Hoarding Addresses

First, Adrienne hit #9 on MBaM’s bestseller list on July 17th and has stayed there. Thank you all for enjoying my work. I’m tremendously glad you like it (I can’t say that enough).

Second, I totally didn’t get to the goals I listed last week. I’m still working on my revisions (which means I haven’t implemented them yet), I didn’t get a chance to read anything because I’ve been working on my revisions in all my free time, and I didn’t finish the bookmarks. Now, I did see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and post the review on my LJ and I did get my newsletter written.

I’m glad I didn’t get to my bookmarks because only one person entered the contest and I decided to change the design so I could include one with the gift I’m sending to another author’s prize giveaway. I’m contributing a small plush panther (because of Feyr) with a bookmark and some promo stuff. I’m going to come up with a themed gift for every book. I’m kind of stumped on what I should give for Serenity, but I’ll figure it out later.

On to the topic…

HOARDING ADDRESSES

When Adrienne got contracted, I started gathering up addresses of friends and family and making sure they were accurate. That wasn’t too hard since I send out X-Mas cards every year. If they bounce back then the address is crap and I won’t send to that person again until I get a valid address.

On top of that, I added a mailing list function to my website to get even more snail mail addresses from those people willing to give me that info. Thanks to all the people who entered my mailing list (snail mail and email). They get little extras every now and again. 🙂

I thought that was the end of it. Nope. Baha W., a co-worker of mine at my day job, gave me the best advice ever. He told me to use the addresses on business cards that I get. If someone gives me a business card and it has their address, mail them stuff. I only plan to mail promo postcards, but it’s still one more person seeing my book ad and thinking about buying.

I’m not a business card type of person. People gave them to me and I would shove them in my purse and forget about them. No more. I’ve started searching for business cards. I welcome them and gladly, especially those with addresses on them. Hell, even the ones with email addresses are fair game. I’ll email them a promo just the same.

Every little bit helps and you never know what people read or will read unless you give them the opportunity. Another author suggested putting bookmarks in with all my bills. I don’t normally mail my bills (age of internet and all that), but a handful of them I do and those lucky people (whoever opens the letter) will get a bookmark. I wrangled my friend into including my bookmarks with her bills too.

I might slip them into my Netflix envelopes too. ;P Nothing is safe. I bought all this promo stuff and it does no good sitting around my study. Actually, I didn’t buy a lot. Most of what I’ve ordered was ordered with a specific purpose in mind (lots of people having conventions and asking for promo stuff for goody bags).

That’s my Hoarding Addresses rant.

Now, this time I plan to set some realistic goals. 🙂

1 – Read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It’ll be here in a few hours and I plan to read it…the whole thing. I won’t stop until I’m done. If I don’t do it this way (which is no big deal because this is how I read anyway), I won’t be able to get on the internet or watch TV. People don’t know how to keep their mouths shut and I know someone is going to blab the ending.

2 – Finish my woven bookmarks. I told Desta H. that I’d have her prize for entering my contest in the mail on Monday and by God, I will. I’ve set aside all of Sunday to get it done, since today (Saturday) is Harry Potter day.

3 – Finish my revisions for Kashmir. This time I mean it. I should be done this week. I only have forty more pages. I think I’m going to lapse on my end of July personal deadline (totally finished and submitted) but not by much. *shrug* Oh well, I tried but I don’t want to rush.

4 – Get stuff in the mail. I have several things sitting around my study that need to be mailed. Promo stuff for those conventions I mentioned earlier.

I’m pretty sure those goals I can finish. 🙂

Next week’s topic: Love vs. Hate: Volatile relationships in romance and why I love them.