Absolutely normal chaos

So, today and the last few days I've been doing the same few things. Working on promo to take to RWA (which has to be done before I leave for RNA early Friday morning), finishing City of Lust (likewise), trying to get my damn phone to send texts to US numbers (er, not random numbers, but friends and people I'm meeting in DC) and attempting not to beat my printer with a big stick, because it decided yesterday that while I needed to print several hundred more pages, it was going on strike and was only going to print things with pink stripes all over them.

Now, I like pink stripes, but not on this guy, who features large in my promo materials.

Helping me while I tried to cut up bookmarks and make promo stands out of cardboard boxes and wrapping paper (I know, sophisticated or what?) was Spike. He likes stripy paper, incidentally, but isn't too keen on the stuff with stars.

As a result, my office looks like this.
Actually, that's the tidy version.

Right about now I think I need a glass of wine.

Promotion

The problem of promotion is one that makes me go all squirmy and British. I'm just not good at talking myself up, dammit. It's why I generally carry promo postcards around with me, because they have blurbs and review quotes on them to keep me from having to tell people how great I am. Pathetic, isn't it?

But with conference season coming up, my attention is turned to promo items. Specifically, what might go in the RNA's goody bag, or the RWA's goody room (I know, conjures images of Willy Wonka-style gardens of goodies for every boy and girl, doesn't it?).

There are a couple of things to consider. One is cost and the other is effectiveness. And they both cancel each other out. Anything that's effective is too expensive to be practical. Yes, it might be fab to hand out personalised glowsticks, but will they really net enough sales to recoup the cost? Doubtful. On the other hand, promo items that are inexpensive, like bookmarks and postcards, tend to get lost in a sea of paper products.

(as I typed that last bit, what came though my door but the last lot of postcards I ordered. Demonstrated here by the lovely Daisy.)



So, what's your view on promo items? Do you give paper promo more than a passing glance, or does it just sit in the bottom of the bag until recycling day? Do you use the pens, notepads and sticky notes that come with author names on them, and do they induce you to buy any books? What's the best promo item you've ever seen?

And does anyone know where to get cheap glowsticks?

New website!

That's right, my new-look website is now online! Isn't it beeyooodiful? Check it out in all its glory...


Thankings for all the help with the photos. I'll try and get some more taken with a plainer background--er, if I can find one. I sure as hell don't have any plain walls in here, they're all covered with books. Maybe, since it's finally stopped raining, I can try outside. I do remember being told that sunshine isn't great for photos, because it makes people squint, and if they turn their backs to it, it flares off the camera. But, since sunshine is currently a foreign concept, I don't see that being a problem.

Very little going on

...I'm trying to think of something to say about the last week. Um. Pepper has grown at an amazing rate--she'll soon be as big as me--and continues to be both adorable and annoying. I think God makes puppies cute so you'll forgive them all the crying and pooping. Much like babies. Only honestly, I prefer puppies.


Here's Pepper facing down Spike. Really, I think he was just sitting there to tease her: "Look, I've got the run of the house AND my own special-sized door AND the humans let me sleep on their beds, and you have to live in the kitchen, so nerrr!"

Um. Oh! I finished Sophie book seven, titled Dead To Rights. And I've been trying to think of promo items I can take with me to conference. Of course, the problem with promo is the speculate-to-accumulate dilemma. I haven't accumulated enough to be able to speculate yet...