What I've Learned About Myself and Promotion

I've just returned from a five days away from home attending Epicon in New Orleans and then turned around the next weekend to head to Apple Valley CA (a driveable 3 1/2 hours)for a talk for a writers' club.

The trek to New Orleans was brutal with three plane changes and one to another airline. Traipsing through the terminals lugging two carry-ons, having to find a bus that went to another terminal for the airline change wore hubby and me out. The conference itself was great as was the sightseeing in New Orleans, but I was exhausted for days afterwards and not really recovered when it was time to take off again.

Because of my new book, An Axe to Grind, I've been promoting non-stop. I always do a mix of on-line promotion and in-person events.

I'm on a blog tour all month which means visiting the blog stops and leaving a message, answering quesions left in comments, and promoting each blog on Facebook and other social networking places.

When I got home from New Orleans I made arrangements for my physical book launch in the little town I live in and the nearest city. Fortunately, our local newspaper is always gracious about helping me promote my books and my events. On my way out of town to Apple Valley I made a stop at the newspaper to get my photo taken holding my book.

This coming weekend I'm headed to Oxnard CA where I'll have a booth at the Celebration of the Whales on Sunday, March 21st, from 9 to 5. This one is a bit of physical labor as we must put up our own tent and table and chairs. I've done this one before and it was good. Plus, we can stay with our daughter and hubby and have a chance to visit with them and our other daughter who lives nearby.

The weekend after that we're headed back to Morro Bay for a group author signing with the Central Coast Sisters in Crime on Sunday, March 28 from 1-3 at the Coalesce Bookstore.

When I read about these famous authors who drive or fly all over the country for booksignings in bookstores I know they are all much younger than I am. I could never handle that pace. I need to get home in between events and rest in comfortable surroundings.

Next time I'll tell how some of these promotions have worked out.

How about you? Have you learned anything from your promotions?