Marketing a Book and the Author

Children's Cottage at Forest Grove McMenamins

I had a fun time this past weekend attending a symposium put on by the Northwest Independent Writers Association in Forest Grove, Oregon.

When I wasn't teaching a workshop on craft I sat in on the Marketing workshops. I feel this is an area that I'm lacking. I came away with some wonderful ideas. The first ones I picked up from author Chanda Hahn. She writes for the teen audience and has science fiction and paranormal elements in her books. Her philosophy is not how many people she can acquire as friends on Facebook but how many comments she can get for one question. And the way she does that is by giving away something if people answer a question on FB. The methodology behind that is the more comments one post gets the higher in the algorithms the comment goes and more people see it. Chanda also mentioned a site called Pic Monkey that allows you to edit photos and use them to make online banners and ads.

Danita Cahill and I teaching a workshop

The second workshop that helped me was Indie Marketing 101 by authors Delilah Marvelle, C. Morgan Kennedy, and Therese Patrick.  I've sat in on C. Morgan and Therese's workshop on Author Marketing 101 and Delilah is always full of wisdom and humor. This workshop opened my eyes to some things I could do to show readers what is coming next by having covers up of  the whole series with the publication dates underneath and provide a printable book list, listing the books in the order of the series.

And the best thing I learned that should make my readers happy, is give your loyal readers new release alert and allow them to purchase the book at a reduced priced when it first comes out. That my readers is something I can pass on to you for being loyal and something I've felt bad about in the past and now know how to do.

So keep your eyes peeled to this blog and my website to find out how that is going to work!

What did you do this past weekend? Anything fun?

Monday Mulligan Stew

I had a nice sleep over with Jessa Slade and her dog, Tallulah, on Friday night and Saturday night. Saturday was a fun though rainy road trip with her, Jenna Bayley-Burke, and Delilah Marvelle. We didn't have a whopping turnout at the book signing, but our new friend Estela Williams brought along her marketing husband Patrick and we received a mini workshop on marketing from him, which I found interesting. Then a NaNoWriMo writer stopped by and asked us great questions and after the serious writer talk was over, he told us about an erotic bakery. Delilah's eyes sparkled and the rest of us were curious, so we took a detour to the bakery and saw things... well let's just say it would have been an erotic writers dream field trip.

One of the marketing things I learned-do a monthly newsletter. I didn't want to inundate my fans so I've put out quarterly newsletters. Starting the first of the year, they will go out monthly. If you aren't on my newsletter list and would like to receive my holiday letter with a recipe send an e-mail to hihocowpatyatyahoodotcom.

Wednesday Promo- Delilah Marvelle

Today I have back a fun lady who writes about the sexual awareness in the Regency period. The delightful Delilah Marvelle. She's here to tell us about her second book Lord of Pleasure.

BIO:
I spent my youth studying various languages, reading voraciously, and playing the pianoforte. I confess that here ends the extent of my gentle breeding. I was a naughty child who was forever torturing her parents with countless adventures that they did not deem respectable. Confined to my room on many occasions due to these misadventures, I soon discovered the quill and its amazing power. The reason why I write romance and will continue to write romance is because it allows me to touch upon the subject of love on a much deeper, more intimate level. Many of the stories I write, many of the stories I will continue to write, will always revolve around love. And yes, gentle readers, it will also revolve around sex as I have no intention of becoming my parents and restraining my characters from what it is they truly desire to do. I challenge you, my readers, to let loose of those corsets that have been strung too tightly due to convention and enjoy 1830 to its fullest.

Why do you write regency set romance?
Although people think I write Regency, 1830 is technically the "Romantic Period." Neither Regency or Victorian. But time period is definitely closely linked to Regency. Which has always fascinated me. From dress, history, to the way women and men lived and interacted with one another. Growing up, I always loved fairy tales and to me the Regency period fit into what I saw in my mind as a time for fairy tales. Because I've researched so much of the Regency and Victorian period, and continue to research it, I don't see myself writing anything else.

You include interesting information in your books. i.e.contraception and toys. How did you become interested in this part of history?
I have a blog called A BIT O'MUSLIN at www.DelilahMarvelle.blogspot.com that focuses on sexuality throughout history every first of the month. I collect and research books relating to sexuality in history and weave that into my blog where I touch upon everything from toys to courtesans to origins of such things as the strip tease. What always fascinated me about sexuality in history is people's perception of sexuality today compared to days of old. People today seem to think people were more reserved and prim and proper and followed societal rules. Ha. The reality is people were just as naughty then as they are now. They simply had to "sneak" it in and if they were wealthy and powerful, they more or less got away with anything. It was the upper middle classes who had to really pay attention to their virtues and good name as they could easily fall down the societal ladder which they were trying to climb up.

What is your favorite research book and why?
My favorite research book is SEXY ORIGINS AND INTIMATE THINGS by Charles Panati. It's my favorite because it covers everything naughty throughout history. Everything from contraception to lingerie to vibrators. It only touches briefly upon certain subjects, so I have to actually further research things, but the ideas are so well gathered and chronicled it really is my favorite.
A side note: I purchased this book after asking Delilah what would be a good book to learn more about the history of sexual activities and I must say it is some interesting reading!

The Blurb for Lord of Pleasure:
Once upon a time, Alexander William Baxendale, the Earl of Hawksford, was known to all of London and its besotted women as the Lord of Pleasure. Those days of frolicking, however, come to an abrupt end when he inherits not only the estate, but all of his father's responsibilities, including five, overzealous sisters and a not-so-proper mother. When Alexander meets the beautiful Lady Chartwell, he once again finds himself yearning for days of old. Left penniless by her philandering husband, Lady Chartwell survives financial ruin by turning to scandal and becoming the Conductor of Admissions to a school that educates men in the art of seduction. Alexander knows that desperate times call for desperate pleasures, but if he's lucky, it may very well lead him to a hell of a lot more.

Here is a special three chapter excerpt people can link to:
http://www.themysticcastle.com/pdf/pleasure1_3.pdf