** aLtErNaTiVe #marketingstrategy 2 **

Make a Video (besides a book trailer)

This generation loves videos. Well, videos and movies originate from WRITERS! We need to remind folks that reading is a great alternative to watching mindless shows sometimes - they need to exercise their brains with some reading!

And maybe watching a video can bring attention to our books. To show you how easy it is, I put together a video with some advice on how to make one!

One thing I forgot to mention, solicit help from friends - you are not alone!

I hope you enjoyed my amateur marketing video advice and maybe it was helpful! Thanks to all my volunteers - they're awesome! And there's more to come...

Thanks also to those who have volunteered to help with my Cover Reveal and Release of CRADLE ROCK - Again, here's the FORM if you're interested. I'll be contacting everyone soon about the COVER REVEAL on SEPT 1!

Have a great MONDAY! And wish us luck - it's our first day back to school =)

~~~ ALTERnative #marketingstrategy 1 ~~~

ORGANIZE A DEMONSTRATION!

Not to make light of true protests calling for attention to real problems - but a fun gathering in front of a bookstore or library - with their permission. Though it's a free country, we don't want negativity associated with our books, so make sure everyone knows it's a positive event to promote reading and a book release or signing. Come up with a cute chant to go with it. And provide some refreshment. I bet Half-Price Books would be thrilled for the publicity and it might even bring some news people! Doesn't it sound fun?

Here are a few slogans I came up with for my books to show you what I mean...

Now, if I could just rally some friendly protestors to help me!


By the way, THE THING THAT TURNED ME Anthology purchase links are just about ready. Poor Randi Lee, she's had one setback after another! But we all understand.


And I'm recruiting helpers for the Cover Reveal and Release of CRADLE ROCK - Here's the FORM if you're interested. THANK YOU! (Here's a cover teaser...)

What do you think of the Demonstration idea?

Come back next week for another unconventional marketing strategy!

Have a fantastic week!

A Month of #marketingstrategies

Welcome to this month's IWSG post - writers supporting writers every 1st Wed of the month! The question for August is:

What was your very first piece of writing as an aspiring writer? Where is it now? Collecting dust or has it been published?

My first piece of writing (and calling it a piece is very appropriate) went through many changes before I abandoned it in a file. It was called One Last Night when I started it. Now it's Jacks & Jills & Jezebels. It's about a group of girls who go bar-hopping in the 90s for a bachelorette party. There's lots of fun, excitement, and of course chick-lit drama. I even started a second story about the wedding and the bad behavior of the bridesmaids...

I had to give it up because it required way too much work, bad writing, no clear theme or direction, just a big mess! I would basically have to start over. Plus, it was based loosely on my twenty-something friends and experiences, but probably too closely for comfort. Not to mention, Chick-lit was on the way OUT!

But it was great reminiscing and growing and learning how to really write, which led me into the writing world and then on to get my first book published.

My IWSG worry this month and steadily this year is Should I keep going? Is my publisher going to drop me if my successive books don't sell well?

But I have to keep going. I have goals to reach and make new ones all the time. So that's why I keep coming up with new ways to market. Plus, I'm going to keep searching for an agent who can hopefully help me navigate the deeper publishing waters. I really just want to stay afloat!

My IWSG advice for today is GO FOR IT! If you have the drive, even if you change gears, keep steering for the goal!

And now, here's my BIG NEWS!

I'm counting down to the release of CRADLE ROCK! And I'm ready to start recruiting VOLUNTEERS. I really appreciate the interest some of you have already shown and will be sending some ARCs this week. Now, to get more organized I have a nice neat

FORM 

You guys are the BEASTLY BEST!! (and if you know me, you know I like to reciprocate and reward my helpers!) And I also have some fun, exciting, creative new ways to pump up the promos - check it out!

The rest of this month, I'll be talking about these and other OFF-the- beaten-like-a-dead-horse-PATH Marketing Strategies. It should be interesting (and possibly embarrassing). You don't want to miss it!



And one more thing - The Thing That Turned Me anthology is set to release Friday!! So many wonderful authors participate in showing how one moment can change a characters life.
Add it to your Goodreads list today!



Happy August! Have a great week! and Thanks for stopping by!