Possible Free Book Promotion

Nothing is free, buddy. When something sounds too good to be true, well, you know the rest of it (or maybe not).  

Yesterday I was scrolling X, bored out of my mind, too tired to start any projects, too apathetic to move anything other than my mouse hand. Then I ran across a post from something called "Book of the Day". Oh, great--another ad disguised as an X post. (Hate those. You start reading, then realize you're being a chump.) Every X ad is supposed to be labeled as such. Yes, it's in small print in the hope that it's missed, but it's there if you look. 

"BOTD" was on my mind due to my audacious submission to eReader News Today; you know, the site that wants an author to walk over broken glass for the chance to pay them. 

So, when the post popped up in my feed, I immediately asked Grok for more information. It's not that I'm looking for places in which to waste my money; I'm just curious, as in "what kind of scam is this?"

Here's a sample post:

 

(I know nothing about this book, but here's the buy link, in exchange for using it as an example. The story actually looks good!)

I asked Grok, bottom line, how much do they charge? Grok said, "there is no charge". Okay, what's the catch? I went to the site to find out. 

Yea, so how is it they recommend books for free? Well, they're an Amazon Associate. I'm an Amazon Associate, too (long, boring story), but I've never once recommended a product of any kind. Maybe I need to start!

"Amazon Associates is an affiliate marketing program that allows content creators, bloggers, and publishers to earn commissions by placing custom referral links to Amazon products on their websites or social media. When someone clicks a link and makes a purchase, the associate earns a percentage of the sale." 

Back to the site:

How our reviews are written

We use research tools to gather context quickly, but every review is read, edited, and approved by a person before it’s published. We don’t publish unread, auto-generated filler. Each review notes what a book does well, who it’s for, and what to expect — so you can decide whether it’s right for you.

(Are the research tools AI? Do I care?) They do say that every "review" (book?) is read.

How we choose books

Picks come from a mix of new releases, overlooked backlist titles, reader submissions, and genre deep-dives. We aim for range — literary fiction next to sci-fi next to a practical non-fiction guide — because good reading lives everywhere. Browse the full spread by subject, or start with the day’s pick.

The submission process is straightforward: title, author, genre, Amazon link. The only part that tripped me up was:

Tell us about your book (optional)

What makes it a fit for Book of the Day? A short, honest note in your own words goes a long way — this is the one part only you can write.

Nah, not optional, in my opinion. If an author doesn't care enough to plug his or her book, why in the world would it be chosen? The part that tripped me up was "in your own words". Sure, I can describe my book easily enough by now, but convincing someone? Obviously, I'm terrible at that. So I asked for AI's help (1,200 character limit). It spewed out a couple of paragraphs that screamed AI. (What?? How could that be?) The sad nature of AI is that it over-fancifies simple narratives. Something like, "the record executives consumed her entire essence". You mean, they ate it?

Really, all I wanted out of AI was a format. I took it from there. I did use a couple of AI's words, but the rest is all me. 

I am pitching Running From Herself as a story for those who are playing a part, afraid to reveal their true selves.

It follows Leah Branch, a singer who gives up the dream for the quiet safety of a small Wyoming town. But with the local saloon failing, she volunteers to return to the stage. A vacationing record producer is so impressed by her voice, he offers her a recording contract on the spot.

But once in Nashville, the corporate executives proceed to dismantle her identity—trading her boots for heels, her acoustic soul for engineered pop, and even changing her name.

I wrote this novel to showcase both the good and the bad of music and the “business” of music; the sheer wonder of writing and performing you own songs and the searing pain of being forced to deny your true identity.

As an indie songwriter myself, I’ve experienced those highs and lows, and I loved telling the fictional tale of a woman whose highs are even higher and her lows, lower.

Thank you for considering making Running From Herself your Book of the Day!

I received an email acknowledgement: 

What happens next

• Our editors read every submission that meets the criteria you confirmed, yours included.
• We feature a small, handpicked selection, so not every title finds a spot — but each one is read with care.
• We typically follow up within 2–4 weeks. If your book is chosen, we’ll write to you at this address before it’s featured and share it across our channels.
• If you don’t hear from us, it simply wasn’t the right fit for our current lineup — never a judgment on your work.

You, my wonderful followers, know full well how these things tend to work out for me. But what's the harm? No PayPal involved, no checking my bank account to see if I could afford it. 

So, if you're looking for a (potential) free marketing option, check out the site. I'm not keen on soliciting competition, but I figure my book either stands or falls on its own.