Marilyn's Musings

  Promotion has always been difficult: figuring out what to do, where and when: what on-line, and what in-person: what conferences to go to; book signings and other appearances: using paid promotion--what and how much. The in-person stuff has become iffy because of Covid. Boucheron, the biggest mystery convention of all expected this month, was cancelled because of the uptick of Covid. Fortunately for me and others, the much smaller PSWA went on as planned even though several of those who registered cancelled. The conference was wonderful. And I've not heard of anyone getting sick and it's been more than 10 days since it ended. Right now I'm planning two in-person events. A small book signing at our church, I've done them there before, and a talk and signing at the Porterville Art Gallery. We'll see how they go. As for online stuff, I'm in the middle of a blog tour--and a few copies of The Trash Harem  have been purchased.  I've been promoting the tour on Fa...

Creating A Buzz (Building A Platform) Branding yourself as an author—highlighting the types of books you write—can help you increase book sales. Create a campaign message and write a synopsis of your book tailored for marketing and PR activities in order to create buzz about your book. Author Branding Determine what distinguishes you as an author. Consider promoting yourself as an expert on a particular subject. For example, if you are a mystery writer, share information about police methods of a murder investigation or the science of forensics. Develop two or three speaking concepts that focus on a topic rather than just your book. Also, identify personal contacts who might refer you to potential speaking venues. Book Launch Start to execute your book marketing actions at least three to four months prior to publishing date. Determine the best day/time to have an in-person launch; consult bookstore owner. Invite people you know: friends and family, co-workers, the medi...

Too much on my plate. (Maybe that's anytime of the year.) Wasn't even paying attention to the fact I didn't have anything new on my blog--because I had so much else going on.  In my normal life, the big memorial day weekend is coming up--for me it's going to be a time to do a bit of catch-up and writing (hopefully). On Monday we celebrate a great-grands 14th birthday. She's special because she began her life right here in our home. We've had her breezing in and out the past 14 years. I've been spending some time doing promotion. A radio interview for a station in Wisconsin at 6:35 a.m. Because my household is noisy at this time in the morning. I did the interview in our bathroom. Worked great--nice and soundproof. And no, it didn't echo, old house, big room, no tile. I signed up for a book festival that's happening in October--The Big Valley Bookfest. I've been to this one several times. Last year, I got sick and couldn't s...

The last blog for my tour will be on September 20, but I have lots more going on to promote Seldom Traveled. I've book fairs and festivals coming up and a couple of speaking engagements--and I'm always ready for more. I had a great time writing this book and once I started it kind of went it's own way. I had no idea there would be a forest fire that would become a most important part of the book--or an eagle that would help Tempe. But that's what's so much fun about writing. Didn't the artist do the perfect cover for this book? I'm so pleased. I'll report back on some of the things as I'm doing them an how they turn out. Marilyn

Though I can't really know exactly what's up next, but this month I went to the Nipomo Library and sold and gave away some books. Everything else on my calendar has nothing to do with the book business until September.  On Wednesday, September 10, I'll be traveling to Burbank where I'll be on a panel about cozies at 7 p.m. at the Buena Vista Library. I've been to that library to do a panel once before and it has a wonderful meeting room. Anyone in that area, do mark your calendar, I'd love to see you. So what will I be doing the rest of this month? I'll be working on my next Rocky Bluff P.D. crime novel. It's moving right along and as usual, I'm having fun finding out what is happening with the men and women who serve on the Rocky Bluff Police Department on the job and at home. I'm also waiting for the edits of my next Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery which I've titled River Spirits and once again the Hairy Man is playing a substantial...

Number 9 in the Rocky Bluff P.D. mystery series is available now!    Yes, you can get it now from Amazon http://tinyurl.com/byxomtk So what's next? It's time to promote like crazy. I hope I'll start seeing some reviews popping up. My blog tour is already to go and it begins March 1. I need to plan an in-person book launch, but not exactly when or where I'll do that. I've ordered copies of the book but I always want to be sure they are here before I actually set up my launch. I'll see the book for the first time at the San Gabriel Valley Literary Conference at the West Covina Civic Center on Sunday, February 17. My publisher has sent 5 copies to be at the Oak Tree Press booth. The conference is all weekend, but I won't be there until Sunday afternoon. I'm hoping to have a talk at the Porterville Library and we'll see what else I can arrange. As you can see writing the book is only one part of the process.

Anytime you have a new book coming out, you must get busy figuring out promotion. Because I was going to do my own blog tour, awhile back I contacted different bloggers I know and asked if they'd be willing to host me on my tour for No Bells . As I received affirmative replies I lined up the dates. I also figured out a contest to hold on the tour. I asked each tour host what they'd like me to write about--and then I did it. Of course I had a standard blurb and bio to add to each post. I borrowed an idea from Pat Browning to use different photos of me for each blog, in most of them I'm at some kind of promotion event. I've ordered business cards with the cover on one side and information about the book on the other. I plan to hand them out at the two conferences that are coming up soon: Epicon in San Antonio and Left Coast Crime in Sacramento. I'll have other books for sale at these events, but I want people to know about the new book coming. Some of the even...

Do you just sit back on your laurels and wait for someone to tell you what to do? Or do nothing? I just heard about someone who had a book published and did absolutely nothing to promote it. Guess what happened, no books sold. With all the information out there about promotion, that's hard to believe. But I was just with a group of authors, a few published, some who are writing but haven't gotten there yet, and it was obvious they really didn't know what all was expected of them. Many publishers today want to know what your marketing plan right along with your query letter. What does that mean? They want to know if you are going to be able to promote your book. What are you going to do? What are you willing to do in person? A book tour? Go to book fairs and festivals? Maybe some craft fairs? Have you looked into what bookstores are available to you? How far are you willing to travel? Will you give speeches to writers groups, social and service clubs? How much rese...

I should have copies of my latest Rocky Bluff P.D. crime novel, An Axe to Grind , in a couple of weeks. I've already got a list of reviewers waiting for a copy, and I've been writing blog posts for the virtual blog tour I'm going on in March. Soon as the books are here, I'll plan the two launches that I'm doing in Springville where I live, and in Porterville, the nearest city. It's always exciting to get a new book you've written and actually hold it in your hand. I wrote this book for the first time several years ago when I was between publishers. It was sitting in my computer without a title. Titles used to come to me while I was writing the book, now I have to work a bit harder to come up with a good one. Actually the title An Axe to Grind came from the gal who edited the book for me. Anyway, I'll be promoting An Axe to Grind any way I can from now on. Marilyn http://fictionforyou.com

Yep, I'm off an running in planning my promotion for Smell of Death. Have the launch party lined up--have to make the invitations, but my posters to put around town are done. I'm getting bookmarks made (if you want one, let me know), and I've been working on some of interviews for the blogs I'll be visiting on my Virtual Book Tour. That is far more time consuming than you might imagine. You want the interviews or articles to be interesting enough that people will want to read them, and you have to make sure each one is different. In between, I've been skimming emails and trying to work on my next Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery. (Oh, and I did the laundry and changed the sheets on my bed--you know the stuff you have to do.) We are in the middle of the first big storm coming through California and there's a leak in my office. Hubby has put up something to catch the drips--but will have to wait until this rash of storms is over before he can do anything about the ro...

I do these blogs, not as faithfully as I should, but sometimes wonder if I'm wasting my time. I am on Chapter 5 of my as yet untitled next Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery. I've been doing a pretty good job of sticking to it, but Thursday I leave for Tampa FL and the WOW conference and will be gone until Monday and no writing will get done there. I know some people take their laptops on trips and continue to write, but I have enough stuff to lug and find when I'm busy at a conference or convention, when I get back to my room I'm ready to rest--or go to sleep. This month is far too full. I've already been to a Sisters in Crime meeting in Fresno, and to San Luis Obispo to a Book Festival--great fun. I'll be home for one weekend, then I'm heading off to Alaska and Bouchercon. Will report when I get back. October won't be much better. I have a class to teach one whole week--then an online class on mystery writing. I'm giving a talk on POV to a local write...

I suppose the most challenging event to arise is Mystery Writers of American's decision to approve and disapprove publishers based on the number of books printed on a print run, advance, author not spending anything to be published. Because a lot of publishers are now using print-on-demand technology to print books (including some New York publishers) they wait to print books when orders come in. This is ecologically sound, but something MWA doesn't approve of. MWA certainly can make up whatever rules they so desire--but as a member of MWA I sure didn't have any input into these new rules. My publisher is not approved, though Mundania has been trying hard to convince MWA they should be approved. They don't charge authors anything--they don't give an advance, but they do have a sound royalty system. I'm a MWA member and have been for years and that won't change as long as I pay my dues. The problem is now some of the mystery cons have decided that only those ...

The galleys arrived for Judgment Fire. I made the corrections and sent the pages back the fastest way possible. I'm on a panel about publishing at the San Joaquin chapter of Sisters in Crime on August 4th in Fresno--it'll be a miracle if I have books for that. I have been promised books by August 11th when my book launch is scheduled at the Springville Visitor's Center (my hometown). I'm publicizing it, so all I can do is pray. Speaking of praying, since Monday I've been one of the helpers at Vacation Bible School at our church. I've been herding around 6 12 year-olds, 3 boys --2 act like they are about 6, and 3 girls, one who acts or thinks she's does anyway, 18. We have lots of older teen helpers and the girls flirt with the males outrageously. My job is making sure they all behave as we go from Missions, Music, Recreation (wild and involves getting wet), Bible Study and Crafts. I'm not sure this is such a wonderful job for a 73 year old great-grandma...