Book promotion in the merry month of May

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There’s lots to celebrate in the merry, merry month of May besides the fact that my little corner of the world will (usually) be able to say goodbye to snow for a few months.

The lusty month of May is National Barbecue Month, National Bike Month, and National Hamburger Month, but it also offers us Wildflower Week (the result of April showers that bring May flowers, right?). They’re all hints of warmer weather to come.

May brings those of us in the Northern Hemisphere more than warmer weather, though. It also offers authors a selection of whimsical, wacky, and quirky book promotion opportunities you can use to bring attention to your book.

How to use the merry month of May opportunities

The list below offers plenty of light-hearted occasions you can link to your book for marketing purposes.

Here are a few examples of how to use them to help you imagine what you might do.

• Do you write about cooking or gardening? May 1, Herb Day, might be just what you need to share advice or recipes on Instagram and Pinterest. It’s perfect for Lynn Alley, the author of the 2013 book, Cooking with Herbs: 50 Simple Recipes for Fresh Flavor.
• Is your book about fashion, or is your fictional protagonist a fashionista? May 8, No Socks Day, is a natural for you. A fashion writer for The Wall Street Journal recently reported that no-show socks are passé. Share your opinion about that on social media or in an essay on your blog.
• Dance Like a Chicken Day on May 14 gives children’s book authors an opportunity to record a fun dancing-like-a-chicken video or to host an online storytelling hour (using books starring chickens, of course). The author and illustrator of Chicken Talk could do so much with this one. 

Your May book promotion opportunities

Here’s a partial list of the fun May holidays you can add to next month’s book promotion calendar. Get the full list on the Holiday Insights site.

• May 1 Free Comic Book Day
• May 1 Herb Day
• May 3 Lumpy Rug Day
• May 4 Bird Day
• May 4 Star Wars Day (May the Fourth Be With You)
• May 5 Bike to School Day
• May 6 No Diet Day
• May 8 No Socks Day
• May 9 Birth Mother’s Day
• May 9 Lost Sock Memorial Day
• May 9 National Babysitters Day
• May 10 Clean up Your Room Day
• May 11 Eat What You Want Day
• May 11 Twilight Zone Day
• May 13 Frog Jumping Day
• May 14 Dance Like a Chicken Day
• May 17 Pack Rat Day
• May 20 Be a Millionaire Day
• May 20 Pick Strawberries Day
• May 21 National Bike to Work Day
• May 21 National Waiters and Waitresses Day
• May 23 Lucky Penny Day
• May 24 International Tiara Day
• May 25 Tap Dance Day

Which of these holidays can you work with in your book promotion plans? How will you use next month to help generate conversation and call attention to your book in a lighthearted way?