By: Joelle Charbonneau

Next week is Bouchercon – a fan conference for all mystery
and thriller related.  There will be book
signings, awards and panels filled with book discussions.   

One of the panels I’m participating on this year at
Bouchercon is about all things promotion. 
How much is too much promotion?  

Um…I haven’t a clue.

Honest.  I really
haven’t the foggiest how to answer that question.  Probably because I’m bad at promotion.  I’ll write the occasional blog post, do an interview
if I’m asked and tweet if I’m giving away a copy of a book.  I even remember to post reviews on Facebook-
especially if my agent posts them first and makes it easy for me to hit the
share button. 

But when it comes to creating bookmarks, swag, updating my
Amazon author page and posting on chat boards or e-mail group loops about my
book….I’m terrible at it all.  I feel
silly when I carry bookmarks.  In fact, I
forget they are even in my bag unless someone asks about them.  That’s probably the reason I don’t make them
anymore.  And while I was encouraged to
join lots of loops and Goodreads groups, I think I might have posted once one
them.  Thank goodness for my publishers
or no one would know about my books. 

So…needless to say, I’m probably not the right author to be
weighing in on what promotion works or how to know where to draw the line.  Which is why I need your help.  What kinds of author driven promotional
things do you like?  Which ones turn you
off?  And what would you prefer to see
when it comes to the wonderful world of book promotion?   I am
taking notes!