WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS
With the publication of A Good Family just three weeks away (24 days to July 14, to be exact, but who’s counting?) and everything that’s going on globally, I’m worried the book will be immediately relegated to the remainders bin. To badly paraphrase a line from Casablanca, it doesn’t take much to see that my little domestic thriller doesn’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.
Friends and family have kindly asked: what can I do to support you and your book? I usually shrug off such questions, uncomfortable to ask for help. I’m a helper, not a helpee. (Yes, I’ve just coined a new word.) But when it comes to my book baby, I’ve got to give it the best chance of thriving, so here goes.
SIX WAYS TO SUPPORT ME AND MY BOOK (or other authors and their books)
Pre-order/buy the book - I encourage you to support your local bookseller. Here are pre-order/buy links from some of my favorite SF bookstores - there are so many more, but this blog space is limited. If you live outside the Bay Area, Bookshop.org is a great way to locate an indie bookseller near you. Links to the major retailers are also on my Home Page.
Follow/friend me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - I have an uncomfortable relationship with social media, but let’s face it: that’s how many people communicate these days. I’ve loved being able to re-connect with old friends, stay in touch with socially distanced friends, and even make some new friends (including many handsome widowers and military officers from all over the world…not!). It’s also allowed me to bring attention to my fellow authors who are struggling to get word out on their own book babies. I appreciate every one of your “likes” and “shares” and comments, which help me feel less foolish about tossing my words and images into the void.
Add/rate/review on Goodreads - Before this debut year, I’d only vaguely heard of Goodreads, but it’s a really important platform for authors. By adding my book to your “want to read” list or entering a giveaway for my book, you help generate interest in it. Once you’ve read the book, entering a rating and/or review further helps. (When in doubt, round up!) Goodreads also has an “Ask the Author” section, so if you’re dying to know more about my book (or anything else), ask away. I’ve pre-loaded three Q/As there already.
Attend events - I sadly had to cancel my planned launch event at Book Passage in the Ferry Building, but I’m thrilled to say that I’ve lined up a series of readings and events in July. I promise each event will be different — different book excerpts, different topical themes, and different conversation partners — but they will all be short (30-45 minutes) and fun (trivia games with awesome prizes). And because they’re virtual, you can attend them all from the comfort of your home. Details on my newly populated Events Page.
Review/rate on Amazon - There’s no denying the marketing power of Amazon. My author friends have suggested there’s some extra mojo you get in the Amazon algorithm if your book gets more than a certain number (50, 100, who knows) of reviews. So, even if you purchase the book through a local indie, please rate it on Amazon. Apparently, Amazon sometimes blocks reviews if you disclose that you are a family member or friend of the author (not sure if this is true), so you might want to keep that on the down-low.
Spread the word - Books like mine — by which I mean books that don’t have a huge publicity campaign behind it — succeed through word of mouth. You all have way more friends and contacts than I do. Post a photo of yourself reading the book on your Instagram or Facebook. Recommend the book to your book club (and your sister’s and neighbor’s and co-worker’s book clubs). I’ve just added a new Book Clubs page to my website. Tell your librarian and local bookseller about it. Every little bit helps.
My hubby took a video of me unboxing my books, but the video looked almost exactly like the one of me unboxing the ARCs, so I pulled a do-over and created a photo collage instead. I’m learning so many new skills these days. Who knew being an author was equal parts writing and shameless self-promotion?
Thank you in advance for your help. It means the world to me.