Virtual Book (also known as Blog) Tour

Talk about a cool internet travel concept.  You know what standard book tours are of course. An author packs up and heads out all over the country or if super successful all over the continent/world for signings and book promotions.  Wow.  In a perfect world we could all afford that kind of glamour.  However a virtual book tour is a cool alternative that I only found out about yesterday (hence the importance of joining writers' communities and the like I guess). 

It's cool.  You need to be a member of a writer's network that offers virtual book tours.  You sign yourself up for a reasonable fee (fairly cheap considering the exposure you get) and then invite everyone and his mother to add their blogspot to your tour so they can read all about you, your book, get a sample chapter to read, etc.  Some authors even send a comp copy of their book to their guests.  That's a little expensive unless you happen to be self-published I suppose but more than likely it has its advantages.  I mean imagine sending your novel or non-fiction or what have you to Australia when you're in Canada so that someone you have never met can read it, follow your tour and maybe even comment on you and your book in their blog?  That's the idea of course.  Free worldwide advertising all through cheap networking. 

Best of all you don't have to move your butt.  You just choose an online schedule, pour yourself a glass of wine, open your book and read and blog your little heart out - and whatever else you're going to do.  I suppose you can go on webcam and have someone interview you - or perhaps do a live question and answer period with other webcammers and on and on.  The possibilities are limitless.

If you want to see how it looks check out this link:  http://www.virtualbooktourexpert.com/