July 3, 2014

Book Reviews (XXXI)


                     How to Promote and Market your Book 
                                                                by Madi Preda
                                                                                                            Synopsis
 How to make the most of social media marketing, where to start? Detailed, accessible and practical advice on what to do and how to do it. Planning and research are often forgotten in the rush of get a book published and drawing up a marketing plan and carefully planned campaign are the only way to ensure the success of your book and to meet the readers' requirements.See the benefits in minutes.
Who is it For: Any author who wants to create and launch a successful book, or people who chose publishing as a career.

How to Promote and Market Your Book provides concepts, terms, tactics, new techniques and innovative strategies.

What It Will Help You Do: This guide walks you all the way through the development of author’s brand and improving sales. Madi Preda covers a wide range of topics: brainstorming, marketing plans for different genres, figuring out your target market and the right niche, designing a website or a media press kit, dealing with social media, using email marketing and having a launch to be remembered.
What’s Included: This efficient guide includes valuable resources lists, such as book bloggers, publishers, literary agents, newspapers and magazines, independent booksellers, Facebook groups,sites to promote a book, and radio shows for authors. Following the author's lists you can pitch media, request an interview, send newsletters to booksellers, and set up your virtual tour.

How To Promote and Market Your Book by Madi Preda is an easy to read and understandable guide designed to help every author to chart their own path and stand up and say to the world “Here is my book” and communicate the message from between the covers in an original way that calls to action and makes their book a must read.

The readers will:

- understand why a strategic planning can be a significant advantage

- get used to marketing techniques tailored to specific genres including guidance in identifying the right audience and find useful contacts

- build a strong online presence and author’s platform while learning strategies for maximizing exposure and increase sales.

 About the author


Madi Preda is a freelance publicist, who started doing promotion for books and writers when her husband published his two novels.Authors PR Madi Preda works with authors and publishers to create effective online marketing campaigns for traditional, self-published and print-on-demand books. At Authors PR she promotes all genres, including romance, mystery, thrillers, inspirational, spirituality, self-help, how-to, literary fiction, business, parenting, relationships and more. She created publicity campaigns for many writers, traditional or self published, publicizing more than 50 books within a year of launching her first campaign. Madi is helping authors to gain more exposure and media coverage through her online marketing campaigns and as a result of her experience she decided to write a practical guide for authors, or aspiring writers, in marketing, explaining step by step how to make a book successful from the manuscript stage to wholesale distribution.
 

https://www.facebook.com/bookspromotion
                                                   My review


I will start my review with the author’s own words: “Writing a book without promoting it is like waving to someone in a dark room. You know what have you done but nobody else does.”
 As an author with a released book on the market and two more in the edit stage, I was extremely interested in reading this How to… type of book. It's the area where many authors shy away--book promotion. I am pleasantly impressed as it’s written in an easy to understand and friendly way, explaining step by step what to do in order to get your book to readers, marketing trends, and how to make them work to develop your brand as an author and improve sales. It’s intended  both for writers who have only a little experience in marketing and public relations, but a huge amount determination to succeed, as well as for professional writers..
Tips for Networking and Social Media, Blogging – Tips to attract readers, 30 Book Marketing Tips, Virtual Book Tour are only a few of the steps every author self published or published with a publishing house must take. Many writers fall into the trap where a book is written and assume it'll reach the masses automatically. As we all know, this isn't the case Staying aside, doing nothing and waiting people to hear about your “masterpiece” is a huge mistake that will be mirrored in the big Zero in your sales report. After each chapter I found myself really thinking about the concept, and trying to figure out how I could apply it to my situation. I also thought that the advice on Blogging – Tips to attract readers, and How to Generate Sales for a New Released Book and promoting via Pinterest is better than I read elsewhere.
Complete with List of Independent Book Distributors, and Case studies the resources in this book will give you plenty of ideas to carry out and promote your book. Buy, read and apply this book. Don’t miss your best chance to promote your book and yourself. Highly recommended.
                                     My rating Five Stars 
                              
                             

July 1, 2014

Guest Promo (XVI)


My guest today is Annette Drake, author and friend from the United States. Let's give her a warm welcome. She presents her book:  
                   A Year with Geno

Blurb:
Single-mom Caroline Taylor wants nothing more than to make a home for her two young sons in Eagle River, Alaska. The only problem: an eviction notice.
When the perfect rental falls through again, she and her boys move in with Air Force sergeant Geno D’Antoni and his two teenage sons. It’s only for a year, so she can polish her credit rating and save a down payment to buy a home. It’s a perfect plan.
Or not. When Geno stands up to Caroline’s bully of an ex-husband, he retaliates by suing for full custody. Then Geno’s ex-wife, spurned by her fiancé, moves back in. She wants Caroline out. Now.
The tiny spark of passion between Caroline and Geno sputters and dies. Or does it? Maybe they had no chance with the chaos from their pasts eclipsing their future. So why does Caroline rush home to share all the details of her day with him? Why does she haunt Geno’s dreams? And when exactly does your best friend become your future?
One thing’s for sure: it’s gonna be a heck of a year! 
 Buy link:Amazon
Excerpt 
After her shift ended, she picked Charlie and Bobby up from school, and they drove to the address. The sun was setting, but there was just enough light for Caroline to make out the house. The driveway hadn’t been plowed, so she parked her car on the street.

She tried to hide her disappointment from her boys. Discarded hubcaps, tires and a broken chair were heaped on the front porch. The front door looked as though only the frost held it in place. A car on blocks occupied most of the driveway.

Leaving the motor running, she told the boys to stay inside where it was warm, and she climbed out to go peek in the windows. She stepped lightly on the hard-packed snow. Climbing the three steps to the front porch, she saw no lights on in the house, but she knocked on the front door anyway. When she did, a hound bayed at the house next door.

When she peered through the dirty windows, any sliver of optimism died. Caroline saw overflowing black trash bags, a pile of clothes and more broken furniture in the living room. One of the ceiling panels hung at a precarious angle.

“Wow. What a dump,” she said aloud.

“Can I help you?” a tall, dark-haired man asked.

Caroline screamed. “Oh, my God! You scared me!”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Well, you did!” she yelled at him. Her rapid breathing made plumes of vapor in the cold air. “Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to sneak up on people?”
“I’m sorry. I’m leery when people stop at this house, with all the trouble we’ve had from these neighbors. I’m sorry.”
He extended his hand, and Caroline looked into his brown eyes. She saw his apology was sincere. She thought she was tall at two inches shy of 6 feet, but he towered above her.
“I’m Geno D’Antoni. I live in the house next door. I heard my dog barking, and I was afraid these folks came back.”
“Caroline Taylor,” she said, shaking his hand. “I was considering leasing this house, but it looks so run down.”
“It is run down. So, they’re trying to rent it now, huh? I think the city might have a problem with that, considering how clogged-up the septic tank is.”
Geno stepped off the porch to the bottom of the short stairwell. Caroline turned her back on the house and slowly stepped off the cluttered porch, her hands extended as though to balance herself on the slippery wood. She reached for the wrought iron banister but it was shakier than she was.
“Can I help you?” he asked, offering his hand.
“No, I made it up here, I can make it down.”
She stepped onto the top step, and her right foot shot out from under her. She fell down the steps and landed on top of Geno, knocking them both into the snow.
“Oof!” he cried.
Caroline stood up as quickly as she could. “I’m so sorry. Let me help you up.”
She reached for him, and he gave her his hand. She helped to pull him up.
“Oh my God, you’re heavy,” she said, starting to laugh.
“You’re not exactly a petite flower yourself, missy.”
“I’m so sorry,” she mumbled before she doubled up with laughter. Finally, she stood and said, “I’m sorry. I’m just having the worst week.”
 “It’s okay. Is there anything I can do?” he asked.
“No. No, but thanks for the warning about the house.”
She turned and faced the sagging front porch. “I’m an optimist by nature, but not even I could find much to be hopeful about with this place, especially if the septic tank isn’t up to code.”
“That’s just one of many problems. The last tenants tore this house up pretty good. You can do better. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine. Thank you.”
He walked to her car and opened her door.
“Is it nice inside, Mom?” Charlie asked.
“Does it have a fireplace?” Bobby asked.
“I’ll tell you guys all about it,” she said, climbing into the car. “Thanks, again,” she said to Geno, looking up into his brown eyes. He shut her door. Driving away, Caroline glanced in her rearview mirror. She saw Geno wave as she drove away.
  Buy link Amazon
Author bio


Annette Drake is a multi-genre author whose work is character-driven and celebrates the law of unintended consequences.
A Year with Geno, her contemporary romance set in Eagle River, Alaska, wasreleased on summer solstice, June 21st. Annette’s second novel, Bone Girl, premiered in March from Baskethound Books and is available in ebook, print and audiobook. Her debut novel, Celebration House, was published last August by Tirgearr Publishing. Now, Annette turns her attention to regaining her sanity and writing the two sequels to Celebration House. Both books are slated for publication in 2015. She left high school after two years to obtain her GED and attend Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, where she earned a degree in journalism. Annette worked as a reporter and editor for newspapers in Missouri and Kansas from 1987 to 1993. After earning a bachelor of science in nursing in 1994, she worked in hospitals in Missouri, Alaska and Washington before returning her focus to writing. Annette makes her home in Spokane, Washington. A member of the Inland Northwest Writers Guild and Spokane Authors & Self Publishers, she loves libraries, basset hounds and bakeries. She does not camp. Much.


How to connect with Annette:
She loves to hear from writers. Please email her at: Write2me@AnnetteDrake.com.