Use magical May holidays for book promotion

The magical month of May offers authors several occasions they might relate to more than other people would – Short Story Month, Mother Goose Day, and Limerick Day, to name a few.

But the fifth month of the year also features an interesting selection of holidays and occasions that are perfect for other types of special interests, too. Whether you or your readers enjoy salads – it’s National Salad Month! – or have a thing about lumpy rugs, you’ll be able to find a special holiday in May that resonates.

With an open mind and a little creativity, you’ll be able to take advantage of these fun special days and occasions in May for book promotion.

How to use these fun occasions

Let’s look at a couple of special days in May and how they might help you bring more attention to your books.

• May 2 is “Brothers and Sisters Day.” Does your book involve siblings or sibling relationships? Use this as a conversation-starter on social media. For example, sometimes the people we think of as our brothers or sisters aren’t related to us by blood, are they? Ask readers about both their birth and non-birth-related siblings.
• “Love a Tree Day” on May 16 presents an opportunity to talk about the importance of nature in our lives. It’s a no-brainer for the author of the best-selling The Hidden Life of Trees, but you don’t have to write about trees to leverage this one. Blog or post on social media about your relationship with trees and nature at large. Create and share a social media image for the holiday, asking followers about their favorite trees (I’m a fan of Gingkos).
• Who among us doesn’t pick up a lucky penny when they spot one? “Lucky Penny Day” on May 23 is for all of us who just can’t resist. You can take this in so many directions. Blog about “luck” – does it just happen, or do we create it for ourselves? Post a photo of your lucky penny collection on Facebook and ask friends to do the same in a comment. Ask social media followers to tell you why they collect them or about the luckiest thing that has happened to them.

If you need to, brainstorm with a friend about how to use these holidays or events to your advantage. Open your mind to the possibilities and have fun with them.

Magical May book promotion possibilities

Expand your book marketing with this short list of unexpected and fun May holidays. Look for more on the Holiday Insights site, too.

• May 1 Loyalty Day
• May 1 Save the Rhino Day
• May 2 Brothers and Sisters Day
• May 3 Garden Meditation Day
• May 3 Lumpy Rug Day
• May 4 National Candied Orange Peel Day
• May 6 Space Day
• May 7 National Babysitters Day
• May 7 National Train Day
• May 9 Lost Sock Memorial Day
• May 11 Twilight Zone Day
• May 13 Blame Someone Else Day
• May 13 Frog Jumping Day
• May 13 Leprechaun Day
• May 14 National Windmill Day
• May 15 National Chocolate Chip Day
• May 16 Love a Tree Day
• May 16 National Sea Monkey Day
• May 23 Lucky Penny Day
• May 24 International Tiara Day
• May 25 National Towel Day (UK)
• May 27 Don’t Fry Friday

Be sure to check out the list of book-related occasions during May in our 2022 literary calendar, too.

How can you link any of these to your book or its theme, message, characters, or mission? Please tell us in a comment.