I enjoy strolling down Promo alley at book conventions to see how authors promote themselves.

Bookmarks, pens, and notepads are popular and useful. But I recently received three promos that are unique and fun:

- Sabrina Jeffries: Folding bookmark that doubles as a gossip newsprint, The Parasol Papers, to promote her new book, The Truth About Lord Stoneville.

- Sally MacKenzie: The classic "I'm a Naked Reader" buttons to promote her "Naked" series.

- Cathy Maxwell: 2-in-1 measuring spoon engraved, "Love your life".

What are your favorite type of promos? What authors/promos have you seen that are creative and effective?

Kim

I like the idea of the measuring spoon -- it's something that I would use.

The button -- not so much.

I like when authors put their names on post-its or small notepads it's something that's very useful.

I love pens, bookmarks and magnets!!!!

From author Janmarie Annello I received a tip guide on one side and the name of her book on the other -- I love it -- it's credit card size and I carry it in my wallet.

Funny post. I too received the double folded bookmark by Sabrina Jeffries and thought it was very clever. I use a lot of promo bookmarks (my UBS hands them out for free), but I actually put the SJ one aside. For what it is worth, I have bought a few books that I discovered via the free bookmarks.

I have the same things!

My favorite promos are the bookmarks. You can never have enough of them

I loved Sabrina Jeffries newsletter with the Parasol Papers! Too funny. And bookmarks are my other favorite thing. I have hundreds of them. I have discovered new authors from the bookmarks too.

And winning books from author's contests and giveaways. I will share some of them with close reader friends, but they always return to their own special shelf of my most coveted books.

I'm so glad that bookmarks and pens are popular. That is what I have been using to promote my book(s).

BTW, I am currently offering bookmarks for Fire at Midnight and for Stolen Promise (coming in March) via my website, if anyone is interested!


Lisa Marie

I love to be able to match the bookmark with the book.

I agree - a measuring spoon sounds fun and useful. So are bookmarks, post-it notes or notepads, or nice pens.

I got a miniature retracting tape measure in the shape of a house that can go on a keychain (not from an author, from a realator) but I use it all the time)--things like that could also be useful, and but I can see how it could be adapted to fit a specific book or author's work

Got a plastic promo luggage tag--also useful--and goes with me whenever I travel...

Mints in a nice tin...I'd keep the tin and use it for something else after I ate the mints, and then I'd think of the author everytime I opened the tin...

Maybe a magnet of the bookcover of an author's book? I can using that in my kitchen...

I like all of the above. I have a magnet from the body shop which repaired my car after a deer ran into it. The magnet is a wrecker shape. They said it's their most popular promo item they've had.

I just received Sabrina Jeffries new bookmark in the mail. Beautiful!

I love getting bookmarks as promos. I got the same Sabrina Jeffries bookmark. In the past I received a Dark-Hunter post it cube and magnets from Lara Adrian promoting her series. But mostly I get bookmarks that I always use.

Thanks for the replies ... I'll pass to my author friends who are always scratching their heads for ideas to promote themselves and satisfy fans.

I giveaway promos each month through the SOS Newsletter (SOS is Kathryn Falk's military charity; Kathryn is the founder and CEO of RT).

In fact, I'm giving away Cathy Maxwell's measuring spoons in the February issue. If you want a measuring spoon, send me an email at sos.america@yahoo.com.

I also have a few magnets ... send me an email and I'll tell you what I have in stock!

I'll do this post again after the Romantic Times' Booklovers' Convention in late April where I'll walk down promo alley to collect goodies for SOS readers. Some will be practical, some will be fun, and some will be naughty ... but life's too short to not have some naughty fun!

More to come ...

Kim Adams
SOS Military Liaison
sos.america@yahoo.com