Talking virtual book tours with Ingrid King, author of Buckley's Story

What are virtual book tours and what could they do for you?

Ingrid King is here with us today to talk about virtual book tours and online marketing.  She is the author of Buckley's Story - Lessons from a Feline Master Teacher and will be touring with us in December as part of Pump Up Your Book's "The 12 Days of Christmas Virtual Book Tour."  You can visit her official tour page here or her website at www.ingridking.com.

Thank you for this interview, Ingrid. Can we start out by having you tell us briefly what your new book is about?

Ingrid: Buckley’s Story is a story about the important role animals play in our lives by teaching us universal lessons about opening the heart and living a joyful life. It’s also a story about how one small cat changed my life in ways I never could have imagined. It’s the story of how caring for a cat with a terminal illness can deepen the bond between cat and human, and how to cope with losing a beloved pet. And ultimately, it’s a story about the soul connection between animals and humans – a connection that is eternal and transcends the physical dimension.

More and more authors are realizing the potential for sales that derives from virtual book tours. Can you tell us your personal reasons why you chose a virtual book tour to help get the word out about your new book?

Ingrid: As a reader, I love reading book reviews and author interviews on the various blogs I follow. It’s a fun way for me to learn about new books and authors I might otherwise not have heard about. Since I also offer book reviews and author interviews on my own blog, The Conscious Cat, it’s given me a really good feel for the medium. In addition, I’ve been utilizing various online methods to build my platform for this book for the past six months, and I’ve found blogs to be one of the most interesting and effective ways to do so. So when my own book was released, it was a natural progression for me to look for a way to do my own virtual book tour.

Is this the first time you have heard of them?

Ingrid: No – as I mentioned above, I’ve been following a variety of book blogs for the past few months.

What do you hope to achieve through promoting your book through a virtual book tour?

Ingrid: I hope that promoting my book in this way will introduce my book to a wider audience. I was particularly intrigued by the timing of this tour – The Twelve Days of Christmas. My book makes the purrfect holiday gift for pet lovers.

Do you promote online through other means? Website? Blog?

Ingrid:: I have two websites. The main website for the book is www.ingridking.com. My other site is The Conscious Cat at www.consciouscat.net .

Do you promote through Twitter and Facebook? What are your links there?

Ingrid: I do. I’m consciouscats on Twitter, and my Facebook URL is www.facebook.com/ingrid.king. I also have a Buckley’s Story Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BuckleysStory, and a page for my blog The Conscious Cat at www.facebook.com/consciouscat.

What are your experiences with offline booksignings? Which do you prefer – online or offline and can you give us the reasons why?

Ingrid: I haven’t had my first book signing yet! I’m a first time author and my first signing is scheduled for November 7. I’m looking forward to meeting readers and potential readers in person, but I think that authors have a much wider reach online than they ever could in person.

Here’s a fun question. If money was no object, how would you promote your book?

Ingrid: Can you pay to get on Oprah? Seriously, though – if money was no object, I’d probably do more print advertising. Print is expensive, and returns on the investment are very hard to track, so it’s something I’ve stayed away from for the most part. I’d also do more online advertising.

Thank you for this interview, Ingrid. Do you have any final words?

Ingrid: Thanks for this opportunity. I’m looking forward to my Virtual Blog Tour and to spreading the word about Buckley’s Story.