What exactly is an internet presence? Just like curb appeal is the way a house looks from the street, internet presence is the way a person or group appears to internet users. It’s the information about you – and your book – that people can access online.

The whole purpose of an internet presence, or any marketing effort for that matter, is to allow potential readers to become familiar with you and your work.

There are a number of different ways to connect with readers (and potential readers) using the internet, and successful authors are able to decide what tools work best for them. Today I’ll give a nickel tour of Blogs, Websites, Newsletters and Twitter. And then I’ll point you at sources who’s information is worth much, much more than five cents.

First – the Author Blog. I mention blogging first, not because it’s the most important, but it’s the area where I have the most experience. Blog is short for web log, and it provides a way for people to share their thoughts with the world. It’s essentially a self-published internet news feed.

So how does a blog help market an author and a book? Ideally, the author will write interesting things that attract and hold the attention of potential readers. These readers then become familiar with the author and seek out their work. The trick, however, is coming up with content. A blog where every post is “Buy My Book” will probably not get many followers.

Looking through the blogs I follow, they tend to be one of three kinds: Slice of life blogs by people I like, slice of life blogs by people in Hawaii (where my novel is set and my heart still resides), and blogs about writing and publishing. Oh, and the one with funny pictures of cats.

I read blogs that give me something – useful information, a personal connection, vicarious experiences, or a smile. The best blogs give me two or three somethings, and do it in an ADD-sized package.

As for me and my blog, the goal is to give you a little bit of each.

One industry blog I read is LDSPublisher. She has a series of posts about author blogging that is extremely helpful, complete with links to even more great information.

Second – the Author Website. You will notice I don’t have one. But not because I don’t think it’s important – I know that a good author website is very important. As I say around here often, “It’s on my to-do list.” My goal is to have one live by the middle of March. (There – now it’s in writing, and I’m accountable to you.)

An author website doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive, but in order to be effective it should be easy – easy to find, easy to navigate, and easy to maintain.

Now, I’ve done some web development in my time, but I’m by no means an expert. However, you are in luck, because it just so happens I know someone who is.

Jordan McCollum (not to be confused with Jordan MacDonald – my book’s main character [I didn't copy the name, I promise!]) is a talented member of my online writing group and an Author Website expert. Over on her blog, she has a series of posts about successful author websites, and gives highly insightful critiques on the websites of several brave volunteers.

Her tremendously valuable advice, along with links to the website critiques, can be found in this free PDF Guide to Aspiring Author Websites. (Believe me – you will want to check out all of her guides – they are great.)

Third – The Author Email Newsletter. As I’ve read authors and agents blog about internet marketing, they all mention Author Email Newsletters as a way to share information with a captive, attentive audience. For a long time, I disregarded this method as a pre-blog phenomenon that wasn’t really relevant any longer.

I now believe I was mistaken. True, newsletters and blogs have much the same goal – share interesting information and a personal connection with readers. And likely, the information shared would be very much the same.

So if an author has a blog, why would they want to have a newsletter, too? The answer, I believe, is that blog readers and newsletter subscribers aren’t necessarily the same people.

Blog reading is an active pursuit – if I want to read what a blogger has to say, I enter their address in my browser, or select a bookmark, or click their name in my blog reader.

Newsletters are more passive – I sign up once, and then on a regular basis, the newsletter comes to me.

My thoughts on email newsletters changed in part due to a guest post by Abel Keogh on Jaime Theler’s blog entitled Email Marketing Tips for Authors. In this post, Abel explains not only the why’s of email marketing, but does a great job at covering the how’s. I encourage you to check it out.

Fourth – Twitter. I confess, I avoided Twitter for a long time – I just didn’t get it. In fact, my twitter account (@writerdc) is less than two weeks old. But in the limited amount of time I’ve had to play with it, I think I finally understand why Twitter is such a big deal. I also understand why 60% of new Twitter users give up after less than a month.

Twitter is essentially like blogging, but with posts 140 characters or less. Just like email newsletters and blogs, Twitter has its own unique reach and a potentially different audience. And the secret to connecting with others on Twitter is also the same: Provide interesting and entertaining content.

While my adventure with Twitter is just beginning, others have become Twitter experts. I now point you back to Jaime Theler’s blog, for this educational and entertaining series of posts on Twitter, and how it can be used as an author tool.

How much do I really need to do? Not everyone has the time to blog every day – and that’s okay. My goal here on the Delusion Blog is to post tri-weekly (although sometimes that’s ‘try weakly’). I think it’s important to be consistent, so that readers know what to expect when they visit.

Twitter and the blogosphere and the internet in general can be a tremendous time suck if you let them. Find a mix of tools and techniques that work for you, and then have fun.

Wow! It’s the last Friday of January already. Do you know what that means?

That’s right! It’s almost Groundhog Day. It also means that there will soon be more available treadmills and ellipticals at the gym. And, of course, the W-2’s and 1099 are coming fast and furious. Yes, it’s that time already.

But it also means giveaway time here at 90,000 Words of Delusion, and I aim to deliver.

Since I’ve been having so much fun plotting and planning my new story, I thought I would give you the tools you need to follow in my footsteps. So I took the last of my Christmas money to Wal-Mart and picked up a notebook and colored pens, so you can plot like me.

I also got a nice bar of dark chocolate for you to use as you see fit: Feed your muse; incentivise yourself; bribe the kids to leave you alone for an hour; include it as an “offering” with your next query letter (not recommended).

Now, this kind of awesome giveaway should probably require you to do some work, so I’m going to hold a Title Contest. I’ve gone through dozens of titles for my last book, and just not loved any of them. So I’m going to ask you for help.

Each title suggestion you make will give you an entry in the drawing, to be held next Friday, February 6th. Now, I make no promises about actually using one of your titles since, as you may know, authors have very limited say over what their book is finally called. But I thought this would be fun.

Okay – here are the details on the book that will help you brainstorm an awesome title. The story is a contemporary romantic coming-of-age. The main character is a male student at BYU-Hawaii who works in a flower shop. Factoring significantly into the story are small planes and flying lessons, flower leis, and a tendency to hide the truth in order to avoid conflict.

Have at it. I’m dying to see your suggestions!

Hi, all! I hope you had a great New Years Eve and managed to sleep in a little this morning. My wife and youngest daughter crashed out about 10:30, and I was ready to go to bed at 11:00. But when I said “Good-night” to my oldest, who had built up a good head of steam at the Young Men/Young Women party earlier in the evening, she burst into tears and locked her sobbing self in the bathroom. I coaxed her out and agreed to stay up until midnight with her.

We did a puzzle. Well, half a puzzle – it was hard.

I didn’t quite reach my goal of finishing this revision yesterday, but I managed to put in the time needed to wrap up today. Woo Hoo! This rewrite has taken nearly three months (!) and I still have at least two weeks worth of editing – probably more like a month – but there were many significant changes, so the time is understandable. And hopefully within the editor’s acceptable timeframe. We’ll see.

When I started with this rewrite back in October, the story was 79,000 words. Today, the manuscript weighs in at a hefty 99,000+. I’m thinking I may need to trim that a bit. I’m excited to print this thing, read it with fresh eyes, and see how I like it.

But listen to me ramble. You didn’t come here to find out how my book is going. All you want to know is who will be drinking hot cocoa from their new cocoa maker next week. That would be – Annette Lyon! Congratulations, Annette! Send your snail mail address to dcarey68 (at) sbcglobal (dot) net.

And thanks to everyone for playing!

Here at our house, one of our favorite things is our Mr. Coffee Cafe Motion hot cocoa maker. We use it almost daily. Perfect cocoa every time! Well, dear readers, I have an extra, and in honor of our highly unusual White Texas Christmas, I’m going to give it away to YOU! That’s right – one lucky reader will get their very own, new in the box cocoa maker.

Just leave a comment saying what your favorite kind of cocoa is, or what your favorite Christmas present was (given or received), and you will be entered into a drawing to take place after midnight on New Years Eve.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas – we sure did – and is in line to have an outstanding 2010!

Before I announce the winner of last week’s Stolen Christmas giveaway, I want to send a shout out to the Kahuku Red Raiders football team, who will be competing for the Hawaii Division I football state championship. Go Red Raiders!

I found a place on the web that is will be streaming audio of the game. It starts at 7:30 HST, which is 11:30 CST, so maybe I’ll just check the web first thing tomorrow morning. But if you are interested, the link can be found here.

And now, for the the winner of a copy of Stole Christmas: Jewel Allen!

Congratulations Jewel. And yes, Jewel won the September giveaway, too. No, I’m not playing favorites – I was tempted to try and spread the wealth, but Jewel won fair and square. (She says her husband is a vet, but I’m starting to think maybe he really works for Random.org…)

Congratulations, Jewel, and thanks to all who entered. If you just don’t think you can live without this book, it’s not too late to purchase your very own copy (or two or three) by clicking here.

Have a great weekend, everyone! And again, Go Kahuku!

This is a Black Friday deal you won’t find in any newspaper ad: your very own free copy of the hot new Christmas story compilation, Stolen Christmas.

This book, as you probably already know, contains a story written by Yours Truly. And to celebrate, I’m giving away a free copy to one lucky reader. All you have to do is leave a comment, and you are entered. Since this contest is starting during a holiday weekend, I’ll keep it open for a full week, and pick a winner next Friday!

Optional: If you would like, include in your comment something you are thankful for. I am thankful for you! Without my bloggy buddies, life would be so much less exciting. So thank you for coming by the Delusion Blog and sharing in my delusions with me.

There’s a new Christmas story collection available, and I’m part of it!

The book is called Stolen Christmas and it’s a compilation of winning stories from the LDSPublisher blog annual Christmas story contest. These books are being sold for the very affordable amount of $7.99. You can’t even buy a hardback bestseller from Wal-Mart for that price! To purchase your very own copy (or two or three), click here.

By Lds Publisher, Roger Bonner, Don Carey, Laura Craner, Joyce DiPastena, Sarah M. Eden, L. T. Elliot, Gussie Fick, Melanie Goldmund, M. Gray, Taegyn Hutchinson, Angie Lofthouse, Lori Nawyn, Tristi Pinkston, Brian C. Ricks, Sandra Sorenson, Janice Sperry, Christine Thackeray

What happens when you’re so poor you have to steal your Christmas presents? Have you ever taken a punch in the face as your Christmas gift to the girl you love? Or saved Christmas while hunting were-weevils?

These award-winning Christmas stories are the best of the best from the LDS Publisher Christmas Story Contests. From Christmases past, to present, to future; from sweet and inspirational, to zany and delightful-there’s a story for everyone in this eclectic collection.

Seventeen stories to celebrate the season, from Sarah M. Eden, Tristi Pinkston, Joyce DiPastena, Christine Thackeray, Don Carey, and more.

Recently, I received an email from my friend Tristi Pinkston, Senior Editor of the new Valor Publishing Group, asking if I would read and review Am I Not A Man? The Dred Scott Story as part of its virtual book tour. The book was written by Utah Attorney General Mark L. Shurtleff, and is the first title to be published by Valor.

I jumped at the chance to read and review this book, as I have heard a lot about it, and the story it tells marks a pivotal moment in the history of this great nation. Plus, I’m always happy to let someone send me a free book.

The complete description of this book can be found below, but in a nutshell, Dred Scott was a slave who took his fight for freedom all the way to the U. S. Supreme Court. The Court’s decision in the case of Scott vs. Sanford galvanized both sides in the slavery debate, and was referenced heavily in the successful presidential campaign of Abraham Lincoln.

Am I Not A Man? The Dred Scott Story is a very powerful book. It is a novelization of true events, and as such, some liberties were taken in inventing dialog and details, but the story itself comes straight out of history. Many of the facts surrounding slavery in the United States are unpleasant at best, and often downright brutal. Because of this, Am I Not A Man? can be difficult to read in places. This is no light-weight beach book.

However, the story of courage and determination — from Dred Scott, his family, and his white benefactors — is truly inspiring. While not strictly chronological, the book covers the whole of Dred’s life, from his birth on the Blow plantation during a visit by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, to his death a few short years before the start of the Civil War.

Mr. Shurtleff does an excellent job of presenting the story of Dred Scott, both his trials and his triumphs. I must admit at first to being put off by some of the historical asides that pepper the narrative, but as the story progressed I found myself grateful for the context and background these asides provide.

Am I Not A Man: The Dred Scott Story arrived in bookstores on November 3rd, and will make a worthy addition to your reading list.

An illiterate slave, Dred Scott trusted in an all-white, slave-owning jury to declare him free. But after briefly experiencing the glory of freedom and manhood, a new state Supreme Court ordered the cold steel of the shackles to be closed again around his wrists and ankles. Falling to his knees, Dred cried, “Ain’t I a man?” Dred answered his own question by rising and taking his fight to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Dred ultimately lost his epic battle when the Chief Justice declared that a black man was so inferior that he had “no rights a white man was bound to respect.”

Dred died not knowing that his undying courage led directly to the election of President Abraham Lincoln and the emancipation proclamation.

Dred Scott’s inspiring and compelling true story of adventure, courage, love, hatred, and friendship parallels the history of this nation from the long night of slavery to the narrow crack in the door that would ultimately lead to freedom and equality for all men.

Happy Friday, all. In reverse order of the title, I’ll start this post with this month’s giveaway item. Just in time for your Thanksgiving feast, I have one jar of delicious, homemade CranApple Delight apple butter.

This unique and delicious condiment is made from the finest all-natural ingredients in a could-be-patented small batch process, using a secret, original recipe.

You will not find anything like it in stores anywhere. And I’m giving away this, my very last jar, for FREE! All you have to do is leave a comment by Sunday, 11:59 pm CDT, and you’ll be entered into the random drawing. Winners announced in Monday’s post, right here at 90,000 Words of Delusion.

Now, moving on to the evidence portion of the post. This past Wednesday, I took my oldest daughter to her Young Women meeting for church, and snuck my laptop into an empty classroom for a very productive writing session.

About halfway through the hour, the door opened, a camera flashed, and my daughter said, “There! Now I have evidence!” Then she closed the door and left.

I’m sharing that evidence with you, though evidence of exactly what, I’m not sure. That I looked up when I heard the door? That I have poor posture when I type? That I’m trying to be diligent and write whenever I have time?

Yeah, the last one – that’s it.

Which brings us to the answer part of this post. The title of last Wednesday’s entry comes from The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien. Gollum and Bilbo are having a riddle contest, and Gollum asks the following:

This thing all things devours:
Birds, beasts, trees, flowers;
Gnaws iron, bites steel;
Grinds hard stones to meal;
Slays king, ruins town,
And beats high mountain down.

In answer:

[Bilbo] wanted to shout “Give me more time! Give me time!” But all that came out with a sudden squeal was: “Time! Time!”

Bilbo was saved by pure luck. For that, of course, was the answer.

Have a great Friday, everyone! And remember to enter for your chance to win CranApple Delight!

Today marks a momentous day – it’s the halfway point between the 2009 and 2010 LDStorymakers Writers Conferences.

The last conference was six months in the past.

The next conference is six months in the future.

I’m just so ding-dang excited about the conference I can hardly stand it!

Ahem.

While it’s probably true that most information available at writing conferences can be had for free out amongst the internets, I’ve found I learn so much from the conference, because I’m in a writing frame of mind, surrounded by people who share the same affliction I do.

And that’s another big thing that’s available on the internet, but much better in person: writing friends. The opportunity to network and rub shoulders with established authors, aspiring writers, readers, agents, and publishers, is simply unparalleled. And the LDStorymakers conference has these in abundant supply.

Check out some of the awesome people I got to hang with last year!

Jewel Allen

James Dashner

Stephanie Humphreys and Ali Cross

John and Danyelle Ferguson

Melanie Jacobson

Josi Kilpack

Annette Lyon

And, of course, the 2010 LDStorymakers conference co-chairs, Jaime Theler and Tristi Pinkston, with their Magic Wands and the Goblet of Fire.

I actually took this picture, but not with my camera, so I had to go and steal it from the official 2009 LDStorymakers Photo Album.

I recently took a peek at the LDStorymakers web site, and found myself quite impressed with the amount of information already available for next year’s conference: Class and workshop schedule; list of agents and editors; and rules for the First Chapter Contest.

Check out the web site, and clear your calendar for April 23-24, 2010. You’ll be glad you did.

Disclaimer: Nobody put me up to this post. Nobody offered, promised, or gave me anything in return. I just really enjoy the conference, and know that you will, too.