A to Z - Networking

Earlier this month author Robison Wells (Variant) wrote a great post about marketing that also touched on networking. He said it was a rant, and it was, but I think it was a good rant. Rob's day job for many years was marketing, and he has a lot of good information in the post, so I highly recommend that you go read the whole thing. But I want to share this from the post:

"So, let’s try to hammer one thing into our heads. If get nothing else from this blog, get this:

When you see the term “social networking”, ignore the word “networking” and focus on the word “social“. Some people act like Facebook and Twitter and blogging are a chore, and if you have that attitude, then you’ll always hate social networking. But I don’t see it that way. I log into Twitter the first thing every morning to see what my FRIENDS are talking about, and so I can join the conversation. And a lot of these friends are people who I’ve never met in real life. Some are fellow authors. Some are readers. Some are just fun people who I’ve met and built a relationship with.

Yes, that took time, and in those early days when I had few Twitter followers, it wasn’t as much fun. But it’s definitely worth the investment. Now, I feel like I always have someone to talk to, or someone to hear a joke from, or someone who has something insightful to share. It’s like hanging out with your friends all the time.

It’s not a friggin’ chore. It’s a delight. It’s SOCIAL.

And if you don’t like Twitter, then blog. Build your SOCIAL network there, and interact with your commenters. Or on Facebook. Or on YouTube, or Google Plus, or Friendster, or whatever-the-heck else. It doesn’t matter which platforms you chose. Just chose something, and have a good time. Be social. Be fun. Be interesting.

You’re a writer, for crying out loud. If you can’t be fun or interesting for ten minutes a day then maybe you’re in the wrong business."

How do you feel about social networking and how it relates to marketing your books? Is it just a huge burden or are you having fun?

And the Winners Are . . .

The winners of my two copies of

Variant

by Robinson Wells

are

  Abby Fowers

at

Something to Write About

and

Robin Weeks

If you ladies will email me at donnakweaver(at)gmail(dot) com

and send me your mailing addresses, I'll get these off to you.

Congrats.

I have everyone confidence you'll enjoy this read.

NaNo Update

I did it! As of this posting I have 51,434 words and the end of the book is in sight.

Last Day for Book Giveaway

I've still got those two copies of Variant by Robison Wells.

Click here for details.

This book would make a great gift, and it won't even cost you anything.

Thanksgiving and the Book Giveaway

Book Giveaway Reminder

It's not too late to get in on my giveaway of two copies of

Robison Wells'

Variant

Click here for details.

A Day of Thanks

It's been a tough three years. As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving this week I'd like to take a minute and express my gratitude. My list is hardly all encompassing, but these are a few things I'm thankful for.

• Being married (28 years in January) to a wonderful man. When one of my betas told me the epilogue in my adventure romance showed the love interests still too into each other, I had to smile. I hadn't realized I'd based some of my my hero's more romantic characteristics after my hubby.
• Six amazing children. Being a mother changed and enriched my life in ways I could not understand until I'd experienced it. There's truth in the trite little saying that motherhood has a way of proving that your heart really can beat outside of your body. For all the anguish these smart and talented individuals gave us while they were growing up, all I can say is: what a ride. And we did it together.
• Seven (soon to be eight in December) grandchildren. Oh. My. Heck. Why didn't someone tell me how dang much fun being a grandmother would be? I'd have skipped the parent thing and gone right to Nana right away! All the fun with only a little of the responsibility!
• When so many people don't have a job, I do. I'll never be rich working for municipal government but I work with wonderful people, and I like to think what I do makes a difference.
• Belief in something bigger than myself.

Do you have any "attitude of gratitude" traditions in your family?

"Variant" by Robison Wells

I'm not posting today. Just in case you're confused because it's not Friday.

But I just finished listening to Robison Well's book Variant. Oh, my freakin' heck! I LOVED it! Kept me right on the edge of my chair all the way through. Crisp writing, lots of action, but it really got me into the characters, which is a big deal to me.

From amazon:

Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life.

He was wrong. 

Now he’s trapped in a school that’s surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive. 

Where breaking the rules equals death. 

But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape—his only real hope for survival—may be impossible.

You so have to check out this book.

I'm just sayin'!