Ah, the first of the year holds such promise! After you completed the manuscript you began during NaNoWriMo, you’ve probably been wondering where to go from there. You’ve been through the editing process–several times–or had it reviewed by your beta readers, editors, and anyone who would be willing to read an ARC. Next step? Whether or not you’ve proceeded with publishing, have you considered one of the many contests out there?
Winning a book award or badge is an effective method to help thrust your work in front of readers–or beyond that–to agents and publishers! I’ve previously written regarding the ATAI 2017 Book Award Contest. The winners were to be awarded prizes which included:
- Promotion across social media
- Featured on homepage
- Featured on sidebar
That seems to be pretty standard stuff, and the badge for a winning entry may be very useful, either for your website or tacked on your front cover. It is something to help your book pop when readers are sweeping book covers. Also, a winning entry subtly passes a quality and readability test–further conveying saleable credibility. Most contests judge on several levels such as first in category, genre prize, and grand prize. Continue reading “Five Novel Writing Contests to Enter This Year”
I’ve spoken before of the “Grand Ole Lady” (the Lake County Courthouse), resplendent with the striking brick red facade (love this building!), but probably not The John Dillinger Museum, a focus of the 1930’s with Dillinger memorabilia enclosed within the building in Crown Point. If you recognized that as being in northwest Indiana, you’d be correct. 
Admitted to the union in 1816, Indiana can claim a number of authors, many of whom hail out of Gary, about as far north as you can go without wading out into Lake Michigan. Of the well-known Jackson family born in Gary, Janet gained fame as a singer/songwriter and LaToya as both author and songwriter.
Alex Karras, who gained fame as a pro-ball player, wrote a journal that was published in the Detroit Free Press and much later, a novel entitled “Tuesday Night Football.”
Kurt Vonnegut Jr, born 1922 in Indianapolis, wrote for more than 50 years and although he published many novels, plays, short stories, and non-fiction, was probably most famous for the dark “Slaughterhouse-Five.”
Dear Willy, The Story of a Life Well Lived
Some things just naturally go the way of the dodo, but apparently what appeared to be a gradual waning in the popularity of book blog tours was just a small lag in the industry. While there are certainly many blog tour companies out there, Indie and self-published authors have discovered this marketing strategy can be an effective tool in the promotion of a new publication that doesn’t have to be simultaneous with the book launch.
I reviewed a book earlier this month called “
I’m interested in both sides as I wanted to look into another promo for one of my grandfather’s books and also with the book reviews I’ve been doing lately thought it would be no problem to continue to accept other authors looking for willing book blog hosts.
Title: After You’re Dead by Cary Allen Stone
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. The book is well written, I’ll grant you that; just too much for me.
Author Description: Cary Allen Stone flew inside the cockpits of corporate jets and airlines where he met a man who became a mentor. He’s worked in LA doing feature films and Phoenix in Indie films, as well stand-up comedy and voice-overs for radio commercials. He achieved the endorsements of Clive Cussler and Tim Dorsey and is a proud member of the Phoenix Writer’s Club begun in the 1920s by women reporters. ©2017 Virginia Williams 
Yes, I know, there are gazillions of chats–and parties, out there. Anyone have any experience in this arena with sage advice to impart? Have you participated in another you would recommend for book marketing, for instance?
Mack Collier has assured me they are very helpful in all things blogging–and will discuss a different topic each week. They also have a 
Rosepoint Publishing 