Marketing your book takes time and effort

'I've said it before. Marketing your book takes time and effort. It often draws you out of your comfort zone. Authors by nature are solitary creatures. We work alone and do not disturb is always hanging on the door.
Technology can be very frightening to some, especially the older generation. It doesn't have to be. All marketing is done electronically these days and technology is key.
I'll be seventy in a couple weeks and believe me I'm learning all the time. I have to say I'm pretty good with the computer and the technology. I just keep pressing the buttons until it does what I want.
I know a couple authors that have written two or three books and still don't know how to copy and paste. Yesterday I had several calls from a frustrated author that didn't know how to download a file I sent her. We all learn at different speeds, but just because it's hard or difficult you can't give up.
One author wanted to market her eBook to libraries. That is a challenge. First you have to have your eBook on Overdrive for libraries. She saw my eBooks listed there and thought she could register and put her books on the site. It's not as easy as that. Overdrive is for publishers with a lot of books. I found that out the hard way after trying several times to get my eBooks there
For a self-publisher that has used KDP and signed up for Kindle select you have to get out of that. With Kindle Select you agree to be exclusively with KDP.
Next you have to upload your eBook files to a Distributer. I used Draft2Digital. for me it was very easy to use. The books were automatically listed on Overdrive for Libraries.
Talking to the author spurred me on to promoting to my local libraries that my eBooks were on Overdrive and available.
I had to create new sale sheets and call the libraries to find out who the proper person was to send them to. Don't you  hate it when people don't return phone calls?
I managed to send to two library systems and will find out the email for some more. I spent several hours doing this marketing today. It's what you have to do to be even a little bit successful. Most of the hours I spend with my writing is on marketing.
I have The Spell Box - Book four in the Green Lady Series half done and I'm anxious to finish it. It might sit on the back burner for a few weeks as I'm having surgery on a torn rotator cuff. That's what I get for not acting my age.
In the mean time my illustrator is working on my next children's book. I keep changing the title. At the moment it's Hayden and Fred. Fred is a caterpillar Hayden brings home from school. the book tells how it turns into a butterfly. 
That's me and Hayden in case you didn't guess. This will be my fifth Hayden book and my ninth children's book. Oh did I tell you that Sailing Away to Nod is a winner in the Florida Authors and Publishers President's award. 
Please send me your comments and questions. I love to help author learn the ropes.
​