The dark art of self-promotion

The reason will become apparent shortly, but I have had cause recently to consider the dark art of self-promotion (see also here and the links from Kevin DeYoung here).  I have tried to plot out what seems to be the standard approach:

• Want to read a book?  How about mine?
• Want to give someone a book?  How about mine?
• Looking to recommend a book?  How about mine?
• I know someone reading my book.  Read about him reading my book here.
• If you want to read about reading my book, you can read about it here and here and here.
• I will be writing at some length about writing my book in coming days.
• Then I will write about reading my book.
• If you want to read my book – everyone who is anyone is reading my book – you can buy it here, here, here, here, here and here.  Or here and here.  Or even here.  Oh, and here.
• Writing a book is a very humbling experience – I want everyone to know just how humbled I have been to have everyone talking about the book that I have humbly written.
• You should read this book.
• I would never wish to boast about my book: that would be wrong.  Instead, let me offer some links to people boasting about me: here, here, here, here and here.  Look at me humbly pointing to people telling you how great I am.
• Here are some further endorsements: Chief A said, “Great book.  Everyone in my tribe should read this book.”  Chief B said, “What a book!  Are you in my tribe?  Read this book.”  In fact, I went to all the chiefs, and now if you consider yourself part of their tribe, you should read this book, otherwise you’re not a very good tribesman.
• Really, if you had any sense you would be reading my book.
• Why aren’t you reading my book?
• Everyone else is reading my book.  What are you, Billy No-Mates?

I find it hard to reconcile the wise man’s advice – “Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips” (Prv 27.2) – with such shameless self-advancement.

At the same time, I am obliged to dip a toe at least into that foetid pool of self-promotion, because I have a book being published (a very humbling experience, etc.).  I have an obligation to the publisher and my co-author to at least make my readers – both of them – aware of this, and to do what I can to advance the cause, so to speak.  Therefore, expect at least a trickle of the unpleasant fluid from the foetid pool over the next few months.  I will try not to make it too repugnant, honest.