I love reading romance, especially if the novels include four-legged characters! And as an author, I enjoy including animals in my books—in particular, Chinese crested hairless dogs. Smokey, the “crestie” who works as a DEA drug-sniffing dog in my comic romantic suspense, AT HER COMMAND, was so popular, I adopted him as my author logo.
So I can attest to the pull of animals in fiction. They are a wonderful hook to encourage pet-loving readers to check out your book. And as a workshop presenter on author promotion, I can offer the following suggestions for inexpensively promoting your pro-animal books:
• Google Alerts – Many authors set up Google Alerts for their book titles and pen names. But you can also set up an alert for a topic, such as the breed of animal in your book. For example, I can set up a Google Alert for cresties and comment on any blogs that mention cresties. You can also do an online search for blogs about animals and comment on those blogs.
• Niche Marketing – Most libraries have a reference book on groups and organizations, e.g., The Association Book. You can check to see what organizations are listed for the breed or type of animal you are featuring in your book. For example, I could look up “Chinese Crested dogs” or just “dogs”. The book will list the contact information for the group and whether they have a newsletter or email loop. You can send a press release about your book (tailored with the group in mind) and even ask if someone in the group might be interested in reviewing the book for their membership.
• Tie-ins With Local Events – There are lots of opportunities to promote and sign your book outside of bookstores and libraries. If your book features an animal character, you could sign copies of it at a pet supply store or during a pet adoption fair.
• Tie-ins With Holidays – Most libraries have Chase’s Calendar of Events, a great reference for fun holidays. For example, you could send a press release to your local newspaper and tie your book into an animal-themed holiday, e.g., Hug Your Cat Day (May), Take Your Dog To Work Day (June 26th), or National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week (November).
• Cross-Promote With Other Authors – Other pro-animal authors will kindly agree to let you guest-blog about your book (Thank you, Shelli!) or interview you for their Web sites.
• Use Animal-Themed PR Materials & Giveaways – All of my promotional materials include my dog logo, which has proven popular and memorable. Readers also like animal trinkets, such as stuffed dogs or cat squeeze toys.
• Support a Pro-Animal Cause – Authors occasionally donate a percentage of their royalties to a good cause, such a no-kill animal shelter, and mention this in their press releases. Encourage the non-profit organization to feature your book in their contributor newsletter.
The authors of TAILS OF LOVE took this concept a step further. We’re donating all of our (and our agents’) proceeds to Animal Adoption Foundation (AAF) a no-kill animal shelter in Hamilton, OH. This benefit anthology is the pet project (pun intended) of New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster, who contributes a story along with mine and those of award-winning and bestselling authors Kate Angell, Stella Cameron, Dianne Castell, Anne Christopher, Donna MacMeans, Sarah McCarty, Patricia Sargeant, and Sue-Ellen Welfonder. The ten of us have been blog-touring, chatting up the book on email loops, and sending out reader e-newsletters citing reviewer praise for these pro-animal short stories.
The TAILS OF LOVE stories are PG-rated, which usually doesn’t limit the promotional avenues available to an author. However, the sensuality level of “naughtier” books can affect your PR options. For example, AT HER COMMAND is set in a sex club, so I didn’t appr
oach my local pet store about signing copies at their location. 
Speaking of AT HER COMMAND, I’m giving away a free download of my comic romantic suspense to a randomly chosen commenter on this blog. I’d love to hear about your favorite romance featuring a pet, as well as your favorite pro-animal book promotion.
Thanks, Shelli, for this opportunity!
– Marcia
Marcia James
June 12th, 2009 at
8:12 am
Hi, Shelli! Thanks for having me on your Open Mic day!
Boy, look at all of the great emoticons available to include in the blog comments.
I guess I should stick to my author brand, though, and go with the doggie emoticon.
– Marcia
Kate Angell
June 12th, 2009 at
8:23 am
Hello Marcia! I’m a fan of your Chinese crested hairless. I was at my Vet clinic yesterday, and a lady had such a dog in for yearly shots. It was adorable! As far as promotion, you have such wonderful ideas. Thanks for sharing them with all of us.
I just had to use an emoticon! So nice to see Tails of Love posted again. It’s a great anthology.
Dianne Castell
June 12th, 2009 at
8:29 am
Wow, Marcia, we sure had fun with this book! Nothing better than romance with pets.
Lori and I are off today to give a check to the Animal Adoption Foundation. Can’t wait.
Hope we get to do this again. Tails of Love II
Hugs, Dianne
Tonya Kappes
June 12th, 2009 at
8:31 am
Marcia!! You are the queen of promotion. Since I heard you speak at OVRWA, I have been putting down all sorts of promos I can do for my novels. You are amazing!!!! Thanks for all the advice.
Marcia James
June 12th, 2009 at
8:53 am
Hi, Kate! Cresties are really cute, but pretty high maintenance. Since you live in FL, that dog owner must have to put sunscreen on the crestie.
I’m reading your “Norah’s Arc” story in TAILS OF LOVE and throughly enjoying Houdini the goat! Too bad there’s not a goat emoticon.
– Marcia
Marcia James
June 12th, 2009 at
8:56 am
Hi, Dianne! I would LOVE to do a sequel to TAILS OF LOVE!
I’m looking forward to reading your story in TAILS OF LOVE since I heard through the grapevine that it starts with a love scene — my favorite thing!
Okay, after that rude emoticon, maybe I should add this one:
– Marcia
Marcia James
June 12th, 2009 at
8:58 am
Hi, Tonya! Thanks for the kind words! I really enjoyed speaking on promotion to your Cincinnati RWA chapter. I just wish we’d had a chance to talk more one-on-one. Promotion is my favorite topic…after love scenes, that is!
– Marcia
Roberta Harwell
June 12th, 2009 at
11:17 am
Hello Marcia,
I’ve heard a lot of great things about this book, “Tails Of Love”. We have 4 dogs, 3 cats, 1 horse, and too many chickens to count. I love the fact the proceeds are going to a no kill shelter. Have a great day. I look forward to reading these stories.
Donna MacMeans
June 12th, 2009 at
11:23 am
LOL – Love the emoticons
The thing I really enjoyed about Tails of Love is that you get a real variety in one volume. I read Sarah McCarty’s story this morning and was reaching for the Kleenex. Dianne’s and Sue-Ellen’s stories have a little paranormal influence. Mine is historical – so there’s something to please everyone’s taste. Plus – the author proceeds go to a worthy cause. What’s not to love?
J. Hali Steele
June 12th, 2009 at
11:30 am
Kate Angell
June 12th, 2009 at
11:31 am
Marcia – had to stop back in and mention the Crestie I saw at my Vet’s office here in Florida -the dog was ‘dressed to the nines!’ Almost looked like a child. Hat with ear cutouts, pink rhinestone T-shirt, little booties. The owner was very protective of the dog in the heat and sunshine!! Her name was ‘Cameo’, sweetly spoiled
Marcia James
June 12th, 2009 at
11:34 am
Hi, Roberta! Thanks for stopping by my guest-blog! Since You have so many four-legged and feathered friends, I know you’ll enjoy TAILS OF LOVE.
– Marcia
Marcia James
June 12th, 2009 at
11:36 am
Hi, Donna! I’m really looking forward to reading “Lord Hairy”, your historical story in TAILS OF LOVE!
– Marcia
Marcia James
June 12th, 2009 at
11:38 am
J. Hali — “break a leg” on your promotion! I enjoy promoting so much, I have to make sure it doesn’t interfere with my writing time.
Have a great day!
– Marcia
Marcia James
June 12th, 2009 at
11:42 am
Kate — Cameo is a cool name, especially if the crestie was one of the pink and white ones. I’ve seen lots of cute doggie clothes for toy breeds, such as t-shirts with sayings like “Queen Bitch” or “Diva Dog” on them.
Have a great day!
– Marcia
Shelli
June 12th, 2009 at
11:57 am
Hi, Marcia! This is a great post! And I think what you all did with that book is fabulous. Kudos to you all. Thanks for guest blogging!
Marcia James
June 12th, 2009 at
12:12 pm
Thanks, Shelli! I do love promoting, and guest-blogging is a great cross-promotion opportunity.
– Marcia
Angela Bartlett
June 12th, 2009 at
2:06 pm
You are awesome at promoting. Thanks for all the super useful advice. Now that I have been officially terminated I will have time to write. My goal is to actually finish the stories I’ve started and then start on the Queen Alexander story (she is my white Anatolian female cat) who is a ruler of the world. Or so she thinks.
I agree that signing At Her Command in the local pet store would have raised some eyebrows. But it would have been interesting!
Thanks again for the great reads!
Sue-Ellen Welfonder
June 12th, 2009 at
2:52 pm
Hey Marcia!
I’m waving at you from Florida and – ahem – dashing the laugh-tears from cheeks as I write this. Every time you mention those Google Alerts, my entire body shudders. Told you this past weekend … that’s just like peeking beneath rocks. You’re going to see icky, creepy crawling things if you can’t resist looking.
Seriously, we’re at opposite poles promo-wise. You are a promo queen and I’m a hermit. In fact, I’m sure I am allergic to both google and amazon. But I -am – all for pushing Tails of Love.
Because of the oh-so-deserving needy animals who are benefiting from our stories.
So, everyone … Tails of Love is a GREAT CAUSE! Pets give us so much and ask so little. It was such an honor and joy to work on Tails of Love and to share this past year with other animal-loving authors. Getting to know you all was an added bonus and Lori and Dianne’s Weekend was so much fun.
I wish we were starting out all over again, today. Ha ha, I can see Lori and Dianne wincing. I know they’re beat. They did such a fantastic job making the event a great time for everyone.
Thanks Naughty and Nice bloggers for hosting Marcia today. She really is a dynamo at self promotion. Even if I preach against picking up those rocks…
Loved spending time with you, Marcia! We had a ball, didn’t we?
Go Pets!
Marcia James
June 12th, 2009 at
2:59 pm
Angela — I might be a dog-person, but I also like stories featuring cats. “Break a leg” on completing and selling your Queen Alexander story!
– Marcia (who wonders why there is no cat emoticon)
Marcia James
June 12th, 2009 at
3:04 pm
Sue-Ellen — You crack me up! Yes, it is probably a good idea not to put a Google Alert on your pen name and your book titles if you don’t want to see the occasional negative comment. But you can safely put an Alert on a topic (like Scottish romances) to give you leads on blogs, etc., where you can tout your books.
Now, I want to use an emoticon I haven’t used before, so I will say that meeting you last weekend put me on:
Hope FL is having great weather and you’re writing up a storm!
– Marcia
Sue-Ellen Welfonder
June 12th, 2009 at
3:22 pm
Ha ha, Marcia…
Good try, but I am not touching Google Alerts under any topic. Not even Queen Elizabeth! Or, dare I say it? Haggis!!
It was grrreat meeting you in person, too. I adore your cloud nine thingey. Made me smile.
The weather here is way too hot, but it’s nice and sunny and I’m about to go cycle a round. Then I will be writing up that storm, yes….
Have fun blogging today. Everyone, Marcia has the brightest smile and such a great laugh. I hope you all get to meet her live someday.
Hugs to you, Marcia!
Go Pets!
Marcia James
June 12th, 2009 at
3:52 pm
Thanks, Sue-Ellen! You’re making me blush and there’s no animated emoticon for that. So I’ll just put the bunny one here:
Doesn’t that bunny sort of look like a pig?
GO PETS!
– Marcia
Estella
June 12th, 2009 at
4:37 pm
I love Bob the dog in the Stephanie Plum books.
Am looking forward to reading Tails of Love. Was glad to see that the proceeds went to a no-kill shelter.
Marcia James
June 12th, 2009 at
5:12 pm
Estella — I think Bob is hilarious! Have you read any of Janet’s old Loveswept romances that have been reprinted? Several have a dog like Bob — sort of a Bob prototype. There’s a Grandma Mazur Beta version in several of the romances, too.
Thanks for stopping by!
– Marcia
JenB
June 12th, 2009 at
5:30 pm
I’m a super picky (read: bitchy) reader, but I admit I LOVE just about any book with animals in it, especially dogs. Even if the book is absolutely horrible, a great animal character will automatically earn it a passing grade.
I love Jennifer Crusie’s books that feature dogs, especially Crazy for You and Anyone But You. Elaine Fox’s dog books are great too, as long as she stays out of the dog’s head (having a French Bulldog as a narrator is too weird even for me).
I also like shapeshifter books in which the shifter poses as a pet dog…’cause I’m sick like that.
Night Play by Sherrilyn Kenyon comes to mind.
Marcia James
June 12th, 2009 at
6:12 pm
Hi, Jenb! I love books with dogs in them. Have you tried Katie MacAlister’s paranormal dragon series that includes a demon in the form of a drooling Newfoundland hound? The demon has the funniest lines in the books!
If there is a dog on the cover of a book, I am definitely going to check it out.
Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by!
– Marcia
Mindy Gerhart
June 12th, 2009 at
6:47 pm
Hi Marcia
I LOVE the book 
Houdini ROCKS!
Reading “Tales of Love” right now. As a confirmed animal person (especially cats
Please make a follow up book guys Okay??
Other books I like are Vicki Lewis Thompson’s Hexed series & Carole Nelson Douglas’s Midnight Louie series. Shifters are always good too
Mindy
Patricia Sargeant
June 12th, 2009 at
7:13 pm
Marcia!!! You’ve used up all the good emoticons! Oh, I like this one, though.
It reminds me of you and me. I’ll let you guess which one is you and which one is me. 
Sometimes I crack myself up.
OK. Sorry. Easily distracted. LOL!
Loved your post, Marcia. And I loved your Tails of Love short story, “Rescue Me.” I also loved Kate’s “Norah’s Ark” and Sue-Ellen’s “A Man, A Woman and Haggis.” I’m looking forward to reading all the other stories this weekend.
Ahhh! Good reading. Good cause. OK, everyone. Let’s run out and buy a copy.
OK. That was the last one.
Hugs!
Patricia
Marcia James
June 12th, 2009 at
7:47 pm
Hi, Mindy! I like cats, too, and my sister has 6 of them! I like the Lillian Jackson Braun “The Cat Who…” mystery series.
Glad to hear you’re also enjoying TAILS OF LOVE!
– Marcia
Marcia James
June 12th, 2009 at
7:50 pm
Hi, Patricia! Great to see so many of the TAILS OF LOVE authors here.
I loved your “Scaredy Cat” story in the anthology. I do think we should do a TAILS OF LOVE II book!
Okay, if you get to use the “poking with a stick” emoticon, I get to use the boxer one!
– Marcia
Shelley Munro
June 12th, 2009 at
9:03 pm
Hi Marcia – some great ideas for promoting animal stories. BTW I loved your book At Her Command. It was a fun read.
I think most people have happy memories of pets and animals and animal themed stories bring back these memories. It helps make animal stories popular. I know readers loved my Talking Dog series. There are quite a few detective/mystery stories that feature animals. Even the Stephanie Plum series has her pet hamster and also Bob the dog.
Marcia James
June 12th, 2009 at
9:14 pm
Hi, Shelley!
It’s great to see you here! And thanks for your kind words about my PR suggestions and my book! 
My To Be Read pile is huge, but now that I know you have a Talking Dog series, the pile is going to get bigger.
I LOVE dog stories!
Have a great weekend!
– Marcia
Kayelle Allen
June 13th, 2009 at
10:58 am
What a terrific bunch of ideas! I’d like to add one that I learned last week. There are people who call themselves “furries” and like to dress up as animals.
They have parties and conventions, groups online, and you can google “furry” plus a host of words to find them. Here’s one I plan to attend next year. http://www.furryweekend.com/ This takes place in Atlanta, not far from where I live. 
Some of my characters are feline-humanoids (the Kin) and from a discussion I had recently with a friend who is a “furry”, my characters would fit in and be quite welcome. Thanks for this tip, Marcia.
You know, commenting here is fun, if only to use the goofy emoticons!
Marcia James
June 13th, 2009 at
12:33 pm
Hi, Kayelle! For those who might not know, you have a great and free yahoogroup called Marketing For Romance Writers where people can ask marketing and PR questions and share their experiences. I love being part of that email loop!
Thanks for the “furries” tip! Have a great time at the convention!
– Marcia
Ames
June 14th, 2009 at
12:11 pm
Marcia I’m late to the party but had to stop by and welcome you as a fellow animal lover/writer
I LOVE putting animals in my stories! 
Marcia James
June 14th, 2009 at
12:37 pm
Hi, Ames! It’s cool meeting another author with 4-legged characters.
I can’t imagine writing a story without at least one. 
They humanize the hero and heroine. In Hollywood, they call it “petting the dog”, a quick way for the audience to see a character do something nice for an animal, which is short-hand for saying “he’s a good guy”. 
Of course, the villians in some James Bond and Austin Powers movies liked cats. 
Happy writing!
– Marcia
Marcia James
June 14th, 2009 at
5:01 pm
And the winner of my AT HER COMMAND e-book is…
JENB!!!!
JenB, please email me at Marcia@MarciaJames.net and let me know what format you would like the e-book in, and I’ll email it to you.
Thanks, everyone, for stopping by my guest-blog. And thanks to Shelli for the opportunity to be on her blog!
– Marcia
JenB
June 15th, 2009 at
11:36 am
Hooray for another book to read!
Thanks Marcia. I look forward to it.