I may be crazy, but not about this :)
Any author can do a book tour from the comfort of their home. Even if there are two feet of snow in your driveway, you can still have a book tour. It is critical that you have a computer, an internet connection and electricity - but it can definitely be done.
One of the authors that will tour with me in February is even going to be traveling for one week during the month, but she will still be promoting her book.
We've all had book signings where very few people attended. Sadly, book signings with authors aren't the big attraction that they used to be. It can be very expensive and disheartening to plan to book signing and to have only a handful of people attend.
But, there is another way. I suggest that you have a virtual book tour. These are also called virtual blog tours. There are a number of ways to conduct these tours. You can visit a bunch of different blogs throughout the month and encourage potential readers to chase you around. Or, there is a brand new option that I'm very excited about.
With a friend, I just launched a new and different virtual book tour website. I like new, unusual and creative promotional activities because they are more fun and more memorable. That's one of the reasons I'm excited about this new site and a new way to hold a virtual book tour. Another reason is because this program gives the author control of their tour. Now, if you're an author who doesn't want any control, that's fine. Our authors have the choice to control their tour personally or to have me coordinate each aspect of the tour for them. The possibilities will increase over time and I'd be happy to discuss any ideas with you to customize the tour for you.
Definition of a Virtual Blog or Book Tour
1. Simply, a virtual blog tour is a cyber “tour” of various blogs and websites. These blogs and websites usually have themes that are within the book that is being promoted on the tour. This “tour” allows authors to reach many people as they travel through the blogosphere.
2. A tour contains a set of blog, website interviews, reviews or guest posts that are posted on a series of blogs during a set amount of time. Various blog owners host you and many ask you interview questions about your book or they may request that you write a piece about a specific part or element of your book.
3. Virtual blog tours are a wonderful alternative to a “live” bookstore tour. A bookstore tour can be very expensive, consume a lot of your time, take you away from your family and job and there is no guarantee that it will be successful. A blog tour can be done from home and in your pajamas if that’s what you prefer.
TTThe Virtual Book Tour Website
I invite each person to visit the new site. The address is www.inspiredauthor.com/promotion. This is a site that was created exclusively to promote author book tours and to make it easy for potential readers to learn more about a wide variety of books and authors.
Each touring author is given a section of the website to promote their books. For a couple of examples, feel free to visit -
http://inspiredauthor.com/promotion/february-authors-2008. This page links you to each author that is touring in February and I will create a similar page for touring authors each month. In February, we have three authors touring at this point and I'm talking with several more. For more information about the February authors, visit that page and click on their name. These authors include: Earl Ofari Hutchinson, Steven Clark Bradley and Virginia Vassallo.
This page takes you to Earl Ofari Hutchinson's information
http://inspiredauthor.com/promotion/Earl+Hutchinson+-+Feb+2008 and all information throughout the month will be in this same location. In addition, the various posts will remain in our archives for people to view even after the tours are over. The site is designed in a way that attracts the search engines and that will generate links to your information.
I'm writing a short e-book for each of our touring authors to help them learn to use the site, how to create a variety of items to post during their tour and ways to make the most of their tour. I'm also available to help with questions and to offer suggestions of ways to make the most of your tour. Another great advantage is that each author can benefit from the traffic generated for the other touring authors on the site.
The site also offers the chance for website, newsletter and blog owners to promote their sites to visitors. These are site "sponsors". All I ask is that the blog and website owners post a simple promotional message once a week. I'll supply a message for the sponsors to use. This is one of the ways the touring authors will be promoted around the internet. If you're a blog or website owner, feel free to contact me for more information. I can be reached at nikki_leigh22939@yahoo.com. I would love to talk to you about the options to promote your book.
Nikki Leigh - Author of the Book Promo 101 series
Visit
www.nikkileigh.com/promo.htm for more information
Tours on the virtual book tour website begin at only $105 for a full month.
Don't miss out on an opportunity to virtually meet up with award winning author JIM MUSGRAVE author of President's Parasite. He's touring the entire month of July. Check out his schedule at Promo 101 Virtual Blog Tours. 
