Solution to self promotion: have your subs do it instead of you. If my Dom wrote a piece I’d be out there making sure everyone read it!
I admire your enthusiasm! Though I'd find it deeply unsatisfying to actually tell others to promote my creations. For me the enjoyment of writing is seeing others authentically recommend what they've read, purely on the basis of the joy it makes them feel.
What I'm interested in that prompting that feeling of excitement when you discover a hidden gem and can't wait to tell everyone else, and by implication demonstrate not only your nose for finding things but also your fantastic taste.
I've always thought of this blog as one of those cool indie bookshops, hidden away in a narrow side alley, smelling of musty pages and illicit possibilities. I know there are hotter, more titillating venues in town, but I like being somewhere curious minds can discover surprises that rattle their imaginations and leave their panties utterly soaked.