Saturday, July 17, 2010


Welcome to those of you coming from Dominique Eastwick, stop #6 in the Anniversary Blog Tour.

Which Author Promos Do You Prefer?

Last week, I got an email from a fellow author purporting to be interested in the kind of E-reader I had. The promo link in the email was broken. The email annoyed me. Why? I don’t like people soliciting me.
I have two books out now that I’m particularly interested in promoting, Loving Large—Yours, Only And Always and Long Line of Love III—Only One Love. Both books feature BBW heroines with Native American Heroes. I think both book feature some of my best efforts. So naturally, I would love to platter ordering info about them all over the place at every opportunity. I would love to send a promotional email to everyone with an email addy.
I haven’t done that. Why not? Because as an author, I never send email to a reader who hasn’t contacted me first or in some way already expressed an interest in receiving email from me (such as entering a contest with a prize that requires them to give their name and email).
Later, as I surfed the net looking for legitimate opportunities to promote The Grayhawks and the Elkhorns, I came across a board with readers complaining about having received the same email from the same author. Since I’m sure that wasn’t the reaction the author in question was hoping to generate, I found myself wondering what other things we might do as authors that annoy readers.
So please feel free to tell me what author promos you like and prefer. Do you prefer to visit an author’s website? Join a mailing list or Yahoo Group? Or do you prefer word of mouth to discover new books? Which promo efforts annoy you? I’d love to know so I’ll know which to avoid.
Please take a few minutes to comment. Doing so (after you’ve registered) will make you eligible to win a paperback copy of Skin Deep and a grand prize of a Sony Ereader.
After you’ve commented, please visit the next site on the Blog Tour. Good luck. Have fun and surf to Chelle Cordero’s site stop #8 in the tour. Good luck and have fun.

90 comments:

Adrienne said...

The promo I like best, honestly, are free excerpts or free short stories available on the author's website. (Or in the public library, if an author is a dead tree publisher.) The proof is in the pudding, as they say.

Failing free samples of the actual novel work, a regularly updated, well-written blog is the best thing. (And regularly updated doesn't have to be more often than once a month, to be valuable, but it does need to be ongoing, not something that was done and then stopped.)

What I'm actually finding frustrating as I go on the blog tour is the number of author websites that are really poorly designed. It's difficult to understand what is where or why, too much of the navigation is done with image files instead of just text, the colors are, uh, interesting, etc. And a badly done website makes me think less of an author, as does a blog with lots of typos.

To address directly your original question: if I've previously contacted an author in some way, and they send me an e-mail with an excerpt, awesome. If they send me an e-mail with advice on writing, or something else they can guess I'm interested in because of what they write (if all the books they write are ghost stories and they talk about ghost legends, or if they write BBW romances and they talk about Fat Acceptance), that's good, too.

If they just want to say, "Hey, the book's out!" without any other info, even if I've contacted them before, I'm not that impressed.

And if I've never contacted them, I don't want the author to contact me unless they're offering a review copy. (Not that I've done a bunch of reviews or anything, but I'm just saying.)

Adrienne said...

P.S. I'm blog tour member #2564.

Anonymous said...

I like reading excerpts as well that gives me an idea of what the books are about. I haven't gotten any unsolicited author newsletters, I love to read and have signed up for a multitude of them.
Blog participent #7975

Marilyn Lee said...

Hi Adrienne

Thanks for taking the time to let me know which author promos you find most effecitve. I'm curious as to why a poorly designed web site would make you think less of an author. I can see why typos would since they may or may not be indictive of an author's ability.

Thanks again.

Marilyn

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks Angelwolfstorm.

Marilyn

Blanche said...

Hi Marilyn!

I've never been contacted/solicited out of the blue by an author. I do belong to 1 reader's group and I've signed up for lots of different author newsletters. I love going to an author's website/blog and reading excerpts and getting the latest information on their books!!

Blanche said...

sorry forgot to mention I'm blog participant #2919

Unknown said...

I like joining yahoo groups and mailing lists. I love to see a author guest blog on one of my fave blogs. I do get alot of emails from different groups for promo for the same book. That does seem to get a bit annoying but I understand the authors want to get all the info to every reader and some readers might not be on one group or another. I don't even think it's the author sending them it's someone else sending it. Blog participation # is 8038.

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks, Blanche.

marilyn

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks, Amy.

Marilyn

Victoria said...

I like excerpts as a promo. It gives me a feel for if I'll want to continue or not. I'm 8060.

Romance Goddess said...

I must say, as the owner of a Romance Website I am generally happy to hear from most authors. My favorite promotion is when they post their latest book information on my site! I have a Romance Authors area where authors and readers can go to make posts about their favorite authors and books.
http://www.romantic-ideas-online.com/romance-authors.html

I also like to read excerpts to get a feel for the writer;s style.

As Adrienne mentioned, advice on writing is cool to receive also--

#7905

Donna said...

I am not bothered by authors promoting their books any way they can. I have a delete key and a block if the emails become overwhelming. In this time when author's books are pirated before they have even been out for 24 hours, I certainly understand the need to get as many people as possible to buy the books immediately.
#5555

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks Victoria.

Marilyn

Kathy said...

I get my info from author websites, yahoo chat groups, e-mail lists, and I get e-mail from every publisher I buy from. Blog #1550

The Scarf Princess said...

If I'm a member of an author's fan group, or signed up to get their newsletter, then they can send what they want. I like sample chapters and free short stories best though.

Blog tour participant #228

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks for the info on your site, Sara. I'll be checking it out.

Marilyn

Marilyn Lee said...

What an understanding attitude, Donna. Thanks for sharing.

Marilyn

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks, Kathy.

Marilyn

Unknown said...

I like blurbs and excerpts. I will delete an email and not try to find out more about an author and their book(s) if they don't include a blurb and excerpt. Free short stories are nice too.

Just my two cents!

Laura

Participant #268

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks, Joder.

Marilyn

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks, Laura.

Marilyn

Dominique Eastwick said...

Marilyn, what a great question I am loving reading the readers responses :) I look forward to hearing what else they have to say.

Marilyn Lee said...

It's always great for authors to know what does or doesn't work with readers.

Thanks, Dominique.

Marilyn

Jason said...

I dont think I have ever been contacted out of the blue by an author. That would be odd.

Jase
blog tourist 2267

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks, Jase.

Marilyn

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure if authors or publishers are behind this one, but I have found many authors through online bookstores. The book was on sale for a certain percent off, there was a picture of the book with a blurb, author interview, or review.
Also, the different blogs that have contests, reviews, new releases and free reads are good.
All of these lead me to the author's website and I will sign up for their mailing list, yahoo group, or blog.
The only promotion that I don't like is when you have to have a blog or a particular social networking account in order to post something to be eligible to participate in the author's event.

lenikaye@yahoo.com

Blog Tour #2291

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks, Leni.

Marilyn

Cathy M said...

Whenever I read a book I enjoy, I join the author's newsletter to keep up on any future stories. Have also discovered great reads from guest promos at my favorite blogs.

Sometimes just giving me a chance to read the first chapter, while interesting, isn't enough to get a good sense of the storyline. I prefer an excerpt that includes the main characters with a big of dialogue.

blog participant #7923

Babyblue22 said...

I haven't gotten any unsolicited author newsletters either.
But I do love to read, so I like when and author comes to the reading group I'm a member of and share excerpts, news about book release dates or links to their website...that way I can go there and check them out for my self and join their personal newsletter if I want updates about their books.
I also like author free reads, It's the best way to get a feel of the way the author writes.

Participant # 311

~Afshan
Afshan522@aol.com

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks Cathy M and Babyblue 22.

Marilyn

Wilma said...

I'm number 8129. I'd love to win a prize.

Marilyn Lee said...

Hi Wilma

The intent was to get a comment based on my blog. How do you feel about author promos?

Marilyn

Jina said...

Hi Marilyn,

The author promos I like best are email newsletters that I subscribed to and free excerpts/short stories from the author's website. As far as the world of "independent" publishers and e-book sites, I usually look at what books have been reviewed and if they are being promoted on the website (i.e. Top Ten, featured author section).

One of the biggest problems I run into is actually information NOT being updated on the websites. I have visited many authors' websites and have found that, although they might have a few books being promoted at the same time, their websites do not mention anything about them. If it wasn't for social networking or Yahoo! Groups, I may not have known that certain books were out. I actually missed two stories in a series for that very reason.

With that being said, I understand that most writers do NOT write full-time. One of my favorite authors just retired from her job as a Program Manager a few years ago and focused on writing full-time. When she did that, everything changed for her. She had a better-managed website which was easy to maneuver, had various ways of cross-promotion AND made it to the NYT Best Seller List!

With writing being more of a hobby than a career for most writers, the reading audience can forgive just about anything, including poorly designed websites and bad rss feeds. What's not so easy to forgive, for either the audience or the writer, is when the book that is currently out and being pushed is not advertised on the author's site. How can an author make money if the audience does not know about the product?!

Blog Tour Participant #6700

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks for the thoughtful input Jina.

Marilyn

Leigh said...

As an avid reader I have noticed that with the exploding popularity of e-readers and phone apps that allow you to read books at your fingertips, more and more authors need to actively promote their books to the readers. I buy books from about 12 different online sites, some of them are the big mainstream bookstores, some are small independent publishers and few of my favorite are sites that let the author self-publish their work. This can be overwhelming because some authors write for multiple publishers across many different genres. So you can not just rely on that website to keep you informed about an author you may enjoy. Brick and mortar bookstores, in my opinion can't compete with the number of new books getting released in e-format daily and so as an author, you have to really make sure that you have created a way to promote yourself and get your books out there to the public.

I have joined the online groups of a few authors and this has big impact on the books I buy. I really like interacting with the authors and other members of the group. This can be hit or miss as well. Some authors (you in particular) enjoy talking about your characters, theme and story lines with the readers. Sharing WIP's, free reads and excepts are a nice way to build a fan base and a strong demand the authors stories. I really don't like when author starts a group but there is no interaction with them until they are releasing a book and then they start emailing me. Those I instantly delete!

Just my two cents!
Leigh
BP#7989

lrhubble said...

I belong to several yahoo groups and a few google groups. I love when an author will post excerpts to the groups as if they are an author I haven't read before it gives me an opportunity to read a new to me author. I also like to hear what other readers have to say about an author as a lot of times it give me an idea about what the author writes and if I might enjoy reading that author. :-)

Larena (#294)

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks for taking the time to comment, Leigh.

Marilyn

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks, Larena.

Marilyn

marcieo said...

I usually find out about authors through the other author yahoo groups I join. When I find an author I really like, I join their yahoo group, and I have found some of the best groups through the group discussions that way. Most of the time just through word of mouth. There are a couple publisher and bookseller web sites that send newsletters on at least a weekly basis, and I always go through all of the books listed in those to see if there is anything new and interesting that I just can't resist. Blind promotional emails are annoying and get automatically deleted, because I have no idea who the author is, or what genre the book is. I always follow my favorite authors' web pages (I have them all bookmarked) so I don't miss new books coming out, and sign up for their newsletters if they have them. I like doing blog tours like this, because it is a great way to find new authors, too! :)
#5532

Maria said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Maria said...

I usually either check an authors website and join their newsletter and I have joined several yahoo groups and gotten alot of book information that way. I also join the occasional contest and don't mind getting emails from the author's occassionally but I think that a monthly email is sufficient and I don't need one every day or every other day. One thing that does bother me is for an author to keep calling the book "new" when it's been out for a month or more..it should change to "latest" at that point.

My participant #4394

Lisa said...

I find most of the books I buy from Word of mouth from other readers on various websites I visit. I also like reading an excerpt prior to buying. I don't mind hearing from an author about a new release if I had previously showed an interest in their work (signed up for a newsletter, emailed the author, etc.); however, I really dislike receiving any type of unsolicited promotions. Hope this helps answer your question!
Tour Member (Participation Number) #502

Lisa said...

Oops! Typo on my part and I didn't notice until just as I hit submit!

Tour Member (Participation Number)#5002

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks Marcieo and Maria for your insightful comments.

Marilyn

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks, Lisa.

Marilyn

Marilyn Lee said...

And thanks for answering one of my previous questions about m/m stories and why readers (females in particular) like them, Lisa.

marilyn

Cynde L. Hammond said...

Hi, Marilyn!

First of all: I am "Blog Tour Participant" number 8032.

Secondly: I love it when authors send excerpts or links to excerpts; postcards; links to blogs; and write articles with tips, etc., but you know what? I never get upset when they send their information over and over, though, because I understand that it's getting harder to make it in this business all the time.

I just figure that if I don't want it, I'll delete/chuck it, that's all.

We all have to help each other, right? Someday I hope to be a published author myself, and I figure that if I'm kind to someone along the way, maybe the favor will be returned. And if not, I will still have done a good thing, plus I'll feel really good about it, so how can that be a waste of time?

Also, I think it's necessary to join groups, listen to word of mouth and visit author's websites to get the whole picture, but I visit blogs to get the most of my information. Then I'd have to say that visiting the authors' individual sites is my favorite thing to do. You can learn so much about each author that way. And...if they have excerpts on their sites, then they totally ROCK! If their book is any good at all, I usually will buy it after that (oh dear...now you'll know why I have to live in a shoe box!) :o)

I'm so glad I "met" you today. I'm looking forward to becoming familiar with your stories. I never heard of them before today and now I can't wait to read them and see what they're all about.

Sincerely,
Cynde

Cynde's Got The Write Stuff

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks Cynde.

Marilyn

Alma said...

I love your books, just picked up Love out Loud, it's on the top of my TBR pile. I love looking at the author's website and don't mind emails from the authors. Will now have to put more of your books on my to buy soon list.

Thanks,
Blog#8019

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks, Alma. I hope you enjoy Love Out Loud.

Marilyn

Ashley L said...

I really love free excerpts or short stories as well.  I find that these little snipits help to tell me whether or not I'll like reading this author.  Of course, I always try anything once and that includes new authors.  How else am I to know whether or not I like their writing/style.I prefer to get emails from authors that I've contacted first.  Emails with the excerpt/short story in it are the best.  Contest info and what the author is currently reading is also nice because it widens my knowledge of what's out there.I've never been contacted out of the blue by authors, that I remember.  But if an author I'm subscribed to mentions another, I'll look the new one up. 

Participant #695

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks loves2read.

Marilyn

IRMommi said...

Hi Marilyn!

I pretty much like being in a Yahoo Group and receiving emails and promos that way. Being able to coorespond to you and you to us, makes it more personal. I hate requesting information about one author and getting a newsletter with information and authors that don't write the type of material I read. I love IR romance, but alot of publishers don't make it easy to locate what you're looking for and you sometimes end up getting what you don't want. Love ya!

Blog Tour Memeber 7988

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks, IRMpmmie.

Marlyn

Chelle Cordero said...

As a reader, it's rare that I am annoyed by an author's promo - after all the attempt to publicize their books is a huge undertaking...

As an author I try to pubicize my books as part of a blog post that is not entirely advertisement. For instance, I will talk about an event or attitude in my book and then tie it in to the actual story with an excerpt or such. I hope it makes for more interesting blog reading.

Chelle

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks, Chelle.

Marilyn

Adrienne said...

A poorly designed website makes me think less of an author because it seems to indicate either a lack of care or a lack of taste.

I'd much rather a simple blogger or wordpress blog with a standard template and links to their books in the sidebar than something elaborate and ugly. If someone has a relentlessly plain website, then I can just imagine that webpages/graphics/design aren't their things. If someone has a bad website, that would seem to indicate an aesthetic incompatibility.

Marilyn Lee said...

Hmmm. Maybe it's because I'm an author but I can't see juding a writer on anything except their writing.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my follow up question.


Marilyn

moosemail@gmx.com said...

Hi Marilynn -

I tend to like word of mouth from other readers (without author interference) (like on GoodReads) - or I will visit the authors site myself because I have read a description of the book at an e-store (againk, without the interference of an author.)

I am an intelligent reader and do not wish to be bombarded with promo propaganda. It's annoying.

I find that yahoo groups and review sites can be really bias, and I don't care how many excerpts are promo'ed out - you still can't tell much.

Much success to you and your future stories... george #7991

*yadkny* said...

I like visiting authors websites and joining groups where maybe a bunch of authors come together to meet with readers. When I go to author websites, if I really like the books they write, then I join there mailing list if they have one so I can stay up to date. Free reads are also a great way for readers to sample the work of the author before buying.
Blog Tour Participant # 8153

Brandy B aka Brandlwyne said...

Hi. I personally like recieving emails from authors. That way I don't forget anything that is coming up. I try to go to all the websites but it is hard with all the wonderful authors out there. I love books with Native Americans so i am going to check yours out!!!

#6997 Sorry i am late I went out of town!!!

brandyzbooks@yahoo.com

Nicole Zoltack said...

Free stories or excerpts are definitely the best way to go. Still working on that though.

~Nicole
Nicole.Zoltack AT gmail.com

#7976

Beth said...

I mostly do newsletters and Yahoo groups to learn about what books are coming. I also have a couple of sites I go to for research but the authors have no input on those.
I also have a list of blogs that I check out often, run by authors, reviewers, publishers, and others that just love books
I have enjoyed most of the Yahoo groups I'm in, although I have dropped a couple because of the strict rules or lack of activity.
If your looking for suggestions, a once a month newsletter(or less often is you prefer)and a short "special notice" on release days as a reminder to the newsletter list is a good start.

participant #8001

Stacey Smith said...

I like news letter and going to the authors page and I love contest.I like to see the cover of the book and what its about but have know time to read the primo's that are out there to meny things to do then to read all of the promes that come up.
Number8156
sasluvbooks(at)yahoo.com

Donna said...

Hi,
If I am on their mailing list, I really enjoy getting excerpts over a few days that lead up to the release day with a possible contest on release day that has to do with a question that has an answer in the excerpt. The excerpt is what I would usually read to determine if I want the book and having it split over a few days keeps it on my radar and peaks my interest enough to put it on my order list.

#5321

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Kathrin said...

I rarely check out new books promoted in emails or newsletters; they have to be from my favorite authors on releases I've waited on anyway. Most other emails go unread to the garbage; and if they get too numerous, they get blocked.

Besides keeping tab of my favorite authors through their websites and on facebook, I regularly check out my favorite publisher and e-book sites (i.e. Total-E-Bound or 1RE). There I may discover new authors by checking out new releases, free reads or my preferred categories.

I find a diverse selection of categories very helpful; I also found new reads over the key word selection on 1RE. I love free reads, but only if these are real short stories, not excerpts from a book. I seldom if ever read excerpts because I dislike starting on a story and then be kept hanging. Mostly I decide on buying a book if the blurb captivates me, so A GOOD BLURB IS KEY for me; it should be informative (that means longer than one or two lines) and intriguing. I know most people love reading excerpts, but that shouldn’t make a good blurb redundant; same goes for categories or key words. Also, if a book is part of a series, I should find out right away, not by chance when reading through the blurbs of other books. All of the above applies to author and publisher websites.

I love the 1RE Anniversary Blog Tour, but I have to agree with Adrienne on some of the author homepages. Since I use my cell phone to connect to the internet, it sometimes takes forever to load a site with too many images, videos etc. Then you have to take several detours to get from the blog to the main homepage or vice versa. Some websites and/or blogs are outdated… Keeping the navigation simple / straightforward / well-arranged should be first priority. If an author has more than a few books out, he/she should also think about categorizing, especially if some books are part of a series or if they are different genres. The blurb comment (see above) should apply. The website should be regularly updated (as Adrienne said, once a month does that just fine), the start page should be news or the blog, and there I should find out about coming soon or just released – again with the blurb ;-) – not some video that takes forever to load and doesn’t tell me anything anyway.

To summarize – when promoting a new book, write a good blurb with a few well-chosen key words, put that on the start page of your homepage as well as on the publisher’s website and/or the ebook site, chose some helpful categories. If that intrigues me, I’ll buy your book :-)

All the best,
Kathrin
#109

Kathrin said...

I rarely check out new books promoted in emails or newsletters; they have to be from my favorite authors on releases I've waited on anyway. Most other emails go unread to the garbage; and if they get too numerous, they get blocked.

Besides keeping tab of my favorite authors through their websites and on facebook, I regularly check out my favorite publisher and e-book sites (i.e. Total-E-Bound or 1RE). There I may discover new authors by checking out new releases, free reads or my preferred categories.

I find a diverse selection of categories very helpful; I also found new reads over the key word selection on 1RE. I love free reads, but only if these are real short stories, not excerpts from a book. I seldom if ever read excerpts because I dislike starting on a story and then be kept hanging. Mostly I decide on buying a book if the blurb captivates me, so A GOOD BLURB IS KEY for me; it should be informative (that means longer than one or two lines) and intriguing. I know most people love reading excerpts, but that shouldn’t make a good blurb redundant; same goes for categories or key words. Also, if a book is part of a series, I should find out right away, not by chance when reading through the blurbs of other books. All of the above applies to author and publisher websites.

I love the 1RE Anniversary Blog Tour, but I have to agree with Adrienne on some of the author homepages. Since I use my cell phone to connect to the internet, it sometimes takes forever to load a site with too many images, videos etc. Then you have to take several detours to get from the blog to the main homepage or vice versa. Some websites and/or blogs are outdated… Keeping the navigation simple / straightforward / well-arranged should be first priority. If an author has more than a few books out, he/she should also think about categorizing, especially if some books are part of a series or if they are different genres. The blurb comment (see above) should apply. The website should be regularly updated (as Adrienne said, once a month does that just fine), the start page should be news or the blog, and there I should find out about coming soon or just released – again with the blurb ;-) – not some video that takes forever to load and doesn’t tell me anything anyway.

To summarize – when promoting a new book, write a good blurb with a few well-chosen key words, put that on the start page of your homepage as well as on the publisher’s website and/or the ebook site, chose some helpful categories. If that intrigues me, I’ll buy your book :-)

All the best,
Kathrin
#109

Kathrin said...

sorry, interupted connection had me post twice

Marilyn Lee said...

Thanks so much for everyone who took the time to tell what promotions are most effective for you.

And good luck

Marilyn

Deb830 said...

I love excerpt and contests! I prefer author's newsletter or group blogs as opposed to going to individual web sites. I just don't seem to have enough time to surf the net all the time and some websites really do try my patience with their design. I do belong to several Yahoo Group and for the most part are great. Yahoo groups can be frustrating if you get daily emails and a chat is going on. Thanks for the blog and Happy Anniversary 1RomanceEbooks.com

#7940

Armenia said...

I've come to notice something about myself. When I first get a promo from an author (email with excerpt and web link) I'll check it out. But more likely not act on it further.

Most successfully though, I find if they belong to a yahoo group with other authors and advertise there of their new books, excerpts, contests, then I tend to follow through with that. Having said that, sometimes I'll lurk or read the exderpt and then visit the author web site for upcoming teasers or contests.

#2251

Christine London said...

Hi Marilyn,
Thanks for asking readers which Promo they like and dread. As an author, I love to Blog for my readers. Content, content, content!
Those who wish to read what I've been up to (such stuff as my Christine Goes Hollywood" events attended as an outsider looking in and my international travels in search of new setting/characters)subscribe to my blog either at My Space or at blog spot "London Blog". It's fun to share my experiences, thoughts, dreams and photographs.
What do I hate? All the 'reader' loops where narry a reader pops her head above water as she is innundated with repeat blatant promotions that are the same loop to loop to loop--left by well meaning authors trying to promote their latest work. I think readers are not only looking to be entertained, but to get to know the woman behind the words in her book. So if you aren't going to stop in and interact on reader loops, or at least try to interact--leave some opinion, thought, observation, real 'comment', what's the point? You are just annoying IMHO with droning drive by posts.
*Come on Christine, tell us how you really feel!* ;)
Thanks for the great question!

Best,
Christine London
www.christinelondon.com
Participant #7683

Kim S. said...

Hi Marilyn! This was a good and thought provoking post.

I enjoy word of mouth, Yahoo groups and a favorite author's newsletter to find new books. Also checking publishers websites.

What I don't like is going to an author website and finding broken links!! Urrrrggghh! Drives me nuts to click on a book and the link doesn't work!!

Have a sunny summer everyone!

My number is 7936.

Gabrielle Lee said...

I love promos. whether it be an excerpt or a bookmark. The actual interaction with an author and a reader is a nice thing. Once I read the excerpts and find an author I enjoy it is nice to have the interaction.

Gabrielle #8226

CrystalGB said...

The promo I like best is excerpts, free reads on author's website and newsletter from author. I do get annoyed when an author bombards various yahoo groups with their promo over and over again. Once a month is fine.
Participant #8250

Carol L. said...

I also agree, excerpts from the Author are a great way for an Author to introduce their work to the reader. I belong to tons of yahoo groups, web sites and blogs for Authors so I never miss out on their up coming work.
Carol L.
Lucky4750@aol.com

participant # 6916

Anonymous said...

I like to go find my authors. I really enjoy Facebook to get to know new authors and when they promote there, I don't mind at all. #8247

midnightsscream said...

I like free excerpts as much as the next person, but I like an updated website the best where I can find out what you're writing (maybe how far you are along), what you've written, and maybe even how you're feeling today. All the info in one spot is nice.
I've never really had bad promos sent to me by authors. I really wouldn't like random promos sent to me though. If I wanted to know about a book I'd e-mail the author or look into myself.

my number is 7871

Kim S. said...

Well, don't know what happened to my original response, but I'll post again!

The promo's I like best are the Yahoo groups, newsletters and thinking again on the subject, excerpts.

I really hate going to an author's website and clicking on a book and the link is dead!! Drives me nuts! They don't have to live on their site. But someone surely should check it out a couple times a week or so.

Have a sunny summer everyone!

And I really look forward to reading your newest books Marilyn! As I am a BBW...I love to read stories about them too!!

My number is 7936.

kaisquared said...

I enjoy excerpts on authors' websites, and am happy to get emails from authors who have some news about a new book or event they will be at, if I have signed up to receive same. One thing I also enjoy are online chats. Hope that helps.


Mary M.

#765

LORETTA CANTON said...

I read a lot and find most of my books from groups and blogs. I have found many new authors too.

lorettaC
lbcanton@verizon.net
#308

Vonnie Alto said...

The most annoying promos are receiving snail mail (particularly flyers and postcards) from authors who I have never contacted. A great promo is a well designed website/blog and an author who gives a sense of her personality with her online presence (be it sites, postings, articles, etc).

Vonnie Alto said...

Oops, I forgot to leave my participation number. It's #8432

misskallie2000 said...

I like to know in advance what the story line is so I do love excerpts.

#8440

misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

misskallie2000 said...

Great post with some interesting comments/facts.

#8440

misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

misskallie2000 said...

Hi Marilyn, I love excerpts and I follow a number of blogs including author blogs who review the books or interview the authors. The bloggers I follow give great reviews and usually have an excerpt and/or video which helps me decide if I want to read that book. I have found so many new authors this way. You are a new author to me..so checking you out.

Blog tour # 8440

misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

Tanya said...

Definatley need to have an excerpt with whatever book your promoting that way we can gauge whether we like the authors writing style and genre. Tanya #4335

Ladiesword said...

Personally, I like reading excerpt from the writer's as well as a small free read into there work.

I also, like when other author's promote other author's. That has been how I have found some really good writers that I enjoy a lot.
But, I mainly join there yahoo groups and there sign up for there newsletters.

Hope that helps :)
Participant Number is 6461

Michelle