Blog Tour: High Summons by Eli Celata @Celata_E @UFBooks

Title: High Summons
Author: Eli Celata
Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy
Hosted by: Ultimate Fantasy Book Tours

Blurb:

Jon Blythe is sick of waiting for his Yoda. After years of hiding his magic, he's ready to retire from his mortal life, drop out of college, and jump into the world of demon hunters. He just didn't really expect a bleach blond bookstore clerk with light up toys for weapons. Unfortunately, Jordan is Jon's only hope. When rogue magic users come to Rochester with a malicious plan, the odd couple strikes out to save the day. Jordan might not be what Jon expected, but between demons and Econ homework, the demons win every time. Wild nights drag Jon further from normal into the world where his father vanished. Maybe he's becoming an addict. Maybe magic just comes with a price. Either way, he's hooked.

Blog Post:

Marketing

Marketing starts before you get a contract. It starts before you’ve even finished your book. Where aspiring authors could take off from a contract alone two decades ago, authors need more. We need a platform.

Agents, editors, publishers – my feeds have been inundated with demands for platforms. A platform is code for prior fame or success. If you are a detective with some renowned writing about a cop, that’s a platform. If you’re a celebrity with hundreds of thousands if not millions of fans, that’s a platform. The former means you write within your field. A detective submitting a medieval romance won’t have the success of a crime thriller writing detective. However, the latter can writer whatever.

The proof is in the pudding. Shelves lined with youtuber books in all genres. The latest socialite memoir flying to number one. While this can be frustrating, it’s also a lesson. Marketing starts the second you think about being an author.

1)      Start social media pages (Twitter, Instagram, whatever is the latest growing trend)

2)      Follow those who have built strong followings

3)      Interact with their followers and them

a.      But don’t stalk – interact when you have something dynamic to say.

4)      Join groups built for authors (aspiring or otherwise) and network

a.      It really does become about who you know. Again, human beings are social creatures (even us introverts), so having a support group helps.

5)      Listen to advice in moderation

a.      Everyone has their 2 cents. Take it with a grain of salt and research like you do with anyone you know.

Building a base before you query helps the process. It means you have beta readers and the makings of a street team.

When my debut YA urban fantasy, High Summons, came out, I was not nearly prepared enough. As an introvert striving for my PhD, I avoided the distraction of social media. Problematic when I needed to market my book. Also problematic in querying, agents had a hard time finding me on the internet. I was left scrambling, and I’m still working to recover having learned the above late in the game. My advertising for my book’s sequel, Grimm Remains, is already in motion, and the interest I’ve drummed up already is better than the last minute scramble I’d previously done.

Prepare as you go. You’ll thank yourself later.

Good Luck.

Author Bio:

Eli Celata was born in Rochester and is currently attending Binghamton University as a doctoral student.

Author's Social Media Links:

Buy Links:

Amazon ~ Kobo ~ Smashwords ~ iTunes