Pregnant and Waiting

by Normandie Fischer

Pregnancy is blessed, but there comes a time when a pregnant woman longs for the actual birth.

The last weeks of pregnancy compress the body and the soul. The mother’s womb has nurtured and cocooned her infant for almost nine months. She feels fat. Her contractions remain unfruitful, and there's often fear—for her baby and for herself. Some women—many women—fear failure and worry that all the work and all the waiting and all the preparation will be for naught. Because what if she fails?

Maybe we wrote it first on a manual typewriter, and it's still not a book!

We feel that way about our stories sometimes, don’t we?

Writers commiserate with one another. We talk about how long the process takes: the imagining, the writing, the polishing, and all that rewriting. The gestation period spans months or years, sometimes even decades. Our book baby’s pregnancy appears interminable. 

Our manuscript sits there, waiting, and fear settles on us. What if all our effort ends in something execrable, something even we as parents hate? What if our precious creation reads like nothing more than dribble, words without meaning, without substance? What if, after all, we’ve wasted all that energy, all those years? What if we fail?

All we want is for everyone to love our words.

On the other hand, what if we've convinced ourselves our work is the most beautiful compilation of words ever created? And what if—and we’ve all heard the horror stories—this masterpiece that came from our very being never finds a publisher?  Or what if our self-published work never finds readers? What if we fail?

To my delight, my daughter wants me at her side during her birthing experiences. As a second child and already larger than Little E, Finn seemed destined to arrive early, which prompted the doctor to suggest I hightail it north before Winter Storm Jonah paralyzed the city. I prepared to leave just as the airports began to shut down, which initiated Plan B. I caught one of the last trains to make it to NYC as the storm speared its way into Virginia, DC, and Pennsylvania, heading north. The next day, New York shut down under a blanket of white. Finn stayed tucked inside, and my daughter waited.

Sometimes our plans for the fast track to publishing fail, and we’re stuck with slower options. And sometimes we find the agent, hear the excitement, anticipate the delivery . . . and all we have is a waiting game.

Birthing seems to take as long as forever and be as far away as space.

The wait for Baby Finn expanded to a week. Then eight days. Nine. On the tenth, the pains strengthened, and we went to the hospital. When the command to push toward birth finally came, the effort seemed to avail little. Finn barely budged.

Sometimes we’ve progressed to the birthing room, yet our work seems stuck. Stuck in editing. Stuck in design. Stuck in a spiral that calls for patience and calm.

During my daughter’s first pregnancy, the doctor forced the labor and then the delivery, and the results weren’t pretty. She changed doctors for this next child, and the Haitian-born obstetrician filled us with confidence because of her calm and her skill. And although Finn took his time, he finally emerged, whole, happy, blessed, and his mother faced none of the complications from the rushed delivery of her daughter.

Rushing to publication is never a good idea. The process of birth takes time. Time for edits and rewrites to make our work the best it can be. Time to create a beautiful cover—which will be the initial point of contact with readers. Time for our work to mature until we’re no longer book-pregnant, but finally a book parent.

And then, of course, the focus shifts.

And we search for readers. Oh, please, let there be readers!

Normandie studied sculpture in Italy before receiving her BA, summa cum laude with special honors in English. Known for her women’s fiction—Becalmed (2013), Sailing out of Darkness (2013), and Heavy Weather(2015)—she ventured into the realm of romantic suspense with the release of Two from Isaac’s House. In early 2016, a novella, From Fire into Fire, will continue the Isaac House saga. Normandie and her husband spent a number of years on board their 50-foot ketch, Sea Venture, sailing in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico. They now live in coastal North Carolina, where she takes care of her aging mother.

Normandie's Website
Facebook
Amazon

Read More

"Two Types of Marketers" (Which One Are You?)

Have you heard this?
"There are two types of people--those who come into a room and say, 'Well, here I am,' and those who come in and say, 'Ah, there you are.'"*

The first--Type One- is focused on self. Type Two is other-focused.
I suggest that, as we market our books, we are too often TYPE ONE.

 Not sure? Put the question this way, "Does my marketing feel like I'm trying to shout and get attention in a busy room? Which type do others   perceive me as?" 

Having just put out a new release, my tendency is to be the first type. I want to rush into a room and shout, "Look! My new book is out! Look, look, look!!!" All I'm doing is focusing on me and my work. Despite my natural excitement, that method isn't going to sell many books.

A better alternative, according to Rob Eagar, marketing coach, is to cease trying to sell your book altogether.
You read that right.

CEASE.
TRYING.
TO.
SELL. 

But then what, you ask, am I to do? How am I to help move copies as my publisher expects me to? And how will my book sell if I don't market it? 

Become Type Two. Know what you offer and find the readers who need what you've got. Then, let them know how your book meets their need. This is quite different from "selling" to them. Instead, you're helping them discover your benefit to them.

You've heard it before: "Know Thy Reader." If we don't want to come across as the "Here I am," author, it is vitally important that we do.

Rob puts it this way: "Ask yourself, 'Who needs my value (the message of my book) the most?" Conversely, "Who stands to lose the most if they never get (my message)?"** While these questions are especially important for authors of non-fiction, even fiction authors can use these parameters to find their ideal readers. 

For example, my newest release, PULSE, is YA fiction. I could focus my marketing by searching out all the places on the web that YA fiction readers hang out and try to show them how my book fits their dream read. However--that's sort of like walking into the room and shouting, "Here I am! Look at my book!" That would make me a Type One marketer. 

The solution: By asking who needs my book MOST, I found that a small niche of YA readers fit the bill. (Those who want suspense, not just teen angst or romance.) Another niche of readers, preppers, fit the bill. A third niche of readers, patriot gun-totin' types, also fit the bill. So now I have three niches of readers who can benefit from my book, because it is a post-apocalyptic scenario that appeals to all three niches. The YA readers get three teen protagonists to root for, suffer with, and eventually triumph with. The preppers get to see how a family that included prepping in their lifestyle came out way ahead of the general population during a national disaster. The patriot types get to see the same family defend themselves successfully. There is soul-searching and God-discussions to make Christian readers who like this sort of stuff happy. 

The bottom line is that people in these niches don't just like such books. They LOVE 'em. Using Twitter as an example, I can tiptoe into the room and show my readers that I'm one of them. When I send out a tweet to the first niche, I use the #YA #Suspense #Christian #Fiction hashtags. Same for my posts on Goodreads. When I want to show the second niche what they're missing, I send out tweets with #Prepper #Fiction #Apocalypse #YA in them. For the third niche, I send out #Patriot #Gunrights #Fiction #YA. But using these hashtags alone isn't enough. I wrote out a list of twenty to thirty tweets to use for each individual niche of readers. In each tweet, I show them a benefit to reading the book. A benefit that appeals to THEM. 

I'll share three of my tweets, teasers, one for each niche, so you get what I mean. 

For YA Suspense fans: 
Feeling safe in your apartment building? So did 16 y.o. Sarah--until it happened. #YA #Suspense #Fiction #Christian http://amzn.to/1J7CybR.    (Link to the Amazon book page.)

For Preppers:
"Opening a #storage bucket, I got hit with a reality check--if not for these, we'd face hunger." #Prepper  #Apocalyptic #Book http://amzn.to/1J7CybR.

For Patriots:
"I'd enjoyed #shooting as a sport--but would we really need our #firearms to save our lives?" #Patriot #gunrights http://amzn.to/1J7CybR

Teasers are only effective if they hit the "tickle" spot for the niche you're trying to reach. Readers of YA Suspense love an element of danger, so I include that in my tweets. (The book oozes with it. Don't make promises in a teaser that your book won't meet.) For the preppers, the book affirms their world-view. (SOMETHING is gonna go down, sooner or later, and you'd better be ready!) For the patriots, the same holds true. (They just KNOW that the proper use of firearms is one day going to save their lives and maybe the lives of their families.) For each of these groups, there is affirmation in store when they read PULSE.

How do I know this? Because I'm a YA reading, hobby prepper, licensed carrier of a gun! (Gasp! Yes, me. It's my alter-ego to the sweet historical romance writer.) 
I KNOW my audience. I can walk into a room and say, "Ah, there you are." 

Now. Can you do the same?  

*Quote by Frederick Collins
**From, Sell Your Book Like Wildfire, by Rob Eagar


Linore Rose Burkard is best known for writing Inspirational Romance. As L.R. Burkard  she writes YA Suspense, and is working on the sequel to PULSE, Book One in the PULSE EFFEX SERIES. Find out: Can an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) really happen? Linore talks about it over at the website companion to PULSE. Click menu option: INFO.  

Read More

Keeping Promises to Your Readers by DiAnn Mills

Keeping Promises to Your Readers

DiAnn Mills

We writers get carried away in our stories. We’re so focused on building memorable characters and scenes with goals, problems, conflicts, and high stakes that we sometimes forget to keep our promises to readers.

Pro writers keep their promises!

At the end of the book, the reader is left scratching her head. What happened to Susie’s ill grandfather? Did Johnnie ever find the missing puppy? Did Mark and Joanna make up after their huge argument?

I’ve slipped and left my story hanging, just like you have done. Fortunately it was an editor who caught the problem and not a reader who was disappointed when her magic carpet tipped.

This is a no-no!

Writers make promises, and our readers expect them to be addressed no matter how small. They look like this:

I will find out who robbed the bank and make an arrest. Nothing’s made mention of the robbery again.

The 5K will happen in three months. I want to compete in it, so I’ll have to train. No mention of the character ever training.

Someday we’d like to have a child. No mention of this desire again. Is the character’s problem infertility?

When our car is paid for, we might look for a home to purchase. The key word is “might.” How does it pertain to the story? Does it need to be tied up before the last page?

5. Matt had a performance review in one week to get a raise. We never learn if Matt received
a raise.


I devised a method to ensure my story promises were fulfilled. It’s easy and it works. All it takes is a little time.

Pinky promise to the reader

Prepare a spreadsheet with columns that are labeled:

Scene Number
Page Number
POV Character
Promise Made
Scene and Page Number of Promise Kept.

As the writer completes each scene either in the draft stage or editing, she fills in the information. The result is no loose ends. Your story is ready to send readers on a magic carpet ride that doesn’t tip.


DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure.



Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. Library Journal presented her with a Best Books 2014: Genre Fiction award in the Christian Fiction category for Firewall.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers; the 2015 president of the Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope, & Love chapter; a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and International Thriller Writers. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.

DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on any of the social media platforms listed at www.diannmills.com.

Read More

Indie Christian Fiction Search Site~Overview by Author Connie Almony

Author Connie Almony

Hi, my name is Connie Almony and I am a creative problem solver. If you give me a problem that should be solved, I will shake inside until it is. That’s just how my brain works, and THAT’s why I created the Indie Christian Fiction Search site—Ickfuss (ICFS) to its friends. I saw a problem and I had to solve it.

Indie Christian Fiction Search Site

The Problem …

What was the problem, you ask? Well, there were a few.

1) Avid readers needed to find loads of books that would feed their insatiable need and target their interests, all without breaking the bank.

2) Christian readers needed to find a greater breadth of story, not often available through traditionally published books, while being within a biblical framework.

3) Christian readers needed extra information—that which is often missing from online retailers—before making the decision to buy.

4) Readers needed a way to search through lots of material that is easy, non-cumbersome and directs them right to books that interest them through search criteria and scrolling mechanisms that allow the reader to sift quickly through blurb excerpts.

Why were these my problems to solve? Well, because I knew it could be done, and yet no one was doing it.

Magazine View

The Focus …

Why focus on indie fiction, you ask?  … (Sigh) … My, but you’re an inquisitive group!

I haven’t always been an ardent supporter of indie fiction. I believe an author is well served when many eyes see her work before it is published. I also believe any product is best when it is formed by a group of people using their unique gifts (ie. The Body of Christ). So Indie always looked like someone who just didn’t want to play by the rules. (God often humbles me when I get too opinionated). I worried the work would suffer for it. But then the new era of indie publishing steam-rolled into being. A world of critique partners, beta readers, freelance editors and cover artists, Facebook writers’ groups, search engines and social media platforms. Not to mention the low cost (I mean, how much lower than $0 can you get) of uploading your ebook to an online retailer. All these factors increased the ability to create a better quality book with a smaller investment.

The game has changed, and so has the breadth and quality of fiction.

I didn’t mean to be an indie author myself. I sort of got conned into it by my critique partner, Mildred Colvin, and discovered there is a world of fiction out there that is feeding a need not met by the traditional houses. I have found a plethora of Christian fiction which has been deemed unsellable by publishers for a variety of reasons, be they time period (medieval), character choices (Viking, pirate, multi-cultural), settings (universities, cities, space) or subject matter (mistresses, drug addiction), and discovered worlds like the one in which I live, replete with sinners in need of a Savior. 

Additionally, I discovered that many of my favorite authors, when given the chance to write from their hearts instead of a marketing team’s idea of what “the public” wants, are EVEN BETTER when writing this way. Yes, you read that right—EVEN BETTER. And as an avid reader, indie fiction is a lot less traumatic to my credit card.

Quality of Writing or Marketing Guts?

So what’s not to like?

I’ll tell you what: many are concerned that because indie authors have not been vetted by the process of acquiring an agent or catching the eye of an editor, their work is not as good. The truth is I STILL suggest authors go through this process and hone their craft, before making the jump. But there is a point where the author realizes it’s not the craft, but the perception of the general marketplace that is holding him back from publication. Yes, it is nice to have someone “important” like you, but just because that someone doesn’t like you, doesn’t mean the rest of the world must ignore you as well. 

Many novels are rejected because the theme of their work has not been tested in the marketplace. However, in these tough times of the publishing industry it is likely nothing new will be tested until someone has the guts to do so. Therefore, lots of extraordinary ideas fall by the wayside.

Not with indie!

With indie publishing the READER is the gatekeeper, not the executive, nor the marketing team—honest-to-goodness readers who have a love for the written word, and a great story, just like you do. Independent authors often offer early books cheap (and even free) so YOU, the reader, can get a sense of who they are and what they write. Then YOU can decide whether or not you want to continue reading them.

It’s just a matter of finding this new breed of author.

Sifting Through the Muck …

But there is another problem. Traditional Christian publishing didn’t just vet for quality, it also vetted for biblical content. If you’ve ever gone “church shopping” in a very secular area (as I have) and you’ve seen the variety of agendas that come from groups that label themselves “Christian,” you will know not all people wearing that moniker promote the same sort of faith. In fact, in one of our independent author Facebook discussions, one of our members found a “Christian” group writing very decadent—and painful—forms of erotica. 

In these gate-keeper-less times, someone needs to step up and help us wade through the muck. Indie Christian Fiction Search (ICFS) is designed, asking the author to ensure a level of standard outlined in its Statement of Faith and Content guidelines, while informing the reader so he or she can make a decision as to whether or not the book is right for them. I also hope readers will return to ICFS to comment on books they found either exceptionally inspiring or not quite their cup of tea—respectfully, of course. Again, the reader is King here!

Sidebar View

Finding the Right Books for You…

So now readers will have access to information on a larger breadth of biblically-centered fiction in one place. The next trick is how to search through all the titles to find the one for you.

This is the fun part!

I had a vision from God. Or at least, my mind kept playing images of an old template I’d used for my blog and the many “views” it allowed that would make a quick search of a large amount of material very easy. So I decided to try it out by posting a bunch of friends’ books to the site. I’d been pondering how to do this because, frankly, I find most book retailer sites cumbersome and less fine-tuned to my needs, requiring lots of clicks into things I eventually have no use for. The largest online book retailer comes close, but does not allow for a page full of blurbs under search criteria ready to be scanned. It only gives a page of book titles, cover art and price. With Indie Christian Fiction Search (ICFS), you can plug in search criteria and watch the cover art float across the page. 

It’s really cool :o)!!!

Indie Books by Genre

Then you can change the “view” of the site and scroll through book blurbs selected by genre or search criteria and pick through the ones that look good to you. There are a number of ways to do this. It’s just a matter of finding the one view that works best for you.

So if you are an independent Christian fiction author and would like to have your novel listed on Indie Christian Fiction Search (ICFS), please enter the site, read through the Statement of Faith and Author Guidelines, and if it’s a good fit—submit. Please review the guidelines each time, as they may change. I will be adjusting things to streamline the site’s functionality.

If you are a READER, looking for something reasonably priced and potentially unique, please check out the “How to Use This Site” page and see how much fun a book search can be. Try out all the views and feel free to tell me what works best for you. Indie Christian Fiction Search (ICFS) will be growing vastly over the next few months so make sure you drop by again. There is also a newsletter you can sign up for that will include links to new titles, and hot-picks, keeping you regularly informed of the latest in indie Christian fiction. I promise, it will not be sent out more often than quarterly. And don’t forget to come back and let us know what you think about the books you read. 

Remember, YOU are the gatekeeper. YOU have the power. Use it wisely ;o).

Sign up for the newsletter NOW and be entered to win a $20 Amazon gift card. The winner will be notified on November 1, 2014. Here is the link.

~Posted by Heather Day Gilbert

About the Author: 

Connie Almony is trained as a mental health therapist and likes to mix a little fun with the serious stuff of life. She was a 2012 semi-finalist in the Genesis Contest for Women’s Fiction and was awarded an Honorable Mention in the Winter 2012 WOW Flash Fiction Contest. Her newest release, At the Edge of a Dark Forest, is a modern-day re-telling of Beauty and the Beast about a war-vet, amputee struggling with PTSD.

You can find Connie on the web at ConnieAlmony.com, writing book reviews for Jesus Freak Hideout, and hosting the following blogs: 

InfiniteCharacters.com, IndieChristianFictionSearch.Blogspot.com, and LivingtheBodyofChrist.Blogspot.com.

You can also meet her on the following social media outlets:

Twitter

Facebook

Pinterest

At the Edge of a Dark Forest on Amazon

Cole Harrison, an Iraq War veteran amputee, wears his disfigurement like a barrier to those who might love him, shielding them from the ugliness inside. He agrees to try and potentially invest in, a prototype prosthetic with the goal of saving a hopeless man’s dreams. 

Carly Rose contracts to live with Cole and train him to use his new prosthetics, only to discover his dark world of alcoholism and PTSD. Can Carly help him fight this war and discover the man he is destined to become? 

At the Edge of a Dark Forest is a modern-day retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Only it is not her love that will make him whole.
Contemporary Christian Romance. 

Read More

Buddy the Wonder Dog by DiAnn Mills

Buddy the Wonder Dog

By DiAnn Mills

Taryn Young, my heroine in Firewall, finds a friend in a German shepherd. I’m not an detailed plotter, and when Taryn spotted the dog, so did I. He appears on a dark night in a precarious situation when she needs a friend. Her world is shattering around her, and she’s frightened. The dog became a dear friend, and she quickly named him Buddy. Throughout the story he exhibits loyalty and unconditional love. Often he lays his head on her lap when she’s discouraged and stays by her side when she’s in danger.

German Shepherds may be better than a boyfriend!

 I fell in love with Buddy too. So I did more research on German shepherds. I learned they are listed in the top five most intelligent breeds of dog. They are fast learners, eager to develop new skills, and used extensively in K-9 units as bomb sniffers, drug sniffers, search and rescue, and various branches of the military. German Shepherds are suited as guard dogs. Although they can be aggressive, they can be trained to obey their owner. No wonder Taryn fell in love with this beautiful animal!

I posted the question to my Facebook friends about their experiences with German Shepherds. Some of their responses were the dog’s sweetness, protective nature, devotion to family, and loyalty. Others mentioned unconditional love and alertness.

One man told me how his German shepherd walked between his toddler and the street, never allowing the child to step into danger—The dog was not used as a babysitter, but the father observed this. The same gentleman told me about his dog playing hide and seek with his children. I loved his stories!

A woman confessed to loving her German shepherd to the point of attributing her fondness to that of a child.

Another woman valued her dog’s keen sense of smell. She was involved in K-9 Nose Work.
  
I wanted to own German Shepherd until I realized I don’t have the yard size needed for the dog to exercise. This breed has tons of energy and must have a way to work it out. If I’m to have a dog of this caliber, I don’t want to be selfish and not provide for its needs. Maybe a home in the country is in my future. :)

But I can admire from a distance and envy all you who have these wonderful animals.

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She currently has more than fifty-five books published. Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne
Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers; the 2014 president of the Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope, & Love chapter; and a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and International Thriller Writers. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.
DiAnn is also a craftsman mentor for the Jerry B. Jenkins
Christian Writers Guild. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas. Visit her website at www.diannmills.com and connect with her on Facebook
(www.facebook.com/DiAnnMills), Twitter (@DiAnnMills), Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/DiAnnMills), and Goodreads
(www.goodreads.com/DiAnnMills).

Available now!

   

Read More

Lisa Bergren ~ Creative and Collaborative Marketing Tips

 
Lisa T. Bergren is the author of over forty books, and the latest is the Grand Tour Series, beginning with Glamorous Illusions and continuing on with the newly released Grave Consequences and the upcoming Glittering Promises. When she’s not messing around on Facebook or Twitter, she’s usually researching or writing her next project. She lives in Colorado Springs with her husband and three children. You can find her at LisaBergren.com, Facebook.com/LisaTawnBergren, and @LisaTBergren.

Collaborative Marketing
By Lisa T. Bergren 
 
So you’ve shouted the news about your new release on Facebook, Twitter, and your author web site as well as covered it in your author newsletter. How else can you get the word out about your book?

Form a Website/Blog Loop

In 2012 I released a YA series and after another author read Waterfall, I was invited to take part in an ABA-oriented scavenger hunt, in which I hosted a YA author and yet another hosted me. We formed a loop of about 30 stops, and it was so successful, it’s been oft-repeated and gone on to incorporate more than 100 authors, with three separate arms. Now everyone wants in, but you can’t always take part.

What readers loved was that they both gathered clues for a potential prize, but also learned about new authors they’d never heard about. What writers loved was that readers who had never heard of them, now had, and were buying their books.

So I brought that same concept over to my Christian-fiction pals, and we formed a loop last summer and fall, and will do so again this May. Each hunt has brought me at least 1000 new visitors to my web site, and gotten at least 900 to focus on my name, title and cover for a minimum of a minute. You just can’t buy that kind of advertising.

Do you have 6-10 author friends with published works? Consider rallying the troops for your own version of our scavenger hunt! Figure out the dates, get firm commitments from all involved (if you have a broken link, you’re in deep weeds), and then get your party started! Speaking of parties…

Throw a Twitter Party & Invite Your Author Pals

In conjunction with the last hunt, I had my first Christian Fiction Twitter party, which was fairly successful. It’s hard to judge how many took part, because many see the Twitter stream but don’t jump in to comment. I’ll try it again this summer, and do more build-up to hopefully get more engagement. But let’s face it. If you’re into Twitter at all, there’s a voyeuristic aspect that’s kind of fun. If someone’s dialoguing with another, you can click on that person’s stream and put the conversation together. It’s almost like listening in. And readers get a special thrill over listening to authors talk to one another. It’s like being given entry to a secret club. Why not give them that thrill and talk a lot about one another’s books? They’re listening. Even cooler? Use a unique #hashtag and readers can continue to discover that conversation for months to come! Speaking of conversation with friends…

Cultivate Friendships with Book Bloggers

Let me introduce you to your new BFFs: Book Bloggers Who Already Adore You. They won’t think of your new coziness as usury. They’ll think of it as mutually beneficial. J You’ve likely been sent 25-100 free copies of your newly published books. These weren’t meant for your grandma and her buddies at the retirement center. These were really meant for you to give to influencers--people who will influence others to all flood the bookstore or online retailer and buy your book. Now if your grandma is one of those, give one to her. But then move on to book bloggers!

PLEASE NOTE: There are more and more book bloggers all the time. Savvy women have discovered that if they commit to blog, books will come. What you want to find are those book bloggers who both have some decent traffic and engagement on their site, but also LOVE YOU AND YOUR WRITING. You’re looking for the kind of blogger who would, honestly, promote your book, even if they had to go borrow it from the library to read/review. The kind of blogger who talks, and people listen. Know of one…or ten? Send ‘em a free, autographed book. Consider offering another as a prize if they do a special post or interview with you, which you can, in turn, link to on your Facebook author page (you have one of those, right? No? Get thee to the Book of Face immediately and create one!)

AN ADDITIONAL NOTE: If you’re an indie-published author, many book bloggers refuse to review you. I know. It stinks. But there are some who will—and it’s even better if you can send them an e-file rather than go through the expense of posting a paperback. Check the blogger’s guidelines to find out if they’re open to indie- or self-published works so you don’t burn that bridge you’re working so hard to build.

So there are a few ways to take publicity from lonely to a corporate experience. Bring in your friends and have fun with it!

Read More