No Room at the Inn ~ Or, at least not on Facebook

(published from previous blog, posted Dec. 2015)

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. (Gospel According to Saint Luke 2:7)

Yep, apparently there is no longer any room for small businesses on Facebook either. Beginning in January they will start charging for any sort of postings on “business” type pages. This includes pages like my author page. The jury seems to be out whether they will allow advertising of sorts on personal pages, but it seems unlikely they will do so.

Don’t get me wrong. I am aware that even Facebook runs a business and needs to make money, but there are lots of us smaller run entities that don’t make enough money to impact their bottom line. I have tried two different advertising campaigns with them. While the first garnered more followers, neither translated into sales. Needless to say, I was not sold on their ability to “help” my business grow. Others have had similar lackluster results. Now, we are all left scrambling for other places to lay our weary heads, or at least our advertisements.

I have not decided if I will continue minor postings on Facebook or simply shut down my page as many other authors will be doing. There will be little point in keeping it open if I cannot talk about my projects or let readers know when new books are available. Already, Facebook’s algorithms prevent many of my followers from getting my updates.

You have several options for following me and finding out about project releases, specials, etc. One is GoogePlus, which I am already on. Feel free to join and follow me there.

I have also signed on with TSU. It is VERY similar to Facebook. You can sign up for free and follow me there as well. The main difference between Facebook and TSU is that you have to go through a current member to get onto TSU. Feel free to go to https://www.tsu.co/donnahechlerporter. Fill out the form and you will be approved not just for my site but for any other sites you wish to visit. Once on, you will see how similar it is to Facebook. If you follow a number of authors, you will find many of them switching to this format.

The last option is to be sure and click on the provided link on this blog and follow me here. I will always announce releases, updates, etc., on this blog. A notice comes to your email when I have posted an update, so you do not have to constantly be checking.

I am knee-deep in the first rewrites for a finally completed rough draft of Breaking Promises with a targeted release date of March. Be sure to use one of the methods above to stay in touch with me on the release of that upcoming project as well as the release of Metes & Bounds III: John McQueen & Nancy Crews, Children & Grandchildren due for release summer of 2015.

As we roll into the last week of Advent and move towards Christmas, I want to wish everyone a productive, spirit-filled week. May you draw closer to the Christ child in the manger and make a place for him in your heart.

Christmas Blessings in abundance to you and yours this season . . .

About Donna

Donna Hechler Porter has always had stories in her head. When they were not swirling and gnawing, she had her head in a history book - both fiction and non-fiction. Now, she puts her love of old things, including her genealogy, to good use by writing both genealogy books and novels. She has published five historical novels, several of which have won awards, four genealogy books on her family history, and several smallish books including a book on the 1778 Big Siege of Fort Boonesborough and a book with tips and tricks for bringing history to life for young people. A graduate of Texas A & M University, she currently teaches middle school English and literature at a small private school east of Houston and runs a private tutoring business. She stops for all garage sales and to collect treasures from the side of the road. She dreams of life in a log cabin in the woods, even as she is addicted to antique and thrift shopping.

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If you live in southeast Texas and would like Donna to come speak at your reading, genealogy, or history club, please contact her. She is more than likely to say yes! 

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