Sep 12, 2021

“Visceral and vivid, Bane of All Things is a gorgeously imagined ride. I enjoyed getting to know these characters and the world of monsters and magic they inhabit. A terrific read.”

These heartwarming words came just this morning from fellow Ottawa-area scribe Kate Heartfield. She is the author of Armed in Her Fashion, Alice Payne Rides, and, coming early next year from HarperVoyager UK, The Embroidered Book. 

It’s hard to believe we are just two months from Bane of All Things’ release day on Nov. 16. Even more unbelievable (and affirming) is that I have fellow authors like Kate, whom I have admired for years, sharing their enthusiasm for my work.

My publisher continues to make the rounds with the bloggers and the magazines and e-zines that might post a book review or agree to interview yours truly. In a few weeks I will be launching a giveaway on Goodreads to also drive attention to BoAT. 

World Fantasy Con

Coming up on Nov. 4 to 7 is the 2021 World Fantasy Convention. As the “World” in the name suggests, this is a big deal. The Con is hosted by a different city in Canada, the U.S. or the U.K. each year. This time, it’s in Montreal – only a few hours down the road from my house. I bought my ticket way back in 2019. It will be my first time at this event and, as a debut author to boot, it should be memorable. There will be mandatory vaccinations and masks for all.

Would you like to join my Street Team?

The call is now open for volunteers to join my “Street Team” and help spread the word about BoAT. As a Street Team member, you are agreeing to be a positive and supportive cheerleader, because any debut needs all the positive press it can get!

Your participation could take any of several forms:

• Read and post a positive review before Nov. 16: I can hook you up (today) with a digital advance reader copy (ARC). Your mission, once accepted, is to read and post a 4- or 5-star review on Amazon, Goodreads and wherever else you might normally review books.

• (If after reading the ARC you honestly don’t feel that BoAT warrants 4 or 5 stars, that’s OK. An author can only expect to please some of the people, some of the time. I would only ask in that case that you let me know privately and hold off on posting your honest review/rating until after release date.)

• Take to social media: I can help set you up with social media posts/links you can publish to your social media channels of choice come November, to promote the release of the book.

• Hit up your local library, bookstore or book club: For any author, getting your book in the library is a big deal, too. In Canada, there is even a program that gets authors paid when their books are in public libraries. And as you heard me say many times way back during the pre-order campaign for BoAT, word of mouth to friends and family is gold!

If you are interested in taking part in any way with the Street Team, or if you have other ideas for how you might like to help, don’t hesitate to email me: leo@leovaliquette.com

That’s all for now. Stay safe and keep reading!