As marketing budgets shrink and publishers reduce staff, it's hard for a first-time author to get traction in a crowded literary field.

GalleyCat caught up with debut author Josh Bazell to talk about the campaign for his brand new book, Beat the Reaper. His publisher sent this novelist and medical doctor on a pre-sell tour, visiting booksellers around the country before his book even hit shelves.

In this exclusive video, Bazell shares his experiences from the pre-sell tour--taking the pulse of national bookstores at the same time. Have you participated in a pre-sell tour? Share your thoughts about this publicity technique in the comments.