Pump Up Your Book Promotion has a new client going out in another day or two called Michael Simon who wrote the crime thriller, THE LAST JEW STANDING (Viking). Here is his promotional tour video so you can familiarize yourself with Michael. Thanks to all the blog hosts who are hosting him and don't forget...leave comments on his stops at http://www.virtualbooktoursforauthors.blogspot.com/ and you can be in the running for one of his fantastic books! Enjoy the video!
Tags: promotional video, virtual book tour, online book promotion, Michael Simon, The Last Jew Standing, crime thriller, book trailer
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
How to Double Your Profits with Free Press Releases
On the average day, 68 million American adults go online. Thirty percent of those are using the search engines to find information. According to the Middleberg/Ross Survey and Pew Internet and American Life Project, 98 percent of journalists go online daily. Ninety-two percent go for article research, seventy-six percent to find new resources, or experts, and seventy-three percent to find press releases. And, keep in mind that 27 million people use Yahoo News and Google News to find their information. So, how do we target those 27 million people?
Find out how at http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com/free-press-releases.html!
Tags: free press releases, author promotion, online book promotion
Find out how at http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com/free-press-releases.html!
Tags: free press releases, author promotion, online book promotion
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Author Promotional Website Spotlight: Reader and Author
Angela Vernenius has put together an excellent website where authors can post their links to get more exposure for their books. The website is called Reader and Author and actually has two sections - one for readers and one for authors. Definitely worth checking out. The link is http://www.readerandauthor.com/Welcome.I noticed with great pleasure that one of my writing groups (TWL Author Talks) is included in her resource section for authors. Thank you, Angela! ;o)
Tags: author promotional website, author promotional resources", writing groups, online book promotion, book review sites
Thursday, October 11, 2007
An Interview with Sports Memoir Author Steven M. Reilly
We have a very special guest today at Pump Up Your Online Book Promotion! Welcome Steven M. Reilly, author of THE FAT LADY NEVER SINGS: HOW A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM FOUND REDEMPTION ON THE BASEBALL DIAMOND. Steven is here with us today to tell us how he pumps up his own online book promotion!Welcome to Pump Up Your Online Book Promotion, Steven! Can we begin by having you tell us what your book THE FAT LADY NEVER SINGS is about and why you wrote it?
Thank you very much for inviting me, Dorothy.
The book is about redemption sought by three high school baseball players, their team, their coaches and the City they live in. In 1991, high school football was everything in Derby which is the smallest city in Connecticut. The team had a streak of twenty-eight straight years without having a losing season. The streak ended on Thanksgiving Day, 1991. Three seniors including the quarterback also played on the school’s baseball team. One of the seniors was the Mayor’s son and almost all of the other players on the baseball team played football. The head coach of the baseball team was also an assistant football coach who was also battling his own difficulty.
After blowing the streak, the football players, especially the three seniors, were labeled losers forever in the City. Their last chance at redemption was playing on the baseball team. Two of the Seniors were pitchers. The smallest school in the league, Derby battles for and makes the state tournament and ultimately, as the late North Carolina State basketball coach Jimmy Valvano would say, “survives and advances” to a state championship game.
But the game turns into a nightmare after an early lead disintegrates. We end up down by two runs with two outs in the last inning. With two runners in scoring position, the quarterback comes to the plate and ultimately gets a base hit to tie the game and send it into extras. The excitement builds as each extra inning results in Derby scoring and their adversary tying the game. Complicating matters, a pitching limitation rule forces one of the senior pitchers to return to the mound several innings after being removed. In the eleventh inning(the fourth extra inning) another Derby senior fouls off seven pitches in a row with a three-balls two-strikes two-out count until he ultimately drives in the winning runs. In the bottom of the last inning, Derby’s senior pitcher hangs on despite barely being able to pitch.
I wrote the book simply because nobody else did. The fifteenth anniversary of the team was coming up and I felt the story of the great bunch of players I was associated with should be told.
THE FAT LADY NEVER SINGS is a sports memoir. Why did you choose this genre to write? Did you choose it or did it choose you?
Clearly it chose me. Although I had thought about writing a novel before I turned fifty years old, one of my life goals I guess, the desire to write about the team stopped me from procrastinating any further.
In regards to promotion, what have you been doing to promote your book online?
Initially, I created a web site with a company called www.inspiredtype.com. (Shameless
plug for them I guess)They had author templates, one of which fit my books’ theme and several extra goodies, such as news bulletin areas, an area for a blog, the ability to insert polls, photographs and so on. It was free if I was willing to include some google ads on the site. About a month after creating the free site, I decided to remove the google ads and pay for the site.
Thank you very much for inviting me, Dorothy.
The book is about redemption sought by three high school baseball players, their team, their coaches and the City they live in. In 1991, high school football was everything in Derby which is the smallest city in Connecticut. The team had a streak of twenty-eight straight years without having a losing season. The streak ended on Thanksgiving Day, 1991. Three seniors including the quarterback also played on the school’s baseball team. One of the seniors was the Mayor’s son and almost all of the other players on the baseball team played football. The head coach of the baseball team was also an assistant football coach who was also battling his own difficulty.
After blowing the streak, the football players, especially the three seniors, were labeled losers forever in the City. Their last chance at redemption was playing on the baseball team. Two of the Seniors were pitchers. The smallest school in the league, Derby battles for and makes the state tournament and ultimately, as the late North Carolina State basketball coach Jimmy Valvano would say, “survives and advances” to a state championship game.
But the game turns into a nightmare after an early lead disintegrates. We end up down by two runs with two outs in the last inning. With two runners in scoring position, the quarterback comes to the plate and ultimately gets a base hit to tie the game and send it into extras. The excitement builds as each extra inning results in Derby scoring and their adversary tying the game. Complicating matters, a pitching limitation rule forces one of the senior pitchers to return to the mound several innings after being removed. In the eleventh inning(the fourth extra inning) another Derby senior fouls off seven pitches in a row with a three-balls two-strikes two-out count until he ultimately drives in the winning runs. In the bottom of the last inning, Derby’s senior pitcher hangs on despite barely being able to pitch.
I wrote the book simply because nobody else did. The fifteenth anniversary of the team was coming up and I felt the story of the great bunch of players I was associated with should be told.
THE FAT LADY NEVER SINGS is a sports memoir. Why did you choose this genre to write? Did you choose it or did it choose you?
Clearly it chose me. Although I had thought about writing a novel before I turned fifty years old, one of my life goals I guess, the desire to write about the team stopped me from procrastinating any further.
In regards to promotion, what have you been doing to promote your book online?
Initially, I created a web site with a company called www.inspiredtype.com. (Shameless
plug for them I guess)They had author templates, one of which fit my books’ theme and several extra goodies, such as news bulletin areas, an area for a blog, the ability to insert polls, photographs and so on. It was free if I was willing to include some google ads on the site. About a month after creating the free site, I decided to remove the google ads and pay for the site.
Secondly I created a MySpace page and, after getting rid of all the nasty spam I received, began the arduous task to find and add friends who are fellow authors, bookstores, libraries, avid readers, celebrities(if I could confirm the site was legit), and sports broadcasters as well as personal friends.
Thirdly, I engaged a service to send out a national press release.
Additionally, I searched the web for review sites, found a number of them, sent books out and received several reviews and interviews which were put up on the book’s Amazon page as well as the book’s web site. I also put up a request on Dan Poynter’s ezine which I signed up for on his parapublishing.com website and received a bunch of reviews that also went up on Amazon.com.
I had also engaged a service to create a book trailer for me but that unfortunately didn’t work out so I have gone back to the drawing board with that. Also, I created a google alert for the name of my book to track what was being said about the book.
Of all the promotional items ( bookmarks, press kits, etc...) you have used to promote your book, which one was used most effectively?
The bookmarks I had professionally created were well accepted at the local libraries
where I left them to be passed out to patrons. While I had hundreds of them passed out, its hard to tell how effective they were to push actual sales. The fresh baked cookies I purchased from a local bakery and Dunkin Donuts coffee went over very well at my library book discussions. All the cookies were eaten so that is one way to at least track satisfaction with a prop.
However, by far my best promotional item has been the giant leather baseball glove I purchased through a company named Akadema. It attracts almost everybody that sees it. After people spot it, they feel compelled to say something about it, like “Hey, Jason Giambi(not so sure fielding first baseman for the New York Yankees) could use that one,” or “Jason Varitek(the Boston Red Sox catcher) could use that to catch Wakefield.”(referring to the Red Sox knuckleball pitcher) I use it at my book discussions, book signings and keep it in my office with a copy of the book. I recently used it at the Eastern States Exposition(“The BIG E”) in West Springfield Massachusetts. The Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association(CAPA) had a store there and on the day I was a featured author, I walked around with the giant glove and asked anyone who had a camera or picture phone on them if they wanted to take a picture of their kid, girlfriend or spouse wearing it. It became a easy way to start talking about my book and why they should buy it. One guy walked by and decided to tell me a joke about the big glove, something about how I had to have big baseballs to use that sized glove. Well, the joke was slightly different than that but after all this is a family website, isn’t it?
Do you feel that the Internet has opened doors for authors who never dreamed they’d ever see a publishing contract and how has it influenced you in regards to your own publishing journey?
In light of the fact the current climate for mainstream published books has resulted in the vast majority of books being from proven or celebrity authors, it certainly has opened the door for unknown authors. I wonder if any of the more famous works of literature were put in front of publishers today would they have seen the light of day.
The ability to get a book published quicker certainly influenced me since I don’t think I would have met my goal of completing my book within the time frame I desired were it not for the internet. It certainly has made communication between my editors and the reception and review of working drafts far more efficient.
If you were in the middle of Manhattan (or any busy thoroughfare) and you wanted to call attention to your book, what would you do and what would you say?
No question I would stand on a corner holding giant baseball glove. I’m sure that I
would get tons of people who either want to talk about it or take a picture of it. I would give them my elevator pitch about the book. If that didn’t work, I’d probably put on a baseball uniform and walk around with the glove. Freshly baked cookies probably wouldn’t work on a street corner in Manhattan, but Girl Scout cookies might.
If you could trade places with any author just for a day, who would it be and why?
Any author? My first choice who have to be any of gospel writers of the New Testament. That one day in any of their shoes would be one amazing religious experience. Other than those writers, I’d probably say William Shakespeare, just to see things as he did for one day. In more modern times, I’d have to say Samuel L. Clemens, just to pick up his wit and wisdom and because I liked Woody Harrelson’s attempted imitation of him on Cheers.
Lastly, how do you determine your book’s success?
When a spouse of one of the player-characters of my book told me I was personally
responsible for the fact she had to buy a new door to fit her husband’s head through it, I knew it was worthwhile. I think I determined its success when it first came out and somebody told me they were buying it for their husband as a Christmas present. When somebody thinks of your book that highly, I think you must have done something right.
Thank you for coming, Steve! Can you tell us where everyone can pick up a copy of THE FAT LADY NEVER SINGS?
Your welcome, Dorothy. The pleasure was all mine. The book can be found at numerous places online including Amazon, iUniverse, B&N.com, Bordersstores.com, Waldenbooks.com, and a
host of other sites listed on the book’s website at http://www.thefatladyneversings.com/.
Of all the promotional items ( bookmarks, press kits, etc...) you have used to promote your book, which one was used most effectively?
The bookmarks I had professionally created were well accepted at the local libraries
where I left them to be passed out to patrons. While I had hundreds of them passed out, its hard to tell how effective they were to push actual sales. The fresh baked cookies I purchased from a local bakery and Dunkin Donuts coffee went over very well at my library book discussions. All the cookies were eaten so that is one way to at least track satisfaction with a prop.
However, by far my best promotional item has been the giant leather baseball glove I purchased through a company named Akadema. It attracts almost everybody that sees it. After people spot it, they feel compelled to say something about it, like “Hey, Jason Giambi(not so sure fielding first baseman for the New York Yankees) could use that one,” or “Jason Varitek(the Boston Red Sox catcher) could use that to catch Wakefield.”(referring to the Red Sox knuckleball pitcher) I use it at my book discussions, book signings and keep it in my office with a copy of the book. I recently used it at the Eastern States Exposition(“The BIG E”) in West Springfield Massachusetts. The Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association(CAPA) had a store there and on the day I was a featured author, I walked around with the giant glove and asked anyone who had a camera or picture phone on them if they wanted to take a picture of their kid, girlfriend or spouse wearing it. It became a easy way to start talking about my book and why they should buy it. One guy walked by and decided to tell me a joke about the big glove, something about how I had to have big baseballs to use that sized glove. Well, the joke was slightly different than that but after all this is a family website, isn’t it?
Do you feel that the Internet has opened doors for authors who never dreamed they’d ever see a publishing contract and how has it influenced you in regards to your own publishing journey?
In light of the fact the current climate for mainstream published books has resulted in the vast majority of books being from proven or celebrity authors, it certainly has opened the door for unknown authors. I wonder if any of the more famous works of literature were put in front of publishers today would they have seen the light of day.
The ability to get a book published quicker certainly influenced me since I don’t think I would have met my goal of completing my book within the time frame I desired were it not for the internet. It certainly has made communication between my editors and the reception and review of working drafts far more efficient.
If you were in the middle of Manhattan (or any busy thoroughfare) and you wanted to call attention to your book, what would you do and what would you say?
No question I would stand on a corner holding giant baseball glove. I’m sure that I
would get tons of people who either want to talk about it or take a picture of it. I would give them my elevator pitch about the book. If that didn’t work, I’d probably put on a baseball uniform and walk around with the glove. Freshly baked cookies probably wouldn’t work on a street corner in Manhattan, but Girl Scout cookies might.
If you could trade places with any author just for a day, who would it be and why?
Any author? My first choice who have to be any of gospel writers of the New Testament. That one day in any of their shoes would be one amazing religious experience. Other than those writers, I’d probably say William Shakespeare, just to see things as he did for one day. In more modern times, I’d have to say Samuel L. Clemens, just to pick up his wit and wisdom and because I liked Woody Harrelson’s attempted imitation of him on Cheers.
Lastly, how do you determine your book’s success?
When a spouse of one of the player-characters of my book told me I was personally
responsible for the fact she had to buy a new door to fit her husband’s head through it, I knew it was worthwhile. I think I determined its success when it first came out and somebody told me they were buying it for their husband as a Christmas present. When somebody thinks of your book that highly, I think you must have done something right.
Thank you for coming, Steve! Can you tell us where everyone can pick up a copy of THE FAT LADY NEVER SINGS?
Your welcome, Dorothy. The pleasure was all mine. The book can be found at numerous places online including Amazon, iUniverse, B&N.com, Bordersstores.com, Waldenbooks.com, and a
host of other sites listed on the book’s website at http://www.thefatladyneversings.com/.
If you would like to find out more about Steven, visit his website at http://www.thefatladyneversings.com/. If you would like a chance to win a copy of Steven's book, leave a comment. Winners will be chosen at random on Halloween night and posted at http://www.virtualbooktoursforauthors.blogspot.com/!
Tags: author interviews, online book promotion, free book publicity, author interview, public relations, virtual book tour, Steven M. Reilly
Monday, October 8, 2007
An Interview with Shohan Bantwal, Author of THE DOWRY BRIDE
We have a very special guest today at Pump Up Your Online Book Promotion! Welcome Shobhan Bantwal, author of THE DOWRY BRIDE. Shobhan is here with us today to tell us how she pumps up her own online book promotion!Shobhan was born and raised in India and came to the United States as a young bride in an arranged marriage. She has published short fiction in literary magazines and articles in a number of publications. Writing plays in her mother tongue (Indian language - Konkani) and performing on stage at Indian-American conventions are some of her hobbies. She lives in New Jersey.
You can visit her website at http://www.shobhanbantwal.com/.
Welcome to Pump Up Your Online Book Promotion, Shobhan! Can we begin by having you tell us what your THE DOWRY BRIDE is about and why you wrote it?
Thanks for the warm welcome, Dorothy. THE DOWRY BRIDE is the story of one young woman trapped in India’s arranged marriage and dowry system and her escape, and her extraordinary journey to freedom and hope with the aid of one special man.
Despite laws to ban the archaic system of dowry, India still has incidents where young brides are abused and even killed by their husbands’ families for not bringing the promised dowry. As a sociology student, the brutal practice bothered me while I was growing up in India. Thankfully my own arranged marriage had no hint of dowry, so it bothered me even more that other women should suffer such pain and humiliation. Much later in life, when I took up creative writing, I decided to use the subject as the main theme of my first fiction book. I felt if I used it to weave an interesting story, I could make the rest of the world more aware of the practice.
THE DOWRY BRIDE is mainstream women’s fiction with romantic elements. Why did you choose this genre to write? Did you choose it or did it choose you?
I’d say the genre chose me. I’m a big fan of Dorothy Garlock, Barbara Delinksy, Nora Roberts and Judith McNaught and when I started to write, I went into a similar genre with an Indian twist. They say one should write what one knows, and what I know is my own Indian-Hindu background and culture and that’s what I’ve incorporated into writing women’s fiction with a romantic theme.
In regards to promotion, what have you been doing to promote your book online?
My website, http://www.shobhanbantwal.com/ is my primary source of promoting my book. Early on, I sent out dozens of advance reading copies to on-line reviewers and that helped me a lot. I have reviews on a number of sites now. I hand out a lot of bookmarks and postcards at every opportunity. Also, I signed up with Author Buzz, which gave a me fair amount of publicity with readers, librarians and booksellers. My publisher did a special promotion for me on Fresh Fiction and is currently doing another one on Book Reporter. I’ve had some interesting interviews done by some local newspapers and one by Romantic Times.
Of all the promotional items (bookmarks, press kits, etc…) you have used to promote your book, which one was used most effectively?
The advance reading copies that my publisher gave me in generous quantities was probably my most effective tool (of course I had to pay all that postage).
Do you feel that the Internet has opened doors for authors who never dreamed they’d ever see a publishing contract and how has it influenced you in regards to your own publishing journey?
Oh, absolutely! If it weren’t for word processing programs and the Internet, there wouldn’t be such a proliferation of authors all over the world. Creating a buzz about a book is so much easier on the Internet when compared to the old way of going from book store to book store for author events and depending on newspapers and magazines to tell readers about one’s book.
For myself, it has been a wonderful tool, since I’ve queried first agents and then reviewers, kept in touch with my editor and agent, and made use of such interesting services like book trailers, your own Pump Up your Book Promotion and other online resources. My book trailer is available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=kmVxe2M5A20.
If you were in the middle of Manhattan (or any busy thoroughfare) and you wanted to call attention to your book, what would you do and what would you say?
I’m rather shy about doing anything eye-catching, but if push came to shove, I’d pull out a copy of the book or a poster and shout, “Hey, look, this is my book. I’m the author! Isn’t it great?”
If you could trade places with any author just for a day, who would it be and why?
I think it would be Khaled Hosseini. I absolutely love his writing and the fact that he exposes the evils in the social structure of his own former homeland of Afghanistan in the most fascinating stories. He was such a role model for me when I took up writing, that I even queried his literary agent, and as luck might have it, I got signed on by the same agency as his.
Lastly, how do you determine your book’s success?
I’d say it’s been moderatem judging from the turnout at my author events and the reviews. I’m hoping that this appearance on your popular blog as well as the whirlwind Virtual Tour you’ve planned for me for this entire month will help escalate the process very quickly. I have high hopes.
Thank you for coming, Shobhan! Can you tell us where everyone can pick up a copy of THE DOWRY BRIDE (please include link to Amazon)?
Thanks for hosting me, Dorothy. It’s been a lot of fun talking about my book and myself. THE DOWRY BRIDE is available at all bookstores in the U.S. and Canada and all online booksellers. Here’s the link to Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/24dlec.
ATTENTION READERS! Shobhan will be giving away a copy of her fantastic book, THE DOWRY BRIDE, to one lucky person who comments. Leave a comment below to be eligible. All winners will be announced at http://www.virtualbooktoursforauthors.blogspot.com/ on Halloween night! Good luck!
Tags: author interviews, online book promotion, free book publicity, author interview, public relations, virtual book tour, Shobhan Bantwal
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Phone Call from Dad Contest
“Hello?”
“Hi, it’s me. Your father.”
“You mean the father who refuses to acknowledge he has a daughter for the last fifty-something years and now has the nerve to think I’d want to talk to him NOW?”
Click.
Would would you say if the father you had never seen called you? Hang up? Give it to him good? Heh.
Well, here’s a neat little contest you can enter where you can let it all hang out. It’s called “Contacted” and you can find out all about it at http://www.fanstory.com/contestdetails.jsp?id=533.
Hurry because the deadline is October 19, 2007!
Now…where’s my evil pen…bwaaahhhaaaahhaaaaa...
Tags: writing contest, online book promotion
“Hi, it’s me. Your father.”
“You mean the father who refuses to acknowledge he has a daughter for the last fifty-something years and now has the nerve to think I’d want to talk to him NOW?”
Click.
Would would you say if the father you had never seen called you? Hang up? Give it to him good? Heh.
Well, here’s a neat little contest you can enter where you can let it all hang out. It’s called “Contacted” and you can find out all about it at http://www.fanstory.com/contestdetails.jsp?id=533.
Hurry because the deadline is October 19, 2007!
Now…where’s my evil pen…bwaaahhhaaaahhaaaaa...
Tags: writing contest, online book promotion
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Where and How to Find the Right Agents to Represent Your Work
I stumbled upon this website/blog this morning and thought I’d pass on the info to you. It’s called GUIDE TO LITERARY AGENTS and you can find it at http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/.
I was very impressed with the amount of information they had there concerning agents that might be interested in your manuscripts. They have profiles of existing agencies and recent news on new agencies, as well as agent interviews and agent alerts. I am so in love with this site. Check it out!
Tags: literary agency, literary agent, online book promotion, book publicity
I was very impressed with the amount of information they had there concerning agents that might be interested in your manuscripts. They have profiles of existing agencies and recent news on new agencies, as well as agent interviews and agent alerts. I am so in love with this site. Check it out!
Tags: literary agency, literary agent, online book promotion, book publicity
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