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| F.M. Meredith |
F.M. Meredith, also known as Marilyn Meredith, is the author of nearly thirty published novels. Her latest in the Rocky Bluff P.D. crime series, from Oak Tree Press, is Angel Lost. Marilyn is a member of EPIC, Four chapters of Sisters in Crime, including the Internet chapter, Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. Visit her at http://fictionforyou.com and her blog at http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/
Today, you can catch a glimpse of what F.M. is doing to promote her latest book. First, here's a little bit about that book.
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| Angel Lost by F.M. Meredith |
My Promotion for Angel Lost
by F.M. Meredith
I do a lot of the same things as everyone else, Facebook and Twitter, and I’m on a blog tour through the month of March and will be visiting a few other blogs in April.
About Blog Tours: I host authors on my own blog http://marilynmeredith.blogpost.com and I’ve found that some of my guests don’t really have a clue about what they ought to be doing. Oh, they send me exactly what I ask for, and usually write great blogs, but they don’t do a thing to promote (I do) and they don’t come back and visit to see if anyone has left a comment or a question that they can answer.
The champion promoter on Facebook is Rob Walker and I can’t really add anything to what he’s doing, in fact I’ve copied some of his strategies. Just know, Facebook is there and it’s great way to reach a lot of people. Facebook and Twitter are other ways to steer people to your blog posts. And if you use http://iPing.com you can connect with most of the social networks you’re on with one post.
Though I love promoting on the Net I do a lot of in-person events too.
The only mystery con I’m going to this year is Mayhem in the Midlands in Omaha. This is one of my favorites because I’ve made a lot of friends who attend every year and are also my fans. Attending is much like going to a family reunion.
I only have two bookstores where I make regular appearances; one is our local used book store and I’ll be doing the launch for Angel Lost there. I’m also going to an independent, Willow Bridge Books, in the foothills to give a talk to their writers’ group. I love going there and I always sell a lot of books. This year though, I’m traveling to Sedona AZ and will be speaking at the Well-Red Coyote Book Store http://www.wellredcoyote.com/ because my hubby and I and our daughter and her husband are going there on vacation. I spoke there about three years ago and it’s wonderful bookstore. (Another tip, combine your speaking engagements with your vacations.)
Writing conferences are another favorite, though I don’t attend them anymore unless I can be a speaker. (Don’t get me wrong, I always learn something new at a writing conference and they are always great for recharging my battery, it’s just that I have so little time I have to choose what works best for me. So, having said that, this year I’ll be heading to Public Safety Writers Association http://www.policewriter.com where I’ll learn from the experts and know I’ll be on panels because anyone who wants to be on one will. ( Plus I’m the program chairperson and because my sister lives in Vegas where the conference is I’ll visit her while I’m there.)
I’m also one of the instructors for the Cuesta College Writing Conference http://www.communityprograms.net/wc/wcindex.htm which leads me right to Book Festivals.
The Sunday following the conference is the Central Coast Book and Author Festival in San Luis Obispo. This is an event I never miss. Craft Fairs are also great venues for authors to sell books and this year I’m going to the Jane Austen Festival in Fresno—yes, I know my books are not historical or about Jane Austen, but I was well-received last year and invited back this year. My point here would be to look for places where you can sell your books.
I’m also going to be talking about what gave me the ideas for my books at a college in Southern California. Check out your nearby colleges and see if they’d like to have you as a speaker. Some pay a speaker’s fee and some will let you sell your books after the talk.
If you belong to a Sisters in Crime chapter or more than one like I do, you could offer to be a speaker at their meeting, or perhaps they have a speakers’ bureau like the LA Chapter of Sisters in Crime that arranges for panels at local libraries.
The potential for speaking engagements and selling opportunities is only limited by your imagination and time. I hope I’ve give you some ideas.
Please leave a comment to welcome F. M. Meredith, author of Angel Lost the latest in the Rocky Bluff P.D. series.
28 comments:
Hi F.M. (Marilyn),
A warm welcome to you at Acme Authors Link. I'm in awe of everything you do to write and market your books!
Morgan Mandel
http://facebook.com/morgan.mandel
F.M.
Wonderful blog and some terrific advice. I agree with you, Rob Walker does an incredible job promting his books, as does J. Konrath-another marvel.
Thank you for stopping by.
Margot Justes
www.mjustes.com
Thanks for having me today. Since I wrote this blog two of my events were canceled, the Jane Austen event and Mayhem in the Midlands. (That one made me really sad and cost me a lot because I already had my airline tickets.)
But, not one to stand still, I am going to have a booth at the Jackass Mail Run in my own town (certainly not as elegant as the Jane Austen Fest, but it's a place to sell books.
And I was able to transfer my tickets (with some added money) to go to Killer Nashville in August.
Waving madly at Morgan and Margot.
HI F.M./Marilyn,
Setting up blog tours is a lot of work, but if done right, they certainly can draw attention to your work and to you.
Sounds like you are one busy lady these days. Thanks for taking the time to visit Acme!
Debra St. John
Hi F.M., I love the name of your book! (That's a pick me up and read me title)! You sound like one busy author. Of course, you have to be in this business. Thank you for sharing some great ideas.
I have often thought that you were actually seven people with all the posts and activities you're involved in, Marilyn. Great interview - as always.
And Meredith, I just have to ask...what is the Jackass Mail Run. I'm seriously fascinated (love events, books, whatever with interesting names).
Ever since I have toured with PUYB I have greatly admired your perseverance and no-holds-barred approach to promotion.
I don't know if you ahve been to the Tucson Festival of Books yet, but it is becoming the largest event of its kind in the southwest. Won't happen again until next March, but you would probably do pretty well at it.
J.D., I sometimes wonder that too. How is it possible that she is everywhere all the time?
Thanks for stopping by everyone. Morgan and the rest of the gang at Acme Authors, thanks for hosting Marilyn today. I feel blessed to be able to help her promote her books and to call her a friend.
Best of luck, Marilyn. Angel Lost is a great book.
Cheryl
My friend Morgan invited me over today and I'm glad I came.
FM you are a whirlwind of information and publicity. I'm so glad to meet you and I can see that you are very good at what you do.
Wishing you all the best!
Maggie
author of the Cleopatra Jones mystery series
www.maggietoussaint.com
Marilyn, you must be taking Wonder Woman energy pills. I can't imagine how you have time to write, travel and promote your many books. I'm in complete awe!
I agree with Jean, I'm tired just reading about all you do! Seriously, though, you've offered some incredible tips for authors wanting to promote themselves and their books. Hope to meet you in person some day at one of them!
Your energy is contagious, Marilyn! Wishing you continued success and well-deserved fulfillment.
Marilyn,
Thanks for the great tips, especially regarding blog book tours. I'll be checking out Rob Walker on Facebook, too.
Great advice. One thing authors have to do is think outside of the box - and keep reaching out instead of waiting for someone to call you.
These days it does seem speaking engagements are where the money is. Bookstores for me have been mostly a losing proposition.
Morgan Mandel
Wow, so many of you posted, thank you!
Well, I'm a great-grandma who just keeps plodding along, no big secrets, no energy pills. I make a list every a.m. and do one thing after another. Have to be careful though to leave time to write.
The Jackass Mail Run actually begins 17 miles away in the town of Porterville. About 100 horseback riders come up the hill escorting the mail wagon which is pulled by a team "jackasses"--the animal variety. They stop at a local bar for lunch and keep on riding--by afternoon many of them are jackasses of the human variety. Sheriff cars and the SPCA ride along too.
By 4:30 or so p.m. they arrive in Springville and bandits try to steal the mail, complete with lots of drama and gunfire. The mail always makes it to the postoffice eventually.
Meanwhile, people peruse the many craft and food booths and of course, my book booth, and in the park there's live western music.
In the olden days, not all that long ago, there was drinking on the streets and a row of sheriff cars lined up and began hauling people to jail at the end of the day.
Marilyn
Hi Marilyn, I've learned so much on promotion from your post, but I also learned that promotion pays off. I have a book RX in Russian to be released in three weeks. I'll try to put in practice some of the advice you gave us here, particularly the blog tour and posting on Facebook.
www.monarisk.com
The Jackass Mail Run sounds like a lot of fun. We have Frontier Days around here, but it's nothing like that!
Morgan Mandel
http://facebook.com/morgan.mandel
Sage advice from a forward leaning author, one I'm pleased to count as a friend.
Mona, promotion takes a lot of time and work, but if you aren't going to let people know about your book, who will?
Yep, Morgan, the Jackass Mail Run is wild and woolly. The next event in two weeks after that is the Springville Rodeo.
Wonderful interview, Marilyn. Your information on promotion is a valuable resource. The old saying, "No guts, no glory", comes to mind when reading about all your efforts to promote your books. Good luck at the Jackass Mail Run. Hope it doesn't rain you out.
Mary Benton
Oh, Mary, I didn't think about rain. We're had a plenty. Thanks for stopping by.
Marilyn
I looked over this again and saw your comment, Carl, thanks. I'm going to miss seeing you at Mayhem in the Midlands.
Marilyn
Thanks Marilyn. Great post. I will stop whining about my schedule now that I see yours. It is good inspiration for me to see what it takes to be successful. You have to get your name out there. Let people know how to find you and what you are offering. The task is ever so much harder for me as I am only an ebook author. If you don't have a computer with Internet access I wouldn't exist. Anyway glad to know you exist and will follow your exploits with awe. Liked what J D Webb said about he thought you were Seven people. He he. Come check out my blog sometime at http://characterswellmet.blogspot.com and please buy my short story Safe Haven by Reggie Ridgway on Kindle. Thanks
Mariyln: You are such an inspiration to all writers. Thanks for sharing your ideas and your schedule with us. Enjoy promoting Angel Lost!
DL Larson
What a wonderful post full of many promoting ideas and types! Online promo is such a huge thing now and I can see it only continuing to expand!
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