The Internet will not replace traditional promotional efforts, but it can enhance them. Before I go into the Internet, I want to talk about the old-fashioned marketing methods, because they're still your best source of readers.
BOOKSTORES
Map out all bookstores within 20, 50, even 100 miles of where you live. Call or visit and see who has a local or regional authors section. Most do. See if they'll buy a few copies. I did this in 1994 and had a lot of fun with it.
See if they'll schedule a book signing. If they do, some newspapers and radio stations will advertize them as free public service announcements. I never did this my mistake.
http://www.bookweb.org/bd-bin/browsebd?Countryusa&StateNameYOURSTATE will help you find the bookstores in your state. So will the Yellow Pages in your home, and the online version at
http://www.yellowpages.com/.
Alternately, you can find the bookstores by doing a web search for Bookstores+YourState. This will take longer, but it can work. You can narrow down your search by using key words like Independent, Christian, wholesale... whatever you're trying to find.
LIBRARIES
Since I've never done this myself, I'm repeating what I've heard. It contradicts itself in a few spots, but it'll give you some ideas.
To find a list of libraries in your state, you can use a search engine, or you can call your local library and ask how to get a listing of all the libraries in your state. They'll usually give you the link.
Many libraries have a budget to buy books and will gladly purchase from local authors.
Libraries won't let you sell your book inside the building, but they will let you talk about it. Talk with the "Friends of the Library" chapter. Also, donate a book to your local library. It's good publicity, especially if you get a newspaper to pick up the story, and it's a good way to give back to your community.
You can also donate an autographed copy of your book to the library in the city where your book is set. If possible, do this in person. Many times the library will set up a book signing for you at one (or more) of the book stores in the area. Again, contact the "Friends of the Library" group.
PRESS RELEASES
Send press releases to every newspaper in your state and the state where your book is set. Also look for local radio stations who will interview you. Kidon Media (
http://www.kidon.com/media-link/index.shtml) will help you find them. Stick to places that would be genuinely interested in you, as opposed to spamming everybody. If the URLs are stale, you can look up the names at Google.
BOOK REVIEWS
Walk into any bookstore, log onto any e-publisher site, or visit Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Guess what you'll see? A whole lot of books. If one of them happens to be yours, how will people notice it?
I've gone into a bookshop more than once to buy something based on a review. There are print reviews and there are electronic reviews. You want to be reviewed as much as possible.
Your publisher will market your book, but you have to help. A lot. What you want is for a potential reader to walk into that shop or log onto that site with your name and title already in his or her head.
Your publisher will submit your book to reviewers. I don't know about the quantity, but reviews (even negative ones) generate sales. Work with your publisher to ensure everyone on the list below is covered. Also make sure you don't both send the same book to the same place because that's just plain embarrassing.
When you are marketing, don't think like a writer. Think like a reader. Of course you can think like another person... that's part of what makes you a great writer.
How do you choose what to read? I go by what my friends recommend, book reviews, and author loyalty. This isn't the end-all and be-all of marketing efforts, but it's a good starting place. (Word-of-mouth is the end-all and be-all.)
Here are some sources that readers use. Some will review your books, some will let you review other people's books, and some are just plain useful for getting the word out.
BOOK REVIEWERS/AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
A Romance Review
http://www.aromancereview.com/
Book Lore
http://www.BookLore.co.uk
Book Pleasures
http://www.bookpleasures.com/
Book Remarks
http://www.book-remarks.com
Bookreporter
http://bookreporter.com/
Book Review
http://www.bookreview.com
Choice Magazine
http://www.ala.org/acrl/choice/index.html
Contemporary Romance Writers
http://www.contemporaryromancewriters.com/
The Compulsive Reader
http://www.compulsivereader.com/html
Green Man Review
http://www.greenmanreview.com
Love Romances
http://www.loveromances.com/
My Shelf
http://www.myshelf.com/
Reader To Reader
http://www.readertoreader.com/
The Romance Reader
http://www.theromancereader.com/
Scribes World
http://www.scribesworld.com
Scott London Book Reviews
http://www.scottlondon.com/index.html
Writers Write
http://www.writerswrite.com/
Written Voices
http://www.writtenvoices.com/
AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
Author Interviews
http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~etfreedman/writersknowhow/authorinterviews.htm
Author Network
http://www.author-network.com/
BOOK REVIEWS
All About Romance
http://www.likesbooks.com
Asian Reporter Book Reviews
http://www.asianreporter.com/bookreviews.htm
Author Mania
http://www.authormania.com
Baryon
http://www.baryon-online.com
The Best Reviews
http://thebestreviews.com/
Blether
http://www.blether.com/
Blurb
http://www.futuremuse.com/blurb/mystery/mysteryindex.htm
Book Connector
http://www.bookconnector.com/
Book Ideas
http://www.bookideas.com/
Booklist Magazine
http://www.ala.org/booklist/submit.html
Book Review Club
http://www.bookreviewclub.com/
Curled Up With A Good Book
http://www.curledup.com/
Erv's Book Reviews
http://ervsbookreviews.com/ervsfreebookreviews
Escape To Romance
http://www.escapetoromance.com/reviews/
Huntress' Book Reviews
http://www.huntressreviews.com
International Gay & Lesbian Review
http://www.usc.edu/isd/archives/oneigla/onepress/
Kirkus Reviews
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/kirkusreviews/index.jsp
Know Better
http://www.knowbetter.com/
Linear Reflections
http://www.linearreflections.com
The Literary Times
http://www.tlt.com/
London Review of Books
http://www.lrb.co.uk/
Los Angeles Times
http://www.latimes.com/
The McQuark Review of e-books for Kids
http://www.mcquark.com/
Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
Mostly Fiction
http://www.mostlyfiction.com/
The Mystery Reader
http://www.themysteryreader.com/
The New York Review of Books
http://www.nybooks.com/
The New York Times Book Review
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/books/index.html
Notes In The Margin
http://www.notesinthemargin.org/index.html
PIF Magazine
http://www.pifmagazine.com/
Publishers Weekly
http://www.publishersweekly.com/index.asp) Three months before publication
Rain Taxi
http://www.raintaxi.com/
Rebecca's Reads
http://www.rebeccasreads.com
Rio Reviewers
http://www.rio-reviewers.com/
Road to Romance
http://www.roadtoromance.dhs.org/
Romance and Friends
http://www.romanceandfriends.com/
Romantic Times Magazine
http://www.romantictimes.com
Shades of Romance Magazine
http://www.sormag.com/index.html
Sime-Gen
http://www.simegen.com/reviews
Spiritual Bookstore
http://www.spiritualbookstore.com/
Subversion
http://www.booksquare.com/subversion/
Want A Book Reviewed?
http://www.suite101.com/myhome.cfm/sarawebbquest
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/style/books/
Word Museum
http://www.wordmuseum.com
Word Thunder
http://www.wordthunder.com
BUSINESS AND ECOMONIC BOOK REVIEWS
Brint Institute
http://books.brint.com/
Business Nation
http://www.businessnation.com/bookreviews/pages/
Digital Women
http://www.digital-women.com/bookreview/
Telecom Business Books
http://www.telecombookshelf.com/business-general.html
BOOK LISTING SITES
AuthorZone
http://www.authorzone.com/
BitBooks
http://www.bitbooks.com/
eBook Jungle
http://ebookjungle.com/index.html
Once Written
http://www.oncewritten.com
Reviewers Choice
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ReviewersChoice
Substance Books
http://www.substancebooks.com/
Wild East Links Machine
http://forum.hkwriterscircle.com/pages/
MISCELLANEOUS