Posts Tagged With: blogging

Join the Author Blog-In

Posted on June 30, 2012 by Kate Policani

Do you want a blog tour but don’t have $1000 to spare to buy one from a fancy company? Why don’t we make our own?!?! We’re all authors who have great books to share. Lets share them together!

The plan:

First come – first served for slots in the blog-in. Email me at katepolicani@gmail.com with the subject “Author Blog-in”.
Everyone who signs up gets to join in, one book per Blog-in. (Lets set our maximum at 10 authors per blog-in so we aren’t posting into eternity.)
Everyone gets one day on the Blog-in.
All Groovy Cats (participants) in the Blog-in will post each day for all the other authors.
All Groovy Cats will post on day 1 about their own book, including the Blog-in logo in their post.
All Groovy Cats will re-blog the other authors’ first posts according to schedule on each successive day, which I will post on the Blog-in page at https://katepolicani.com/author-blog-in/. (Hint: You can schedule them all ahead of time on the proper days for less work http://en.support.wordpress.com/posts/schedule-a-post/, http://www.wikihow.com/Schedule-a-Post-on-Blogger. If you do, please email me the post link when you schedule so you don’t forget!)
Feel the love, man!

Categories: Author Blog-in | Tags: Author, blogging, book, platform, promotion, publicity, self-publishing, tour | 4 Comments

The Benefits of Blog Awards

Posted on June 28, 2012 by Kate Policani

Have you ever been included in a Blog Award? There are tons of them and you can’t blog for long without seeing them everywhere. But are they anything but a shout-out to your friends?

I think the most valuable thing I’ve received from a Blog Award is the networking! I got new follows and views from people I might never have found online through my blog awards. Each link is a connection to innumerable others who may find your blog. Whether you’re just looking for blog publicity, or whether you’re trying to promote something else through your blog, this is really the reward you get with a Blog Award. Plus, you get to pass it on to others too.

Besides that, blog awards provide you with content you might not otherwise get. If you’ve committed to regular blogging, you know how hard it is to create content sometimes. A lot of a Blog Award is already planned for you.

So I’d like to give an extra “Thank You” to everyone who has included me in their Blog Awards, shared their networks with me, and given me content for my blog! If you’ve been reluctant to join in on the Blog Awards, I’d encourage you to reconsider.

Categories: Awards | Tags: blog awards, blogging, network, promotions, reasons, views, Writing | 5 Comments

Links

Posted on June 23, 2012 by Kate Policani

I haven’t done this for a while. Here are some links for you:

http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2012/06/22/book-marketing-grow-readership/

http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/7-simple-ways-to-make-a-good-story-great?et_mid=563087&rid=233645588

And a tiny turtle eating a strawberry:

Categories: Resources | Tags: Author, blogging, links, publicity, self-publishing, Writing | 6 Comments

Reader Appreciation Award

Posted on June 20, 2012 by Kate Policani

Enormous thanks to Laura, The Quillwielder for her nomination for the Reader Appreciation Award. I love these things and I’m honored!

Reader Appreciation Award rules:

1) Include the award logo somewhere in your blog.

2) Answer these 10 questions, below, for fun if you want to.

3) Nominate 10 to 12 blogs you enjoy. Or you pick the number.

4) Pay the love forward: Provide your nominee’s link in your post and comment on their blog to let them know they’ve been included and invited to participate.

5) Pay the love back with gratitude and a link to the blogger(s) who nominated you.

The Questions for the Reader Appreciation Award:

1) What is your favorite color?

Today it is yellow. It might be a different color later in the day. I change favorite colors based on my moods.

2) What is your favorite animal?

That’s a hard one. I like them all. I’ll say birds because they are so interesting and resourceful.

3) What is your favorite non-alcoholic drink?

Mocha, preferably with hazelnut or salted caramel flavor.

4) Facebook or Twitter?

Facebook. Twitter confuses and overwhelms me with all the input.

5) Favorite pattern?

This is a weird question. I’ll say, the self-fulfilling prophecy.

6) Do you prefer getting or giving presents?

Giving! I love making people smile.

7) Favorite number?

A googleplex.

8) Favorite day of the week?

Today

9) Favorite flower?

Pansy. They are pretty and they are an annual that survives the winter so I feel like I’m getting a super-good bargain.

10) What is your passion?

Jesus is my passion. Nothing else has any value for me without the sacrifice he made.

Blog Nominees:

Since this is reader appreciation, I’ll nominate my most avid blog readers! I’ll do 5.

Maria Tatham

Rosysophia

NewEngland_Muse

Tahlia Newland

Jaxpress

Categories: Awards | Tags: appreciation, award, blogger, blogging, questions, quillweilder, readers | 7 Comments

Sunshine Award!

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Kate Policani

Thank you Lolo for nominating me for the Sunshine Award and always putting a smile on face!

Please check out her blog: http://lolosofocused.wordpress.com

Here are the rules for the award:

Include the award’s logo in a post or on your blog.
Answer 10 questions about yourself.
Nominate other fabulous bloggers.
Link your nominees to this post and comment on their blogs, letting them know they have been nominated.
Share the love and link the person who nominated you.

What is a favorite childhood memory? – I loved the feeling of really believing I was a unicorn or a princess. I entered fully into my play and felt like I was the thing I imagined.

What is a real fear you have? I am afraid bad things will happen to my kids. I see little movies in my head of awful things and I panic a little. It’s a real opportunity to trust God.

How would you describe yourself? I’m a complete nerd. I try really hard to look and act normal, but deep down I’m a total geek.
What Countries have you lived in? United States of America

What is your style? Action-ready and as nice as I can manage without ruining nice clothes. I confess, I occasionally buy clothing items at Costco. If given the opportunity, though, I always choose the most expensive item in a store. It’s a talent.

What is your favorite breakfast food? I have no particular favorite, but rather choose based on what keeps me from having hypoglycemia later in the morning.

What are some of your hobbies? Writing, reading, home improvement, crafts, singing, cooking, sewing. I used to have more, but I’m too busy.

If you could tell people anything, what would be the most important thing to say? Jesus loves you, died for you (you sinner), and all you have to do is accept it.

What is one of your passions? I am passionate about kids and helping them grow up awesome.

What is the one truth you have learned? People are not basically good, but they aren’t any worse or better than I am.

And here are my 10 nominees (my newest blog followers):

Categories: Awards | Tags: award, blogging, facts, followers, fun, lolosofocused, Sunshine Award | 6 Comments

Kreativ Blogger Award

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Kate Policani

This is my first nomination for the Kreativ Blogger Award.

Thank you to Laura the Quillwielder for nominating me!

The Rules:

1. Thank my nominator and provide a link to their blog

2. List seven things that readers might find interesting about me

3. Nominate seven other bloggers

4. Do the Hokey Pokey and turn yourself around. (Just kidding!)

Seven things:

This time I’m going to choose seven things that are not about me.

I have never smoked a cigarette (not including sidestream smoke)
I have never had a root canal.
I have never broken a major bone. (Maybe a toe, but not sure.)
I have never been off this continent.
I have never tried a martini.
I have never owned an Apple product.
I have never written a letter to a publisher.

Seven bloggers:

http://inspirationnet.wordpress.com/

http://pagesunforgotten.wordpress.com/

http://newenglandmuse.wordpress.com/

http://christianfantasyforwomen.com/

http://www.savannahpage.com

http://jmmcdowell.com/

http://clairemca.wordpress.com/

Categories: Awards | Tags: award, bloggers, blogging, fun, Kreativ Blogger, seven things | 8 Comments

Sunday Blogging

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Kate Policani

I’ve been trying to figure out what it is about Sunday that makes it such a light blogging views day. I could hope that all of you Saints are spending the whole day at church, but that probably isn’t it.

Friday is by far my best views day. Whatever I post will get more views. Saturday is pretty good too. But Sunday you’re all tired of being online or raiding Heroic Valonia or something.

Do you read more blogs on Friday and skip it altogether on Sunday? Why?

Categories: Publicity | Tags: blogging, Friday, Saturday, stats, Sunday, views | 6 Comments

I Love Writers!

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Kate Policani

Dear Writers,

I love you. Yes, you writers, you! I love you! I love the published authors and the indie authors. I love the authors who are waiting to publish. I love the writers who haven’t finished their books. I love the writers who aspire to write a book but haven’t done it yet. I love the poets who encapsulate the world in a few lines. I love the bloggers who capture their life one post at a time.

I do. I love you. When you write well, your stories expand my world. When you write badly, your mistakes are like my own. They caution me to be diligent and never stop striving to express myself better. When you burst your story out into the world under your own power, you are valiant. When you patiently wait, submitting your work and shaking off rejection, you are powerful. When you wrestle with your words and battle them for days, weeks, months, years, you are wise.

Thank you for your stories and for bearing your hearts to the world!

Happy Valentines Day!

Kate

Categories: Writing | Tags: Author, blogging, books, love, love letter, poetry, reading, Valentines Day, Writing | 12 Comments

A Very Merry Un-Birthday to YOU!

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Kate Policani

It’s my birthday! My birthday present to myself is also my un-birthday present to you, my followers. For my birthday I have combed through all my blog followers’ sites, oldest to newest, and bought another round of ebooks! I will read and review them, with your approval. Here are the books I just bought:

Tirfo Thuin by Andrew Butterworth http://andrewbutterworth.wordpress.com $0.99

The Flower Bowl Spell by Olivia Boler http://www.oliviaboler.com $9.99

Megan and Liam: a CITY WEDDING Novel by Maggie Carlise www.maggiepublishing.wordpress.com $2.99 (I downloaded the preview by accident, thinking it was the full book. This is why I posted no review yet.)

Hyblood (The Wolva Trilogy) by Stephanie Budd http://thewolvatrilogy.wordpress.com/ $2.99

The Seventh Stone by Pamela Hegarty http://womenthrillerwriters.com/ $2.99

The Kingdom Trilogy by Sean McGuire http://thekingdomtrilogy.wordpress.com $2.99

Etchings of Power (Aegis of the Gods) by Terry C. Simpson http://terrycsimpson.wordpress.com/ $2.99

The Index, Book 1: Mages (The Index Series)’ by Katherine Gilraine http://katherinegilraine.com $2.99

All of these were Kindle books. Kindle sure is popular now!

Now there are a few reasons your book may not be here. I may not have been able to see that you have a book, that is a BIG problem. BE SURE to fix it though, because anyone seeing your blog MUST be able to instantly find your book for sale. Honest. I’m really surprised how many blogs there were that didn’t have a link to the books right on top! Some blogs, I could tell the person was a writer, but couldn’t easily find a way to buy their book. Really, guys, people should be able to accidentally click on links to buy your book on your sites. No digging should be necessary! Several of the books I did buy, the author hadn’t set up an author page on https://authorcentral.amazon.com. It’s simple and free, and I recommend that everyone do this!

I may not have bought your book because of high price. This time I bought based on price, only buying books priced $2.99 or less so I could buy the maximum number of books for review. Frankly, if it your ebook more than $5 there isn’t a huge chance that I will buy your book anytime soon unless I have read your books before and liked them. I’m only spending $20 on books this birthday after all. If you still want my review, I would be happy to accept a review copy and add you to the list.

Finally, if I have already reviewed one of your books, I have not bought a second at this time. I am getting increasing numbers of requests for reviews and haven’t actually finished my reviews from Christmas. Again, if you would like a review of more of your books, I would be delighted to accept a review copy.

Here is the list of books from Christmas that I have yet to review, including Blog Tours and review submittals:

The Priest and the Peaches by Larry Peterson (Blog Tour, Review Finished, to be posted tomorrow)
The Warden Threat Defying Fate book #1) by DL Morrese (Finished and review to be posted later today *** birthday craziness prevented my posting, so I will post Saturday 2/11***.)
The Queen and the Handyman By Maria Tatham (Next)
Disposable People by Ezekel Alan (Before March)
Taking over the World by Jolene Stockman
Index Book 3: Lineage By Katherine Gilraine
Three Girls and a Wedding by Rachel Schurig
Flash Bites by Krista Bunskoek
Evolussion by Kathy Bell
Revolussion by Kathy Bell
The Warden War (G.O.D. Corp.) by DL Morrese
Until Next Time: The Angel Chronicles, Book 1 by Amy Lignor (Book tour, April)

These books will be reviewed before my Birthday books, but unless there is a note, this is only a tentative schedule. If your book should be on here and is not, let me know ASAP so I can get it in there!

Because my list is now so long, I probably will not do this book buying spree again before summer.

Categories: Reviews | Tags: Amazon, birthday, blog tours, blogging, book, ebook, followers, promotion, review | 11 Comments

The Versatile Blogger Award

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Kate Policani

Versatile Blogger Award 2012

What a great way to start 2012!

This award is given to bloggers, by bloggers (another reason I love the blogging community).

Now for the details, here’s how it works:

If you are nominated, thank the award giver and link back to them in your blog post
Share seven things about yourself
Pass this award along to recently discovered blogs you enjoy reading (some say to 15 some say to less than that.. I did 15).
Contact your chosen bloggers to let them know about the award and post the award picture

I was awarded the Versatile Blogger Award by Kate (such a cool name!) at http://believeanyway.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/post-about-handing-out-versatile-blogger-awards/

and earlier by J.M. McDowell during the Christmas rush http://jmmcdowell.wordpress.com/2011/12/15/thank-you-the-versatile-blogger-award/

Thank you to Kate and J. M. for the award! I really appreciate it!

Seven things about me:

1. This is my first official public blog! I never had anything else to blog about so I never bothered before. I posted one for my own amusement but never tagged anything or connected with anyone really. I was really missing out!

2. If you asked me before 2007 if I would become a writer I would have said “no.”

3. I enjoy using my writers’ vocabulary in everyday conversation and it sometimes gets me strange looks, but usually people just think I’m smart (or a smarty-pants).

4. I am aware that I use way too many exclamation marks!!!!! It is a secondary affliction to my addiction to writing fiction!!!

5. I’ve been married for almost 16 years and I got married when I was 20. Yet somehow, I’m still 29….

6. My name was supposed to be just “Katie” but Mom was under anesthetic and Dad wrote “Katherine.”

7. I have been to Hawaii and St. Barths, both for work, and I prefer Hawaii.

Here are the 15 bloggers who deserve this award–they are sort-of in order of discovery. You should follow them all and read and/or comment on their most excellent posts!

1. http://christianfantasyforwomen.com/

2. http://newenglandmuse.wordpress.com/

3. http://womenthrillerwriters.com/ also blogging at http://pamelahegarty.com

4. http://jeanewatier.wordpress.com/

5. http://alannahmurphy.co.uk/

6. http://sarahwinters.wordpress.com/

7. http://themonstrumchronicles.wordpress.com/

8. http://www.jaclynsmusings.com/

9. http://rebeccaberto.wordpress.com/

10. http://maggiepublishing.wordpress.com/

11. http://rosysophia.wordpress.com/ also blogging at http://rosasophia.com/

12. http://pigletinapoke.com/

13. http://cameliamironskiba.wordpress.com/

14. http://jaydesummers.wordpress.com/

15. http://bindo.wordpress.com/

Categories: Awards | Tags: award, blogging, community, promotion, reading, versatile blogger award, Writing | 15 Comments

The Candle Lighter Award

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Kate Policani

The Candle Lighter Award

Originator, Believe Anyway

Special thanks to Maria Tatham for awarding me the Candle Lighter Award! I am honored and so glad that my blog has lit up the web for you! The Candle Lighter Award originated from the blog, Believe Anyway.

Quotes from the site:

“I call my award The Candle Lighter Award. It is for blogs and bloggers that light a candle in the darkness with their blog.”

“I think people that are going through the efforts to be positive and make the world better through their efforts and blogs deserve to be recognized. I am always looking for encouragement and ‘light’. I want my faith, my optimism, and my love for life to help to set the world ablaze.”

I’m passing along this award to:

Angela Fish, the Caffinated Autism Mom is a dear friend from College, my “secret sister” (go Barkers!) and a fabulous mom with two amazing boys struggling with the challenges of autism. Angela takes her challenges with humor and valor, trusting God to work out the details. She uses her site to raise awareness and aid other moms struggling with the same challenges.

and

Laura Pfundt, the Quillwielder is a web-friend from the other side of the world, who fills her blog with interesting and helpful info for writers. I don’t know what her faith is, but she definitely makes the web brighter with her supportive and welcoming attitude! Not only does she spread light with her blog, but she has taken it off-blog too. She has given me a fantastic critique for The Lustre which has given me almost double the word count and made my writing doubly good! Thanks again, Laura!

Congratulations, Angela and Laura, for lighting candles! Enjoy your award and pass it along to sites you admire.

Categories: Awards | Tags: award, Believe Anyway, blogging, Candle Lighter Award, faith, kindness, light, Maria Tatham | 7 Comments

Surfin’ the Tag

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Kate Policani

Lets see how many different ways I can present the term “Tag Surfing” before repeating myself…

http://carriebrownwolf.wordpress.com/2011/11/07/writing-with-voice/ a fun list of questions to ask yourself about your characters to enrich their descriptions

http://alchemyofscrawl.wordpress.com/2011/11/07/guest-post-by-ellen-ghyll-an-indie-hits-back/#comment-1316 an eye-popping analysis of Greg on Amazon’s condemnation of all indie authors.

http://frankierobertson.wordpress.com had a button for http://www.blogsurfer.us and I signed up too. More free publicity can’t hurt. Click my blogsurfer button!

It lists blogs every few seconds and every time you click, my blog goes to the top.

I also have to mention the cool trick I learned that I have been using like crazy. When you accidentally close a tab in Internet Explorer that you regret, push CTRL, ALT, T and it will pop back up again! Righteous!

Categories: Tag Surfing | Tags: alchemyofscrawl, Amazon, blog surfer, blogging, carriebrownwolf, frankierobertson, tag surfer, Writing | 1 Comment

The Real Reason

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Kate Policani

So, the real reason I am blogging is to promote my writing, make it pay for itself at least, and help all you guys out there who are in the same position as me or not as far along. The thing is, that all my reasearch and blogging and developing a market for my books is taking time away from…guess what? Writing books. So today I am reminding myself and you to stop putting off your writing with endless blogging and research and WRITE! So there.

Categories: Self-Publishing, Writing | Tags: Author, blogging, marketing, promotion, publishing, reading, research, Self-Publish, self-publishing, so there | 1 Comment

The Divergence of the Sites

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Kate Policani

Upon the advice of a wise man, I am varying my information on the web. That means that this site will still be the meat of my blogging, and my other site http://katepolicani.blogspot.com will be my mushy sensitive site full of my feelings and writing experiences. If you don’t want that, don’t go there. Nyah.

I think it is going to be cool, so if you’re cool, you will check it out. Soon, anyway. There isn’t much there right now that isn’t already on this site. Don’t worry. I’ll fix that.