Guest Blogger: Martina Mercer

Today's Contest & Freebie Friday has been replaced by a special Guest Blogger!

Please help me welcome Martina Mercer to the Book Boost Blog! She's here to chat about publicity & one lucky commenter will receive a free copy of her book The Ghost's Daughter (winner announced NEXT Friday so you have all week to post a comment/question!)

Martina...take it away...

Is there really no such thing as bad publicity?

I have been asked this question four times over the past month, and as ambitious and relentless as I am in pressing my dream as a bestselling author, I've had to answer no. Not for me, is there any such thing as bad publicity, my mother meanwhile would disagree.

Early last week I was invited to the BBc studios to talk about the topics of the day and give an opportunity to plug a) my new book, and b) the BBC sitcom I created that's in production. With every interview my confidence is growing a little, however, I'm still quite a private person. Preferring to reveal feelings through my characters, behind a mask if you will.

So as the lovely Ms Ellie Florentinie chats to me off air, we have a real connection, particularly regarding my years as a Serial First Dater. (The subject of the sitcom). I relax for the first time, and really do behave as if I'm having a cup round a friends house.

So when she asks about my father's early life, I talk as candidly as I would to one of my girlfriends.

When she asks about his gangster lifestyle and the Strip Clubs he owned, I begin to realise we're heading in a different direction to a simple plug about my latest work. My late father may be the main character in my new book, however late he is, and not here to defend himself. Myself, I only have half the story, there's still a lot of questions I may never find answers to.

As she relentlessly probes for more and more scandalous information, I have little option but to make light of the subject, to laugh and portray our life growing up in the best possible light I can, because, regardless of the reporters opinion, our childhood was quite idyllic.

However, when she asks if my mother met my father at one of his clubs, whilst implying she may not have have been fully clothed when she did so, I have to call an end, and request an on air apology for my mother.

I've absolutely no doubt that this created interest in the sitcom, that my books may have sold a little faster with the information, but that's a big price to pay in exchange for my mother's trust and loyalty, she's only just exited from hiding, although she is enjoying the wolf whistles everywhere she goes!

So, no, for me, there is no such thing as bad publicity, however for the innocent people who haven't asked to be part of the madness, and have no books to sell, or TV programs to promote, there definitely is!

The next interviewer has asked if I'd talk about my husband as being childhood sweethearts, we married after 17 years apart, I just hope my husbands ready for it!

Thanks for joining us, Martina! To learn more about this author, please visit her website here.

Martina Mercer's website