Addicted to Fiction, with Sharon Goodwin.

Hello ladies, I can’t tell you how excited I am to be invited into the inner sanctum to talk book blogging with you.  I really enjoy reading your posts and now here I am!

My days of blogging began during a lull in projects – in my spare time, I had spent 3 years tracing mine and my OH’s family tree and not being able to go any further (and with my family fed up with traipsing around graveyards around the country) I needed a new challenge!

I’ve always been an avid reader (and a secret poet – although not quite that secret as some of my poetry is showcased under my pen name Cerris ) My blog came about quite by chance, having started entering competitions via blogs (not for books – surprisingly enough), I liked the thought of a virtual community and being able to chat all things books via comments and social media … and so Jera’s Jamboree was born on 6th February 2011. 

I’ve reviewed some fantastic books, hosted interesting guests, created interviews and taken part in book tours.  I’ve had authors compliment me on my PR skills on Twitter and I’ve jokingly asked if they could use my services.  That was the kernel of what was to become Fiction Addiction Book Tours.  During October half-term, that idea grew full fledged after researching and then approaching a couple of authors who I knew would be honest with me. My first step was to implement a Tour Host database because how could I coordinate virtual book tours without any hosts?  I have a fantastic network of bloggers who immediately signed up whom I trust implicitly.  The database is expanding but I always research new tour hosts to see if they would be suitable.

So what is Fiction Addiction Book Tours? 

As the name suggests, we coordinate and promote virtual book tours at very reasonable costs (for example a five stop Cover Reveal tour is £20 and a five stop Standard Tour is £30).  How does it work? Once tour dates are agreed with authors I create a Press Kit which is then shared with the relevant tour hosts on the database (tour hosts sign up for all different genres).  A tour badge is created which hosts display on their blogs (this links back to the authors website). Once the tour is full I share all relevant information with the author.  I quite liked the idea of showcasing the books on tour, even when they are full, and so Fiction Addiction Books on Tour was created.

One month before the tour is due to take place, a tour post goes live on the website with all relevant details.  Two weeks before the tour begins an event is created via Facebook and Goodreads.  One week before the tour begins a feature post goes live on Jera’s Jamboree.  Also, information is pinned on a dedicated Pinterest board. All of these posts are tweeted about and linked to a Facebook page. Once the tour begins, tour hosts, ourselves and the authors promote the posts via Twitter and Facebook.

Authors have full control at all times, for example they are able to stipulate the posts they would like on tours (ie a 5 stop tour = 3 x reviews, 1 x guest post, 1 x interview).  The Press Kit is not sent out until the author has seen it and agreed to its contents.  The tour badge is not shared unless the author is satisfied with the graphics/design.

Fiction Addiction Book Tours ticks all the boxes for me.  Books (of course!), organising (I’m a list person), communicating (certainly not lacking there) and creating.  This is something I really love doing and it is FUN!

Thank you for listening to me today.  Don’t hesitate to get in touch.  You’ll find me at fictionaddiction.booktours@gmail.com.

It must be time to quaff that delicious looking beverage beside me now.

Ciao    Shaz

Thank you for dropping by, Shaz. It’s our pleasure, and thank you for your kind words. It’s been great learning about other aspects to writing. Help yourself to the hot chocolate – you’ve earned it. Good luck and best wishes with your ventures. xx