My friend Karen McQuestion, whose best-selling novels include A Scattered Life, Easily Amused, and The Long Way Home, is my hero. Why? Because her fans LOVE her. I asked for her secret to connecting with readers, and here's what she had to say:

It's important to build a connection with your fans!

The personal touch

I love to give away my books and at various times I've done drawings on my blog, Facebook, and Goodreads. When I mail the books to the winners, I always add a note saying I hope they enjoy the book and if so, I'd love to hear their thoughts via a review on Amazon, if they have the time. People seem to enjoy the personal connection with the author and many of them do post reviews as well, which is no small thing.

Think like a reader

I started having more success with book sales when I started thinking like a reader instead of a sales person. To that end, I participated on message boards as a reader, never mentioning my books. I did however, have my books listed in my signature line. If anyone was interested they could check them out and if not, that was okay too. Talking about books online was an easy thing to do even for an introvert like myself. I got some great book recommendations, and also received some wonderful comments about my own books, which was immensely gratifying.

Always respond

Facebook, Twitter, e-mails, blog comments - sometimes social media can be overwhelming! Still, if someone has taken the time to let me know they enjoyed one of my books, or even just to wish me well, I make a point to thank them. I don't take any of my readers (or potential readers) for granted. If they've gone to the trouble to contact me, I figure that responding is the least I can do.

To learn more about Karen's books, visit www.karenmcquestion.com or follow her on Twitter: @KarenMcQuestion. (If you'd like to follow me, it's @MariaMurnane)

-Maria

Maria Murnane is the best-selling author of the romantic comedies Perfect on Paper, It's a Waverly Life, and Honey on Your Mind. She also provides consulting services on book publishing and marketing. Learn more at www.mariamurnane.com.

This blog post originally appeared on CreateSpace.com. Reprinted with permission. © 2013 CreateSpace, a DBA of On-Demand Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.