Depending on where you order, you can save 20% - 40% on your book orders. This savings can be passed on to your teachers and students, or you can sell the books for the full price and use your profit to help defray Darleen's speaking expenses.

Helpful Tips BEFORE Placing Your Book Order:

1. About five-six weeks before Darleen arrives, send home her ready-made book order form with your students. This will introduce Darleen to the parents and will take book orders.

2. When book orders and money start coming in, keep a tally of how many of each book is ordered. Then add two dozen extra books onto that number, and you should have a good "guesstimate" to place your order.

FYI-The average elementary school Darleen goes to has a population of about 500 students and will usually sell about 50 books. Sometimes schools will get grant money to purchase a book for every student. Please let Darleen know ahead of time if she is to autograph over 100 books so that she can divide the autographing time into several sessions to give her hand a break.

Remember--Place your book order a month before Darleen's visit or as soon as possible.

3. Three or four days before Darleen's arrival, send home the ready-made reminder notice  with your students. This will generate last minute book sales to those who didn't pre-order books. It also serves as a reminder to parents/grandparents who may want to come hear her speak.

Three Easy Ways to Order Books:

     Local Bookstores in Your Area

No matter what state you live in, most local bookstores are happy to help you with your book-ordering task.  They usually offer a 15 - 20% discount, do not charge tax, and allow you to return unsold books at no charge. BUT check with your local bookstore for specific details and to confirm this information.

In Oklahoma City area, Darleen suggests contacting Best of Books at: 1313 NE Danforth, Edmond, OK 73034. Phone: 405-340-9202 and 1-800-898-9202.  Fax: 405-340-9509.

Best of Books has handled many of Darleen's school visits in the Oklahoma City area, Place your order three to four weeks in advance (if possible)of Darleen's visit. Last minute orders may be subject to overnight shipping costs, so it's best to order in advance.

Also in Oklahoma, you can contact Kyle Brown who is the Oklahoma representative for Perma-Bound Books.  His contact information is: 1-800-644-7338 and 405) 447-4433.  His toll-free fax is: 866-442-9778.  His e-mail address is: kylebrown@perma-bound.com .

       Chain Bookstores or Superstores

If you want to order the books through a chain bookstore, such as Barnes & Noble or Hastings, you probably won't have much luck. They usually can't get the quantity of books you need from their warehouse, but it doesn't hurt to ask. Make sure, though, that they offer a discount of 15-20%, and order SIX WEEKS in advance. Three weeks after you place your order, contact them to confirm that they can indeed get the quantity of books you ordered. If they can't, you will still have three weeks to place your order elsewhere. Be sure to get back with them to confirm they can get the number of books you need. Some schools have told Darleen that the chain bookstores haven't confirmed their orders, so when the day came for Darleen's visit, they didn't have the books in time. So confirm, confirm, confirm. You don't need to do this, though, with Kyle Brown or Best of Books. (They've always gotten it right the first time and the books are there when needed!)

      Direct through Darleen’s Publishers

Usually publishers will give a 15%-40% discount to schools ordering books for author visits.

• For: Twister & The Flimflam Man--the publisher is:  Farrar, Straus & Giroux.

Books-hardcover and paperback-are available at a 40% discount. Wow--big discount!! 

To place your order call MacMillan (Farrar Strous Giroux) Customer Service at: 888-330-8477 or their main number at 646-307-5151 and ask for the department that handles Author Visit Book Sales. You can also email them at: customerservice@mpsvirginia.com. You can also email them at: fsg.publicity@fsgbooks.com

When ready to place an order, please have the following information available: date of Darleen's appearance, number of titles needed, billing and shipping addresses, and the name and telephone number of the contact person at your organization.

SORRY--The Pumpkin Man from Piney Creek, Operation Clean Sweep, and The Babbs Switch Story are currently out-of-print. Darleen is working on finding a publisher who will bring these books back into print. Cross your fingers! IF you should call Farrar, Straus, Giroux and they say they can't get my other books for your school visit, don't panic. Call Best of Books or Kyle Brown (their info is above) and ask them if they can get the books. They usually can OR call Darleen! She can usually get the books if you give her enough time--a few weeks! 

• For Will Rogers, Oklahoma's Favorite Son, the publisher is: Oklahoma Heritage Museum.

This museum is a part of the Gaylord-Pickens Heritage Museum in OKC. Just give them a call with the number of books you'd like to purchase and they will send them your way. Ask for the department which handles books for school author visits. Tell them you want to purchase a book that is in their I AM OKLAHOMA series and give them this title. 

When ready to place an order, please have the following information available: date of Darleen's appearance, number of titles needed, billing and shipping addresses, and the name and telephone number of the contact person at your organization.

Their phone is: 1-888-501-2059. Their web site is: oklahomahof.com. If you wish to purchase multiple copies of Darleen's book, you may be able to get a discount, so ask about this. Also, if you wish to purchase the entire I AM OKLAHOMA biography series, which contains 6 biographies about famous Oklahomans, you may purchase this series, as well. For a while, they had a special that if you bought 5 books, you got the 6th one free, so ask if they still have this special. 

• For Rosie Ross, Recess Boss, the publisher is: Rourke Educational Media.

Have the number of books that you want to purchase ready when you call them at: 800-394-7055 or fax them at: 888-355-6270. Their web site: rourkeeducationalmedia.com. They should give schools a discount for multiple copies, so ask about this.

When ready to place an order, please have the following information available: date of Darleen's appearance, number of titles needed, billing and shipping addresses, and the name and telephone number of the contact person at your organization.

   Again--if you have any problems with book orders please contact Darleen. She'll be more than happy to help! Email: darleen@darleenbaileybeard.com or just call her at: 405) 808-4355.