I'll Trade You (Tara Taylor Quinn)

I'm a big believer in listening to what my heart tells me.  And then basing all of my other decisions on the messages I receive.    I have trust issues.  Big ones.  But I trust my heart.  If my heart tells me I need something, then I know I need it and I put my focus toward making it happen.  Even if the end result seems impossible, I put my energies and focus on that end result anyway.  Maybe something that I do to reach that end is actually what needed to happen.  Maybe I'm affecting someone else without knowing it, having a positive impact that I'm not meant to know about.  I don't ask too many questions.  I simply focus and move forward.

To that end, I have been driven to market a book that was out in June, The Friendship Pact.  I have five books out this year.  Two of them were out in June.  And all of my marketing focus has been on one book.  As irony would have it, it's the book that's doing the worst.  The only book that didn't hit a bestseller list.  It's received the most reviews.  Five star, glowing reviews.  But the least number of sales.  So maybe that book just had to reach one person.  Someone the marketing reached.  Someone I don't know about.  I don't have the answers.  I also don't feel any relief.  I still feel driven.  In spite of how well the other books are doing, (and believe me, I care about them, deeply)  I have to get knowledge of The Friendship Pact out into the world.

So let me mention, I hate marketing.  I am not good at it.  I'm more apt to tell you you might not like something just so that I don't disappoint you in case you don't like it.  I am a private person.  One who sits alone at her computer all day and looks forward to doing so.  I'm just not good at putting myself out 'there' everyday.  I'm not good at the hype.  I don't have training in the field of marketing.  And I have five more books to write.

However, I am being internally compelled to market this book.  So I do some researching.  I talk to some people.  I take advice and make lists.  And then, because I'm out of my element, I just start googling and throwing things out 'there.'  A little bit each day.  I see no results.  But I keep throwing.  The drive lessens not at all.  And that brings me to here...

I had a book trailer video done for The Friendship Pact.  I lobbed it out into cyberspace back in June.  I couldn't tell you where.  I just kept looking for places, dropping it out there and moving on.  Imagine my surprise when, out of the blue, I get an email telling me that the book trailer video is now one of twelve trailers chosen for a book trailer contest!  So here's my trade.  If you'll go out and vote for The Friendship Pact (click the word vote and then I believe it's #7 on the list) come back here and tell me you did so, I'll trade those votes for one free copy of The Friendship Pact.  (The link is set to open in a new window so this page should stay open for you.)  I'll choose the winner of the free book from those who tell me here that they voted.  If commenting is too much work for you, or you don't want a chance to win a free copy of The Friendship Pact, please, please, please vote anyway!

And, I thank you.

Comments

  1. I couldn't really tell how to vote. I did tweet it. It's a lovely cover.

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  2. Tara, I had the great pleasure of interviewing you for my website and meeting you in person in San Antonio at the 2014 RWA conference. Through these contacts, I have some background on THE FRIENDSHIP PACT. I can understand why it is a special, more personal story for you. I think your story will touch readers' hearts.

    For anyone interested in learning a bit of the backstory, please read Tara's interview at: http://www.kate-james.com/author-interviews/2014/6/1/interview-with-tara-taylor-quinn

    I am happy to vote for your trailer, and I wish you success with THE FRIENDSHIP PACT!

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  3. Tara, you are a marketer. It comes to you naturally, and you could probably give us all lessons. I’ll put in a vote for “The Friendship Pact.”

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    1. Marion,

      I must be better than I think if I've convinced you that I'm good at it! My soon to be sister in law who the head of marketing for a national corporation just reiterated to me that she would be happy to write my marketing blurbs because I'm too honest. I've had a lot of advice lately from heavy hitters on this topic and the message is generally the same. In order to get noticed you have to disingenuous. I'm tempted. I need the books to sell. But at what price to my spirit?

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    2. Went in and voted. At pressent there are 15 votes out of 100+ for your trailer. Good luck.

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  4. Hi Tara, I'm like Liz, I went to the link, watched the trailer which looks great btw but couldn't figure how to vote. I left a comment, tweeted, FB, and goodled it. Let us know how to vote?
    Great to see you here. Would love to be entered if you let me know how to vote.

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    1. Sandra, Thank you!! The link is correct now. If you click the word vote, it takes you straight to the voting page and one click on The Friendship Pact bubble registers your vote!

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    2. Thanks Tara, I went again and voted this time. Easy peasy now. :) Thanks for checking it out.

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  5. Sorry, all, it was the wrong link. The correct link is up there now. If you click on vote it takes you right to a list of the trailers and with one click you've placed your vote! Thank you for the support!!

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  6. Hi Tara. You can't see it, but I'm wearing a lapel pin that says, "I voted." (If any of you is even old enough to remember when you were given one after voting in a political election.)
    I'm your Heartwarming sister, so I don't get a book - but for the same reason, you get my vote. Good luck with this book. I'm sure it's touching someone out there as we speak - I hate to bring this up because it isn't reflected in sales, but it's probably one of those books that's being passed from woman to woman in some office because its original reader loved it. So - you make only the one sale, but the good will is bound to catch up with you at some point.

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  7. Done and done...and marketing is the most terrifying aspect for me, especially as a newbie. Hope you win!

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  8. Voted! And Tara, I found the book trailer on youtube and it's beautiful!!

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  9. Voted! Fingers crossed for you Tara!

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