MAYA BLUE A Memoir of Survival was launched into the world less than two weeks ago, and the response has been amazing: Maria Shriver selected MAYA BLUE as one of her “2025 Summer Reads” in her online publication, The Sunday Paper, and the US Books editor of The Daily Mail loved MAYA BLUE, and they’re devoting 1,600 words with lots of photographs of me and the book, to run sometime this weekend. In addition, I’ve told you, MAYA BLUE has received the coveted Kirkus starred review, which means it’s been nominated for the 2025 Kirkus Prize, one of the richest literary awards in America. So, you may be asking, why do I need your help?
Marketing a book is an overwhelming proposition, and I can only do so much. Short of a glowing review in the New York Times, or being chosen by Oprah, every day, great books are falling through the cracks. It takes a team to spread the word about a good book, and as my cheerleaders—I’ve dedicated the book to you—you’re my “Official Book Buzz Team.”
Here’s how you can help me make sure MAYA BLUE doesn’t fall through the cracks.
“A high-stakes, raw memoir of addiction, survival, and reclaiming power from the shadows of chaos. This is one you won’t forget.” Maria Shriver’s The Sunday Paper, “2025 Summer Reading List.”
• Please write a review of MAYA BLUE on Amazon and/or Goodreads. Early reviews are crucial for a book’s success.
• Please tell your Facebook and Instagram followers MAYA BLUE is a memoir that reads like a thriller. It’s Working Girl meets Taken, and in the end, Brenda Coffee is the last one standing. It’s love, cocaine, Big Tobacco, abduction, and survival. NYTbestselling author, Lee Woodruff, said it needs to be made into a Netflix series!
• Please post a photo of the book cover on Facebook and Instagram, and suggest your followers should buy this book. You might tell them “you had trouble putting the book down,” or whatever you think about it. Then give them a link to my author website, Brenda-Coffee-com and tell them they can find direct links there to buy the book. All the usual places, like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Simon & Schuster, Walmart, Bookshop, plus their neighborhood independent bookstore can order MAYA BLUE.
• The audiobook I narrated is also available in lots of places, so check where you download books. Some of the outlets… like Amazon… have yet to list the audiobook on their site, but it’s currently available on Apple, Barnes & Noble, Simon & Schuster, and many more.
Next, plan a book event with me and be entered to win another fabulous giveaway like my recent $1,500 giveaway of Chanel, Nars and Laura Mercier makeup!
• Book events like: Host a book event in your home or your local bookstore (I’ll make sure the bookstore supplies the books) and invite your book club and your friends, and I’ll come to you! I’d love to meet you! Email me at bcoffee@1010ParkPlace.com to discuss.
• Or, let’s get you on my schedule to do a zoom with your book club and/or your friends. We’ll talk about MAYA BLUE, our strength and resilience, and you can ask me anything.
Here’s another way you can help: What if you come see me?
• Have you always wanted to visit the beautiful city of Charleston, SC? What if you take a short trip with your girlfriends/husband/significant other and join me Wednesday, June 18, at Buxton Books in Charleston? It’s a charming independent bookstore. The event is free, but email them soon to reserve your spot! And after the book event, let’s go to dinner together!
And here’s a biggie, but it’s this coming this Friday, June 6th in NYC!
• If you’re in the NYC area, or maybe you’d like to hop on Southwest Airlines and come see me this coming Friday, June 6th at the exclusive Salmagundi Club on 47 Fifth Avenue, NYC, 10003, from 12:15 PM – 2 PM. I’m doing an In Conversation event with novelist, Julian Tepper, and the Salmagundi Club has made this event open to the public. So many of the women I’ve profiled here on 1010ParkPlace will be there! Women I’ve mentioned frequently over the years in my blogs. I can’t think of anything better than having all of my favorite people, including you, in the same place!
Here’s the EventBrite invitation. The event is from 12:15 PM – 2 PM, Friday, June 6th. You can come and eat lunch, which you can pay for with a credit card when you’re there, or just come for Julian Tepper’s interview with me, which is free. The time is the same.
Again, the event in this historic townhouse is open to the public. I hope you’ll come and bring a friend(s). I’d love to see you there!
Can I count on you? Will you help me? You’re my official “Book Buzz Team.” Please spread the word about MAYA BLUE A Memoir of Survival by Brenda Coffee. I need your help, sweet friends, or I wouldn’t be asking, and I’d be most grateful. It will go a long way to make the second part of my MAYA BLUE dream come true… More about that when I have something concrete to share:)
19 thoughts on “WILL YOU HELP ME?”
will do! So glad that I preordered the book and it arrived this week. Looking forward to starting reading tonight. I will post in the AARP Girls BookClub on Fac
ebook.
Irene, You are a love! Thank you! I appreciate you. xoxox, Brenda
Brenda!
Looking forward to seeing in NYC on June 6th and cheering you on! My review is up on Amazon (five ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ , of course!)
Keep going!
Joyce
Thank you, Joyce! Counting down the days! XOXOX, Brenda
I preordered the book and read the first few chapters. It did not resonate with my book reading preferences. I gave it to a friend to read.
And that’s okay. Then there are others who are already reading it for the second time, and two women who read it and drove over four hours to come to my book event. Thank you!
I had my public library order your book and it’s now sitting on my table waiting to be read. I was surprised they were so quick with the order! After reading, I will put my review on Good Reads.
Much luck!
Thank you Margiemi!! Would you also post on Amazon? Many people don’t like them, but Amazon can help me get Maya Blue into the world. I appreciate you! XOXOX, Brenda
I just received my copy from Amazon. As soon as I read it, I will post a review on Amazon.
You’re wonderful Deanna! The best! XOXOX Brenda
I couldnot put it down and enjoyed your descriptions very much!
I will put it on my blog which I hope to work on tomorrow!
I have already told people to READ IT!
Oprah will be CALLING!!!
Xoxo
Thank you so much Elizabeth!!! Sending you much love!!❤️
Loved the book, couldn’t put it down. I had to go to San Antonio to meet the lady who lived this. I’m taking copies to my friends I’m visiting this weekend. It’s a must read.
Brenda, I was so happy to meet you. Ann and I regret we didn’t have our picture taken with you.
Penny, When I got home Friday night, the same thing occurred to me, and I couldn’t believe we didn’t get a photo. Even thought about driving all the way back to Cappy’s but I was exhausted. It’s been quite a week. I’m still so touched and honored that you and Ann made that long trip from Dallas. Your presence there made me tear up… my heart’s so full of love and appreciation for both of you. Thank you sweet ladies! Please write an Amazon review and help me get Maya Blue further up the charts. It’s the best thing you and Ann can do for me now. I will treasure you always. Love, Brenda
Dear Brenda,
I absolutely loved, loved, loved your book. You have outstanding skills as a writer, among being a SURVIVOR. I found your book to be incredibly suspenseful, terrifying, and got me upset at times how abused you got as a beautiful, intelligent, accomplished lady.
I have never met a woman like you. I have known a lot of brave, courageous ladies, but none of them hold a candle to YOU. How you can ever do an audio of this also speaks volumes to how strong your core is. It must get you totally exhausted emotionally, at the same time perhaps it’s helped you to heal more after all these years.
On a side note, my husband had been to Guatemala, I believe he was there on a trade mission. We then went together many years later. We only spent one day in Guatemala and it was a big eye opener. One day was enough for me. It’s a different world.
Thank you for trusting us with your heart. We all have a story to tell, yours was very personal.
Bless your heart. I’m not into social media, however I will go post a review on Amazon.
I will end my happy text to you this way. YOU ARE A ROCK STAR !!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Oh, Katherine! You touch me deeply! Thank you for all you’ve written and for the review on Amazon you’re going to write. Your support continues to mean everything to me. Yes, the audiobook was exhausting, some days more than others. I’ve only heard the first few chapters, but if you listen to it when I say goodbye to Esteban before I board the bus, you’ll hear me break down, more than once, in tears. Big tears. I had to stop and pull myself together, but a few words later, I lost it again. I didn’t expect to do that and it was almost impossible to continue, but I did. The producers decided to keep it in because they’d never heard anything like it in all their years doing audiobooks. They were in tears, too. Thank you! I’m grateful. Love, Brenda
Brenda, it was such a pleasure and a joy to meet you Friday night at Nowhere Books in San Antonio! My dear friend Penny discovered you and told me about your blog and your upcoming book. We both started reading Maya Blue the day it came out and finished it in record time (5 days)! We couldn’t put it down! Such an amazing life you have lead…thank you for sharing it with all of us. You are a true Survivor with a capital “S”!!
On our drive back to Dallas the next morning Penny and I couldn’t stop talking about you and your resilience and how we felt like we had a new BFF! Much thanks for letting us all join in your journey! We hope to see you again soon. Much love, Ann Kibler
Ann, Did you read my comment to Penny? When I got home that night, I realized we didn’t get a photo of the three of us, and I was profoundly sad about that. Your beautiful face is etched in my memory and you’ve had a huge impact on me. To think something I wrote moved you to drive hours and hours to see someone you’d never met… Even now it makes me emotional. Thank you for your support and for your Amazon review. Wow!!! Wow!!! Wow!!! I hope we cross paths again. Love, Brenda
I received your book a couple of weeks ago-I had preordered on Amazon. I’ve been saving it for an upcoming flight which is tomorrow! I will hold it while reading it at the gate and on the flight so that the cover is easily visible to others around me. I’ll try to strike up conversations also! I also will suggest it to my sister-in-law’s book club.
It sounds like it’s having a great launch so far! Congratulations!