Do you use social media to market your books, and if so, do you think it’s made a difference?
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| The "public" me - currently in?? |
When this blog appears I’ll be heading from Swansea, Wales (where I’ll have enjoyed a few days with Mum and my sister having just attended CrimeFest in Bristol, England) to Toronto, Canada where I’ll be attending the Crime Writers of Canada AGM, the Arthur Ellis Awards Banquet and the Bony Blithe Awards. If it weren’t for social media, I’d have been hiding in a deep, dark hole for a couple of weeks without having had the chance to keep up to date with what’s going on in the world of mystery writing, reading and the interconnectivity that has become my “norm”.
I use the digital universe to stay connected, build relationships with fellow authors, with readers and many other different groups of people 24/7/365. It’s a part of my life. In the nicest possible way, I hope it’s not the most important part of my life; I think reality should fill that role, and there’s already a big chunk of my time that’s spent in the imagined worlds I create as a fiction author, so I strive for a balance.
Do I use social media to market my books? Absolutely. Do I think it’s made a difference? You’re reading this in the digital universe, so you’d probably be better positioned than I would be to tell me if my presence here impacts the possible success of my work. I hope it does. I hope that taking the time to connect with people around the world brings my work to their attention in such a way that they are engaged and intrigued enough to give it a go. I’ve “met” a huge number of people this way who I know read my books, and (thank you!) write to tell me they have done so and have enjoyed meeting my characters. When I’m sitting at my desk tapping away at my keyboard all alone (save the company of my lovely Gabby and Poppy – the world’s best chocolate Labradors!) knowing there are real people reading my work helps a great deal.
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| The "real" me, at work in the garden with my dogs |
I’m happy with my own company, and that of my fictional characters. But it’s good to know real people in the real world are enjoying the people and the worlds I create – even when they use digital means to tell me so. Thanks to all those of you who connect with me out there in the ether – you’re all part of my REAL life.
Cathy Ace writes the WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries (book #2 THE CASE OF THE MISSING MORRIS DANCER was published in hardback in February, and book #1 THE CASE OF THE DOTTY DOWAGER was published in trade paperback on March 1st) and the Cait Morgan Mysteries (book #7 THE CORPSE WITH THE GARNET FACE was published in paperback in April). Find out more about Cathy and her work, and sign up for her newsletter at http://cathyace.com/
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