Here's how it's going to run down: there will be a poll at the bottom of this post and you simply just vote for your favorite blog out of all of these arguments! :) Each day, there will be THREE voting rounds posted, so you'll have to scroll down and see all the posts for yourself. Each voting round lasts for exactly a week and once every voting round it done, winners will be announced, and prizes (if you would like to donate contact us. Please remember that if we don't get enough prizes we won't be giving ANY out at all) shipped out—that is, if the winner wants a prize.
For the Promo Queen/King nominations, we asked that everybody find an author or publisher to write a brief few paragraphs or so on why they helped promote their books.
The Bookish Brunette
Authors rely on word of mouth to sell their books and no other blog starts or stirs the word of mouth like The Bookish Brunette does. I owe many of my sales to her, as well as her garnering interest with other bloggers to read my book.
Angeline Kace (author of Descended by Blood)
Bookish Brunette is totally awesome because she's created "Team" buttons for characters in my Jenny Pox books, and she created some amazing graphics for the "fair" event on my blog in June. Most fabulously, she came up with the idea to send nifty secret invitations to book bloggers when inviting them to sponsor the fair. She's also done other stuff! Lots of it. Like, really a lot.
Jeff Bryan (author of the Jenny Pox series and Songs of Magic series)
Ashley was one of the first bloggers I pitched about reviewing Zombies Don’t Cry, and immediately she schooled me that a review wouldn’t be enough; she wanted to do an interview here, a guest post here, eventually I started writing “deleted scenes” from my books for her. From day one, Ashley was a tireless supporter of not just Zombies Don’t Cry but indie authors in general. I’ve seen her go to the mat for dozens of new authors, posting their cover reveals, tweeting about them all over the place, creating hashtags just for them -- we call them “ashtags” -- and I can’t imagine where she gets the stamina/energy. But more to the point, I can tell you that I’ve read dozens of reviews, blog posts and comments where a reader has said, “I was on the fence about this book until Ashley of the Bookish Brunette raved about it, so I broke down and bought it…” So, to the question, has the Zombie Queen helped my book sales? Here’s my answer: do zombie like brains!! (Translation for non-zombie lovers: Yes!!!)
Rusty Fischer, author of Zombies Don't Cry (Medallion Press, 2011)
Ashley sold more of my books the day I was on her blog than everyone on my tour COMBINED. She's the first person I think of for any list of book bloggers!
Angela Kulig (author of Skeleton Lake)
About the Blog:
I started The Bookish Brunette in April of 2011, quickly became known as the Zombie Queen after Zombie Craze 2011 was held in June of 2011... and Zombie Craze 2012, this past May, was phenomenal! I've since started working with the AMAZING Claudia McKinney of PhatPuppy Art, doing book cover typography and recently started a book touring service, BB Book Tours!
Xpresso Reads
Although I’ve been writing since I was five, I didn’t enter the YA scene till last year. This past February I released Entangled, a magical mystery or, in Giselle’s words, “Freaky Friday Gone Wrong.” I had three big hurtles stretched before me as a self-published, debut author with no followers or pose of friends to cheer me on or write reviews.
I think it’s safe to say I spent more time contacting reviewers than I did actually writing the book! Part of that process was checking out blogs and reading review policies. Along the way, I came across Xpresso Reads and was impressed by the fun, professional look and tone of the blog. When I saw the amount of participation in the comments section I was dying to get my book on Xpresso Reads.
Giselle not only accepted my review request, she featured the cover in a In My Mailbox post, which generated a great deal of interest and cover love for Entangled in her comments section.
I don’t have any hard data, but to this day I believe that Giselle kick-started my career as an independent author. Her IMM was shortly followed by a guest post and giveaway, which generated even more interest. Suddenly I was able to contact reviewers who had already expressed an interest in the book at Xpresso Reads. I met some really cool reviewers this way who came through for me in a matter of weeks.
Then in June Giselle chose the serendipitous timing of posting her review of Entangled as my blog tour for book two was coming to an end. I must just be lady luck because I’ll tell you what, that review kept the momentum going and sales flying. Giselle truly is a queen!
—Nikki Jefford, Entangled
About the Blog:
I started my blog in September 2011 after having been reviewing on Goodreads for a year, and before that on a Facebook app. It's mostly YA novels that are covered but I do enjoy and review adult books as well. I post an average 4 reviews a week. My design was made by Parajunkee which turned out better than I was expecting, I do my own banners for tours and sidebar, however. I have a "book of the month"on my sidebar which is called (the month's) brew that I chose either my most anticipated, or a book I have already read and loved, that is releasing this month. I also have my previous month's reviews on my sidebar: A feature I thought of and started back in November, 2011 which people seem to really like by the feedback I've received. It also let's people see reviews that they may have missed, and at the same time the reviews get "featured" on the blog for longer. I'm very social and I love to chat with other bloggers which is my absolute favorite part of blogging. This is something I love and I hope it shows in what I give you!
Read-a-Holicz
Rhi Reading
I Read Indie
So, to say a little something about my favorite blogger won't be hard.
She was the first blogger to review me over a year ago. She's always been there for anything I needed posted or revealed. Whenever I have a book come out, she's the first to read it and I fret about whether or not she likes the books as the series continues because in my mind, she's on the pedestal for all the bloggers that I use. Anytime someone says something about an awesome blogger or needing someone to review their books, I always think of Mandy first.
And it's not just me. This chick is practically EVERYONE'S favorite blogger. She's sweet, she's professional and quick. She's truthful, honest, and generous of her time. She posts something on her blog every day to review or promote someone, even if there's nothing to gain from it. I've moseyed over to her blog a few times and seen posts for things for me that I didn't even realize she had posted! She's always got at least one giveaway going at any time and there's no jumping through hoops to enter the giveaways like on some blogs. She makes it simple and genuinely just wants to get the word out about good books.
Bloggers don't have it easy like everyone thinks. All that time reading and writing the reviews and posts and getting tours and things ready takes SO much time. I'm grateful to Mandy that even when I hand her something last minute, she always takes the time to throw something together. If I ever meet her in person, a tackle-hug will be involved. I have no doubt that all the good words she put out for me have helped me tremendously.
This chick rocks. This chick is sugar sweet. This chick is the example of what all bloggers should be like. This chick is the Promo Queen.
—Shelly Crane
About the Blog:
Hi, my name is Mandy, I am a mom to 3 beautiful, rotten girls. Kaleigh,12...Emma, 9...and Hanna, 5. My hubby works hard so I can be a stay at home mommy, play on twitter all day and read lots of books.
I Love YA, and New Adult...but also enjoy the occasional Adult book. I recently decided to dedicate my blog to mainly Indie Authors. There are so many talented authors out there that deserve more recognition. (Some of you might remember my blog as Twimom101 Book Blog.)
I like to host giveaways, cover reveals, reviews, and post movie news on books that are making it to the big screen. I always try to do something for an author (like my fun Top 10 Interview) even if I don't have time to review their book. Cause even though I don't have time to read it...I want to get the word out to others who might like it.
I also try to tell authors that my blog is always open to them...anytime they need something posted (like cover reveals, excerpts, giveaways) that my blog is there for them. They have a hard enough time getting started in this business...that maybe one of my little posts can help promote their book.
Kait Ballenger’s Nocturnal Readings
"Kait Ballenger did a fantastic job helping promote my appearance and giveaway on her blog, Nocturnal Readings! I was absolutely thrilled with how widely she promoted with announcements on Facebook, Twitter, Shelfari, Library Thing, and Goodreads. We had hundreds of hits and a great comment rate! I'm sure this had a positive impact on my sales. I would definitely partner with Kait again!" - Kate SeRine, author of RED (A Transplanted Tales Novel)
Message from Kait about the blog: Hi, everyone! I started Nocturnal Readings in July of 2010 both as a way to promote my own author name and to help my fellow authors, as well. My reviews and author interviews/guest posts consist primarily of the paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and YA genres, but I've been known to branch out into other genres on occasion. As an author for HQN Books (Harlequin's single title line), I know how important it is for authors to build an active social media platform and spread their name to readers in every way they can, so when I decide to aid a fellow author by interviewing them, allowing them to guest post, hosting giveaways, or doing an honest review of their work at Nocturnal Readings, I wholeheartedly devote myself to promotion of that post--though I do always encourage my authors to post on their own, as well. I post my reviews to Amazon, B&N, Goodreads, Shelfari, and sometimes LibraryThing, and I actively promote all my author related posts on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Google+, along with multiple email groups/author forums I belong to, underneath both of my author pseudonyms (Kait Ballenger for my PNR and Kaitlyn Schulz for my YA). Some of the authors I've interviewed or hosted include: Laura Kaye, Amanda Carlson, Kate SeRine, Kristin Miller, Jenny Sulpizio, Lea Nolan, Catherine Bybee, Christine Ashworth, and Lynnette Hallberg/Austin. In the coming months, I'm In the works of trying to secure interviews/posts with authors Cecy Robson, Julie Walker, and Jamie Rush. Social media is one of the best ways an author can spread his or her name nowadays and I pride myself in helping make that promo successful.
gogo! play Robots vs Zombies Strategy
ReplyDeleteYay!!! Thank you much!!!
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