Sometimes referred to as a Virtual Book Tour, this handy promotional tool is a godsend for promoting online. It saves running around from town to town, bookstore to bookstore, guzzling gas and wearing down the most athletic author.
True this is also a lot of work, but mostly brainpower. The frustration level can be high, especially for the first timer. I’ve had a lot of questions from those who either have not tried blogging or have but haven’t hosted or held a virtual book tour for their own work.
All I know I’ve learned from a wonderful and informative Yahoo! group known as blogbooktours@yahoogroups.com At any rate, I’m rounding the corner. This is the final week before my tour kicks off and I have a long list of to-do stuff yet to accomplish. Soon I’ll post the schedule here. I have a newsletter to write for all my faithful readers so they’ll know when and where to start following the tour.
Everyone who posts comments along the tour stops will be in a drawing. I am giving away four signed copies of my books and one of those four will also receive a silver and turquoise ring from New Mexico, the setting for both of the books I’m promoting.
You can read first chapters of the books at links on this blog. You can read more excerpts at my website, which is also linked on this blog, or at additional links found here. You can also order a copy of each book by punching a link. That quick and easy.
The postings on the tour will be informative, historical, entertaining and I hope fun for those who decide to take part in the tour. It’s a time taker, I know, and all us writers certainly appreciate our readers who spend time online learning more about us and our books, how and why we write and also, if they’re interested, how they can get in this crazy business.
I’ve long been a mentor and am co-founder of a critique group that has helped young and old writers for the past twenty years. In the tour I’ve tried to include a couple of stops that will help struggling writers, some that will answer the curious about some of the background of my two books, and plenty of photos taken where the books take place. I’ve also rounded up some links for struggling authors who want to promote their books and their brand, which has become all important in today’s marketing.
Maybe you’ll get to know me a little better as well, as you follow the stops from July 21 through July 31. Mark your calendar and I’ll post the complete schedule later this week here and at other sites such as Facebook, Ning, etc.
I’ll try to post here every day this week, if at all possible, to keep you up to date. Ask questions in the comments and I’ll try to answer them quickly.
Velda Brotherton 