Monday Marketing - Revenue Streams

We're starting a new series of blogs for Drake Valley Press authors. On Mondays, we'll be sharing marketing and promotional secrets. Half of DVP's decision-making process in selecting authors and titles hinges on their marketing plans, and we're finding that they vary significantly. Each author has great strengths in reaching their target audience, and there is a lot to be learned from their unique strategies.

One such author is Aedan Byrnes. Aedan's first book will be released in December, but he is already generating buzz - and revenue - from Through the Oracle's Mist, a fantasy/paranormal romance that is Book I in the Vengelys Series.

On Friday, November 1, Aedan launched a cover reveal and the opening of his CafePress store for Through the Oracle's Mist. He licensed photographs that depict his mental images of Cyrenna and Tynan, the main characters in the book. He is offering their likenesses as well as the book cover and Cyrenna's Erian crest in his virtual store, on such items as clothing, cups, wine accessories, and even iPad covers, totes, luggage tags and more.

Within two hours of the store's launch, Aedan excitedly reported that his fans were flooding the store with orders. In less than two hours, he'd sold pajamas, mugs, journals, and t-shirts and his fans were spreading the word to their friends.

DVP allows the authors to keep all rights to their books except the trade paperback and eBook editions (English versions) which are licensed by DVP. This means that any other sources of income - such as items from Aedan's store - are completely his.

Having a store is a great way to promote an upcoming release, and it also opens up a separate revenue stream for the book itself.

Check out Aedan's store and see for yourself what he has to offer. Then please friend him on his Facebook page!