Yes, I’m in promotion mode again. Well, an author who wants to sell books should be in promotion mode all the time—handing out bookmarks, talking about your book, dropping copies off in hospital lobbies and doctor office waiting rooms, for example. But there are times when an author must shift his/her promotional efforts into high gear.
My latest Klepto Cat Mystery, Mansion of Meows is out! It debuted last week. So I am contacting my email list to make the big announcement. I’m getting in touch with those who have reviewed at least some of the other eight books in the series. I’m setting up a blog tour for a week in March. A blog tour is where you schedule visits to a different blog site each day where either the blogger writes a review of the book or the author is guest blogger. Sometimes you offer a free book to one of the visitors. That generally attracts more comments—folks who comment are automatically in the drawing.
During this sort of promotion blast, you might leave comments at appropriate blogs. I don’t use this opportunity to simply announce my new book. I find a topic I can legitimately comment on and maybe mention the book in passing or note it along with my name at the end of the comment.
I used to try locating some of those who leave positive reviews of my books at Amazon. But that turned out to be a go-nowhere proposition. Such a shame. There are sometimes negative remarks I’d like to follow up on. If there’s a problem for a reader, I want to see if I can fix it—but I can’t fix it if I can’t have dialog with that reader. These negative reviewers often just hit and run.
As for those leaving positive reviews, even though they might leave a name, it is usually impossible to locate them. What do they do—use a fictitious reviewer name? I know that some of them are legitimate reviewers with websites and blog sites. But locating them is a mostly impossible chore.
But, alas, Amazon, for the most part, has our back. If you—the author—are promoting your book and sales are substantial, the folks at Amazon will promote your book to those who have bought your other books. That’s the beauty of the series.
Authors use their social media sites to keep potential readers informed about their books.
Another way you can promote your new book is to blog about it. I have two blog sites. One is devoted to cats and cat books. http://www.matilijapress.com/catscapades I’ve already posted an announcement there. Why not also bring it up here? Some of you might be interested in cozy mysteries and cats. So what is the premise of the Klepto Cat Mysteries?
Description
The Klepto Cat Mysteries are light, fun cozy mysteries full of adventure, intrigue, and a little romance. They feature Rags, an ordinary cat who just can’t keep his paws off other people’s things. Often, the treasures he finds are clues in a mystery. Follow Rags’s fascinating life path from when he and Savannah were single and he roamed the neighborhood stealing everything from toys belonging to large dogs to jewelry and bathing suits. Rags and Savannah don’t stay single long. After meeting Michael, a handsome veterinarian, Savannah settles down, but the cat doesn’t change his thieving ways. Even though his kleptomaniac habit is annoying and embarrassing to his family, he has earned the respect of the local sheriff’s department and he was even asked to star in a documentary.
Mansion of Meows is number 9 in the series. This is probably the most eerie of the stories. The Iveys take Rags to the premiere of his documentary, which is held at a mansion in San Francisco. This mansion has a deep, dark secret; and leave it to Rags to discover it. What kind of guests accept your hospitality and, in exchange, reveal your dirtiest secret which sends the lord of the manor to jail? If you like adventure and drama, with a little fun and lightness along the way, you’ll enjoy Mansion of Meows. Available for your Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Mansion-Meows-Klepto-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B00TJ9D7T4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424273448&sr=8-1&keywords=mansion+of+meows