The Man Who Sent the SOS by Paul Amirault
To launch Paul Amirault’s book promotion campaign for The Man Who Sent the SOS: A Memoir of Reincarnation and the Titanic, I offer an article that ties into a news hook—the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Paul’s a book promotion client, and he’s also a dear friend. I’m so excited that the book marketing for The Man Who Sent the SOS is beginning in earnest!
April 15, 2017 marks the 105th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, and more than a century after the ship sank on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York—and nearly two decades after the release of James Cameron’s epic film—interest in the doomed liner remains high.
In January, the BBC aired a new documentary presenting evidence that the infamous Titanic iceberg has gotten a bad rap over the years. The filmmakers claimed that a raging fire in a coal bunker—which had been going on for days—had significantly weakened the ship’s superstructure in the area where the collision occurred, allowing the iceberg to easily compromise the now-fragile hull.
The same month, Forbes Magazine published a feature story revealing that Titanic co-discoverer Robert Ballard’s successful Titanic search in 1985 was actually a cover operation for much larger Navy spy mission. According to Ballard, the real purpose of the expedition was to investigate the wrecks of two sunken nuclear submarines, and the Titanic expedition was concocted as an afterthought to prevent Russian intelligence operatives from knowing what the Navy was really up to.
At the end of January, a museum in Germany opened a new Titanic mega-attraction: a 360-degree panorama of the wreck site, created by artist Yadegar Asisi, which allows visitors to explore Titanic without the aid of submarines.
Of course, for those with more money to burn—and who’d prefer a more authentic experience—a high-end American concierge service called The Bluefish offers tourists the chance to visit the wreck in person. According to the firm’s website, participants will board the Russian submersibles Mir 1 and 2 (the same vessels used by Cameron for the filming of Titanic) and plunge two-and-a-half miles to the ocean floor for their own intimate encounter with the ship. The cost: just under $60,000 per person.
And finally, on April 11th, American TV producer Paul Amirault is releasing a book called The Man Who Sent the SOS: A Memoir of Reincarnation and the Titanic. The author has memories of the life of Titanic’s chief wireless operator, Jack Phillips, a 25-year-old British man who died in the sinking. The author said that Phillips’ tale became clear to him during past-life regressions. Amirault explains, “Because Phillips helped save the lives of hundreds of Titanic passengers, I felt I owed it to him to tell his story as he saw it, and as I was able to experience it, too."
So it looks like Titanic mania isn’t slowing down any time soon. And that’s a wonderful opportunity for Paul Amirault and his book, The Man Who Sent the SOS. For more information, visit Paul here.
Stacey J. Miller is a book publicist. She is the founder of S. J. Miller Communications, a Boston-based book publicity firm. Visit her online at www.bookpr.com.