Black Cow Book Blog Tour Day 18: Karen Cioffi

Today I'm visiting Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing blog to talk about using video for book promotion (with a few examples). "Video is a very powerful promotional medium and a fantastic way to connect with readers around the globe. Creating a video can be as complex as making a movie (and indeed it can be a small movie), or as simple as opening your webcam and reading a little from your book. I've done both in the promotions for my new novel Black Cow." Drop by Karen's blog for the full piece, and don't forget to add your comment, tweet, or share in some way or another entry to our giveaway.

Black Cow Book Blog Tour Day 17: Do North

As the Black Cow tour presses on, I'm visiting Mary Jo Guglielmo's blog Do North where I'm exploring the elements of storytelling that lead to modern meaning making. "Good fiction encourages the reader to see the familiar in new ways. This can change mental models and open the way to further discovery, perception, and changing understanding based on what the reader experiences. The reading becomes a cooperative experience between the reader and writer as they collaborate on the “performance”of the reading."  Please drop by Do North to check out the full post, and add your own performance by virtue of comments.  

Black Cow Book Blog Tour Day 16: Dark Phantom Review

Mayra Calvani at the Dark Phantom Review has put up a wonderful review of Black Cow today. "Black Cow is the absorbing, moving story of a family trying to stay together in a world full of consumerism, a place devoid of spirituality and deep emotional connections. This is a tale that will make you pause and ponder about the quality of your own life. Ball writes with skilful perception and attention to human emotions and motivations." For the full, detailed review, please drop by Mayra's blog.

Black Cow Book Blog Tour Day 15: Author Showcase at Paper Dragon Ink

Today as part of the ongoing Black Cow Blog Tour, I'm the Author Showcase at Paper Dragon Ink talking about, among other things, my (many) influences and inspirations, my new projects, including a little promo on novel 3 and a very interesting project which has just involved the signing of a contract with an agent (more on that soon!), where I'll be when zombies take over the world, my kids' nickname for me, the one piece of writing I feel everyone should read before they die, a fact that most people wouldn't believe about me (it's true! I'll post up a picture one of these days to prove it), and lots of other really interesting tidbits.  Why not scoot on over and say hello (and of course also gain another entry into my tour draw).

Black Cow Book Blog Tour Day 14: Visit to Heidi M. Thomas

I'm out on the trail today, visiting Heidi M Thomas's blog for another interview.  Heidi asks me a range of questions including why I choose to work in different genres, my favourite authors (I fear I give a different answer to this question everytime I'm asked - I have so many 'favourites!), and of course, where to get hold of Black Cow (if you don't already know by now!).  Do please drop by and comment, retweet, pin, or share in some way for another entry in the big draw - we're not that far off the end now - phew!

Black Cow Book Blog Tour Day 13: Poetic Muselings

Today on my blog tour, I've dropped by the website of the Poetic Muselings to answer their rather unique questions in a candid interview about Black Cow and its poetry, the debt that the book owes to both Kafka's Metamorphosis and the film American Beauty, my favourite scene in the book, and my writing process.  Don't forget to comment, retweet, pin the page on Pintarest, or share on Facebook for entries in the Book Blog tour comp - we've got a $20 Amazon gift voucher, book packs, magnets, a bag and lots more!

Black Cow Book Blog Tour Day 12: Writers Workshop

The month is rushing by, and tomorrow, day 12 (and also March 12, if you live in the north), I'll be doing a workshop on creating customised Facebook pages, 7pm US EST.  Unfortunately we will not be recording this workshop, so if you're keen, you'll have to attend live.  The workshop is free, however, and all attendees will get a copy of the slide pack. So what's it all about?  We're going to learn how to create your own Facebook fan page. We’ll cover templates and self-made options, how to add multiple tabs, the best way to convert visitors to readers, and more, showing you exactly how you can make your own page as exciting as your books. If you can't attend, but are still interested, just drop by my Facebook fan page and like it (of course), and you'll see exactly what we'll be talking about.