Waltzing Cowboys and the Social Media Dance

Sarah Honenberger's latest novel, "Waltzing Cowboys," has already received several good reviews. But this post isn't about the book (several copies of which sit wrapped under our tree, awaiting Christmas morning).

Rather, it's about the growth of the author. You may recall when I started blogging about Honenberger, her first novel "White Lies" had just been published by Cedar Creek Press. She was still something of an Internet novice, and her website (started primarily to support the book) was a little sparse.

Well, two print runs and a new novel later, things are radically different. Her website has plenty of information about "Waltzing Cowboys," including an excerpt and talking points for book clubs (now that's proactive marketing).

In one of my earlier posts, I mentioned that she was working on a MySpace page. She completed it, (although it's suffering from a little neglect, just like mine). But in the meantime, Honenberger's expanded more fully into the world of social media. You can find her on Twitter, FaceBook, Gather, and LinkedIn, just to name a few.

Barnes & Noble has the book for sale, and it looks like the entire stock Amazon.com got in is almost gone (better hurry).

Bottom line: Sarah Honenberger's clearly learned how to connect directly with her readers. And through social networking, the people her readers are connected to can discover her work. After all -- aren't you more likely to try an author your friend likes than one you don't know much about?

One of the most important elements of storytelling is character growth. In this case, it's the author who's growing in social media sophistication. It's not over yet, but I'm liking the direction of the story arc.

- Ralph

Day 183 of the WJMA Web Watch. (Good thing Honenberger's success doesn't depend on local radio coverage.)