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(What's outside my window: A cloudless crystal blue sky and snow on the ground. The top layer melted a bit yesterday, leaving an icy glaze. It's windy and very cold.)

There is a generation of people who are not accustomed to the Internet, and the majority still do not own computers. I'm speaking of the WWII generation.

Sales of books online is a huge blessing for writers. But there are people out there who would love to read your book, but will not buy online. They don't trust the security. There are two things a writer can do to reach this group of people.

1. Put up an online printable order form if you are selling your books from your website. Suggest this to your publisher if they sell your book from their site.

2. Gather names and addresses of your mother's, aunt's, grandmother's, friends that have expressed interest in your book. My mother has been chatting up the release of Surrender the Wind with her church Leisure Club, her ladies' group 'The Fun Bunch', and at her hairdresser's. She let me know that her friends want to read the novel but don't have computers. So, she is gathering their names and addresses. I will send them each a letter in the mail when Surrender the Wind is released, along with addresses of bookstores near them.

I'll include inside the envelop a bookplate with my signature and the date, so their book will be considered a signed copy.

More on Marketing later....

But in the meantime, if you have an 'out-of-the-box' marketing tip, please share it.