As primarily and ebook author, I think about promotion items a lot. I'm not proud of it, but if you hang out in author circles, on lists, groups and at coffee clatches, the topic is going to come up. I've tried them all too. Bookmarks, stickers, postcards, pens, fridge magnets...I even took a tip from a website and spent a good month stuffing my promo items into junk mail return envelopes--until someone suggested they would single them out by weight and toss my goodies without even opening them.
Well so much for that good idea. I'd spent far too much of my own money to throw the things away. I didn't even like to think about it, and at conventions, I developed the habit of scooping up any extras on that promo table before leaving the event, just to save them from the garbage.
Then one of my friends suggested trading cards. Pretty, collectible, cards with my covers on one side and the book info on the other. She's pretty brilliant. I searched and designed and printed. I took my little assortment of cards to the next convention, and it didn't take long to see that there wouldn't be any leftovers to save at the end of the weekend. Eureka, they love those cards.
Last week I stumbled upon a group of romance authors who either have the same brilliant friend, or latched onto the idea through their own clever intellects. I suspect the latter--especially because their cards are better designed, more lovely, and very well produced. In the spirit of the great idea, they've also opened up the doors to any author of romance. Come play, we're excited, they said. SO, naturally I jumped on board.
Go Here and see for yourself how cool they are.
They make my cards look so lame.
Go Here and you'll see what I mean...I went with the easy
peesy old school baseball card look. Sue me. It was fun. ;-)
The point is they are so excited! They are tweeting and hooting and spreading the word fast, and the best part is they're ready to share the fun.
So what do you guys think? Dive in there, definitely, but also, wouldn't it be fun to have an official SFR Brigade template to use as a card border? What about a little SFR Brigade seal for authors to pop into the corner of their cards?
I know you all can come up with better than I can. Do you want to play a game?
;-)
Frances
... but Ezra Baraney's book 'The Torah Codes' is bound to be compared to it. Come and learn more about this fascinating ex physics teacher and his novel at my blog www.hywelalyn.blogspot.com
