Monday, June 8, 2009

Let's Make Like Bunnies... and Tons of Free Books

Random Smell status: Something smells in my basement. Status and origin unknown.

Wanna read a free first chapter of an upcoming YA book? Writer sister Bree Despain has been given permission to share the first chapter of her book The Dark Divine (Due on shelves Dec. 09). Check it out.

I'm going to the BYU Writing Conference all week this week.


Best things about going to a conference:
1. No Kids.
2. Did I mention, no kids?
3. No Errands.
4. Hangin' with writer peeps.

Worst things about going to conference:
1. It's at BYU, so no caffeine available. (Yes, I'm still on the wagon, but I prefer to have caffeine in the general vicinity, watching over me.)
2. It's hard enough having friends and family trash my work. But complete strangers? I'm not looking forward to that part.

HELP ME FIGHT THE MAN
So we all know the economy resembles a big pile of cow dung right now, and the publishing industry is no different. Lots of people are saying it's the wrong year to submit a novel to a publisher. To these people, I boldly say, "Oh crap. You're probably right. I suck."

So here's my plan in three small steps:
1. Spread the word about my blog.
2. Those new readers will tell two new people, and then they'll tell two people, and the viewership will multiply like glandular little bunnies.
3. We will arm all of the new followers, and take the publishing industry by force.

Okay, so I was kidding about number 3. But my point is, if it was hard to get a book published before our current econo-slime, it's next to impossible now. So if my name can spread like the Swine Flu, it will increase my chances. They call this "buzz". All I ask is that you don't wash your hands. (Did I take the metaphor too far?)

For those of you who love visual aids, I have made this representational graph, taking into account the "word-of-mouth" speed of my blog readers vs. the mating habits of bunnies. I'm not sure if I got the math right, so someone please check the numbers.


funny pictures
moar funny pictures

Is shooting for 2 million followers in one week delusional? Excellent. I've learned the best way to make friends is by bribing (my mom did it for me during my elementary school years) so I'm going for the same approach to gain this elusive "buzz".

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER, WIN A BOOK

First up, since I am being forcefully immersed in the Twitter-verse, I invite you all to take the trip with me. Everyone who follows me on Twitter by the end of this week will be entered into a drawing to win one of three autographed books.

1. WINGS by Aprilynne Pike (Currently #1 on NYT Bestseller list)




2. THIS IS WHAT I DID by Ann Dee Ellis (A YALSA Best Book for Young Adults)






3. MISS MATCH by Wendy Toliver





LINK TO ME, WIN A BOOK

Next, if you link to me on a blog, or web page by the end of this week, you are entered into another drawing. Just email me the link where the link is located (does that make sense?) and you're entered. email: brosam (at) gmail (dot) com.

Please, get your friends, and friends of friends, and pet bunnies, in on the contest.

1. SWEETHEARTS by Sara Zarr (A National Book Award Finalist)





2. THE WAY HE LIVED by Emily Wing Smith (Starred Review Publisher's Weekly)





3. Another autographed copy of WINGS by Aprilynne Pike






Anyone else have any ideas? Any marketing/publicity gurus out there?

I shall report on the conference, especially any violence that ensues as a result of gumby-heads talkin' smack about my book. (They call this "constructive criticism." Yeah, right.)

Anyone doing anything fun this week?

16 comments:

  1. I will link and hyper link and dedicate a post just to how awesome you are! and I'll follow you on twitter unless I'm already following you.

    is this starting to sound a little like a meatloaf song?

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  2. so jealous, have fun--maybe next yr. for me?? i have kids i have to drive to work, camps and life--next yr. i will have my own personal "extra" driver in the house AKA Josh! :O)
    you rock brodi!

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  3. Enjoy the conference babe. I will get people to follow your blog even though you won't enter me in the contest to win a book.

    And Shellie, not only does it sound a little like a Meatloaf song, it is a Meatloaf song--"I will twitter you and thats a fact"--check it out on Itunes.

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  4. Have fun at the conference Brodi! Does this mean we will be missing blog updates?

    I will shameless plug you on my myspace, facebook and at the Twilight lexicon. I am in the process of trying to get my hubby to read your blog. We'll see if I succeed!

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  5. Shell- Meatloaf song. Lol.

    Dorien- Next year for sure!

    Sam- Of course you will be entered in the contest. You just won't win.

    Una- good luck getting the hubby to read it, and of course I will still blog on Wednesday and Friday with all my gossip from the conference. I just won't be able to comment on comments as quickly!

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  6. Can anyone go to that conference? I'll have to put it on my schedule for next year. I have a few friends there too but I figured you had to be a serious writer and all, do you think the cost, classes an experiences would be worth it for someone who just writes for fun?

    Going off to spread the word on my blog.

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  7. Deb- if I can go, anyone can go. I definitely think it's worth the money, even if you just do the afternoon general sessions (which is the cheaper route). Plan on next year!

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  8. Hi :)
    Great Blog. I love your sense of humor. I'm following you on Twitter via referral from another writer I'm following.
    Love from Canada
    xoxo

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  9. 1. I linked you to my blog
    2. You're welcome to come over to our apartment to get Dr. Pepper any time you want (I'm attempting to quit it, so we have most of a 24-pack left). We live on campus, so it's kind of like getting caffeine from BYU... :)

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  10. I linked you on my blog AND I linked you on Facebook. I should get two entries for that. ;)

    I ALMOST thought about joining Twitter just so I could follow you. But, I already have a blog and Facebook, and there's only so much social conformity I can do.

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  11. I have facebook, myspace (that I rarely check...but I did post a link to this blog there on my bulletin board). There are a couple author blogs I follow and a lexicon I belong to. I have been avoiding Twitter, it seems so... overwhelming! Plus, I think I have enough websites that I follow.

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  12. Rob- welcome! Enjoy your stay!

    Ruth- Dr. Pepper doesn't have caffeine, right?

    Jessica- thanks for the support. And I totally understand about having too many web pages. Seriously, where do these people find the time? Get a life! (Okay, I was sorta talking to myself.)

    Una- With your help alone, I could conquer California. You rock.

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  13. Of course you can, I'm stationed in central California - I will be your hub! I will slowly dominate and create a VAST army of Brodi Blog Followers!

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  14. I love your graph. It's very creative.

    As far as doing something fun this week, I'm in Vegas. Unfortunately, it's for business not pleasure. But, I've done a couple of pleasurable things, though. ;)

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  15. Una- Army Strong!

    Jenni- Have fun in Vegas.

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  16. I've got you linked on my blog!

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