Thank you for inviting me to Romance Book Haven – I am very happy to be here. I come stumbling in from a grueling blog tour and will try my best to be a good guest!
Blog Tour
Over the last couple of months I’ve worked very hard to get the word out about two of my books released in March. (See covers and blurbs below) In order to do this, I have spent time on the road (cyber-road) talking about everything from character point of view to who is more romantic - men or women, to research on hot air balloon rides, to why I love RN protagonists, to my top five favorite romance book story hooks. On and on and on…What else can I possibly talk about?
Well, today I’d like to spread the word about how valuable a blog tour is. Yes, they really are worth it. Here are a few reasons why:
- I have met some wonderful readers and aspiring authors along the way.
- I’ve developed a few new and hopefully lasting relationships with both readers and reviewers.
- I’ve spent hours at each blog stop being entertained by the wonderful comments left by participants.
- I’ve found out about fantastic new blogs all over the world that I didn’t know existed until Nas Dean set me up for this blog tour.
- And, yes, I’ve sold a few books along the way, too.
I consider my good fortune of touring cyberspace a win-win for myself and for those blog homes where I’ve been a guest. Here’s why:
- I bring traffic to their blogs and I meet people from those blogs I’ve never met before.
- I get to share the books that I am so proud of with potential new readers.
- My world opens up more with each guest appearance, as I make new acquaintances from all over the globe.
- I get to share the behind scene stories and give extra information about my books with visitors to those blogs.
- I’ve replied to each and every comment left by someone kind enough to leave one, and have developed a relationship, though brief, in the process. Often those people follow the blog tour.
- I learn things!
- Keep the blogs short, entertaining, and upbeat.
- Post pictures when you can
- Honor those who leave comments by replying to them
- Respect differences in opinion – in other words – be diplomatic
- Tell your friends where you are blogging
- Visit blogs where your friends are blogging (In other words, what goes around comes around) J
- Don’t feel compelled to leave long excerpts after a long blog post
- Interviews may be fun once in a while, but short creative blogs are more entertaining for the readers. (My opinion)
- Giveaways are not necessary at every blog stop
- Do not let your tour interrupt your writing any more than absolutely necessary. (This is the most challenging part of all!)
Have realistic expectations about what your blog tour will do for you.
Newsflash – when it’s all over, you may have picked up a few new newsletter subscribers, a few more people may know your name, you may have more Facebook or Goodreads friend requests, and you may have added a few book sales and reader fans to your roster, but life will go back to normal. Thank goodness!
When all is blogged and done – it’s time to write that next good book.
Lynne Marshall writes contemporary and Medical Romance for Harlequin and The Wild Rose Press. The first book in the Grady family trilogy, Courting His Favorite Nurse, is a March 2012 Harlequin Special Edition. Also just released in March in e-book only is, An Indiscretion, a contemporary romance with strong medical elements, from The Wild Rose Press.
You can connect with Lynne Marshall on the Web:
COURTING HIS FAVORITE NURSE Harlequin Special Edition, March 2012 #2178, US
Anne Grady knew better than anyone that love was complicated. When she’d left her hometown, she thought she was leaving her past heartbreak behind for good, as well. But practically the moment she returned to care for her injured parents, she stumbled headlong into their confidant—her first love, Jack Lightfoot.
Jack had been unable to deny his feelings for Annie when he was a teenager dating her best friend, and he certainly couldn’t muffle the spark twisting between them now—even if memories of the past kept threatening to push them apart. This time Jack wasn’t going to let history repeat itself—he was going to show Annie that the two of them were meant to be much more than best friends!
Buy Links:
Harlequin Amazon Amazon UK B&N Book Depository
A doctor... A nurse... An indiscretion...
Paul Valverde is stretched to the limit, caring for an elderly relative while running a business and maintaining a full-time medical practice at St. Stephen's Hospital--with no time for a relationship.
RN Carrington Hanover leaves her money-hungry fiance at the altar and moves on to a new job at St. Stephen's Hospital in Los Angeles. The next man in her life must love her, not her money.
All work and no play has made Paul an unfulfilled man, and the resurrected redheaded crush from his youth is driving him to distraction. Can their complicated past become untangled by their newfound attraction--or will their love be doomed by mistrust and long-held resentment?
Buy Links: The Wild Rose Press Amazon
Thank you Lynne for sharing about your experiences around the Blogosphere. You have some very valuable advice here.
Very good advice, Lynne! Some I will be taking on board when I'll be going on my book tour in a couple of months :)
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for stopping by my own blog (The Book Bordello), it was lovely to have you.
Good luck with your sales - and getting back to writing and 'normal' life again, lol.
Lynne could be a Blogging Mentor on my blog. :) All wonderful advice. Sometimes I think we forget blogging is just like writing, it takes practice and hard work.
ReplyDeleteNice meeting you, Lynne!
Great tips! It's funny how so many of my older posts have no photos or images in them at all - how dull for readers!
ReplyDeleteXandra - it was a pleasure to visit The Book Bordello and thank you for the kind wishes. Also - good luck on your upcoming blog tour!
ReplyDelete:)
Hi Emily! Nice meeting you, too. You're right - the point of blog tours is interacting with cyber visitors. It takes time, personality, and goodwill to have a successful cyber-tour.
ReplyDeleteWishing you great success on yours!
Deniz - so nice to see you again. Yes, when all is said and done, people like pictures. I'm so glad you stopped by today.
ReplyDeleteMore tips - bullet points. Bold titles and subtitles in blogs. As stated - pictures, light hearted info, and interacting with all commenters is key.
I cannot stress the importance of keeping blogs to 500 words or less. How many times have I tuned out a blog that insists on becoming a history lesson or school lecture? I've lost count! :)
Thank you for reading and commenting.
Congratulations on your latest book, Lynne!
ReplyDeleteYour thoughts on the blogosphere are definitely right on. I try not to post long articles; I'm aware not all of my readers have time to visit blogs. Wishing you much continued success!
Excellent advice, Lynne. The thing I like about blog tours from both a reader and an author POV is that I don't have to dress or pull out the u comfortable high heels :)
ReplyDeleteAll the best with your latest releases.
Hi Claudia - thanks for your kind wishes. I'm glad to know my thoughts resonate with you.
ReplyDeleteWishing you success also.
Lynne
Hi Shelley - Right you are about not having to get dressed up for blog tours, or put on makeup. :)
ReplyDeleteI couldn't sleep, so I got up and checked the blog and am sitting in my PJs and bathrobe at the moment.
LOL - don't tell anyone.
What a lovely, down-to-earth post. You are obviously a very organised and disciplined writer and deserve your success. Well done:-)
ReplyDeleteHi jabblog - thank you for reading and commenting. In order to survive a blog tour - we have to be organized.!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind thoughts.
Lots of good stuff here. I love blogging, so it's good to see pointers on how to do it right :)
ReplyDeleteHi Carol - I'm glad this cyber-wisdom was helpful!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for reading and commenting, and happy blogging.
Great tips! Thanks for sharing...
ReplyDeleteBest wishes with your books. :)
Thanks for the tips, Lynne. I love following blog tours. It's so cool to see all the different takes on a book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for such great advice and tips, Lynne!
ReplyDeleteI love following on blog tours too and reading all the new posts authors do!
All the best!
Hi Lynne,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for all these great advice.
Congratulations on the release of your Courting His favorite Nurse and An Indiscretion!
Hi Sharon,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the blog was helpful!
hi Leslie!
ReplyDeleteTrust me, I had to stretch my imagination to keep coming up with things to blog about! :)
Thanks for reading.
Dear Romance Reader - I enjoyed my visit to your blog, too! I'm glad to have picked up a few blog followers along the way.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading and commenting.
Hi Laura!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the good wishes. I really appreciate it.
Here's another tip for authors - don't forget to ask readers to click the "like" button for your book at Amazon.
Excellent tips here. I appreciate you sharing them. Wishing you much success!
ReplyDeleteLynne, these are excellent points and great things to keep in mind, no matter what stage of writing/publishing you're in. I don't have a book coming out yet, but I'll remember these things when it's my time. Best of luck with your books!
ReplyDeleteHi Robyn - I'm glad you found the tips helpful!
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading and commenting.
Hi Shelley - I agree - blog tours are a must no matter what stage in the career the author is in.
ReplyDeleteI wish you all the best, and look forward to following you on a future blog tour!
:)
Nice to meet Lynne. The tips for bloggers are excellent. I'm going to be running a special interest group on blogging at a conference. I may refer people to this post!
ReplyDeleteI love Lynne's tips. I'm going to keep all that in mind when I do a blog tour (haven't done one so far).
ReplyDeleteHer medical romances sound fabulous.
Have a great weekend.
I so am in super AWE at you authors embarking on blog tours! I'm so happy that it continues to work for you Lynne! It's great that there are so many positives to doing a blog tour. I just know I can't do it as I'm far too unfocused and disorganised! All the best!!
ReplyDeleteTake care
x
You made some great points about blog tours. They do take a lot of time but they are so worth it. Great tips too for bloggers.
ReplyDeleteHi Theresa! I'm so glad my blog was helpful. I didn't realize commenting was still open, so please forgive me for not commenting before now.
ReplyDeleteHi Medeia - I'm so happy these tips are helpful. Best of luck when you do have a blog tour.
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll give my medical romances a try, as well as my contemporary non-medical stories like Courting His Favorite Nurse. It will be available in the UK in May as a duo with Lillian Darcy in the Cherish line, and I couldn't be happier about that!
Dear "Old Kitty" - I'm not the most organized person in the world either, that's why I needed Nas Dean's help to pull this blog tour off! :)
ReplyDeletetake care, and thanks for reading and commenting.
Hi Lynda - I'm so glad you found the blog useful. I'm sure there are many more tips for blog tours that i didn't think of, but overall, I'm glad I did one.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting!