This is the first of several new podictionary logos we’ve been working on here at Podictionary World Headquarters.  I felt that the old logo (shown below) clashed a bit with the look of both the book and the podictionary website.  This particular one is planned for the back cover of Carnal Knowledge near some text that says:

CHARLES HODGSON is an engineer by training and a logophile (word lover) by habit. He produces a daily blog and podcast for word lovers at www.podictionary.com.

The idea is that people who see the book (even if they don’t buy it) might give the podcast a listen and the be more likely to buy the book next time they have a chance.

A similar logo to this new one will begin to appear in the MP3 file downloads from podictionary sometime in the coming weeks.

If you represent a bookstore and indicate to me that my book will be sold in your store, plus confirm your awareness of the podictionary podcast & blog, I will be pleased to mention your bookstore in one episode of podictionary at no charge. The idea here is that in return for helping the book succeed I can help raise awareness about your bookstore.

The podictionary podcast is one of the tools I’m using to help book buyers get to know me. The podcast currently has approximately 20,000 downloads per week (32,000 as of October 2007).  Your one-time, no-charge promo would be included at the conclusion of one episode in a format similar to:

Today’s podictionary word is brought to you by St. Johns Booksellers; North Portland’s full-service independent bookstore; 8622 North Lombard Street, Portland, Oregon

I can be reached by either the email or voicemail you’ll find by clicking here. Please remember to include the full name and address of your bookstore and an email address or phone number so I can get back to you.

SUPPLEMENTARY: Based on some excellent feedback I’ve gotten from independent bookstores I am also offering detailed web-links from this website. Click here to see them.

For bookstores who are interested there are also two 8 ½ x 11 size printable posters available. One is of the book cover with endorsements from Lynne Truss and Richard Lederer. The other promotes the podictionary podcast. These can be downloaded for printing from the following links:

Carnal Knowledge poster

podictionary poster

Here are both sides of a bookmark I’ve had made.

My hope is that bookstores will ask for bundles of these bookmarks and hand them out to their customers.

Customers might buy the book, or might instead go home and check-out podictionary.

If they get to know me through podictionary, maybe then they’ll be more likely to buy the book.

That’s the plan anyhow.

If you represent a bookstore and wish to receive a bundle of these handsome bookmarks with which to impress your customers and engender in them a deep feeling of gratitude, please let me know. I can be reached by either the email or voicemail you’ll find by clicking here. Please remember to include the full name and shipping address of your bookstore and an email address or phone number in case I need to get back to you.

No charge and free shipping for a limited time.

For some reason, while all the other online bookstores that I checked had long had Carnal Knowledge listed on their sites, Barnes and Noble did not.  Since they are the biggest single book retailer in North America this had me a little worried.  I checked last week and it still wasn’t listed, but this weekend I see it on their website so “whew” I can relax. 

Whoever added the information was kind enough to include an entry I’d put elsewhere inviting people to listen to the podictionary podcast, so that can’t be bad.