Tuesday, February 17, 2015

On Book Marketing and the Kid Lit Blog Hop #54


I've been told that in the days before the Internet writers spent most of their time writing. Oh sure, there were appearances at bookstores before adoring fans when authors signed books by the hundreds. Authors also went on the road visiting strange bookstores in strange cities. However, mostly authors wrote.



Even back in 2009, when Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend was published, writing still occupied most of my time. In April 2015, Guinevere will have been published six years, and in those six years, the publishing world has been upended and has yet to right itself. Changes have become a daily happening, and for writers, new challenges line up before them like kids who are offered free ice cream.




We writers must write and also become marketing gurus. Most days can be overwhelming even for the best of us. However, we must continue to soldier on and do what must be done. And so, in addition to writing, editing, and marketing our manuscripts, we must also find avenues to expose our writing to a world much wider than just a few years ago. That involves hours of exploring websites offering author marketing services and becoming adept at social media.

And that brings me to my latest marketing endeavors and possibly some new avenues for other writers to use.

1) This week a fairly new site that I discovered and joined in 2014, Author Shout, has entered the cover of Sons of the Sphinx in a cover war with four other authors' books that it represents. The prize for the top cover is free exposure on the Author Shout website and through social media as the Book of the Week. I'm excited to be offered this opportunity for showcasing Sons of the Sphinx, and I ask for your support. Voting is free and each person can vote once a day until the war ends at 8am Eastern on Sunday, Feb. 21. Here is the link: http://authorshout.com/cover-wars/.

2) I've been introduced to a new social media site: Triberr. An online friend of mine told me I needed to join, so I did. You can check out my Triberr page here. The idea is to join other tribes and start your own. Well, I've joined some, but it is pretty lonely there. I am a tribe of ONE! Any tips will be appreciated.

3) On Friday, Feb. 20, I start an online tour with Double Decker Books. The company came to my attention when I was perusing FaceBook pages. The pricing was reasonable, the package—Big Ben—offered the most complete services with reviews, spotlights, and author posts. I will be posting my schedule on Friday. Below is my tour banner.


Also, if you would like to review Sons of the Sphinx on this tour, here is the sign-up link:



4) My webmates and I have a new Pinterest board for our combined website The Quest Books. We hope you'll take time to stop by and 'Like' us! In fact, I'm headed over there to do some pinning,

but first:

Welcome to the 54th Kid Lit Blog Hop where we continue to develop a dynamic and engaged community of children's books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists.

On this Hop, Carpinello's Writing Pages interviews
MG/YA Christian author Christina Weigand
and
YA author Melanie Hooyenga.

You are always more than welcome to join us by popping in a post and hopping around to meet some of your fellow Kid Lit bloggers and authors! This week, we are excited to be including a Twitter Linky Party to be held in conjunction with the Kid Lit Blog Hop. These linky parties are designed to give you the opportunity to connect with and grow your network of fellow kid lit bloggers, authors, and parents through your various social media platforms. We are pleased to be welcome a new permanent KLBH host with us (you'll remember she co-hosted with us a few weeks ago!): Rebecca from A Book Long Enough, a wonderful new book blog written by a librarian and Mom of three. Big welcome Rebecca!  

Hostesses:

Mother Daughter Book Reviews

Julie Grasso, Author/ Blogger

Cheryl Carpinello, Author / Blogger

Stacking Books

BeachBoundBooks

Pragmatic Mom

Best 4 Future: Bringing Up Baby Bilingual

Reading Authors

The Logonauts

A Book Long Enough

 

Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop!

Kid Lit Blog Hop
 

Kid Lit Blog Hop & Linky Party Rules *Please Read*

1. LINKY PARTY: Add the link to your Twitter profile page in the Twitter Linky Party list below. Be sure to visit at least the two links directly before yours, say hello and retweet or follow as per your interests. If you do not have a Twitter profile, you are welcome to link up a different social media profile (Pinterest, Facebook, etc.). 2. KID LIT BLOG HOP: Link up any Kid Lit related post in the Kid Lit Blog Hop. This can be a link to a children’s book review, a discussion about children’s literature/literacy, or a post on a recently-read children’s book or one that you love from your childhood.
* Don't link directly to your blog, it must be a specific post.*
* For Authors, we prefer you to link to your blog if you have one. Please link unique posts each time ~ no repeats please. *
* Make sure you include an image relevant to the POST (e.g., book cover), not your blog button or photo of yourself.*
* Feel free to link more than one post.*
3. KID LIT BLOG HOP: Please visit AT LEAST the TWO LINKS from the Kid Lit Blog Hop directly ahead of your own and leave them some love in the form of a comment. We are trying to build a community of bloggers, readers, parents, authors, and others who are as passionate about children’s literature as we are so please CONNECT and follow any or all of the blogs that interest you! 4. If you like, grab the button above and put it somewhere on your blog, preferably the post you're linking up. If you'd prefer, you can just add a text link back to this Hop so that others can find it and check out all these great book links! 5. It would really help us get the word out about the Kid Lit Blog Hop if you would be so kind as to tweet, share, and spread the word about the Hop!

Happy Hopping!

 

TWITTER LINKY PARTY

(Please do not link up a post here - see below for the Kid Lit Blog Hop)

KID LIT BLOG HOP

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10 comments:

  1. Jemima PettFebruary 19, 2015 at 3:40:00 AM MST

    Thanks for the marketing tips, Cheryl. I think you're right that publishing has changed, and the ease of getting published means there are more books out there to swim with - hence the need to be able to wave at our potential readers and say "Here we are!" Before I self-published my 'marketing' time was spent sending out letters and manuscripts to more agents and publishers who promised to send them back if I sent a stamped addressed envelope. I never got one back!

    I'm really grateful to have linked up with a lot of great readers and supportive co-authors through the Kid Lit Blog Hop (among other things). The most difficult thing is marketing to potential readers rather than other authors, and I wonder whether Triberr could lead to just spending more time with the same tribe?

    I'm having to step out into new pastures with my new book; White Water Landings is my Dad's memoirs. Fortunately I can start with a 'warm' audience of flying enthusiasts. I hope! But it's not a kid lit book.

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    Replies
    1. ccarpinelloFebruary 19, 2015 at 10:20:00 PM MST

      Hi Jemima. Thanks for stopping by. I agree that the Kid Lit Blog Hop has been so helpful. So glad I joined permanently. Say, Good Luck with your memoir. What a special gift for your family.

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  2. Hummingbird (20SecondsWithMC)February 19, 2015 at 5:28:00 PM MST

    Great post, Cheryl!
    I looked into Triberr but there are so many social media outlets, I had to draw the line somewhere. I have yet to have the pets make it to Instagram or Triberr and many others. #NeedMoreTime I voted for your cover - good luck on that and with your blog tour! I adore the way they list their packages on that site. As always, thanks for hosting the #KidLitBlogHop!
    ~Cool Mom for
    The Stanley & Katrina Gang

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    Replies
    1. ccarpinelloFebruary 19, 2015 at 10:22:00 PM MST

      Thanks for stopping by, Cool Mom. I have an Instagram account, but have done little. As of this evening, I think I have 2 tribe members!!! Thanks for voting. Have a great weekend.

      Delete
  3. AnonymousFebruary 20, 2015 at 3:59:00 PM MST

    Awesome! These are new to me. I was starting to run out of ideas.Thank you! #kidlitbloghop

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    Replies
    1. ccarpinelloFebruary 20, 2015 at 5:36:00 PM MST

      Thanks for stopping by, AJ. I'm trying to do some different promos this year. I still plan on using Renee (MDBookReviews) for a tour early in the summer. Hers are always good.

      Delete
  4. booksFebruary 20, 2015 at 4:31:00 PM MST

    I am tired just reading all the great expectations for authors. What a brave new world. How do you balance the writing versus marketing? Do you have a set amount of time/posts/strategic plan to attack the behemoth of social media?

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    1. ccarpinelloFebruary 20, 2015 at 6:21:00 PM MST

      Hi Jenny. Thanks for stopping. It's a struggle, that's for sure. I burned out last fall & my online promo was nearly nil. I've a couple of sites I belong to that Tweet for me (Independent Author Network & Author Shout) and I try to use HootSuite to schedule days in advance. Been slow getting up to speed on that though. Everyone says designate a specific amount of time/day to be social, but I struggle with that. Luckily through the Kid Lit Blog Hop, I'm part of a good group of supporters who RT and help me.

      Delete
  5. CarrieFebruary 21, 2015 at 1:35:00 PM MST

    Hello - found you via Kid Lit Blog Hop! Great site!
    http://readingwithauntcarrie.blogspot.com/

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    Replies
    1. ccarpinelloFebruary 22, 2015 at 11:07:00 AM MST

      Thanks for stopping, Carrie. Hope you come back. Thanks for joining the Kid Lit Blog Hop!

      Delete

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