Promoting a book

Now here's a subject I know even less about than usual! How does a writer promote their own book?

There are those writers that just go around gushing: 'It's brilliant, the best thing I ever wrote!' They tweet, and blog and message you, and I find it puts me off reading their masterpiece.

Then there are the others who pretend the book isn't even theirs. 'Oh, that old thing?' *blush*. I have a horrible feeling I fall into the second camp. I get embarrassed just trying to describe the books, let alone when people praise them. It's not that I don't think it's a good book, I do, and I know it's well written or it wouldn't have done well in the Mslexia competition.  It's just, books are very personal, I can't promise someone would enjoy any book, even my favourites.

So I'm looking into ways to promote my book  that don't involve me having to beg people to buy it while proclaiming it brilliant. There are a small number of very kind people who have offered to help big up the book and I think I'm going to ask them to help. I think I need a team of people who can help rather than just me. So, if you think you might like to help, could you drop me an email with your email address and I'll get back to you. I will reciprocate, of course.

And if you have any ideas, please make suggestions! I'm at a loose end here. I've been invited to give a few talks and I have a book launch/signing organised on the Island but that's as far as I've got. I have bought a book on promoting novels, too, and Liesel Schwarz has been encouraging and is going through the same process and I'm following her advice, too.

Meanwhile, I am making some lovely writing friends through a new venture that is slowly unfurling. I set up a hub for writers to connect up in North Devon and so far, I've met some lovely people and found several writing groups. Maybe they will have a few ideas...