I would like to thank Caribbean Intelligence for hosting me as a guest blogger, as part of the virtual book tour celebration for my debut novel, Becoming Me. In this blog post I share how I came to learn about virtual book tours and what it can mean for authors.

 

I had never heard of Virtual Book Tours before I met my book marketing strategist. Now what on earth was a virtual book tour, I thought.  I was soon to find out.

 

The Internet has created many opportunities, not only for online entrepreneurs, but also for authors. No longer do you, as an author, need to board an aircraft to promote your books. A Virtual Book Tour is an innovative tool for promoting books across borders. Through this tool I will be able to ‘travel’ online visiting various websites and sharing my message with blog owners and their readership.

 

On my tour, I will be a guest blogger on popular blogs.

 

There will be also be features, interviews and live online radio shows. How did we identify hosts for the tour?

 

While the book Becoming Me was written for entertainment, I was cognizant of portraying issues that women can identify with, making it real.

 

Therefore, we identified blogs which addressed women’s issues and whose audience we felt would be interested in a novel with that message.

 

The novel also takes the reader to Jamaica, so we thought that Caribbean people and particularly Jamaican women would be interested in a novel which featured their country, as they would be able to relate to it.

 

We counted on our audience in the Diaspora who would be interested in Caribbean authors and their progress, and would be willing to support authors. Therefore, we also identified a few blogs in the region, and those outside the region which targeted the Diaspora so that we could keep our people out there in the know as to what we are doing.

 

The goal of the tour is to engage readers, encourage their interaction, invite them to visit my blog www.GardeniaDestang.com, encourage them to consider getting their personal copy of my book, and most of all inspire all who join us on the tour to ‘become’.

 

On its own, a virtual book tour does not give an author sufficient mileage to increase book sales significantly. Therefore, besides this virtual book tour, my book marketing strategist has encouraged me to grow my social media networks, enhance my presence on Amazon, and maximize the placement of my book on Amazon.

 

Earlier in the campaign we ran a one day Kindle Giveaway day which resulted in over twenty-two hundred downloads. Shortly, thereafter, I was thrilled to see the book hit the Amazon Kindle Bestseller list.

 

To authors, and in particular Caribbean authors I say do not be daunted by the technology, use it. Do what is necessary to get your message out there.

 

It has been an exciting journey and I am inviting all to join us on this tour. Follow Terri on her journey to ‘become’ and become.

 

 

 

 

For more on Caribbean Intelligence's New Writing Club, click here.

 

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