Why is Marketing So Hard?

<--- See that little book cover over there? Writing the novel that goes inside is hard. Having your baby go to an editor is harder. But the worst thing in the world for me, is marketing. I have been known to suffer from nausea, panic attacks, and anxiety while fulfilling my duties. But what the hell, that's life isn't it?  

I have this list:

1. Send out press release.  *check/stomach drops*  Why? I dunno. I'm uncomfortable with my name in the paper. Someone might figure out I write books. Now, is that a bad thing? No. But I like anonymity. I'm really quite shy. 

2. Sign up for blogs. *check/stomach drops* I find it difficult to talk about myself and the books I write. I can put to paper what I want to say, but those radio blogs--and now they have Skype blogs. *shudder*  One of my fellow authors, Lynn Rush,  did a television interview. *falls over* They'd have to medicate me. 

All that said, I have done radio blogs and regular blogs. I do them because it is my responsibility to my publisher. Just yesterday a friend FB'd, Social Media is a must for authors. Please follow me on Twitter. I immediately followed her because I knew that post was hard for her to write. I'm even thinking about doing that myself. Not because I want to, but because it worked. 

3. Tweet. Yes, I have a Twitter account. I'm @louanncarroll, so if you want to follow me just click on the link. I like tweeting. It's short, to the point, and rather anonymous. I mean you get so many tweets it's hard to follow everyone. 

4. Make a Facebook Author Page. My stomach didn't drop. I was actually OK with it. Click here to 'like" my page. Of course, I have no idea what liking my page really means. I really haven't a clue why the darn thing tells me to invite people to 'like' my page, but I'm good at following directions. Even if it's a software program. 

Above all, A Shadow of Time is a really good story. Think of it has a cross between Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Louann Carroll with a lively dash of romance. Not that I'm comparing myself with my two fav authors. Just the genre. As I tell my husband, Shadow is not the all American novel. It is a fun book that will take your mind off your troubles. What more could one ask? And if I can do that for just one person who is suffering through a difficult time, it makes all my marketing angst pale in significance. 

Read on my friends! 

*hugs*

Louann


 

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