Type A, B, and Oh My Promotion with Guest Blogger: Rachel Firasek

Win a copy of Piper's Fury and meet paranormal author Rachel Firasek today at the Book Boost!


Here's what she had to say...

Bloody Promos

As I write this, my fingers are bleeding. It’s the first of 5 million blog posts for the month of April. The world of promoting a new release, especially a debut release is demanding and extracting of plasma. Yes, I said it, plasma.

Wikipedia’s definition=Blood plasma is the yellow liquid component of blood in which the blood cells in whole blood are normally suspended. It makes up about 55% of the total blood volume.

So, now that I’m weak from plasma and blood loss, I’ll try to humor you fine people on what it’s like in my world right now. There is a reason so many authors’ fight, beg, offer favors of devious intent to find the magical agent that will love their manuscript enough to beg, offer favors…etc. to a New York market.

Once that book is in the hands of a lovely editor in the “big” world of publishing and their marketing department, the author can sit back and relax, right? Wrong. But, it is still better than what those of us less than mid-level authors have to work with. Forging on to find our place in the market, we must sweat, pant, and yes, sometimes bleed for the recognition that will, hopefully, place our books out in the world.

I woke from a sweaty dream last night, no---get your minds out of the gutter---to realize I was sweating over all the months of hard work I’ve put into booking blog spots, chats, vlogs, and now, even a Skype conference with a book club. It’s here and I’ve done so much work finding homes for my lovely words, that I haven’t written my posts! Yikes.

So, night sweats and all, I’m putting on my happy face, and marching on. It’s what I do. For those of you selling a book, start now, not when the book is for sale on Amazon--or worse--on clearance. It will take months of developing treasured relationships, finding people you can trust to share your work with, and finding the right homes for your promo.

I know some of you probably think I’m all over the place and so put together, but the truth is, what you are seeing is almost a year of work in the making. I contracted Piper’s Fury in November of 2010, but I began my marketing in May of 2010. I put aside my shy and hiding nature and stuck out my hand/keyboard to introduce myself to other bloggers, writers, and yes…authors.

Guess what…they didn’t bite. So, here I am, celebrating my release with you, and writing this hopefully entertaining post on promo. Have a great day! And, now I must go wrap my poor mangled hands in gauze and allow them time to heal before I begin writing my 499,999,999th post. Happy April everyone!


A Note from the Book Boost: Thanks for joining us today at the Boost, Rachel and Congrats on making your debut publication a reality. I wish you the best of luck with the success of your book. Please tell us more about it!


Blurb:

It's an empath thing...

Using your "powers" to help the Dark Hills Police Department hunt down serial killers doesn't leave much time for dating. Not that Piper Anast is complaining. The last thing she needs is some guy brushing up against her and pumping his pornographic thoughts into her head.

When she meets Bennett Slade, a sexy, tormented vampire, Piper stumbles headlong into a telepathic connection with his missing daughter. She can't leave the kid to the evil surrounding her unwanted visions, nor can she resist her draw to Slade. He's the first guy she's been able to touch vision-free in, well, forever.

As she and Slade close in on the evil creature holding his daughter, Piper's powers morph into a deadly fury. To save Slade's daughter-and herself-Piper must face down demons she never knew she had and trust the one thing she keeps from everyone.

Her heart.


Excerpt:

I climbed the stairs two at a time and at the top, he glanced over my shoulder. “Alone. Sorry, man, it can only be the two of us. Your energy could mess with the magic.”

“I...very well.” Slade’s mouth curled into a frown, he hesitated at the three steps up and turned with a snarl. His neck tensed, the muscles knotting under his shirt. So, he didn’t like the thought of me up here with Luke alone, well good.

We entered the bedroom Luke used. He ripped the comforter and sheets from the bed. “Lay down.”

“What?”

“Look, this goes a lot smoother if you quit asking the infuriating questions, which by the way make you sound like a moron, and just do what I say.”

Immediate rage, a rage I couldn’t control leapt from my skin and knocked him against the closed door. I held him pinned, levitating a foot from the floor. He gasped while I forced my energy into him.

He gritted an incantation. The energy shifted on me. The return blast lifted me up, launching me the last few feet to the bed. Air burst from my lungs on the landing. His body followed the energy, covering me with his weight.

“Learn how to control yourself, or I will teach you how to in a way you won’t like. I will not tolerate your abuse anytime you get pissed at me. It’s going to happen and unlike Slade, I will not temper my words.”

I panted from the exertion and the raging anger at having my power used on me. “Get off me. I don’t like to be touched.”

“Maybe you haven’t been touched by the right person--yet.”

Want More Rachel?

Visit her website here: http://www.rachelfirasek.com
Pick up your copy of her book today! Click here.

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