Hello Elle! Thank you so much for allowing me to share with your precious readers today. I am more than honored. Before I begin, let me introduce myself. My name is NONNIE JULES and I am a mother of two, wife of one, loyal friend, dog lover, avid reader, relentless promoter of others and an Author. Today is the fifth stop on my blog tour and we've had so much fun thus far. Hopefully, you will follow us for the rest of the tour.
I want to talk to you all today about networking via social media and how very beneficial it can be. I will use my new-found friendship with Elle Bright as an example for starters.
Elle and I met via Facebook and somehow or another we started chatting about our books. I will admit that I had noticed her book cover long before we started chatting and how nice it was, and from there preceded to ask her who had done it for her. She told me that she was the talent behind the cover (although she did not use those words, they are all mine, it was obvious that she really is talented). Then she, out of the blue, offered to help me with the cover for my new book, but she didn't HELP at all...she single-handedly created and designed the entire cover herself! I am new to this book scene and am also new to social media, so that particular task I was dreading because I didn't even know how, or where to start. I had asked other people on Twitter how they'd done it, but none of the responses were helpful at all. They were generic blow-offs like: "I used PhotoShop. It's easy" PERIOD, or "Just Google how to do it. Google shows you how to do everything." PERIOD. Well, I don't, nor do I want to learn anything about PhotoShop (I'm just too old, too tired and don't believe that there is enough room left in my brain for any new information to be stored anyway). And Google...well, didn't want to have to sit through another how-to video, either. I was at my wits end and then, there came ELLE!
Elle tirelessly scoured the web until she found the perfect photos for my cover, told me how to get the license to use the photos, and over many, many days, she changed this, and changed that (over and over and over again) until it was all satisfactory to me. Now, this is a person who has never laid eyes on me, yet she went above and beyond to take on this massive project FOR ME! And the cover of my soon-to-be-released novel "DAYDREAM'S DAUGHTER, NIGHTMARE'S FRIEND" which you see here, is the work of the phenomenally talented, ever-supportive, ELLE BRIGHT!
So, continuing on to how networking and building friendships is beneficial via social media. My first book "THE GOOD MOMMIES' GUIDE TO RAISING (ALMOST) PERFECT DAUGHTERS", 100 Tips On Raising Daughters Everyone Can't Help But Love, had just hit the shelves of a major book store and Elle had mentioned to me that she had tried to get her books on the shelf of book stores before, but was unsuccessful. I thought to myself "She's doing this wonderful thing for me, FREE of charge, I want to do something major for her." So, I did. I worked a little magic, waved a little wand (that I borrowed from a friend's two year old daughter), and now Elle's book sits on shelves of a major book store as well!!!
So, the lesson here is to get out there and make those connections. Welcome those new people who sit behind a keyboard just like you, into your virtual world. And when you do welcome them in, go into that new connection with the mindset of "How can I be of service to them? Not "what can they do for me?" When you live your life to be of service to others, wonderful things happen to you and for you. Just think, if I had not met Elle, I'd still be sitting here right now wondering what I was going to do about a cover for my novel. And I'm sure without me, Elle's book would have made it onto the shelves of a major book store because she's a talented writer, but let's just say, it made it there a whole lot quicker because of me. We helped each other! And we have vowed to ALWAYS help one another. That's what making social connections and networking is all about.
So if you've been afraid to jump out there and make some connections, I would advise you to let go of that feeling fast. I know that sometimes fear of the unknown, fear of what's behind that keyboard, keeps us safe in our own space, but you can still be cautious and yet continue to build that connections and alliances that will help you to reach new heights professionally. GO FOR IT! You will be so glad you did!
My time is up here so I'd like to invite you all to follow me on twitter @nonniejules and on my blog WATCH NONNIE WRITE! www.nonniewrites.wordpress.com. There's always something interesting going on there, I assure you.
I would also like to invite you to check out my books... "THE GOOD MOMMIES' GUIDE TO RAISING (ALMOST) PERFECT DAUGHTERS" at www.amazon.com/dp/B00CP62O56, on www.createspace.com/4355124 and for signed/autographed copies go to www.nonniesbookstore.com. You will find the book trailer here on YouTube at http://youtu.be/zg15rptFN2g. And thru the end of my book tour which ends September 5, I am giving away a $25 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner who has purchased a copy of "THE GOOD MOMMIES' GUIDE..." during the month of August. Please visit www.nonniesbookstore.com for details.
My first novel "DAYDREAM'S DAUGHTER, NIGHTMARE'S FRIEND" is due to release on Amazon by September 1, 2013 (let's all cross our fingers). If you would like to pre-order an advance copy at the low price of only $10, you may do so by visiting www.nonniesbookstore.com, where you can also read an excerpt from the book. You will also find the book trailer on YouTube at http://youtu.be/qbUK3XQ5-dA.
As a reminder my blog tour doesn't end until September 5, so I hope that you will continue to follow it every step of the way. You will find a schedule of all the stops on my site at wp.me/p3sUCq-jr.
Thank you all once again, and I wish you nothing but peace, love, happiness and many great reads!
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