Nurturing an Author’s Legacy Through Perseverance: A Journey of Love and Resilience

• August 28, 2023
• 5 comments

by Tine Gregory

In the quiet corners of grief, an un-anticipated journey began. It wasn’t a journey I had anticipated, nor one I had been trained for, but life often unfolds in unexpected ways.

I am the mother of Bastian Gregory, the creative mind behind “Aboard the Timeline”, who sadly passed away shortly before we found out that his book would be published. And as many others have found out, publishing is just one aspect, promotion something else entirely. In my pursuit to keep his legacy alive, I embarked on a mission to introduce the world to “Aboard the Timeline.” Little did I know that this endeavor would stretch far beyond the mere pages of a book. It would be a journey of learning, and frustration but also one of hope and discovery.

 I wasn’t an author, nor was I well-versed in the intricacies of marketing or book promotions. Armed with determination and guided by the memory of our son, I set out to navigate this new realm, learning step by step, just as he did when he first started writing.

As you embark on this article, I invite you into my world, a world where the pursuit of nurturing an author’s legacy intertwines with a personal journey of healing. It has been a world of challenges, of heartwarming connections, and of unexpected triumphs.

The Learning Curve: From Novice to Savvy (or at least part-way savvy😊)

Before starting, I had one burning question: Whether the merits of the book were truly its own or if my passion was clouded by sentimental attachment. I set about researching this through asking end users- i.e. The children and their parents, and the answer was YES– it was deemed to be worth it.

For better or worse, I then embarked on a path to promote the book, mainly involving digital marketing as all the research I did pointed in this direction. I started by setting up dedicated Instagram and Facebook accounts for my son’s book “Aboard the Timeline.” It was only a first step as I was soon to find out.  As I navigated this new territory, I encountered tools like Canva, PhotoGrid, and Vont, once alien to me, which have helped me professionalize and improve my posts, and entice more followers.

I will not lie- I did not find it easy and grappling with digital techniques felt like navigating a foreign land. Doubt often gnawed at me – was I veering into a domain far beyond my capabilities?

Through trial and error, I overcame some of the hurdles that initially seemed insurmountable. Mistakes turned into lessons, and each lesson fuelled a sense of empowerment. In the end, the journey from novice to savvy was not just about embracing the digital realm; it was about embracing the evolution of my role as a promoter and storyteller. It was a journey that taught me that the merits of the book were indeed its own, worthy of attention not just from a sentimental mother, but from anyone seeking a tale that transcends time and kindles the flame of imagination.

Spreading the Word: From Goodreads to Book Readings

 Whilst honing my Instagram skills, I also registered my son and his book on Goodreads.  Here came some of the awkward stuff. I started approaching friends, family and people who had shown an interest in the book to rate it. Not only on Goodreads but also on Amazon. Not easy- and still not easy. People say they will, but for some reason it often does not get done. However, with a bit of cajoling, I am slowly but surely gaining more ratings and reviews. I have tried to make it easy for people- when doing a book talk- I have my computer with me, and if there is time, it is worth asking someone if they will follow you then and there, and remind them about the ratings in the future.

Whilst book readings at schools have not resulted in many direct sales, I do believe it has piqued the interest of teachers, and here too I am beginning to see an increased interest from teachers through Instagram. The book readings however brought an added bonus that I had not foreseen. A sense of achievement from reading out loud, and the ensuing discussions. The kids seemed to genuinely enjoy the book, and I found myself enjoying the interaction as well. Sometimes they would ask about my son, and depending on the age of the audience I could then gear my responses accordingly. And once again, it meant that I was able to create a more personal connection with my audience, whilst also reaching a sense of achievement which wasn’t just sales oriented.

Other marketing endeavours: YouTube Trailer and Readers Arc’s

In the pursuit of bringing “Aboard the Timeline” to a wider audience, I ventured into the realm of digital storytelling. Creating a book trailer on YouTube required weaving the essence of the narrative into a visual representation. The process involved a selection of imagery from the book, music, and snippets that captured the heart of the story.  I am proud of what I created, and believe it has helped to create more awareness, although I certainly still have much to learn, and possibly need to augment it with other trailers. Complementing this digital journey was the strategy of distributing Readers Arc’s to potential readers. This approach proved to be instrumental in expanding the book’s reach. By making the story accessible like this, I managed to reach a number of bloggers and influencers willing to write a review, and therefore obtained more global reviews.

Embracing Patience and Perseverance

The path of promoting “Aboard the Timeline” has been far from linear, and filled with challenges that tested my determination. There were many moments when doubt rose, wondering if the effort was futile. However, something positive would happen (a response to one of my many direct emails/another Instagram follower/a blogger reaching out, a heartfelt review), and these subtle moments of success helped motivate me to continue. The journey of promoting a book is marked by its own rhythm, one that is not easy. I truly believe, I will be doing this for many years to come- and will measure the success in many more ways than just through the number of sales.

Healing and Legacy: The Personal Side

The journey of promoting Bastian’s book has unfolded as a source of solace and healing for me.  As I navigated the complexities of grief, this endeavor became more than just a mission to introduce the world to my son’s creation. It became a lifeline for me, a positive way to weave his memory into my every day. Nurturing “Aboard the Timeline” wasn’t just about the book; it was about nurturing the essence of my son’s spirit. The journey for each and every one of us promoting a book is unique and individual. I do truly believe that if we analyze what we want out of it, we can stay positive and happy and proud with our results- even though these might not be the sales numbers we have hoped for. So far, I am grateful for the connections and new experiences my son’s book has allowed me to experience and have a strong belief that these will continue.

About the Authors

Tine Gregory

Am now 56 years old. Born Danish, but a world citizen as I grew up in countries such as Pakistan; Ghana, Singapore, USA (New York and Newport News, Virginia); Germany, the UK, Hong Kong and Singapore again and lastly now back in Copenhagen, Denmark. I was the mother of 4 children, but sadly we lost our two eldest. The eldest, Frederick, as he was born extremely handicapped, and 3 years ago, our second son, Bastian Gregory when he took his own life at age 23 after battling with depression for several years. I started my career in banking, went over to helping charities and the last 15 years have been involved with schools, ending my career as head of an International School in Denmark. I am incredibly passionate about children, reading and literacy. I am happily married and have 2 wonderful living grown-up children, May and Luke Gregory.

Bastian Gregory

The author, Bastian, was born in Singapore, and lived there as well as Hong Kong, Denmark, and went on to study creative writing in Winchester, England. Bastian was diagnosed with Asbergers and ADHD at 15, and battled with this for many years, whilst trying to find his way. Whilst doing this, he obtained pleasure from writing- and wrote the children’s book- “Aboard the Timeline”. He has  also written a number of poems- some of which have been published.

ABOARD THE TIMELINE

Aboard the Timeline follows the journey of Pete, an ordinary boy who is struggling with boredom and monotony at school. He gets more excitement than he bargained for when time suddenly stops around him and he is inexplicably greeted by a talking dinosaur called Reginald at the classroom door. Trying to figure out what has happened, the two of them embark on a journey of adventure and discovery. They meet Philosophocles, an ancient Greek thinker and the three companions travel along the Time Line, visiting alternate versions of history, including the Cretaceous period, ancient Greece, the Viking North Sea, Medieval Istanbul and Victorian London. Along the way, they meet tricky demons, strange creatures and interesting companions. Can Pete become the hero that some need him to be? And will he ever find a way back to the normal world?