance Reading Copy of Breaking and Holding.
Special Pops (Special Populations) Tennis is dedicated to enriching the lives and well-being of individuals with intellectual challenges through active participation in tennis exercise drills, instructional clinics, tournament play, and accompanying social interaction. Special Pops originated in Atlanta in the early 1990s and was expanded to Savannah in 2010, where it became affiliated with the Savannah Area Tennis Association (SATA). Anyone interested in supporting Special Pops should note the contacts listed below.
For the raffle, I sold over 600 tickets, including the winning one to Marceline Preston of the Preston-SATA team, which plays out of Bacon Park. I also gave each of the 600 purchasers a Breaking and Holding bookmark. Hopefully it will remind them that my novel, set against a backdrop of the 1970s and the Golden Age of Tennis, is available for pre-order now and scheduled for publication on August 2nd.
I'm proud to have raised $1000 for Special Pops, and I'm excited about the pre-orders rolling in. Thanks to all donors -- and to my future readers.
To support Special Pops, please contact: Doug Smith, dougsmith0512@gmail.com; or Ralph Ferrone @RKFerrone@gmail.com.