Neil Strauss

I’ll be quick, since I’m writing this from the Washington, D.C.,
airport, where I’m on my way back to L.A. for the book release
signing, reading, party, and wolf-a-thon tonight.

In short, your “network building” emails were perfect. This is a
much more reasonable number for a Book Club where we can all get to
speak and interact. And it’s cool how many of you picked up copies
of EMERGENCY for friends and family members.

So here’s the plan:

If you bought a copy for yourself AND a copy for a friend or family
member, go to this website:

http://www.neilstrauss.com/saveyourfriends

Make sure you have a copy of the book in front of you and your
receipt or order confirmation. Then input your information and,
once your details have been verified, you’ll receive an email with
information about the Emergency Book Club, which begins next week.

Please note that the Emergency Book Club is limited to only a few
hundred people, so make sure you input your information right
away–or get to a bookstore today or tomorrow and grab your copies
of the book.

Just in case the Book Club doesn’t work with your schedule, or you
miss a few calls, I also put together a bunch of other really cool
and rare things to keep you learning, improving, and excited:

The “truancy” reading rewards (which will be sent to all club
members) include:

-An interactive teleconference on new demonstrations of higher
value routines culled from the three years I spent researching
Emergency. You’ll also be able to ask me any question you have
about survival or about the game during this phone call.

-A rare audio interview I did with the Genius Network on The
Anatomy of Addictive Writing, in which I breaks down the secrets to
staying focused, telling compelling stories, achieving balance in
your life, and finding a flow state from which to create.

-My limited-run, out-of-circulation e-book How to Work the
Personals, which features the technique that was successful and
foolproof with nine out of ten women contacted online while
researching The Game. Hint: It’s shockingly bold, and defies all
common sense.

-And, most importantly, an invitation to read and discuss Emergency
with me for two months in the Emergency Book Club. It’ll be a
chance for you to go “behind the scenes” of the book, and pick my
brain. You’ll be able to share any thoughts you have on the book
and ask questions as you read.

The Book Club begins the week of March 22nd, so make sure you get
your Emergency for yourself and a friend or relative before then
from your local bookstore!

Like I said before, this is somewhat intimate, especially since
I’ve turned down all previous offers to speak to book clubs
reading my work, but let’s get on the phone and see what happens…

To New Experiences,
Neil

P.S. Here are the details for the remaining book readings,
signings, gladhanding, and Q&A sessions for EMERGENCY:

LOS ANGELES BOOK RELEASE PARTY
Friday, March 13th at 7:00 PM
H.Wood Club in the Hollywood and Highland Complex
1738 N. Orange
Los Angeles, CA 90028
310-659-3110 (Book Soup phone)

CHICAGO ***NEW LOCATION***
Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 7:00 PM
BORDERS BOOKS AND MUSIC
2817 N. Clark Street
Chicago, IL  60657
(773) 935-3909

SAN FRANCISCO
Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 7:00 PM
BORDERS BOOKS & MUSIC
233 Winston Drive
San Francisco CA 94132
415-731-0665 



SAN DIEGO
Thursday, March 26, 2009 at 7:00 PM
BARNES & NOBLE
10775 Westview Parkway
San Diego, CA 92126
(858) 684-3166

DATES IN ENGLAND, SCOTLAND,
IRELAND, AUSTRALIA, AND
FRANCE COMING SOON…

P.P.S. To summarize:

1.    If you haven’t done so yet, you can read an excerpt of
the book at:
http://neilstrauss.com/EmergencyAdvance.pdf

2.    Buy a copy for yourself and one for a friend or family
member, preferably at a local brick-and-mortar bookstore so you
can get the book in time.

3.    Join the Emergency Book Club, receive my ebook on working
the personals, learn the secrets of writing, and get some cool
DHVs - all free for following the above step - at:

http://www.neilstrauss.com/saveyourfriends/

Looking forward to hearing your questions, comments, observations,
and experiences on the phone. Talk soon…

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First of all, an apology:

I meant to send you all an email yesterday reminding you of the
New York signing and the release of Emergency. Nonetheless, a few
hundred of you managed to make it anyway. It was a great time–and
you should have seen the look on the store manager’s face when we
handed out scissors and locks to teach you all lock-picking.

In keeping with the theme of EMERGENCY, you may have noticed
that, unlike my past books, I managed to convince the publisher
to print this one in paperback at a recession-friendly price. So
it was really cool - and true to the spirit of the book - that
some of you bought multiple copies for friends, wings, and family
members. Thank you.

Anyway, let’s discuss…The Emergency Book Club.

Your response to the idea was overwhelming. And by overwhelming, I
mean in the thousands.

The pure enthusiasm has definitely excited me more about doing
this. At the same time, it’s presented a new challenge: a phone
call with this many people would be complete anarchy.

I could create a discussion forum, as some of you suggested. But
let’s face it, the last thing any of us need is another forum to
suck up our online time. It’s also less personal than talking
together.

Fortunately, someone on this list coincidentally runs a book-club
service that enables a more organized group conversation. The bad
news is that it’s limited to only a few hundred people.

What I’m thinking of doing is letting anyone who bought a copy of
the book for themselves AND a copy for a friend or family member
into the Emergency Book Club. You’ll understand why you may want
someone else you’re close to to have this book once you read it,
since the idea of community is so important.

So I’m going to take one last survey: If you bought two copies of
the book (or more), email me again at manofstyle@gmail.com with
the subject heading NETWORK BUILDING. (You’ll understand
the significance of that phrase after you read the book also.)

I’ll take another head count. And if the numbers work out, the
Emergency Book Club is a go…

Best,
Neil

P.S. There is something called “noncompliance” in the book
industry, which is a bane to authors everywhere.

Noncompliance occurs when a new book arrives at a store, yet the
employees don’t unpack it or display it on the front tables. So a
big thank you to Mystic, who came up with a novel solution to the
problem.

He writes:

<<I just got into a lil debate with the Manager at Barnes and
Noble. I go there and can’t find the book ANYWHERE in the “new
releases” section. So I go up to the clerk and ask her, “Where is
Emergency?” And she says, “Let me check the back,” and comes back
out with a whole cart of Emergency books and says, “Oh we forgot to
put it out today…sorry for the misunderstanding.” I was thinking,
“WTF!!!..ahhhh,” and told her that they “should make sure new
releases are out for display because the first day of any release
means a lot to authors, publishing companies etc and it is
irresponsible that a major book store chain like Barnes and Noble
would make a mistake like that.” BUT I did get my book and am
about to start it in a few minutes, so it’s all good now.”>>

Mystic, you rule.

So if you have a free moment today, and want to do a little
“street team” reconnaissance, call your local bookstore and make
sure they’re complying. Or, better still, drop by. After all, it’s
a great place to do your Stylelife Challenge missions…

P.P.S. Here are the tour dates again. Please note that there has
been a change in the CHICAGO location:

WASHINGTON, DC
Thursday, March 12, 2009 at 6:30 p.m.
BORDERS BOOKS & MUSIC
1801 K Street, NW
Washington DC 20006
202-466-4999

LOS ANGELES BOOK RELEASE PARTY
Friday, March 13th at 7:00 PM
H.Wood Club in the Hollywood and Highland Complex
1738 N. Orange
Los Angeles, CA 90028
310-659-3110 (Book Soup phone)

CHICAGO ***NEW LOCATION***
Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 7:00 PM
BORDERS BOOKS AND MUSIC
2817 N. Clark Street
Chicago, IL  60657
(773) 935-3909

SAN FRANCISCO
Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 7:00 PM
BORDERS BOOKS & MUSIC
233 Winston Drive
San Francisco CA 94132
415-731-0665 



SAN DIEGO
Thursday, March 26, 2009 at 7:00 PM
BARNES & NOBLE
10775 Westview Parkway
San Diego, CA 92126
(858) 684-3166

DATES IN ENGLAND, SCOTLAND,
IRELAND, AUSTRALIA, AND
FRANCE COMING SOON…

P.P.P.S. For reading to the very bottom of this email, here’s
your reward: the home video I’ve been promising…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVNlnFdf2w8

Enjoy.

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As you know, in addition to the usual emails, updates, advice, tips, and toaster giveaways, I spend a lot of time thinking of cool things for us to do on this list.

Things that I’ve done purely for fun and as a thank-you in response to your questions (like the Stylelife Challenge) have actually turned into full-fledged books (Rules of the Game).

So let’s see where this idea goes.

Here’s what I’ve been thinking:

Why don’t we form a new type of book club.

You’re all going to be getting Emergency at the same time when it comes out next week.

So, since we’ll all be reading it simultaneously, why don’t we discuss it together.

I’ve never done this before. In fact, I haven’t yet figured out:

A. How it will be possible to have an intelligible discussion with so many people on the phone.

B. If I’m going to enjoy or dread this type of interaction, since I’ve turned down all requests to speak to book clubs reading my other books.

So, for starters, let me gauge your interest level on this:

Email me at manofstyle@gmail.com if you’re interested in joining an Emergency Book Club to discuss the book together and ask me questions as you read.

Make your subject heading “EMERGENCY,” so it stands out.

I’ll read and tally your responses, then get back to you next week and let you know if it’s possible to do this and how we’ll be doing it IF it can happen.

Best,
Neil

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There’s lots to tell you, so I’m going to make it quick. 

First off, news about Emergency is starting to leak everywhere
online, and I wanted you all to get a taste of it first. So I basically took the typeset pages I read for my last edit of the book and put together a few chapters for you, so you can get an idea of what the book I’ve been working on in secret for the last three years is all about. Note that because this is the advance version, there’s a design error in the “contract.” This glitch will not appear in the final book.  So think of this as the limited-edition rough draft. You can get your free chapters at the link below:

http://neilstrauss.com/EmergencyAdvance.pdf   (Note: right click on the link to download)

Next, I promised you all a book release party and signing. I’m really looking forward to this, because I just booked it today at my favorite new lounge in Los Angeles. It’s going to start at 7 p.m. sharp on perhaps the most appropriate day for a book like this: Friday the 13th of March. I’ll do a talk and reading, followed by an open Q&A and a signing.  (Book Soup will be there with copies of Emergency as well as hopefully the other books). And those who are there will be brought to a special, secret after-party nearby. Oh, and I’ll also be bringing a live wolf. Just to keep things exciting. Make sure you get there early, in case it gets full. And it’s a good spot to bring a friend, a date, a wing, a relative, or your own personal goon. Cost of entry: free, as a thank-you for supporting the book. Here are the details:

Friday, March 13th at 7:00 PM
H.Wood Club in the Hollywood and Highland Complex
1738 N. Orange Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90028

(It’s one of those “cool” clubs without a sign. Note that the entrance is on Orange, just north of Hollywood. Walk up the stairs outside, then immediately enter the club through the door on your right and proceed upstairs to the second floor.) For those of you who aren’t in Los Angeles, here’s the information for the rest of the book readings, signings, gladhanding, and Q&A sessions.

NEW YORK   
Tuesday, March 10 at 7:00 PM
BARNES & NOBLE in Tribeca
97 Warren Street
New York, NY 10007
212-587-5389

WASHINGTON, DC   
Thursday, March 12, 2009 at 6:30 p.m.
BORDERS BOOKS & MUSIC
1801 K Street, NW
Washington DC 20006
202-466-4999

LOS ANGELES
Friday, March 13th at 7:00 PM
(See details for H.Wood above. For more information, try Book Soup, which is taking care of the “book signing” portion of the evening: 310-659-3110.)

CHICAGO
Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 7:00 PM 
BORDERS BOOKS AND MUSIC
830 N. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611
312-573-0564

SAN FRANCISCO
Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 7:00 PM
BORDERS BOOKS & MUSIC
233 Winston Drive
San Francisco CA 94132       
415-731-0665

SAN DIEGO
Thursday, March 26, 2009 at 7:00 PM
BARNES & NOBLE
10775 Westview Parkway
San Diego, CA 92126
(858) 684-3166

THE UNITED KINGDOM AND ALL POINTS BEYOND
Dates Coming Soon… Obviously, not all of you are living some place where you can make it to these events. So I have something special planned for you as well, as mentioned in an earlier email.  Things are so busy right now, but I will get back to you within the next week with details about a special event and experience for SOME of you (there will probably have to be a capacity to make this idea feasible). And I’ll also send you that video I promised in the last email.  It’ll make more sense in the context of the advance chapters you’re about to read anyway.

Racing The Clock,
Neil

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