Bitchin' Blog Posts
: Promotion
January 10, 2011 | Monday | 34 Comments
In the inbox this morning: NYT bestselling author Mary Jane Clark is going to be signing books at a Manhattan outpost of Coldwater Creek, a women’s clothing store that caters to a rather upscale audience above the age of 35-40. Have a look at the email graphic: For a $50 purchase, shoppers get a copy of the book, and the author is there to sign it. This lights a fire under my synapses for a host of reasons, because it is a strange extension of author branding: matching a clothing store to an author, and potentially her readership, and then…
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August 03, 2010 | Tuesday | 18 Comments
When I read this book, I was so bummed at the time that I couldn’t tell everyone around me about it, because it wasn’t out yet. Now it’s out! And I can tell you! GO READ THIS BOOK! There, how’s that? Ok, fine, here’s some more. Hot Finish is book three in the Fast Track series by Erin McCarthy about stock car racers. If you have preconceptions about car racing books, put them aside and try this series, especially this book. I suspect people will not want to jump into book three because it’s the third of the series, and…
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July 21, 2010 | Wednesday | 19 Comments
Tomorrow, if ye be in Brooklyn or parts nearby, avast, for I will be part of a splendiferous panel on romance at one of the best independent bookstores in North America, WORD Brooklyn. Along with New York Times bestselling authors Sara McLean, Lauren Willig, Hope Tarr and I will be doing one of those fun panel discussions all about romance, why it’s awesome, and what all you might like to read. I hear rumors of a booksigning afterward. The event was in the New York Times last weekend, which gave me a major OMGWHUT? moment, so I hope that if…
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March 19, 2010 | Friday | 5 Comments
The Liberty States Fiction Writers Create Something Magical conference was last weekend at the Renaissance Hotel in Iselin, NJ. Someone apparently ordered a flood, as well, because the day of the conference it rained so hard, light poles in the parking lot fell over. No kidding- it was more than torrential. If it was an orgasm, this rainstorm would have gone on with waves and crests for more than sixteen pages. So, understandably, people were a little damp, and as the day went on, people went home a bit early, I suspect to drive while it was still daylight (not…
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February 22, 2010 | Monday | 747 Comments
I think I have to state right off that I’m not being compensated for this event in any way AND HOLY HELL do I wish I were! Also, that my husband isn’t eligible to enter even though he totally wants to. Why? Hope you’re sitting down. In order to highlight the release of Cathy Maxwell’s new book, The Marriage Ring and the role jewelry plays in the novel, Avon books is giving away a $1500.00 gift certificate to Fragments, an online jewelry store. Yeah, you read that right. $1500.00 US. In The Marriage Ring, the heroine has an emotional attachment…
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February 10, 2010 | Wednesday | 37 Comments
Behold: three very different but very interesting bits of book promotion that have made their way to my inbox or mailbox. First: Nora Roberts’ alter ego JD Robb is releasing her 30th book in the Eve/Roarke series. And check out the promotional bundle that appeared with a copy of the book: evidence bags! Each bag contains key evidence from one of the prior books, and there are 29 sets in all. Included is a memo from Eve Dallas that refers to a website where you can see all the different evidence bags that were sent out to reviewers and media…
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January 22, 2010 | Friday | 26 Comments
Harlequin has a new documentary that goes behind the scenes of a cover shoot, and believe me, it’s a layer cake of eye candy up in here. You don’t even need to have the volume up if you don’t want to. And if shirtless men or gentlemen in well-fitted jeans don’t do it for you, there’s still plenty to sigh at. Just look at the scenery. I’m terrified of horses and I want to go riding out there, like, already. There’s also a 10 minute version here: I think a documentary about a cover shoot is brilliant because it’s promotion…
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January 13, 2010 | Wednesday | 13 Comments
There are some big plans on the horizon and the time has come to enter the land of excellence: internship! Below the fold are details on an internship opportunity for Smart Bitches and Dear Author. Feel free to forward, copy and paste and send to all and sundry (but be careful with sundry, as I hear she’s a bit wonky today).
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or email me at sarahATsmartbitchestrashybooksDOTcom.
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January 08, 2010 | Friday | 66 Comments
First, from Kristen Painter, My New Pink Button, a dye to down your nether lips (or neither lips, whichever you currently possess) back to a lovely pink, should the normal process of aging and hormonal changes mean that your downthere is a bit more brown or red in color. A: OMG, this MATTERS?! I’m filing this under ‘Really? You bleach your anus? Why?’ B: I better see some seriously florid and elegant descriptions of nether lips that reference the color. I barely pay attention to what my own hard-to-see parts look like, but I darn well want to know what…
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January 04, 2010 | Monday | 22 Comments
As part of their 60th Anniversary year, Harlequin gave away 16 free titles and set a goal of putting a romance in the hands of over 1 million women.
I inquired at the end of the year as to the total number of downloads they received for their free book promotion, and got the final tally as soon as they’d finished counting: over 2.5 million romances were downloaded as of 29 December 2009.
That is numerically and romantically awesome. Way to go.
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December 02, 2009 | Wednesday | 32 Comments
I’ve asked a few times over the past few weeks for folks to send me their gift ideas and wish list items that they, as avid, voracious, book-lovin’, page-turnin’, spine-breakin’, button-pushin’, downloadin’ readers would love to have for this year’s holiday season. Get ready for random awesomeness. First: from Cat, the Read or Dieshopping bag. I swear on God’s potpourri, there is something for everyone at Archie McPhee, but this in particular rocks my literary socks. You could buy one, put some books in it, and hello, perfect gift. FOR YOURSELF. Heh. Kwana suggested Levenger, or as Jane and I…
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December 01, 2009 | Tuesday | 16 Comments
One promotional feature that many authors use in various ways is email. And I know that there are some who consider the newsletter akin to communication from the devil, and some who adore having author news in a digest format. Some authors email exclusive deals, and some maintain a digital mailing list to sent out alerts about sales and appearances in local stores or writing groups. Email is ubiquitous - most of us have it, so it makes sense to use it, particularly if you’re looking for contact, customer cultivation, and promotion. I was pondering the efficacy of email, and…
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November 30, 2009 | Monday | 28 Comments
Sony Style has a very cool page called Words Move Me, where users submit short passages from written works that they find memorable, moving, or personally important. They’ve come up with a rather neat promotion and have asked me to take part in helping spread the word about Words Move Me.
Oh look! A widget! Here are some examples:
So let’s get to celebrating the words that move us and have us a contest!
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October 16, 2009 | Friday | 8 Comments
From Carrie Lofty: prepare to LOL like AOL.
“How will you be able to translate all this into sales and revenue?”
“Listen… don’t ask stupid fucking questions?”
That’s the part where I fell off my chair. OMG. HAHAHA.
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October 08, 2009 | Thursday | 23 Comments
Even though my inbox overfloweth with the messages, I love reading my email from readers of the site because invariably I learn something or end up having a cool conversation with someone… from whom I learn something. Brain, be filled with info. Last week, I met Deborah Schneider, who is the RWA Librarian of the Year for 2009. She coordinates the public programs for 44 libraries in and around Seattle in the King County Library System, and books a ton of events with authors and aspiring writers. Deborah is also a new author - her book Promise Me comes out…
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