Let's Discuss Promotion

https://www.amazon.com/Trash-Harem-Tempe-Crabtree-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B096KZDPH8/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=The+Trash+Harem+by+Marilyn+Meredith&qid=1637158830&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

During the pandemic, many of the events and ways of selling books was prohibited.

For my new book, I was a guest on a lot of blogs. I actually enjoy writing new material for blogs.

I did manage to still do a bit of that kind of promotion: Our local art gallery of which I'm a member never closed. I was invited to speak twice at their general meeting and able to sell my books. The audience was small, masked, but very attentive.

The art gallery also held their annual holiday boutique and I had a table with my books. Though not as well attended as those before the pandemic, it was great fun and I did sell books.

In our little foothill community, the annual Apple Festival was cancelled two years in a row, but this year they held a smaller one day Fall Festival. I did well selling my books and the most fun was seeing old friends.

I've done two book signings for new books in the fellowship hall at my church. Not a big attendance, but I did sell copies of my new books and others too. 

Many writers did Podcasts, but I haven't tried that yet. Mainly because I live in a busy household with three grandkids, not sure where I would do one and if it could happen uninterrupted.

I've had .99 cent sales for older books in my series--the RBPD series and the Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series which did well and resulted in people buying other books in the two series. Which is the whole idea of doing this kind of promotion. It takes a lot of work and finding places that don't cost much to help promote. 

Though there have been two big book fairs I was invited to participate in, both were far away and meant being away from my husband who needs to have someone to help.

I did attend one conference away from home and my husband stayed with my daughter and husband. Most writing or mystery conferences are not the best for selling books (unless you are a big-name author), but the are a great place to learn new things about writing, what's going on in the writing world and other tidbits. But most of all, it's wonderful to be with other authors. For me, a writing conference lifts my spirits and gives me the incentive to keep on writing.

So tell me, what have you been doing in the way of promotion and what have you planned for the future?

Marilyn