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 by: Jay Johnson Be sure to check out: The Aton Project Newsletters at: http://www.self-publishinghelp.com/TheAtonProjectNewsletters.html. This newsletter, by author Tony VanSluytman, has been receiving rave revues despite it not being directed to writers. and FREE Writing Course http://http://banyonsbookdoctor.com. We are quite proud of the contributions of these two dedicated authors and wish for you to learn more about them. *** Moonspinners Writer's Page (http://www.maureenmcmahon.com), the website of Maureen McMahon, has been voted one of the 101 Best Websites by Writer's Digest 2006 - specifically her Ask The Experts section, created in collaboration with fellow author Fran Silverman (http://www.maureenmcmahon.com/bookmarketing.html). The Experts Site is composed of 150 subscribers to Fran’s newsletter, Book Promotion Newsletter (http://www.bookpromotionnewsletter.com), who answer book marketing questions at no charge. Download: 10 Ways to Promote Your Book... Welcome our Sponsor... ADRdomainsPlus.com for Your Domain Names and Internet Products GREAT rates and EXCELLENT service.  You are the Box Office Smash: The Personal Screenplay by Gordy Hoffman Right this very second, in the heart of every struggling, undiscovered screenwriter, in the dark, hidden corner deep within, there is a voice, a clear whisper, saying one thing: You're never gonna figure this out. And this is not referring to the story with its gaping hole, the finale missing a payoff, the hit and miss humor, the flat title. I'm talking about freedom. The freedom to work as a screenwriter. Compensation for a home for family and a life. The resources to wake up and ply your craft and pay the freight, without obstacle. The chance to see your writing made into pictures, to work with the industry's best, to fulfill this goal of professional screenwriter. Hollywood success. Behind this voice is the idea that somehow, some way, you'll find the hero, or the hook, logline or pitch that will punch your golden ticket. If you could only figure out what the studio wants, if you can only get a solid bead to this game, you know you can write and execute. What is the script I should write to get an agent? What is the one that will sell? It's not that I don't know how to write, I know how to write screenplays, I just need to know what they want, even though I think I know what they want, but I don't think I have the idea that they want. Yeah. I'm not gonna figure this out, whispers the voice. Why this uneasiness? Does it originate within ourselves? I don't think so. But where does it come from? The daily obsession with box office grosses? The news of the seven figure deals to newbies? The endless procession of boneheadedly conceived franchises-in-waiting arriving in the theatres every Friday? People winning Academy Awards for movies you would not be caught dead writing? Recognizing an idea you came up with years ago on your couch, produced with a $130 million budget drowning in CGI? All these things are but a few of the possible reasons why this seeds unhealthy doubt and confusion in the modern screenwriter. Tracking these forces outside us and beyond our control in an effort to trudge the path to a successful screenwriting career will prove to most to be unproductive and corrosive. Basically, trying to figure out what Hollywood wants will land us in a resentment that makes "giving up" a sane response to the very challenge which used to inspire us. In short, we cannot chase a perceived trend and remember our dreams. You cannot look at the marketplace and find your voice. You can find ideas, trends, and inspiration there, perhaps, but you can find these things driving in traffic as well. But listening to your voice is the key to creating original, compelling stories. Your life is your own story. You have a completely unique thread of experience. By allowing yourself to express these emotional experiences, your screenplay, your story, will be different from any other and powerful, as original as your fingerprint. Why is it powerful? When we have the courage to be specific about what we know about living, we create an authentic world an audience recognizes as the life they are living on planet Earth. This connects your audience to your story. This connection is the foundation of the phenomena of story. Why does story mean so much to us? We recognize the triumphs and tragedies of our lives, with all the hilarity and tears. By seeing it, we are validated and it underscores meaning and purpose to living. If we don't use what we've collected in life in our hearts and spirits, then our story loses its authenticity and the connection the audience should make fails. They do not see themselves, and when they leave the theater, they do not call their friends. When people do not call their friends after seeing a movie, the movie bombs. When a writer opens their person to their work, when they allow themselves to be vulnerable, to risk exposure of the secrets of their life story, they take a huge step towards creating a screenplay of substantial value, a screenplay with a greater potential of a large number of tickets sold. This is precisely why art and commerce have remained bedfellows for thousands of years. To look at the relationship between art and commerce as adversarial or incompatible is just plain foolish. Art happens when people invest their spirits in their work without fear, and story is artful when the writing is truthful and the writer is authentic. And what do we have to be honest about? We can only lie about what we know, and we can only tell the truth about what we know. And that is what has happened to us, our life story. This is what we share. This is not a pitch to write "what you know." This is not about writing stories about where you work or where you live. This is about writing about what you felt. You can imagine characters and worlds and actions and speech you've never personally experienced, but if you remember to infuse your choices with your emotional and spiritual struggles and victories as a human being, your screenplay will be different in the very best sense of the word. The question you have to answer is not what does Hollywood want today. The question is how honest of a writer do you want to be. I guarantee you can write a blockbuster, you can write a box office hit. This will happen when you find an audience. And the correct path to this crowd of people is listening to yourself. If you practice, you will develop an inner ear for who you are and what you know and you will become masterful in loading your work with your fingerprints. Writing is personal work. You are the guitar. You are the box of paint. Give of that and your audience will remember why life is good and they will talk of you. About the Author Winner of the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the Sundance Film Festival for LOVE LIZA, Gordy Hoffman has written and directed three digital shorts for Fox Searchlight. He made his feature directorial debut with his script, A COAT OF SNOW, which world premiered at the 2005 Locarno Intl Film Festival. A COAT OF SNOW made its North American Premiere at the Arclight in Hollywood, going on to screen at the Milan Film Festival and the historic George Eastman House. Recently, the movie won the 2006 Domani Vision Award at VisionFest, held at the Tribeca Cinemas in NY. A professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, Gordy is the founder and judge of BlueCat Screenplay Competition. Dedicated to develop and celebrate the undiscovered screenwriter, BlueCat provides written script analysis on every script entered. In addition, Gordy acts as a script consultant for screenwriters, offering personalized feedback on their scripts through his consultation service, www.screenplaynotes.com. For more articles by Gordy on screenwriting, visit http://www.bluecatscreenplay.com. A new radio show devoted to book marketing made its debut on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 on Achieve Radio, noon to 1 p.m., MST. Host Francine Silverman will talk with authors, publishers and publicists, providing listeners with a unique perspective on book promotion. To access Book Marketing with Fran, go to http://www.achieveradio.com and click “Click to Listen” at top of page. Should you miss the show, click “Shows & Hosts” on the left and scroll down to Fran’s show and click, “More-Click Here” for the archives. Patricia Fry, president of SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists, and Writers Network) and author of 24 books, will be Fran’s first guest. Patricia’s latest book is The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book (Matilija Press 2006), a comprehensive guide for hopeful and struggling authors. Fran is author of Book Marketing from A-Z and editor publisher of Book Promotion Newsletter, http://www.bookpromotionnewsletter.com Issue 125: December 5, 2007 ISSN 1545-5599 BOOK PROMOTION NEWSLETTER Issue 125: December 5, 2007 EDITOR: FRANCINE SILVERMAN http://www.bookpromotionnewsletter.com http://www.nystatetravel.com Issued every other Wednesday since 2003 In this Issue: (1) Feature Article (2) Feedback (3) From the Pen of..... (4) Progress Report (5) Kudos Please consider adding www.AuthorsandExperts.com and www.SchoolBookings.com to your list of resources. These are great places for authors, experts, and speakers to connect with members of the media, those searching for speakers, and schools. Free to schools and media members, and an economical resource for authors and experts. Ask us about partnership publishing! www.PartnershipPublishing.com INTRODUCTION I learned a hard lesson doing my current book - Radio Wants You. If you write non-fiction and don't want to self-publish, you don't necessarily need an agent. After waiting for months for my agent to report some news - good or otherwise - I decided to take the matter into my own hands. I sat down with Writers Market and found a dozen publishers that publish reference books. Most of them deal with 95-100% unagented authors. I sent queries and proposals to all 12. Well, I am happy to report I have since heard from one - McFarland & Company Publishers, to which I'd sent a query. The assistant editor wrote back before the alloted time of one month that they wanted more information, such as sample introduction and chapters, which I sent on Monday. "We're intrigued," he wrote - the same word that my agent used to describe my project. McFarland publishes general reference, performing arts, sports, women's studies, librarianship, literature, Civil War, history, world affairs, and international studies. According to its entry in Writer's Market, it publishes hardcover and "quality" paperbacks, and "the market is worldwide and libraries are an important part." But the words that shot out at me were "Reference books are particularly wanted." On its website, http://www.mcfarlandpub.com, it says "McFarland is a leading U.S. publisher of scholarly, reference and academic books" and that to date has published 4000 titles. So, while nothing is yet written in stone, I am hopeful. 1) FEATURE ARTICLE What's on the Back of Your Book? Strong compelling back cover copy sells books! By Peter Bowerman (Adapted from The Well-Fed Self-Publisher: How to Turn One Book into a Full-Time Living, by Peter Bowerman. Fanove, 2006. http://www.wellfedsp.com) Note: The following guidelines for the layout of your back cover are for non-fiction, where my expertise lies. Needless to say, fiction, where you simply need to entrance someone with a good story line, would be different. Think about how you buy a book. You pick it up, look at the cover, and if you like the visuals, title, and subtitle, it's because something resonates in you; something about what you see calls to some desire or longing inside you. That desire could be anything. In the case of a novel (or even non-fiction), it might be to have a transcendent reading experience - to be touched, moved, entertained, transported, etc. If it's non-fiction, it could be a desire for information about something that is (or sounds) meaningful to you. Or perhaps you want to ease a nagging concern. If the cover and title speaks to that something, to that need, desire, concern or interest, it's the beginning of a “Hmmmmmm...” A kernel of hope starts to stir. You're daring to imagine that this book will address that desire, uncertainty, or concern. “Sell Me” Now, the reader is looking for confirmation of this growing sense of hope. “Tell me I'm right. Tell me you can do what I'm hoping you can do.” Their next move is to flip the book over, and think - most likely unconsciously - “Okay, sell me.” At this point, you don't want to give them a reason to put it down. Gee, and you thought it was just a back cover! I bet you had no idea that so much was at stake. An Example Let's take a look at the back cover of my first book: The Well-Fed Writer: Financial Self-Sufficiency as a Freelance Writer in Six Months or Less. If you don't have it, go to http://www.Amazon.com, look it up, click the “Look Inside!” feature, and take a peek at the backside (and this Amazon feature reminds us that a powerfully written back cover is equally valuable for both physical and online marketing). 1) Upper Left Corner: Category. Check the books in your genre in the bookstore and notice what's most appropriate to put in that spot. 2) Top-Center Headline: a strong attention-getting headline/sub-head that makes a claim, asks a question, or piques your prospect's interest in some other way. My headline/sub-head: Corporate America Wants Freelancers - Full or Part-Time! Do You Dream of Being a Well-Paid Freelance Writer and Want to Do It Fast? 3) Sales Copy: Immediately below the headline/sub-head is the benefits-oriented section of the copy that talks to them and gets their attention. In this case, it's where I let buyers find themselves in my list of target audiences. This is the benefits-oriented (about them, and what's important to them) section of the copy that talks to them and gets their attention. Once I have their attention, I move on to the next chunks - the features section (about the book and its contents) - fleshing out the story by establishing “the opportunity” that exists in the marketplace and outlining how my book can show them exactly what they need to do to capitalize on that opportunity. The idea is to take them through the logical mental steps necessary to lead to a book purchase. Anyone who's gotten to the back cover copy has, arguably, qualified themselves as being “in the market” for a book like this. Ergo, we need to maximize this golden “captive audience” opportunity. 4) Author Bio: Include a brief bio that establishes your credentials for being able to write such a book (also features). You want people to think, “Impressive...” 5) Testimonials: You want to include at least one, perhaps more, blurbs from “key influencers” in your industry - people who will mean something to your target audience. Bob Bly, the freelance writing guru, was my headliner on the front page. 6) Web Address: A “Duh,” perhaps, but include your URL prominently. Mine's below my bio. If someone chooses not to buy it right there in the store or on Amazon, I've given them the key to more information (and I've heard from web buyers telling me just that). My web site can then take them the rest of the way (and perhaps get them to subscribe to my ezine as well). All three of my books have a similar look, given that they're all part of the Well-Fed brand. This clear, clean, bold cover design is not only visually compelling, but the way it's broken up into sections by color facilitates effective sharing of information in a simple, uncluttered way. This is what a good graphic designer can bring to the table. Landing the Big-Name Blurb How to land that marquee blurb? Ask and ye shall receive. Why not shoot high and go after that author or “expert” whose opinion would really mean something to your audience (and translate to much greater book sales)? What's the worst thing that could happen? No. Or never reply. Big deal. But, what if they say yes? What could it mean? So, ask away. These folks are a lot more accessible than you might imagine. I have a friend who's written a number of books in the psychology and relationship genres, and for his latest one, he landed a blurb from “Dr. Laura” Schlessinger. How'd he pull that off? At a book signing for the controversial talk mistress, he simply asked. All he had was a few chapters at that point, but he left them with her assistant and a few months later, got his blurb. And a pretty good one at that. Controversial is Good Funny sidebar. I found out about his mini-PR coup when he called to ask my opinion on whether he should actually use it. Seems many of his friends (not in the book business) told him that using it would be the kiss of death, given the public's mixed feelings about her. Please. Publicity is publicity and even if you don't like her, it's still quite impressive that she officially took note of the book with her comment. More importantly, many people do like her, or she wouldn't be as popular as she is. Just as important - especially in the case of a how-to book - are organizations or associations that can offer an endorsement or “seal of approval” for your book. In these cases, while the specific name of the person isn't as crucial as the affiliation, you'll still want to reach the president, executive director, founder, etc. Never underestimate the desire of these folks to see their name in print. Here's a nifty searchable online database for locating contact info on over 14,000 celebrities: http://www.celebrity-addresses.com. No, you probably won't get their personal email address, though you will find out how to reach their managers, publicists and agents. You'll pay $14 a month, but if you can land some big names quickly and cancel before the month's out, it's definitely worth it. NOTE: Allow a month or so to hear back from your “blurbers” after sending galleys out. There's an art to writing good back cover copy. Devote some quality time to the process of transforming a relatively small space into a powerful selling tool. If your cover, title and subtitle are clear, catchy, and compelling enough, your potential buyer's next stop for more information is the back cover. Make it good! Got a book in you? Can't land a publisher? Why not do it yourself, and make a living from it? Sound good? Then, check out the free report on self-publishing http://www.wellfedsp.com, the home of the 2006 release The Well-Fed Self-Publisher: How to Turn One Book into a Full-Time Living. Peter is known for the award-winning (and self-published) Well-Fed Writer titles (on the lucrative field of commercial freelancing), which have provided him with a full-time living for over five years. 2) FEEDBACK Book reviewer Norm Goldman offered this feedback to the feature article by Fern Reiss: "We at Bookpleasures.com have several authors and writers who have posted several reviews on our site. These reviews all have a summary of their credentials and a link to their sites. Many times these reviews appear on the first page of the Google Engine. In fact, Bookpleasures.com has an excellent record of having a huge percentage of its reviews appearing within the first two pages of the Google engine. "We are always open to new reviewers joining our international group." http://www.bookpleasures.com 3) FROM THE PEN OF.......... Suggestion for writing freelance articles: "There are hundreds of newsletters and electronic magazines on any subject you might imagine. To find them, enter "webZines" or "eZines" in your favorite search engine and a number of directories will pop up." from The Writer Within You (Caros Books 2007) by Charles Jacobs 4) PROGRESS REPORT This is a spot I found for my client: On Wednesday, December 26, 2007, Susan K. Behm will tape an interview on The Jiggy Jaguar Show with James "Jiggy Jaguar" Lowe on KJAG, an Internet station that is syndicated and podcast. http://www.jiggyjaguar.com Susan is author of CIVILIZED SAVAGES (Media Creations 2002), SECRETS IN PARADISE (iUniverse 2004), and, THE JOURNEY: Beyond the Savage (Xulon Press 2006). 5) KUDOS The books of two subscribers were winners in the USABook News Best Book 2007 Awards: The Writer Within You by Charles Jacobs won "Award winning Finalist." It was also selected by Writer's Digest Book Club as a featured offering. http://www.retirement-writing.com." Weight Loss Confidential: How Teens Lose Weight and Keep It Off – And What They Wish Parents Knew (Houghton Mifflin 2007) by Anne Fletcher, MS, RD took first place in the "Health: Diet & Weight Loss" category. The book was also featured in the cover story (on child obesity) of the September 10 issue of US News $ World Report. http://www.annemfletcher.com Just One More Book!!, a podcast about "the children's books we love and why we love them," featured a chat about Is A Worry Worrying You?, a picture book Ferida Wolff co-authored with Harriet May Savitz, on the Wednesday, November 21st edition of their Children's Book Podcast. http://www.justonemorebook.com Ferida is author of several children's books and stories in the Chicken for the Soul series. http://www.feridawolff.com Francine Silverman is author of CATSKILLS ALIVE (second edition) and LONG ISLAND ALIVE, both published in 2003 by Hunter Publishing and geared to every interest. To learn more about her guidebooks and for links to hundreds of attractions on Long Island and in the Catskills, visit Fran's one-stop website at http://www.nystatetravel.com BOOK MARKETING FROM A-Z (Infinity Publishing 2005) is written by 325 paid subscribers to Book Promotion Newsletter. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/102-0106967-2029708?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Book+Marketing+from+A-Z&x=22&y=24 TALK RADIO FOR AUTHORS - Getting Interviews Across the U.S. and Canada (Infinity Publishing 2007) is an intimate look into 230 talk radio shows that welcome guests. Both books are available at Amazon.com and at http://www.buybooksontheweb.com (Category: Marketing). http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/102-0106967-2029708?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Talk+Radio+for+Authors&x=0&y=0http://www.amazon.com Subscribers are entitled to a 20% discount on either book. Contact Fran at franalive@optonline.net for code. The publisher's toll free number does not work outside the continental US and orders cannot be processed from its website for shipping outside the US. Subscribers in foreign countries who wish to purchase the books with the discount may email Michelle at michelle@infinitypublishing.com or fax an order (610/941-9959). She will provide confirmation that your order has been received and will be processed promptly. When using these options subscribers should put everything to Michelle's attention and reference the Promotional Code (contact Fran for code). If emailing Michelle, DO NOT put your credit card number in any email correspondence as this is not secure. Mail: Infinity Publishing, 1094 New Dehaven St, Suite 100, West Conshohocken, PA 19428 Issue 126: December 19, 2007 ISSN 1545-5599 BOOK PROMOTION NEWSLETTER Issue 126: December 19, 2007 EDITOR: FRANCINE SILVERMAN http://www.bookpromotionnewsletter.com http://www.nystatetravel.com Issued every other Wednesday since 2003 In This Issue: 1) Feature Article 2) From the Pen Of....... 3) Grist for Your Mill 4) Progress Report 5) Kudos INTRODUCTION Well, I now have two publishers interested in my work and I said goodbye to my agent. In addition to McFarland, which I wrote about in the last issue, I received a very encouraging email from the Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of the Book Publishing Division at Information Today, publisher of LMP (Literary Marketplace), the bible of the book publishing industry. The submission guidelines asked for a copy of the author's latest book or article so I sent him a copy of Talk Radio for Authors. He said he enjoyed my writing style and was "going to pass it on to our Book Marketing Coordinator for brainstorming on how to get some of our own authors on these shows." I am to call him this morning. Fingers crossed. Please consider adding www.AuthorsandExperts.com and www.SchoolBookings.com to your list of resources. These are great places for authors, experts, and speakers to connect with members of the media, those searching for speakers, and schools. Free to schools and media members, and an economical resource for authors and experts. Ask us about partnership publishing! www.PartnershipPublishing.com 1) FEATURE ARTICLE Marketing in a Web 2.0 World By Penny C. Sansevieri When it comes to marketing, the choices are clear: market to your reader. But the "where" to find your reader has changed as more and more of our lives migrate online. A recent article on how offline media is succumbing to the 'Net talked about a flurry of newspapers diving into online content, online ad placement, and online forums to push more of their feature pieces, reviews and editorials into a virtual medium. Even industry standards like the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times are moving more and more of their content to their websites. So what does this mean for you? Well, it means that the lines between on and offline are becoming even more blurred. It used to be that if you were pitching a few select publications you could contact both their on and offline departments separately and possibly be considered for interviews or feature pieces in both of them. That's not the case anymore. Sometimes an online feature means that you can kiss your offline exposure goodbye, so it's good to ask before you start pitching. Much of the media's online content is now pulled from their offline source, so while this could work in your favor it's better to be certain if you have your eye on print coverage. That said, you might be better off being featured on their website where you'll get lasting exposure. But media promotion isn't the only factor in marketing. In fact, there's a lot you can do without even heading into the media realm. Consider these ideas: 1. 'Craigs List http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=uflil6bab.0.goemm6bab.rbqksjbab.3&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.craigslist.com: have you been on this site recently? If you haven't, take a few minutes and run through the listings for your city. It's a great place to promote yourself, but be careful, the Craig's list people don't like a "salesy" type of pitch but prefer something more folksy and casual. If you surf the site for a while you'll see what I mean. You can use Craig's list to promote your event, your product, even your service, but the key is not to look like you're promoting. Also, keep in mind that often regional media will surf this site looking for events they can cover, so get yours listed there now! 2. Virtual networking: it's not just for trading business cards anymore. If you're trying to gain a platform or gain media exposure, heading on over to sites like Linkedin.com http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=uflil6bab.0.hoemm6bab.rbqksjbab.3&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com can be a good way to start your network and gain additional exposure. Also, sites like MySpace http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=uflil6bab.0.zvexzxbab.rbqksjbab.3&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myspace.com>, which gets a bad rap as a predator site when only a marginal portion of people on this site are there for nefarious reasons, has virtually a place for everyone and every message. MySpace does tend to skew younger, so if you're not a MySpace person, try EONS.com http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=uflil6bab.0.f4ihizbab.rbqksjbab.3&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eons.com instead - this site targets the over 50 crowd and offers another great place to market your book and message. 3. YouTube http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=uflil6bab.0.ioemm6bab.rbqksjbab.3&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com>: this site isn't just for singing pancakes, in fact more and more authors are moving snippets of signings, speaking gigs or other visual promotional tools to this hot new resource. It's a great link back to your site. 4. Social bookmarking: have you been doing your social duty lately? Posting to sites like Del.icio.us http://del.icio.us/ http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=uflil6bab.0.joemm6bab.rbqksjbab.3&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fdel.icio.us%2F or Jots http://www.jots.com/ http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=uflil6bab.0.koemm6bab.rbqksjbab.3&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jots.com%2F could really help to spread your message like wildfire. Sometimes a few sites is all it takes to start the buzz going in your market. 5. Looking into the overlooked media: As the bigger papers are moving their content online and vying to keep readership interested, the smaller overlooked papers like The Bastrop Daily Enterprise in Louisiana and Arkadelphia Daily Siftings Herald in Arkansas are booming. Their readership is loyal and their papers are always hungry for content. Have you poked around in the smaller regional newspapers yet? If you haven't you might want to. You might find that while it's great to have an online presence, the further we get into Web 2.0 the more these publications are overlooked by pr people. The 'Net has opened up a multitude of opportunities both online and off. Take your focus off the norm and start exploring some new territory; you might be surprised what it can do for your campaign! CEO and founder of Author Marketing Experts, Inc., Penny is a best-selling author, internationally recognized book marketing and media relations expert and author of five books. http://www.amarketingexpert.com. 2) FROM THE PEN OF .......... "Did you know that some of the best pitching is done during the holidays? Why? Because while the world gets caught up in the season, the news shows must go on. Newsrooms tend to operate with skeleton crews as reporters and producers take the last of their vacation days. Pitches slow to a crawl during a time when reporters really need them." from From Book to Bestseller by Penny C. Sansevieri (PublishingGold.com 2005), which has been called the "road map to publishing success." 3) GRIST FOR YOUR MILL Best selling authors Judith Sherven and Jim Sniechowski BE LOVED FOR WHO YOU REALLY ARE are providing an Internet conference Feb 22-24 2008 in Los Angeles - that's unlike any other. They're calling it "Bridging Heart and Marketing" because, unlike all other Internet marketing conferences, it is dedicated to the specific needs of the Soft Sell marketing community - all of you who provide personal growth, health, and lifestyle enhancement services and products for whom the typical hard sell "hype" doesn't fit. With 23% registration even before formal promotion the BUZZ about this conference even includes the "Costco Connection" - the magazine for all Costco members around the world - which will run a feature article about soft sell marketing and "Bridging Heart and Marketing" And relevant to authors - their first two sponsors are Morgan James Publishing and Womens Radio/Womens Calendar Take advantage of the fre.e preview interviews Judith & JIm are doing with their speakers - just go to http:/www.bridgingheartandmarketing.com Brian Wizard is giving free holiday gifts for reading short e-books. He recommends choosing the Ticket to Heaven. http://www.brianwizard.com 4) PROGRESS REPORT These are the spots I found for my clients: Pamela Harper will be the guest of Doug Noll, host of Fix Your Conflicts! on World Talk Radio, on Monday, February 4, 2008. http://www.lawyertopeacemaker.com. The show will be re-played on Wednesday at 1pm on Voice America Radio http://www.voiceamerica.com Pamela is founder and president of Business Advancement Inc. (BAI) and author of PREVENTING STRATEGIC GRIDLOCK: Leading Over, Under & Around Organizational Jams to Achieve High Performance Results (Cameo Publications 2003). http://www.businessadvance.com 5) KUDOS Two subscribers, Max Anderson, and Edith Tarbescu, were accepted and published in the new eBook, Wish Someone Had Told Me That! 64 Successful Children's Authors Give You The Advice They Wish Someone Had Given Them, published by Children's Book Insider. http://write4kids.com/wishbook.html "I've been reading several of the other contributors' comments and find this to be a great resource, especially for new or unpublished writers," says Max. Max is author of adventure stories for readers 8 and up, especially boys, all published by Baker Trittin Press. His eighth and most recent book is Reckless Runaway. http://www.maxbooks.9k.com http://booksandboys.blogspot.com Edith's lastest children's book is Bring Back my Gerbil (Cartwheel 2002). http://www.home.earthlink.net/~tarbescu/ John Dandola's newest mystery novel, Dead by All Appearances, debuted last month and "although it begins and ends in New Jersey, it ventures to Gloucester, Massachusetts, for the bulk of the story (the synopsis is on my web site)," he says. "As a result, The Gloucester Daily Times did an interview and an article about the novel and actually put it on the front page! It was also one of the few newspaper articles about me in which the spirit of the interview was actually captured. As a result, I'm told that bookstores on Cape Ann (where Gloucester is situated) not only can't keep enough of the novels on hand but it's rekindling interest in my other non-fiction books about Gloucester's own inventor, John Hays Hammond, Jr." John also discovered that the article was syndicated. http://www.starbeacon.com/entertainment/cnhinsliterature_story_330230743.html The London Book Festival ( 'a competition honoring books worthy of greater attention from the international publishing community.') gave Gerard Readett's ebook "Roadworks" an honourable mention in the Ebook category. http://londonbookfestival.com/portal/content.asp?ContentId=382 "It's a small step for ebook publishing but it's a large step for me," he says. http://www.readettbooks.com In the last issue, I reported that the books of two subscribers had placed in the USABook News Best Book 2007 Awards. It's actually three. Carolyn Howard-Johnson's The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success! (Red Engine Press 2007) won in the writing category. The book is the second in the HowToDoItFrugally.com series of books. The first, The Frugal Book Promoter (Star Publish 2004), was also a USA Book News winner and an Irwin Award winner. http://www.HowToDoItFrugally.com Francine Silverman is author of CATSKILLS ALIVE (second edition) and LONG ISLAND ALIVE, both published in 2003 by Hunter Publishing and geared to every interest. To learn more about her guidebooks and for links to hundreds of attractions on Long Island and in the Catskills, visit Fran's one-stop website at http://www.nystatetravel.com BOOK MARKETING FROM A-Z (Infinity Publishing 2005) is written by 325 paid subscribers to Book Promotion Newsletter. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/102-0106967-2029708?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Book+Marketing+from+A-Z&x=22&y=24 TALK RADIO FOR AUTHORS - Getting Interviews Across the U.S. and Canada (Infinity Publishing 2007) is an intimate look into 230 talk radio shows that welcome guests. Both books are available at Amazon.com and at http://www.buybooksontheweb.com (Category: Marketing). http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/102-0106967-2029708?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Talk+Radio+for+Authors&x=0&y=0http://www.amazon.com Subscribers are entitled to a 20% discount on either book. Contact Fran at franalive@optonline.net for code. The publisher's toll free number does not work outside the continental US and orders cannot be processed from its website for shipping outside the US. Subscribers in foreign countries who wish to purchase the books with the discount may email Michelle at michelle@infinitypublishing.com or fax an order (610/941-9959). She will provide confirmation that your order has been received and will be processed promptly. When using these options subscribers should put everything to Michelle's attention and reference the Promotional Code (contact Fran for code). If emailing Michelle, DO NOT put your credit card number in any email correspondence as this is not secure. Mail: Infinity Publishing, 1094 New Dehaven St, Suite 100, West Conshohocken, PA 19428 Betty B's Arcana Connection by Betty Bradford Byers INNER-VIEWS WITH CELEBRITIES Short Stories Corner Poetry Corner Write On Southwest...Book Reviews by Connie Gotsch The BOOK DOCTOR Book Reviewer's Corner Public Service links And so much more! | Return Home | The BOOK DOCTOR | The BANYON NETWORK | The Banyon Buzz Newsletters | The Aton Project Newsletters | Contact Us | |
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