A few questions about ebook promo...

Generally, you send a release to local media well in advance of the actual release date, to give them an opportunity to do an interview and story in advance. Do not send an ebook file attached to the email - you will clog their email systems and earn their everlasting hatred.

That said, unless you have a solid news hook or are a prominent local person, don't expect much in the way of coverage, let alone a review. Most local media outlets are already at their saturation level with self-published work, and some have a policy against writing about SP'd stuff altogether. The quality varies too widely to have someone check out every local novel and memoir that are out there.

MaryLennox said:

I have a few questions about ebook promo I'm having trouble finding answers to just from searching past posts/threads so hope it's okay I post this.

1. When do you send a press release to local newspapers?

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They all have their own preferences but three months in advance of publication is common. For monthly magazines, six months in advance isn't unusual.

2. For ebooks, do you include a review copy with the press release, or just a press release?

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I wouldn't send just a press release: I'd send a full press pack, which would include an advance copy of the book: but then my background is in trade publishing, and with print books, so this would be a physical press pack, rather than just an email. It's easy to delete an email; it's much harder to ignore a physical thing that sits on your desk.

3. I would like to print some small promotional things, like postcards and bookmarks to drop-off at local writer places, etc - does anyone know of a good on-line place to order such things?

Thanks.

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"Writer places" are not where your potential readers are going to be, unless you've written a book about writing or getting published. You need to find some "reader places".