Saturday, October 30, 2010

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Week Four Recap

It's hard to believe the first month of my virtual book tour is over. I am pleased with the results I am seeing so far. Little Shepherd ranked in the Top 100 books in its category for three days in a row, which means I am seeing book sales. In addition, I wrote an article this week titled, "Why Virtual Book Tours Work". If you read that article, you'll see the positive impact my tour has had on my Google and Bing results.



Here is a list of my stops for the last week of October:

Monday, October 25

Interviewed at Beyond the Books

Tuesday, October 26

Interviewed at Promo 101 Promotional Interviews

Wednesday, October 27

Book reviewed and guest blogging at Coffee & Keyboard

Thursday, October 28

Book reviewed at The Crypto-Caper Reviews

Friday, October 29

Book reviewed at Elysabeth’s Emerald City

My only disappointment is that people aren't commenting much. This isn't unusual for a virtual book tour. I tell my clients not to worry about comments because comments don't buy books. It's just that I put together two really nice giveaways, one specifically for people who commented on my tour stops, and not a lot of people are biting.

Monday starts a new month and more great chances to enter your name in for one of the two giveaways I am running. You can find details for the giveaways at http://littleshepherdchildrensbook.blogspot.com/2010/09/giveaways-announced-for-little-shepherd.html

Here's where you can find me during the first week of November:

Monday, November 1

Interviewed at As the Pages Turn

Tuesday, November 2

Book reviewed at Broken Teepee

Wednesday, November 3

Book reviewed at Café of Dreams

Book reviewed at Debbie’s Book Bag

Thursday, November 4

Book spotlighted on The Plot

Guest blogging at SFC Blog Family Matters

Friday, November 5

Guest blogging at The Plot

Book reviewed at Confessions of an Overworked Mom

I hope to see you there!



You can purchase a copy of Little Shepherd at

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

Visit me on Facebook and Twitter!

Friday, October 29, 2010

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 20


The LITTLE SHEPHERD VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '10 continues today with a stop at Elysabeth's Emerald City. Elysabeth Eldering is the author of the Junior Geography Detective Squad series. These books educate young people while providing an interactive reading experience.

I hope you'll visit my stop at  http://elysabethsstories.blogspot.com/2010/10/book-review-little-shepherd-by-cheryl.html and leave a comment to be entered into a drawing to win some great prizes.



Thursday, October 28, 2010

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 19


I can't believe the first month of my virtual book tour is nearly over. It's been a wild ride filled with great reviews and me trying to work my sense of humor into some guest posts and interviews.

Today I am honored to stop off at The Crypto-Capers Review. Author Renee Hand is the mastermind behind The Crypto-Capers detective series, a set of interactive books where readers must solve cryptograms to uncover clues to the mystery. I've been a fan of these books since the beginning, and was thrilled to hear Book 4 has just been released.

Here's a tiny bit of what Renee had to say about Little Shepherd

"This book would make a great addition to any Christmas collection as well as in any religious setting."

You can read the full review at http://thecryptocapersseries.blogspot.com/2010/10/book-review-and-giveaway-for-little.html

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 18



Today I return to Coffee and a Keyboard, a blog run by my writing chum, Vanessa. What I like about this blog is that Vanessa is always trying something different. She has a new column called Monday Mug Shots, where she shares photos of some of her coffee mugs and talks about them.

I had been interviewed at Coffee and a Keyboard earlier this year, but today I am talking about "Bringing Little Shepherd to the Online World." It is a post about the steps I took to promote my first children's book online.

You'll find this guest post at http://vrleavitt.com/?p=394. Leave a comment with your email address to be entered in a drawing to win some great prizes. Giveaway details can be found at http://littleshepherdchildrensbook.blogspot.com/2010/09/giveaways-announced-for-little-shepherd.html

You can purchase a copy of Little Shepherd

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Why Virtual Book Tours Work



I began coordinating virtual book tours (VBTs) before they were very popular. Three years later, I have managed tours for nearly 100 authors, spanning over 125 books. There are still a lot of questions out there about virtual book tours, but one of the topics that keeps coming up is, "Do virtual book tours sell books?"

My personal feeling is that a virtual book tour alone, without any push from the author, will not sell books unless that author is someone like Stephen King, Jerry Jenkins, or John Grisham.

So, what's all the hullabaloo about virtual book tours? Why bother coordinating one for your book or paying someone to coordinate a VBT for you?

Promotional vehicles for unknown or relatively unknown authors are used to create exposure for their books. These vehicles don't guarantee anyone will buy those books, but I've never seen any marketing tool that can 100% guarantee you'll sell anything.

I had experienced some decent sales online and from friends and family when my book first came out. Amazon's original stock of Little Shepherd was depleted and they ordered more. People sent me emails stating they purchased the book from Barnes & Noble.com or they asked me to mail them autographed copies from my stock.

This was great. I felt happy and proud. When I searched  my book on Goggle by the title, however, it was hard to find Little Shepherd on the first three pages.

I embarked upon a virtual book tour on October 4th. After only 17 days on tour, look at the results I'm getting now by typing Little Shepherd into Google:




I have results on Page 1, and also pages 2 and 4. Not bad.

Let's take a look at Bing, which is what I prefer to use:




I come in as the 2nd result on Page 1, and the next three results are stops from my virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book. If I keeping going, I also appear on pages 3, 4, and 5.

My name is also a keyword, but before the tour started I could find results for articles I had written and groups I belong to, but not many tied into the book. Now when I search for "Cheryl C. Malandrinos" in Google, nearly the entire first page has a tie in to Little Shepherd, whether it be a link to to my website, a tour stop, my book trailer for Little Shepherd on YouTube, or a post from the publisher's blog.

The first page of results in Bing wasn't as impressive as Google's, but 3 results had book tie ins, 2 results on the second page, and 3 results on the third page. To be honest, however, I haven't really concentrated on my name as much for a keyword, because I assume Little Shepherd would be a heck of a lot easier to remember than my eleven-letter Greek last name.

One thing I must also point out is that I increased my blogging efforts as soon as Guardian Angel released the book; I purchased my own domain name and created a new website through WordPress; and sought out additional opportunities to be a guest at other people's blogs. In addition, since my virtual book tour started, I have blogged here every day.

Do I believe virtual book tours work? Yes, I do. The proof is in black and white.

When combined with additional efforts from the author, virtual book tours are a very powerful way to create exposure for your book.

Little Shepherd Remains in Amazon's Top 100 Books in its Category for Third Day in a Row


On Sunday, October 24th, Little Shepherd, returned to Amazon's Top 100 books in the large print, children's book category. It is on its fast slide down, but it still appears as #81 in today's list.

If you stop by my virtual book tour page at the Pump Up Your Book site, http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2010/09/08/little-shepherd-virtual-book-tour-october-november-and-december-10/, you'll find a complete tour schedule that will allow you to read some of what is being said about the book.

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 17

My virtual book tour continues today with an interview at Promo 101 Promotional Interviews.


Fellow author and publicist, Nikki Leigh offered to host me during the LITTLE SHEPHERD VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '10. This is just one of her wonderful blogs, so I hope you stop by and say hi.

Remember, those who leave a comment with their email address will be entered to win some great prizes.  You can find my interview at http://promo101interviews.wordpress.com/2010/10/26/promotional-interview-with-cheryl-malandrinos/

Those who purchase a copy of Little Shepherd during my tour and email me with a proof of purchase, will be entered to win a different gift basket.

You can purchase a copy of Little Shepherd

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

Monday, October 25, 2010

Little Shepherd Remains in Amazon's Top 100 Books in its Category for Second Day


Little Shepherd returned to Amazon's Top 100 books in the large print, children's books category on Sunday, October 24th. While it appeared at #18 yesterday, it is now listed as #45.

I'm pleased to be appearing in this list at all. What a blessing.

Online reviews have been very favorable so far. You can find 7 of them at the book's page on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Little-Shepherd-Cheryl-C-Malandrinos/dp/1616330856

I hope you'll consider bringing Little Shepherd home this Christmas.

You can purchase a copy of Little Shepherd

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 16


The LITTLE SHEPHERD VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '10 kicks off week number 3 with my interview at Beyond the Books. I talk about my publisher, Guardian Angel Publishing, book promotion, and setting goals.

If you leave a comment at this blog stop you'll be entered in a drawing to win some lovely Christmas themed prizes and an autographed copy of Little ShepherdYou can find today's blog stop at http://beyondthebooks.wordpress.com/2010/10/24/interview-with-cheryl-c-malandrinos-%e2%80%98set-goals-and-work-hard-to-achieve%c2%a0them-%e2%80%99/

I hope you'll consider adding me as a friend on Facebook or following me on Twitter.

Thanks for your support.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Little Shepherd Hits #18 in Amazon's Top 100 List in its Category


Glad to see that the virtual book tour is having some impact on sales. Today Little Shepherd appeared in the #18 slot in Amazon's Top 100 books in its category, which is Books-Large Print-Children's Books.

This is the highest in the rankings it has been since its release and I am thrilled to see it.

Thank you to all who have purchased a copy of Little Shepherd. I hope you'll send me an email at cg20pm00(at)gmail(dot)com to let me know how you and/or your children felt about it.

One of the comments that continues to come up in the reviews for the book is that it is nice to see this historical event told from the point of view of a young person. It warms my heart to read that. I feel that God is allowing me to rreach young hearts in a special way, which is a true blessing.

If you purchase a copy of Little Shepherd and send me proof of purchase by December 19th, you'll be entered in a drawing to win a basket of lovely Christmas themed prizes that retails for almost $100.

You can purchase a copy of Little Shepherd

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

Friday, October 22, 2010

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 15


Tracee was kind enough to post an article I wrote for my tour over at AllVoices today. This article, titled, "Husband, Kids, and Writing, Oh My! is about my challenges juggling a writing career and family life. I've also asked readers to share their tips on how to find that balance.

You can find my post at http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/7102225-husband-writing-and-kids-oh-my-by-author-cheryl-malandrinos

Leave a comment with your email address (so I can contact you if you win) and you'll be entered into a drawing for this gift basket:

An autographed copy of Little Shepherd
Angel figurine printed with the Serenity Prayer
A Little Shepherd sticky note pad
Little Drummer Boy 2010 Hallmark Keepsake Ornament
Gift of Peace 2003 Hallmark Keepsake Ornament

Retail value is $65 (rounded to nearest dollar)

Those who purchase a copy of Little Shepherd through to the end of my tour on December 17th and send me proof of purchase are also eligible to win some lovely gifts. Here's what you could win:

A "Sparkling Angel" scented jar candle from Yankee Candle
An angel gold and silver lid topper for the candle
An angel tea light holder from Yankee Candle
A Little Shepherd sticky note pad
A Jim Shore Nativity Star hanging ornament
A Jim Shore Holy Family hanging ornament
A $25 Amazon.com gift card

Retail Value is $97 (rounded to the nearest dollar)

You can find all the details for these giveaways posted at http://littleshepherdchildrensbook.blogspot.com/2010/09/giveaways-announced-for-little-shepherd.html

You can purchase a copy of Little Shepherd

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

Giveaways Not an Email Collection Party


As you know, I am on a two-and-a-half month virtual book tour to promote my first children's book, Little Shepherd. Part of this tour includes two giveaways.

Even though I remind my clients that comments don't buy books, readers do, I have been surprised by the lack of comments during my tour. Considering that I am running a giveaway that only requires a reader to leave a comment and her email address at each blog stop, I was expecting more people to turn out. I have over 70 stops, so if you think about it, a person who comments at each blog stop has over 70 chances to win the gift basket that I put together.

It occurred to me today, however, that perhaps people are thinking I am using this giveaway to collect email addresses to target future marketing events. Not a bad idea, and I'm sure a lot of people do it. I just don't. I think it's kind of smarmy to run a giveaway for that purpose.

So rest assured, the only reason the email address is necessary for this giveaway is to give me a way to contact the winner. I'm not going to take your email addresses and create a marketing database out of it so that I can send you tons of promotional blurbs for the next several months. It's just not how I operate.

You can find details for both giveaways I am running at http://littleshepherdchildrensbook.blogspot.com/2010/09/giveaways-announced-for-little-shepherd.html

Thanks again for all your support.

Cheryl

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 14


Christy Lockstein and her adorable daughter, Mia, wrote lovely reviews of Little Shepherd today at Christy's Book Blog.

This is what Mia said she learned from the story, "I learned that when God tells you to see something, you don't have to worry about other stuff because God will take care of it for you."

Mia is a bright girl and I'm sure Christy is proud of her.

Christy shared her thoughts too, so I hope you'll stop on over to http://christysbookblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/little-shepherd.html and read all Mia and Christy had to say.

Please remember there are giveaways running during this tour. All you have to do is leave a comment with your email address at any of my tour stops to be entered to win a gift basket of lovely Christmas items. The more blog stops you leave a comment at, the higher your chances of winning.

People who purchase a copy of Little Shepherd and send me proof of purchase will be entered to win in a separate giveaway.


You can purchase a copy of Little Shepherd from:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Little Shepherd Virtual Book TOur - Day 13

The LITTLE SHEPHERD VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '10 continues with two new stops.


I am guest blogging over at Writing Daze. This blog is run by my chum, Becky, and she does a great job with providing some inspiration for guests to use to draft posts. Here are today's questions:

Where did you come up with your idea for book or novel? Was there a person that was your inspiration for this book/novel? Who would you like to thank for getting you where you are today?

In my guest post titled, "A Children's Book Disguised as a Novel", I talk about the original idea that God placed on my heart and how that evolved into what became Little Shepherd. You can read all about it at http://rebeccasnotebook.blogspot.com/2010/10/childrens-book-disguised-as-novel-by.html



After you've checked out that stop and left a comment for your chance to win in one of two giveaways running during my tour, click on over to Literarily Speaking, where I am being interviewed. You can find this interview at http://literarilyspeaking.net/2010/10/20/interview-with-childrens-book-author-cheryl-malandrinos-writing-for-children-is-no-different-than-writing-for-adults/

Those who purchase a copy of Little Shepherd during my virtual book tour and send me a proof of purchase are entered into a giveaway for some lovely prizes.

You can find details on the giveaways at http://littleshepherdchildrensbook.blogspot.com/2010/09/giveaways-announced-for-little-shepherd.html

You can purchase a copy of Little Shepherd from:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

You can friend me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.

Thanks. I appreciate your support.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 12


Today the LITTLE SHEPHERD VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '10  stops off at Chrissy's World of Books. In her review, Chrissy shares how much she and her little one enjoyed Little Shepherd. My heart swells with pride when I read reviews like this one. I feel truly blessed.

You can read Chrissy's review at http://chrissysworldofbooks.blogspot.com/2010/10/little-shepherd-book-review.html


My second stop today is at Reading at the Beach. As a big fan of the Outer Banks of North Carolina, this blog has always been a favorite of mine because it reminds me of those lazy days of summer when I haul my pile of books to North Carolina with me and read while listening to the waves crash upon the shore.

This is another review that made me hold back tears. To think I've written something that people enjoy so much is truly overwhelming. And Eugene's illustrations add so  much to the story. It wouldn't have been the same without him. God is good!


Please remember there are giveaways running during this tour. All you have to do is leave a comment at my tour stops with your email address to be entered to win a gift basket of lovely Christmas items. So stop by these blogs right now and leave a comment at both to increase your chances of winning.

People who purchase a copy of Little Shepherd and send me proof of purchase will be entered to win in a separate giveaway.


You can purchase a copy of Little Shepherd from:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

Thanks again to all the bloggers who are hosting me and all those readers who are turning out to learn more about Little Shepherd.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 11

It was a day of reviews during the LITTLE SHEPHERD VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '10.  My first stop was at Book Reviews by Molly.



I was thrilled to hear that she and her children enjoyed Little Shepherd. You can find her review at http://www.amazon.com/Little-Shepherd-Cheryl-C-Malandrinos/dp/1616330856


Donna McDine, who is also on tour with Pump Up Your Book to promote her children's historical storybook, The Golden Pathway, wrote a review that took my breathe away. 

"Children’s author, Cheryl C. Malandrinos has re-explored and created a beautiful re-enactment of Christ the Lord’s birth in a unique and awe inspiring rendition which surely will become classical reading in Christian religious school studies and home libraries." 


I hope you'll consider purchasing a copy of Little Shepherd for a child in your life. It would also make a wonderful donation to a church or Sunday school library.

You can purchase a copy of Little Shepherd from:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour Week Two Recap

The LITTLE SHEPHERD VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '10 continued last week, despite the fact that I was tied all week long with the Muse Online Writers Conference. In case you missed any of my stops last week, here they are again. 





Monday, October 11

Book reviewed at Ohio Girl Talks
Interviewed at Pump Up Your Book

Tuesday, October 12

Guest blogging at Literarily Speaking (one of my favorite posts so far)

Wednesday, October 13

Book reviewed at Milk ‘N Honey Learn and Grow

Thursday, October 14

Book reviewed at Ellis
Interviewed at A Writer’s Jumble

Friday, October 15

Book reviewed at Down Under Views
Guest blogging at The Story Behind the Book

Leave a comment at any of these stops to be enter in a drawing to win some lovely Christmas themed gifts. You can see what they are at http://littleshepherdchildrensbook.blogspot.com/2010/09/giveaways-announced-for-little-shepherd.html

You can purchase a copy of Little Shepherd from:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 10


I don't always like surprises, but today it was neat to receive an email from my friend Jaime saying her review of Little Shepherd was posted at her blog, Down Under Views. Jaime doesn't sugar coat anything, so I was a bit nervous sending her a copy of the book. What if she didn't like it? Not sure I'm ready for that first less than positive review.

Luckily she really enjoyed it. You can find that review at http://downunderviews.com/blog/book-review-little-shepherd-by-cheryl-c-malandrinos



My scheduled stop today is at The Story Behind the Book. It talks about the inspiration behind Little Shepherd. You can find it at http://thestorybehindthebook.wordpress.com/2010/10/14/the-story-behind-‘little-shepherd’-by-cheryl-c-%c2%a0malandrinos/

Remember, leaving a comment at any of my blog stops during the tour will get you entered in a drawing to win some great prizes. Look at what's up for grabs:

An autographed copy of Little Shepherd
Angel figurine printed with the Serenity Prayer
A Little Shepherd sticky note pad
Little Drummer Boy 2010 Hallmark Keepsake Ornament
Gift of Peace 2003 Hallmark Keepsake Ornament

Retail value is $65 (rounded to nearest dollar)

Those who purchase a copy of Little Shepherd through to the end of my tour on December 17th and send me proof of purchase are also eligible to win some lovely gifts. Here's what you could win:

A "Sparkling Angel" scented jar candle from Yankee Candle
An angel gold and silver lid topper for the candle
An angel tea light holder from Yankee Candle
A Little Shepherd sticky note pad
A Jim Shore Nativity Star hanging ornament
A Jim Shore Holy Family hanging ornament
A $25 Amazon.com gift card

Retail Value is $97 (rounded to the nearest dollar)

You can find all the details for these giveaways posted at http://littleshepherdchildrensbook.blogspot.com/2010/09/giveaways-announced-for-little-shepherd.html

You can purchase a copy of Little Shepherd from:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 9

The LITTLE SHEPHERD VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '10 continues with two more stops today.



My first stop today is at Ellis. Danita provides a lovely review of Little Shepherd. She said, "We will add this book to our Christmas collection to read in celebration of God coming to earth as a baby to rescue the souls of men." To read the rest of the review, you can visit her blog at http://jdellis.blogspot.com/2010/10/book-review-little-shepherd-boy.html



Then I stop by the blog of author, Jacqueline Vick. This blog is titled, A Writer's Jumble. I talk about a variety of things in my interview. You can find it at http://jacquelinevickauthor.blogspot.com/2010/10/interview-with-author-cheryl.html

I'll be making two more stops tomorrow, so I hope you'll join me. Don't forget about the great giveaways I'm running during the tour. I'm a sucker for anything Christmas, so I put together two nice Christmas baskets full of goodies that can be yours if you play along.

You can purchase a copy of Little Shepherd from:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

Thanks to all my blog hosts and all those who have stopped by to offer support. I couldn't do this without you!

Cheryl

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 8


When you hear wonderful things about your book, you can't help but feel proud. That's exactly how I felt when I read Milk N' Honey Learn and Grow's review today of Little Shepherd. This blog is run by Shonda, who also blogs at The Knowlton Nest.

Here's a short blurb from the review:

"I was very taken with this children's story and I really like that it came from the perspective of a young child.  Everything from Obed's point of view is different from adults and it was a refreshing take on the most wonderful night in history." 

Please stop by today's blog stop at http://milknhoneylearnandgrow.blogspot.com/2010/10/little-shepherd-book-review-and.html Leave a comment with your email address to be enter in to win a gift basket full of great stuff for Christmas, which includes an autographed copy of Little Shepherd.

There is also another giveaway running for those who purchase a copy of Little Shepherd.

You can purchase a copy of Little Shepherd from:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

Thank you for all your support. Good luck to those who enter the giveaways!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 7


Today I am guest blogging again. I love guest blogging because it gives me a chance to show off my warped sense of humor. "Don't Hate Me Because I Didn't Get Rejected" is an article on how I discovered Guardian Angel Publishing and decided they would be the best people to bring Little Shepherd into the world. A few of my fellow Angels are mentioned, as is the Muse Online Writers Conference, which I am participating in right now.

Stop by Literarily Speaking today and leave a comment to be entered in to win a gift basket with some wonderful goodies.


You can purchase a copy of Little Shepherd from:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

Monday, October 11, 2010

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 6

Today I visited another two great blogs. Well, one of them is the Pump Up Your Book website, but I had fun answering the questions that we've asked so many of our clients.


First stop today is at Ohio Girl Talks. Vanessa has hosted our clients in the past and I was thrilled when she asked if she could review my book. In addition to saying she loved the story, her four-year-old wanted to take Little Shepherd to church. No better compliment than that.



After you're done leaving a comment there, which will enter you in a drawing to win some great prizes, drop in at Pump Up Your Book and read my interview.  Leave another comment at this blog stop to increase your chances of winning.

You can follow the LITTLE SHEPHERD VIRTUAL BOOK '10 by visiting http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2010/09/08/little-shepherd-virtual-book-tour-october-november-and-december-10/ to see where I will be stopping next.

Details on the giveaways can be found at http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2010/09/27/giveaways-announced-for-little-shepherd-virtual-book-tour-octnovdec-10/

You can purchase a copy of Little Shepherd from:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

Friday, October 8, 2010

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour Week One Recap

I'm eager to give away these great prizes I've bought to celebrate the release of my first children's book, Little Shepherd. I want to make sure you know where to find me along the tour trail, so here is a list with links to all the sites I have visited this week.

Be sure to leave your email address in the body of your comment in order to be eligible to win.

Good luck!

Cheryl


Monday, October 4


Tuesday, October 5



Wednesday, October 6


Thursday, October 7


Friday, October 8

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 5


The LITTLE SHEPHERD VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '10 continues today when I am a guest blogger at Lori's Reading Corner. The title of this one is, "What a Difference a Decade Makes". It discusses how reading tastes can change over time.

I hope you stop by Lori's blog today at http://www.lorisreadingcorner.com/2010/10/guest-postvirtual-tour-cheryl.html, leave a comment with your email address, and try to scoop up these great prizes I have to offer.

Thanks for your support!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 4



My friend and fellow VBT coordinator, Becky, is hosting a Thursday Thirteen today with yours truly. I list "Thirteen Things You Didn't Know about Cheryl Malandrinos and Her Writing". I've tried to add in my warped sense of humor along the way. I probably listed thirteen things you never wished to know about me.

I hope you'll stop by Paperback Writer today and say hi. Remember, when you leave a comment with your working email address at my tour stops, you'll be entered in to win gift basket filled with some lovely goodies.


Become my friend on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Short Story at Red Room

 In addition to my virtual book tour stop for today, I posted a short story at Red Room.

This is a story I used in a workshop I did with my daughter's class last year. I've tweaked it a  bit and submitted it to Red Room's Scandalously Short Story Contest.

I hope you wander out to find "Ramble in the Woods" and let me know what you think of it.

You can find it at http://tinyurl.com/232uer3.

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 3


We're hopping along the virtual book tour trail with my friend, April, at Cafe of Dreams. Today I am talking about, "My Love Affair with Books". This affair began a long time ago and I hope to share that love with little ones everywhere.

Don't forget to leave a comment at this tour stop to be entered into a drawing to win a gift basket filled with goodies. Here's what's in store for the winner of Giveaway #1:

An autographed copy of Little Shepherd
Angel figurine printed with the Serenity Prayer
A Little Shepherd sticky note pad
Little Drummer Boy 2010 Hallmark Keepsake Ornament
Gift of Peace 2003 Hallmark Keepsake Ornament

Retail value of Giveaway #1 is $65 (rounded to nearest dollar)

There's also a giveaway running for those who purchase a copy of Little Shepherd during the tour. You will find all the details here!

Stop by Cafe of Dreams at http://www.cafeofdreamsbookreviews.com/2010/10/cheryl-malandrinos-author-guest-post.html today!

Thank you for your support!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 2

On Day 2 of the LITTLE SHEPHERD VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '10 I am visiting two fabulous blogs.

The first stop is my guest post at Review From Here. This post, titled, "I'm Not Sure I Like This Side of the Book Promotion World", shares my thoughts on how it's different being an author on a virtual book tour versus coordinating another author's tour.

Luckily, some of what I said in that article is no longer true. I have sold several books online. Little Shepherd even spent two days in the Top 100 Books in its category on Amazon. Of course, now, my rankings are not looking so hot, and I'm still not sure I can gauge the success of the book using those rankings, but it's better than going on nothing.


My second stop is at the blog of talented author, Lisa Lipkind Leibow. I met Lisa online when she toured with Pump Up Your Book to promote, Double Out and BackI'm guessing she must have had a good time, because she became a tour host after that. 

Fodder for Fiction is a blog that talks about personal experiences that might have impacted an author's writing. My post from today, "They Told Me to Write A Book about It, So I Did" only briefly mentions Little Shepherd. Instead, it focuses on the first manuscript I completed when I embarked upon my writing career. It also talks a lot about family. You will find that post here.

I hope you'll stop by one or both of these tour stops today. Remember, if you leave a comment on my tour stops you'll be entered to win a giveaway worth approximately $67. There's also a separate giveaway running for those who purchase a copy of Little Shepherd. You'll find all the details here.

Thanks for your support.

Cheryl

New Reviews Posted at Amazon for Little Shepherd


I went out to Amazon tonight to see how things were going with Little Shepherd. Imagine my surprise and joy when I found the following two reviews there:

"Wise beyond his years, young Obed has become a seasoned shepherd boy. Acutely aware of the hillside surroundings while tending his flock Obed stares at the sky in wonderment. A single bright light fills the sky. At first afraid, Obed felt a calmness wash over him as the beautiful angels descend, proclaiming "A Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."

Unsure what their message means, Obed looks to his father for guidance. With reassurances from his father, Obed and the older shepherds journey to Bethlehem to meet the newborn King. Their journey and meeting Christ the Lord is nothing less than miraculous.

Your fist reaction may be, oh goodness another story on the birth of Christ. Toss those thoughts away and immerse yourself and your children into the magical arrival of Christ the Lord. Children's author, Cheryl C. Malandrinos has re-explored and created a beautiful re-enactment of Christ the Lord's birth in a unique and awe inspiring rendition which surely will become classical reading in Christian religious school studies and home libraries.

The old time illustrations expertly created by illustrator, Eugene Ruble will leave you feeling that you journeyed through the countryside with Obed and his fellow shepherds."


--Donna McDine

"The Christmas liturgy, presented from a child's point of view - simple, innocent, open to wondrous occurrences - both highlights the majesty and wonder of Christ's birth and makes the liturgy accessible to God's beloved little ones. I bought four copies already for the children in my family and I can't wait to present them. I'm sure this book will be treasured and read over and over again. This is a beautiful version of the greatest story ever told and I highly recommend it."

--K.M. Daughters

It's so wonderful to know people are enjoying my book. Both these ladies are authors. Donna McDine is currently touring with her historical children's storybook, The Golden Pathway, and K.M. Daughters is the writing team behind the popular romantic suspense series, The Sullivan Boys. A new release is anticipated soon, but readers can find Book 3, Capturing Karma, here.

My heartfelt thanks go out to these talented ladies who sought fit to post their reviews of Little Shepherd at Amazon.

Monday, October 4, 2010

The Little Shepherd VBT starts Today with This Special Feature at Examiner


The LITTLE SHEPHERD VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '10 started today with this special feature at Examiner. I would like to thank Dorothy Thompson for putting together such a nice post that spotlights my book and includes the Little Shepherd book trailer for all to see.

Little Shepherd can be purchased at the Guardian Angel Publishing website, Amazon, Barnesandnoble.com, and Indiebound.org.

Remember, there are two giveaways running during my virtual book tour: one for people who comment on my blog stops and the other for people who purchase a copy of the book between its release date of August 21, 2010 and the end of the book tour on December 17, 2010. You can find details here.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

It's Crunch Time!



We're down to the wire. The Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour is set to kick off on Monday, October 4th. I just handled the last of my to-do items that had to be completed before the tour starts, so now I get to feel a bit anxious over how it will all go. I sometimes feel anxious over my clients' tours--especially ones where I'm fostering a relationship with a new client--but this time the anxiety is more personal.

What if reviewers don't like the book? What if no one comments on my tour stops? What if no one purchases a copy of Little Shepherd over the next two and a half months? How will I juggle being a touring author and coordinating my clients' tours over the next few months? What if I have to spend less time with my girls to make sure everything goes smoothly?

I'm going to pray that all goes well and that my worst concerns don't come true. I would appreciate your prayers too.