Authors typically find themselves in a funny spot – you write in relative isolation on a book for years, and then once it is getting ready to publish you are expected to promote it to everyone you meet. That promotion part can be tricky, and it is…
Today marks the start of NaNoWriMo, a month in which aspiring and established writers everywhere embark on a daily writing marathon to complete the first draft of a novel — 50,000 words — in just 30 days. My oldest daughter is…
I was honored to take part (okay I was the head cat-wrangler) for an event in Chicago this weekend that can serve as a template of sorts for other Hometown Reads cities. We had some fun, learned a lot, and made some mistakes. I post this only so…
So much of what people share with regards to book marketing anymore focuses on the digital aspect of it. Websites, a strong social media presence, how to reach people whether they’re on their laptops, tablets, or…
As we begin a new year of development for Hometown Reads, we want to create more opportunities to connect with and support authors. To that end, we’re introducing Thursday Connect, a bi-weekly, casual, virtual gathering for authors anywhere…
I’d like to challenge you to ask this question of your friends and followers on social media channels. Why? I’d like to learn as much as I can about people’s reading behavior, as our team renews our focus on attracting readers to…
As I wrap up my work in the office for the year, reflecting on this year’s successes and challenges, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on my work associated with Hometown Reads. Launching and growing Hometown Reads is one of my most…
I must admit that marketing is WAY more than I ever imagined. As an indie author, without a major publishing company behind me, I have realized that marketing and promoting is, for me, much more difficult than writing my books. After completing my…
When I started Hometown Reads earlier this year, I hoped to launch 20 locations total in 2016. I also had an idyllic vision of traveling to each of the locations we launched, to meet people in person to fuel the local communities of authors and…
This morning, my husband texted me to tell me that a well-known novelist is speaking this evening in a nearby town. Since I haven’t read his books, I’m not planning to go, but the exchange spurred me to think about the relationship…
