Book trailers are the latest rage being used to grab the attention of potential readers who rely on social media for their news. Just like movie previews, an eye-catching trailer can jump start a book’s title recognition, broaden its audience, and pump-up sales.
“We live in a visual culture where people connect through imagery,” said author, Jerry Mikorenda. “With the pandemic limiting social interaction, I needed something that could viscerally connect readers to my novel on an emotive level.”
That book, The Whaler’s Daughter (Regal House Publishing), a historical seafaring novel, complicated the visual storytelling.
“To convey the story in a meaningful way, I needed experienced outdoor videographers,” added Mikorenda. “I thought nearby Five Towns College has a Visual Arts program with students looking for real life experience in producing the kind of scenes my trailer needed. It seemed like a good match.”
The result is an evocative, two-minute video shot on Long Island; acted, and produced by Long Island students.
“For me, the most rewarding part was seeing how these young artists embraced the material and the extra effort they put into bringing the story to life,” added the author. “I hope it gave them a glimpse into the business side of the Arts.”
You can watch the book trailer for The Whaler’s Daughter by clicking on the YouTube link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urEJWXPbI2c
The Whaler’s Daughter takes place in 1910 on a whaling station in New South Wales, Australia, where twelve-year-old Savannah Dawson lives with her widowed father. The story is about unexpressed grief, and how friendship can turn revenge into repentance, anger to empathy, and hurt into hopefulness.
Author’s Bio: Jerry’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Boston Herald, The Gotham Center History Blog, and the 2010 Encyclopedia of New York City. His biography America’s First Freedom Rider: Elizabeth Jennings, Chester A. Arthur, and the Early Fight for Civil Rights was published in 2020. His short stories have appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, BULL, Cowboy Jamboree, and Gravel Magazine as well as other journals. His historical novel, The Whaler’s Daughter was published this fall.
Read a TBR News Media review of the book by Jeffrey Sanzel here.
