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Well, Readers, it’s just you and me. Most of the Jaunties are at the RWA National conference in DC this week. With 2,000 romance writers descending on our nation’s capital, I’m sure the politicians don’t know what to think!
I wish I was there, but then I thought, since we’re here, why not have some fun? Recently I was at a workshop, where the topic was promotion. Authors talk about this all the time. Basically, we don’t know why people buy our books, but we like to talk about what we think might persuade you to buy our books.
So what I’m going to do is give away a book. I have extra copies of Good Groom Hunting and Reality TV Bites, written as Shane Bolks. One is historical, and the other a contemporary chick lit. I’ll pick a winner, and you tell me which you’d like me to send.
But…here’s the catch. I want you to tell me why you bought the last book you bought. Was it because you like that author? The cover? A book video? The back cover copy? Why did you buy it?
Filed in: Our Books
Jul 16th
2009
5:29 am
Emmanuelle Said:
Good question. You want us to talk about the LAST book we baught not just any book, right ??
…LOL
Well, last week I baught Don’t Tempt me by Loretta Chase. Why ?
- main reason is I read the first 3 or 4 chapters on the publisher website (Love gives back). I was really hooked by the whole thing plot/characters/tone…
- It’s Loretta Chase so it’s almost an autobuy. I say almost because there are so many books and I can’t buy them all so sometimes I have to choose carefully. I hadn’t buy the one before that bacause the plot didn’t appeal to me.
- I liked both the back blurb and book cover
- I read great reviews on Amazon
So here is basicaly all I’m looking at before buying a book… that’s a lot but there is quite a difference between all the books I want to read and the amount I can’t afford… unfortunatly
For me the best promotion tool is the excerpt. The longest it is the more I get hooked and the more I NEED to bu the book !!
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Jul 16th
2009
5:31 am
Emmanuelle Said:
Just reread my post… please don’t mind the mistakes
My english is getting better but I’mnot there yet !!
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Jul 16th
2009
6:13 am
Laura Said:
I don’t need to be entered in your contest because I have all of your books and they’re all autographed so I’m good on that point (but those reading this blog post should know, they’re all really, really good!!! not just the two on the table!). But anyway, I don’t typically buy one book at a time anymore. Just last night I ordered 6 or 7 books. Some were pre-ordered so that I don’t forget to get them when they come out – one of the pre-orders was because I’d read the first in the series and the second comes out in November…oh and it’s written by a friend of mine. Another was pre-ordered because it’s the second in a series, the first of which I bought after seeing book trailer (is that what it’s called? it’s early!) – it was the best one I’d ever seen and the book totally lived up to the press. One I liked the author’s previous books and the concept for this one is great in my opinion. Another I’ve read all the rest in the series. Another for the author.
You get the idea. I’m just a book ho, what can I say?
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Jul 16th
2009
7:59 am
Frana Said:
Hi! I usually pick books because I know about the author’s previous works, or someone recommended the book to me. But to pick a book on my own and by the unknown author – cover is the first attention catcher then goes the blurb, and then I buy it
I usually go to the store and the shelves with genre I want to read. Leaf through covers and the rest is a history.
Another good thing are contests – I won a couple books from authors I’ve heard of for the first time in that particular contest and kept reading their work after reading that one book I won.
Several authors caught my attention while guest blogging on blogs that I regularly visit and I went and bought their book as well.
Hope this (long post) was helpful
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Jul 16th
2009
8:04 am
Crystal B. Said:
I bought the last book I bought because I enjoy the author’s writing and I have been reading the series and loving it.
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Jul 16th
2009
8:40 am
Shana Said:
Thanks for all the info, ladies. keep it coming.
And Laura, thanks for the kind words about my books.
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Jul 16th
2009
8:45 am
eap Said:
The last book I bought was because of an ad on AAR. I went to Amazon read the reviews and then bought book at the cheapest online web site. I usually get recs from message boards, author blogs, or Amazon recs sometimes then I buy from the cheapest online site (every penny counts:)
I don’t buy because of covers, or other factors because I don’t browse bookstores anymore (no big chains in my town)
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Jul 16th
2009
9:14 am
Teresa W. Said:
The last book I bought was the next book in a series I’m reading. Would like to be included for the contemporary!
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Jul 16th
2009
9:55 am
Kathryn Said:
When I bought books two weeks ago I was going for tried and true authors… Robert B. Parker (Spenser series) and Nora Roberts.
When I find an author I like, I tend to go through the backlist (or wait impatiently for the next publication!).
Otherwise I go on recommendation, hooks that come from blogs like this one and if I have nothing to go on the cover and the back cover have to grab my interest.
And while I do occasionally order books from Amazon or Chapters, I much prefer to go and browse in an actual store.
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Jul 16th
2009
10:59 am
DebraS Said:
Hi Shane,
I’m a sucker for a good cover, then it’s the back blurb. The last book I bought had a cute, cute dog on the cover and an even cuter title. Then the back blurb just reeled me all the way in. I haven’t read this author before, but it’s a paperback so I figured what the heck. It’s the next book I’m going to read, I hope it’s as good as the cover & blurb.
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Jul 16th
2009
11:14 am
chey Said:
You’re gonna laugh. I bought the last book I bought because I was so surprised to find a large print book at Safeway, that I just had to buy it!
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Jul 16th
2009
1:53 pm
Maureen Said:
The last book I bought was because the author is a favorite of mine.
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Jul 16th
2009
2:33 pm
Jane Said:
The last book I bought was “Fatal Secrets” by Allison Brennan. She is one of my favorite authors and this was book two in the FBI series and I was anxious to read the next installment.
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Jul 16th
2009
2:44 pm
catslady Said:
The last book I bought happened to be an author I knew and liked but if I’m just browsing I tend to look at the covers but it’s the blurb in the back that pulls me in and is the reason I buy it. Or word of mouth works too lol. Oh and sometimes it’s a particular genre that I’m in the mood for. I would love the historical
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Jul 16th
2009
3:24 pm
Carla Said:
I just bought a bunch of books last night to benefit charity at RWA’s Literacy Signing. However, the only books I bought by an unknown quantity, so to speak, were Marie Force’s two, which I learned about right here reading Kristan Higgins’s interview/blog with the author.
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Jul 16th
2009
3:40 pm
Shirley Karr Said:
Hey Shana, I’m still here! I was at RWA in DC in 2000, same hotel, so I don’t feel too bad about having to miss this year’s conference. Looking forward to Nashville next year!
I’m struggling to remember the last fiction book I bought. I think it was probably by Celeste Bradley, in one of her two spy series that are intermixed. If I’m considering a book by an author who is not an auto-buy for me, I usually get caught by the title, cover art, back cover blurb/teaser, recommendations … all the usual suspects … but the clincher for me is to read an excerpt, or open the book at random and read a passage or three if I have the book in hand. There are some author voices that simply aren’t my taste.
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Jul 16th
2009
3:47 pm
Rainy Said:
Geesh,
So many books, so many reasons.
First, if I have a favorite author, I’m already in line waiting for the next book.
Book covers and jacket summaries are definite pushers when I’m tempted by many books/authors in a particular genre. Some covers literally shout at you to pick it up. And then it’s time to check out the jacket info. With an unknown or little known, there’s got to be something enticing to make me part with my dwindling budget.
Hope that helps.
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Jul 16th
2009
6:00 pm
Lisette Said:
The last book I bought was one called Love is a Mixed tape, I bought it because it was on sale and beforehand I had read about it on BN.com. It sounded good to me so I got it.
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Jul 16th
2009
7:04 pm
Lois Said:
Alas, can’t be in the DC neighborhood either. . . 500 authors in one room, geez louise, a booklover’s dream come true.
Anyway, the vast majority of books I get are authors I already read. But here and there, some are new or new to me authors (or even once upon a time the autobuy authors too), it’s nearly always what it’s about. Well, seeing if something is Regency, for example, it’ll catch my eye, but it’s always to learn more and see what it’s about and if it sounds interesting, I’ll try it! 
Lois
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Jul 16th
2009
8:11 pm
Quilt Lady Said:
I guess the last book I bought was because of the author! Although I do enjoy trying new to me authors. Most of the time when I buy a book its because of what the book is about and most of the time they are historicals.
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Jul 16th
2009
10:02 pm
Leslie Said:
The last book I bought was Darkness Calls by Marjorie M. Liu. I bought it because it’s the second book in the series. I really enjoyed the first book and I was looking forward to this one. I do think the cover is beautiful.
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Jul 17th
2009
7:30 am
Penney W. Said:
Hi, I like your Good Groom Hunting
I never read it,
Thank you
Penney
penneyw(at)sbcglobal(dot)net
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Jul 22nd
2009
10:15 pm
Sylvia Said:
i read good groom hunting ,when is the last book going to come out. thank you
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Jul 23rd
2009
9:34 am
Shana Said:
Sylvia, I get this question a lot. Unfortunately, I don’t know that there will be a 4th and last book in the Misadventures in Matrimony series. I am with a new publisher now and, understandbaly, they want me to do something fresh. I will have a new historical romance out in June 2010, but it won’t be Ashley and Nick’s book. I still hope to write it one day!
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