I Just Booked a Podcast in Denver

let me tell you how

The first talk came from Stanley Diamond z”l (z”l stands for of blessed memory in Yiddish so when you see those letters next to a name it means the person died).

Before he passed away, Stanley was invited

to the Jewish Genealogical Society of Colorado to give a talk about his family tree research. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to travel, so he passed the ball to me. Stanley is the hero of “One in Six Million” and he suggested I go and tell them all about the book.

They were interested, and we found a date

for me to come to a kosher deli for breakfast and talk to them about my book and about how to write their stories for future generations. They have reserved two tables and are treating everyone who shows up for breakfast. (If you live in Denver or know anyone who does, details are here.)

My sister in law and brother in law live in Denver and my brother in law offered to

speak to their Chabad Rabbi about doing an event while I was in town. The Chabad Rabbi of Omsk, Siberia also figures in “One in Six Million” so there was a tie-in, and not only was the Denver Rabbi interested, but he got a bunch of community groups together to co-sponsor and I will be speaking with them about my book the same evening although not at a deli (If you live in Denver or know anyone who does, details are here )

Once the talks were secured

I blindly messaged a bunch of media. I googled Morning Shows and News Shows and Small Newspapers in Denver and wrote to everyone with the re: line “Canadian Author Coming to Colorado”.

One guy wrote me back.

He said my timing was perfect! He said he was driving to work that morning, wondering how he was going to fill a slot on his podcast. (I didn’t even know he had a podcast! I had written pitching myself for the newsletter). He asked if I could spare a half hour that day, which of course I could, and he called me on the phone and interviewed me.

There is the obvious benefit

that he will mention my appearances in Denver and maybe someone listening will be hankering for a free kosher deli bagel and will show up for my talk, or will be a Chabad community member and I’ll meet them in the evening.

There’s the non-obvious benefit

that the more interviews I do, the better I get at answering questions and at making my story more compelling. Or that a listener will hear about “One in Six Million” and order a copy. Or just that I’m helping a journalist fill a few inches of space.

The Persistence is in the Casting.

If you’re a writer looking to book yourself for media or podcasts, my advice to you is to cast your net wide. When you have one thing booked (like a talk), Google what else is possible in that same neighbourhood and reach out. You may not get any responses. But you may be helping someone who is driving to work right now wondering how to fill that slot on their podcast.