Terrific Tuesday with Lynn Crain:)

How 2 Make Promo Groups Work 4 U

One of the most important aspects of being an author is promotion. Everyone has to learn to make use of the tools out there to start what is known as name branding. Name branding is basically where an author makes their name known.

I too had to learn about promotions and hope to teach you a little today. First, please notice the title to this topic. This title is in the abbreviated format used when sending a twitter or a text message. There are a lot more in this arsenal which is why I wanted to expose you to the slang from the get go.

Alright, let’s talk briefly about what it out there. But first, I need to suggest that each and every author get an account specifically with their name. One good place to go is to gmail. The accounts are free and chances are you should be able to find an acceptable email address. I’m a prime example. I love x’s and odd a lot. I already had lynncrain@cox.net and knew I needed a second account. So my second email account for promotion became oddlynn3@gmail.com.

Here are just some of the ways you can promote yourself on the internet:

1. Facebook

2. Twitter

3. MySpace

4. Blogspot

5. Yahoogroups

6. Ning

7. Booktour

8. Goodreads

9. YouTube

10. Live Journal

Let’s start with these ten as these are the best known and I have a presence, sometimes more than one, in each area.

Facebook is a social networking site and has worked out to be mainly adults. Here you set up your profile and befriend people. (www.facebook.com/oddlynn3)

Twitter is the place where you answer the question ‘What are you doing now?’ in 140 characters or less. The title of this article is something I would tweet. Yeah, each of these have their own language.(www.twitter.com/oddlynn)

MySpace is the social networking place for the younger set. It has music and more plus a lot of cool backgrounds. (www.myspace.com/lynncrain)

Blogspot is run by Google and is a place where you can post longer pieces. Here you can establish a following who will drop by to read your weekly or even daily posts. Again, this one can be customized to your needs. (www.themanyshades.blogspot.com; www.lynncrain.blogspot.com)

Yahoogroups is one of my favorites. These are like the bulletin board systems of old. Here people join the ‘loop’ and you can converse anytime you want. People have to join your group. These work especially well for authors as you can gather a following plus you only have to post your information in a few loops for the word to get out about your latest book or newsletter. I personally belong to over 100 yahoogroups on which I promote. Here you can post your covers, do daily excerpts of your books and continually notify your readership of your calendar (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/XtraOrdinaryRomance)

Ning is another social networking site which is really cool in some aspects. This one allows you to really structure what everyone sees and does. Here you can have a page on many, many groups. This one is also great for authors because of that very aspect. Right now, I have eleven pages on eleven different groups. It’s fun and interesting.

Booktour is a very interesting concept as it works like...well...a booktour. You sign up and then can get hosted to make special appearances on other author sites or blogs.

Goodreads is a social networking site where you recommend books to others. It is almost like a library and you can review each of the books you read.

YouTube is the site where you upload videos. This is where an author would make a ‘book trailer’ and upload it for people to see. Now a book trailer is similar to a movie trailer in it is all visual. These are fairly new to the promotion arena and you can do one yourself with Windows Movie Maker or have one made. Check my channel out as I have links to other book trailers I like. (http://www.youtube.com/user/LynnCrain)

LiveJournal is yet another social networking site and was one of the first. While similar to all the other sites, it has some subtle differences. Again it seems to be a hangout for an older crowd. (www.lynncrain.livejournal.com)

Now this a very quick rundown on just some of the many ways to promote yourself. Start with one. Once you gain confidence with that one, add another. Soon you will find yourself all over the net. And that’s exactly where you want to be.

This is more than enough to get you started on the promotions tour. Good luck and don’t hesitate to email me with any questions you might have.

Lynn

Lynn Crain

Experience the Magic

www.lynncrain.com

The Haunting of Maggie Grey
eXtasy Books
Paranormal/Ghosts/Romance/Historical
2010 EPIC Winner in Historical Category
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thehauntingofmaggiegrey-395940-140.html

Maggie Grey had wanted to be a doctor all her life. She achieved her dream along with her husband, Justin. Together they planned to build a clinic on his ancestral home on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. But women doctors in the year 1882 didn't have many options and even fewer if they were widowed like she had been recently. Arriving in England to visit Elizabeth Blackwell, founder of the London Medical School for Woman, she is discouraged to find that the only real health care on the remote Isle of Skye will be herself, a few aging doctors as well as veterinary doctors.

But she must build a clinic there to escape her memories and fulfill her late husband's dream. Maggie goes by train and boat to the rather bleak Isle of Skye. The island is almost as barren as she feels and she isn't sure if she can even fit in. Add the fact that her dead husband is haunting her with the request for her to fall in love again and she knows she's losing her mind.

But the people of Skye need her…and she is determined not to let them down...but they are slow to accept a widowed woman doctor. Now if she were married again…that would be a different matter…and her dead husband, Justin, knows just the right man for the job, Conall MacGryman, his childhood friend and cousin, a veterinary for the island. Now all Justin has to do is to convince Maggie to give the man a chance so she can fall in love again…for both their sakes.

Excerpt:

"Maggie," the seductive whisper of her name brought her soft brown eyes to glance quickly at him. "Do not turn away from me, girl." His hand curled completely around her head, filing his palm as if she were a small child, holding her where he wanted. He was so large and she was so small. Never had he felt like he held a fine piece of fragile porcelain. Winding his fingers into the silk of her hair, he slowly, he forced her to face him, gazing deeply in her brown eyes. "I am going to kiss yeu now."

He lowered his lips to hers, devouring her bottom lip in one swoop. Nibbling at the edges, he gained access to her mouth and groaned. Conall did not want to scare her off. But he needed her in the worst way and he was sure if she would just press herself against him, she would feel his hard shaft, would know his body wanted her much in the same way he was sure she wanted him. They had danced around each other for two months, but the woman acted like a virgin instead of the widow he knew her to be. The deep red color of her hair should indicate her passion ran hot instead of the shyness she displayed with him on many occasions..

"Open up completely, girl," he whispered even more seductively than the first time as he softened his mouth to stroke against her soft lips. He was surprised when it took little prompting on his part to get her to open her mouth as his tongue slid in.

Neither of them was naive as to what happened between a man and a woman. He had wanted her from the moment he saw her at the train station in her widow's robes. He'd known she'd suffered a great loss and knew he must bide his time until she was ready to give herself to him. The storm had provided the perfect situation for them to be together and if she was willing, he would take full advantage of the situation.

He only prayed she felt the same about him as he did about her.