It’s Book Launch Time – 7 Ways You Can Help!

Emerging: Stories from the Other Side of a Cancer Diagnosis, Loss, and a Pandemic is now available to readers everywhere — readers like you!

So, yes, it’s official. It’s book launch time! Woohoo!

Book launch time is a mighty big deal for any author. It’s exciting (and scary) when a piece of writing you’ve poured so much of yourself into, not to mention time, finally makes its way onto the world’s bookshelf (okay, Amazon’s, but that’s basically the same thing, right?) and into the hands of readers.

Every author starts this part of the process — the marketing part — with high hopes. I mean, who doesn’t want to launch the next best seller?

It was hard to decide what to include in this post. What do I say to generate interest? Should I share snippets and/or words of praise? How do I ask for help?

Self-promotion is hard, but necessary in Writing World.

But where’s the line between just enough and too much?

I have no idea.

So, I hope you’ll bear with me, read to the end of this post, decide you want to be part of my launch team, and, of course, read the book.

What are the main topics covered in Emerging?, you might be asking.

Emerging is divided into 4 sections:

Part 1 – Cancer, Part 2 – Loss (I’m an Orphan Now), Part 3 – Pandemic, and Part 4 – Emerging (a tying together of all the themes)

Topics include: cancer worry, amputations (mastectomies), lumpectomies, breast reconstruction (including opting out), survivor guilt, becoming parentless, pet grief, moving forward (not on), pandemic peculiarities, aging, facing life challenges as an introvert, self-acceptance, resilience, and more.

Hopefully, I’ve sparked your interest.

Now, it’s time to ask for YOUR help. (No matter what the situation, why is asking for help so hard to do?)

So, here goes…

7 ways YOU can be part of my launch team!

1. Write a review on Amazon (and other booksellers), your blog, or on your social media accounts.

When I shop online, I read reviews. (Do you?) Reviews are super helpful for improving rankings, increasing sales, and yes, making authors feel good. Everybody needs encouragement.

Reviews needn’t feel like book reports; a couple sentences will do.

2. Share, share, share!

Tell others (everyone you know? 😆) about Emerging.

Word of mouth matters, be it face-to-face or on social media. Shares, likes, posts to your Facebook page, Twitter or Instagram feeds, or gifting physical copies are ways YOU can show support. (You can also gift digital copies.)

3. Follow me, and other authors you like, on social media and subscribe to our email lists.

Subscribe to my weekly emails here. If you’re already a subscriber, thank you!

4. Ask your local library to order Emerging, and other books you like not currently on the shelves.

5. Buy an extra copy of Emerging to donate to your cancer center’s library or other places that accept donated books.

Funeral homes sometimes have libraries, too, and welcome donated books.

6. If you belong to a book club, suggest Emerging as your club’s pick-of-the-month.

Bulk pricing is available. Discussion questions are in the works.

7. If and when you read Emerging, take a photo of yourself opening the mailing package, reading it, holding it, sharing it, or whatever.

If you’re reading on your phone, tablet, Kindle, or other device, take a photo of yourself doing that!

Post the photo on your social media accounts. Tag me, and/ or send it to me, and I’ll share it on mine — with your permission, of course.

Those are the ideas I’ve come up with so far. I would love to hear your ideas for ways you and other readers can be part of my launch team. Share them in the comments below.

I’ll wrap up this post with words of praise shared by some generous folks. I’m humbled and oh-so grateful they so willingly shared their sentiments about Emerging.

Emerging touched my heart and often had me shaking my head in agreement. Nancy doesn’t sugarcoat…and that allows her readers to reach their own emotions and perspective. Another wonderful and poignant read.

— Lisa Valentine, blogger, and lead author of April in Pieces, What Life has Dished Up, and My Sister Said

A return to normal may not be possible after a life-altering diagnosis or event. However, drawing from her own experiences…Nancy shows how she was able to adapt, relearn, refocus, and reinvent — providing inspiration and hope for anyone trying to emerge from their challenges.

— Deanna J. Attai, MD, FACS

Emerging is captivating, candid, and therapeutic. As a cancer patient, Nancy’s book has helped me moved forward in life. I highly recommend it to anyone facing trauma.

— Gogs Gagnon, author of Prostate Cancer Strikes: Navigating the Storm

If you’ve lived a fairy-tale life with no hard things, this book is not for you. For the rest of us, Emerging offers straight talk, realistic hope, dismantling of the myth of back to normal, and a fresh focus on emerging well.

— Sue Robins, author of Ducks in a Row: Healthcare Reimagined

I shared words of praise from Carolyn Thomas, blogger and author of A Woman’s Guide to Living with Heart Disease, in an earlier post, Emerging: Stories from the Other Side of a Cancer Diagnosis, Loss, and a Pandemic. You can read her kind words there as well as more info about Emerging.

Whew, you made it to the end! Thank you.

P.S. 10% of profits from any or all my books is donated to support research specific to metastatic breast cancer. In the past, I’ve donated annually to the non-profit METAvivor.

Thank you for supporting my writing AND advocacy. I can’t do this without YOU. Seriously, I cannot.

I can’t wait for your feedback — if and when you choose to read Emerging!

Thank you for reading and sharing this post!

Do you have any book marketing ideas to share?

Do you generally write book reviews for books you like – or don’t like? Why or why not?

What are you reading right now and/or what’s on your to-read list?