171 - Outside-the-Box Content

Episode 171 - Outside-the-Box Content: The Story behind "The Canadian Mounted" with Mark Leslie Lefebvre

January 31, 2023

I talk with Mark Leslie Lefebvre about OUTSIDE-THE-BOX CONTENT: THE STORY BEHIND "THE CANADIAN MOUNTED" and how (and why) he decided to write a book of trivia about the movie Planes, Trains, and Automobiles published behind a cover mimicking the book John Candy’s character is reading when he meets Steve Martin’s character in the airport waiting area. We discuss the care Mark took in re-creating the cover of the original, the importance of not underpricing your product, how to find and market to a target audience, the fact that perennial marketing results in perennial sales (an advantage indy authors have over traditionally published authors), and the importance of putting yourself in your book.

Mark Leslie Lefebvre is the author of more than twenty books that include fiction and thrillers, and paranormal non-fiction explorations. He has also edited numerous anthologies. With three decades of experience in bookselling and publishing, Mark is a seasoned and trusted book industry professional who embraces both traditional and indie publishing options.

"Anyone can do a trivia book about a movie. You just research and you write it. But I put a lot of personal reflections in the book. And fans appreciate that it's not just a bullet point, blow by blow, and that authenticity helps them feel, oh, someone like me, rather than some guy who just wrote a bunch of bullet points about a movie that he could get from watching special features." —Mark Leslie Lefebvre

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Links

Mark's Links:
https://books2read.com/thecanadianmounted
http://markleslie.ca/

Mark's Other Episodes:
Episode 100 - Becoming the Relaxed Author with Mark Leslie Lefebvre
Episode 063 - Wide for the Win with Mark Leslie Lefebvre
Episode 020 - Working with Libraries & Bookstores with Mark Leslie Lefebvre
Episode 014 - Collaborating on "Taking the Short Tack" with Mark Leslie Lefebvre

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I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Mark! Did the story behind THE CANADIAN MOUNTED trigger any ideas for you about outside-the-box content for a book? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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