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!

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!

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.