Guest Blogger: Exploring New Promotion Tools with West of Hell Author Whiskey Emerson
The problem?
Journalism, travel blogging, ghost-writing, reviewing…these industries are quite over-saturated, to a degree that even if I were to get a bump of momentum through a well-done piece, it would be short lived. With that in mind, I was brainstorming on a daily basis as to how I might reach a wider audience of people, and then I kid you not, I woke up around 2:30 AM one night with the idea I’d been searching for: a podcast.
This new project was a bright spark that only fueled my drive to continue editing West of Hell for publication, and additionally to make more progress on East of Hell, though the difficult task I had to conquer was what exactly the podcast might focus on. At university, I’d gotten my degree in English literature, and for a time I had seriously debated returning to obtain my Ph.D. to become a college professor. The love I have of novels, of poetry, of writing in almost every avenue is something that stems from the core of who I am, and what I desired above all else was to find a way to connect with others who shared that same passion.
It wasn’t until I was in Cuba following an afternoon at Finca Vigía, the once-home of Ernest Hemingway, that it struck. I was a few mojitos deep with a half-smoked cigar in my hand, explaining some of the controversy behind Hemingway’s life to my husband, when I recall saying aloud: “Maybe I should just tell some of these crazy stories behind writers and their private lives…”
From that moment on, my podcast and my mission were clear: I was going to provide the context we often overlook. We all know their literary works, but how well do we actually know the authors who produced these masterpieces? The answer, I have discovered, is not that well at all, and from the heart of a literary nerd, Legacy: the Artists Behind the Legends was born.
Every week, I spend time gathering roughly ten to fifteen sources both online and through books regarding the writer of the week I have chosen. This also includes a cocktail of the week, inspired by the writer or one of their works, and the dialogue is littered with my distinctive commentary and editorials in an effort to make this less of a history lesson and more of a friendly banter-session by the fire with a smart drink. There is no romanticizing, only a piecing-together of the essentials I’ve uncovered in my research, with discourse that is meant to be familiar, funny, and most importantly, real.
Legacy began as a way to promote my novel and myself, yet as the months have gone by and I am nearing twenty-five episodes, I now cannot imagine my week without it. The concept of what it means to me on a personal level has changed drastically, and while I am at the base of the mountain of where the West of Hell trilogy, Legacy, and Whiskey Emerson can take me, I think the lesson I have learned is never to limit yourself. The options of self-expression are infinite as long as you enjoy what you do and you are willing to work hard…-because at the end of the day, it should not be about how many followers you have, how many readers or listeners you have, or how much money you make, but the satisfaction, happiness, and purpose your art gives you.
Whiskey Emerson, Author of West of Hell
About the Author:Three years ago, Whiskey sat drinking a glass of scotch on her back porch when the idea for West of Hell sparked. As things sometimes go with personal projects, it started very small and developed to such a degree that Whiskey found she had dreamed up an incredible story that needed to be told. And, thus, West of Hell was born. This is Whiskey Emerson’s first novel. When not writing or researching her next work, she is typically hiking with her basset hound, Jolene, playing piano, or in the yoga studio. She is also a world traveler, motorcycle enthusiast, downhill skier, and equestrian. Whiskey currently resides in Portland, Oregon, with her husband.
Make sure to purchase your own copy of West of Hell by Whiskey Emerson, the first of an epic historical fiction trilogy.
You can also listen to Whiskey’s commentary on the lives of some of the greatest literary names in history with a themed cocktail on her podcast Legacy: the Artists Behind the Legends.