What do you think?
Promophobia: Taking the Mystery Out of Promoting Crime Fiction
*AGATHA AWARD WINNER FOR BEST NON-FICTION!*
AUTHOR OVERBOARD
Publishing a book can be scary. Figuring out how to promote it can be straight-up frightening. When the seas of book promo make you feel adrift in unfriendly tides, keeping your head above water can be difficult. Enter PROMOPHOBIA, a collection of essays that just might save the life of your book.
SINK OR SWIM
Divided into Identifying Your Niche, Book Community, Social Media, Online Promo, Publicity, Connecting With Readers, Going On Your Own or Participating with a Group, Events, and Thinking Outside the Box, PROMOPHOBIA will open your eyes to the opportunities around you. The contributing authors share their personal experiences about what’s worked for them (and in a few humorous cases, what didn’t) to provide a beacon. You’re no longer in the dark. You’re not swimming alone.
If you’ve ever wondered if you could have done more for your latest book launch, then this book is for you. If you’re tired of relying on the same old strategies release after release, then this book is for you. If you want to readjust your sails and angle for a fresh gust of wind to carry you farther on your writing journey, then this book is for you.
A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS
This is not a how-to book. It's an anecdotal anthology of essays about seeing possibilities, building connections, believing in our work, making mistakes, totally f*ing up, and trying something new. It is a collection of stories told over smoothies at the gym or drinks at the bar, shared with the same spirit of community that infuses Sisters in Crime.
The next time you find yourself swimming in dark promotional waters, read an essay or two from PROMOPHOBIA. Instead of drowning in fear, you'll find yourself saying, "I'm going to need a bigger book."
ABOUT SISTERS IN
Sisters in Crime is the premier crime writing association focused on equity and inclusion in our community and in publishing. Founded in 1986 to represent and advocate for women crime writers, we celebrate and honor this history with our name while we continue to work for all who share our commitment to and love for a vibrant, inclusive community. Our 4,500+ members enjoy access to tools to help them learn, grow, improve, thrive, and reinvent if necessary. They also gain a community of supportive fellow writers and readers, both peers to share the peaks and valleys of writing, and mentors to model the way forward.
AUTHOR OVERBOARD
Publishing a book can be scary. Figuring out how to promote it can be straight-up frightening. When the seas of book promo make you feel adrift in unfriendly tides, keeping your head above water can be difficult. Enter PROMOPHOBIA, a collection of essays that just might save the life of your book.
SINK OR SWIM
Divided into Identifying Your Niche, Book Community, Social Media, Online Promo, Publicity, Connecting With Readers, Going On Your Own or Participating with a Group, Events, and Thinking Outside the Box, PROMOPHOBIA will open your eyes to the opportunities around you. The contributing authors share their personal experiences about what’s worked for them (and in a few humorous cases, what didn’t) to provide a beacon. You’re no longer in the dark. You’re not swimming alone.
If you’ve ever wondered if you could have done more for your latest book launch, then this book is for you. If you’re tired of relying on the same old strategies release after release, then this book is for you. If you want to readjust your sails and angle for a fresh gust of wind to carry you farther on your writing journey, then this book is for you.
A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS
This is not a how-to book. It's an anecdotal anthology of essays about seeing possibilities, building connections, believing in our work, making mistakes, totally f*ing up, and trying something new. It is a collection of stories told over smoothies at the gym or drinks at the bar, shared with the same spirit of community that infuses Sisters in Crime.
The next time you find yourself swimming in dark promotional waters, read an essay or two from PROMOPHOBIA. Instead of drowning in fear, you'll find yourself saying, "I'm going to need a bigger book."
ABOUT SISTERS IN
Sisters in Crime is the premier crime writing association focused on equity and inclusion in our community and in publishing. Founded in 1986 to represent and advocate for women crime writers, we celebrate and honor this history with our name while we continue to work for all who share our commitment to and love for a vibrant, inclusive community. Our 4,500+ members enjoy access to tools to help them learn, grow, improve, thrive, and reinvent if necessary. They also gain a community of supportive fellow writers and readers, both peers to share the peaks and valleys of writing, and mentors to model the way forward.
- GenresWritingNonfiction
324 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 27, 2022
About the author
Diane Vallere
89 books1,031 followersNational bestselling author Diane Vallere writes mysteries where ordinary women stumble into extraordinary situations...and murder is never far behind. From the dawn of the Space Race to contemporary settings, her character-driven novels blend strong premises with humor and heart. A past president of Sisters in Crime Worldwide, Diane edited the Agatha Award–winning essay collection Promophobia: Taking the Mystery out of Promoting Crime Fiction. She studied art history at the College of William and Mary and spent years in luxury retail before trading fashion accessories for accessories to murder. She lives in Pennsylvania.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 14, 2023
This collection of inspiring essays is a terrific book for authors who hate promoting their books. (Let's be honest, most authors love writing and connecting with readers, not actively promoting our own work.) One of the numerous essays is from me, but there are around 50 essays here, and I both learned a lot and closed the book feeling uplifted.
February 21, 2023
An extensive collection of informative essays from Sisters in Crime members that really dive into book promotion, particularly for mystery writers. Filled with many tips and individual case studies, showcasing success…and failure.
An invaluable guide for authors who want insight into marketing their work.
An invaluable guide for authors who want insight into marketing their work.
July 12, 2023
A series of essays with ideas for authors (despite the title, it works for all genres) to overcome their concerns/fears about self-promotion.
As with any similar title, it's a good idea to try one or two things that sound sensible rather than trying every single thing in the book all at once.
Well worth the time to read and implement, for indie and traditionally published authors alike.
As with any similar title, it's a good idea to try one or two things that sound sensible rather than trying every single thing in the book all at once.
Well worth the time to read and implement, for indie and traditionally published authors alike.
June 27, 2025
While this book is written by crime writers for crime writers, it’s actually useful for a broader range of authors who want to understand lessons learned from other writers about what works or doesn’t when it comes to marketing their books. I found this useful and marked passages with Post-It Notes to remember suggestions and additional resources.
January 16, 2023
What a great resource for mystery and thriller writers. I'm so excited to be included in this Sisters in Crime anthology. I learned so much from the 60+ articles. What a great reference for any writer.
March 23, 2023
Excellent advice for every mystery writer, from beginner to multi-published. Such usable, practical suggestions, most of which I'm going to implement over time. I also enjoyed the "fails," which show that not everything we try will work, but that we can be resilient. I highly recommend this book.
January 16, 2023
Hands down the best book on marketing I have read. And believe me, I've read a lot of them. Practical advice and real world examples. Well done.
March 29, 2023
A fantastic collection of essays full of great advice for marketing mystery novels. I'll definitely be referring back to this one over and over again.
April 29, 2023
This book is an excellent resource for marketing ideas that have worked, not worked, and everything in between.
May 20, 2023
As an introverted mystery writer, I loved this collection of essays. Great advice and suggestions on all aspects of marketing and promoting books in all genres!
June 2, 2023
This book contains a wealth of practical information for all authors as all are now responsible for learning how to promote their work!
August 30, 2023
Sixty-three short articles by distinguished authors on how to promote mysteries.
Read
October 30, 2023A few of the author’s writings on promoting mystery/crime/thriller books were okay. Several did not apply to my type of writing. Interesting read, but I hoped for more insight… not memoirs.
November 25, 2023
A must-read commentary by published Sisters In Crime authors about the marketing and promotion process.
July 26, 2024
Within the first essay, it begins speaking about the power of controversy to create sales. I already knew all these so-called controversies that afflict books/films/games are fake, but this is too blatant and creepy. Hacks, all of y'all.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews