Gearing Up, Influencers Need

Filed in: Book Reviews | Contest Stuff

Cristine Bolley once told a class I attended that successful authors spends at least 40 percent of their time marketing. Before publication, you spend it networking, shopping proposals, making queries, researching publishers. After publication, you spend it networking, speaking, signing books, emailing fans and review sites, maintaining a blog.

I certainly believe it. In less than three months, The Taking of Carly Bradford releases and conference season starts. I spent much of this weekend getting the conference stuff organized and the marketing efforts started. I feel somewhat “scrubbed” since a lot of the tasks were items hanging over my head for months – emails needing answered, reservations made, books sent, etc. I have a bunch of stuff to take to the PO tomorrow.

And, if Steeple Hill is true to form, I’ll receive my author’s copies in early March. So I’ve started to line up influencers – folks who will read the book and post reviews on their own blog (if they have one), as well as on the major book sites, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If you’re interested, please email me at ramona01@ramonarichards.com with your name and mailing address, using the subject head CARLY INFLUENCER.

The first 10 people to sign up will receive a book from my first shipment. The next fifteen will receive them from the second, which will come in May.

Just as a reminder, here’s what Carly is about:

A blue sundress and white sandals. That’s what eight-year-old Carly Bradford was wearing…right before she disappeared. Three months later, Dee Kelley spots the sandals in the woods and knows she’s uncovered evidence. Dee lost her husband and child—she won’t let another mother suffer as she did. She will help police chief Tyler Madison find Carly, whether he wants her assistance or not. But Tyler isn’t the only one determined to keep Dee off the case. And evidence isn’t all that she’ll find waiting for her in the woods.

And don’t forget I have a new contest running, even though the new books aren’t on the site yet. If you want to be entered, include that with the email.

And those conferences? Upcoming events include:

Written in the Stars Conference, Shreveport, LA, March 6-7
Heart of Dixie Readers Luncheon, Huntsville, AL, May 2
Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, May 17-21

If you’re going to be at any of these, stop me for a chat. I’d love to hear from you.

More later.

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