Passively Recommending Books

  Of course there are a number of holidays this month. Please don't neglect to put up a winter/snow sort of display to balance things out for those who don't celebrate Christmas. There are a number of romance and horror titles which focus on winter and snow. Mysteries, particularly those by Scandinavian authors (Scandi Noir) are also good options if you are looking for fiction.  Consider knitting, winter decor, and travel narratives from wintery places. There are plenty of wintery DVDs which could be added as well.  Beyond Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanza, there is Yule and Winter Solstice to consider. Set up displays of paranormal romance, occult horror, urban fantasy, and non-fiction books about wicca, the occult, and related subjects.  In 1997, the show Seinfeld introduced Festivus to everyone. Do you have books that are based around complaints? Titles that you think various Seinfeld characters would love? Use your imagination and even set up a Festivus pole! December 1 is ce

Every author, regardless of whether they are self published or on one of the big five presses struggles with how to promote their books. LIbraries can help and that's mostly what I talk about here but I thought I would share some of what I heard at this panel. This won't be an exact transcript of what was said but I will share some of what was shared. I didn't write it up as a simple script because my notes are not a complete transcript. I can assure you that none of the wisdom below is mine and all comes from the panelists.  The panel was moderated by Emily Hughes  and included: Becky Spratford  (readers advisory expert, librarian, Horror Writers Association [HWA] secretary, and reviewer), Janine Cross  (author, HWA volunteer), Jordan Hanley (Tor Nightfire marketing manager), Solomon Forse (founder of the Howl Society, author), and Nat Cassidy  (actor, writer, musician). The panel discussed what has worked for them as far as promotion is concerned and what outlets and pl