Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Phew, I'm Doing Another Blog Tour

I say phew because it's been a lot of work. For some reason, this blog tour seemed far more arduous than my others.

For those of you who have never done your own blog tour here are the steps.

1. Find people who are willing to host on their blog. Though I do use some of the same ones, I try to add new blogs and blogs that do have people following them.

2. Come up with dates that work for everyone. If possible, don't have two that fall on the same date. (I dd have on the very first date and it did work out okay.)

3. Find a good way to keep track of the dates, the blogs you're going to be on, etc.

4. Come up with a reason for people to follow your tour--contest of some kind. You can see mine near the bottom of the page. It's a good idea not to give away the  book that you are promoting because the whole reason for the tour is to get people interested enough to buy the book. Always put a link to where you'll be the next day at the bottom of the post, along with all the other links to your website, blog, and where to buy the book.

5. If the tour host give you a topic or send interview questions, that makes it easier. About 2/3 of the people how are hosting me did this. I came up with the rest of the topics. You shouldn't duplicate topics. If someone asks you to interview you main character and you already did it, interview another character.

6. Be sure to send all the information to the blog host ahead of time. (Do a spell check and red it over carefully--it's embarrassing when you find a typo after it's already posted.This includes your post, a .jpg of your cover and one of you. If you can, send different photos of yourself, and if appropriate other photos that go along with the topic. ( I think next time I do this I'll give a prize to the one who finds the most typos.)

7. When the blog tour begins, post the whole tour on your won blog with links.

8. Everyday check to make sure the post is up on the host's blog. Once in awhile you have to remind them--and it's a good idea to remind them the day before.

9. Visit the blog two or three times the day it's up and reply to people's comments. Keep a list of those who comment if you are drawing names for a prize.

10. Everyday promote the blog where you are appearing on Facebook, Twitter, listserves and any place else where you are a member.

And again, "Phew!"

P.S. And one big problem I came up with this year is the hosts giving me the wrong URL. Sometimes it was the name of their blog which was different from the correct link.


Now a bit about Dangerous Impulses:

An attractive new-hire captivates Officer Gordon Butler, Officer Felix Zachary’s wife Wendy is befuddled by her new baby, Ryan and Barbara Strickland receive unsettling news about her pregnancy, while the bloody murder of a mother and her son and an unidentified drug that sickens teenaged partiers jolts the Rocky Bluff P.D.

Contest:

The person who comments on the most blog posts on this tour may have a character named after him or her in the next Rocky Bluff P.D. crime novel or choose a book from the previous titles in the Rocky Bluff P.D. series in either paper or for Kindle.

Rocky Bluff P.D. Series:

Though each book in the Rocky Bluff P.D. series is written as a stand-alone, I know there are people who like to read a series in order. From the beginning to the end:

Final Respects
Bad Tidings
Fringe Benefits
Smell of Death
No Sanctuary
An Axe to Grind
Angel Lost
No Bells
Dangerous Impulses


F. M. Meredith’s Bio:
F.M. is also known as Marilyn Meredith, the author of the Deputy Tempe Crabtree series. She first became interested in writing about law enforcement when she lived in a neighborhood filled with police officers and their families. The interest was fanned when her daughter married a police officer and the tradition has continued with a grandson and grandson-in-law who are deputies. She’s also serves on the board of the Public Safety Writers Association, and has many friends in different law enforcement fields. For twenty plus years, she and her husband lived in a small beach community located in Southern California much like the fictional Rocky Bluff. She is a member of three chapters of Sisters in Crime, Epic, and Mystery Writers of America.

And I’m on Facebook and Twitter as MarilynMeredith

 Tomorrow you can find me visiting Marilyn Levinson. http://marilynlevinson.com/blog/





18 comments:

Kevin R. Tipple said...

As a reviewer who gets hammered with tour requests, I would also suggest it would be a good idea to have a reason for the tour beyond promoting a new book. Most seemed focused only on pushing the new book. I think a tour has to have some other hook or goal than just that to make the tour stand out in a sea of tour noise.

Everyone and their dog as well as their trained pet monkey and goldfish seem to be doing blog tours now which leads me to wonder if there is any point and if they really do increase book sales, author recognition, etc.

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

I love your photo, Marilyn, with the art top! Good blog tour tips.

Mary Montague Sikes

Marilyn Meredith a.k.a. F. M. Meredith said...

Good points, Kevin. And of course I'm pushing my book but I do have a contest. I've had this contest before and the person who gets to have their name for one of the characters has always enjoyed it. If you don't like that you can choose a book. And blog tours have increased my book sales. Bottom line though, I enjoy writing the posts. Blog hosts come up with great ideas for topics. And yes, in my case, tours have increased sales.

Mary (still want to call you Monti) thank you. I love that top too. Haven't worn it for awhile. I tried to put a new photo on every blog I've visited.

Bonnie Hearn Hill said...

I enjoyed your tips, Marilyn, and I always learn from you. Duh. Why did it never occur to me to give away something other than the book I am trying to sell?

Bonnie Hearn Hill said...

P.S. I also love the idea of giving away a character name. Let me know how that works out. I did that for KILLER BODY and MISTRESS. Both times we raised $500 for good causes (literacy and Valley Public Radio), and the choice affected my plot lines in positive ways. Would love to hear your experiences. Might be a good blog topic.

M.M. Gornell said...

Been on several blog tours with Marilyn, and they were so much fun! And that's the hard part, finding promotions efforts that are enjoyable (and hopefully profitable!) Marilyn is a PRO, and her advice is excellent--in my humble opinion...

Madeline

Billie Johnson said...

Great post, Marilyn! OTP is lucky to have you in so many ways...and one is certainly your willingness to share all that you know about this biz...and of course, your terrific novels!

Billie Johnson
Publisher, Oak Tree Press

Kevin R. Tipple said...

Okay, having just gotten blasted in private e-mails by two different folks who read my comments here, let me be clear that my observations were general in nature and I was not taking shots at Marilyn's blog, her books, her book tours, or anything else with her publishing career. It was just an observation I made about blog tours in general. I sincerely apologize for my clear inability to be clear in my remarks and not offensive.

Let me also be clear---Yes, I do know my parents and yes, they were married up until my father died slightly over a year ago. No, I really can not do that to myself as I have zero flexibility these days. No, I do not hate women. No, I am not evil. And no, I do not believe there is a special place in hell with my name on it. I have enough trouble trying to get a handicapped parking space at the hospital and my car has the appropriate plates and everything.

Man.....can you image the reaction there would have been if I had actually written what THEY think I did? lol

Rebecca said...

Hope you remember to have fun on your blog tour.

Lorna Collins - said...

Great information!

Morgan Mandel said...

Marilyn, I can't imagine how you manage to get everything done. It seems you're always on the go, yet you still have time to get your books finished!

Hats off to you!

Morgan Mandel
http://www.morganmandel.com

Marilyn Meredith a.k.a. F. M. Meredith said...

Folks, I had no problem with Kevin or his comments. Kevin is a friend and I respect his opinion. I don't have to agree with it, but this one didn't upset me at all.

I get bombarded for requests to host people too and I'm choosy about who I host on my blog.

Jean Henry Mead said...

Good advice from a fellow veteran blog tourist. I'm glad I was able to access this one. :)

Marilyn Meredith a.k.a. F. M. Meredith said...

Bonnie, I would like people to buy the book I'm promoting that's why I don't give it away.

Everyone else, I have fun doing the blog tours or I wouldn't bother because they are a lot of work. Going around to bookstores--who probably wouldn't have me anyway, would also be more work and I'd have to drive. I do like to go to independent bookstores that don't mind hosting a book signing by a small press author.

One thing I can say, is things change all the time, and it's hard to keep up with all that's going on.

My very favorite promo tool, though, is speaking to groups, any kind of group. And I'll get my daughter to drive for me if it's very far away.



Marilyn Meredith a.k.a. F. M. Meredith said...

I wrote a comment that disappeared.

I have fun on my blog tours or I wouldn't do them. A lot easier than driving all over the place--though believe me I will if someone wants me to do something. I love to talk to groups--any kind of groups.

Thank you everyone who commented. I took down your name or put a check mark if you've posted before.

Marilyn Meredith a.k.a. F. M. Meredith said...

Tried to promote this again on Facebook and I guess someone marked me as spamming. Darn!

Evelyn Cullet said...

You always come up with entertaining and informative information, Marilyn. Thanks for the info on blog tours. It's something I can use.

Marilyn Meredith a.k.a. F. M. Meredith said...

Glad you stopped by, Evelyn.