Thomas P.M. Barnett
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Once upon a time.. ... ..

Introduction > getting my book sold

Then I'd like to describe the process of getting my book sold, because that is a fascinating tale in itself.

March 2004

Hey, buddy... Wanna buy a book?

As soon as Esquire named me one of its Best and Brightest and published that story about my super-cool insider brief making the rounds of the Pentagon, I started getting cold calls from literary agents who told me that I just had to pen “the book.” I was somewhat open to the notion, because whenever I briefed “outside” audiences (meaning non-military), numerous people would come up to me afterwards asking where they could buy my book.

When 9/11 hits, a lot of stuff comes together for me, as I lay out in my book’s Preface. Soon, I could see the wider applicability of my material, and its growing descriptive powers for those facing tough decisions within the Pentagon about “transforming” the military. In my 20 months working for Art Cebrowski in the Office of Force Transformation, I came to realize, through the dozens of briefs I offered throughout the Pentagon and defense community, that my vision wasn’t just my own, but that of many others, especially the younger officers moving up the ranks.

Then Esquire names me “The Strategist” and Mark Warren asks me to write the article, and soon after it comes out I get a call from Jennifer Gates of Zachary Shuster Harmsworth, a Manhattan literary agency. Jennifer was everything all of my great mentors are not: female, younger than me, and prone to wide-eyed optimism that rivals my own. I can’t put my finger on exactly how she bowled me over with her pitch, all I can say is that her descriptions of who I am and what I needed to say dovetailed so perfectly with my own personal dreams of self-fulfillment as an author that I was figuratively quite swept away by her enthusiasm and confidence regarding what we could achieve together.

The Premeditated Book Tour

Day 1: Life on the Sea(m) Land Ho!

Day 2: I'm sorry to eat and run, but ...

Day 3: After it's all said and done

Day 4: Everything within my power

Recap: Everything is spinning

The Selling of the PNM

Out the Door and on the Tour

Selling the PNM -- Day 1 of tour

Selling the PNM -- Day 2 of tour

Selling the PNM -- Day 2 (post script)

Selling the PNM -- Day 3 of tour

Selling the PNM -- Day 3 (post script)

Selling the PNM -- Day 4 of tour

Selling the PNM -- Day 5 of tour

Selling the PNM -- Day 5 of tour

Selling the PNM -- Day 5 of tour

Selling the PNM -- Day 5 of tour

Selling the PNM -- Day 6 of tour

..and on the 7th day, he rests

Selling the PNM -- Day 8 (post script)

Selling the PNM -- Day 9 of tour

Selling the PNM -- Day 9 (part two)

Selling the PNM -- Final Day of Tour

TPMB Updates

Newsletter Archive

March 21, 2004 - March 27, 2004
March 28, 2004 - April 03, 2004

April

April 04, 2004 - April 10, 2004
April 11, 2004 - April 17, 2004
April 18, 2004 - April 24, 2004
April 25, 2004 - May 01, 2004

May

May 02, 2004 - May 08, 2004
May 09, 2004 - May 15, 2004
May 16, 2004 - May 22, 2004
May 23, 2004 - May 29, 2004
May 30, 2004 - June 05, 2004

June

June 06, 2004 - June 12, 2004
June 13, 2004 - June 19, 2004
June 20, 2004 - June 26, 2004
June 27, 2004 - July 03, 2004

July

July 04, 2004 - July 10, 2004
July 11, 2004 - July 17, 2004
July 18, 2004 - July 24, 2004
July 25, 2004 - July 31, 2004

August

August 01, 2004 - August 07, 2004
August 08, 2004 - August 14, 2004
August 15, 2004 - August 21, 2004
August 22, 2004 - August 28, 2004
August 29, 2004 - September 04, 2004

September

September 05, 2004 - September 11, 2004
September 12, 2004 - September 18, 2004
September 19, 2004 - September 25, 2004
September 26, 2004 - October 02, 2004

October

October 03, 2004 - October 09, 2004
October 10, 2004 - October 16, 2004
October 17, 2004 - October 23, 2004
October 24, 2004 - October 30, 2004
October 31, 2004 - November 06, 2004

November

November 07, 2004 - November 13, 2004
November 14, 2004 - November 20, 2004
November 21, 2004 - November 27, 2004
November 28, 2004 - December 04, 2004

December

December 05, 2004 - December 11, 2004
December 12, 2004 - December 18, 2004
December 19, 2004 - December 25, 2004
December 26, 2004 - December 31, 2004