I'm Back from My Book Blog Tour!

I've spent the last week in book promotion land and although it's been lovely and amazing to see all the hoopla around A SMALL TOWN CHRISTMAS, I'm ready for life to get back to normal. When I figure out what that is, I'll let you know. Yikes, I"m still in promo mode, I just added a link to my book title--it was completely unconscious...crazy.

I suck at promotion, so I was beyond grateful for the help of PRISM Book Tours, who set up my book blog tour and arranged for all the reviews and spotlights I had last week. The Rafflecopter giveaway is still going on, so if you haven't entered for a chance to win one of five fun prize packs, click and give it a try. (I did it again, didn't I?) I would do a book blog tour with PRISM again in a heartbeat. The ladies there are amazing and helpful and so easy to work with.

My own publisher, Tule Publishing also did a lot of great promotion for the book. I know it's not uncommon for a publisher to just put the book out and then expect the author to take it from there, but Tule has been fantastic--right by my side, promoting with FB posts and Tweets and Instagrams. I'm so delighted to be signed with them for this series!

I still have some promo stuff coming up for the book--a library appearance, a book club gig, a few more blogs, but the big push is done now and it's time to settle down and refocus on writing the next book in the series. But my question for the universe is this, does it help? All the blogging and traveling 'round the internet announcing the arrival of A SMALL TOWN CHRISTMAS and offering prizes?

I'm not sure I have an answer to that yet...I think I sold books. Actually, I know I sold books and not just A Small Town Christmas, but also Women of Willow Bay books, so it was a good thing in that regard. I won't know how many of ASTC sold until I get a royalty check and that's months off. The blog tour increased traffic to my website and to my author FB page, Twitter page, and Instagram. I added nearly 60 Twitter followers, 30 or so FB followers, and well over 100 new followers on Instagram. All in all, not too shabby for a kid from the Midwest who's always just wanted to be a writer.

But I confess, I'm ready to refocus on writing the next book, work on my editing gigs, spend time with Husband and the kids... I'm not sure if it's my age or what, but as exciting as the book release was and as fun as the promotion was and is, it still knots my stomach somewhat. It may also be the fact that I've put another baby out there for the world to either love or hate. That's harrowing...at least it is to me.

So talk to me. If you're a writer and you've done the book tour thing, been completely wrapped up in book promotion, how did it feel? Were you exhilarated the whole time? A little exhausted? Overwhelmed? I loved PRISM--how did you like your book tour company?
~Nan~