1. Once you decide to write a book, you need to start planning your marketing strategy. Even if you have a promotional team behind you, no one is as excited about selling your book as you are.

2. Research your area, read the Arts and Entertainment section of your local newspaper, and become familiar with the journalists who cover that area. Join local writing organizations, they are a wealth of resources on everything in the writing process.

3. Once you’ve decided on a book title or selected a pen name, check and make sure the domain name is available. Next, you need to create a website, a web blog, or both. If you are interested in free blog resources wordpress.com and blogger are free online platforms for blogging.

4. Started creating your author’s media kit, which includes your author’s bio, cover letter, book excerpts, photo book cover, Q&A, press release, and reviews.

5. Set up your social media accounts (Facebook, MySpace, and Ning Networks). On Facebook and MySpace set up a page for your book.

6. Check out book blogs and befriend bloggers, who you think might want to guest host for your virtual book blog tour. If you are not internet savvy or have no time, check out book blogging services.

7. Around 60 days before your book is available, set up pre-sale links on your website and blog. Write your press release and use various distribution channels.

8. About 30 days before her book was released, she began her virtual book tour. Some bloggers may want to conduct their own interviews, others will post an interview that they have prepared.