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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://creativewritingworkshop.info. 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 two (2) sponsors... ADRdomainsPlus.com for Your Domain Names and Internet Products  BOTH have 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 110: May 9, 2007 ISSN 1545-5599 BOOK PROMOTION NEWSLETTER Issue 110: May 9, 2007 EDITOR: FRANCINE SILVERMAN http://www.bookpromotionnewsletter.com http://www.nystatetravel.com Issued every other Wednesday since 2003 NEED AN EDITOR? Make your writing stand out. Polish your grammar, spelling and punctuation, and eliminate repetitious words and concepts. Contact Sigrid Macdonald: sigridmac@rogers.com http://sigridmacdonald.blogspot.com INTRODUCTION For those in the New York City metropolitan area, my taped discussion about my book, Talk Radio for Authors, will be aired on Everything Goes? on WNYE 91.5 FM on May 21, 2007, 6:30 - 7 p.m. The show is produced by Teachers & Writers Collaborative. In This Issue: 1) Feature Article 2) Grist for Your Mill 3) Promotional Coups 4) Progress Report 5) Kudos 1) FEATURE ARTICLE GETTING BOOK REVIEWS DOESN'T REQUIRE MAGIC BUT SEVEN LUCKY TIPS MIGHT HELP By Carolyn Howard-Johnson I've never met an author who didn't bemoan that "getting reviews" is nigh on impossible. It makes no difference what genre they write or how big and famous their publisher is, I hear the wails. In my college extension classes. In my critique groups. At the seminars and workshops I do at conferences, and expos. You may think you need a magic wand to get reviews, but it doesn't require Voodoo; it's all about networking and knowing the ropes. Here are the seven most important steps: 1. Know about promotion and networking long before you publish. My how-to book, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T, would be a good start. 2. Get to know the media. Pay attention to directories of editors every time you're on the web or read a newspaper, magazine or review journal. Make a point of reading everything you see--even the throwaways you find in racks as you enter Denny's, Borders and Starbucks. 3. Enter the names of editors and reviewers in a data base. Include e-mail addresses; it may take a phone call to get them. Pay special attention to editors who might be interested in the kinds of books you are interested in writing. If you write business books, as an example, you'll want to collect the names of business editors as well as calendar, book, entertainment and feature editors. Read what they publish and research their guidelines. 4. Abide by reviewers' rules. The most desirable review journals usually require a galley or ARC sent at least 12 weeks before the release date. Send a media kit and a query letter. (Yes, FRUGAL shows you how to do this, step by step!) 5. Approach individual reviewers with query letters, not media releases. Tell them who you are, a bit about your book and don't bother reviewers who review mysteries if you write science fiction. 6. Follow up with personal contact whenever possible. 7. Know that there are many ways other than reviews to drum up exposure for your book. FRUGAL lists hundreds of ways for readers to learn about your book, on the Web and off. Oh! One more! If you get a "no" from a site or review journal, try going in the back door. That is, find out the names of the individual reviewers who work with that particular vehicle. Choose one that reviews in your genre. Write him or her a personal query letting her know that you are familiar with her work. This approach has gotten me reviews at great review spots like Midwest Review and Library Journal. It can work for you, too! Carolyn Howard-Johnson's first novel, This is the Place, and her second book, Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered are both award-winners and both were reviewed many dozens of times. She is an instructor for UCLA Extension's Writers' Program and has shared her expertise on publishing and writing at venues like San Diego State's world renowned Writers' Conference and Call to Arts! EXPO. She was recently awarded Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment by the California Legislature and her THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER won USA Book News' "Best Professional Book 2004." and her new book THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS will soon be released. Find more information at http://www.howtodoitfrugally.com. 2) GRIST FOR YOUR MILL Yvonne Perry is seeking a reviewer for her forthcoming book, Right to Recover, Winning the Political and Religious Wars over Stem Cell Research in America being published by Nightengale Press with a pub date of October 2007. "The book will give an accurate picture of what is happening in the scientific field of stem cell research," she explains. "Learn why an in-vitro fertilized egg is not a human being and why this misnomer is being propagated." You may contact her at writer@yvonneperry.net, and read more or leave a comment on her blog http://www.right2recover.com. Yvonne is author of MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE (Write on! Publishing, first printing, Booksurge.com, second printing, 2005); true stories from people across the country who have communicated with loved ones on the Other Side or have died and returned to tell about it. http://www.yvonneperry.net Nancy Hendrickson of Blogging Authors is offering authors an opportunity to create a buzz for their books. http://www.bloggingauthors.com/about/get-buzzed-within-24-hours For a one time fee of $199, she will post a synopsis, bio, author photo and book cover, ALONG with 3 interviews and/or reviews, over the course of 30 days. "We like to spread out the posts so that way the author can be on the front page of the site for a longer period of time," she says. The site gets 25,000 hits a month. Also headlines from the site are seen up to 400,000 times a day–thanks to its membership in a Network that provides content to prominent sites like Reuters, USA Today, Fox News, TheStreet.com, and TV websites across the country. Jan Yager is finishing up a new book on BOOK PROMOTION and welcomes positive and horror stories about your experiences and/or your author's (if you're a publisher) with TV, radio, or print media. Please advise if your example is to be anonymous or for attribution. Be as specific and detailed as possible, e.g. books sold, other benefits (or consequences) of an appearance/interview. Include your contact information and the title of the book(s) you were/are promoting. Send to: jyager@aol.com http://www.drjanyager.com Jan has authored 25 nonfiction and fiction books, translated into 15 languages; including Career Opportunities in the Publishing Industry, co-authored with husband Fred (Facts on File, 2005) I came across two writing opportunities that may interest you. If any of you pursue these opportunities, I would love to learn about them. The Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) accepts essays on the craft and art of writing poetry, fiction and non-fiction for its magazine. Payment is $9 per 100 words. Be sure to read the submission guidelines at http://www.awpwriter.org/magazine/guidelines.htm Essay Writers provides writing, research and editing services to clients all over the world and hires freelancers to take on these jobs. You can accept as many or as few orders as you like. The maximum pay is $16/page. http://www.essaywriters.net 3) PROMOTIONAL COUPS Tina Howe is author of ALYSA OF THE FIELDS - Book One in the Tellings of Xunar-kun (Booklocker 2006), and an illustrator and graphic artist. A resident of Corning, New York, she has built relationships with local retail store owners and coffee houses, which let her hold signings. "There are different 'deals,' she explains, "depending on the owner; one of them lets me invoice them for the total amount of books I sell during a signing; the signings bring a lot of folks into the store during these times; then leave books and the store gets 40% of whatever sells when I'm not there. A coffee house that I'm doing a signing with is only asking 20%. A local gift shop works on 40% consignment." Independent bookstores, she says, "get 40% of everything I sell them and I invoice for the books I leave in the store...but there is one store I did a signing for that only took 20%; they paid me when the signing was over." How did she get her novel into supermarkets? "I learned about a local newspaper distributor who has an 'in' with a supermarket chain and they let him put books in four of the local stores; unfortunately, they get 50% of sales (30% for the supermarket, 15% for the distributor; but getting the book out there is important. I've had several people purchase additional books after their initial purchase, and they often purchase them directly from me. It also helps to have relatives out there; my brother-in-law just happnes to manage the book and stationery side for the same large supermarket chain, with his store located in Maryland; and he's going to put it in his store." http://www.tinafieldhowe.com 4) PROGRESS REPORT All the animal specialists will be on Dog Cat Radio this Friday, May 11, 2007 between 10 and 11 a.m., PST. http://www.dogcatradio.com Here is the roster: Melissa Alvarez/author of Night Visions - 10 am http://melissaalvarez.com Joy Turner, author of The Spiritual Principle of Consciousness and Manifestation and host of Talk with your Animals - 10:10 am http://www.talkwithyouranimals.com Susie Aga/columnist and host of The Animal Hour - 10:20 am http://www.atlantadogtrainer.com Penny Leisch/author of The Healing Touch of Horses (Adams Media anthology 2007) - 10:30 am http://www.pennyleisch.com Cynthia Brian/author of Be the Star You Are! 99 Gifts for Living, Loving, Laughing, and Learning to Make a Difference and host of Starstyle-Be the Star You Are! - 10:40 am http://www.cynthiabrian.com Kim Bloomer, co-author of Whole Health for Happy Dogs and host of Animal Talk Naturally - 10:50 am http://www.animaltalknaturally.com Saul Fathi was the guest of Maureen Roschel on Jack Birnberg's "Speaks Out" show on WVNJ 1106 a.m., which aired Tuesday, May 8, 2007 at 9:30 a.m. Maureen said of Saul: "He is so kind and so smart. I really enjoy talking to him." http://www.wvnj.com Saul is author of FULL CIRCLE: Escape from Baghdad and the return (Xlibris 2006) and HISTORY OF THE JEWS AND ISRAEL (2006) - 4000 years of history condensed into 76 pages. http://www.saulsilasfathi.com Australian author Lorraine Kember was interviewed by Brad Neufeld on his show aired on ODEO and http://www.grapevineradio.com. It went "extremely well" after speaking for an hour, she said. "He is such a nice man and easy to talk to," relates Lorraine. "After the interview I told him that I would be in San Francisco in September. He mentioned that he well might come over there to see me. I certainly hope he does; it would be great to meet him in person." Lorraine is author of 'LEAN ON ME' Cancer through a Carer's eyes (2004), an inspirational true account of her husband's courageous battle with mesothelioma (asbestos related cancer), the methods she used to control his pain and of her emotional journey as she cared for him and came to accept the inevitability of his death. http://www.cancerthroughacarerseyes.jkwh.com/bio.html The show aired for the first time Wednesday, May 2, at 10:00 am (MST) on the Grapevine Radio Network http://www.grapevineradio.com. http://www.bradjneufeld.com Bill Klemm is scheduled to be on The America Back on Track radio show with Tony Seton at 2:35 PM CST on May 15, 2007. http://www.qualitynewsnetwork.com. Bill will be interviewed about his book on scientific revelations on how to improve memory, THANK YOU BRAIN FOR ALL YOU REMEMBER. What You Forgot Was My Fault (Benecton Press 2004). http://thankyoubrain.com Walter Brasch reported on his interview with Charles Heller on Liberty Watch Radio: "...went extremely well. We spent most of the hour discussing America's UnPatriotic Acts: The Federal Government's Violation of Constitutiuonal and Civil Rights, with a little discussion about Sex and the Single Beer Can. Good discussion with Heller, who's a strong libertarian/conservative. He was respectful and quite prepared for the hour. We disagreed on some stuff, agreed on others. But, in his preparation and his show I was impressed by his professionalism. AND, he mentioned the book at least once every segment. Hope someone--anyone--buys a book. His show airs simultaneously on AM stations in Tucson, Phoenix, and Douglas. If your clients are prepared, and enjoy back-and-forth, then this would be a good place for them. His first hour is always something about Constitution, civil liberties, gov't. abuse, history, etc. Second hour is more about 2nd Amendment issues and the military." 5) KUDOS Shirley Cheng is an award-winning finalist in the New Age Nonfiction category of the National Indie Excellence 2007 Book Awards for her forthcoming release WAKING SPIRIT: Prose & Poems the Spirit Sings! "I am honored and delighted beyond words," she says. http://www.shirleycheng.com Film critic/author Betty Jo Tucker "had the great pleasure of interviewing filmmaker Michael Landon, Jr., for ReelTalk Movie Reviews." He is the son of the late television legend, Michael Landon, and has over 20 years' experience in all aspects of moviemaking. His major interest is directing. To read the interview, please click on the ReelTalk Movie Reviews link: http://www.reeltalkreviews.com/browse/viewitem.asp?type=feature&id=305 YIELD: A Judge's Fir$t-Year Diary (Eakin Press 2006), a non-fiction book by Janice Law, Houston, Texas, http://www.judgejanicelaw.com, was awarded Honorable Mention in the 2007 writing competition sponsored by Public Safety Writers, a national literary group of police, sheriffs, firefights, EMS and other related professions. http://www.policewriter.com Debra A. Kemp was named a finalist for the National Indie Excellence 2007 Book Awards for her novel THE HOUSE OF PENDRAGON II: The Recruit (Amber Quill Press 2007). The second in a series based on the legendary stories of King Arthur, the book was selected by Renditions of Camelot as book of the month in April 2007, and has received several stellar book reviews, including a recommendation for a “Book Sense Recommended Read” by Heartland Reviews since its publication in January 2007. http://www.telltalepress.com/debrakemp.html Michele Avanti has won The NCPA (Northern California Publishers & Authors) 2007 Best Juvenile Fiction Award for her epic fantasy, GREE HEE THE JOURNEY OF FIVE - Tales of Tamoor Book One (GreeHee Publishing 2006). http://www.GreeHee.com http://www.TalesofTamoor.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. 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 http://www.buybooksontheweb.com (Category: Marketing) and at http://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 111: May 23, 2007 ISSN 1545-5599 BOOK PROMOTION NEWSLETTER Issue 111: May 23, 2007 EDITOR: FRANCINE SILVERMAN http://www.bookpromotionnewsletter.com http://www.nystatetravel.com Issued every other Wednesday since 2003 Is your book of interest to Jewish librarians or teachers? Join Five Star Publications’ co-op display at the Association of Jewish Libraries 42nd Annual Convention in Scottsdale, AZ, June 17-20. The cost is only $79 per title. Please email bookdoc@qwest.net or call 480.940.8182 for more information. INTRODUCTION Betty Jo Tucker wrote a wonderful review of my book for her blog. http://memosaic.blogspot.com/2007/05/talk-radio-for-authors.html Thanks so much, Betty Jo I am planning on writing another book on the order of Talk Radio for Authors. It is tentatively called How to Get Interviews on Talk Radio and geared to a more general audience. What's amazing is I began sending out the questionnaires on Monday to those who hosted my clients but were not in my book and by Tuesday had received 10 completed Q&As. These questionnaires were more extensive than those I sent for my earlier book but that did not deter them from getting back to me right away. Had I sent bios to them in this period of time, I probably would not have heard back from them for a long time - if at all. Shel Horowitz and I will be panelists at the Grassroots Marketing for Authors and Publishers, Saturday, June 2, 11 a.m., Book Expo America (Independent Publisher Lounge), Jacob Javits Convention Center, New York, NY. This is the premier publishing event in the U.S., and the event is co-sponsored by the Small Press Center and Foreword Magazine. Shel and I will be sharing smart low-cost book promotion strategies. Contact: Karin Taylor, 212-764-7021, info@smallpress.org (note: if you weren't planning to go anyway, this would probably be too expensive). Shel's latest book is GRASSROOTS MARKETING FOR AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS (Infinity Publishing 2007). 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 In This Issue: 1) Feature Article 2) Promotional Coups 3) Grist for your Mill 4) Progress Report 5) Subscriber Seminar 6) Kudos 1) FEATURE ARTICLE More Media Attention for Your Book by Fern Reiss If you can't get journalists interested in writing about your book, it doesn't matter how good your book is: It's going to be hard to find an audience. So how can you pitch your book to journalists to get them interested? Here are some tips on effective media pitches: Tie in to the news. The easiest way to get journalism attention for your book (or anything else, for that matter) is to tie your topic in to the news. A few years ago, I noticed a Voice of America journalist looking for sources for a story. My book, “Terrorism and Kids: Comforting Your Child,” had been a small-press bestseller in the US, but I wondered if Voice of America might provide a new, overseas audience. Unfortunately, the journalist wasn't doing a piece on terrorism - his subject was the sudden popularity of home theatre systems. By tying in to current events, however, I was able to get my book on terrorism into his piece on home theatre systems, with this email: “You can thank Osama bin Laden for the sudden popularity of home theatre systems; Americans, post-9/11, are moving their entertainment into their homes; it's a 9/11 nesting response.” That one liner netted me 15 minutes on Voice of America. Even novels need news hooks. In fact, novels need news hooks more than nonfiction books. Nonfiction books have news hooks built in, by their nature. My book, “The Infertility Diet: Get Pregnant and Prevent Miscarriage” has dozens of automatic hooks because it's non-fiction. I can tie into anything in the news on infertility, miscarriage, pregnancy, etc. But even novels can have hooks: Consider putting something into your novel that ties into an interest, hobby, or pastime of yours, and then focus the media attention on that. If you're a knitter, put in a knitter; if you train golden retrievers, put in a dog. That way, you can tie in to those topics for your media appearances. Be concise. The quickest route to the journalist's garbage pail is sending them a pitch that's just plain too long: Journalists have extremely limited time limits, and if they can't read your pitch easily, they won't. How long is too long? Keep your pitch to no more than five or six sentences. If you can't say it in under 100 words, you're not ready to pitch it. (The new Expertizing Publicity Forum ( Be considerate. In addition to never sending lengthy pitches, follow the other rules of basic email consideration. Don't send attachments to a journalist---ever. And be sure that the subject line is informative. (Something like: “Pitch-New Dietary Approach to Infertility” is perfect, because it both conveys that it's a pitch, and gives the journalist enough information to make a quick decision on whether to continue reading.) Suggest other sources. Most journalists won't be able to justify devoting a whole story to just your book. So figure out how your book is part of a larger trend or movement, and pitch a few other sources that the journalist can use as well. By presenting a 'package' like this to journalists, you're much more likely to get coverage. Don't forget the local angle. Even most of the big city dailies prefer a local angle on a national story. So if you're pitching the Philadelphia Inquirer, don't just talk about the national trend; give them the statistics on the national trend, and then share an anecdote or source that has a Philadelphia connection. You're much more likely to get media attention if you always insert a 'local' hook. If you'd like more information on how to successfully pitch journalists-and more help refining your pitches-consider joining my new Expertizing Publicity Forum - http://www.Expertizing.com/forum.htm - where you can pitch top journalists (and several literary agents) directly each week for five months. The journalists have guaranteed feedback on each and every pitch-so this is a tremendous learning opportunity, as well as a chance to get serious media attention. Participating journalists are from publications as diverse as The New York Times to CNN. ------------ Fern Reiss is CEO of PublishingGame.com, offering books, workshops, and consulting on how to get a literary agent, publish, and promote a book. She is also CEO of Expertizing.com, teaching people how to get more media attention for themselves and their business. Sign up at http://www.PublishingGame.com/signup.htm for her complimentary email newsletter on how to get more media attention for yourself, your book, and your business, or sign up for the new Expertizing Pitching Forum at http://www.Expertizing.com/forum.htm. 2) PROMOTIONAL COUPS Cindy La Ferle contributed the following: "I've found, after doing many community talks and writing workshops, that book sales increase considerably if I read an essay aloud from my book prior to book sales and signings. If I don't read a sample aloud to the group, book sales aren't as healthy. I know it seems obvious, but I didn't always follow the practice. Last year, for example, I was invited to speak on the topic of memoir writing to a group of 50 librarians, at their annual spring dinner. My memoir talk was well received, with a lively question-and-answer period following my speech. However, I did not read aloud from my book, Writing Home, and was given a very short time period at the close of the program to sell copies. I sold only a couple of books that evening. I was surprised -- I mean, this was a group of librarians! "The following week, I was the keynote speaker for a small group of 45 Master Gardeners who had invited me because of a rather sentimental newspaper column I'd written about my own garden that spring. This time, I made sure I had time to read aloud from my book, choosing another essay with a gardening theme. That night I sold 22 books -- all the stock I'd brought with me. I've learned my lesson, and never do a talk, workshop, or book sale without first doing a reading, no matter what size the group." Cindy is author of WRITING HOME (Hearth Stone Books 2005), a collection of her personal essays and newspaper columns. http://www.laferle.com Note: Cindy has begun posting a new column every Sunday on her website. Like her newspaper columns, the pieces will explore a variety of lifestyle topics, including home and family, friendship, spirituality, living creatively and aging gracefully. "As usual, I will also refer to good books, interesting Web sites, magazines, and other resources worthy of your time and exploration," she says. "Your comments are always welcome!" In another stroke of good luck, Catholic Digest picked up Cindy's essay, "The Gift of Receiving", from one of the Chicken Soup books (Arthritis series/Healthy Living). "I got a call from a radio producer of the Catholic Channel (Sirius), asking me to do an interview about the essay next month," she says. 3) GRIST FOR YOUR MILL Stephanie Chandler's monthly newsletter for BusinessInfoGuide.com now features reader tips. "I’m getting lots of feedback about how much readers love these, but am not yet receiving enough quality submissions," she says. "So if you would like to send over a tip (or several — I’ll use them for future editions). I would be grateful (and you would get some good PR from several thousand readers)! Please be sure to include a brief bio and a link back to your site. "My readers are entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, and writers. Here's a link to last month's newsletter so you can see some tips: http://businessinfoguide.com/ezine-April07.htm I need these by the 10th of each month so if you want to set up a reminder for yourself and send me one each month (or at least periodically), that would also be great." Here’s what I’m looking for: *Your best business tip *How you solved a problem *A review of your favorite book *A recommendation for your favorite technology *A creative marketing strategy that worked *A business-related event *A call for submissions for your book *Any other business-related tidbit that you think readers will enjoy! http://www.ProPublishingServices.com Stephanie's lastest book is "From Entrepreneur to Infopreneur" (John Wiley & Sons) http://businessinfoguide.com/infopreneur-book.htm Would you like to be interviewed about your book? Go to http://thewriterslife.homestead.com/Author_Interviews.html and fill out the form. I did and I am curious to see what happens. 4) PROGRESS REPORT Following are the spots I found for my clients: Shoshanna Katzman was a guest on A Fresh Start with Sallie Felton on May 16, 2007 on Contact Talk Radio where she discussed the ancient Chinese healing modalities of acupuncture, acupressure, Qigong, Tai Chi and Chinese Herbology. http://www.contacttalkradio.com http://www.salliefeltonlifecoach.com. Shoshanna will also be a guest on Patient Power with Andrew Schorr on Health Radio on June 6, 2007, airing 1 - 2 p.m., EST. You can listen live and ask questions by calling 877-711-5611. Listeners can also email questions during the program or in advance to: Andrew@patientpower.info The replay will be posted later in the week at http://www.patientpower.info Shoshanna is author of QIGONG FOR STAYING YOUNG: A Simple 20 Minute Workout to Cultivate Your Vital Energy (Avery Penguin Group 2003) and co-author of FEELING LIGHT-The Holistic Solution to Permanent Weight Loss and Wellness (Avon Books 1997). http://www.healing4u.com http://www.qigong4everyone.com http://www.caringwomen.com Best selling authors Judith Sherven and Jim Sniechowski (http://www.judithandjim.com) were recently on The Maria Sanchez Show, on The Connection 1590 am, http://www.1590kkzz.com, Ventura, CA, to talk about their latest book, THE SMART COUPLE'S GUIDE TO THE WEDDING OF YOUR DREAMS (http://www.smartweddingcouples.com). Maria was so pleased with their direct and entertaining style that she invited them back June 21st at 8 am PST to talk about their program, "Smart Dating for Success Every Time - Guaranteed." Dotsie Bregel, founder of the National Association of Baby Boomer Women and Boomer Women Speak, was a guest of Raven Blair Davis on Women Power Radio on April 24, 2007. http://www.womenpower-radio.com. The topic was "Where We've Been, Where We Are and Where We're Going." Marja McGraw will be the guest of Leigh Anne Jasheway-Bryant on Women Under the Influence of Laughter on July 14, 2007 on 1600 KOPT, Eugene, Oregon. http://www.kopt.com http://www.accidentalcomic.com Marja is author of BIG TROUBLE FOR A LITTLE LADY (iUniverse 2001), the first of her Sandi Webster series. The second book, SECRETS OF HOLT HOUSE (iUniverse 2002) is a stand-alone mystery. http://www.marjamcgraw.com 5) SUBSCRIBER SEMINAR Patricia Fry is offering a new concept in online classes: Courses-on Demand. You sign up when you want to take the course and you'll receive a lecture and an assignment via email every week throughout the duration of the course. Patricia is a 30-year veteran freelance writer and the author of 25 books, including "The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book" and is currently teaching, "Article Writing," "How to Write a Book Proposal" and a "Self-Publishing" Course. Learn more at http://www.matilijapress.com/courses.htm. 6) KUDOS Leonard Schonberg's unpublished novel, "Ripple Effect," took the second place award for fiction in the Public Safety Writers Association competition. http://www.leonardschonberg.com An article about Feather Schwartz Foster's new children's book, T: AN AUTO-BIOGRAPHY, ran in the Courier News, a local newspaper in New Jersey. What's interesting is that her prior book launch at the Scotch Plains Library is highlighted in the piece. http://www.c-n.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007705090379 http://www.featherfoster.com Marianne Berkes' picture book, OVER IN THE OCEAN, IN A CORAL REEF (Dawn Publications 2004), which has won a number of awards, came in second in the 2006-2007 Florida Reading Association's Children's Book Award competition. "Really exciting that over 15,000 kids voted for it," she says. http://www.flreads.org/Children%27s%20Book%20Award/20062007_winner.htm According to the website, 355 schools across Florida participated in the award and there were 91,287 student votes submitted. http://www.marianneberkes.com SPRING HOUSE: Book 1 in the Westward Sagas by David Bowles was a finalist in the 2007 Indie Excellence Book Awards in the Historical Fiction category. It tells the story of a Scots-Irish family struggling to find happiness on the new frontier and becoming embroiled in Revolution. http://www.westwardsagas.com Valerie Connelly, owner and publisher of Nightengale Press and host of Calling All Authors on Global Talk Radio, is proud to announce that DYING TO BE YOUNG by Dr. Eric Kaplan, became a bestseller on the two most prestigious online booksellers, Amazon and Barnes and Noble on two consecutive days and that it's the publisher's first bestselling title. On May 7, 2007 DYING TO BE YOUNG hit the Barnes and Noble Bestseller list at #19. On May 8, 2007 DYING TO BE YOUNG reached #1 on the AMAZON BESTSELLER LIST in both Mind/Body/Spirit and Spirituality categories. http://www.nightengalepress.com Visit http://www.dyingtobeyoung.net to learn more about the Kaplans’ experience. http://www.globaltalkradio.com/shows/callingallauthors Valerie's new book, CALLING ALL AUTHORS - How to Publish with Your Eyes Wide Open, will be published by her company in July, 2007. Walter Brasch recently won major awards for his writing. In The Spotlight competition of the Society of Professional Journalists, Walter took first in commentary. In the Pennsylvania Press Club competition, against statweide entries, he took first places in columns (general) and social issues articles. In a separate competition, Walter took a first in media kit preparation, development, and results for work he did with the Leonard Peltier Defense Fund. Walter's current books are: 'UNACCEPTABLE': The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina . . . America's Unpatriotic Acts: The Federal Government's Violation of Constitutional and Civil Rights . . . and SEX AND THE SINGLE BEER CAN: Probing the Media and American Culture. Forthcoming are FOOL'S GOLD, a book about data mining programs used to identify suspected terrorists and SINKING THE SHIP OF STATE:: The Presidency of George W. Bush. http://www.walterbrasch.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. 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 http://www.buybooksontheweb.com (Category: Marketing) and at http://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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