It's getting to be that time...

As I write this, I have give or take one week until my next two books go live for purchase on Amazon. Both Taken and Realm of Shadows are targeted for a September 1 release but will they hit the ground running or just hit the ground?

As any author will tell you the difference between the former and the latter is marketing. Visibility is key. But what strategies work? Wouldn't we all like to know the answer to that!

Personally my strategy has been...grassroots I suppose you could call it. My goal has never been to top best seller lists or make a living from writing; in that respect I might be different from my fellow authors. I'm not all over social media and I haven't purchased advertising leading up to the release. So what have I done?

I'm currently running giveaways for both books here on Goodreads in America and my home country of Canada. As these are a continuation of the story begun in Stillness, I have entered Stillness into a few review pools. The idea being to hook the reader and make them want to read what comes next.

I've also been given the honour of having Stillness be the Book of the Month in the Good Thriller group here come November. Another chance to win over readers when Stillness goes free for the end of October.

In a lot of ways, my strategy relies on readers. My hope is that when someone reads any of my books that they will enjoy them enough to rate them, review them, and hopefully recommend them to their friends. It's not an in-your-face approach and it certainly is not quick. But over the long haul I think it works better for me.

Consumers today are so bombarded with information that often times they just don't know what to do with it all. Rather than throw myself into that cacophony of noise, I'm going to take the road less travelled. I'm going to let the words I've written speak for me. I'm going to let the stories market themselves.

For those who read my books, my sincere hope is that you enjoy them; that they take you away to a place of wonder for a few hours. And if they do, then do what comes naturally to all of us...talk about them. Tell your friends about them. Tell me about them, I love hearing from you.

Will this strategy catapult me to fame and fortune? No. Will it get my books on a number of to-read shelves? I think it just might.

Will it qualify as a successful marketing strategy? It's getting to be that time to find out.

Cheers!