Start off the Year with a BANG!

Well, it's the last day of the year at last and as the revelers celebrate well into the evening, I thought I would take the time to post a few ideas, leads, tips and more to get you started into the New Year right!

TOP FIVE TO-DO'S FOR ASPIRING AUTHORS

My article titled "The Top Five To-do's for Aspiring Authors: Tips for a Successful Publishing Experience" is in the current edition of Writer's Journal (Jan/Feb) and it talks about what an author should do when publishing through a fee-based print-on-demand publishing service.

Some of the points addressed are doing things like having a marketing plan (or draft of some kind), getting the manuscript edited, the importance of researching the options, how to keeping expectations in line, and learning how to have fun while doing what you love!

For more info: http://www.writersjournal.com

PUBLISHING POYNTERS

F*ree Book and Information Marketing News and Ideas from Dan Poynter. This F-R-E-E newsletter on book writing, publishing, and promoting is for anyone interested in selling more books or wants to know where the publishing industry is headed.

To subscribe: http://parapub.com/getpage.cfm?file=/news.html

And with your f-r-e-e subscription, Publishing Poynters also now offers a separate publication called Publishing Poynters: ParaWants-Reviews (on Amazon and B&N wanted). Apparently readers liked the idea. More than 80 listings were submitted for the first edition-subscribe now to see what it's all about!

THE BOOK COACH SAYS…

Judy Cullins, 20-year Book and Internet Marketing Coach offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, "The BookCoach Says...," "Business Tip of the Month," blog Q & A at http://www.bookcoaching.com and over 200 f*ree articles.

Judy is author of 10 eBooks including Write your eBook or Other Short Book Fast, Ten Non-Techie Ways to Market Your Book Online, The Fast and Cheap Way to Explode Your Targeted Web Traffic, and Power Writing for Web Sites That Sell. Working with small business people who want to make a difference in people's lives, she helps to build their credibility and clients, and make a consistent life-long income.

THE RIGHT WAY TO WRITE, PUBLISH, AND SELL YOUR BOOK

LINK: http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book from Patricia Fry is a guide to successful authorship that details critical information about the publishing industry in frank terms. It includes numerous anecdotes to illustrate the processes involved in successful authorship and highlights the rewards and ramifications of your publishing decisions.

This book is designed to walk hopeful and struggling authors through the writing, publishing and book promotion process from start to finish and beyond including tips on how to:

• Edit your own manuscript
• Write with more clarity
• Locate the right publisher for your book
• Write a query letter and a book proposal
• Keep from making costly publishing mistakes
• Understand your responsibility as an author
• Successfully self-publish your book
• Tackle the business aspects of publishing
• Get your book into bookstores
• Get your book reviewed many times over
• Develop a promotional plan for your book
• Successfully promote and sell your book
• Work a book festival so it works for you
• Sell more books at book signings
• Make money writing articles that promote your book
• Be a better public speaker
• Find speaking opportunities
• Locate and work with distributors and wholesalers
• Glean important tips about shipping books

If you are still confused about the process of publishing, working with publishers and agents, organizing a nonfiction book, bookkeeping for writers and targeting your audience, for example, this is the book you've been waiting for.

For more on Patricia: http://www.matilijapress.com/whopage.html

BOOK PROMOTION NEWSLETTER

This unique online newsletter (ezine) from Francine Silverman contains feature articles, promotional coups, and many great ideas for promoting books. Feature articles cover all aspects of promoting books and have included topics such as, marketing tips, publicity from a publicist's point of view, writers' websites, and self-publishing. First-hand information on markets for books has included museum shops on New York City's Museum Mile and much more.

The Book Promotion Newsletter is interactive and readers are encouraged to share their marketing experiences. Subscribers' input includes promotional coups, criticisms, websites, marketing that worked and what didn't.

Subscribe now: only $7.50/year (worth the bucks!)

LINK: http://www.bookpromotionnewsletter.com

Booksurgemazon, Moronic Books, Briefs, and more!

In the recent edition of the Southern Review of Books [Vol. 3, No. 12 December 15, 2005], an online newsletter for publishers, authors and booksellers, the "dark side" of FBPOD was again discussed in some length in regards to the recent Booksurge/Amazon merger.

Interesting reading overall, some of main the points addressed include information about how BS authors are being received, the various packages offered by BS and the royalty set-ups, as well as touching on Bsurge's company structure.

There's also much more helpful, useful and educational information in this edition--things like recent books for morons, publishing newsbriefs, a peek into spring break foibles, publicity successes and failures, men vs. women when it comes to bestsellerdom, free comic book software, and much more.

Definitely worth the read!

LINK: http://www.anvilpub.com/Southern_Review.htm

Couple lauded for promotional and publishing successes!

Media Release: Outstanding Member Award of 2005 Presented to Kathe and Ray Gogolewski by the Publishers and Writers of San Diego

Kathe and Ray Gogolewski were presented with the Outstanding Member Award by the Publishers and Writers of San Diego (PWSD) at their annual holiday meeting in Encinitas, California on December 17, 2005. The couple, lauded for promotional activities and publishing successes, expressed interest in further networking with other members of the organization. "We found out that promotion works best when we combine our efforts with the efforts of others," Kathe said. "We are pleased and honored," Ray added.

PWSD at http://www.publisherswriters.org/ is a professional association of the publishing community in San Diego, educating business minded self-publishers and authors. It has served as a forum for education, networking, and motivation for nearly ten years. Originally founded as The San Diego Publishers Alliance, the group comprises members from all areas of publishing and writing-authors, self-publishers, independent publishers, editors, book packagers, designers, consultants, and promotional professionals.

As a result of their established presence and history, PWSD is recognized throughout the publishing community as a valuable organization whose members contribute greatly to the benefit of our profession. The membership includes numerous award-winning authors, writers, and publishing professionals. In addition, PWSD is an affiliate of both Publishers Marketing Association (PMA) and Small Publishers of North America (SPAN).

Kathe and Ray Gogolewski are also members of TRI Studio Authors, LLC at http://www.tri-studio.com/. Kathe has published two books: TATO, a middle grade fantasy adventure published by Wings Press at http://www.wings-press.com/ and A Promise to Keep, a romantic suspense published by Double Dragon Publishing at http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/ under her pen name, Ann Durand. She has signed contracts recently for several anthologies and another book, due for release next year and in 2008. The author has also won awards for her short stories and poems. Ray has published short stories with Flashshot.com, Quiction Online and a book of 50 short stories will be published in 2006 from Double Dragon Publishing.

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Support your local writer!

*NEWS - NEWS - NEWS*

Okay all my readers, it's official: True Nature is in the running for Book Cover of the Month at Erin Aislinn's website. Yes, it may not be that much of a big deal right now but to me it means a lot so if you feel so inclined, please pop over and vote for me in the ongoing contest!

Your support is most appreciated!

CLICK HERE TODAY TO HELP AND GET A CHANCE TO WIN!
(voting closes on December 31th)

POD Radio, a GAP/ORP Merge, & F*ree Cookbooks!

These various items of interest came across my desk recently and so I thought I would pass them along:

POD RADIO COURSES:

Double Dragon's Newest Offering -- POD Radio courses! Listen to award-winning authors as they share secrets and know-how that helped them get published, sell books and build a reader base.

Recently, five published authors got together to create a series of audio classes for writers. After they recorded their first class, Double Dragon Publishing offered them contracts, and established a brand new imprint to produce a series of 30 audio classes!

The series will be moderated by Allyn Evans, founder of www.QueenPower.com and will be taught by: Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Kathe Gogolewski, Joyce Faulkner, and Marilyn Peake.

The series will include three categories: Writing, Technology related to writing, and Book Promotion. All classes will be available in both MP3 and CD formats.

The first audio class is FREE in MP3 format (and can also be purchased as a CD). The first audio class is Radio: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Promoting Easy and Cheap! The second audio class is available for purchase in both MP3 and CD formats and is the perfect holiday gift for the writer in your family! The course - Promote or Perish! The Greatest Myth of Publishing: Your Book Is Written, Now Let the Publisher Promote It - is now available at Double Dragon Publishing. Remaining classes will be recorded in 2006.

To listen to a 5-minute excerpt from the audio class Promote or Perish! The Greatest Myth of Publishing: Your Book Is Written, Now Let the Publisher Promote It, click here: http://tri-studio.com/

To learn more about the courses being offered, visit:

http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/

A FORCE TO CONSIDER

Global Authors Publications and Open Reign Publishing unite.

Kathleen Walls of Global Authors Publications and T.C. McMullen of Open Reign Publishing have merged their companies to create a stronger force in the marketing arena. They will pool their skills and knowledge to strengthen their marketing departments for the benefit of their authors.

The marketing plan will afford GAP/Open Reign authors promotional opportunities usually available only to authors published by larger traditional publishing houses.

McMullen will become marketing director at Global Authors Publications January 2006. She also works freelance in cover and interior design and is the author of the Manipulated Evil Trilogy and Whispers of Insanity.

Walls is the publisher of Global Authors Publications and author of Last Step, Georgia’s Ghostly Getaways, Kudzu, Man Hunt – The Eric Rudolph Story, Finding Florida’s Phantoms, Tax Sales Tactics and Sarah’s Story: A Confederate Girl’s Diary.

For more information, please visit GlobalAuthorPublications.com

FREE COOKBOOK

The authors at AuthorsUnlimited.net have put together a wonderful Christmas cookbook which is their gift to you. To grab your fre*e copy of this fantastic 40 page ebook, go to the above website and download. It's that simple! (They also offer a f*ree newsletter.)

Review: A Walk on the Cliffs

It's crossed the minds of many: the desire to explore the "what-ifs" of life and wondering, but if one moment could be changed, which one would it be?

While in college, Mary Ann just misses the chance to be with Robert yet in its place finds happiness with his friend, Brad. Years later, the trio of now good friends embark upon their annual journey accompanied by Robert's newest girlfriend, Crystal.

Not one to act on her unspoken feelings for Robert for fear of hurting Brad, the questions remain deep within Mary Ann about how things might have been if only those few years sooner she'd made a different decision.

As Mary Ann goes out to explore the rugged cliffs of the California coast, she suddenly finds herself in the midst of an alternate reality--one that provides her the very opportunity she's always secretly wanted.

A Walk on the Cliffs was a quick yet interesting read that agreeably worked it's way through the dilemma of a woman loving one man while being "in love" with another.

Good job, Margo!

(c)2005 Reviewed by Dehanna Bailee


Additional Information:

A Walk on the Cliffs
by Margo Reasner
ISBN 0595360475
146 pp. $11.95