Book+Main Bites

Book+Main is a self-proclaimed matchmaker for readers and romance authors. It’s actually a great marketing tool for romance authors. Their site is designed to bring readers and authors together on a separate URL, Book+Main Bites. Authors can post small excerpts from their novels (bites) with a picture.

Readers can search the site based on categories such as heat level, tropes, and subgenre. They can favorite authors who appeal to them and receive notifications about new bites. And they can follow authors. Best of all, bites are linked to booksellers. Readers can instantly click to buy a book that interests them.

For romance writers, it’s an excellent way to promote a book regardless of its age. Occasionally, authors can have a hard time selling older books. New books and sequels are easy to market on social media. But no reader wants to see ads for a two-year-old book. Plus, with social media marketing, many times ads display to the same audience.

Book+Main keeps those older titles fresh. Since the reader is establishing the criteria for searching, they focus on the content, rather than the release date. In fact, date isn’t a search option (other than a new bite). A reader who loves a Runaway Bride trope won’t care if the book is three years old. They love the trope and will want to read it. Readers come to you.

Currently, Book+Main Bites has about 60,000 readers subscribed. The site and app (on both Google Play and the iTunes store) are free for readers. For authors, the cost is $10 a month or $99 for a year. Authors can post unlimited bites, but there is a three-day limit for posting. But post three-a-day every day, if you wish.

Anatomy of a bite: The content should include actual words from the book—a scene, a chapter, a good paragraph. They also allow bonus material or deleted scenes. The excerpts can be as long or short as you wish, with 500-1500 being the sweet spot for readers. (A bite of the content, get it?) Authors use stock photos rather than their covers for the bites. (See my post on stock photo sites for ideas.)

Other bits: Authors can also create Posts. These usually contain cover reveals, teasers, giveaways, etc. for readers. Books do not have to be discounted to be used on the site. All romance authors are welcome: all genres, Indy, Traditional, and Hybrid.

Book+Main is a great way for readers to find their next romance read or for authors to connect with new readers.