I put the photo in my Google library and I managed to get it on wordpress.
This is me, at the carnival, without my red coat.
Luckily it wasn’t a waste of time as I sold some books!
Advertisements
Category: books
The UK Southern Book Show.
On 28th October, at Field Place in Worthing we are having another UK Southern Book Show.This is the perfect opportunity for authors who do not get a lot of exposure to show what they have been writing and publishing. There is always a great variety of books on display with videos, refreshments and a friendly casual atmosphere unlike events in the capital. Along with talks, discussions and readings this promises to be even better than the one in the Spring. Stands are being booked already so if you are interested try http://www.uksouthernbookshow.co.uk.
Local promotion
I have had an interesting week as, after the book launch, a local magazine printed an article about me which I have reproduced on my pages. Then the local newspaper decided to print my thank you letter to the Pavilion Cafe/bar together with a photo I sent them just on the off chance they might use it one day and it took up a quarter of a page!
I had my first comment from someone who enjoyed ‘A Bend in the Lane’ and said they had read it straight through. It’s easy to do that with my novels as they are only about 200 pages long.
The UK Southern Book Show is on again in October so we have another event to look forward to, as well as the Broadwater Carnival on Saturday. I’ll be there all day and hope to make some more sales which result in reviews as Goodreads list books by popularity and I need to get the new book on the first page of my dashboard.
So far I am resisting a free giveaway but if someone who has read my previous books asks for a copy I’ll send one in return for a review, even if they are abroad.
Book Launch
Well, it happened! The launch for “A Bend in the Lane” at Worthing Pavilion Cafe/Bar on Tuesday was attended by a good number of dedicated readers who made the whole event worthwhile. It was gratifying to be told that one friend was happy to buy four copies as Christmas presents, and encouraging to know that people are still interested in the family I began writing about in 2007. I try not to say it is a series as I know folk might be put off. Each book does stand alone but the characters continue to fascinate me and as long as that continues there will be more stories I can tell about them.
What I cannot understand is that wherever the launch is held it does not attract anyone from the public. Why are people so afraid to look at books? I’ll put them in the library before Christmas and find more readers that way but I did plenty of advertising and still had to rely on people I had invited personally. Thankfully they were very supportive.
Making mistakes
Oh to be a good proof reader! There are times when it just won’t do to fill in a form and think you have got it right.
I can’t believe how I got it so wrong when I filled in the title editor form for Nielsen. It’s just about the most important part of being a self publisher. I don’t deserve sales if I can’t do the publishing job properly.
Maybe I’ll go back to writing short stories and poetry. My brain is deteriorating with age, along with the rest of me. No more going it alone. I need help!
Selling in person
I have been discussing sales techniques with various people in advance of the book launch for ” A Bend in the Lane” on Tuesday 3rd July. Having to rely on Amazon makes it difficult but, as a self publisher, that is the most obvious choice. I also have a wholesaler but they only sell books after they have been ordered.They don’t stock them, so it turns into a case of Sell-on-demand!
Therefore I am reliant on personal sales, something that I actually enjoy. I carry one copy around with me wherever I go and ask local shops to advertise the launch. If anyone shows an interest I produce a copy. I have a number of readers who devour everything I write and I know I can rely on them to purchase copies for themselves and as presents for friends.
People in the most unlikely places take a copy, the chiropodist, the hairdresser, the musician and fellow writers. My next task will be to take them to talks and on holiday.
Of course I advertise on line but selling in person is still the most fun and I know if I sell one book it will have more than one reader as they get passed around. The first twenty have already found new homes and I have orders for five more. OK, so, it’s not JK Rowling but I only print 100 at a time!
Promotion
It is time, Julie thought, that she told the world that, although she was old,
She’d written a tale that just couldn’t fail-in July it would start to be sold.
A lady went off all alone, for a holiday far from her home,
She met a kind man and told him,’Yes, I can, I’d be happy to give you a loan.
For the castle so grand is not quite what I’d planned for retirement, but really, what fun.
It’s in Italy, too – and I’d be there with you-but my family don’t understand.’
” A Bend in the Lane” is only in paperback, not on line but I can post copies abroad if anyone is interested.
