My question today is all about authors and promotion. I’d like your opinion, as much to appease my curiosity as anything. Authors are crazy creatures. We’re fruitlessly looking, pretty much all the time, for ways to catch a reader’s attention. I say fruitlessly because in some ways whether we catch a reader’s attention or not can sometimes be out of our control. The best thing we can do is attempt to write the greatest book possible, and then word of mouth can often do more to sell a book than anything else. So tell me…what types of promotion grab your attention?
Easy to navigate website?
Promo items such as pens, business cards, key chains, cover flats?
Email newsletters?
Printed newsletters?
Blogs on an author’s website?
A blog on a site like The Bradford Bunch?
Book trailers?
Reviews on a review site?
Reviews posted on an author’s site?
Other things I haven’t thought about? If so, please list them.
And here’s a last question…how does an author’s public persona (in person or on line) effect whether you buy their books or not? If so, how?
Post and you may win a download from my backlist! I’ll select one winner at the end of the day.
Until next time, I hope everyone is having a great New Year.
Hi Denise, great questions today. What grabs my attention:
Easy to navigate website with all the books listed in one category, with sub categories by series
Email newsletters with new releases, excerpts and reviews
Author chat days
Author blogs with excerpts and guest bloggers, and I like The Bradford Bunch Blog too
Reviews on a review site to give me both good and not so good reviews
Reviews posted on an author’s site
Blog posts with contests and book giveaways. I have discovered so many new author’s this way.
An author’s negative/argumentative/bitchy public persona definitely makes an impact on whether I decide to read their books. I’ve crossed an author off my list after reading some nasty blog comment. They really think it doesn’t matter???!!!
IMHO, an author MUST have a blog and website (and, please, not a free website—I’m utterly turned off by them—you can get hosting for practically nothing).
I don’t read a lot of newsletters, to be honest, but I like to sign up for them so I CAN read them when I have time.
Excerpts. Blog hop. If I see your name enough, I’m going to investigate.
Be clever. I recently offered a promo op on my blog — you have to answer five unusual questions, and you don’t get them ahead of time. I’ve already added two authors to my “TBB” list because of the clever way in which they answered their questions.
Mostly, though, it’s a matter of seeing the name around a lot. I’m a big blog-hopper and I frequent several groups. I look at ads — and even if I don’t click, if I see a book cover enough, I’ll probably look it up.
Hi Cathy,
Thanks for stopping by! I know that I love a great author website myself. Something that is easy to navigate and has excerpts. For me excerpts are a MUST! I’ll have to admit I haven’t done author chats too often in the last year. I’ve gotten out of the habit, and I’ve been writing so much that something had to give.
Thanks for weighing in and taking your time to let me know what you think.
It always helps to hear once in a while what readers are thinking about promo. 
Denise A. Agnew
Hi there Marianne,
I appreciate your take on what you look for.
I participate in two blogs actively…The Bradford Bunch twice a month http://www.thebradfordbunch.com and Danger Zone Authors http://www.dangerzoneauthors.com once a week. That’s about all I can handle. LOL.
I’m going to have to check out your blog!
Thanks for stopping by.
Denise A. Agnew
I like newsletters to be short and informative. Tell me about your new release. Include an excerpt. Tell me about your new contract or a great review. I prefer email vs. snail mail.
Have a guest promote/give away their new book on your blog. Many new authors have been added to my TBR stack because I read a great excerpt or won book from a fav blog.
I also see a lot of advertisements through author promotion sites. There is always a contest. I’ve won a few and have found some new authors this way.
I like easy to read and easy to navigate websites. I hate when the page rolls-so-slow-to-load. (did that make sense?) I like the background to contrast enough to the print that I don’t have to squint.
Always love great graphics/photos. Some of the best sites have their books listed by cover down each side. One click and I’m reading about that book. It also keeps the book in my mind. I LOVE COVERS!
Dislike the only way to access the author is through My Space or Facebook.
Agree with Cathy M, I read a couple of blog posts by a new author. I had already read three books and LOVED them. I could not believe that the person who wrote those books was the same person writing those blog posts. She was really hateful. It changed how I look at her/her books. I haven’t read her since—book or blog.
Of course I like giveaways. Did I already mention that once or twice? I collect bookmarks. Most authors offer to send out their bookmarks if you ask.
Hi Janet! Thanks for your comprehensive feedback. Be sure to stop by and say howdy on The Bradford Bunch http://www.thebradfordbunch.com. I give away books on there sometimes when I have a contest.
We love readers and like to hear from them all the time. I blog about every other week.
Denise A. Agnew
I am a total blogophile. When I discover a new author, I immediately go in search of a blog and add it to my favorites if it interests me. haven’t heard of the bradford bunch so I’ll go check it out.
Hi Shelly!
Thanks for stopping by.
Definitely stop by and say howdy to us on The Bradford Blog. We’re a list of several authors all represented by literary agent Laura Bradford. 
Denise A. Agnew
http://www.deniseagnew.com