Thursday, September 30, 2010

Virtual Tour with Cherish D'Angelo

Hello my friends! I have another fabulous guest today, here to help YOU learn how to do this thing when you get there, but first I have a couple other business items:

First: I made a GOOF on my song author yesterday, you see FOO and GOO are so similar. I had the Foo Fighters but really Slide is a Goo Goo Dolls song. My bad... sorry.

Next: My insanity is on full display at Burrowers, Books and Balderdash interviewing the fantabulous Sketchie Scattergood about the founding of Planet Spankmenow. So after you read THIS, please pop over and read THAT!

And last:  22 years ago today I met Mr. Tart, but he's being Mr. Chupacabra at the moment, so we aren't going to talk about that.


Now, on to today's guest. Cherish is an award-winner with her spicy romance, not surprising since as her OTHER name, she is a best-selling suspense writer, and she's got some great hints for all of us today, so without further ado, welcome Cherish!


Biography of Cherish D'Angelo

When romance author Cherish D'Angelo is not busy relaxing in her hot tub, sipping champagne, eating chocolate-covered strawberries or plotting romantic suspense with scintillating sensuality, she is ruthlessly killing people off in her thrillers as bestselling Canadian suspense author, Cheryl Kaye Tardif.

Cherish's debut romance, Lancelot's Lady placed in the semi-finals of Dorchester Publishing's "Next Best Celler" contest and went on to win an Editor's Choice Award from Textnovel. Currently living in Edmonton, Alberta, she enjoys long walks on the beach, except there aren't any around so she has to make do with trips around the hot tub or a vacation to a tropical paradise. And margaritas.

Book Blurb:  

A Bahamas holiday from dying billionaire JT Lance, a man with a dark secret, leads palliative nurse Rhianna McLeod to Jonathan, a man with his own troubled past, and Rhianna finds herself drawn to the handsome recluse, while unbeknownst to her, someone with a horrific plan is hunting her down.

When palliative care nurse Rhianna McLeod is given a gift of a dream holiday to the Bahamas from her dying patient, billionaire JT Lance, Rhianna has no idea that her 'holiday' will include being stranded on a private island with Jonathan, an irritating but irresistibly handsome recluse. Or that she'll fall head over heels for the man.

Jonathan isn't happy to discover a drop-dead gorgeous redhead has invaded his island. But his anger soon turns to attraction. After one failed marriage, he has guarded his heart, but Rhianna's sudden appearance makes him yearn to throw caution to the wind.

To live fully in the present, Rhianna must resolve her own murky past, unravel the secret that haunts JT, foil the plans of a sleazy, blackmailing private investigator and help Jonathan find his muse. Only then can Rhianna find the love she's been searching for, and finally become...Lancelot's Lady.

How to Organize a Virtual Book Tour (VBT) - Part 2

Organizing a virtual book tour (VBT) may seem intimidating, but I assure you that once you do one, you'll discover it's not very hard. It just takes time and good organization. Read Part 1 (link is on my VBT page) before proceeding to the next steps.

Part 2:
Confirm hosts’ dates, topics and ask them to post the night before. This way you are not waiting all morning for them to post your content. Let them know you’ll send them the information 3-5 days before their date. If you send it too early they may lose, misfile or delete it, unless you ask them to schedule it early.

Write interesting blog posts that provide entertainment or educational value to visitors. What will you submit? Each blog or site will usually feature one or a combination of the following: a book cover, a summary or synopsis, an interview, book review, an article that fits the site’s theme, a short story, an excerpt, a contest, an audio-cast or a book trailer video. Posts should not be all promo unless that's what the site/blog is all about.

Advertise your VBT via online and media press releases. It is a great investment, since it’s no good doing a virtual book tour if no one knows about it. One leading press release distribution service that I use almost exclusively is 24-7PressRelease.com 24-7pressrelease.com, where you can pay from $10.00 to $299.00, depending on your distribution requirements. However, I can attest to the fact that a $45.00 release is the minimum you’ll want and its effectiveness is worth it. Other online services include PR web and Web Wire, and don’t forget to send releases to the free services too, like Clickpress.com and Free-Press.com Press releases can be extremely beneficial if written correctly and distributed extensively to the right audience, and this means submitting them to your local media (newspapers, TV, radio) as well.

Publicize your virtual book tour and other events on social networks and Booktour.com, a free site that connects authors to readers by listing author events and making it easy for readers to set up reminders and track their favorite authors. Send out invites via Facebook, Myspace, Goodreads and more.

Promote your VBT on all your websites and blogs on an events page. Put up a schedule with your hosts’ home page URL. You can post the full schedule in advance of the tour, or post a weekly schedule prior to each new week.

You can read Part 3 by visiting Criminal Minds at Work on October 2nd.

Thank you to everyone for dropping by this blog and visiting me on my Cherish the Romance Virtual Book Tour. Lancelot's Lady is available in ebook edition at Kobo Books, Amazon Kindle Store, Smashwords and other ebook retailers. Help me celebrate by picking up a copy today and "Cherish the romance..."

Lancelot's Lady ~ A Bahamas holiday from dying billionaire JT Lance, a man with a dark secret, leads palliative nurse Rhianna McLeod to Jonathan, a man with his own troubled past, and Rhianna finds herself drawn to the handsome recluse, while unbeknownst to her, someone with a horrific plan is hunting her down.

You can learn more about Lancelot's Lady and Cherish D'Angelo (aka Cheryl Kaye Tardif) at http://www.cherishdangelo.com and http://www.cherylktardif.blogspot.com.

Prizes & Giveaways: Follow Cherish from September 27 to October 10 on her Cherish the Romance Virtual Book Tour and win prizes.

Leave a comment here, with email address, to be entered into the prize draws. You're guaranteed to receive at least 1 free ebook just for doing so. Plus you'll be entered to win a Kobo ereader. Winners will be announced after October 10th.

Readers: what do you like about virtual book tours?

21 comments:

Old Kitty said...

I love romances with a thriller twist!!! I might just check this one out - and thanks for hosting this fab guest blog!!! A new book and author for me!! Take care

I never noticed your goo from your foo?! :-)

x

Anonymous said...

Excellent advice - especially about the press releases. It's so easy to forget about them.

jmfictionscribe@yahoo.com.au

Jan Morrison said...

Yay! Beaches near Edmonton! Ha ha. I lived in Edmonton as a tyke. We would go to White Mud Creek which seemed quite wonderful to me at the time. Is it still there?
I like these virtual book tours and thanks for laying it out so nicely. I will definitely bookmark this post for the future!
Jan Morrison

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Great tips and advice. There is so much that goes into writing and then release of a book, so many details.

Teresa

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

What do I like about virtual tours? I don't have to venture out in public!

And your husband is acting like a crazed wild dog right now? Maybe you can write a story about that.

Southpaw said...

Such wonderful advice.
Happy Meeting Day Anniversary WT.

JournoMich said...

I love hosting virtual tours b/c it brings a fresh voice to my blog AND helps a writer (new or not) get the word out about their hard work.

And I have to wonder...after writing mysteries for a while, do you just want to do something carefree and decadent, like writing romance novels? I could totally see that being a real release...no pun intended.

Michele
SouthernCityMysteries

Hart Johnson said...

Hey, thanks so much, everyone for stopping in today! It really looks like a fantastic plan, eh? And you know how I love a plan! I like the virtual tours are fabulous--I'm with Alex--terrified of REAL people, but I love connecting with something written.

Missed Periods said...

"When romance author Cherish D'Angelo is not busy relaxing in her hot tub, sipping champagne, eating chocolate-covered strawberries or plotting romantic suspense with scintillating sensuality, she is ruthlessly killing people off in her thrillers as bestselling Canadian suspense author, Cheryl Kaye Tardif"

I would like her life please!

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Cherish and I are having blogging synchronicity today! Usually that's what Terry Odell and I do.... :)

And Cherish has done a great job setting up this tour! I've caught a couple of her posts already and she'll be on my blog in a week.

Cheryl Tardif said...

Old Kitty, I do hope you check out Lancelot's Lady. You can read a sample at Amazon and Smashwords. :-)

JM, thank you. Yes, press releases are important. Not just to notify media but because online releases help bring traffic to your site. Traffic means more potential readers. Thank you for leaving your email address. You're now entered into today's draws and you'll receive a free ebook. :-)

Jan, you're very welcome. And yes, White Mud Creek still exists. If you're ever in Edmonton again, let me know. We could meet for coffee--or margaritas. lol

Teresa, thank you, and you're right. A lot of work goes into writing AND promoting books. I'm glad I enjoy both.

Alex, thanks for sharing your thoughts on VBTs. And yes, my husband could be a great source for many stories. But if I told you, I'd have to...well, you know. :-)

Holly, thanks for dropping by. I just realized that no one has left their email address so I can't enter you in my draws. Hopefully you'll come back and do so; I have some great prizes. Plus, you'll then get a free ebook. :-)

Michele, yes. :-) I think Lancelot's Lady came at the right time, when I needed a bit of a break. I had already complted two new thrillers (my agent has them) and I needed something lighter to work on. Timing is everything--and the Next Best Celler contest came around at the "write" time.

Hart, thank you so much for hosting me today. I hope you'll use my VBT guide on your next online tour. They're a lot of fun! :-)

Missed Periods (ok, I HAVE to laugh at your name!!), I would like her life too. hehe My hot tub is empty because we're moving. The only strawberries in my house are shriveled up and don't have chocolate on them. But I am plotting--always plotting--my next novel. :-)

~Cherish

Hart Johnson said...

Missed Periods: I know, right?!

Elizabeth--I just noticed that synchronicity thing!

Cherish--thank you so much for stopping in and answering everyone's questions! (another key to a successful tour, I think)

Dawn Ius said...

Huge fan of the Goo Goo Dolls. And the Foo Fighters, come to think.
Great details here. Thanks - as always, your blog entertains and inspires. xo

Carol Kilgore said...

Very informative. And sounds like a great book, too. Thanks for hosting her.

Cheryl Tardif said...

Hello again everyone...

Hart, you're right. A successful online tour requires the author to check in a few times during the day (and even a few times the following week) and answer any question or just interact. :-)

Dawn, I'm waiting for the invention of the Goo Goo Foo Fighter Dolls (say that 5 times fast). LOL

Carol, thanks for stopping by. I hope you'll check out Lancelot's Lady. :-)

By the way, you can leave email addresses like cherylktardif@shaw.ca, cherylktardif @shaw.ca or cherylktardif(at)shaw.ca. This protects you from spam spiders.

When you do, you'll be entered in all my draws and will have a chance to win a Kobo ereader. Plus you'll receive a free ebook.

Hart Johnson said...

Say... as host, can I enter?!

hartjohnson23(at)gmail(dot)com

teehee

Sarah Coulsey said...

This is stop #31 for me!! This is fun!!!
Good luck with the tour!! I am following you around!! (More like stalking!!! lol)
I am enjoying finding all sorts of new blogs to follow!!
All my best,
Sarah
sarahcoulsey03 at gmail dot com
www.sarahsblogoffun.com

Cheryl Tardif said...

Hart, hosts can enter my draws, but not on their own blogs. :-) Just visit any other blog and leave a comment & email address.

Sarah, I am so surprised to see you here (NOT!!! lol) Thanks for following/stalking.

Cherish

Cheryl Tardif said...

LOL...ok, I'll watch for you, Hart. :-)

Cherish

Russell Brooks said...

This info is useful. Thanks for sharing.

Pam S (pams00) said...

I really like all of the info I find out about an author.

pams00 @ aol.com