Where to follow me and why… Updated Edition

I feel like it’s time for a “Where to follow me and why” Post.

This is going to be a rundown of all the ways I interact with my readers so you find find the platforms best for you and what you can expect: (Keep in mind also, due to the nature of social media you are never GUARANTEED to see all my posts unless you go directly to my page on the account. It may be best to follow me in multiple places for safety if you don’t want to miss new releases.)

The Blog: (To subscribe to the blog, sign up in the gray box in the right hand column —-> Or, there’s another gray box for blog sign-up right underneath each post): Updates that are longer than what can comfortably fit in any social media end up in the blog. Also: New release stuff. Big giveaways (like big surprise book boxes with gift cards.) Cover reveals. Teaser Scenes. (I reply to my comments, personally.) I update periodically. I do newsletter WAY more than blog but some things make more sense as a blog post and I don’t want to bother the newsletter with it. Sometimes, like for Cover Reveal and new releases it goes to both.

My Newsletter: This is probably one of the BEST ways to stay in the know. I send out a newsletter usually around twice a month but sometimes once a week. I send daily during release week for my books and I do a lot of interactive stuff and newsletter exclusive signed book giveaways with my readers. I read all those emails and reply myself. If I ever get “huge” that might be impossible but right now it’s quite manageable. I do cover reveals, sometimes teaser excerpts, sales, and new release stuff here. I also share either what I’m reading or books from author friends. You can subscribe to my newsletter on the main page of my website either via the pop-up, or at the bottom of the page. Note, you WILL get the free book no matter which way you sign up.

Verve Romance: (<--- click to follow me here): This platform used to be called Book and Main. Mostly book teaser scenes. This is a great discovery tool not just for my books, but for other stuff as well. I don't really stay on top of this one as far as interaction with readers so if you comment here I might not see it.

Instagram: (<--- click to follow me here): I just joined this platform and I'm really into it. I'm all about making a pretty page. Teaser graphics will be here. It's just a great platform to display them. I'll also interact with you and ask you questions. I'll be doing some Instagram exclusive giveaways at certain follower count levels (the first one will be when I reach 333 followers). I'll also be sharing pretty images of books I'm reading, as well as my books, and cover reveals. I will be staying on top of this one and do my own posts and interactions.

I try to post here 1-3 times a day, but due to the way they show posts I’ll probably trend toward 1-2 since I don’t want you to end up seeing 3 things from me back-to-back. It looks spammy even though they were posted hours apart.

Twitter: (<--- click to follow me here): I post a bunch of random stuff on Twitter. What I'm watching on TV (on the rare occasions I get into a show), random thoughts, funny memes, sometimes teaser graphics and new release stuff. I post here frequently and reply to my @'s (when I see them. Sometimes Twitter is weird about that.)

BookBub: (<--- click to follow me here): This is a great place to follow me if you can't afford full price books and are waiting for deals. I only put my backlist on sale (and even then not everything) and I wait a year before putting something on sale for the first time. It's also a pretty reliable way to hear about new releases because I get new release alerts through Bookbub. I also sometimes recommend books I'm reading, though you're more likely to see what I'm reading on Goodreads because I track my books for the year and participate in the "yearly reading challenge", though I listen to my books because I need to be read to. I'm spoiled that way.

Goodreads: (<--- click to follow me here): Goodreads is the place to be if you want to know what I'm currently reading. I don't always review or star because sometimes I forget or don't have time. I'm not a book reviewer and don't want to be obligated to wax philosophical about everything I read. Often even when I do "review" it's just "I loved this!" I will never star less than 5 or leave a bad review because I won't hurt other authors like that, but if I don't review or star it doesn't mean I didn't like it. It just means I didn't review or star.

I also run some Goodreads giveaways but I generally announce those in other places. And I’m not sure how/if Goodreads notifies followers. I try to reply to comments people direct at me here.

Facebook Page: (<--- click to follow me here): I mainly only update this when something big is going on, a giveaway or a new release. Interaction and visibility is so low on Facebook it's kind of a "what's the point" sort of thing. You build thousands of followers and then 100 people even SEE the posts they opted in to. It's highly frustrating. I'm HAPPY to do social media and engage with my readers but if I'm just shouting into the void, I don't see the point.

Facebook Group: (<--- click to follow me here) Groups used to be a great place for more visibility than a profile or a page but now it's about as crappy as everywhere else. If you want to know what's going on in a group GO DIRECTLY TO THE GROUP'S PAGE. It's really the only way. I try to interact with readers in my group semi-regularly, but again, it's frustrating to have X number of readers and .5% of them see anything. (And I know they don't see it because FB helpfully lets us know how many people saw the post.)

I also have a Facebook Profile but I don’t do “friends” on FB for a lot of reasons. (FB is often too angry. I don’t want my timeline filled up with angry people. And I don’t want to be one of those angry people.)

You can also follow my Amazon page, but I wouldn’t expect to actually stay updated there. Amazon decides if readers get to hear about a new release and they’ve only (to my knowledge) done me the courtesy of actually letting my Amazon followers know about a new release for me, once.) If/when I’m ever a “Big Deal” author, then this will become more reliable, but until then I would not count on this if you want to stay up-to-date on new releases.

Also I’m NOT on Pinterest (I feel like Instagram is enough for now for that kind of platform), and I’m also not on Tiktok or Youtube because I’m not really a “video person”.

I hope this was helpful!

Kitty ^.^