Promoting the Poetry through the Packaging

I knew that Kelli Russell Agodon was doing something special with the packaging of her latest book of poems, Letters from the Emily Dickinson Room. I ordered a copy for both me and my dad (it was his birthday, and I love giving volumes of poetry as presents), and my dad's got to him first. He mentioned how unusual the package was that came in the mail. So, I couldn't wait to see what she had done. And it impressed me so much that I decided it was worthy of a blog post.

Since both of our addresses are fairly easily found with just a few mouse clicks while searching the Internet, I decided not to censor the addresses. Of course, I would redo this posting if Kelli should write me to say, "Eeek! What have you done?!!!"



Here's the package that I took from the mailbox.

Did Kelli have a special stamp made? That would have never occurred to me!

Look at the beautiful return address card; I'm impressed with how much information she puts on the card.

She wraps each book in tissue--what a classy touch!

And a post card (again, with essential information)--a great personal touch.

Some cool approaches to book marks. I'm guessing that she made the bookmark in the shape of Emily Dickinson. I'm still researching post cards and book marks. I can't determine whether or not it's cheaper to do these things on the home computer or to pay to have them done.

All of the materials together (notice the other side of the rectangular book mark).

I got this package, and I thought of all the opportunities I had missed, all the times I sent my chapbook to a reader in a plain envelope. I think that I put an order form in with each chapbook I sent, but I really like Kelli's approach much better. So classy, so many ways of reminding people how to be in touch, and more subtly, who publishes the book and the title.

Long ago, with my first chapbook, I didn't have a website or a blog. Now I do. I'll be interested to see what a difference it makes with my second chapbook.