Thread: Blogging to promote upcoming book

Hi Fellows!

I am currently writing a book about my work experience as a mall cop, and during a feedback session with some friends, they raised the idea of promoting my book through a public blog.

I thought it was a good idea then so I set up a blog and starting adding content.

I did some tweaks to my blog and so while the writing style is representative of what I am using for my book, and while the subject matter (daily run-ins at the mall) will be the same, it won't be so much 'freebies' but more 'samples'.

As in a sample of things to come. The book itself will have way more content, more of my thoughts (rather than just descriptive prose of what-I-did) and a director's cut chapter for the extras. The book will probably be rated PG because I will be including a whole chapter of sex scandal stories that I am not including in my public blog.

So feel free to check out my blog and comment. I especially welcome criticisms. But before you do, please be aware that the style I use is meant to be conversational and light. It is Mall Cop Diary, so it will be written as if I am confiding to my personal diary.

Teck
http://mallcopdiary.wordpress.com/

PS: I checked out this Creative Corner forum and saw that it is for members to show their creative side, and thus I am putting this post up here. However, if I have violated some rules about linking to other sites, please let me know. I saw some one linking to a Facebook group so I figured if Facebook is allowed, why not my Wordpress blog?

we've yet to get a true mall cop's view on things, so we might have to read this here blog It'll set right the wrongs of Paul Blart!

My brother (who watches and has probably got every movie under the sun) says "meh, not so good".

Well, I watched the film and had a laugh. But just one laugh because I only watched it once.

After that I couldn't be bothered. Perhaps because I was already working as a security guard then, I find myself having to do a rather tiring suspension of disbelief as I watched Paul Blart. The film did address some points relevant to the security industry, such as the use of the term 'officer' and the power of citizen arrest (which every other shopper at the mall who's American would have). But mostly, the film was just another Hollywood flick. Especially the bit about robbers taking over the mall.

Not true to life. Not like my Mall Cop Diary. Both my blog and the book features the daily run-ins at the mall without input from a Hollywood scriptwriter. So no guns. No high speed chases. And definitely no terrorists taking over my mall. Unless it actually happens. So through my blog and later my book, the reader will get a good look at the life of a mall cop and find out what they really do. And along the way, I try to entertain readers with my self-deprecating humor. I do that not because I hate my job per se, but rather I sympathize with many shoppers out there who had to deal with mall cops who take their job way too seriously.

And oh yeah, I worked as a security guard at other locations too, so I will include stories from those places too. Watch out for my unbelievable story about my one night in ER (as a hospital cop). That won't appear in my blog but will show up later in my book once I am done.

Teck