For just under $300,000, one super (rich) fan of James Patterson will have the opportunity to purchase the author’s next book and watch it explode a day after opening it.
The self-destructing book is part of a plan to promote Mr. Patterson’s next title, “Private Vegas,” due out Jan. 26 from Little, Brown and Company.
The price tag of $294,038 includes a first-class flight to an undisclosed location, two nights’ stay in a luxury hotel, 14-karat gold-plated binoculars, a five-course dinner with Mr. Patterson and a copy of “Private Vegas” that will self-destruct 24 hours after the purchaser begins reading it. While the details of how the book will explode are being kept secret, the process will involve a bomb squad and a location that could come straight out of a Patterson story.
So who would pay that much money for an exploding book?
Susan Holden, managing director of the promotion at the advertising agency Mother New York, said she asked Mr. Patterson that very question.
“He said to me that he wouldn’t be surprised if one in his circle of friends might be interested,” Ms. Holden said. “He’s a super down-to-earth guy, but he runs with a billion-dollar crowd, so for some person that’s a huge Patterson fan, this could be chump change and could be funny.”
Another 1,000 people will be able to read the book for free. Beginning Wednesday at noon, codes will be released in batches at selfdestructingbook.com that allow users to download digital copies of the book, which will self-destruct (a.k.a. delete themselves) 24 hours after the user begins reading.
Mr. Patterson’s books have sold more than 300 million copies worldwide, making him one of today’s highest paid authors. But could such an attention-grabbing promotion be because of declining sales?
“Oh god, no,” Ms. Holden said. “He likes to market. He’s an ex ad guy. He believes in advertising and he believes that’s a significant reason why his books have been so successful.”