This page has valuable information and links for authors who want marketing tools to promote their books. Every month this page is updated, so there is a lot on this page for you.

Michael C. Volkin

Meet Michael Volkin.  He wrote a great book called Social Networking for Authors. It is really a step by step manual on how to promote your book.  He spends a great deal of time discussing “how to get traffic to your website.”  The methods he talks about are very easy to follow.  Click on his book cover to buy his book on Amazon.  I really don’t like spending over $9.95 for a kindle book.  I made an exception in this case.  The book is well worth it.  Visit his website http://sellatonofbooks.com He has free press release templates and videos that you will want to look at.  The press release models are excellent.  They are very visual.  I would never have thought of  press releases the way Michael designed them.  He has used his vast experience to  save us a lot of time.  No more floundering around; he presents a detailed blueprint to marketing a book that I intend to follow.  So should you!

Mark Coker

Mark Coker is the founder of a terrific site,  http://www.smashwords.com. You can upload your ebook to this site and it will be formatted ten different ways including Kindle and Sony Reader.  Then they will sell it on their site.  You name the price and the  royalty is 85% yours and 15% theirs.  There is no cost to upload the ebook.  Not only that, if you correctly format your book for upload, it  will be included in their premium catalog which markets your book everywhere.  It is a bit tricky to get the formatting right, but Mark made it easy by publishing a style manual for smashwords with detailed instructions, free of course.  Not only that he also has a manual for marketing your book  at no cost. You get a profile page on Smashwords and can upload your book cover and book video. Mark is also an author and you can find his books on Smashwords.  When you publish or self-publish your next book, be sure to keep the rights to your ebook so you can take advantage of this wonderful site.

Nick Stewart

Nick is an expert on internet traffic.  His work is for profit, but he also does a lot of  very good things at no cost.  For instance, he will allow you to give him up to three websites to stumble to Stumble Upon, and he will also give you a free back link.  Stumble Upon is  a wonderful service that will allow you to to share websites that you like.  It will also send you an email periodically with a list of websites it targets for you. A back link from Nick will be a good search engine optimization tool because Nick has authority with Google, etc.  A link from Nick’s site to your site will pass on some of that authority to you so that you get more credibility with Google.  This could pull you up in the rankings.  Nick has many free tools and videos that will help you.

You can visit his site, Nick’s Traffic Tips to take advantage of all he has to offer.

John Kremer

John is as good as it gets in helping authors promote their books.  His website: http://www.bookmarket.com has a wealth of information that is constantly updated.  He has afree email newsletter that you can sign up for on his site.  He also has a  1001 Ways to Market Your Books for sale on his site as well as Amazon.  Click on the book cover to buy his book.  Also  John has a online book marketing course called Ten Million Eyeballs that you can purchase on his site.  John proved what a powerful book marketing  resource he is to me.  As soon as he mentioned my new author book promotion campaign on my site in his newsletter,  I got a huge and immediate response from authors wanting to be included on my Spotlight On Authors page.  Thanks John!

Don’t forget to tag John’s book on Amazon.

Vincent Lowry

Vincent is a fixture on Goodreads.com.  He has provided ways  for authors to display their books, blurbs, links, book videos, and to receive reviews from their peers and readers. His blog, Rate My Book Video invites authors from all genres to post links to their book videos/trailers so viewers can provide feedback. Dozens of writers have contributed to the site, making it one of the largest forums for viral book video marketing. Don’t forget to read his comments on these good reads groups: Tips for Self Promotion, Sales and Advertising, Book Trailers and Videos, and Goodreads Authors/Readers.  He has provided a vehicle for authors to promote their books.  You can talk about your books, provide links, book covers, book videos, and even an interview.  I just filled out his interview form.

Vince is  also is a recognized young adult writer who who wrote Constellation Chronicles, a very well received  science fiction novel for young adults voted #1 on Goodreads list of New Children’s Classics. You can learn more about Vince and his book on his website: http://www.constellationchronicles.com.   You can buy his book on Amazon.   After you read about our next author don’t forget to tag Constellation Chronicles on Amazon.

Todd A. Fonseca

Todd is  a tagging guru.  His website will tell you everything you need to know about tagging.  In a nutshell,  book tags on Amazon can help your ratings. “Something interesting happens as tags are created – customer communities are created related to these tags. If you click on the tag “memoir”, you’ll be taken to the Amazon “memoir” customer community home page. There you’ll find products, discussion boards, lists and guides, images – all items related to the tag “memoir”.   Todd not only explains tagging but allows you to submit your book to his website. If your book is put on the Tag Your It page of his site, then everyone on the list is required to tag your book and vice-versa.  All I did is submit my book and my tags tripled in one day.  There are other features on Todd’s blog so go to http://tagmybookonamazon.wordpress.com/ and start learning.

Todd is the author of The Time Cavern. Released in June 2008, named finalist in the 2009 IE national book awards (young adult category), and nominated for a 2008 Minnesota book award. It is a mystery that has its own webquest and bookmarks etc.  (Great for teachers and home schoolers).   You can buy the book on Amazon.

Cheryl Morgan

Cheryl is the administrator of a Facebook Group called First Time Authors Only.  This group is dedicated to spotlighting and reviewing new authors.  Although this is an open group, they  do have certain expectations of membership. All members should vote each month for the monthly selections. Members should participate in a minimum of 3 discussion & review events each year.  This group does charitable work while promoting the books. The First Time Authors Only group will donate to local food pantries with some of the money made by people buying their books online at http://www.c-a-morgan.com under the products link.  Cheryl also writes press releases for the authors.  Although disabled with an auto-immune disease, Cheryl finds the energy to involve authors in all sorts of events because being productive means every thing to her.

And productive she is being an author herself.  Her first book , 2Friends 4Ever: A Journey to Reunion is the story of two women who select different paths but ultimately end up finding their way together. From their roots as young teens on the Hilltop in Columbus, Ohio, through their youth in suburban Dallas, Texas, they jump life’s hurdles as daughters, sisters, wives and mothers. This is the story of real life experiences and how true friendship can survive it all.  You can buy her book on the home page of her web site.  Please visit her web site and join her group, First  Time Authors Only on Facebook.

If you know an altruistic author like those included above.  Please email information about the author to trish@trishsilver.com.

Links to Helpful Book Sites

Most of these sites have free services and paid services.  The best way
to use them is to join up, create a profile, join groups, and learn
about what they can do for you.

1. Book Identity
2. Erotic Horizon
3. Everpub
4. Feathered Quill Book Review
5. Freado
6. GoodReads - Best use of this site is to join the book groups that apply to your book generally and your genre
7. Kali Takasar – erotic romance
8. Manic Readers
9. My Overstuffed Bookshelf
10. Night Owl Romance
11. Romance Junkies
12. The Polka Dot Banner
13. Shefari
14. The Red Room
15. Welcome to Book Town
16. You Gotta  Read Video:   Enter your video in the monthly contest.  They do book reviews also.
17. Your Book Tube

Link to Helpful Marketing Sites

These sites have free and paid services and lots of information.

1. Add Your Site Free
2. Link Referral

If you know other helpful sites, please email the link to me at trish@trishsilver.com