Big News and a Blog Break

UPDATE - UPDATE - UPDATE

As if this post wasn't long enough already, right? But thanks to Laura Eno and Helen Ginger, I have directions on how to include a LIVE LINK in the comments! Thanks to all of you who have already left links. Everyone else...what are you waiting for?

So without further ado...here's how:

My blog is Straight From Hel. To create a link after my signature on a comment and have that link be clickable, here's what I do:
I create a small bit of code that looks like this:

<a href="http://straightfromhel.blogspot.com">Straight From Hel</a>

Within the quotation marks is the link to my blog.

Within the >< is the name of the blog.

To change this to fit your blog or whatever page you want to link to, just change those two elements. A link to my website would look like this:

<a href="http://helenginger.com">Helen Ginger's Website</a>

The words between the >< can be whatever you want. I could have written this:

<a href="http://helenginger.com">Helen Ginger</a>

If I wanted to link to a company I'm part of, I could have written:

<a href="http://legendsinourownminds.com">Legends In Our Own Minds</a>

You can see that I've taken the same code and just changed those two elements.

So...just copy the code I've given here and take out my information and put in yours, then copy and paste after your name in your comment.

I recommend you get a copy of the link-code you create in something like this Notepad document. If you keep it in Word, Word will automatically make the link live, then you lose the code and may forget how to create it.

:::

Before anything else...

I want to thank everyone who hosted me on the Official In Name Only Blog Tour. My blog is yours anytime. Just let me know when.

And thank you to everyone who has read In Name Only and for all you've done to help me promote it. Please tell all your friends :)

And,

I am officially on a much needed blog break for all of September.
I will be back here with a new post on Monday, October 1.

:::

While I'm gone...

I'm going to come as close as possible to completing the draft of my WIP. Wish me good luck - I'll need it.

I'm also going to work on the look of this blog. It needs it. I'm going to back it up, but y'all know I'm a techie idiot. Wish me success in not losing everything :)
:::

Now, to the real stuff...

When I return in October, I will only be posting two days a week - Monday and Friday. And I am going to schedule my blog to post one hour earlier, at 6 a.m. Central Time instead of 7.

However, there will be occasional Wednesday posts. I'll let you know about these on the preceding Monday. Because...

I hope to host one or two guest bloggers each month.

I have one guest blogger already for each of these months: November, December, and January. So contact me if you have an interest. I'm open to authors who follow this blog and who participate here at some level, even if it's small. Guest posting days will be Mondays and Wednesdays. Fridays are reserved for the Top Ten list. So if you want to guest on a Friday, you'll need to work your post into a Top Ten list. Ciara Knight proved it can be done!

:::

But here's the Big News...

Remember a few weeks back I asked er pleaded er bribed you to go over and like my Facebook Author Page? And you were so good!!!

Anyway, right after that, I saw this blog post by Philippa Ballentine titled "Top Five Ways to Keep Your Favorite Authors Writing."

Among the things she suggests are:

Amazon. Click the Like button under the title of the books you love. The Amazon folk use this in their magic algorithm, and it helps the book show up higher on a list.

Amazon. Scroll down and click on the tags that the book has. Or make new ones yourself. This will also help people find your friendly author.

Tell a friend. Honestly, Fifty Shades of Grey didn’t become popular because of marketing, it became popular because all the mums in the world talked about it at the playground. Unlikely anyone will be able to replicate that success, but still word-of-mouth does really help.

I've also heard that liking the Amazon author page also helps.

So here's my idea.

I'm putting links at the end of this post for all of my places that can be liked, followed, friended, or whatever.

I would love for each of you to go to all of them and do the appropriate clicking.

But that's not all.

I'm inviting all of you to leave all your links in the comments. If you have multiple books, like I know many of you do, leave a link for each one. Make this as easy as possible for everyone.

I'm also asking all of you to post, tweet, Facebook, or whatever to help get the word out. Any author is invited to post their links in the comments. I'm calling this the Like Me Project.

If I end up with enough participants, I plan to make a separate page on this blog or perhaps create a separate blog to keep this information current and ongoing.

I will make every effort to visit every link posted in the comments section, and I hope each of you will visit often to find and click on links for your favorite authors.

One note ... I do not know if it's possible to put a live link in the comments. I don't know how. If you do, please leave directions in the comments. I will move them to the bottom of this post so everyone can see. It may be we will need to copy and paste from the comments to the web, at least until I move them to a separate location - if there are enough. I'm not doing this if there are only a few.

Remember, the only cost is a little bit of your time. But maybe it's just me who thinks this could bump up all of us a notch or two. I guess we'll find out together.

Only you can make the Like Me Project grow!

So here are my links, with explanations of where to find the Magic Buttons. Mine are live, just clicks away. And I thank you if you do.

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/ckilgore
The like button is on the right near the top.
Scroll down for In Name Only and click on either the paper or Kindle edition.
On the screen for the book, the like button is in the center of the page beneath the title.
The tags are near the bottom of the page below the reviews.

This is my profile page. You can friend me or be a fan or add In Name Only to your shelves or any combination of that.

Just click the like button :)

Click Follow

Blog: http://www.underthetikihut.blogspot.com
You are here!

Website: http://www.carolkilgore.net
FYI Only - Nothing for you to do.

We all appreciate anything you choose to do. Thanks!

See you on October 1!

Oh, I won't be responding to comments left here either, except to click on your links, of course.

I'm on a Blog Break. Remember. Duh :)







Comments

Tracy Jo said…
Done! Great idea and project.

Here is my photography Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/universalsoulphotography

Good luck with all your projects! We will miss you and see you in a month. Cheers!

Anonymous said…
Your post is great to read. I was amazed this blog of mine a year now.
To make a link live in the comments, it would have to be part of one's signature. (Otherwise, I don't believe it allows the html to do it.)
Just my Amazon pages -
CassaStar - http://www.amazon.com/CassaStar-ebook/dp/B0045Y261I/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1346676836&sr=1-1&keywords=cassastar
CassaFire - http://www.amazon.com/CassaFire-ebook/dp/B007A2TSNG/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1
Unknown said…
What a great project! I'm going to look into it further. Also, I'm excited you're writing. I can't wait to read your next book.
J.L. Campbell said…
Enjoy your holiday. I know it will be productive. The Amazon 'like' does work. A writer friend of mine sent me an Amazon email with links to my books. I was chuffed to find not one, but five of my books in that promotional email. Also found another writer I know listed in that suggested reading list from Amazon. I'll come back and post links and will click links posted by others here. Good stuff!
LR said…
Have a nice break! Well deserved.

That's interesting info about the "likes." Wasn't aware that they make that much of a difference...
Gwen Gardner said…
For a gal on blogcation, you sure are busy! Love your Like Me project. I'll be back:)
Enjoy your blog break. And thanks for visiting my blog last month as part of your tour. See you in October!
Emily R. King said…
I'll check out those links now.

Have a great break, Carol! You've earned it.
LD Masterson said…
I've clicked on all the appropriate click places. Have a productive and relaxing (not always mutually exclusive) blog break.
CATachresis said…
Have a great break :) x Have taken note of your suggestions. Thanks :)
Luanne G. Smith said…
Enjoy your well-deserved break. See you in October.
Golden Eagle said…
Good luck with your draft!

I hope you have a great September break. :)
Anonymous said…
I'm clicking on the likes.

See you in October.
Anonymous said…
Great project... see you soon
Unknown said…
Wow, what awesome opportunities! I'm going to miss your posts, but I completely understand about needing a break. I hope you have a wonderful September. :)
dolorah said…
Have a good month Carole.

.......dhole
Shelley Munro said…
Happy writing, Carol. Enjoy your break :)
Jan Christensen said…
Hi Carol. If anyone needs a break, it's you! Great idea about liking other author's pages. Also a good idea for people who like a writer to do at least a few sentences for a review on Amazon. Every little bit helps.

Here's my author's page on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Jan-Christensen/e/B004XTXSYO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

And my website: http://www.janchristensen.com

Hope people will check my novels and short stories out. Thanks for this opportunity. -- Jan
Cherie Reich said…
Have a great time on your blogging break! Good luck with the manuscript and blog redesign!
Laura Eno said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Laura Eno said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Laura Eno said…
*sigh* I've been trying to get it to show you the ahref tag to turn something into a link - without it turning into a link - but I can't get it to cooperate.
All the best with all your projects!


Nas
Leslie S. Rose said…
Happy writing on your break. Inspiring project. Great ideas.
Have an awesome break.
I wouldn't mind a guest spot in December...

I love the Project.

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5832201.Lynda_R_Young

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LyndaRYoungAuthor

Twitter: @LyndaRYoung
Julie Flanders said…
This is an awesome project, Carol!!

Here is my Facebook link:

https://www.facebook.com/JulieAFlanders

I'm going to do my best to spread the word about this great project.

Enjoy your much-deserved break!!
Southpaw said…
I'm in.

Honestly I thought the like buttons were for facebook and I don't have a facebook account. but I liked you and followed everywhere I wasn't already doing so. ;)
Nick Wilford said…
Wow, likes really do mean more than I gave them credit for. I'm off to do my rounds!

I'm on a blog break too, but still replying to the comments from when I announced that?? Hard to keep away!

I'll look forward to seeing your new look and guests. I have no plan for when I come back, so kudos!
Helena said…
Have a wonderful time off, and thanks so much for the helpful link info. But right now I'm under the weather and not fully lucid, so I can only print your pages off with the instructions and figure them out later.

And I'm FINALLY buying In Name Only today because only now, despite my semi-lucidity, am I getting organized. I know I'll love it.
Jennifer Shirk said…
Enjoy your break. You deserve it. :)

And I "liked" your book.
Jennifer Shirk said…
Oh, and I wanted to add, that whenever you want to stop over and blog on my blog, you are welcome. :-)
Missed Periods said…
I am following you and liking you--and we've just met!
Enjoy your well-deserved break. Your blog is awesome!
M Pax said…
OK, got all my links together --

M. Pax Blog/Website: http://mpaxauthor.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mpax1
FB Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/M-Pax/115874581852313
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/M.-Pax/e/B005QP85OW/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_2
Smashwords Author Page: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/mpaxauthor

I've missed your blog. Glad you're coming back!

.