Swap - trailer

[John McFetridge]

Here's a trailer for my novel, Swap, coming out this fall.

The question is, does this get you interested in the book?

[John Dishon]

Another option is to make the video longer. Usually book trailers are way too long, but since I'm reading rather than watching, a longer excerpt will give me a better feel for the tone of the story. That's where using pictures for a background instead of video comes in handy, because it's easier to work with for a longer work, though the background video you have in this trailer fits very well.

[John McFetridge]

Thanks for taking the time, John.

I'm afraid my books aren't all that suspenseful, they're more like character studies with a lot of characters. That is the opening of the book.

I was thinking of making a few more videos in a similar style about differnet characters, I've got plenty of time.

[John Dishon]

As far as enticing me to check out the book, I think it would be more effective to use an excerpt that has some suspense in it. i see this all the time on the very first page of a book sometimes there will be a short excerpt from the book. Example:

From Star Colony, a science fiction novel by Keith Laumer I'm getting ready to read, as soon as you open the cover you are greeted to this:

Death Awaits... [This is a title in bold print]

Harry G. Plover had dumped his armload of trimmed twigs and other rubbish well back into the dark recesses of the jungle edge. Turning, his eye caught by a hint of motion--he checked--over there, in deep gloom. He peered into near-darkness, then scrambled back. Hi legs seemed to be trapped in an invisible syrup. He fought the rising panic.

"Oh sure," Harry said to himself. "I'm having a nightmare--it'll be over in a moment." But the moment passed...


That excerpt is too short by itself to make me want to read the book, but there is some suspense there that is enticing. I think something like this would be more effective for a trailer than what you have here, which seems like it could be the beginning of a chapter.

However, I do like the use of the background video, how it fits the text nicely, and the text is looking better than the first video you posted. And kudos for using youtube instead of blogger video.