A Dating App for Your Book
I’m always on the lookout for new ways to connect with potential readers, and a few weeks ago, this one came to me. It’s called Booky Call, and it’s a new way to meet readers. (I’m in no way affiliated with the company and am simply passing on information that you may find useful.)
Booky Call is a free app for your mobile phone for readers and book lovers, authors and publishers. It’s basically a book discovery app that is set up very much like a dating app—its purpose is to find the reader’s perfect book match. As their motto goes, “Life is complicated. Finding your next great read shouldn’t be.”
How It Works
Once your book is accepted, readers who enjoy your genre will start to be introduced to your book’s profile. The profile answers questions like “Who should swipe right on me?” And, “What are my most attractive traits?” If the reader likes what they see, they will swipe right. Then your book will slide into their DM’s, and they’ll be able to click on links to the places where they can purchase your book in its various forms.
I love this idea of matching with the “right” readers, so I signed up They Will Be Coming for Us. About a week later, Booky Call’s matchmaking specialists had worked their magic creating a fun and intriguing pitch with lots of details from the book. To see it, click this link: https://links.bookycall.com/PTTradS3JTY9pvUT7.
Here’s one detail that falls under the “What are my most attractive traits?” category: “I’m a stellar match for anyone who loves watching vulnerable yet fiercely protective women peel back the layers of a bizarre secret. I’ll offer you a night brimming with tension and duplicity, as Svetlana faces off against the Jovians and their invasive maneuvering.”
What About Data?
Since launching in 2021, 350,000 readers have downloaded the Booky Call app all over the world. Their users are clicking to buy five to ten books, ebooks, audiobooks per month on average. Once accepted, your book will be matched with potential readers every day for a year, and you will receive quarterly data that pertains to matches, swipes (both left and right) and browses. (All of this information can be found on their website, www.bookycall.com.
A Special Offer to Sign Up
Because my paperback books are listed on IngramSpark, I received a special six-month offer from Booky Call, and as far as I know, the offer is still viable. If your books are on IngramSpark, and you are interested, check it out here: https://www.bookycall.com/ingram
Here’s the copy from their submission form:
Booky Call is excited to be working with IngramSpark to help publishers and authors connect their books with readers in a revolutionary way.
We want to be the most approachable, affordable and effective book promotion option in the market. As a result, we’re offering IngramSpark publishers exclusive pricing of $149/book. This includes your book's custom dating profile and six months of matching it with targeted readers on the Booky Call app. You will have the opportunity to renew at an even more discounted rate.
To get started, please fill out the following submission form. Your book will be reviewed by the Booky Call content team for approval*. You will receive an email within one business day with next steps. We look forward to introducing your book to the thousands of readers who use the Booky Call app to find their next great read.
*We do not accept children's books, cookbooks, travelogues, photography books, how-to books, or reference manuals.
Booky Call is new to me, but I love the idea, and time will only tell how well it helps to get the word out about my books. The other day, Booky Call posted an image on Facebook and Instagram that included They Will Be Coming for Us—it said my book was the #2 most right-swiped novel on the app last week. This could be the beginning of a meaningful relationship! I hope that you’ve found this information useful.
Kim Catanzarite is the author of the award-winning sci-fi thriller series The Jovian Universe. She is a freelance writer and editor for publishers and independent authors, and she teaches copyediting for Writer’s Digest University. Her Self-Publishing 101 blog discusses the ins and outs of indie life as well as all things writing craft (www.authorkimcatanzarite.com/blog). She lives on the east coast USA with her husband and daughter.
