Want my unreleased list of Places to Eat in Puerto Rico?
How to finance a book tour…
This is a post for all subscribers. Everyone’s support is so appreciated, and I hope you enjoy.
AND FOR A LIMITED TIME - If you do decide to contribute to my book tour via Venmo or PayPal (and only Venmo and PayPal), anyone who contributes over $100 will receive a free annual subscription to my newsletter and a not released list of PLACES TO EAT IN PUERTO RICO. This list features 12 eateries and restaurants, that span the entire island, that I like to frequent when I’m in Puerto Rico.
And you’ll also be put on the “close friends” Instagram list. This is where I share stories I don’t release to all followers; photos of Mami, secret places where I eat while on vacay and everyday life. Remember to include your IG handle and newsletter email you signed up with in the Venmo or PayPal contribution notes.
If you’re saying to yourself, “this ain’t worth $100.” Then let me know what is and I’ll do my damndest to make it happen!
This newsletter has been sitting in my drafts for two weeks. I’ve gone back and forth, tinkering and editing, not really sure if I should publish it. When I read Gustavo Arellano’s newsletter yesterday, it seemed kismet that he should answer the question I posted on social media the week before, “How do cookbook authors fund their book tours?”
Gustavo talks about some of his experience while promoting Taco USA; he arranged his own tour and “…on my own, on my own dime, I arranged a book tour across the Southwest.”
You may have seen me post this question on social media. And you may have even seen some of the answers. One of the more common answers is, “Publisher only cover the book tour for celebrities and those with large social media followings.” Here we go with the fucking large platform talk…again. If publishers only cover book tours for celebrities, then our boy (who was kind enough to ask me to interview him at Omnivore Books in SF) is a celebrity and we didn’t even know it! I’m lucky enough to just call him a friend. Because the publisher is covering his flight and lodging.
Of course I didn’t work flight and lodging being covered in my initial contract because…how would I have known? I’m still without agent.
Y’all know I try to be as open and honest as the internet allows. Almost to the point of coming off like a bitch. And I promise you, I’m not trying to be a bitch. Sometimes I just genuinely don’t understand some things and need them explained to me in an almost bullet point list style. Or, I just need to say it how it sounds in my head because by the time I find my passive voice…I’ve forgotten what it is I want to say!
I’ve never been shy about talking about money. I feel like, for those of us who grew up poor and have had to live within a strict budget all of our lives, we’re more free with monetary details. Because we’re constantly trying to find ways to live within that strict budget! The only time I don’t talk about money is with Mami and that’s because I’m ashamed to mention how much I’ve spent on some things; when that’s just how much those things cost!! She has grown accustomed (and even demanding) of flying first class, but she has no idea how much flying first class costs! This lady has gone on record as saying, “I can’t ever go back to steerage [coach].”
Right before luck landed me a book deal, I was broke as fuck. I’m still broke as fuck.
WORKING WITH BRANDS
The brand partnerships you form along the way to publicize the book, they don’t pay. The TV shows that request YOU for appearances, they don’t pay. Those virtual demos for publications, they don’t pay. Not only do they not pay, it’s also mostly organized by your marketing team at the publisher, so you don’t even have the freedom to Russian Roulette the situation, as I’ve been known to do.
WHO’S FUNDING THE BOOK TOUR
It’s possible that I’ll have to fund the book tour. Which is why I’m keeping it to a few cities: NYC and Los Angeles (anything within proximity to LA gets called LA), SF and maybe Chicago and Puerto Rico.
Even more honesty, I want to bring Mami along to some of these book signing dates. She’s never seen NYC. She’s never seen LA.
STEPS I’VE TAKEN TO FIND HELP
I’ve been emailing hotels like a mad woman to inquire about in-kind partnerships. Which is harder than I anticipated, because most of these questions are directed to the hotel’s marketing agencies. I have to Google their marketing agencies and the right person at the agency and then that person’s email address. That can take anything from ten minutes to ten hours.
I’ve been pitching stories. Anyone who writes freelance knows how long of a process this is. And you don’t always get your money in the 30 days it takes for them to process your invoice. That book proposal workshop I did a few months ago? Every bit of that money went straight to my book’s stylist who was patient enough not to kill me for the money I owed her.
STEPS PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN TO TRY AND HELP
Some of y’all have just been sending money to my Venmo. Thank you.
Some of y’all (a lot of y’all) have just been dropping random links in my IG DMs without reading the details of what you’re actually sending me…links to scholarships available. ALL of which do not even start the process of choosing a recipient until 2023.
Giving me advice on cooking from city to city, but how would I pay to get to the first city? And staying with friends along the way. I don’t have many friends and I don’t stay with strangers. It’s just one of my things. When I was a kid, Mami never let me do sleepovers with “friends.” Not at their house, not at our house. “You have too many cousins…” It was her solution to never putting me into a situation where shit could go sour. And I’ve grown accustomed to this way of life.
Telling me to do popups. I’d love to! Most of these people have never done a popup. It’s an insane amount of work. It’s incredibly difficult to find a space. And it’s expensive. When I did do popups, most of my money went to labor. And I would never ask someone to help me graft without paying them. Unless I can do the popup on my own, without help, and at my house. I’d never make enough money.
Go back to IRL work. Even if I did, I wouldn’t make enough by October to fund this tour.
One of my followers (won’t say her name, lest she be bombarded by plecos) connected me with the Director of Marketing at Williams-Sonoma and now I’ll be able to host signings (and maybe even cooking demos) at various locations throughout the country!
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
If you’re someone who works at a hotel, airline, travel company and can set Mami and me up…connect me!
Know of a podcast that has a decent following? Connect me.
Know of a brand that pays for partnerships? Connect me.
If you do decide to contribute via Venmo, anyone who contributes over $100 will receive a free annual subscription to my newsletter. You’ll also be put on the “close friends” Instagram list. This is where I share stories I don’t release to all followers; photos of Mami and places where I eat while on vacay. Remember to include your IG handle and newsletter email you signed up with in the contribution notes.
WHAT I’D PREFER YOU NOT TO DO
We don’t need any more locations for appearances. Unless it’s like at Jacques Pepin’s or Lin-Manuel’s house. I’ve booked all the places where I want to appear. Please don’t send us on wild goose chases. I don’t need the middle person to the middle person. And I’m not trying to be mean, but when 200 people say “did you try…” it becomes so overwhelming. Unless you know the person that can make it happen (and can make an introduction), please refrain. I know you want to be helpful, but by not overwhelming my puny human brain…you are helping.
Someone mentioned I should “Do Q&A.” People barely ask me questions when I do Q&A’s on Instagram! Haha. And my insights will show that the story saw thousands of views.
This is a post for all subscribers. Everyone’s support is so appreciated, and I hope you enjoy.
If you’re a paid subscriber, please leave your Instagram handle in the comments so that I can add you to my “close friends” section of Instagram. I post content on my stories that is only available to paid subscribers.
If you can’t swing a paid subscription, no worries! Here are some other ways to show support: Buy Mami a burger…
Venmo: @illya-maiso
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Mami Maisonet
5960 S Land Park #222
Sacramento, CA 95822
"I can’t ever go back to steerage" Another reason I ❤️ Mami. I feel that so deeply. 😂
@sweetnsalty - can’t wait to see even more of your content! So appreciate everything you share!