PR by the Book's 5 Tips for Authors to Promote during COVID-19

Pitch to media strategically

Despite the total saturation of the media, there are still ways that you can break through the noise with your pitches. People are looking for distractions from the scary hard news and many will spend extra time at home reading books, getting caught up on their wishlist of titles, so play to this need.

Engage with your fans on social media

People are spending much more time on social media. This creates an opportunity for social media promotions with lots of “lives” since people at home will be scrolling through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Audit content that you have put out in the past

Most people have never heard of a social media audit. But, how can you know what content to post if you don’t know how your content is performing? Most social media platforms make it easy to look at metrics, so you shouldn’t have to spend too much time tracking down numbers. 

Once you know which types of content are performing the best, then you can tailor your future content and post more of what resonates with your audience. 

Take time to develop new content

When you have extra time on your hands – like now, one of the best things you can do is create content that you can release in the future. Consider breaking down your book’s major points into bite size pieces. You shouldn’t give away all your book’s secrets, but you can share important bits of information to entice readers into wanting more and positioning yourself as an authority in those areas.

Build out a content calendar

Once you have content ready to go, it’s best to organize it by using a content calendar. If you plan out what you are posting in advance, releasing content on a daily basis won’t be nearly as overwhelming. 

About the Author to Influencer Accelerator

Doing their part to promote a digital learning platform and community during this time of sheltering-in-place, PR by the Book has launched a DIY membership community for authors who don’t have the budget to hire a professional to take them from preparation through promotion on their book journey. The Author to Influencer Accelerator offers an ideal way for authors to tap into what they need during this time of quarantine. 

Due to folks being at home, able to spend more time online, learning and applying those skills, PR by the Book cut the price in half for the month of April.  

April is also Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) Month, and is a great opportunity to share about Author to Influencer to help authors learn. 

Budgeting Hacks For Bookworms

With many cities across the country sheltering in place, residents of all ages are turning to books to get in some tech-free entertainment and help keep their minds sharp. And those with families who are suddenly having to homeschool their little ones are reading more too, to help keep everyone occupied and teach the kids valuable lessons. But with these quarantine orders continuing to get extended, it’s likely that many families will begin to run out of new books to read. But luckily for them, there are plenty of ways to get the latest children, YA and bestselling books without spending a lot of money.

Many local and chain bookstores have improved their online presence in recent weeks, and even libraries are jumping on board by allowing extended rentals and unlimited ebook downloads. And while this provides plenty of options for families looking to pick up some more books, they might be a little lost on where to start.

To aid in their book-buying process, the experts at Coupon Chief have put together an article on how to buy books on a budget. From websites with popular titles as low as $0.99 to apps that combine resources from dozens of nearby libraries, their resource is sure to be a help to families looking to continue their book obsession. Check out the infographic below or head to their blog for all the latest tips!

Credit: https://www.couponchief.com

12 Inspirational Books on Cancer to Read in 2020

More than 1.5 million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer annually. In other words, the equivalent of the entire population of Philadelphia (and then some) receives a scary diagnosis — every single year. 

Whether you’re a cancer patient yourself or know someone who is coping with the disease, you likely have a lot of questions. Every cancer is unique and presents a different set of challenges and treatment options. Often, it can be confusing to understand the prognosis and how the disease developed in the first place. If you ever have health-related questions, the first place to turn to is your doctor. But if you’re looking to dig deeper in your spare time, books can be a great resource.

If you search for cancer books on Amazon, over 20,000 results will populate. That’s an overwhelming amount of information! To help, The Mesothelioma Center combed through the top cancer books, looking at author accreditations, customer reviews, and best seller lists on Amazon and The New York Times. The result is the following list of the 12 best cancer books in the categories of nutrition, emotional support, and scientific information.

Graphic Credit: asbestos.com

Top 9 Must-Read Books on Women's Health

Halloween is just around the corner, and this means that the temperatures are dropping, the leaves are changing colors, and cozy season is officially here! Many of us look forward to the colder weather as a way to spend some more time indoors snuggled up and relaxing, especially during winter breaks. Most of us bookworms take this time to catch up on the year’s best reads that we didn’t have time for during the busy summer, and the slower season can be the perfect opportunity to start learning more about yourself. When it comes to books on women’s health, there’s a lot of information out there that may or may not be completely accurate. In order to help you get in tune with you this season, here are Rory’s top picks for women’s health books encompassing the physical, mental, and spiritual.

The Most Heartbreaking and Beautiful Books Out There by Ashley Halsey

Sometimes, even when everyone is happy, including you, and you’re surrounded by positivity, you still want an amazing, heartbreaking novel to curl up and read. These books keep you grounded and show you the beauty and strength in pain, and maybe that’s your favourite kind of book. When it comes to love stories, some books are just there to remind us that fairy tales don’t always end the way we want them to, and sometimes we need to be okay with that. Here is our list of recommendations for the most heartbreakingly beautiful books that you should read now. 

1. ‘The Light We Lost’ by Jill Santopolo

If you love stories that make you cry until you’ve run out of both tissues and tears, this is the book for you. Jill Santopolo’s very popular novel, The Light We Lost, is a gorgeous and tragic story about two college seniors, Lucy and Gabe, whose love affair shapes the rest of their lives. From the first page, this novel will grab a hold of your heart and leave you thinking about it long after you’ve set it down. 

2. ‘Heartless’ by Marissa Meyer

Heartless shows us that fairy tales don’t always have happy endings, by telling us the story of the Queen of Hearts, including its terrible beginning. In Meyer’s incredibly sad re-imagining of the fairy tale you thought you knew, we see a sweet young girl, Catherine, dreaming of her future. But life in the Kingdom of Hearts can be merciless, and Heartless shows us that dark side of lost childhood and lost love in a way that will change your perception of this classic tale forever. 

3. ‘A Hundred Summers’ by Beatriz Williams

A Hundred Summers is a heartbreaking love story full of emotions, broken hearts, and a historical 1938 New England storm. Lily Dane goes to her family’s summer home in Rhode Island to escape New York and her tattered life, only to find an impending storm and the two people who broke her heart waiting for her. This exciting beach read will provide enough sadness and dramatic plot to keep you turning pages frantically, and maybe shed a few tears along the way. 

4. ‘Me Before You’ by Jojo Moyes

Janet Pearle, a lifestyle blogger at Writinity and Last Minute Writing, says “this well-known tearjerker has been made into a movie, but if you’ve been living under a rock the past few years, it’s not one to miss. Moyes will most certainly make you cry as you read through Lou and Will’s ill-fated love story, but you’re sure to love it and it will leave an impression long after you’re done.”

5. ‘Norwegian Wood’ by Haruki Murakami

This book will definitely shake you to your core as you follow Toru, a responsible and serious college student in love with Naoko, a beautiful girl from his past. As they grow older, their love and relationship evolves as well, shaped by a shared tragic event in their past which affects them in different ways. Murakami shows us in the most heart wrenching way that loss can tear us apart just as easily as it can bring us together. 

6. ‘All the Bright Places’ by Jennifer Niven

Frances Jackson, a writer at Draft Beyond and Research Papers UK, tells us that “young adult novels are known for showing us heartbreaking love stories, but the one that probably takes the cake above them all is All the Bright Places. This bestseller spins a tale of a beautifully tragic love story between Finch and Violet. This book is about romance, love, and family, and you won’t be able to stop crying from start to finish – in a good way.”

8. ‘History Is All You Left Me’ by Adam Silvera

Another young adult novel, this one tells the story of Griffin’s life and the grim path it takes after the tragic death of his ex-boyfriend and love of his life, Theo. No one understands what he’s going through except Theo’s boyfriend, Jackson, but there are certain things Griffin can’t share. This story will tug at your heart strings as it addresses themes of love, loss, and moving on, and you certainly won’t get through it with dry eyes.

Ashley Halsey, a professional writer at Lucky Assignments and Gum Essays, enjoys reading, travelling, and spending time with her family. Her writing is focused on her passion of reading and sharing new book discoveries with others.

The Jonas Brothers Ink Book Deal to Debut This Fall

You have to be under a rock to not know who The Jonas Brothers are. If you are fan of the group, than you probably know everything about them, right? I’m sure there are some things that are yet to be learned and great for you, this fall, they inked a book deal with imprint Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan) to publish their memoir, Blood. The grammy-nominated trio Joe Jonas, Kevin Jonas, and Nick Jonas, of the Jonas Brothers will share their journey from inception to the rise of stardom, breakout and getting back together.

Ready to share their story, Joe Jonas said, “We're three brothers from New Jersey, and we were not supposed to be successful," said Joe Jonas. "From record labels dropping us to our dad losing his job over us, this shouldn't have happened or lasted as long as it did. Yet here we are, more excited than ever, and we're so grateful and ready to tell the full story of the journey we've had as individuals, as artists, and as family." 

Blood, written with Neil Strauss, will be set to release November 12, 2019. Preorder is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Source: Macmillan