Doing for Books in 2007 What MTV Did for Music in the 80'S; Author Richard Hains Creates a New Sexy, Edgy Promotional Tool: The Literary Video

Business Wire, Feb 1, 2007

NEW YORK -- Author Richard Hains is only too aware of the reality of the book industry: With 500 books published daily in the U.S., new authors have little chance of getting noticed--unless, of course, they give the market something never seen before, like a slick, smart, and edgy music video based on his new provocative thriller, an award-winning finalist in the mystery/ suspense/ thriller category of the Best Books 2006 Book Awards. It also offers a small glimpse into the life of a wealthy and successful yet reclusive hedge fund manager, gold mine proprietor, and a man known around the U.K. to be one of the hottest bachelors in London.

When Richard Hains, author of Chameleon, wanted to pump up the marketing volume for his racy novel, he turned to a young producer friend in London to craft what is sure to become one of the hottest new downloads on YouTube, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7geUpWUb04) or via Hains' Chameleon web site (www.chameleonanovel.com). Set to slick, funky music and shot around some of the most iconic sites of London, the Chameleon video is intriguing and alluring, drawing the viewer into the book, into the author, and into London's notorious fast lane.

The video is tied to the "Win a Weekend in London That Money Can't Buy Competition," which offers the winner an all-expense paid weekend with London's fast-moving bachelor at some of its best tourist and shopping sites, finest restaurants and most exclusive nightclubs in London.

Hains, a native Australian with a penchant for privacy, recently opened up his personal life to reporters from the U.K.'s exclusive Tatler Magazine, which flatteringly compared him to James Bond, Jay Gatsby and Thomas Crown. It's the first time anyone's gotten a glimpse into Hains' mystery-shrouded background, but between the book, the contest and the music video, his life is unlikely to remain private for long.

Chameleon is a sexy, fast-paced Wall Street thriller written by an insider who's spent a good piece of his life managing an intensely private hedge fund. "It is difficult to write a highly contemporary book about big money, high ambition and low morals without a solid thread of sex and drugs and rock and roll," says Hains. "This book is about a highly indulged trader who's played hard and fast all of his life. When an enormous deal goes spectacularly wrong, he finds himself in the center of a violent and intense manhunt."

Chameleon has been recently optioned by the highly successful producers of the award-winning film, "Hotel Rwanda." Hains has recently completed the final draft of the screenplay. The project is currently in pre-production, and this development project will be formally launched at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival in May.

The contest begins Feb. 1, 2007 and the winner will be announced at Book Expo America in June 2007. "I hope," says Hains, "that people will have fun with this. Sure it's meant to promote the book, but more importantly, I wanted to have a good time with it."

Title: Chameleon                Author: Richard Hains
Genre: Fiction/Thriller         ISBN: 978-0825305108
FMI: www.chameleonanovel.com
You Tube Clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7geUpWUb04