NOW AVAILABLE!

NOW AVAILABLE!
A HERO'S SPARK: the final book in the Wicked Women series!

Monday, January 18, 2010

Behind the 8 ball and other cliches that describe my current marketing approach.

Good morning!


I was feeling all on top of things with the book, and then real life hit me!

With the new date for Dream in Color, it occured to me Saturday, during a WisRWA meeting, that I haven't done much in the way of actual Marketing for the book. Sure, I get on Bob and Brian every couple of weeks to plug the book and sure, I have two blogs and a very active life on Facebook. Oh, and I have promises from my favorite Starbucks, the Gelato place downtown, and another author friend of mine to hold book signings for me once Drean is out. But I haven't done all that other stuff other authors have done, and suddenly, with 8 weeks to go, I'm starting to feel the pressure BIG TIME!

First off, I haven't had book marks printed. Book marks are THE marketing tool for writers...I always thought they were silly, but the writers at the meeting all looked at me as if to say, "YOU MEAN YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN YOUR BOOKMARKS YET?"

Well, looking back it seemed silly to, given the number of times my release date has been changed, ahem.

But a website. I've been told I need one. I never understood why until this very moment and now I'm in a panic. My unpublished friends all have web sites and I always felt it was sort of silly to have a website. After all, I have two blogs and a very active life on Facebook. Why one EARTH would anyone want to find another place dedicated to ME?

I've been told that I can get a website built for as little as $350...to quote my favorite heroine, Scarlet O'Hara, "It may as well be three million." I have a hard time justifying the cost given that unemployment for hubby is going to barely cover FOOD. (He needs a job...please hire him! LOL!)

So, I'm thinking I like my friend Elliott's idea of taking donations through paypal. Elliott, care to let me in on how you did that? LOL!

My friends, don't think of this as a plea for cash. Think of it as a donation to the arts! LOL!

Okay, okay, I'm off to get some bookmarks printed...

4 comments:

  1. What?!?!?!! You don't have bookmarks??? I'm appalled.

    Actually, I had no idea that bookmarks were the 'in' thing. I have one in a book at home that I received when purchasing said book, it's certainly a promotional item. However, other than knowing that the paper Ken-doll-sized cutout is a CNN reporter, I couldn't tell you what it's promoting.

    And while nobody's donated to me yet, you'll surely get more response since yours is a noble quest, I just want a Cadillac.

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  2. I'm actually working on that website of my own thing, too.

    I've come to the conclusion that people who might want to read my book probably don't want to read my thoughts on the Cowboys/Vikings and anything else that I puke up on my blog.

    So, after I finish the blog fixing and shifting and such, I'm going to work on my own site. Of course, I'm not published yet, so...*shrugs*

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  3. I know, Elliott. They hand out bookmarks like candy at conferences, and everyone pitches them. I was holding out for pens or computer mouse pads, but the cost is way too high. So I guess I'll have to do bookmarks, as much as I think it's a waste of money, when good old shoe leather is a better way to go, in my estimation.

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  4. Mjenks, I know, I'm the same with Blogging and my off the topic thoughts, so a website I must have. But I'm clueless how to build one. Evil Bossman says I should get one on our business server at 1&1, which is like a nickle a month, but I'm thinking no website is maybe better than a bad website? Thoughts?

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