Marianne Wiggins, USC College professor of English, is promoting her latest novel The Shadow Catcher with a two minute video. In the video, Wiggins talks about the novel which includes the life of photographer Edward S. Curtis and a modern day character named “Marianne Wiggins.”

Simon and Schuster launched a new online site www.bookvideo.tv, which will also have its’ own channel on YouTube. Wiggins is one of 40 authors taking part in the launch.

Wiggins chose to shoot the video on the Santa Monica Pier. In an interview with the Associated Press Wiggins said, "The pier is a place I go to frequently for the healing properties, for standing at the edge of the continent. There was no script. It was all very informal and easy to do. It took about an hour.”

She also told the AP she was all for it when the publisher asked her to make a video to promote her new book.

"I don't know any writers these days who would say that it is beneath their dignity to make a video. Sales have been flat for publishers and I want to find readers. If my publisher suggests something like this to me, I'm certainly going to go hand-in-hand with that endeavor."

To read more about Marianne Wiggins, please click here.