In case you haven't noticed, I've been a bit busy lately. My regular writing week includes visiting your blogs and participating in the comments when it's appropriate. I try to post every day except Tuesday and Thursday. These are usually when I invite guests bloggers over. (Hint, this is my Friday post.)
Whenever I can steal a few hours, that becomes my writing time. I thought I might get a few hours today, but it wasn't meant to happen. There is just too much going on.
Guests and invites are becoming a regular, and welcome occurrence. This week I was interviewed by Mandy Eve Barnett, and did a blog swap with Ali Isaac. (Crawfish Boy, I crack myself up sometimes.) These would have happened in any normal week, and I enjoyed both invitations.
I volunteered to help Charles Yallowitz spread the word about his newest book, Sleeper of the Wildwood Fugue. Charles was so helpful that he provided a complete post, along with instructions for how to post it. It only took me a few seconds to upload. The graphics and everything were included and formatted. Awesome!
On top of this normal week, I also took Will O' the Wisp out for a blog tour. Just in case there is someone in this star system who doesn't know, I have a new book out and would like people to read it. It's the big one in my sidebar.
I hired 4-Wills Publishing to take care of the details, and I'm glad I did. All I had to do was email the posts, along with the peripheral materials and they took care of the rest.
They took care of a few extras too that I didn't expect. When I got an email about what to give away for my Rafflecopter promotion, my first thought was, What's a Rafflecopter? I thought it was some kind of crowd funding site. They are taking care of everything, so I don't have to worry about it. I told them I'd give away copies of Will O' the Wisp. I still don't know how it works, but I'm in it up to my neck now. Who knows, maybe someone will win a copy and really enjoy it. Tell your friends, etc.
They also set me up with a Goodreads author event. I'm supposed to be there tomorrow between 12:00 and 2:00 CST. I hope they meant daylight savings time. I'm on mountain time, so that would be 11:00 and 1:00 for me, unless they really meant standard time. I've never participated in this format before, so it's a test to see if I can figure it out.
4-Wills also set me up with this cool web-page. It lists all the places along the tour, provides a link to the Rafflecopter, and allegedly tells us all how to find the author event. I'm extremely grateful for the folks who volunteered to host this shindig. Which brings me to another topic…
Etiquette. That's right, a bearded old curmudgeon is going to talk about etiquette. Emily Post died several decades before we had the Internet to worry about, so it's been every-man-for-himself out there. I have a personal code about this, and I do my best to follow it. It's based upon this premise: Someone out there did me a solid favor.
When someone does me a kindness, it's up to me to return the favor. When Mari Wells posts an awesome review, or Mandy Eve Barnett interviews me, or Ali Isaac agrees to a blog swap – I'm going to reblog the posts. This is my attempt to drive them some blog traffic. I'm also going to surf back through and participate in the comments, because it matters. I generally surf back through for three days to a week, so comment away. This is important, because if someone comments on another blog I don't get notified. I have to check in.
Add in all the wonderful folks who hosted the blog tour, and there's been a whole lot of reblogging going on around here. If my blog is your only point of contact, it might seem a little repetitious. Please remember that these people did a favor for me, and they might be the kind of people you want to associate with one day yourself. Please consider visiting them and checking out their blogs.
In other news, critique group went well last night. I sent them two micro fictions and one that reaches into short story territory. They were well received, and I got a few good suggestions. Sometime this weekend I need to go through them and make changes. I'm struggling with what to submit next month. More short stuff or the first part of my new novel project?
I also forced myself to get a haircut today. (Inspired by Sue Nichols.) My daughter did a great job. My wife really ought to take me out this weekend. I am some serious eye candy right now.
What do you folks have to say? Has anyone messed around with Rafflecopter? Do you believe in blogging etiquette? Are your rules different than mine? Is anyone else out there so busy they can't think straight?
Entertaining Stories 
I used Rafflecopter once and had no idea what I was doing. Another author helped me. I’m more a fan of giveaways. Where do we go for the Goodreads event? That sounds like it’s 11 and 1 for me, so I might be able to make it.
I try to return the favor when someone does me a favor. Reblogging and retweeting are the big ones. I sign up for blog tours when I catch the volunteer calls too. This week has been so busy that my head is still spinning. Plan on taking part of next week to take it easy with small projects and leave the next writing project for after my Wednesday Twubs chat. Enjoy the weekend.
LikeLike
This is all I have https://www.goodreads.com/event/show/959406-will-o-the-wisp-blog-tour I have no idea how to log in, but they claim the site becomes a log in site just ahead of time. It’s central time, so it might be 1:00 to 3:00 in the east.
I understand about being busy. I need to write something.
LikeLike
Thanks. I’ll try my best.
LikeLike
I haven’t done a rafflecopter but friends have. They called on their friends to donate things to be given away during their rafflecopter. I gave a couple of digital copies of my book away in their desired format. People were donating $10.00 Amazon cards, swag from their own books (like coffee mugs and t-shirts and bookmarks), movie passes, ebooks, paperbacks. It was a fun deal. As one of the winners, I received an ebook and later did a review on it. It was a fun gig.
LikeLike
I’m all for learning something new. It could be pretty fun. They told me I could include my other stories, but it didn’t feel right to me. Maybe I should have given some lucky person a bundle of stories.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That would be great. Do you still have time to add gifts? I would donate an ebook to a winner. Maybe your other contacts have something they would like to share.
LikeLike
You’re blowing my mind now. I’ve only just heard about this, and it’s got to have time to sink in. So you can give literally anything?
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s what I understood about it. The variety makes it interesting. Ask your peeps about it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think you need to get in touch with 4wills
LikeLike
What am I missing here? They are taking care of things and I get to learn something. I assume I’ll have to enter my Goodreads data to log in. If I’m wrong I’ll look like an idiot, but I’ve been an idiot before.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m amazed you’re managing to keep up with it all! All the reblogging, and remembering to go back and visit all the sites to join in with comments, it’s quite a feat! I’ve seen rafflecopters a few times, and entered a couple of times, and as others have said, there was lots of different prizes as part of it. I’m not sure that I really understand how it all works!
LikeLike
I keep reminding myself that I wanted all this. One week of hard pushing I can handle. The Rafflecopter is interesting. I’ll know more about it after I see it from the other side.
LikeLike
Busy so I can’t see straight — check! Blog etiquette — check! No on the rafflecopter, but the company you hired sounds fabulous! Good luck with your Goodreads event. I’m sure you’ll do great. Just have fun with it, Mr. Eye Candy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am committed to see this tour through. This includes all the peripheral items. After that I may collapse.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree with everything you said, my friend. 🙂 And, no, I’ve never heard of a rafflecopter, but it does sound intriguing. Good luck! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m with you on etiquette and I find it really hard to keep up with everything. I’m going to try a good reads giveaway first and when I have a few more followers I will give raffle copter or something similar a try.
Cheers
MTM
LikeLike
I can’t tell anyone what works. I still think it’s good to have a plan, and it sounds like you have one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mwahahahaharg… Sort of. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Busy! ACK! I’m out of control right now, which is why I’m only now hopping on to comment on your post. I know it’s really hard to stay on top of thing when you’re doing a blog tour, plus doing regular posts and writing on top of it. You seem to be doing a fantastic job.
I haven’t written a single word since March 30th 😦 due to some office chaos that has sapped the life out of me. I have no ambition until I get home in the evening. At least it should all be resolved within the next week, and hopefully I can start blogging again (as well as making a revision my editor is requesting to my Mothman book).
Regarding Rafflecopter….I’ve used it before and I’ve also done giveaways without it. Rafflecopter makes it easy to manage the entries, especially if you’re running your giveaway over a long period of time. And you get set “actions” people have to take (like following you on Twitter, commenting on a blog post or following your blog, etc), in order to enter the giveaway. It assigns points for each action, so the more actions a person takes, the better chance they have of winning. Personally, I’m not a fan of Rafflecopter. I’d rather manage my own giveaway, but I do see it’s use when you’ve got 100s of people entering!
LikeLike
I may have to dial it in on the blog for a week. Things got pretty busy. The Rafflecopter is finished. There were 4 winners, but 2 already bought WOW. One has already reviewed it. I’m emailing them to see if they would like an alternate title. My 9 to 5 has been pretty hectic too. My wife and I are going to escape in a couple of weeks.
LikeLike