How a new author launched her book through Little Free Libraries
If you never thought a Little Free Library could be a way to get exposure for your brilliant ideas, think again. When new Charlotte author Kathy Izard self-published her first book, “The Hundred Story Home,” she distributed more than 100 copies through Little Free Libraries in the region in November 2016.
That was Black Wednesday marketing guru Corri Smith’s idea. Considering that Izard is grassroots-focused and community-oriented, book tours are expensive, and the proceeds of these books are going to Urban Ministry Center, this seemed like a creative avenue for getting the book out in the community and into other cities.
“The Hundred Story Home” shares the true story of how a $10 million capital campaign created Moore Place, Charlotte’s first permanent supportive housing, with Urban Ministry Center. It also shares the story of how one person can respond to a calling and create change.
The book was placed in 25 Little Free Libraries in Charlotte, and 10 in each of 10 other cities. To make it happen, Smith simply gave a heads up to organizers of Little Free Library locations (this is a national nonprofit) right before sending the books into the system.
“We picked cities that were Southern or maybe had the same ethos as Charlotte, so we thought the message of the book would resonate in those cities,” Izard said. You can find it in Little Free Libraries in Birmingham, Charleston, Augusta and other cities.
The message of the book is rooted in figuring out your individual calling. “I do believe that there’s something that’s kind of written in each of our stories and that you should listen to that,” Izard said. “I wrote it to encourage people to listen to what they might not see in their path. That’s way bigger than Charlotte.”
But her own story unfolded in Charlotte. She quit her job as a graphic designer to help house the chronically homeless, working for the Urban Ministry Center as a leader in the development of Moore Place.
About her book, Izard said, “The main thread is this community built 100 homes for people who were dying on our streets. In 2007, thirty-seven people died on the streets of Charlotte as a result of being homeless. We changed that beginning in 2008. In 2012, we opened Moore Place.”
She wants this book to help people consider what they are truly meant to do. “I think everyone kind of has a moment where you can say ‘yes’ — you can say ‘no,'” she said.
The book is definitely circulating, online and offline. Online (the book is available at Amazon.com), more than 2,000 copies have been sold in two months. To extend that reach, the social media savvy are invited to post about their copies of the book for a chance to win an iPad mini (the contest ends Dec. 31).
And thanks to Little Free Library visibility, Izard has received a multitude of messages from readers and has been invited to speak at churches and nonprofits.
“My hope is actually what’s happening now,” Izard said. “These little book seeds are planting and it’s going to start popping up with stories and people reaching out. I wake up to texts and emails of people saying they read the book and what it meant to them, and it’s connecting in really surprising ways.”
Wednesdays@LIT: Talk by Kathy Izard
When: Wednesday, Jan. 11, from 7-9 p.m. (doors open at 6:45 p.m.)
Cost: Free for members, $10 for nonmembers
Where: Charlotte Lit, 1817 Central Ave., Suite 302
Read more about Wednesdays@LIT here.
Photos: Corri Smith, Edwina Willis Fleming, Katherine Kirchner
This story was originally published December 19, 2016 at 9:00 PM with the headline "How a new author launched her book through Little Free Libraries."