When's the right time to release?

[Brian]

I’ve just officially unofficially released my Christmas book, “The Little Red Christmas Ball” on Amazon. Unofficially since I’m not quite sure when readers are going to be ready for a Christmas book. Any thought on that based on your experiences? I’ve already kind of leaked it out there on FB, Twitter, et al to my followers and subscribers. My plan is to write a substantial post about it, fairly soon on my blog “The Freelance Retort” and then go full into the always dreaded self-promotion mode. In the meantime I hope you’ll check it out and let me know what you think. As the subtitle says, it’s “a story for kids and anyone whoever was...and would be again...” So I hope pretty much everyone...
Thanks....

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Red-Chr...

[Sarah]

I know adult Christmas books are rapidly being released from now as I've been advance reading them through netgalley for the past month. I think releasing early gives early reviews chance to come in and help profile the book pre Christmas. As a mum of a almost 5yr old and a 7yr old I've not started with their Christmas stories yet as a child's concept of time can be quite different and I'm not quote ready for hearing "how any days to christmas" every morning just yet
Good luck with your book x

[Brian]

Thanks for the input Sarah! I decided to go all out "full promo" yesterday and have gotten a pretty good response, so far. So I guess people are ready for some holiday good cheer. I hope you'll take a look and let me know what you think.... BTW, how many days are there to Christmas???

[Sarah]

Ha ha will take a look and according to the board outside are corner shop already counting down 70

[Neil]

Really depends where you are selling it into. Some places do their holiday buying in the spring, some in the summer, some wait for the last minute.

[Brian]

Thanks, Neil! I appreciate your taking the time to respond. What I'd really like to do is tap into the sentimentality of the season that occurs after Thanksgiving. Unfortunately the marketing window to do that is pretty small, so I think starting now was the latest I could wait,

[Neil]

I'm just getting into the second year of marketing with Doc Christmas and the Magic of Trains! ...staring last week. Your timing is right, but be prepared - half the people will tell you they are done for this year, and the other half will say you're too early. Holiday marketing is funny that way.

[Jeremy]

Neil wrote: "I'm just getting into the second year of marketing with Doc Christmas and the Magic of Trains! ...staring last week. Your timing is right, but be prepared - half the people will tel..."

Hi Neil,

MY Christmas book is also in it's second year, how do you market, any great tips? Would you be interested in sharing some exposure?

Jeremy