I'm back!

I am back from vacation! I have had an amazing revelation over this past weekend;I suck at gambling. I didn't loose all of my money, I came back with $11. I also came back with a sore throat and my voice is almost not there, it's thinking of packing up it's bags and going on vacation too.

Where did I go on vacation? I visited my sister-in-law Jennifer for her birthday. It was a blast. I finally got to meet her boyfriend Steve who is so laid back and sweet. We clicked right off, I think what done it was right when I crawled out of bed he offered me a doughnut. (I needed something to absorb all the vodka that I had guzzled the night before.)

Now we get down to business. As a writer I am keeping my toes and fingers crossed that I will get published. I know that there are heaps of writers out there just like me that prays for every query to be "the one". I spend so much time concentrating on getting published that I haven't worked out what I'll do when I get published.

Most writers think that once you are published that's it, all of your work is done. Nope. You have book tours to go on. A book tour is where you the author goes out into the masses to "push" your book. Radio interviews, interviews on the TV and in the newspaper. Reaching out to booksellers to let you have a met and greet at their store. Being the special guest at workshops.

It's a heap of work mostly spent with people you don't know. The easiest way to get your book out there is to begin in your local town. Yep, home sweet home. Contact your local library and ask if they have any openings on their calender for you to visit the library and have a book reading. (that's where you read segments of your book, speak about your book and hopefully sell a few books) Coffee shops and bookstores also offer this so call them and ask.

Post Flyer's about your book on every posting board in town, and if it's a children's book call the local schools. You'll be surprised to find out that kids LOVE it when they have visitors at school. It also supports literacy, so it's a win win there. Contact the local am radio station for air time. You would be surprised at how many people listen to them still (my father-in-law is one of them).

So in closing today we as author's need to skip the shy reclusive stage and get out there and make ourselves known. Get your name out there and heard by consumers, your readers and soon be fans. Don't forget to donate a few of your published books to local libraries and schools. Budgets are tight and if you want your book to reach it's audience this is a simple quick way to do it.