Will you like me? On my alter ego Lori Armstrong’s Facebook page? http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lori-Armstrong/420276695091

I know, right? Why have I resorted to shameless begging?

Here’s the scene: in NYC when I met with my Simon and Schuster associate editor–S&S publishes the Mercy Gunderson mystery series–she talked about social media and then we looked at my Lori Armstrong Facebook page and saw that I had less than 500 likes….boo hoo. And my Lorelei James Facebook page had almost 3000…And I won’t get into the vast number differences with Twitter followers under each name.

And when I admitted to her that I don’t spend a lot of time on social networking, not because I don’t like it, but mostly because I’m writing all the damn time and that I have the attention span of a gnat–it’s true I cannot have a smart phone because I’d dink around instead of working–she pointed out that I *do* devote time to the Lorelei James blog and social networking but not nearly as much to my mystery writer alter ego. (It is very strange to be two people most days). I’ll also admit it’s easier to connect with romance readers, since I write way more romances in a year than I do mysteries. And the blog is my fun time, posting pictures, having contests etc…

So I told her I’d put more effort into expanding my social network as Lori Armstrong, mystery author. I thought I’d tap you readers first, since you seem to enjoy what I write as Lorelei James and most of you read this blog on Facebook…which is where I need the “likes” to prove to my publisher that….oh, I don’t know what the hell it’ll prove, but doesn’t this sound like fun?! Snicker. Oh, and the anthology I teased you about on Tuesday? Well, in addition to having a Rough Riders short story in it, it will also have a Lori Armstrong short story, starring the world’s best bad girl, my character Julie Collins.

My question: How important a role does social media play in your daily life? And does it help you discover new-to-you authors? And do you have to really like something or someone to mark it as a “like” on Facebook?

I’ll pick a random commenter or two for online gift cards to the e-vendor of choice! And post the winners on Saturday.

Last bit of shamelessness — If you’re interested in more information about my alter ego, Lori Armstrong, here are a few links:

Lori G Armstrong twitter link

Lori Armstrong website

Lori Armstrong Facebook page