The snow's starting to abate, the temperatures are rising, and spring seems just around the corner! Spring can be a great time to reevaluate your book marketing efforts and to step up your game. Here are a few tips to help your book marketing efforts bloom anew:

1. Attend Events

Not sure how to reach out to your audience? Try finding events in your area that cater to local authors or that have a tie-in with the themes of your book. If you write sci-fi or fantasy, check out local comic-cons or similar events. If you've written a cookbook, check out local food festivals! Even if the event doesn't have a direct connection with your book, many authors find success at community fairs, festivals, and the like. Putting yourself out there on the local level can have a huge snowball effect, even as the piles of snow melt away in your backyard.

2. Ramp up Your Social Media Presence

Most authors have heard that social media is important for book marketing, but it can be easy to let it slide by the wayside, especially in the long winter months when you'd probably rather be curled up reading or writing than marketing. But even just a few posts a week can make a huge difference in boosting your reputation and getting your name in front of potential new readers. The key is to be organic, have fun, and post regularly!

3. Get Creative

Every book has a different angle, and every author can exploit that! Whatever your book is about, there's probably a niche that it fits into and a devoted fan base just waiting to get their hands on it. Don't know any groups or organizations related to your book? Spend some time doing a little research and send your book out to a few groups that might be interested in reading, reviewing, or maybe even purchasing your books. You never know who will become your next biggest fan!

Happy marketing!

For many new authors, marketing their books can seem boring - or even intimidating! Authors are often uncomfortable with promoting themselves and their work, or think that book marketing is too complicated. However, there are a few simple things any author can do to promote their book from the comfort of their own home!

1. Set up a website. Setting up a website is a great way to make sure that fans can find you on the internet. A simple, clean website listing your background, publications, and where people can buy your book is a great way to establish an online presence and provide information to both dedicated and potential readers. We suggest a simple url such as [authorname].com for best results.

2. Be present on social media. Even if you're not a huge social media fan, platforms like Facebook and Twitter can be a great way to get your name out there and make sure that interested readers have access to information about your book. Setting up these accounts takes a matter of minutes, and can be a great way to interact with the broader literary community.

3. Goodreads. Goodreads is a fantastic resource for both readers and authors. Authors can create author profiles for themselves, and add their books to the database if they're not already listed. Goodreads also allows fans to interact directly with the author through Q&As, book giveaways, and more.

4. Start a newsletter. Newsletters can be a great way to keep family, friends, and fans in the loop, and to make sure that readers are aware of any upcoming releases, events, promotions, etc. They're also a great way to keep in touch with a dedicated fan base, and make sure that you don't fall off their radar!

With just a little bit of time and computer savvy, most authors can create a great online presence for their book and themselves. Still need help? PenPower's always happy to assist authors with their marketing needs, from small tweaks to big projects. Happy marketing!

Here at PenPower, we're firm believers in the value of books as great presents for the holiday season. In our humble opinion, there's nothing better than curling up at the end of the day with a new book next to a crackling fire. (Bonus points if it's snowing.) What's more, there really is something for everyone - from the mystery junky on your list to the fine art aficionado and everything in between. If you're looking to jumpstart your holiday shopping, check out these recently released titles!

Happy Reading!

Faith Strong's latest book, The Glories of Aging, is an Award Finalist in the "Health: Aging/50+" category of the 2017 Best Book Awards! Here at PenPower we're thrilled that this wonderful little book is getting the recognition that it deserves.

Check out Faith and other award winners on the American Book Fest site. And if you're interested, hop on over to Amazon and pick up a copy of Faith's book!

On the political side of things, author S.M. Miller has a new article titled "Anticipating the Politically Unanticipated" up at the wonderful progressive magazine Counterpunch. Mike is a treasure trove of wisdom in these troubled times, and we're so glad to see more of his work in print!

This week's author spotlight features co-authors Scott Angus and Emily Sopensky, who have collaborated on their new book Snake Medicine - Sacred Earth Sites: Seeing the Unseen, Volume 1.

This collection of photographs, essays, and interviews is the first in a series of personal odysseys that explore sacred earth sites. Capturing the power of these ancient spiritual places, the book leads readers on a journey through locations seldom seen by the human eye, allowing
us to spy on the great natural landscapes and intuit their inner secrets.

With the explorer and novice photographer in mind, Scott Angus, a university educator in photography, art theory, and the visual arts, shares why and how he was drawn to each site, speculation on what forces power the site, and what was captured in the photograph. Emily Sopensky provides information for each place on the itinerary, adding historical context and geographical details to the sites captured in the photos.

Snake Medicine is a moving and insightful tour of the sacred sites of the American landscape, and a visual diary of Scott’s journey across America. You can find out more about the book on Scott and Emily's website, where it is also available for purchase.

Thinking of taking on the challenge of National Novel Writing Month? Each November, thousands commit to the task of writing a novel (at least 50,000 words) over the course of the month. The goal isn't perfection; the goal is to get as many words down as possible.

Luckily, here at PenPower we are surrounded by accomplished writers who know a thing or two about putting words on the page, and as many of our staff are writers in their own right, we even have a few of our own tricks up our sleeves. Here are some of the hard-earned pearls of wisdom from those who've done it before:

Have a routine. Whether that means waking up at the crack of dawn to jot down a few thousand words, or setting some time aside on your lunch break or after dinner, or even dedicating your weekend to it, forcing yourself to just sit down and write can often yield the best results, especially in the context of the ambitious goal set by NaNoWriMo. It's easy to get caught up in the trap of quality over quantity when you're judging your own writing, but sometimes more really is better. You can always go back and edit in December.

Buddy up. Writing is often an inherently solitary affair, but that doesn't always mean you have to go it alone. Find another friend with the same mission and help each other to stay on track. Whether in real life or online, words of encouragement can make a big difference in keeping the momentum going. It can also be a great help to bounce ideas off of each other - while you're not editing or revising at this point, a second set of eyes can help to keep the story fresh.

Shake it up sometimes.While a routine can be a great form of discipline, sometimes it pays to be spontaneous. If you feel yourself getting stuck in a rut, try switching up the location, time, or even method of your writing. Take a notebook to a museum or on a walk through the woods - you might be surprised at the new ideas that pop into your head, or the plot problems that might become untangled. Even just going for a long walk can sometimes give your brain the stimulus it needs to work through things unconsciously.

Just keep swimming. It's often said that writing is a marathon, not a sprint - but NaNoWriMo really is a sprint. At the end of the month you certainly won't have a perfect novel ready to be pitched to agents and editors, and you might not even have something that looks or feels like a novel at all. What you will have is 50,000 words, whether in a notebook or on a laptop or on sheaves of paper strewn across the house. The goal of NaNoWriMo is daunting, to be sure, but to write so much so fast will inevitably help you to hone your craft, persevere in the face of writer's block, and, ultimately, come a little closer to writing a book that you'd be proud to see your name on. There's as many ways to write a novel as there are novels, but NaNoWriMo is a great way to make a start.

Want to know more? Here are some more great resources, pep talks, and words of advice for those of you brave enough to take the plunge:

National Novel Writing Month official website

Brainpicking's treasure trove of writing advice

Author Catherynne Valente on writing a novel in 10 days

Great advice from more spec fic authors

Happy writing!

Throughout the next few weeks, we're going to use this space to highlight some of the wonderful authors that we work with, as well as their current and upcoming books! First up is Brian Ray, author of Revelations Incorporated: Workplace Wisdom for the 21st Century. Brian is a business expert and an independent consultant with over twenty years of experience in the industry, and Revelations Incorporated is his first book.

Brian's book is full of helpful tips and tricks for those who are lacking in business know-how. Entering the workforce can be daunting; business courses rarely prepare new graduates for the bureaucracy, office politics, power plays and jockeying for position, nepotism, and other frustrations that are part of a typical workplace environment. Brian explains the different hurdles employees may face, and how to tackle them with grace and integrity, while still keeping your job, or finding your way to a better one!

Brian draws on his extensive experience in the corporate world to discuss such issues as workplace bullying, fair compensation, downsizing, offshoring, unrealistic management expectations, and so much more. Part how-to guide, part insightful business analysis, and full of helpful advice and anecdotes, Revelations Incorporated gives those new to the workplace the knowledge they need to thrive in a difficult work environment.

    You can find out more about Brian at his website, where you can also purchase copies of his book!

We're still in the process of getting it up and running, but it should be under way soon!