I'm getting a new website...

OMG, it's gorgeous. I can't wait to unveil it. It's being updated/installed TODAY so if you happen to swing by my site for the next day or two, you'll get a blank screen or a maintenance screen. But don't worry :). It's gonna be SO worth it.

Oh and the picture is a hint. Yeah, it's PINK!

All the information on my current books will be included along with some additional information about myself (some random things) and FAQs. Anything else you like to see on author's websites?

I should probably do something to celebrate, right? Any unveiling celebratory ideas??

And the winner is...

Wow! I had such great posts for Valentines Day memories. I hope everyone had a fabulous day and enjoyed doing whatever you wanted to do. I loved reading all the comments, especially considering I don't celebrate it. That is, my hubby doesn't celebrate it. But that's fine. Really. He doesn't need a special day. He does just great for the entire year...but don't tell him I said that :).

And now, the winner of my giveaway (chosen by random number generator) was LISA wolphcall(at)bellsouth(dot)net. Lisa, I'll be contacting you shortly to coordinate your gift card and to figure out which of my books you'd like!!

With Love Valentines Day Blog Hop AKA...Win Stuff!

Welcome to the With Love Valentines Day Blog Hop! This is a wonderful event with a bunch of author's participating and so MANY great prizes up for grabs. Thanks to the wonderful Drea for organizing it :). For those of you who might land here and don't know me, I write hot and steamy romance, contemporary as well as paranormal/urban fantasy real soon. My stories have tough alpha heroes who might be a little rough and rugged around the edges, but when they fall for the heroine? Man, they fall hard. They'd do anything, endure anything, sacrifice anything. For her. Sigh...

So what am I giving away? I'm giving away a $25 dollar gift card to an online book store (winner's choice) AND a copy of any 1 book from my ebook backlist! Not bad, right?

How can you win? Follow me, friend me or follow this blog and leave a comment here through the 14th telling me the most unusual, special, funny, touching thing you ever got or did for Valentines Day! I'll select a random commenter from this post as the winner!

Ready to go hopping and see what else is up for grabs? Click on the badge below and check out the other great participants!! Good luck and have a wonderful Valentines Day!!

Stuff Your Stockings Christmas Blog Hop!!

Welcome to the Stuff Your Stockings Christmas Blog Hop! This is an amazing event with so many authors participating and so many great prizes. Thanks to the wonderful Drea for organizing it :). For those of you who might land here and don't know me, I write hot and steamy romance...with an emphasis on hot. My stories have tough alpha heroes who might be a little rough and rugged around the edges, but when they fall for the heroine? Man, they fall hard. They'd do anything, endure anything, sacrifice anything. For her. Sigh...

So what am I giving away? I'm giving away a $25 dollar gift card to an online book store (winner's choice) AND a copy of any 1 book from my ebook backlist! Not bad, right?

How can you win? Follow me, friend me or follow this blog and leave a comment here telling me what you enjoy most about the holidays! I'll select a random commenter from this post as the winner!

Ready to go hopping and see what else is up for grabs? Click on the badge below and check out the other great participants!! Good luck and happy holidays!!

So...who wants Romance Trading Cards?

I went ahead and got Romance Trading Cards done for my first three books. They're a fun thing to have at conferences and just to hand out to people. Although a lot of authors do bookmarks, I can't help think that most people probably have no use for them anymore. You know, future generations probably won't even be able to relate to them at all! The trading cards were also really great fun to have made. I got to pick and choose the content and I loved coming up with the line of dialogue on each of them. Warning: one of them has a bad word, a very bad word LOL. I posted pictures of these (front and back) on a prior post and have them up on my albums on Facebook if you'd like to take a book, but I have one for each of Picture This, Pay Up and Play Me.

If you'd like one (or all), just send me an email letting me know at kaily at kailyhart dot com with your address and I'll send them out to you. Oh and indicate whether you'd like them signed or not :).

What promo stuff do you like??

Does anybody see May? I've searched everywhere. Did anybody see where it went? I can't believe half the month is already gone which means I need to get my act together and figure out what promo items I'll be offering at RWA Nationals in NY at the end of June. Honestly, this is a stressful decision. I want something to showcase myself well, but for it to be an item that's useful and wanted. Needless to say, I want to make sure my investment in this is a wise one. I don't think it translates to sales, but it is a way for an author to get their name in front of potential readers and industry professionals. It needs to be interesting and eye catching, something useful and something that's not too expensive.

So...what things do you like to pick up at events/conferences? What catches your eye? What do you wish authors would offer more of? What things do you actually keep and use? What things do you hate? Yeah...I need some HELP!

Blogger has been having some issues lately so I haven't posted over the last week. I THINK it's all better so we'll be getting back to the regularly scheduled programming now!

Comments about PLAY ME

I still feel kinda weird doing this, but it's part of being a writer and I know I need to get with the program in that respect. Right? I haven't received any 'official' reviews yet from review sites (it's still early days) but I've received a lot of great comments directly and from readers online about PLAY ME. Really, these mean a lot more to me than those official ones, although I'll take them too! I know it takes a lot for a reader to reach out to an author or post something on line and I really, really appreciate it. So...I thought I'd share my favs:

Thanks again.... keep writing.... I love your voice.... I love your men!!!! - Rita

SEXY
HOT
SWEET
and my FAVORITE kind of Hero---a little grouchy, a little edgy, and a whole lot of marshmallow when it comes to that RIGHT woman.  - Taryn

This is my third book for Kaily and I can't wait for more! They keep getting better and better! - Jennifer

Interesting people, funny dialog, and hot sex. I thought it was great. - Leslie

There was plenty of well written dialogue as well as perfectly delivered lines throughout to keep the reader entertained. There’s also plenty of hot, steamy sex. - Dreama

Thanks so much, you guys!!! It's very touching and makes me want to write just that much faster :).

WOW!

PAY UP is up for book of the week at Long and Short reviews!! How awesome is that? The recognition around something I've created will never get old. It just won't. There are other great books up there as well. Go over and vote!

http://www.longandshortreviews.com/WC/index.htm

Promotion. What the heck REALLY works?

Every author is out there on the Internet and hitting up all the social networking sites and loops trying to promote their books. I look at some of the loops I originally joined and wonder if they're really just full of authors advertising their latest release? Are readers really on these things? With the increasing popularity of ebooks, I suspect publishers are getting out more and more books, faster than ever. It's a tough climate to make your book stand out from everyone elses. And of course, a depressed economy means the competition for decreasing dollars spent is even more fierce. So, what actually works in getting your message, your name and information about your book to the people who could be your potential readers? The issue with book sales of course, is that it is months before you know from your publisher how your book has sold. The delay is even longer for sales made through 3rd party book sellers. The process doesn't provide the right data in a timely enough manner to adjust any strategies in a hope of influencing sales, even if there was a way to determine what worked and what didn't. I'm really just starting on this journey of understanding options for promotion, utilizing marketing dollars effectively and judging what might actually produce results BUT I don't approach any of this with the goal to sell a particular book. I want a long term career as an author, so I focus instead on trying to raise awareness about who I am, what I do and the kind of  books I write. I'm attempting to build a brand and concentrating on establishing a back list of books. I think that's the best use of my time right now, but who really knows?

If you're an author what have you found effective (or not) when it comes to promotion? If you're a reader, how do you find new authors and books generally? Do you think you're influenced in any way by 'advertising'?

RWA Nationals & Win a Nook!

RWA Nationals are almost here. It's funny. I've been waiting for this conference for over six months and it comes down to the wire to get ready. Why does it always happen that way? Nails to get done tomorrow and I still have to pack. I'm driving, so I better make sure I know where I'm going. I need to download my camera of photos from my vacation at the beginning of the summer and I need to back up the laptop. I also bought new shoes for the Rita & Golden Heart awards ceremony that I KNOW are going to rub my feet. Sigh. There are probably a million little things to remember. OK, probably not that many but I already feel like I've forgotten something. This will be the first year I'll be putting something in the Goody Room at the event. It's exciting and nerve-wracking. What if no-one takes my stuff LOL? Not sure I want to lug it all the way back home. Maybe it's best not knowing. I'll be attending as a RWA-PRO this year, so I'm really looking forward to the PRO Retreat. Really, I'm just excited overall to be among so many other people who think hearing voices in your head is NORMAL! I'll plan to post some pictures next week!

During the month of August, I'll also be participating in the Long and the Short of It's 3rd Anniversary Party. What does this mean? Well, firstly, there's a chance to win a Nook. Actually, they're giving away THREE Nook eBook Readers that come with $50 BN.com gift certificates AND are already pre-loaded with dozens of romance and juvenile fiction eBooks. My book, Picture This will be one of them! It's a scavenger hunt and you can find all the details here. Sounds like fun!

I'm going on tour...

Advertising, promotion and marketing, oh my!! I'm going on a virtual book tour, or a blog tour as it's also known.

Until recently, I'd never heard of such a thing. I'll be guest blogging on a host of different blogs and websites in the hope I come across as interesting, inspirational, friendly, witty and perhaps even funny. Why? With a book coming out (gulp) TOMORROW, I need to be building my author brand. It's a baby step in the long process of getting my name out there, which I started with this blog a year or so ago. If it helps to sell my book (and I'm not sure it will), that's great, but it's not the sole intention. I'd like for people to get to know me a little. I really feel for an author to be successful, readers need to build a connection in some way, even if it's something small (like they're accessible) and I hope this accomplishes that.

My organized tour occurs between the dates on the banner above, but I'm also appearing on a few other places through August. Thanks so much to the wonderful and generous bloggers who were willing to host a newbie! You're all awesome. So, where will I be?

June

29 - Cari Quinn, Girl Writer
30 - Coffee Time Romance - Author Spotlight Event

July

5 - A Writer's Rush
8 - The Variety Pages
12 - The Lovestruck Novice
12 - Cindy Jacks **
13 - Jacqueline Paige **
14 - Taste of Kiwi
14 - Book Junkie **
15 - Diary of a Literary Goddess **
16 - Savage Hunter **
19 - Helen's Heroes
19 - Romance Alley **
20 - Nine Naughty Novelists
20 - Amber Skyze **
21 - Alisha Paige **
22 - Sexy Adventures, Passionate Tours **

23 - My Reading Addiction **
26 - Kaye Manro
27 – The Romance Room author chat/interview 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm (EST)

August

2 - I'll be the spotlight author all week at Whipped Cream!
14 - Dawn's Reading Nook
28 - Long & Short of it Reviews Chat @ 8:00 pm (EST)

Wow, I feel tired already! One commenter (drawn randomly) on any of the sites above marked with ** will win the goody tower below!  Yum. Comment multiple times or on each of the different blog posts and earn additional entries. I'll also pick a random commenter from the other blogs for June and July for a mystery prize. It'll be something funky and fun and I'll annouce the winner here on July 27!

In addition to all of that, I'll be in the August RWR with my First Sale announcement and I get to wear a First Sale ribbon to Nationals in Orlando. Yay!! I also took out an ad in Romantic Times magazine and it'll be in the October edition. It will likely be accompanied by a review (another gulp). I'll have a book cover ad running on the Whipped Cream site July through September and during August, I'll be participating in their WC/LASR 3rd Anniversary Party, but I'll post more about that later.

Whew. I know it probably seems like a lot, but surprisingly, none of this has cost very much, except in time! To a writer of course, that's extremely valuable, but I think the 'investment' worth it at this stage.

I hope you'll join me on some of the tour stops! Some of them will be Q&A format (and boy did I get some varied and thought provoking questions). Some of them are my posts about what it's like being published for the first time and topics relating to writing. Some are just, well... off-beat :).  Hope to see you!

I have a website...

OK, Let me do some expectation management first! I created it one night in a bit of a panic. My release date is looming and all I'd done to date was reserve a domain and get up a 'coming soon' page. I established the blog first and thought the site was probably secondary. At the time, anyway. I suddenly had the horrific thought that someone might buy my book, look for a website (rather than my blog), and be horrified by how unprofessional I am. Or lazy. Or clueless! All bad. SO, I created something basic for now. I plan to extend it and provide some more substance after release day, promotion and the two other books I have due over the next two months! I'd still be interested in any feedback, though, so check it out!!

www.kailyhart.com

Where's Kaily?

Until recently, I'd never even heard of a blog or virtual book tour, but that's exactly what I'm having during the month of July to promote my first book! Some of my guest spots will be on the blogs of other writers I've connected with online, amazing and generous writers who are willing to help a 'newbie'. Others will be as a result of an organized tour by folks who know what they're actually doing!! It's exciting and terrifying all at once because I'm basically selling myself. Of course, I've done this to some degree my entire professional life, but this is somehow different, more personal and it means so much more because of that. I'll post the details soon and probably beg for support!

I've also been quiet on the blogosphere front recently. I'm online challenged at the moment. I'm on vacation, camping, with 4 kids and no wifi access! I'm trying to make my 3G iPad act like a laptop but it has it's limitations LOL. It feels like I'm missing a limb. I also have withdrawal because I have characters in my head pissed because I'm not writing anything down. I've been doing a lot of 'mind planning' but it's only going to cut it for so long! I get back June 25 and I'll be itching to get back into the swing of things!!

So, um yeah...promotion

I really thought as I'd been writing that I was also spending productive time researching the fascinating world of marketing and promotion when it comes to the publishing industry. I really thought I had a pretty good idea of some of the things I'd do, those I definitely wouldn't and what activities could have the biggest return for outlay (whether that be $ or time). Huh! It's a confusing jungle of options out there that can quickly and easily suck your time till there's nothing left, not to mention your wallet. So, I've spent the last several days sorting through these things and trying to pick some quality outlets until my head is about to explode. My characters from my next book are DEMANDING that I pay attention to them instead. I try to placate them with some words here and there, but they are not happy! And when I'm not writing? I'm not either. So, I have some things in the works which I'll post about soon, but if anyone has some tips for effective marketing that doesn't cost anything and requires minimal time? I'm all ears!

To kick things off on the promotion front and in an effort to have people get to know me, I'm over at Love Romances Cafe participating in an all day Ellora's Cave author chat. This will be my first time doing anything like this! Ah, 2010. It should be renamed 'Kaily's year of firsts'.