SWITCHERS: An “Elevator Pitch” for My Novel

I wrote a sci-fi/horror novel called Switchers.

They say you need what’s called an “elevator pitch,” which means: If you only have a short elevator ride to convince a person to buy your book, what will you say in that short amount of time?

So, when I have on breath with which to hook a potential reader, here’s what I say when they ask,

Switchers, huh? What’s it about?

Keep in mind a good elevator pitch, so they say, should be around 2 dozen words or less. Here goes nothin:

Teens in 1996 get pulled into a time travel war against their adult selves.

-Christopher Tallon, many times, to many people.

It just needs to be enough to pique someone’s interest, and quickly, because (in a crowded environment, especially) you need to be quick with it for you and your customers’ sake. And you’re already getting ahead of me with questions like:

People buy Switchers from the elevator pitch?

Sometimes, yes. Maybe, oh…one-outta-five sales, give or take. Approximately 20%, if you’re not into the whole fractions thing. But remember, you don’t always have to make the sale on the elevator pitch. I’ve sold more copies in person after a follow up. Which begs the question:

After the elevator pitch for Switchers, then what?

Most people give you a look. A little spark in their eye shoots off.

Or they just say, “Huh. OK. Good luck with that,” and walk off to something else.

But when they stop and give you the tell-me-more face, I’m quick with:

A few extra details about Switchers:

Teens in 1996, 3 girls and 4 boys, are pulled into a time travel war against their adult selves. These time travelers are called Switchers because they time travel by switching bodies with their younger selves. They do this because, in our near future, the planet becomes unlivable do to a parasitic “zombie” fungus (which is a real thing, by the way) that has evolved to attack humans. So they go safely back to 1996 in their kid bodies, while their kid selves are stuck in their adult bodies, in a hopeless future.

Also Christopher Tallon. Again, said many many times.

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At this point a lot of people say:

How much does Switchers cost?

$10 if you catch me at a live event, or at one of the stores in Grand Rapids that carries it; $10.99 on Amazon; or you can get a signed copy in the mail. (If you want it signed, that is. (In which case, fill in the name and/or type of message you’d like in the ADDITIONAL INFO tab below where you enter the SHIPPING ADDRES.))

Now, I’m not expecting you to just read this and take my word for it that the book is dope. I mean…it is, but of course, I’d say that.

Here’s a few references:

“It was really fast-paced, an intriguing premise, with lively characters. . .those two lines at the very beginning lending an ominous tone to suggest big things were coming in and fast.”

Jen S.

“The kind of book you don’t want to put down until it’s done. Christopher Tallon really raises the bar on sci-fi story telling and keeps you guessing till the end. Well done!”

Mike D.

“This story is so much fun! I like to think of whether I can see a book being turned into a movie or not (because that’s how so many great movies are made nowadays), and I could picture this in that medium every step of the way! What a cool idea, and the execution of each turn in the story was spot on! Loved it!”

JoAnn C.

“A battle between the future and the present entangle the unsuspecting lives of a group of young friends and drives them into a fight for their lives…and their future. [Switchers] keeps the reader guessing, draws the reader into the story, and leaves them on the edge of their seat all the way up to the climatic, breathe-taking conclusion. Switchers is a must read…”Nate W.

Nate W.

And a quick interview of me talking about the book on the local morning show: