3 ways to support your favorite book, without spending a dime

If you love a book you checked out from the library, borrowed from a friend, or received as an ARC, you can support that book in many ways, without spending any money. 

​Authors know that readers can't buy every book they love. But supporting a book in other ways is valuable because it helps other readers find it. It also makes it more likely that author will get to write other books you might also enjoy. That's what Parker Mills would call a win-win!

1. Share with friends and family!  Word-of-mouth remains the best way for a book to succeed.  Sharing about a book on your social media sites or in your classes or at work is a great way to help it reach many more people.

2. Leave reviews!  Did you know you don't have to buy the book at Amazon or Barnes & Noble to leave a book review there? Especially with the pandemic, a lot of people are searching for books online.  Reviews can be short and sweet--these are not school book reports. Reading reviews at these common retail options means more people can feel confident that a book will be a good fit for them. Goodreads and BookBub are reader-focused sites that really help spread the news of a book, too.  You can write one review and post the same one to all of these locations!

3.  Libraries and Lists:  The Two-Part Power of the Patron

1. Ask your library to carry it.  Not all libraries can carry all books, but if a patron requests a book or a series, librarians listen carefully.  And authors love libraries!  This is nothing like pirating-- libraries pay for those books, to include e-books and audio books.
2. Submit your favorites to state lists! Parents, teachers, and librarians can nominate books they love to state lists like the Texas Bluebonnet list.  Then the committee of librarians for that award chooses the top books from the nominations.  If a book isn't nominated, it misses a chance for consideration. A book making a state list is a huge boost for that book to stay in print!  

Readers actually have a lot of power in publishing. I just think a lot of people don't realize it.  I sure didn't, until I was on this side of the book world, too.

​So be a super hero and boost a book! Share with friends, leave reviews, and recommend it for libraries and lists! 

I promise you, authors thank you from the bottom of our hearts! 

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