What price promotion?

I finally got my taxes together. Yes, I've looked at a calendar recently. My how time flies when you're avoiding something.

Anyway, when I tallied my advertising expenses, I almost swallowed my tongue. And, really, who can tell you whether the money is well spent? There's an old saying about advertising, "Half of all advertising dollars are wasted, but no one can tell you which half."

Last summer, I asked an editor her opinion on the best promotional avenues. She said the best form of promotion writers have is their book. Write the very best book you can and the rest will take care of itself.

Music to my ears, right? But I think it's a catch 22. You can write the very best book you possibly can, but if readers don't know it's available, your very best book will sit unread on the shelves.

Once I freed my tongue from my throat, I decided I wouldn't lose my mind - or my savings - over advertising. I'll send announcements to bookclubs and bookstores and hope writing the very best book I can will take care of the rest.

As readers, what types of book promotion catch your attention? As authors, what types of promotion have worked for you?

Patricia