Just Joined Instagram as @divakarunichitra. Advice, Anyone?

I recently joined Instagram as @divakarunichitra and have posted a few items: books, quotations, recipes, favorite poems, writing tips, funny snippets, and sneak-peeks into my life. Please check it out and let me know what you think.

I’d love to get some advice from readers/friends/fellow-writers about how to get better at it.

Hoping to hear from you!

To Trail or Not to Trail

Some days back, Katherine Center, a writer friend, sent me the link to a book trailer she had created for her new novel, Everyone is Beautiful: http://katherinecenter.wordpress.com/2009/03/10/the-awesomest-thing-ever-ever-ever/, and of course, when I saw it, I wanted one, too--for both Palace of Illusions and for my new children's fantasy novel,  to be born in a week: Shadowland.

I wanted to find out what's involved, time, effort and money wise, and so I (what else!) googled the term and came up with all kinds of contradictory advice! Some say book trailers are amazing and attract readers like flies to sticky tape. Others say no one watches them except other writers who are planning to make their own book trailers.

In case you're an author considering making your own book trailer,
here's a good link: http://brendacoulter.blogspot.com/2007/06/promoting-your-novel-how-to-make-book.html

And if, like me, you are short on time and technological talent, here are two companies that I found that make book trailers for a good price:
http://www.cosproductions.com/ (starts at $300)
http://booktrailers.ning.com/profile/GhostwriterExtraordinaire (starts at $150)

Some of the trailers are for books that appear more commercial than literary, but I think if an author requested a more serious treatment, the companies could provide it.

So I wanted to ask you, dear readers: what are your experiences with book trailers? Have you watched any? Did they inspire you to find out more about the book? Do you think they are the up and coming thing for book promotion? Should I go for it?

I'd love to hear your opinion.If you've come across any good book trailers, I'd love to know of them.

Here are 2 book trailers I found on Youtube that I was intrigued by. The second one, particularly, created an atmosphere that I enjoyed.The third is of another writer friend, Abraham Verghese's wonderful new book, Cutting for Stone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43eIV2Kp3bs
http://www.trailerspy.com/trailer/2697/I-Still-Have-A-Suitcase-In-Berlin--Book-Trailer
http://www.amazon.ca/Cutting-Stone-Abraham-Verghese/dp/0307357775