Organizing a Blog Tour

With gas prices sitting at well over three dollars a gallon nationwide and no relief in sight since summer's coming and the oil companies have us by the throat, we writers have to do whatever we can to promote our books. What better way than a blog tour from the comfort of our homes.

June 1st will see the release of my new book, Evidence of Grace, the third installment of my Jenna's Creek Series. Monday, May 14th marks the beginning of a month long blog tour. I highly recommend blog tours for any writer wanting to attract attention for an upcoming release or event. I know, you may argue that no one really reads blogs and how lucrative can a blog tour be? Well, if you've ever embarked on a book tour into actual brick and mortar bookstores, you probably know these don't have much of an impact on book sales either.

The last one I had in Cincinnati, Ohio was as dismal an affair as you can imagine. People are not impressed with meeting an author in a bookstore anymore. Unless you are a celebrity. After I got home from my signing where no one came into the store to see me and I didn't sell a single book, I read in the newspaper that James Belushi was doing a book signing in a nearby store and Tom Brokaw was in another. I totally agree with you that neither Jim Belushi or Tom Brokaw are authors and probably didn't write a word in their books, but they are celebrities and I'm not. I was also heartened to learn that even higher list authors from the big New York City publishing houses have little more luck than me at book signings.

I'm not saying I'm through wasting my time with bookstore signings; it's a necessary evil in this business. But why not try something much easier, cheaper, and easier on my ego? I notified a few writer friends, posted a plea for participants on a few writing sites I belong to and organized a blog tour. It may not garner a flood of sales. But my name might end up in a few places where it had been before.

According to my publisher, my lackluster attention to my blogs has already had a positive affect on sales. A blog tour can only improve that. The best part is, I don't have to put gas in my car. I don't even have to get dressed if I don't want to. Don't worry, I will.

Look for me next Monday at the kick-off of my tour when I will be the guest of Molly Noble Bull on her blog. I am looking forward to the whole process. I can't wait to meet you there.

Have a blessed and prosperous Monday.
Teresa