Early Summer eBook Promos #99c / #99p - Part 2

Following on from Part 1 - some of whose promotions may still be live, check before purchasing - here's the current promos I'm involved with. There won't be any more for a while, so take advantage while they're available.

Just finishing (ignore the date) are Speculative Fiction titles from Magic Book Deals SpecFic including sub-genres from Dystopian to Romance, Epic Fantasy to Supernatural Chills. My title is The Paintings.

Open now for Kindle Unlimited Addicts, this time from Magic Book Deals Romance until 5th June. My title is Beneath The Shining Mountains.

And finally, for this coming weekend only, over 60 titles in the Fantasy and Science Fiction genres from the site of prolific author Patty Jansen. My title is Torc of Moonlight, Bk 1.

Enjoy your reading!

Marketing & Promotion: Facebook Author Page

Since Anita Chapman’s day course on Social Media For Writers, ruminations have been coalescing into the draft of some sort of plan. And then I was overtaken by events: namely an invitation to a joint promotion with a handful of other authors whose novels are set in the East Yorkshire area. Tailor-made, I thought, for Torc of Moonlight. The kicker was that I’d need a Facebook Author Page.

I’ve been on Facebook for years, but only with a personal profile on which I do not chat (usually) about breakfast cereal or the weather. How hard could it be to set up an Author Page? 

Author Page header: fb.me/LindaAcasterAuthor

Well, let me tell you, it’s not that easy. I found the instructions and set-up procedure highly counter-intuitive. But this is where Anita Chapman’s course notes came into their own. Who knew there was a tick box to ensure the page didn’t go live while half completed and looking like a shaggy five-legged camel? Why can’t I choose which buttons to have below the header? [Argh] What exactly do all those yes/no questions in Settings amount to? 

And why, oh why, isn't the header size requirements the same as for a profile page? However, the new requirement made me think about what I wanted in the smaller space. It doesn't show all my titles but too cluttered would look worse; I may even consider the design for a revamp of this website's header. Most important for the Facebook Author Page, would the header look decent on a tablet and a phone as well as a laptop? I use neither. Perhaps you can tell me:  http://fb.me/LindaAcasterAuthor

The page is still a work-in-progress, as these things usually are. Particularly, I want to decifer how to add my Newsletter sign-up and Goodreads links into the left menu. Goodreads says it can... and then it refuses to; you know how technology works. Or doesn’t. I can see an evening coming up spent on YouTube.

What am I going to use the Author Page for if I already use my personal profile as a quasi author page? Promotions and links to webposts to do with writing will definitely be moved across to it. Beyond that I’m not sure yet. I can see some duplication. There again, isn’t that technology all over.

The Big Christmas Push

You can't have missed it. Every shop on the High Street has a Christmas display. Publishers are launching their titles for Christmas, or should I say, for Christmas presents, and Indie authors are no different. Well, a little different. Here they are offering a short, an extract, or a full novel, either free or for 99p / 99c. It's their shop window, a lead into each author's catalogue.

First up, The Prolific Reader Everything Fantasy, from epic to urban to humour to historical. Although the promotion is being run in conjunction with InstaFreebie for ease, the landing page will still be live after 10th November, and links to other genres are offered in the column alongside.

Second up, is Fall Gods & Goddesses of the Past You guessed it, Old Time religions feature heavily here, from Egypt to China, from Viking Asgard to Celtic water spirits, immerse yourself. Downloads via Instafreebie.

Running until 15th is the SFF Ebookaroo offering over 80 titles in all sub-genres of speculative fiction. You'll even find a collection of my horror shorts in this one. Downloads via Instafreebie.

And finally, only because it isn't supposed to be live yet - hint: most of them are already live, go check - is a no-sign-up Romantic Speculative Fiction promotion at 99c / 99p. There are 21 titles including a box set and an anthology of short stories whose authors have donated their profits to Bookbus, a charity combating illiteracy. And what better Christmas gift than that?

All in all, enough to keep you going well into the New Year. But do return next weekend, when I should have news of my own [cue mysterious music...].

Targeted Marketing

Free Multi-Genre Choices: https://melanietomlin.com/tpr-freebies/

As mentioned in previous posts, I’m experimenting with cross-promotion marketing which targets a specific readership: those who particularly enjoy Speculative Fiction. Does it work? Or perhaps the better question is, Does it work for me and the Torc of Moonlight trilogy?

It is certainly working better than my lone voice in the void, but I’m finding that even SpecFic readers are picky. They may be voracious consumers, but they like what they like. As a reader, perhaps I’m odd; I read all sorts of genres and sub-genres.

Freebies for August: http://abam.info/instafreebie/

So after four months, in which I’ve drawn well over 1k new subscribers to my Newsletter, I’m changing my focus slightly and revving up the romance angle. That’s the beauty – or the problem – with writing cross-genre. However, I know from past experience that Romance readers, specifically readers of Paranormal Romance (PNR) are even more picky than SpecFic readers. It will be interesting to compare results.

August New Releases on Kindle: http://sffbookbonanza.com/newreleases/

See you on the other side, if not exactly in another four months!

Book Promotion: Newsletter Subscribers

Pilgrims of the Pool is ready for formatting, except…it's not the only job in hand.

I tip my hat to those who can look at a calendar and mark the week research will end, writing will begin and end, first round editing will take place, and beta copies will be emailed. And all the rest that happens in between. I only wish I worked to that precision. It would make life so much less stressful. For me, bringing a novel to fruition and launching it to the reading world is akin to monitoring a hall full of spinning plates. Writing the novel is merely one of many. 

Promotion and marketing is equally important, and so much of that falls on stony ground I decided that with this novel I would especially target those who enjoy my type of writing and the sub-genre I'm currently writing in.

Cross-promotions, authors helping authors spread the word, I am finding most useful. So is Instafreebie, which I've spoken about in previous blogs. On the eve of launching Pilgrims of the Pool I have two titles in five promos this month, two priced and three using Instafreebie where the reader subscribes to the author's newsletter in exchange for a title to 'test'.

Here's a couple to check out the list of sub-genres. Enjoy!

80+ titles http://www.fantasyandmagicbooks.com/instafreebie/

100+ titles http://sffbookbonanza.com/free-books-jul-2017/