by Elizabeth Sumner Wafler

Thud! More thuds. The boxes of books from my first publisher had landed on my front porch. Eeep! Schlepping them inside and ripping into the containers, I uncovered not only my pretty books, but tidy, rubber-banded stacks of bookmarks. Hmmm. Nice touch, I thought. Before my launch party, I dutifully slipped a bookmark inside each book without much thought. I didn't know SWAG from SWAK (the acronym gals penned on the backs of love letters to their sweethearts during WWII: sealed with a kiss.) So, to write about SWAG for Writer, Writer, Pants on Fire, I needed the experience of my savvy, writing hive mind. I logged onto the group's Facebook page.              

Turns out, my hive mind was not only teeming with creative SWAG ideas, but also with differing opinions about its value beyond a signing event or initial #bookmail presentation. It quickly became a thought-provoking dialogue. The practical types were all about creating something inexpensive that could be shipped and or easily slipped between the pages of a book. Bookmarks or cute cards are the easiest options, they said. Ahh, the bookmarks. But to me they feel pedestrian. Like the flowers one sees planted around fast food joints.

Magnets were a popular idea. The image of the author's cover would certainly pop on a Frigidaire. But as an anti-clutter advocate, unless it's my best friend's book magnet, I don't see it taking up permanent residence on the stainless. And where else does one use a magnet?

The most creative idea I gathered from my hive mind was a honey: a plain velvet, drawstring stash pouch like the one a character in the author's historical fiction carried. The author paid a pittance—a dollar—a piece for these and stuffed a character quote inside. A sweet sentiment, but I wish I had a dollar for every Clinique, freebie, promotional, make-up pouch I've given to Goodwill. 

Someone suggested Etsy candles. They were pricier than the previous items, but who doesn't love candles? One can hire an Etsy designer to create theme art representing her book for the label, but the price will leap like a trout. The hive mind conversation convinced me that current practices involving SWAG may need to be given a second look.

Now that current SWAG was becoming clearer to me, I flashed back to something Jennie Nash CEO of Author Accelerator posted on social media a few years ago about the innovative ways that authors connect with their readers. It's the best idea for SWAG I ever heard. The brain child of Saralyn Bruck author of Designer You was a mini, branded measuring tape. How handy dandy would it be to have one of those in your purse while shopping and aren't quite sure that cute little Martini table is tall enough. Brill stuff. Saralyn reportedly paid sixty-nine cents for the tape measures, plus extra for the branding print.

I'm currently promoting a new release titled Georgie Girl. I have a book signing coming up at Barnes & Noble--as soon as their post-COVID guidelines are in place. "You might have to wear a mask," my husband said. "Heck, I'd wear a Big Bird suit if I had to," I said.

SWAG for the event had only zoomed past my head from time to time like a bee trapped in the house for days. But when I spotted Mindy's post topic SWAG: SHIT WE ALL GENERATE, it was time to locate and nail that bee.

I began thinking candles. Someone in the writers' group had suggested that not everyone who buys a book needs to receive SWAG. Since mine's a live event, I considered my budget and decided to distribute candles to the first dozen readers to purchase a book. Who doesn't like to win something? So, I'm envisioning clear votive holders with white candles inside for the bookstore table along with pots of pink and purple blooms to make shoppers swarm. And some cool labels . . .

A DIY kind of gal with an obsession for the infographic maker CANVA, I investigated and learned that one can create stickers using CANVA. I might have geeked out a little. When I self-published my 1970's, coming-of-age story with Amazon, I designed the cover using one of their backgrounds with a 70's vibe to it.  In only a few minutes I designed a sticker with a contrasting circle in the center showcasing the book title and my website address. Who knows? Someone might actually look me up and decide to follow me. I paid $21 for the stickers that will be mailed to me in just a few days. In the meantime, I'll pick up votives and clear glass holders from World Market or order them from Amazon. Votives are everywhere! Wedding designers' penchant for ensuring that every guest must glow has sealed that deal.

When the candle has burned down, the holder can be reused. Perhaps when the reader lights the flame, she will remember me and my book fondly. And the day she was a happy winner at a book signing.

Elizabeth Sumner Wafler is the author of Georgie Girl. She came to writing after teaching school for twenty years, taking an early retirement to pursue her dream of writing fiction. She jumped off the cliff with no writing classes, joined the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and for three years served as Director of Craft Education Programs. In that capacity, she learned a great deal about the elements of strong storytelling. In 2018, she landed an outstanding literary agent Pamela Harty with the Knight Agency. Elizabeth’s third novel has just been acquired by She Writes Press and will be published spring of 2023.