Have you seen the books that want to be featured in the spotlight? Send them my way!

Yes, I’m swamped and yes, things are getting shoved to the side while I work on all these edits. I’ve been graced with fabulous stuff from my clients (why aren’t you one?).

BUT I love seeing the Featured New Book Spotlight active and talking about books. Call it just another way I have of giving back to my fellow authors. Call it selfishness because my favorite thing is seeing what song everyone picks. My second favorite thing? Reading the book description.

As a group, we authors are the most creative people I’ve ever met. One of the best parts of being an editor is that I get to see authors who push themselves, who dedicate themselves to the craft of writing. Who go places I don’t have the guts to.

For you authors, remember: unless you want to reserve a specific date, the Featured New Book Spotlight is free! It’s ONE QUESTION — how can you not have time for one question?

Best of all, I’ve heard from a number of authors who say this one question has caused them to look at their book in a totally different light. They learn new things about themselves and about their baby.

Or maybe the best is when I hear from readers, who saw a book featured here and bought it — and instead of letting it languish on the Piles of Good Intentions many of us have (mine is an entire mountain range of TBR goodness), they read it immediately. Some even leave reviews.

Featured New Book Spotlight. It’s here. It’s free. It’s designed to showcase you, the author, not me.

Grab hold. It’s just a spotlight. It won’t hurt you.

So, umm… Where are you?

Yeah, you. You with a book you want the world to know about and discover.

You, who made a playlist to keep you company and set the mood as you wrote.

You, who read something that you loved and want the author to come talk about, so you can learn more about it.

You, who loves music and finding new angles on beloved songs — or who loves discovering new songs to fall in love with?

I don’t get it. It’s one question. It’s free. And it’s promotion.

My readers like to buy the books featured here. Some of them will leave a review.

C’mon. Submit your song and your book today!

Grr, but no one had sent me their book information this week to be featured in the spotlight, and I was out of town all weekend, with limited Internet access. (which is a fancy phrase for unplugging and too bad if you don’t like it) So this week, the spotlight is temporarily dark.

If you hate when that happens as much as I do, send me your information, and do it early in the week! I love learning about your books, love hearing your music, and love bringing it all to a wider audience. Best of all, unless you want to reserve a certain date, it’s FREE.

Only costs you a couple minutes of your time.

Have at it. Flood my inbox. Just remember… it only has to be NEW to me and my readers.

Oh, my.

I’ve spoken to a lot of people now about the Featured New Book Spotlight. I’ve heard a lot of interest, especially when we get to that point about “Well, it has to be new to my readers, so use your best judgement…” line. Because even older titles need promotion and what better way or place to do it than with a quick, one-question interview?

Seriously. Tell your friends. Send ’em on over. Authors, this is a spot for YOU to brag about YOUR book. That’s it. I want to help the good books find their readers.

And if you can’t answer the one question — I’ve heard repeatedly that it’s a hard one — if you have a graphic teaser, or a line you simply adore, remember there’s Lines of Distinction for you to take advantage of, too. That one’s even easier, especially if you have the graphics made. All I need is the graphic and the buy links!

Really. This is your spot for free advertising (caveat: if you want to reserve a date, there’s a token fee), for helping spread the word about your books. A number of readers still check in every Monday to see what book they are discovering, so why aren’t you taking advantage? Readers are looking for you!

What.
the.
heck.

The Featured New Book Spotlight is still empty?

One question.

Free.

Promote yourself.

What’s not to like?

I purposely took last week off from posting a Featured New Book Spotlight because of the launch of the redesigned website (have you clicked through yet? Checked it out?).

But this week?

Well, I’m not quite sure why the spotlight is empty.

I’d like to change that. We even made a handy-dandy form for you to fill out right here on the site, to make it even easier to send me your question and the one song that makes you think of your book.

C’mon. It’s easy.

Well, the question can be hard. Only one song?

But it’s sooo worth it. And as I’ve said before, I’ve had readers go out and buy a book based on your appearance here at West of Mars.

So what’s stopping you?

C’mon… get your submissions in. Like always, first come, first served. And it’s free, unless you want to reserve a specific date (although even that is free for my editing clients).

So what’s stopping you?

C’mon.

You know you want to!

Oh, no! After two weeks, the Featured New Book Spotlight is back to dark.

I don’t like it dark.

I like it when I can feature YOU. And your book, of course. Okay, mostly your book.

And a song that makes you think of your book.

That’s it. It’s that simple.

Well, okay, some buy links, too. And links to social media, so people can connect with you and you can make long-lasting fans.

IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU HERE IN THE SPOTLIGHT!!!

So tell your friends. It’s free, unless you want a specific date (and it’s always free for my editing clients).

It’s supposed to be quick and easy. One question. In. Out. Done. And it’s one that should be fresh, one that doesn’t get asked by every single other interviewer out there.

Here’s the details. Really. Spread the word. Hog the spotlight, if only for a week.

You deserve it.

Still?

Yep.

Look, it’s simple: I want to feature YOU. And your book, of course. Okay, mostly your book.

And a song that makes you think of your book.

That’s it. It’s that simple.

So tell your friends. It’s free, unless you want a specific date (and it’s always free for my editing clients).

It’s supposed to be quick and easy. One question. In. Out. Done. And it’s one that should be fresh, one that doesn’t get asked by every single other interviewer out there.

Here’s the details. Really. Spread the word. Hog the spotlight, if only for a week.

You deserve it.

I KNOW.

It’s summer. It’s July, so that means you all are sending me your manuscripts to edit, not your One-Question Interview to post. And that’s good because, hey, I’m editing and making money but it’s bad because I want to feature YOU. And your book, of course.

So tell your friends. It’s free, unless you want a specific date (and it’s always free for my editing clients). It’s ONE QUESTION, although I’m told it’s a hard question.

But it’s supposed to be quick and easy. One question. In. Out. Done. And it’s one that should be fresh, one that doesn’t get asked by every single other interviewer out there.

Here’s the details. Really. Spread the word. Hog the spotlight, if only for a week.

You deserve it.

Back before I got hurt, I was running the Featured New Book Spotlight pretty consistently. For years. YEARS.

And then I went and fell off my bike and spent the past year recovering and pretty much let anything but medical needs and paid editing gigs fall by the wayside. Makes sense, no?

But although there’s at least one more surgery ahead, it’s supposedly an easy, in-office zap with a laser. Minimal recovery time, and I say that as someone who had to fight with herself to honor the recovery time on the cataract surgery.

Which means it’s time to pick up the pieces that have been sitting on the sidelines, waiting for me. And one of them is the Featured New Book Spotlight.

It’s easy. It’s simple!

If you think you have a book that my readers aren’t familiar with (and there’s a clue in there, if you’re quick enough to catch it), stop in. The directions are on their own page here, or I’ll list them right here, right now for you.

1. Answer this question: What song makes you think of your book?
(Remember: this is your chance to hook your potential reader, so you may want to explain.)

2. Provide the YouTube link to it, just in case I dig up the one you didn’t intend anyone to ever associate with your book.

3. Provide the book description.

4. Provide buy links.

5. Provide social media links that you’d like to share.

And that’s it! I run them in the order they show up in my inbox, unless you want a specific date. Then I charge a $5 fee, and let me tell you, when I’ve been busy, that fee is necessary. At my heyday of the Featured New Book Spotlight, I was scheduling pretty far out. You guys were clawing for dates.

Let’s get back to that. Because if you’re willing to be flexible, I’m willing to give you space here. For free. (Oh, and once your post is scheduled, it can’t be bumped, either.)

Drop me a line. Let’s feature you in the Spotlight.

What happened to the Featured New Book Spotlight?

Yes, I’m swamped and yes, things are getting shoved to the side while I work on this edit.

BUT I love seeing the Featured New Book Spotlight active and talking about books. Call it just another way I have of giving back to my fellow authors. Call it selfishness because my favorite thing is seeing what song everyone picks. My second favorite thing? Reading the book description.

As a group, we authors are the most creative people I’ve ever met. One of the best parts of being an editor is that I get to see authors who push themselves, who dedicate themselves to the craft of writing. Who go places I don’t have the guts to.

For you authors, remember: unless you want to reserve a specific date, the Featured New Book Spotlight is free! It’s ONE QUESTION — how can you not have time for one question?

Best of all, I’ve heard from a number of authors who say this one question has caused them to look at their book in a totally different light. They learn new things about themselves and about their baby.

Or maybe the best is when I hear from readers, who saw a book featured here and bought it — and instead of letting it languish on the Piles of Good Intentions many of us have (mine is an entire mountain range of TBR goodness), they read it immediately. Some even leave reviews.

Featured New Book Spotlight. It’s here. It’s free. It’s designed to showcase you, the author, not me.

Grab hold. It’s just a spotlight. It won’t hurt you.

Tell your friends. It’s easy, it’s free, and it’ll have you looking at your book with fresh eyes.

The Featured New Book Spotlight.

One question. One song. Your chance to reach the world.

(THIS is a crummy way to start the week. Just sayin’)

What?

Usually, there’s a line for the Featured New Book Spotlight.

Makes me think no one’s releasing books this time of year (and if you’re an author and this is true, this may be the best time for a release ’cause there’s not as much competition — and  you can build up reviews to help get noticed in the Christmas buying sprees).

Do you have a new release? Did your friends? With the new preorder abilities at the major retailers, you can let your book have the spotlight before it’s released. All we need is buy links.

And have I mentioned it’s a one-question interview? ONE.

It’s funny how publishing runs in cycles. It’s September and as I’ve said before, it’s the busy season on the editing side. And more keeps rolling in, too. I’m not complaining, except that another rush job has fallen on my head, I’ve pushed one client back two weeks already, and another’s fans are sending him evil e-mails, demanding the next in the series and I’m the one messing up the works. It’s crazy, it’s fun, it’s exhilarating — and it’s hard work.

All this editing, surprisingly, goes with a slowdown in the Featured New Book spotlight. Are you guys all in the editing cycle, too? No one has a release they’d like to promote? REALLY?

(And here’s a hint: hit your editing cycle earlier in the year and release your books in September! Seems like a good month without a lot of competition and you’ll still have something new out in time for the Christmas rush. Yes, if Costco and Target can think about Christmas in September, so can you.)

Tell your friends. As always, spread the word. The Featured New Book Spotlight here at West of Mars is ONE question. How can you not want that sort of easy promotion? And it’s not the same old, same old question, either. It’s new! It’s fresh!

Okay, it’s a bit tough. But isn’t tough better than describing your work space, your daily routine, or your writing process one more time?

Here’s the details.

Use them yourself, tell a friend who’s got a book out. It doesn’t matter to me; this is about you guys. About getting the word out for your books. For this one, I’m just the host.

Makes no sense that I can see.

Free publicity.

Why aren’t authors jumping all over this opportunity?

Yeah, I can be slow to respond. And that’s annoying. I’m working on that, I am. But, still.

Free publicity.

What more does an author want?

Go here for the full details.

Yes, boys and girls, after being full for months on end, right now, there’s no one in the queue for the Featured New Book Spotlight. Why not? I see books being published every day. I see free promotion right here at West of Mars. And I see the e-mails I get from readers, telling me they’ve bought a book they’ve seen in the spotlight and I was right: it’s worth a read.

Tell your friends. Take advantage yourself. Remember, it’s free if you’re willing to take the next open date (and only $5 to reserve the date you want).

Why are you still holding out? Flood my inbox today!

I love running the Featured New Book spotlight. I really do. The song choices all the different authors make never fails to make me smile. I’ve encountered a ton of new-to-me music, some of which keeps me company as I edit.

But… one thing I hate doing is chasing after authors and begging them to send me a post. It’s time that I could be spending on other cool things around here. And I certainly talked to enough authors and encouraged them to submit after Rocktober… but they didn’t.

So if you know an author who’s got a book out — and it doesn’t have to be new in the sense of newly released. Just new to me and (possibly) my readers, send them over. I hear over and over again that authors love the one-question interview, they love thinking up a song.

The space is reserved, so take advantage. Otherwise, the dressing room will be open and the time slot booked for someone else.

Yep, another week with no Featured New Book.

This is something I’d like to see continue and grow, not wither and die, because I’d like to build on the Featured New Book for some of the changes I’d like to implement here.

That’s why there’s been an overall lack of blogging. Between summer being the time when all you writers finish up your revisions and decide it’s time for an edit and the behind-the-scenes changes, things have been busy here.

You’re going to like what I’m rolling out. It’ll be slow, and it’ll be awhile (I’m still looking for the right accountant, which is frustrating because the other two pieces came together so quickly and easily), but rest assured, there are some really good things in store.

Jump on board. Tell your other friends to send me some Featured New Book Spotlight pieces.

It’s gonna be better than good.