Guest- Heather Redmond and a Giveaway

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Jessie- Enjoying sweater weather and evenings spent curled up knitting!

I am delighted to welcome Heather Redmond to the blog today! I love books with writers as protagonists and hers features one of the most revered writers of all!Take it away, Heather!

We book people are always chasing the latest social media trends in order to be where our readers are. I’ve been through MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and now TikTok, not to mention the various sites that weren’t so successful. How about you?

 I loved the countdowns to book releases on MySpace, the humor on Twitter, and the photos on Instagram. As I became artsy over the past three years, I have enjoyed posting my paintings there. In the past couple months, though, reels were introduced and it became obvious that the perfect social media for artists was changing to go up against this new kid on the block, TikTok. Now we need to make videos!

 That’s what I’m trying to do these days. #booktok is a thing on Tiktok, just like #bookstagram is on Instagram. If Facebook is now for Gen X, I’m hoping younger readers can be found on these other platforms. We authors just want our books to be seen, after all.

On Facebook, I concentrate on supporting other authors. I have my own book club, Heather’s Book Club, in The Drawing Room on Facebook where I read historical romance and give prizes every week. Want to join? We’re at https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheDrawingRoomHR. 

Now, though, it’s promo season for my upcoming release, The Pickwick Murders. It’s undeniably fun to go on Tiktok and find other authors to “duet” against – showing their video while mimicking their activities with my own books, or using “sounds” to create videos, which means you film yourself with a previously created audio track or musical track. On Tiktok my biggest hit so far was showing the first two Trixie Belden books, written in the late 1940s(!), to make the point that my childhood faves (read in the 80s) were still really good reads.

On Instagram, my “if you like this, read that” challenge, showing The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens and then my The Pickwick Murders, garnered close to seven thousand views. Does any of this generate sales? Maybe. But social media is best when the author themself is having fun creating content. I’m definitely enjoying myself and stretching my brain to learn new skills.

Readers, what social media site do you like best? Where do you find book recommendations? Answer below by October 29th to win a signed copy of A Christmas Carol Murder, my third A Dickens of a Crime mystery.North American residents only.

About the book:

In this latest reimagining of Dickens as an amateur sleuth, Charles is tossed into Newgate Prison on a murder charge, and his fiancée Kate Hogarth must clear his name . . .
 
London, January 1836: Just weeks before the release of his first book, Charles is intrigued by an invitation to join the exclusive Lightning Club. But his initiation in a basement maze takes a wicked turn when he stumbles upon the corpse of Samuel Pickwick, the club’s president. With the victim’s blood literally on his hands, Charles is locked away in notorious Newgate Prison.
 
Now it’s up to Kate to keep her framed fiancé from the hangman’s noose. To solve this labyrinthine mystery, she is forced to puzzle her way through a fiendish series of baffling riddles sent to her in anonymous poison pen letters. With the help of family and friends, she must keep her wits about her to corner the real killer—before time runs out and Charles Dickens meets a dead end . . .

About the author:

Heather Redmond is the author of many novels, novellas, and short stories under three names. She writes the A Dickens of a Crime and the Journaling mysteries series. Her novel, A Tale of Two Murders, received a coveted starred review from Kirkus and was a multi-week Barnes & Noble Hardcover Mystery Bestseller.

Published by Jessie Crockett

Jessie Crockett wears a lot of hats, both literally and literarily. As Jessie Crockett she is the Daphne Award winning author of Live Free or Die and the nationally bestselling Sugar Grove series. As Jessica Ellicott she has received starred reivews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal for her historical mystery Murder in an English Village. As Jessica Estevao she writes the Agatha Award nominated Change of Fortune Mysteries. She loves the beach, fountain pens, Mini Coopers and throwing parties. She lives in northern New England where she obsessively knits wool socks and enthusiastically speaks Portuguese with a shocking disregard for the rules of grammar.

43 Thoughts

  1. I’m not on any social media. I get my recommendations from the Wickeds’ blog and from my book club. Love this series!

  3. Bravo to you, Heather, for figuring that stuff out and using it! Our SINC chapter held a TikTok workshop in the summer and I really tried, but…I need a teenager to hold my hand through it, I think.

    And best of luck with the new book! It sounds fabulous.

    1. Also, the subject line of an email newsletter I got from Dana Kaye today was, “Why you should care about TikTok.” If Dana Kaye, queen of all publicists, says we should care – we should!

  4. Congrats on the new book Heather!

    I use Facebook and Twitter. That’s all I need and will use.

    I get recommendations from blog sites like Wicked Authors and Jungle Red Writers. Also, Bolo Books and Dru’s Book Musings. I also get them from author newsletters and from magazines like Mystery Scene, Suspense Magazine and The Big Thrill.

  5. I prefer Facebook, despite its issues. I have a Twitter and Instagram account but rarely on it.
    Thank you Jay for the shout-out.
    I scour multiple sites for books.

  6. Heather, I mostly just use Facebook and mystery fiction-related blogs like the Wickeds, Jungle Red Writers, Dru’s Book Musings, BOLO Books, Chicks on the Case for book recommendations. Occasionally I use Instagram if the author does not use Facebook. Never tried Twitter or Tik Tok. And I thought MySpace is gone…I used it in the past to follow musicians.

  7. Congrats on the new book!!! I like Facebook for keeping up with family, friends and my favorite authors. I like twitter when I want to tweet with people about certain topics mostly my favorite programs. I did have the privilege of chatting with B J Thomas and Nancy Sinatra once and I was thrilled that they took a few moments to chat with me. I also like Instagram for all the great pictures. Thank you for this chance at your giveaway!! pgenest57 at aol dot com

  8. Mainly Facebook, but I do have Instagram and Twitter. Facebook provides lots of posts about new books and authors, many book parties, which is plenty for me. I tend to get really overwhelmed with all the different social media platforms, so sticking with one is best for me. Also, Kindle and Bookreads provide suggestions for new books/authors. Your mystery about Charles Dickens sounds intriguing!

  9. I like Instagram because I like pictures. But when I want book recommendations, it’s still word-of-mouth, including blogs like the Wickeds or Jungle Red Writers, as well as Dru’s Book Musings or BOLO Books.

  10. I use Facebook daily. I find it a connection to favorite authors,a place to meet new friends, to get many ideas.

  11. The older I get – the slower I seem to be in getting what has to be done – done. That being said, it means that my computer time is limited by amount of time available as well as due to medical issues not being able to sit there much longer even if I had the time. Not a good person for change also plays into what and how I interact on line. Guess I’m one of the really, really old school because I only use Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. It’s those three that I use to find out about new books and to share my love of the ones I’ve read.

    Can’t wait for the opportunity to read “Christmas Carol Murder” which is most definitely on my TBR list.
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

  13. I like Instagram for the opportunity to exercise a different aspect of creativity when I post book photos and mini-reviews. I enjoy following book industry issues and politics on Twitter. I have a Facebook account, but don’t go there these days. I get lots of book recommendations from book bloggers, on Instagram, and elsewhere. I’m intrigued by Tik Tok. May give it a try next year.

  14. I do Facebook, since that’s where the rest of my friends and family are. And despite the issues, they have more variety of things you’re able to do on there. I feel it’s not as limited as the other sites.

    For books, I keep a running list of favorite series/authors and release dates. I’ll find new favorites by browsing the bookstore or at a library sale. Sometimes I’ll see an announcement of a new series on a favorite author’s newsletter or Facebook page and if it sounds good I’ll add it to the list to try out when it’s released.

  15. Congratulations on your book. I am a loyal Facebook member. I learn of new books as well as new authors on Facebook. I have attended many book launch parties for authors whose books I read and found so many additional authors to add to my shelves in my home library. I love to read and cozy mysteries and thrillers are my favorite books.

  16. Greetings! I am looking forward to reading your new book! I see a lot of book info and get ideas from Instagram and Twitter. Thanks!

  17. Oh, no! More new things to learn. I admit to being a Luddite when it comes to social media. I love FB and Instagram, but for book recommendations, blogs like this one, and word of mouth.

  18. Congrats on your book! I do Facebook for my favorite authors and have found new ones! I also subscribe to their letters. Thanks for the chance!!

  19. Facebook is my only social media site because it connects me with my family. I do get some book recommendations from Facebook, but I get most of them from the Goodreads website and also my local library’s website. I notify both Goodreads and my local library when I finish reading a book and then I give the book a rating. Subsequently,, both Goodreads and my local library send me an E-mail with book recommendations. It’s great!

  20. I mostly use Facebook for social media. I mostly get book recommendations from blogs and newsletters and authors that I follow on Facebook.

  21. I am on Facebook and that’s it for social media. I subscribe to many author newsletters and also blogs like Dru’s Book Musings that regularly feature upcoming releases. Congratulations on your new book!

  22. Congrats on the new release!

    I’ve got to admit that TikTok scares me. I just don’t have time for videos. I’m barely getting into Instagram, although I do really enjoy it. My pictures aren’t the best, but I’m having fun.

    And a special shout out from a fellow 80’s Trixie Belden reader. Still love those books!

  23. I like FB and that’s pretty much all the social media I do. I like to connect with family and friends and I love to interact with authors about their books. Thank you so much for the chance. Have a great weekend and stay safe.

  24. I use Facebook the most but I can’t say that I like it much anymore. There are too many ads for things I don’t need. I get a lot of book recs from bloggers I follow by email. I used to get a lot from Twitter but I don’t use it as much anymore. Have a great day!!

  25. I enjoy Facebook (most of the time). I learn about new authors through the author’s Facebook sites, emails that I receive from the authors as well as Bookbub and Goodreads. Thank you for the opportunity. God bless you.

  26. I use Facebook. I find out about books in Facebook parties, Bookbub, Goodreads, author’s newsletters, and via Dollycas’ blog.

  27. Great cover, Heather! I love the ability to put together collections on Pinterest for Tame Your Book!

  29. I mostly stick to the Quaker pages and a couple of author pages on Facebook, LinkedIn when I find the time.
    Author newsletters keep my inbox full.

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