It’s cliche for me to say “time moves fast.” We all know that, which makes it all the more important that we take action on those things we want for our books. That includes plenty of well-targeted media. What is time? Who knows, but February looms ahead.
If you have a book coming out this year, then that fact alone makes your book timely from a marketing and publicity perspective. If your book has been out for awhile, then you have to find other ways to show media gatekeepers why your book is newsworthy right now.
As I have mentioned before, gatekeepers always ask, “Why you, why now?” You need to be able to answer those questions.
One of the easiest ways to do that is to tie into the calendar. The month of February has many observances that you might be able to tap into with your book and expertise. Here is a sampling:
- National Cancer Prevention Month
I don’t know anyone who hasn’t been touched by this disease, and if you’ve written a book about it, this is a good opportunity for you. - National Fasting February
I’m surprised this isn’t in January when so many people want to diet following the holidays. Maybe the idea is to try intermittent fasting after all the other dieting attempts have failed. If you’ve written a diet or fitness book, this may be just the ticket for you. - National Self Check Month
This month encourages people to go to the doctor for a check up. A book on health could use this as a timely reason why it should be done now. - National Enrolled Agents Month
The name of this one is vague, but it relates to tax day coming up in April. The enrolled agents are those who help taxpayers navigate the complex tax code. If you have a financial book, this may be for you. - American Heart Month
Take care of your heart because many illnesses are preventable. Again, if you have a health book this may be perfect for you. - An Affair to Remember Month
February is dedicated to remembering the classic 1957 romantic tearjerker starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. Unlikely anyone has a book to tie in with this, but you never know. - Black History Month
February is a time for all Americans to celebrate the achievements of African Americans. With all the changes in our culture over the past two years, this topic has become important all the time – not just during February. - Creative Romance Month
No doubt Valentine’s Day inspired this one. Tapping into Creative Romance Month will make your book timely beyond only Valentine’s Day – assuming you have an angle there. - National Library Lover’s Month
This works for any book and any author. Who doesn’t love the library, or at least Libby! - National Weddings Month
Even though most weddings take place during the summer months, particularly June, February has the highest number of weddings on one day – and I’m sure you can guess which one. 16,000 weddings on Valentine’s Day alone. Do you have a book on relationships? It might tie in well here.
Bottom line
This is not an exhaustive list of the observances for the month of February. If none of the above relate to your book, you can check out one of the many online sites that run this feature, or checkout Chase’s Calendar of Events. They were the original “on this date” resource. Keep in mind that there is a fee involved for it.
Happy Valentine’s Day to you and yours. And remember, whether you have a significant other or not, you can appreciate and love yourself, which is always good to do!
To your success!
Joanne
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