If the publisher has sent them out to their traditional regulars, what else can be done with them. Does anyone send them to book blogs? Donate them to underserved libraries? Hold contests? Any clever ideas will be gratefully accepted.
[edit] Also, should this have gone in Self Promotion? I am not self-promoting, but wondering about it in general...
First of all, I think you're cool being under publishing, because -- as far as I can tell -- you aren't whoring your book out. Self-promotion is usually you trying to get us to buy your book, not tips on how to self-promote.
Anyway, I run Parable Press and we just debuted a review by Jessica Meddows of STARING INTO THE ABYSS by Richard Thomas. I'm sure he did all of the traditional ARC distribution, but we had just accepted his story and he kept us in mind when handing them out.
That can be a good way to do it, in my opinion. Small lit journals are usually more apt to promote the hell out of the fact that they reviewed an ARC of a successful author the whole staff enjoys, because a.) they're personal and strive to promote the people they love, b.) make more of an effort to get out there, and c.) can use gentle nudges to the right direction. We'd never considered reviewing books before Richard asked if we wanted a copy, and now it's becoming a part of Parable I'm advertising because it was really cool and I love the idea of running a review alongside an original, fresh story (or in Richard's case, a currently unavailable reprint) so the readers can get a taste of what it's like plus a take on what the book is like.
Also, I've heard great things about free giveaways on GoodReads. There's a review system there, too, so you could do that.
if you don't have blurbs, send ARCs out to authors to get them.
send out ARCs to anyone that will review it - newspapers, magazines, blogs, etc. just be realistic.
if you're on a budget, send out PDF ARCs. they aren't as unacceptable as they used to be, more and more people understand that small presses can't spend $500 to send out 50 copies (print + postage).
hit up any connections you have (HELLO PARABLE! LOVE YOU!), past editors that have published your work, small town newspapers, author friends with blogs, and the traditional places as well. just do as much as you can.
pair all of that with Facebook, Twitter, giveaways, etc., sneak peeks of cover art, excerpts, all of that. just do everything you can to get the word out, but don't be obnoxious about it.
hope that helps!
<333
Thank you both for your help! These answers are much more useful (if slightly less fun-sounding) than the one I got on Facebook:
1) Make extensive, story-transforming edits by hand in red pen. 2) Fake your own death. 3) Have a proxy sell on Ebay as "author's definitive final draft!--the one the publishers suppressed!" 4) Retire to a sunny island nation under an assumed name.
