So great to have you here! The books look great. :)

I am all over Twitter and Facebook (which is a much bigger time suck, if you let it be) even have the Twitter feed on my website. But I agree, Twitter is easy, one line ideas, thoughts, and I even like the sort of "I have to haul out the vacuum now" tweets, because it reminds us we're all just people doing normal people things while we're trying to write books.

For me, all of it, Twitter, FB, boards and Cigars, are primarily about being social -- I enjoy doing this, I like to chat, and I do it daily, whether I have books out or not. Promotion is, for me, a side effect or companion of something I would be doing anyway, and did for years on other sites before I was an author. I've been active online since the early 90s, so this is second nature for me. It's also my "water cooler" seeing as working from home, I don't get the chance to go to an office and visit with people. My website is probably my only purely promotional online presence.

I actually dislike, and I think most people do, folks who use social networks only for promotional purposes. For me, then, their posts are like TV commercials, and I tend to skip. I pay more attention to the people I socialize with and get to know.

Otherwise, I have never made bookmarks or whatever. I like to make personal things, like my bags, and give those away, or send out books, but that's about it. I might do a booksigning at some point, but haven't yet. I guess I figure I would rather be home writing, as the best promotion is having books on the shelf. :)

Anyway, great to have you here!

Sam

Great post, Linda. Thanks for stopping by Cigars.

I was in Borders yesterday and saw something that blew my mind. Stuck into a mega-bestseller on the face-out shelf, was a book with a xeroxed, hand-cut bookmark sticking out of it.

Why did this blow me away?

Because I've been wondering where to spend $$ for the promo for my next book, and the idea of $200 to print thousands of professional-looking bookmarks was giving me pause. And now, this bestseller, had XEROXED hers? Black and white, no less. Or maybe Borders did it. But it caught my eye and made me pick up the book. I thought, this lady is SMART. She's doing something I've never seen before. She's doing it before anyone else. And she didn't spend any money.

To me, that's what promo is all about. Being first, being fast, and being cheap. The very definition of Twitter (for the next two months, anyway)

That's why I just started "tweeting," even though I don't really get it.

Okay, off to add Linda to my "following" list.

Great to be here. I think it's fascinating to see what other authors think works about promo. Even more fascinating is what readers think. So glad to hear your opinions because I really think you do a greart job of putting yourself out there online. Me, not so much. I'm really kind of a solitary writer and some of this is hard. But I do think it's sooo worth it!
Thanks for your ideas!

Hey Diana, What an interesting story about a best seller. I'm glad you're an optomist and believe that author meant to catch your eye as a gimmic. I think I would've wondered if she had run out of promo money. LOL
Being first at something-or at least in the next five-is always a good thing. Promo and plots both work better for the first authors there.
Thanks for posting!

Reading blogs does help me find new authors -especially if they are group blogs. I may go to an author's website and then if there's a link for a blog, I'll click and read away. That's how I discovered this site and a couple others.
I don't Twitter or MySpace - I don't feel comfortable showing myself that way.
Promo from an author - I like winning books because more than likely after I read the freebie I will buy more of that author. I do like bookmarks and pens. At work people look at the pen I use, but I don't know if anyone bought a book based on that. I don't do t-shirts, but I do carry a tote bag I won from Dianne Castell to work every day.
I think the best tool for me lately in deciding who to buy has been from blogs and contests on author websites.

Hi Linda,

I have to say this is the second time recently I saw your book and the cover is selling me! What a great image. I think that's a big part of why it's nice to blog and be on other sites--sharing the "look and feel" of your work can attract people.

My husband sells promotional products so I made travel mugs last year before RWA and gave away about 150 of them at the conference. They were dirt cheap and attractive, so I figured what the heck, nothing to lose. Turned out nothing to gain either. I track my web hits and I can tell you I didn't get any influx of hits after the conference from people reading my web address on their mug. (I didn't really expect a big jump, but 0 was definitely interesting.)

I think a great investment every author can make in the promo department is learning how to do their own web site. Doesn't have to be fancy--the Blogger and Word Press free sites can look fantastic. Then the author has control over the flow and timing of information and no ongoing expense to balance against the promotional possibilities. I love doing my own web site.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Your book looks great.

Hello Linda!

I do read a few author blogs, but not too many. i have a regular group that i read on a regular basis. I do myspace, ever since my mother and sister started on it a couple years ago. my friends are family and tons of authors that i read, and sveral new finds for me. so thats always a plus.
as for contests, i like them as a reader, i have gained a few new autheros after winning books on here.
I do like bookmarks, and pens of course. No i dont think ive ever visited all of the authors sites who have given them to me, but if they write in the type of book i read then that would lead me to their site. I also love meeting the authors in person at signings and conferences, its nice to meet the auther who writes the books you cant put down.(
I already have my domain name and will start building my site soon, i'd like to get one up now and get my name out there for when i do get pubbed, keep your fingers crossed.
Your book looks very good, good lucj with your writing.
jody lynn

I do read several blogs; love to see what new books are coming out as well as the excerpts.

I read lots of blogs. I have a Facebook and a MySpace page and I do enjoy Twitter. I find out lots about upcoming books, new authors and get to interact with authors and readers through these venues. I love it.

I'm a bit of a slow adopter, so while I love blogs, I have yet to Twitter, and don't spend much time on Facebook or MySpace--I imagine they can be rather time-consuming, and I have little enough of that as it is! That said, if it works for you as a medium, use it! Clearly lots of people are Twittering! I think that whatever kind of social thing is comfortable for you is what you ought to do--the point is to get yourself and your books out there, and whatever works for you is the perfect start. I don't know if I'd suggest forcing oneself to use everything under the sun if it doesn't click for you--that just seems like a punishment!

I have found a lot of new authors by visiting blogs.

I don't care for myspace, twitter, etc. I waste enough of my reading time blogging.

Hi Linda, as a reader I do visit a lot of blog and yes I have won a few book. I also met a lot of new to me authors this way. I didn't realize until I started blogging just how many authors are out there and how good their book where. I was alway into historical and that was about all I read until I started blogging and found other things out there. I found the Intrigue line and loved them. Now I read a little of everything historical, paranormal, mystery, you name it I read it.

I don't know much about twitter and don't plan to find out any time soon. Facebook has been enough of a time stealer, albeit a fun one.

As a reader, I generally find out about new authors from other readers, favorite author messageboards (that allow discussion about other authors), recommendations from this one particular employee at the Borders near me, or displays at bookstores or the library that catch my eye. I always read the book section of my local newspaper, though it is shrinking and tends to be rather snobby about what books it reviews, and look to see if an author will be at a local bookstore or the library for a signing.

The only blog I read through on a regular basis is this one. I appreciate the personal touch by writers who reach out to their readers whether through a site like this one, FB or other site. That means more to me than a pen or bookmark, though those are nice too sometimes.

I have found out about new books from monthly emails from Writerspace (I think that's what it's called -- I have a bad headache right now and can't think straight). I often enter contests for some of the authors on their email, but mostly I use that information to learn of new releases.

This has been great! You all are so welcoming. I've learned a lot, talked to some old friends, and hopefully made a few new friends. Thank you!

I let my hubby draw names (he actually used his hat - fishing cap) and the winners are... MarcieR and Lead Bottom !!
Send me your snail mail addresses and I'll get your books right out. Email me at: LindaConradbooks@aol.com

Thanks again all!

What a great way to start a rainy Friday!! I've read a couple SRS and enjoyed them - so I am looking forward to yours. Which also means discovering a new author :)

What a great way to start a new month! Thanks, so much! I am going to e-mail you now!

Heck yeah, I participate. I have made some of my best friends online. They love the same things as I do. And it's so easy to connect. Sometimes it doesn't work, but like real life, you live and learn.

I love to win things. Yes, I think online communities help me find new to me authors, as well as blogs. There are so many books to choose from. If you have a small connection through a messageboard, blog, or community it makes it more real.

Congrats to the winners!