Book Blurbs and Blogs – Esri Rose

Occasionally I see a debut book with no endorsement blurbs, and now that I’ve been through the “Validate me!” process, I have to wonder why. Were they too shy to ask? Did they not think to try? My experience has been that not only the Noodlers, who could be expected to help me out, but also relative strangers have ponied up with blurbs for my first book.

Noodler Colleen Gleason, author of The Gardella Vampire Chronicles, gave me a choice of quotes to pick from, depending on what I felt would best market the book. She also recommended that I ask Marta Acosta for a blurb. Not only did Marta agree, but she and I have turned out to be so similar in outlook and writing style that I feel like I have a new friend. Bonus!

Noodler Stephanie Rowe gave me very free rein with her blurb, and again was most concerned with what would help me market it. And Janet Mullany, who wasn’t a blurbing candidate because she doesn’t write anything similar to my stuff, gave me an email intro to Kathy Love, who does write something similar, and lovely Kathy offered to read it.

In case you still feel that blurbing is a big favor to ask, consider this. Each of these authors will get her name and a book title somewhere on my book, for only the cost of giving it a read. In the case of Stephanie Rowe, I’m hoping to have the words, “RITA nominee” next to her name, and she should be shelved right next to me. Shoppers who haven’t discovered her yet can pluck her book off the shelf and walk out with it, too.

Another thing people seem happy to do is to feature me on their blogs. Not being a regular blogger myself, this is supremely valuable to me. But it’s also valuable to them. Bloggers are always looking for new content, and if I can be an entertaining guest, that’s gravy for them. My advice to anyone out there is this: Slave over those guest blogs. Make them so good that people will knock down your virtual door to have you yammer away on their site. Noodler Jill Monroe is interviewing me on her blog on the 23^rd of this month (it will also appear here), and Marta (whom I mention in the interview), has offered to link to it. See how these things snowball? Steph has offered to put me on The Midnight Hour.

Show your gratitude and mention your benefactors’ names. Link to their sites. When Google turns up their name in your post, it’s a reminder to pass on the goodness.

Here’s a final tip: If you write funny/sexy paranormal, print this post out and do your own asking. It can’t hurt, and it could really help. Browse through Amazon.com and find authors who write books like yours. Ask your friends if they know any of those people. Start with the bestsellers – why not? A big part of your career is the relationships you make. Other writers know that, too, and are probably more willing to help someone who looks like they’re really trying hard. If your go-getter attitude pays off, you might be in a position to return the favor some day.

Whoops! Almost forgot. Mention the name of your book. Bound to Love Her, available May 2008.

posted by Esri Rose @ 3:48 PM