Marketing Twin Peaks

THE SECRET HISTORY of MARKETING

TH E SEC RE T H I ST O RY O F

T WI N P EaK S

LEIGH THOMAS

WELCOME TO TWIN PEaKS* Diane, 7:30 am, October 18th. Re-entering town of Twin Peaks…

Flatiron Books, an imprint of Macmillan, published The Secret History of Twin Peaks by Mark Frost (co-creator of the TV show Twin Peaks) on October 18, 20161 —25 years since the original TV show aired on ABC, and a handful of months before its highly anticipated return.2 Mark Frost co-created the show with musician, actor, and director David Lynch. It ran from 1990-1991 and centered on the fictional town of Twin Peaks, Washington and the mysterious murder of homecoming queen Laura Palmer. Although it was cancelled after only two seasons, Twin Peaks received top ratings in its debut year, captured international claim, and garnered a large cult following.3 The new book by Frost is a novel disguised as a dossier that’s classified as “three levels above top secret” and collects ephemera such as newspaper clippings, handwritten letters, case files, maps, margin notes, and old photographs, gathered by one “Archivist” attempting to uncover long-held mysteries surrounding the town of Twin Peaks. Aimed especially at Twin Peaks devotees, the book is positioned as “the story millions of fans have been waiting to get their hands on for 25 long years.”4 Since its mid-October release, The Secret History of Twin Peaks has sold 19,301 print copies (plus 740 audiobooks) according to Nielsen BookScan.5 Priced at $29.99, the 7.38″ x 9.13″ hardcover offers 362 pages of heavily designed interior featuring over 100 four-color illustrations and photographs.6 It’s currently rated #6 in Mystery/Supernatural on Amazon, and ranked #648 overall. A week after its release, the book made the #6 spot on the New York Times Bestseller list.7 Conveniently published in anticipation of the return of Twin Peaks in 2017 1 “The Secret History of Twin Peaks.” Amazon. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. https://www.amazon.com/Secret-History-Twin-Peaks-Novel/dp/1250075580/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1480980059&sr=1-1 2 “Coming to Showtime in 2017: Twin Peaks.” Showtime. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://www.sho.com/twin-peaks 3 “Twin Peaks.” IMDB. Accessed Dec. 4, 206. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098936/ 4 The Secret History of Twin Peaks. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://us.macmillan.com/static/fib/twin-peaks/ 5 Nielsen BookScan. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://nielsen.bookscan.com 6 “The Secret History of Twin Peaks.” Welcome to Twin Peaks. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://welcometotwinpeaks.com/ news/the-secret-history-of-twin-peaks-book/#ixzz4RuDOvL5T 7 The New York Times Bestseller List, Nov. 2016. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2016/11/06/hardcover-fiction/?action=click&contentCollection=Books&referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Fbooks%2Fbest-sellers%2F2016%2F11%2F20%2Fhardcover-fiction%2F&region=Header&module=ArrowNav&version=Right&pgtype=Reference

* Section Headings borrow quotes from Twin Peaks the TV show

on Showtime, The Secret History of Twin Peaks benefitted largely from big name recognition and excitement from fans to return to the world of Twin Peaks. Additionally, the book received special attention from a steady marketing campaign by the publisher as well as from the Twin Peaks website and social media accounts, primarily Twitter and Instagram. In fact, the Twin Peaks accounts arguably promoted the book more actively and heavily than the publishers. Perhaps Macmillan and Flatiron Books simply laid the groundwork and took for granted the built-in selling point that Twin Peaks carries as a platform, and their book marketing strategies were merely a slice of cherry pie on the side. Regardless, The Secret History of Twin Peaks’ takeoff success has the power of nostalgia to thank.

I’m Going to Let You in on a Little Secret: Book Trailer & Setting the Stage While the effectiveness of book trailers can be more unreliable than owls on a moonless night, in this case, creating a high quality book teaser for The Secret History of Twin Peaks seemed to work in their favor if only for recreating the quirky Twin Peaks aesthetic that fans have come to love and expect. The video, put out by Flatiron Books, shows gloved hands opening a box, then pans across a table where sample files and pages from the book are laid out in a line, interspersed with a slice of pie, diner mug coffee, and a log. The gloved hands reappear occasionally to turn over a postcard and to reveal the book’s cover, which features a half slip cover with Twin Peaks scenery and underneath, the show’s iconic owl cave symbol. Playing in the background is a dull machine-like buzzing so nerve-wracking that the few seconds of the Twin Peaks theme music that follow are an extra welcome nostalgic tease. The music is abruptly clipped with static, displaying the title and then the book’s release date and publisher logo.8 Every second of the two-minute video oozes with classic Twin Peaks vibes, and all they really needed to add were the book, coffee, pie, and a log. Viewers are encouraged to “hunt for clues” in the video, which further plays into the delight of mystery the show and its platform are known for.

Again, book trailers can be a risky marketing tool, and not always the most effective

8 “The Secret History of Twin Peaks by Mark Frost.” YouTube. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=kinf5ApBjmg

way to reach readers and sell books. However, because The Secret History of Twin Peaks holds such strong and direct ties to the TV show, the book trailer can actually serve as a foray back into the world, reestablishing its iconic atmosphere, and inviting viewers to buy the book to tie them over as they anticipate the series return in early 2017.

Where We’re From…There’s Always Music in the Air: Sounds like Good Marketing Leading up to its release, the marketing campaign for The Secret History of Twin Peaks included audio features that connected to both the show and the book, adding to the multimedia stage of Twin Peaks. Welcome to Twin Peaks, the official website for news about the show, featured a Twin Peaks Mixtape via Mixcloud,9 a Spotify playlist inspired by the character Audrey Horne,10 and a Soundcloud excerpt of the audiobook,11 read by the author/Twin Peaks co-creator and featuring several voices of original and new cast members.

One blog post on Welcome to Twin Peaks even advertised a way to potentially get the audiobook for free by signing up for a free trial of Audible.12 This feature shows up in a few different places on the site, reinforcing sales for the audiobook, which also carries built-in appeal with its cast of actors. One bonus Audible clip is Kyle MacLachlan as Agent Cooper saying that the Twin Peaks Double R Diner’s pie and coffee are good.13 Leaning further into the show’s platform with the original cast and adding in curated nostalgic music made available as free playlists may have helped drive attention back to the book.

9 “Twin Peaks Mixtape.” Mixcloud. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. https://www.mixcloud.com/welcometotwinpeaks/twin-peaks2017-mixtape-featuring-21-bands-singers-on-the-new-cast-list/ 10 “Isn’t it Too Dreamy? A Twin Peaks Playlist Inspired by Audrey Horne.” Welcome to Twin Peaks. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://welcometotwinpeaks.com/music/audrey-horne-twin-peaks-playlist/ 11 “The Secret History of Twin Peaks by Mark Frost, Audiobook Excerpt.” Soundcloud. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. https:// soundcloud.com/macaudio-2/the-secret-history-of-twin-peaks-by-mark-frost-audiobook-excerpt 12 “Here’s How You May Be Able To Download “The Secret History Of Twin Peaks” As An Audiobook For Free!”

Welcome to Twin Peaks. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://welcometotwinpeaks.com/shop/the-secret-history-of-twin-peaksaudiobook-free/ 13 Ibid.

A Place Both Wonderful and Strange: Social Media Campaign The Secret History of Twin Peaks was announced two years before its publication,14 generating early interest and expectation for this added medium to the Twin Peaks universe.

Promotion of the book through social media was strongest in September and October, leading up to its release on October 18th.

Flatiron Books has a Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram presence with a modest following (3,959 followers on Twitter,15 2,083 likes on Facebook,16 and 832 Instagram followers).17 Their content promoting The Secret History of Twin Peaks is mostly the same across the three platforms, namely a mini-series of video clips featuring quotes from Twin Peaks characters against a backdrop of paper sculpture art and stop motion effects. Each ends with an image of the book, its pub date, and link to the landing page. On Instagram, these were Flatiron’s only promotional posts for the book specifically between its cover reveal in February and its release in October, besides one other “behind the scenes” picture of the book’s many pages and files being assembled in June. Their Twitter activity for the book is largely comprised of retweeting other people promoting the book (including book launch day), and their Facebook displays much of the same. Perhaps the quantity of other Flatiron books vying for promotional attention took away some of the spotlight on Twin Peaks, or perhaps they felt that not as much continued focus was needed.

The same could be said for Macmillan’s social media presence in regards to The Secret History of Twin Peaks, with only a handful of posts dedicated to the book and author tour.18 The posts that link to the book purchase page via the Macmillan website19 land on a sneak peak at the book’s interior, which is a 14 “The Secret Lives of Twin Peaks, Novel by Mark Frost Due In 2016.” Welcome to Twin Peaks. Posted Oct. 16, 2014.

Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://welcometotwinpeaks.com/news/the-secret-lives-of-twin-peaks-novel-mark-frost/#ixzz4S1GILYF0 15 Flatiron Books (@Flatironbooks). Twitter. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. https://twitter.com/Flatironbooks 16 Flatiron Books (@flatironbooks). Facebook. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. https://www.facebook.com/flatironbooks 17 Flatiron Books (@flatiron_books). Instagram. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. https://www.instagram.com/flatiron_books/ 18 Macmillan Publishers (@bookbrag). Twitter. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. https://twitter.com/bookbrag 19 “The Secret History of Twin Peaks: A Novel.” Macmillan Publishers. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://us.macmillan.com/ thesecrethistoryoftwinpeaks/markfrost/9781250075581/

nice bonus for those who discover it. Worth mentioning is that Macmillan Publishers uses the handle @bookbrag, potentially making their profiles lower in search results and thus harder to find. Interestingly, Macmillan Audio (which uses its own name and comes up first) is running a sweepstakes to win three autographed audiobooks, including The Secret History of Twin Peaks.20 Overall, both Flatiron and Macmillan generated a fair amount of social media promotion, but they could have perhaps boosted it a bit more.

Luckily, the brains behind the Twin Peaks social media accounts did much of the extra marketing for them. Perhaps this was an intentional partnership, or maybe just a mutually beneficial appreciation for rebooting fan interest. Either way, the book surely benefited from the sheer amount of coverage given by the Twin Peaks account21 and its 35.4K followers, not to mention Mark Frost’s 30.6K followers22 (albeit some likely overlap) and frequent shout-outs to the book and its fans. Additionally, many of the Twin Peaks cast members shared content on social media relating to the book, adding even wider promotional reinforcement.

The Twin Peaks Twitter, Instagram,23 and Facebook24 accounts also push much of the same content between outlets, including Twin Peaks news, fan art, and a good amount of book-specific content, such as quirky Twin Peaks-inspired graphics or photos of the book to go along with links and promotional tweets. A recent contest used #bookmarkfrost to encourage fans to share pictures of a Twin Peaks-inspired bookmark that would make Mark Frost proud (such as a fake fish), promising copies of signed books to winners. Much of their social media content also links back to their website, Welcome to Twin Peaks,25 serving as a hub for the Twin Peaks reboot and related content for fans.

20 “Signed Pop Culture Audiobooks Sweepstakes.” Macmillan Audio. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://us.macmillan.com/ macmillanaudio/promo/popcultureaudiosweeps?utm_source=fbtwitter&utm_medium=socialpost&utm_term=audpopcltrsweepsorg-redcurtain&utm_content=na-entertowin-sweeps&utm_campaign=audpopculturesweeps&et=29591-n151621 80-n20474571 21 Twin Peaks (@ThatsOurWaldo). Twitter. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. https://twitter.com/ThatsOurWaldo 22 Mark Frost (@mfrost11). Twitter. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. https://twitter.com/mfrost11 23 Welcome to Twin Peaks (@welcometotwinpeaks). Instagram. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. https://www.instagram.com/ welcometotwinpeaks/ 24 Welcome to Twin Peaks (@welcometotwinpeaks). Facebook. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. https://www.facebook.com/welcometotwinpeaks/?fref=ts 25 Welcome to Twin Peaks. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://welcometotwinpeaks.com/

Isn’t it Too Dreamy: Nostalgia Sells The incredible Twin Peaks fan base already in existence also contributed to the book’s promotion, whether they realize it or not. Whether tweeting directly at the author for a likely retweet, following the fan-created Wiki page26 that discusses the book, or posting a #bookstagram of their copy of The Secret History of Twin Peaks and sharing it to the wider depository of everything tagged #thesecrethistoryoftwinpeaks (or without the “the,” or the one sorry fellow who accidentally used “twin peas” instead), fans continue to crowdsource their shared love for Twin Peaks and the latest addition to its fandom.

@booksanna

In an interview with Mark Frost on writing the book and the inspi27

ration behind Twin Peaks, the author and creator discusses his own high school years and experiences, including the murder of his friend’s sister, a memory that has remained with him since. Twin Peaks is more than a 90’s soap opera with a quirky cast of characters; it dives into something darker and more mysterious, and leaves plenty of questions in the trail of any one answer. From the creation of the show came a very specific if not bizarre appeal, along with a highly stylized aesthetic now iconic in its association to the show’s branding.

Frost was excited to return to the world he helped build, and making the book was just the jelly in the donut. “The ongoing tension between mysteries and secrets that I thought was germane to the show itself I thought could be more fully articulated in a longer piece like this,” he shares. “It was also a way to go back and revisit a lot of these characters and provide greater details about who they might have been and what they were going through.” He also gives a nod to previous series spin-offs including The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer, (written by the daughter of David Lynch), The Autobiography of FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper, (written by Frost’s brother), and Diane: The Secret Tapes of Agent Dale Cooper, an audiobook recorded by actor Kyle MacLachlan. Frost finds these additions to be natural extensions of Twin Peaks’ very layered story. “When you’re writing about one community, in a way, you’re writing about all communities,” 26 Twin Peaks Wiki: The Secret History of Twin Peaks. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://twinpeaks.wikia.com/wiki/The_Secret_History_of_Twin_Peaks 27 “Twin Peaks’ co-creator Mark Frost: reboot not an exercise in nostalgia.” The Sydney Morning Herald. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/twin-peaks-cocreator-mark-frost-reboot-not-an-exercise-innostalgia-20161128-gsz5nv.html

he says. The Twin Peaks community has been a loyal one, punctuated by the large amount of regalia and fan-based content around any corner, as though all roads somehow lead to Twin Peaks, Washington. Is it just a strong sense of nostalgia that keeps inviting devotees back to visit? Frost asserts it is more than

“It’s an exercise in engaging with one of the most powerful themes in all of art, which is the ruthless passage of time.”

this, pointing to a “universal reality,” claiming, “it’s an exercise in engaging with one of the most powerful themes in all of art, which is the ruthless passage of time.”28 The Secret History of Twin Peaks could be considered the next time(less) chapter for eager fans, with over 19,000 copies sold in under two months.29

The Owls are Not What They Seem: Comp Title Considerations The successful sales so far for The Secret History of Twin Peaks could perhaps be attributed to simply its platform name and convenient timing in anticipation of the show’s reboot. However, looking at similar cases can be a helpful compass to show the effectiveness of a given marketing strategy. Recently, Ballantine Books of Penguin Random House published Lauren Graham’s collection of personal essays, Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls (And Everything In Between).30 While not a work a fiction, Talking as Fast as I Can also comes with a well-known author platform connected to a popular TV show, also published around the time of the show’s highly anticipated return (a four-episode revival series titled Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life hit Netflix the day after Thanksgiving).31 The book came out the following week (although different sources display slightly varying release dates), and according to Nielsen BookScan, the book has sold 168 print copies so far.32 Leading up to its launch, the book appears to have seen a decent amount of publicity, so time will tell how the book’s marketing may impact sales.

28 Ibid.

29 Nielsen BookScan. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://nielsen.bookscan.com 30 “Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls (And Everything In Between).” Amazon. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. https://www.amazon.com/Talking-Fast-Can-Gilmore-Everything/dp/0425285170/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_ encoding=UTF8&qid=1480991526&sr=1-1 31 “Gilmore Girls Netflix revival: Trailer, cast, episodes, release date, and everything you need to know about the revival.”

Digital Spy. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/gilmore-girls/feature/a783182/gilmore-girls-reunion-revival-on-netflix-cast-episodes-return-date-everything-you-need-to-know/ 32 Nielsen BookScan. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://nielsen.bookscan.com

Speaking of Mark Frost’s interest in the “ruthless passage of time,” tracking the continued sales for Talking as Fast as I Can would be a fair comparison to watch. Similarly, looking at comparative titles that implemented much weaker marketing strategies would be another angle to consider the effectiveness of marketing a book with a built-in platform.

Damn Fine Coffee: Publicity & Reviews In addition to news and content circulated by the publisher and Twin Peaks sources, The Secret History of Twin Peaks received attention from a number of media outlets including GQ ,33 The Seattle Times,34 The Wall Street Journal,35 Associated Press,36 USA Today,37 Variety,38 The Hollywood Reporter,39 Vulture,40 Tor. com,41 and Publishers Weekly,42 plus a Shelf Awareness43 feature for “the instant bestseller.” The book was also chosen as a Powell’s Pick of the Month,44 also one of the bookstores with autographed copies in stock. Powell’s Books also served as one stop on Mark Frost’s six-city national author tour, with an international tour planned for next year (come for the signed book, stay for Frost’s reading of the eulogy written by the Log Lady).45

33 “25 Years Later, People Are Still Mystified by Twin Peaks.” GQ. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://www.gq.com/story/25years-later-people-are-still-mystified-by-twin-peaks 34 “New book spells out ‘The Secret History of Twin Peaks.’” The Seattle Times. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/books/new-book-spells-out-the-secret-history-of-twin-peaks/ 35 “How Richard Nixon, L. Ron Hubbard and Conspiracy Theories Tie Into ‘Twin Peaks.’” The Wall Street Journal. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2016/10/20/how-richard-nixon-l-ron-hubbard-and-conspiracy-theories-tie-into-twin-peaks/ 36 “Correction: Books-Twin Peaks story.” Associated Press. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://www.bigstory.ap.org/article/52cc73442a244399b7f307f3bab98a18/tvs-twin-peaks-headed-bookstores-novel 37 “‘Twin Peaks’ will go from TV to novel.” USA Today. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/ books/2014/10/16/tvs-twin-peaks-headed-to-bookstores-as-a-novel/17359379/ 38 “‘Twin Peaks’ Sequel Novel To Explore Show’s Characters Ahead of Showtime Revival.” Variety. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/twin-peaks-sequel-novel-to-explore-shows-characters-ahead-of-showtime-revival-1201332294/ 39 “‘Twin Peaks’ Co-Creator to Reveal Characters’ Fates Over Last 25 Years in New Book.” The Hollywood Reporter. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/twin-peaks-creator-reveal-characters-741319 40 “5 Loose Ends From the Twin Peaks Finale That Mark Frost Ties Up in His New Novel.” Vulture. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://www.vulture.com/2016/10/twin-peaks-finale-questions-answered.html 41 “Finally Revealed: The Secret History of Twin Peaks.” Tor.com. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://www.tor.com/2016/07/27/ finally-revealed-the-secret-history-of-twin-peaks/ 42 “Starred Review: The Secret History of Twin Peaks.”

Publishers Weekly. http://www.publishersweekly.com/9781250075581 43 “Shelf Awareness for Readers for Friday, December 2, 2016.” Shelf Awareness. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://www. shelf-awareness.com/readers-issue.html?issue=563 44 “Powell’s Picks of the Month.” Powell’s Books. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://www.powells.com/picks-of-the-month 45 Mark Frost website. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://bymarkfrost.com/

Flatiron Books also made appearances at festivals such as BookExpo America and ComicCon, where they featured tote bags and buttons donning the Twin Peaks owl cave symbol.46 Their landing page47 for The Secret History of Twin Peaks also provides links to purchase Twin Peaks on Blu-ray and DVD as a way to reinforce the connection to the show and its fans. The page also features a brief description that perfectly positions the book: “A vastly layered, wide-ranging history that deepens the mysteries of the iconic town in ways that will thrill disciples of the original series, and will prep fans for the upcoming Showtime series like nothing else out there.” This is followed by a blurb from Entertainment Weekly, playing on the mystery elements of the story: “A treasure trove of town secrets…Plus, Frost (finally!) tackles unanswered questions from the show’s finale.”48 This angle of “questions finally answered” was also a recurring theme among article headlines about the book.

Among readers, reviews of the book are mostly favorable, with a 3.9/5 star rating on Amazon,49 and 4.1/5 on Goodreads.50 Committed fans of the show expressed a good deal of excitement to get their hands on this new installment that would tie them over until the series’ return. Publishers Weekly’s review51 sums it up well: “This cryptic volume captures the show’s trademark quirky noir flavor as it raises new questions that Twin Peaks fans are sure to feast on.” Many positive reader reviews echo these sentiments, with true fans loving the amount of detail provided in the book’s involved interior filled with case files and plenty of footnotes. Other readers found this aspect to be overdone, too gimmicky, or too much like X-Files.52 Several reviews emphasized that reading The Secret History of Twin Peaks on a Kindle was “a real chore,” noting that certain pages were very difficult to read in an ebook format.53 Other complaints included claims of the book’s content containing “grievous errors” and inconsistencies between the

46 “Heading to Bookcon/Book Expo America in Chicago?” Welcome to Twin Peaks. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://welcometotwinpeaks.tumblr.com/post/144221844092/heading-to-bookconbook-expo-america-in-chicago 47 The Secret History of Twin Peaks. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://us.macmillan.com/static/fib/twin-peaks/ 48 Ibid.

49 “The Secret History of Twin Peaks.” Amazon. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. https://www.amazon.com/Secret-History-Twin-Peaks-Novel/dp/1250075580/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1480980059&sr=1-1 50 “The Secret History of Twin Peaks.” Goodreads. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. https://www.goodreads.com/book/ show/29102955-the-secret-history-of-twin-peaks?ac=1&from_search=true 51 “Starred Review: The Secret History of Twin Peaks.”

Publishers Weekly. http://www.publishersweekly.com/9781250075581 52 “The Secret History of Twin Peaks.” Goodreads. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. https://www.goodreads.com/book/ show/29102955-the-secret-history-of-twin-peaks?ac=1&from_search=true 53 “The Secret History of Twin Peaks.” Amazon. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. https://www.amazon.com/Secret-History-Twin-Peaks-Novel/dp/1250075580/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1480980059&sr=1-1

show and the book.54 However, the fact that the author is the creator of both may lend greater appeal and authenticity to the novel as a product. Many readers picked up on this, saying the book does what Mark Frost said it would do: “bridge the gap between the seasons.”55 One Goodreads review claims, “If you want something that tells the story in a way that is very fitting of the Twin Peaks world, this is the book for you.”56 Another Amazon reviewer makes the suggestion to “set aside all expectations and give yourself over to the layer upon layer of mysteries that this book is.”57 Although not everyone is satisfied with the result, the overall response to The Secret History of Twin Peaks has been largely positive.

One Day My Log Will Have Something to Say About This: Conclusions Since its launch in mid-October, Mark Frost’s The Secret History of Twin Peaks has continued to make a name for itself by reviving an old favorite place that invites both nostalgic comfort and new mysteries. With the return of Twin Peaks right around the corner, the timing of its publication helped to position this book as bonus content for fans while they’re waiting. The details and design of the novel offer appeal to both old and new fans alike.

Specific marketing strategies bolstered the promotion of the book, embracing its built-in platform and already existing target audience. Creating a book trailer to set the stage and offering Twin Peaks playlists added to the multimedia conversation.

Although Flatiron Books created a solid foundation for promoting the book, much of the shared social media content, especially closer to the release date, came from Twin Peaks-related accounts. In addition to an arguably lackluster social media campaign from the publisher’s end, they may have also missed opportunities for added pre-pub attention. If there were any pre-pub giveaways, they weren’t obvious in searches, other than tote bags and buttons. A stronger pre-pub focus and more frequent follow-through social media campaign could have helped to boost sales, although Flatiron Books, as a smaller imprint, doesn’t have near the following that Twin Peaks accounts do. Whether this cross-promotion was intentional or not, it seems to have worked. Including audiobooks, The Secret History of Twin

54 “The Secret History of Twin Peaks.” Goodreads. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. https://www.goodreads.com/book/ show/29102955-the-secret-history-of-twin-peaks?ac=1&from_search=true 55 Ibid.

56 Ibid.

57 “The Secret History of Twin Peaks.” Amazon. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. https://www.amazon.com/Secret-History-Twin-Peaks-Novel/dp/1250075580/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1480980059&sr=1-1

Peaks has reached nearly 20,000 copies sold within its first two months.58 The book has received generous press and publicity, and even found its way onto the New York Times Bestseller list.59 Continued promotion and anticipation for the return of Twin Peaks will likely only increase attention and sales. For many, the shows and stories that grip us from the growing up years are often the ones that remain most vivid, creating a sense of nostalgia to which we want to return. Twin Peaks is perhaps such a place, and the pages of its secret history the road that beckons us back.

58 Nielsen BookScan. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://nielsen.bookscan.com 59 The New York Times Bestseller List, Nov. 2016. Accessed Dec. 4, 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2016/11/06/hardcover-fiction/?action=click&contentCollection=Books&referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Fbooks%2Fbest-sellers%2F2016%2F11%2F20%2Fhardcover-fiction%2F&region=Header&module=ArrowNav&version=Right&pgtype=Reference