As we wrap up a busy April that features more book-related days and weeks than any other month, it’s time to look ahead to other types of special occasions in May.

Here in the U.S. Northeast (where snow sometimes makes an appearance as late as mid-May), we welcome the typically warmer temperatures and how neighbors only mow their lawns when they see we have our windows open during Zoom meetings.

The merry, merry month of May brings us spring flowers and leaves on trees and, oh joy of joys, spending time outside without down coats and heavy gloves.

May bright spots

The fifth month brings with it in the U.S. “normal” occasions that include Mother’s Day on May 12, Memorial Day on May 27, and high school graduations and college commencements throughout the month.

Australia’s Queensland celebrates Labour Day on May 6 – which is also May Day in the Northern Territory – and Reconciliation Day on May 27 in the Capital Territory.

There are also so many unconventional, unique, and often downright irreverent holidays and special occasions to celebrate. And you can use them to bring attention to your book.

How to leverage May book promotion opportunities

What’s the best way to take advantage of so many fun May book promotion opportunities? Once you identify those occasions that are a good fit for your book or promotion goals from the list below, how can you use them?

Here are a few examples to get you started.

May is Mystery Month

Do you write mysteries, thrillers, or suspense novels? This is your month! And there’s so much potential.

Here’s just one idea: Use social media and your email list to poll people about their favorite mystery book and why they like it. You can use this information in multiple ways:

• Compile what you learn into a round up article (“here’s what readers told me about their favorite mysteries”) for your blog or to use as a LinkedIn post.
• Record videos where you read some of the nominations and reasons.
• Create social media quote graphics with the entries.

May 9, Lost Sock Memorial Day

Are you a poet? Write your “Ode to the Lost Sock.”

A humorist? Explain where the socks that don’t come out of the dryer end up.

Schedule an Instagram Live so you and your followers can pause together at a specific time to honor and remember all the socks they’ve lost. Be sure to promote it in advance.

May 20, Be a Millionaire Day

Do you write about money?

Call attention to your book on Be a Millionaire Day by sending a tip sheet to the press or guest blogging about money mistakes people are making that will prevent them from being able to celebrate this special day.

Go live on Instagram to talk to millennials and Gen Y about how to save now so they can retire early.

To reach a younger audience, create a series of TikTok videos that explain each “must-do” for anyone seeking millionaire status sooner rather than later.

Your May book promotion opportunities

Here’s a partial list of the merry, merry month of May marketing opportunities you can add to next month’s book promotion calendar. Get the full list on the Holiday Insights site. (And while you’re there, look ahead to other months.)

• Date Your Mate Month
• Gifts from the Garden Month
• Mystery Month
• National Recommitment Month
• May 1 Save the Rhino Day
• May 3 Garden Meditation Day
• May 3 Lumpy Rug Day
• May 3 Space Day
• May 4 National Candied Orange Peel Day
• May 5 National Hoagie Day
• May 6 National Tourist Appreciation Day
• May 7 National Teacher’s Day
• May 8 National Outdoor Intercourse Day
• May 9 Lost Sock Memorial Day
• May 10 Clean up Your Room Day 
• May 11 Eat What You Want Day
• May 11 Hanging Flower Baskets Day
• May 11 National Babysitters Day
• May 13 Frog Jumping Day
• May 14 Dance Like a Chicken Day
• May 17 Pack Rat Day
• May 18 Visit Your Relatives Day
• May 20 Be a Millionaire Day
• May 21 National Waiters and Waitresses Day
• May 23 Lucky Penny Day
• May 24 International Tiara Day
• May 25 Tap Dance Day
• May 26 National Paper Airplane Day
• May 31 Flip Flop Day

Be sure to check out the list of book-related occasions during May in our downloadable 2024 literary calendar, too.

Which of these surprising May occasions speak to you? How will you use next month to help generate conversation and call attention to your book in a lighthearted way?

It won’t be long before June is busting out all over, so now’s the time to start thinking about how you might use any of the many fun June occasions in ways that will help promote your book.

In the Northern Hemisphere, June brings us the first day of summer, the summer solstice, and the longest day of the year, all on June 21. Juneteenth on June 19, now a federal holiday in the U.S., commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.

June is the third most popular wedding month, and, where I live, high school graduation month. Father’s Day is in June, too. There’s so much to recognize and celebrate!

How to leverage fun June occasions for book promotion

Need a few holiday-book pairing ideas to get you started? Here are just a few to show you how you can have fun with the list of unusual special days below.

• Do you write police procedurals? How about using June 2, National Doughtnut Day, to blog about or use social media to explain why police offers are so inextricably linked to doughnuts?
• Children’s book authors – especially the authors of the many books with “monkey” in the title – can monkey around with little readers on June 14, Monkey Around Day. Create and promote downloadable coloring pages or activity sheets, curate a list of the best books about monkeys, or shoot a social media video of kids showing how they like to monkey around (with their parents’ permission, or course).
• It won’t take a lot of thought for romance writers to leverage June 19, National Kissing Day, to call attention to their books, will it? Host a contest for the best movie kiss or write and distribute a tip sheet on how to make your lips more kissable.

Which of these will work best for you?

Here are some of the whimsical, quirky, and maybe a little foolish, holidays you can add to June’s book promotion calendar. Get the full list on the information-packed Holiday Insights site.

Here are some of the whimsical, quirky, and maybe a little foolish, holidays you can add to June’s book promotion calendar.Click to tweet

• June 1 Dare Day
• June 2 National Doughnut Day
• June 4 Hug Your Cat Day
• June 4 National Cheese Day
• June 6 National Yo-Yo Day
• June 7 VCR Day
• June 8 Best Friends Day
• June 10 Herbs and Spices Day
• June 13 Sewing Machine Day
• June 14 Monkey Around Day
• June 15 Smile Power Day
• June 16 Take a Road Trip Day
• June 18 National Splurge Day
• June 19 National Kissing Day
• June 19 World Sauntering Day
• June 21 International Yoga Day
• June 23 Let it Go Day
• June 23 National Food Truck Day
• June 24 International Fairy Day
• June 27 Sun Glasses Day
• June 28 Paul Bunyan Day
• June 29 Hug Holiday
• June 29 Waffle Iron Day
• June 30 Meteor Day

Be sure to check the 2023 Literary Calendar for writerly June occasions, too.

Which of these holidays can you use next month to help spark conversation and fun?

There’s a lot of gloom and doom out there thanks to the coronavirus, so why not be a source of smiles by adding a little (much-needed) sunshine to your book promotion next month?

Instead of posting about the number of reported cases in your area or debating whether consumers should be stockpiling face masks, create lighter social media content. Try linking your book to one of the many fun and unusual occasions coming up in April.

Yes, it takes a little thought and creativity, but doesn’t all book promotion? What’s more, your followers will certainly appreciate the break from the depressing headlines and epidemic updates.

How to take advantage of amazing April holidays

Not sure how to go about pairing your book with any of these fun holidays below? Here are a few examples to get you started.

• April 5 is Plan Your Epitaph Day, which makes it a great fit for a book on cemeteries, including 199 Cemeteries to See Before You Die or the edgy novel Headstone.

• Think of the fun you might have with April 14, Ex-Spouse Day. Plenty of fiction revolves around people in this category. I can also see Sonia Frontera, author of Solve the Divorce Dilemma: Do You Keep Your Husband or Do You Post Him on Craigslist? using this one as a content springboard.

• National Honesty Day on April 30 is tailor-made for Judi Ketteler’s new book, Would I Lie to You? The Amazing Power of Being Honest in a World That Lies. Several children’s books address honesty, too. Does it play a part in your fiction?

After you matched your book with the right occasions, create and schedule social media images, blog posts, or tip sheets.

Which can you add to your book promotion calendar?

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

• April 1 National Walking Day

• April 2 National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day

• April 3 National Walk to Work Day

• April 4 School Librarian Day

• April 5 Plan Your Epitaph Day

• April 7 World Health Day

• April 9 Name Yourself Day

• April 11 Barbershop Quartet Day

• April 12 Walk on Your Wild Side Day

• April 13 Scrabble Day

• April 14 Ex-Spouse Day

• April 15 Rubber Eraser Day

• April 16 National High Five Day

• April 16 Mushroom Day

• April 17 Pet Owners Independence Day

• April 19 National Garlic Day

• April 21 Kindergarten Day

• April 22 Earth Day (U.S.)

• April 23 National Zucchini Bread Day

• April 25 National DNA Day

• April 27 Babe Ruth Day

• April 29 National Zipper Day

• April 30 National Honesty Day

Be sure to check the list of 25 April holidays in the Build Book Buzz 2020 literary calendar, too.

Which of these holidays can you use next month to help spark conversation and fun?