Marketing Saturday with author Denise Robbins

I've decided that Saturdays need to be my marketing day. Why?

Gee, cuz during the week I have to drive to work in South Boston and who can be creative after that. :-)

And because first thing this morning I sold a book so it seemed like a good day to focus on promotion.

Went for breakfast this morning at Sammy J's around the corner from me and one of the ladies asked if she could buy a copy of It Happens in Threes. What a great way to start the day!

Did I tell you I got the "You don't say no to girls. . .who do it and write about it" T-shirts?

Well, I did. Actually, I will be picking up some larger size T-shirts this week from Kim and Deb at www.youdontsaynotogirls.com. In honor of those T-shirts they made especially for me and all us writers, I thought I would try to come up with something fun to so readers of It Happens in Threes can also get one of the T-shirts.

Don't you want one?! Well, you might if you saw a picture of it. Sheesh! I guess I have to get someone to take a picture of my hiney - I mean backside just like on my book cover so you all can see the very cool shirt.

While I try to devise a wonderful contest, I am sitting in my home office with the cats not so patiently waiting to be paid attention and try to focus on my upcoming radio interview with Don McCauley of Free Publicity Focus Group http://www.freepublicitygroup.com.

Speaking of interviews, my friend and mystery author CJ West, is going to be hosting a new blogtalk radio show. Here is a link to his website http://www.22wb.com/. Anyway, I have to send him a copy of It Happens in Threes today so he can read it before I guest a spot on his talk show. I hope he is prepared for a heart-stopping romantic suspense! :-) Not to worry, I did forewarn him.

In the meantime, I am also working with Jeannie Ruesch of www.willdesignforchocolate.com on my next book trailer video for Killer Bunny Hill that will be out in July just in time for the national RWA conference. I'm just so excited I get goosebumps every time I think about it.

OH! And I so need to update my website at www.deniserobbins.com. I realized yesterday that I had not even posted the logline that my friend and mystery romance author Nora LeDuc at www.noraleduc.com helped me craft after about 25 email exchanges. Nora's latest book, Murder Came Calling, will be out in June.

Plus, I haven't even listed my next book event that is scheduled for July 11 at the Toadstool Bookstop in Milford (www.toadbooks.com) with author Diana Rubino (http://www.dianarubino.com/) and celebrate her latest release A Bloody Good Cruise along with Killer Bunny Hill.

With my next release coming out in July, I have to get my friend and author Jessica James of http://bookexposure.blogspot.com/ to create my next press release. Seriously, Jessica is the best when it comes to creating the right message for the media.

Okay, is it me or has this job thing truly interfered not with just my writing but my marketing and promotion.

Sheesh! I still owe a response to the Friday Creative Writing Prompt.

With all that said, and , how do other authors manage it and stay sane along the way?

Feel free to share, rant, toss ideas, or just tell us who you work with on your promotion or what you like to see.

Authors Promoting Authors

Tina-Sue from Author Promoting Authors blog just posted information about It Happens in Threes. Stop by and leave a comment. http://authorspromotingauthors.blogspot.com/2009/04/it-happens-in-threes-denise-robbins.html

Article in Newspaper

Ever wonder if people actually read the articles in the paper? When the local paper put the article in about my new book, I was not certain if anyone would read it. Well, they did.


How do I know? Besides having several people tell me in-person when I was out to eat, I received a couple of emails congratulating me on my book. One email in particular was really great.


A local woman emailed me and asked if I would be interested in talking with her and her daughters about book writing and candy making. Uh, yeah, of course I was interested so I invited them over to my place.


The other afternoon, Kris and her daughters came over and we sat around eating scones that Kris made and talked about writing then we cleaned up and made chocolate lollipops with a Valentine's theme.

Tips for a successful book event

Now remember, this is my first book so I am a complete novice when it comes to this promotion stuff. Yeah, okay, I'm a novice when it comes to most anything related to the books except reading and writing.


Does anyone have any tips on what to do or not do for a successful book event?


Like, do I have to dress professionally? ew! What can I say, I am jeans girl.


Or do I set up a table and sit behind it? That seems kind of impersonable and I always like the events where the author reads an excerpt from the book - or maybe from an upcoming book.


Send your ideas, please.

Working on an interview with an author - ME!

Last night, as part of my effort to self-promote I started to work on an "interview with the author" that I want to send to the local papers.

I got a few questions down then started to wonder what kinds of things would people really want to know about me and my very first romantic-suspense novel.

So, here I am, requesting that if anyone has suggestions to feel free and post a suggestion or send an email from my website.

The one question I know, is the question I have already received from many friends. . . "Did you pose for the cover?"

Do you honestly expect me to answer that? HA!

What to do with my new book cover?

Well, I can tell you what I did last night. I printed out several copies of the cover and took it with me to my salon appointment. Of course all the ladies know my first book is coming out so they were ecstatic.

Such a tremendous feeling to know that something you've worked years on achieving is just around the corner!

Beyond that, I now have to create a "Press Kit". No clue what that is other than one of the things will be a Press Release and somehow my new book cover plays a part in this.

Plus, someone suggested that I get bookmarks made with the book cover art on it and the ISBN and my website listed, not to mention my next novel.

Woohoo! Let's get this show on the road.

If anyone has other marketing suggestions for use of the book cover art please let me know.

More marketing

David Daniel, fiction author, and English teacher, forwarded me an email today with information about an Open Mic night at UMASS Lowell. The university did this last year which is what inspired me to write my first poem and then submit it and it was published...(see previous post).

Anyway, you don't have to read a poem. You can read an excerpt from a work-in-progress. What an excellent idea! Here's a perfect opportunity to check and see if your hook works.
Again, look at how many people will hear/read something you've written and now know your name.

Hopefully, if you do something like this you remember to take your business cards which will not only include your name, book name, but your website URL and the ISBN number for your book.

Remember, no one can or will promote you as well as you promote yourself. TELL EVERYONE!

How else to get your name known as an author

I was just sitting here trying to plot through my current WIP (obviously it's not going too well, otherwise I'd be writing there and not on my blog). :-)

As I was sitting here trying to write, I received an email from Tammy, the editor of the NHRWA newsletter. She dropped me a quick line to let me know that other chapters have used an article I wrote for last month's newsletter. First, that was great that Tammy kept me updated. Second, that's so cool!

Now I'm sitting here realizing what a wonderful way to get your name out there and to get more visitors to your website and ultimately to your books.

For those of you who are part of a writing group, I recommend you write a short article on a writing subject that interests you. Remember, if you're interested in it, someone else is too. Besides, think of the marketing benefits.

As a matter of fact, another author several months ago suggested to time getting a magazine article or two published with the release of your book. Hm...makes sense.

ARC and Reviewers

Last week my editor informed me that the ARC (advanced reading copy) of my book, IT HAPPENS IN THREES, is just about ready to go to reviewers.

Being new to this industry, I asked, "What does that mean?"

Reviewers are (for the most part) influential readers that will post a review of your book on the internet and/or newspapers and other print media.

Authors many times make a personal contact with a reviewer that they like so that reviewer will agree to read their book. This often works better than just sending out review copies cold.

There are also many online reviewers that will accept an electronic version of the book. You can get great blurbs and endorsements from reviewers that will help in promotion of the book. Many authors love to get blurbs, but it is not mandatory.

Final copies can also be sent to reviewers after the publication date. There are some big name reviewers that will ONLY look at an ARC.

This is all good information!!