A few weeks ago, I joined Instagram (follow me here!) at the suggestion of my marketing manager, Caitlin Bauer of Royal Social Media. I actually joined a long time ago under my real name, but I almost never posted anything… I suppose because I didn’t have the proper motivation. But Caitlin introduced me to the concept of #Bookstagram, trying to create an artistic image centering around a book or series… and I fell in love! (This is my favorite so far… and yes, that’s a full size Celtic sword. It was hanging in my British themed bathroom, beside a 2-foot knight in shining armor.)
I’m not really all that big on social media as a general rule, but I get the dopamine rush now of seeing I have new followers, new likes, etc. Finally I had to turn off the Instagram alerts on my phone or I’d never get anything done. 🙂
All of this was in preparation for Release Day of “The Eden Conspiracy”, which was this past Monday, July 18. During that time, we gave out ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) and eARCs (electronic versions) to Bookstagrammers who expressed interest, and in return, I was rewarded with some incredible, gorgeous images of my own books, some of them complete with reviews and hundreds of follower responses! (This is just one of my favorites!)
If all that weren’t enough, Caitlin and I launched my very own street team! We’ve added to our private Facebook group almost daily, and after years of writing (essentially) alone, I now have a community where I can ask opinions and host discussions around my characters and writing. Already I’ve gotten some excellent ideas I never would have thought of myself. I’m so proud of the support from this bookish, international, eclectic group! (It’s still open, by the way— apply here if you’re interested in joining us!)
All the best,
Still haven’t picked up “The Eden Conspiracy”? Grab yourself a copy in eBook or Paperback at the link below… The audiobook version should be available by the end of August!