The following is part 1 of a guest post by Tracy Atkins. Check back next week for part 2!

Every single day, authors are bombarded with instructions to get cracking on social media.

You hear advice to tweet, build up your Facebook following, and post on your author blog. Marketing gurus dish sound advice to write articles for major blogs, and get out there in the world as an extrovert-expert.

You look at the bevy of URLs and accounts you need to maintain, and it feels like you are planning a trip to scale Mt. Vesuvius.

As confusing or unfocused as social media may be on the surface, the truth is that social media is an essential tool to build a fan base. Those fans are what you need most.

Gaining the recognition and respect from someone who enjoys your contributions to the social media world is the best way to turn a stranger into a fan.Continue Reading

The holiday season is upon us.

It’s only Halloween, but you and I both know that holiday displays are going up in stores as I type this.

Scratch that. I was just at Walmart, and half the store is already decorated!

While this time of year is crazypants for you (what the heck am I going to get Dad this year?), it’s also the busiest shopping season for your readers — and that makes it the perfect opportunity for a fun promotion.

And, when you start planning your special holiday promotions now, you  build up excitement before everyone else (except Walmart) begins their own jolly campaign.

While you could go with the old standbys of discounts and personalized copies, they’re…well, somewhat predictable. You know your Duolit gals — we like to have a bit more fun!

So, check out these 12 other holiday book promotion ideas (prettily tied up in a bow):Continue Reading