Final sprint and reflections on the race, er, blog tour
I'm a little out of breath, but I'm happy. I finished the race, er, I mean the blog tour for The Knife and the Butterfly. And I had fun. Really. And I did not spend all my writing time for top-secret novel #3 setting up guest posts. I did my writing a little bit at a time--mostly in advance--and, lo and behold, that elephant got eaten!
I'll admit that for about 5 minutes I thought about the whole blog tour thing as a kind of author obligation (seeing as how--living in Paris and all--I'm not able to do as much live promo stuff). But I grew out of that fast when I realized what a great chance a blog tour is to learn about my own writing, meet great bloggers and fellow authors, and connect with readers. I even discovered a few writing soulmates along the way.
Speaking of... Tanita S. Davis over at Finding Wonderland did this amazing post all about the blog tour that captures very well what's important about a blog tour:
The best thing about a blog tour is that it allows an author to think deeply and really talk about their work, and allows readers to ask the niggling, secret, or silly questions they've got lurking within them about a work, about an author, or about their process.
You definitely should read Tanita's whole Big Ideas, Small Venues post.
Okay, so I have lots more to say about blog tours--why to do them, how to do them and handle organization (thank you, Scrivener), and more. But here's one last blog tour digest to send you spinning out in many directions across the Internet. This time, I'm starting with my favorites...
2/17/12 -·The Edge in Fiction, or: Why Safe Books Are Dead Books·-·Finding Wonderland
I think this is the most important post of the tour. Not a defense of cussing or "mature themes," but an exploration of why books need to take us to some kind of edge.
2/23/12 -·Excerpt from·TK&TB·plus 6 peeks behind the scenes·-·Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing
My favorite excerpt from The Knife and the Butterfly.
2/27/12 -·Letter to My Teen Self (including... how I dropped out of high school and found a voice) -·Dear Teen Me
Definitely the highest concentration of embarrassing stories about me on the Internet. Also... nerdy photos.
Even more fab posts here:
2/17/12 - Review of The Knife and the Butterfly·- Stacked
2/20/12 - Interview (including... my misplaced loyalties, plot twists, and takeaways) - Ex-libris Kate
2/21/12 -·One Houston, Two Worlds (& excerpt) -·Fictitious Musings
2/22/12 - Two Truths and a Lie Contest -·Maggie's Bookshelf·**Giveaway**
2/24/12 - Being a Writer in Paris (with photos!) -·Confessions of a Readaholic
Click here for links to all 30+ (!) blog tour stops. And thanks to everyone who helped make the blog tour a success--much gratitude!
Can you keep up?
The blog tour marches on! Check out these delicious posts...
2/10/12 - Interview (including... a confession about the title and research in taquerías) - Chick Lit Cafe·
2/11/12 -·Boobs, Bottles, and Boxes of Cookies: Or, How to Handle Characters and Their Flaws like a Pro -·Fiction Folio
2/13/12 -·Top 10 Ways Becoming an Author Changed My Reading·- Roots in Myth·**Giveaway**
2/14/12 - Interview (including... writing about gangs, bringing the lost back, and Ashley as a mud pie) -·A Good Addiction
2/15/12 - Big Ideas, Small Venues (on blog touring) - Finding Wonderland
2/15/12 - Interview (including favorite scenes, pen of choice, and a Twitter-sized description) -·One Page at a Time
2/16/12 -·Rewriting the News—and the Rules of My Characters’ World·- Cynsations·
7 Reasons to Stop Reading This Now
No, don't go hitting the unsubscribe buttons on your RSS readers. By "this" I mean my blog--and only for today. The seven reasons? Guest posts and reviews around the blogosphere that you don't want to miss, all part of my The Knife and the Butterfly blog tour. So stop reading me here and go find me there!
2/03/12 -Interview (including... how Azael changed, life in Paris, Liam's animals, and the current situation in Tucson) - ·The Happy Nappy Bookseller
This is my favorite interview ever. Doret asks the best questions and gets me thinking about things in new ways--and talking politics.
2/04/12 - Capturing Reluctant Readers - Shelf Consumed
Finally! Leigh Ann of Shelf Consumed gives me a chance to do something with my boundless gratitude to librarians. I get to talk to them here.
2/06/12 - Interview (including... mini-Ash, advice to my teen self, and jonesing for Houston) -·G Reads!
Fun interview with a book blogger living in Houston. Find out all my secret food crushes.
2/07/12 - ·Influences and Inspirations (student notes, teaching trauma, and more) -·The Book Smugglers··**Giveaway**
See a page from my writer's notebook on a VERY bad teaching day and learn about the stuff students left behind.
2/08/12 - Behind the Cover Art for TK&TB·-·Sarah Laurence's Blog
Want to know how a book gets its cover? Check out this post for the inside scoop on TK&TB's cover art.
2/08/12 - Review of The Knife and the Butterfly -··The Book Smugglers
Possibly my favorite review yet... Ana finds words for what I'm trying to do in the novel that I hadn't yet found myself.
2/09/12 - Interview (including... my magical notebook, research in my garage, and ugly baby/book comparisons -·The Book Muncher
Good times with spray paint and my defense of why a writer shouldn't talk about a WIP too much.
So... there you have them: 7 reasons to click away from here today. But don't stay away too long--I want to see you back!
I'll be "traveling" the blogosphere with The Knife and the Butterfly blog tour until the end of February, then it's back to regular programming.
