by Jason Joyner | Oct 8, 2008 | Blog, blogging, CFBA, CSFF, fiction, reading
I’ve been a member of two blog tours, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and the Christian Sci-fi and Fantasy Tour, for over two years now. I’ve had the privilege to review many good books and enter into some great discussion with others out there in the blogosphere.
Even though this has benefited me, what about the authors? Do the writers who have offered up their work for review get a measurable boost from the coordinated focus of a blog tour.
So far I’d have to say there’s no direct benefit to a blog tour.
I come to this conclusion from from two sources. Brandilyn Collins has been involved with the CFBA tour since its inception, and I recall her blogging that she hasn’t seen specific movement of more books associated with a blog tour. However, with her marketing experience, she knows the value of getting her name and books out there with visibility.
Also, I was involved with a tour for Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture by Mary DeMuth, and Mark Goodyear tracked measurable stats regarding the tour. They tracked how many books were sold directly through Mary’s site. His conclusion was that there wasn’t a large increase in sales from the well-organized tour.
However, does this mean blog tours aren’t worthwhile?
I would say that there are benefits to blog tours that aren’t easily measurable, at least not directly. Maybe people don’t rush out and buy the book from Amazon right away, giving noticeable statistics.
My argument is that it is worthwhile for authors to do blog tours in order to get their book out there and find some people that could turn into influencers. I suggest this can be a big benefit for authors.
I can think of several authors whose books I would not have read if not for getting their book for review: Rene Gutteridge, Lisa Bergren, John Aubrey Anderson, and Tom Morrisey to name a few. All of these authors have won me over with the quality of their writing and their interesting stories. What has happened is I have become their advocate. I continue to think of them as I refer people to good authors.
Not only that, but I support them more than I would have earlier. Even though through the blog tours I generally receive the books from the publisher to review, I have purchased books from the writers above. Either I’ve purchased other books in their catalog, or I buy the books I’ve already read to give away to others. I also lend out books so others can given them a try and hopefully get interested enough to purchase other books in the future.
Of course this can happen randomly. Maybe I would have picked up one of these books in Barnes and Noble (I have no local Christian bookstore). I do recall looking at Anderson’s first book, Abiding Darkness, at B&N. But I never bought it. I don’t think I would’ve walked out with any books from the others I listed there. But I’ve purchased all of Anderson’s work since to give away. I just bought an older book of Gutteridge’s, outside of the series I’ve been enjoying so much. I reviewed Bergren’s first book for a tour, and made sure I bought the others so I could finish the series. Early this year I purchased Robin Parrish’s Merciless because I couldn’t wait an extra month for the blog tour to get it.
Just last week I read a new book from Tim Downs, Less Than Dead. I had read his book Plague Maker on my own and really enjoyed it, but had forgotten about Downs until reading his latest for the tour. I was so delighted to “rediscover” him that I fully plan on completing my collection of his books.
Maybe I’m strange (no comments Mark…), but I can’t help but think this type of situation happens with others for blog tours. My conclusion is that an author won’t know what type of people they will reach with a blog tour. If they get the right person, they will have an influencer who will carry on promotion that goes beyond the investment the author made by sending some books out for a blog tour.
If anyone reading this has been influenced by any of my posts, I’d love to hear from you on this topic. If you have any thoughts on blog tours, I’d also encourage you to speak up. Coolness.
by Jason Joyner | Oct 8, 2008 | Blog, blogging, CFBA, CSFF, fiction, reading
I’ve been a member of two blog tours, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and the Christian Sci-fi and Fantasy Tour, for over two years now. I’ve had the privilege to review many good books and enter into some great discussion with others out there in the blogosphere.
Even though this has benefited me, what about the authors? Do the writers who have offered up their work for review get a measurable boost from the coordinated focus of a blog tour.
So far I’d have to say there’s no direct benefit to a blog tour.
I come to this conclusion from from two sources. Brandilyn Collins has been involved with the CFBA tour since its inception, and I recall her blogging that she hasn’t seen specific movement of more books associated with a blog tour. However, with her marketing experience, she knows the value of getting her name and books out there with visibility.
Also, I was involved with a tour for Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture by Mary DeMuth, and Mark Goodyear tracked measurable stats regarding the tour. They tracked how many books were sold directly through Mary’s site. His conclusion was that there wasn’t a large increase in sales from the well-organized tour.
However, does this mean blog tours aren’t worthwhile?
I would say that there are benefits to blog tours that aren’t easily measurable, at least not directly. Maybe people don’t rush out and buy the book from Amazon right away, giving noticeable statistics.
My argument is that it is worthwhile for authors to do blog tours in order to get their book out there and find some people that could turn into influencers. I suggest this can be a big benefit for authors.
I can think of several authors whose books I would not have read if not for getting their book for review: Rene Gutteridge, Lisa Bergren, John Aubrey Anderson, and Tom Morrisey to name a few. All of these authors have won me over with the quality of their writing and their interesting stories. What has happened is I have become their advocate. I continue to think of them as I refer people to good authors.
Not only that, but I support them more than I would have earlier. Even though through the blog tours I generally receive the books from the publisher to review, I have purchased books from the writers above. Either I’ve purchased other books in their catalog, or I buy the books I’ve already read to give away to others. I also lend out books so others can given them a try and hopefully get interested enough to purchase other books in the future.
Of course this can happen randomly. Maybe I would have picked up one of these books in Barnes and Noble (I have no local Christian bookstore). I do recall looking at Anderson’s first book, Abiding Darkness, at B&N. But I never bought it. I don’t think I would’ve walked out with any books from the others I listed there. But I’ve purchased all of Anderson’s work since to give away. I just bought an older book of Gutteridge’s, outside of the series I’ve been enjoying so much. I reviewed Bergren’s first book for a tour, and made sure I bought the others so I could finish the series. Early this year I purchased Robin Parrish’s Merciless because I couldn’t wait an extra month for the blog tour to get it.
Just last week I read a new book from Tim Downs, Less Than Dead. I had read his book Plague Maker on my own and really enjoyed it, but had forgotten about Downs until reading his latest for the tour. I was so delighted to “rediscover” him that I fully plan on completing my collection of his books.
Maybe I’m strange (no comments Mark…), but I can’t help but think this type of situation happens with others for blog tours. My conclusion is that an author won’t know what type of people they will reach with a blog tour. If they get the right person, they will have an influencer who will carry on promotion that goes beyond the investment the author made by sending some books out for a blog tour.
If anyone reading this has been influenced by any of my posts, I’d love to hear from you on this topic. If you have any thoughts on blog tours, I’d also encourage you to speak up. Coolness.
by Jason Joyner | Sep 24, 2008 | Blog, CSFF, fantasy, sci-fi, speculative fiction
Yesterday I tried to end with the best possible cliff-hanger: GREED. As our blog tour continues to discuss the new independent publisher for Christian speculative fiction, Marcher Lord Press, there is more in it for you than just a good read.
How about prizes?
There are numerous prizes collected for the launch date of October 1st. The grand prize is a trip for two to ComicCON San Diego 2009. If that isn’t worth going to the prize list and signing up, I don’t know what is.
(Shameless Self-Promotion Disclaimer: If you list me as your referred, I get another entry into the contest. Just so you know…)
There are oodles of other prizes available, so it is quite worth your while to check it out.
But what are the initial offerings from MLP, other than a really generous guy in Jeff Gerke, making a splash?
I’m glad you asked! There are three books in the launch for Marcher Lord Press. And I mentioned Oct. 1st before. If you make an order on that day, there are bonus FREE goodies awaiting you. (It just gets better and better)
The first offering is Hero, Second Class. This book turns fantasy convention on its head. All the great points are skewed: Heroes, Villians, Kings, Magic, and So On.
If you like fantasy but are a little weary of the standard plot points that flow in the story like a checklist, then this witty skewing will bring a refreshing perspective as Cyrus, the wannabe Hero, embarks through the Hero Guild on his Grand Quest.
The next book is The Personifid Invasion. This is a stand-alone sequel to a previously released novel, The Personifid Project. In the future, bodies are able to be cloned in order to allow people to live forever by having their consciousness transfered into new bodies.
Death may no longer be an issue, but what about the soul? Are these altered creations more succeptible to outside influence, such as interterrestrials? A brother and sister race to find another sibling, trying to navigate the dangers between them.
Finally, the last introductory book is Summa Elvetica. This fantasy book is set in a world of human and non-human races: orcs, trolls, and elves as examples. The Church sends a priest to determine if these non-human races have souls, and as such, deserve a focus for evagelization.
Of course, how could such a story take place without romance and war? What will the cleric discover, and what will the ecclesiastia decide?
As you can see, MLP has a few intriguing options covering science fiction, fantasy, and a fantasy spoof. Even if these books are not to your liking, you ought to register to win a chance at the bounty of prizes, and you may well find a later title catching your interest.
I plan on an order on October 1st, and I will watch Marcher Lord Press with anticipation. If you are a fan of Christian speculative fiction, you would do well to support MLP to show that there is a demand for quality spec fic wiith a Christian world view.
If you have any interaction w/MLP, I would be interested in your comments next week!
by Jason Joyner | Sep 24, 2008 | Blog, CSFF, fantasy, sci-fi, speculative fiction
Yesterday I tried to end with the best possible cliff-hanger: GREED. As our blog tour continues to discuss the new independent publisher for Christian speculative fiction, Marcher Lord Press, there is more in it for you than just a good read.
How about prizes?
There are numerous prizes collected for the launch date of October 1st. The grand prize is a trip for two to ComicCON San Diego 2009. If that isn’t worth going to the prize list and signing up, I don’t know what is.
(Shameless Self-Promotion Disclaimer: If you list me as your referred, I get another entry into the contest. Just so you know…)
There are oodles of other prizes available, so it is quite worth your while to check it out.
But what are the initial offerings from MLP, other than a really generous guy in Jeff Gerke, making a splash?
I’m glad you asked! There are three books in the launch for Marcher Lord Press. And I mentioned Oct. 1st before. If you make an order on that day, there are bonus FREE goodies awaiting you. (It just gets better and better)
The first offering is Hero, Second Class. This book turns fantasy convention on its head. All the great points are skewed: Heroes, Villians, Kings, Magic, and So On.
If you like fantasy but are a little weary of the standard plot points that flow in the story like a checklist, then this witty skewing will bring a refreshing perspective as Cyrus, the wannabe Hero, embarks through the Hero Guild on his Grand Quest.
The next book is The Personifid Invasion. This is a stand-alone sequel to a previously released novel, The Personifid Project. In the future, bodies are able to be cloned in order to allow people to live forever by having their consciousness transfered into new bodies.
Death may no longer be an issue, but what about the soul? Are these altered creations more succeptible to outside influence, such as interterrestrials? A brother and sister race to find another sibling, trying to navigate the dangers between them.
Finally, the last introductory book is Summa Elvetica. This fantasy book is set in a world of human and non-human races: orcs, trolls, and elves as examples. The Church sends a priest to determine if these non-human races have souls, and as such, deserve a focus for evagelization.
Of course, how could such a story take place without romance and war? What will the cleric discover, and what will the ecclesiastia decide?
As you can see, MLP has a few intriguing options covering science fiction, fantasy, and a fantasy spoof. Even if these books are not to your liking, you ought to register to win a chance at the bounty of prizes, and you may well find a later title catching your interest.
I plan on an order on October 1st, and I will watch Marcher Lord Press with anticipation. If you are a fan of Christian speculative fiction, you would do well to support MLP to show that there is a demand for quality spec fic wiith a Christian world view.
If you have any interaction w/MLP, I would be interested in your comments next week!
by Jason Joyner | Sep 24, 2008 | Blog, CSFF, fantasy, sci-fi, speculative fiction
The Marcher Lords of England were knights given land at the edge of the kingdom. These brave, devoted warriors were set as the first line of defense against menace from raiding tribes in Scotland and Wales. They were placed in the frontier, without an easy life of a regular noble, charged with clearing the way and establishing their hold on new land.
This is according to Jeff Gerke’s website, Marcher Lord Press, a new Christian publisher for speculative fiction. This is the stand that Jeff is taking in his love for exciting stories that aren’t your typical Christian worldview title.
From the site:
What is Christian speculative fiction, you ask? It’s the “weird” stuff: fantasy, science fiction, time travel, spiritual warfare, alternate history, chillers, superhero fiction, near-future technothrillers, and supernatural thrillers. All the Christian stories that are off the edge of the map.
This is a unique, daring venture his part. Marcher Lord Press is purposely smaller in order to have a lower overhead to be able to support the speculative fiction genre that is often short-changed in Christian book stores. It is a print on demand publisher, meaning that it will be printed when you order it. It is not a vanity press (the type of publisher that an author PAYS in order to see their book in print). The authors are truly solicited and paid.
Jeff Gerke is a visionary and a risk-taker. He sees the great potential in well-crafted stories that dare to go into realms that don’t include prairie and Amish romances. I am hopeful to see more speculative fiction (such as Robin Parrish, Jeff Overstreet, and George Bryan Polivka) picked up in the regular CBA/Christian fiction market. However, I am very excited to see someone like Jeff stand up and make a way for some intriguing tales to find readers who like something a little outside of the ordinary. I am convinced that the realms of sci-fi and fantasy offer great opportunity to share powerful spiritual truth in a way that flows from the story, not forced upon it. I hope you will take some time to check out Marcher Lord.
Tomorrow, I’ll share about the launch books for Marcher Lord Press, why you need to mark October 1st on your calendar, and the joy of PRIZES!!! Don’t miss out!
Also, see my fellow tourmates for more.
by Jason Joyner | Sep 24, 2008 | Blog, CSFF, fantasy, sci-fi, speculative fiction
The Marcher Lords of England were knights given land at the edge of the kingdom. These brave, devoted warriors were set as the first line of defense against menace from raiding tribes in Scotland and Wales. They were placed in the frontier, without an easy life of a regular noble, charged with clearing the way and establishing their hold on new land.
This is according to Jeff Gerke’s website, Marcher Lord Press, a new Christian publisher for speculative fiction. This is the stand that Jeff is taking in his love for exciting stories that aren’t your typical Christian worldview title.
From the site:
What is Christian speculative fiction, you ask? It’s the “weird” stuff: fantasy, science fiction, time travel, spiritual warfare, alternate history, chillers, superhero fiction, near-future technothrillers, and supernatural thrillers. All the Christian stories that are off the edge of the map.
This is a unique, daring venture his part. Marcher Lord Press is purposely smaller in order to have a lower overhead to be able to support the speculative fiction genre that is often short-changed in Christian book stores. It is a print on demand publisher, meaning that it will be printed when you order it. It is not a vanity press (the type of publisher that an author PAYS in order to see their book in print). The authors are truly solicited and paid.
Jeff Gerke is a visionary and a risk-taker. He sees the great potential in well-crafted stories that dare to go into realms that don’t include prairie and Amish romances. I am hopeful to see more speculative fiction (such as Robin Parrish, Jeff Overstreet, and George Bryan Polivka) picked up in the regular CBA/Christian fiction market. However, I am very excited to see someone like Jeff stand up and make a way for some intriguing tales to find readers who like something a little outside of the ordinary. I am convinced that the realms of sci-fi and fantasy offer great opportunity to share powerful spiritual truth in a way that flows from the story, not forced upon it. I hope you will take some time to check out Marcher Lord.
Tomorrow, I’ll share about the launch books for Marcher Lord Press, why you need to mark October 1st on your calendar, and the joy of PRIZES!!! Don’t miss out!
Also, see my fellow tourmates for more.
