Happy Halloween
The goblins have been having a great time with our website, we apologize for any inconvenience during September. Our new site will be better than ever, you can check it out at:
www.allbooksreviewint.com but remember it is only in the infant stages right now.
Nominate us for a listing in Writer's Digest's 101 Best Sites
of The Year. Please send your nomination, along with our web
name Allbooks Review and our URL www.allbookreviews.com
to: writersdig@fwpubs.com Subject "101 Sites".
Thank you for all of your support.
*****************************************************************************
ALLBOOKS REVIEW IS NOW ON iFOGO. Be sure and join the Albooks Review Author’s Group where we can share our success and our mistakes. Also join iFogo and get www.booksonfilm.com. Great promo for a great price, post audio, book trailers, contact with agents and producers and much more. Be sure and let them know Allbooks Review sent you and join our group.
http://ifogo.com/buy/order_abr.html USE THIS LINK TO JOIN TODAY
Submissions Wanted:
Swyers Publishing Poetry Anthology Volume One: Making Waves
by Pamela Swyers on Tuesday, September 14, 2010 at 7:14pm
Just wanted to take a moment to explain a bit about our upcoming Poetry Anthology "Making Waves". As a small, independent publisher, Bill and I wanted to find a way to help young up and coming artists (poets specifically) get their work into print. Having walked the long, and often arduous road of getting something published, we feel the pain of those who want to see something they have written in printed form. I have been blessed to cross tracks with several young and amazingly talented writers and poets, and thought by donating some man-hours (and woman hours) and fronting the cost to get the anthology up and out there, the young poet could finally have a way to send someone to a place where they could purchase a poetry anthology that contained their works.
What's in it for us?We get the pleasure of helping out talented young poets and we make a small bit of money off each book sold on-line through Amazon or Smashwords, to help us recoup our costs.
What's in it for the poet?They may purchase (at our cost to produce, plus shipping) as many copies as they like directly from us, then re-sell these and make money off of them and/or they can send others to our site, Amazon or Smashwords to purchase as many copies as they would like. They have a printed, professional collection of poetry works to share and sell.
How does it work?We are currently searching for the best of the best from young, aspiring poets. (Okay, they can be "young at heart" as well.) By going to SwyersPublishing.com, anyone can submit their poetry (up to 5 per person) for consideration in the anthology. Go to "authors and projects" tab. Then go to "poetry project" tab. You will be asked to view the rules and guidelines and then to electronically submit your poem. ALL entries will be viewed and serioulsy considered for inclusion, however, it is ultimately up to our discretion on which ones we feel are the right ones to be included. (It is possible that yours may not be chosen this time, but may be chosen for Volume Two at a later date.) The poets will be contacted and informed as to whether or not their poem(s) has been chosen for inclusion by February, 2011 (at the latest). Chosen poets will be posted on the website. The anthology is set to be printed in the Spring of 2011, and the deadline for submissions is December 31st, 2010. Poets retain the rights to their works, so they can print or sell them elsewhere at any time. (We have non-exclusive rights to publish this once.)
The website is www.swyerspublishing.com
MINOTAUR BOOKS FIRST CRIME NOVEL CONTEST
-----------------------------------------
DEADLINE: November 13, 2010
GENRE: Books
OPEN TO: any writer, regardless of nationality, who has never been
the author of a published novel. Self-published writers may
enter, as long as the entry has not itself been self-published.
DETAILS: Submit previously unpublished works of book length (no
less than 220 typewritten pages or approximately 60,000 words).
PRIZE: $10,000 advance and a publishing contract from Minotaur
Books.
Science Articles Wanted
------------------------
Cosmos, the Australian science magazine, is open to submissions.
Cosmos is largely interested in ideas, particularly those that
involve, or are driven by, science and technology. Payment for
features ranges from A$900 to a maximum of A$3,000. View PDF for
full guidelines.
http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/pdf/Cosmos_writers_guidelines.pdf
FEATURE
FEATURE: Virtual Book Tours: A Five Step Planning Process
=================================================================
By Mohamed Mughal
I participated in an international virtual book tour the third
week of March 2010. The tour focused on my debut novel and on my
overall approach to writing. I had stops in Berlin, Germany;
London, England; and Washington, D.C. This being my first virtual
book tour, I didn't quite know how to plan the event. I took a
deep breath, I planned what I thought made sense and then I took a
head-first dive into the deep end.
Guess what? It was great!
Not only did I have the privilege of direct interactions with
readers world-wide, but the depth, complexity, relevance and humor
of the questions contributed to a number of compelling personal
and literary revelations.
Want to try it yourself? It's not difficult. You can start by
taking a look at the simple, five-step process that I used.
The Five Step Process
---------------------
Steps 1 through 4 happen before the tour. These steps don't
necessarily follow a strict sequence of one-after-another. Expect
some overlap in the execution of them. Step 5 happens after the
tour.
Step 1
------
Do web searches for literature blogs, particularly those who focus
on your genre. Contact as many as possible and briefly explain
who you are, what you wrote and why they should be open to hosting
you for a virtual book tour.
Being a Maryland-based writer, I'm a member of our state's
writers' association. I went to that organization's website and
contacted fellow members who maintain literary blogs. One of my
blog hosts came from these contacts. I found another of my hosts
through a web search on the terms "literary blogs" and
"book blogs." I found my third host by searching for writers with similar demographics as mine. Be persistent. I contacted three dozen blogs before finding three
willing to host my virtual book tour.
Step 2
------
Once you've gotten commitments from the number and the type of
blogs that you want on your tour (I wanted three literary blogs),
confirm tour dates with each host.
In addition to setting dates for the tour, this message tells
hosts to expect a prewritten tour announcement by a specific date;
it reinforces the mechanics of the tour; and it informs the hosts
of upcoming press releases.
Step 3
------
Pre-plan the mechanics of the tour and share this plan with each
of your hosts. Have your hosts share this information with their
blog's readers prior to the tour.
For my event, readers from each blog could ask up to three
questions about my writing and/or book. I developed and posted my
answers in about a day. To increase participation and interest, I
gave a free signed copy of the novel to the first person to post a
question at each blog. I made sure that I included information on
the giveaway in all my press releases and in all announcements
that I posted to my web-site and to other social media sites.
I also wanted to make sure that the information that my hosts
distributed to their readership was consistent and cross-linked.
Providing this information and text to your hosts makes it easier
on them. All they need to do is cut and paste the content into a
post on their blogs. Doing this also allows you to maintain
control over the mechanics of the tour while shaping its overall
message. Insert links to useful background information such as
book reviews and author interviews. Create an integrated set of
tour segments from one blog to another by having each host post
clickable links from their blog to each of the other participating
blogs.
Step 4
------
Issue a series of press releases to publicize the tour.
You can issue these releases through a press release service, your
website, local newspapers and through any other social media that
you participate in such as Facebook and Twitter. The idea is to
drive as much traffic as possible to the host blogs and to make
for a better attended virtual event.
I planned a series of four press releases. I issued the first a
month before the tour, the second about three weeks before, the
third about a week before and the last one on the day before the
tour. Here's sample text from one of the press releases:
Virtual Book Tour Puts God on Trial
American literary cubist Mohamed Mughal will participate in an
international virtual book tour for his novel, Resolution 786,
in March 2010. The novel's plot includes a trial of God for
crimes against humanity.
The tour has stops in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United
States. The following blogs are hosting the tour:
21-23 March 2010, ………………………………….etc.
You get the idea. In snappy, easy language, tell them who, what,
where, when and why. Make sure you throw in personal interest
material, background information that you think and feel will
resonate with the types of people who might read your books. If at all
possible, include clickable links in the press release. Make it
as easy as possible for potential participants to get to where you
want them, posting questions and comments at your host blogs
during the dates of the tour. Finally, think hard about the
titles of your press releases. You want titles that are accurate,
relevant and as compelling as possible.
Step 5
------
Once the tour is done, post clickable links to each host's Q&A
segments on your website and on all social media sites in which
you participate.
In addition to my web-site's blog, I posted my virtual book tour's
links on Facebook, hubpages and squidoo.
Conclusion
----------
There's an admitted simplicity and logic to the five-step process
and to the implementing details associated with each step. The
art and inspiration come with the personal nuances that you imbue
into the mechanical process. Make it special. Make it you.
Would I do another virtual book tour? Absolutely! Done right,
the process yields increased visibility to an author while
increasing traffic for the host blogs. It's an ideal venue
through which to create and leave behind a long-lasting
cyber-trail of information about your book, about your writing and
about yourself. Most of all, a virtual book tour is a perfect
vehicle through which to enjoy the benefits and revelations of a
real-time, deep conversation with readers and literature
enthusiasts the world over.
>>--------------------------------------------------<<
Mohamed Mughal writes in the schools of literary cubism and
absurdism. Learn more at http://www.mohamedmughal.com.
Copyright (c) 2010 by Mohamed Mughal
Allbooks Review is happy to be a stop on your virtual tour, just contact us.
SUCCESS STORIES
We love to hear of your success stories, submit them to us at: allbookreviews@aol.com
Remember to post your book signing, guest speaker events on our Bookstore page. Simply send us an email with details of your events and we will be happy to post them. Just part of the Allbooks service to our authors.
Congratulations to:
Congrats to our Managing Editor, Shirley A. Roe on the release of Snow Eagle
Available on Amazon.com in print and kindle, ebooks at: www.theebooksale.com
Conversations with Jerry and Other People I Thought Were Dead won the silver medal in the 2010 IP Death and Dying Category, and was a Finalist in the 2010 Indie Excellence Awards.
Irene
Allbooks Reviews INTERVIEW:
Please state your name and location.
N. E. (Ed) Walker, Tampa, Florida, US
Tell us the title and publisher of your book:
Nexus, self-published ebook
Tell us about yourself:
I'm president of Design/Analysis Consultants, Inc., a small firm specializing in the creation of highly reliable electronic products. Because of my affinity for science and engineering, I've always loved good science fiction, but for some unknown reason I enjoy speculative fiction (science fiction without the rocket ships and futuristic gizmos) even more, particularly stories with offbeat psychological themes.
I've been writing non-fiction for over twenty years, primarily newsletters and one published technical book that has done well. I became serious about fiction approximately ten years ago, but on a part-time basis because of the demands of my career. Nexus is the first completed novel.
When was the book released?
July, 2010.
Give us an overview of your book.
I don't think I can beat the Allbooks review by Cindy Taylor.
What inspired you to write this book?
I enjoy writing, plus had a desire to write the type of book that I like to read that seems to be harder to find these days; i.e., one without the boring and predictable car chases, fist fights, and gratuitous vulgarities.
How is your book different from other books in this genre?
Other than being somewhat retro as mentioned above, it's a character-focused mixed-genre blend of mainstream and speculative fiction.
<emWhere can people buy your book?
Nexus is available at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Nexus-ebook/dp/B003S3S0CQ
Are you working on another book? If so when do you expect it to be published?
Yes, Purgatory, which is also a mix of mainstream/SF, scheduled for mid-late 2011. Purgatory examines a self-centered protagonist who, as a result of the terrifying side-effects of a serious injury, is forced to review the effects of his past actions from his family's perspective. A brief excerpt from Chapter 1 of the draft:
Bathed in a suffocating warmth, I eventually became aware of the faintest glow, eking its way through my translucent covering. The outline of a large ragged hole floated before me, ink black centered in the darkest gray. Its top was flattened against a charcoal ceiling; its rounded bottom connected to a coarse and dusky wall that dropped down into the depths.
Where was I?
This idle curiosity suddenly exploded, blowing away my calm detachment, as the horror of my situation plugged itself into my brain. My erupting screams were throttled into a dreadful moaning by my constricted throat, muffled further by the pungent fabric that smothered my face, and I writhed fiercely, trying to break myself free. Swaying as if on a tether, I realized that I was head down, wrapped and hung like a specimen in an insane collection.
If you self published, what advice can you give to fellow writers?Before you do, be sure to spend the time and effort to be very sure that your work is very polished and marketable. If you think you're at that point, an Allbooks review would be a good way to obtain professional and unbiased feedback. If the feedback indicates that you're not quite there, then obtaining their professional editing services would be a good next step.
How did you find Allbooks Reviews and what are you hoping for in your relationship with us?
I was seeking a professional editor's opinion, and found Allbooks on the web. From reading several of their reviews, I could tell that they would provide the sort of straight talk that I was looking for, and that criticisms would be balanced and constructive.
Thank you for this interview and best of luck with your book.
www.allbookreviews.com
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Author is looking for information. Can anyone help?
My question is, would you have any information on how I could get this book into the Scholastic collection for school fairs? As it was published by Infinity, a POD publisher, it seems a bit more complicated. I contacted Scholastic and they would need 7000 books, which Infinity can print as they do their own publishing. It sounds rather lucrative (even at $1.00 a book royalty, or so) and I would certainly like to try.
I would be so grateful for any information you could give me.
Regards,
Sheila McIntyre
NB. Please contact Shirley Roe at allbookreviews@aol.com and your information will be forwarded to Sheila
I would be so grateful for any information you could give me.
Regards,
Sheila McIntyre
NB. Please contact Shirley Roe at allbookreviews@aol.com and your information will be forwarded to Sheila
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Allbooks Review site updating.
The Allbooks Review website www.allbookreviews.com is down for a few days for upgrading. Please return to the site at a later date if you can not access it. Thank you.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you
Shirley A. Roe
Managing Editor,Allbooks Review
www.allbookreviews.com
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you
Shirley A. Roe
Managing Editor,Allbooks Review
www.allbookreviews.com
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Myriad Editions is Looking for Books to Publish-----------------------------------------------
Based in the UK, this independent publisher publishes atlases,
graphic nonfiction and original fiction. They do not publish
children's stories, poetry or plays. For more information visit:
http://www.myriadeditions.com/submissions
Grantville Gazette Wants Short Sci-Fi and Fantasy
-------------------------------------------------
This appears to be a good magazine to break into if you want to
write fantasy. They have strict guidelines but a supportive
process. You need to submit your story as it progresses onto a
forum board where it will be discussed and problems with it ironed
out. If they decide to purchase your story you will get paid 5
cents a word. For more information visit:
http://www.grantvillegazette.com/submissions
Timeline Wants History Articles on Ohio
---------------------------------------
The editors of Timeline, the publication of the Ohio Historical
Society, are accepting manuscripts of 1,500 to 6,000 words related
to the history, prehistory, and natural history of Ohio and to the
broader cultural and natural environments of which Ohio is a part.
Articles with a significant regional or national focus also will be
considered. Suitable topics include the traditional fields of
political, economic, military, and social history; biography; the
history of science and technology; archaeology and anthropology;
architecture; the fine and decorative arts; and the natural
sciences including botany, geology, zoology, ecology, and
paleontology.
In addition to full-length feature articles, shorter, more sharply
focused vignettes of 500 to 1,000 words will be considered.
For more information and writer's guidelines visit the website:
http://www.ohiohistory.org/resource/publicat/timeline/ifc.html
Delicious Living Call for Submissions
-------------------------------------
US-based healthy lifestyle magazine is open to submissions.
Delicious Living was the first magazine of its kind, and it
remains ahead of its time--a lifestyle magazine that meets new
millennium needs with centuries-old health solutions, combined
with contemporary natural health care methods and modalities.
Delicious Living articles are lively, informative, and
conversational in tone, and provide up-to-date health information
in a clear, easy-to-understand manner. Writers should consult
various sources for their stories, including health professionals
and research journals. They require that writers make every attempt
to reference current research.
For more information visit: http://deliciouslivingmag.com/contact/
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you
Shirley A. Roe
Based in the UK, this independent publisher publishes atlases,
graphic nonfiction and original fiction. They do not publish
children's stories, poetry or plays. For more information visit:
http://www.myriadeditions.com/submissions
Grantville Gazette Wants Short Sci-Fi and Fantasy
-------------------------------------------------
This appears to be a good magazine to break into if you want to
write fantasy. They have strict guidelines but a supportive
process. You need to submit your story as it progresses onto a
forum board where it will be discussed and problems with it ironed
out. If they decide to purchase your story you will get paid 5
cents a word. For more information visit:
http://www.grantvillegazette.com/submissions
Timeline Wants History Articles on Ohio
---------------------------------------
The editors of Timeline, the publication of the Ohio Historical
Society, are accepting manuscripts of 1,500 to 6,000 words related
to the history, prehistory, and natural history of Ohio and to the
broader cultural and natural environments of which Ohio is a part.
Articles with a significant regional or national focus also will be
considered. Suitable topics include the traditional fields of
political, economic, military, and social history; biography; the
history of science and technology; archaeology and anthropology;
architecture; the fine and decorative arts; and the natural
sciences including botany, geology, zoology, ecology, and
paleontology.
In addition to full-length feature articles, shorter, more sharply
focused vignettes of 500 to 1,000 words will be considered.
For more information and writer's guidelines visit the website:
http://www.ohiohistory.org/resource/publicat/timeline/ifc.html
Delicious Living Call for Submissions
-------------------------------------
US-based healthy lifestyle magazine is open to submissions.
Delicious Living was the first magazine of its kind, and it
remains ahead of its time--a lifestyle magazine that meets new
millennium needs with centuries-old health solutions, combined
with contemporary natural health care methods and modalities.
Delicious Living articles are lively, informative, and
conversational in tone, and provide up-to-date health information
in a clear, easy-to-understand manner. Writers should consult
various sources for their stories, including health professionals
and research journals. They require that writers make every attempt
to reference current research.
For more information visit: http://deliciouslivingmag.com/contact/
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you
Shirley A. Roe
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Making Waves
Swyers Publishing Poetry Anthology Volume One: Making Waves
by Pamela Swyers on Tuesday, September 14, 2010 at 7:14pm
Just wanted to take a moment to explain a bit about our upcoming Poetry Anthology "Making Waves".
As a small, independent publisher, Bill and I wanted to find a way to help young up and coming artists (poets specifically) get their work into print. Having walked the long, and often arduous road of getting something published, we feel the pain of those who want to see something they have written in printed form. I have been blessed to cross tracks with several young and amazingly talented writers and poets, and thought by donating some man-hours (and woman hours) and fronting the cost to get the anthology up and out there, the young poet could finally have a way to send someone to a place where they could purchase a poetry anthology that contained their works.
What's in it for us?
We get the pleasure of helping out talented young poets and we make a small bit of money off each book sold on-line through Amazon or Smashwords, to help us recoup our costs.
What's in it for the poet?
They may purchase (at our cost to produce, plus shipping) as many copies as they like directly from us, then re-sell these and make money off of them and/or they can send others to our site, Amazon or Smashwords to purchase as many copies as they would like. They have a printed, professional collection of poetry works to share and sell.
How does it work?
We are currently searching for the best of the best from young, aspiring poets. (Okay, they can be "young at heart" as well.) By going to SwyersPublishing.com, anyone can submit their poetry (up to 5 per person) for consideration in the anthology. Go to "authors and projects" tab. Then go to "poetry project" tab. You will be asked to view the rules and guidelines and then to electronically submit your poem. ALL entries will be viewed and seriously considered for inclusion, however, it is ultimately up to our discretion on which ones we feel are the right ones to be included. (It is possible that yours may not be chosen this time, but may be chosen for Volume Two at a later date.) The poets will be contacted and informed as to whether or not their poem(s) has been chosen for inclusion by February, 2011 (at the latest). Chosen poets will be posted on the website. The anthology is set to be printed in the Spring of 2011, and the deadline for submissions is December 31st, 2010. Poets retain the rights to their works, so they can print or sell them elsewhere at any time. (We have non-exclusive rights to publish this once.)
The website is www.swyerspublishing.com Email is bill@swyerspublishing.com
by Pamela Swyers on Tuesday, September 14, 2010 at 7:14pm
Just wanted to take a moment to explain a bit about our upcoming Poetry Anthology "Making Waves".
As a small, independent publisher, Bill and I wanted to find a way to help young up and coming artists (poets specifically) get their work into print. Having walked the long, and often arduous road of getting something published, we feel the pain of those who want to see something they have written in printed form. I have been blessed to cross tracks with several young and amazingly talented writers and poets, and thought by donating some man-hours (and woman hours) and fronting the cost to get the anthology up and out there, the young poet could finally have a way to send someone to a place where they could purchase a poetry anthology that contained their works.
What's in it for us?
We get the pleasure of helping out talented young poets and we make a small bit of money off each book sold on-line through Amazon or Smashwords, to help us recoup our costs.
What's in it for the poet?
They may purchase (at our cost to produce, plus shipping) as many copies as they like directly from us, then re-sell these and make money off of them and/or they can send others to our site, Amazon or Smashwords to purchase as many copies as they would like. They have a printed, professional collection of poetry works to share and sell.
How does it work?
We are currently searching for the best of the best from young, aspiring poets. (Okay, they can be "young at heart" as well.) By going to SwyersPublishing.com, anyone can submit their poetry (up to 5 per person) for consideration in the anthology. Go to "authors and projects" tab. Then go to "poetry project" tab. You will be asked to view the rules and guidelines and then to electronically submit your poem. ALL entries will be viewed and seriously considered for inclusion, however, it is ultimately up to our discretion on which ones we feel are the right ones to be included. (It is possible that yours may not be chosen this time, but may be chosen for Volume Two at a later date.) The poets will be contacted and informed as to whether or not their poem(s) has been chosen for inclusion by February, 2011 (at the latest). Chosen poets will be posted on the website. The anthology is set to be printed in the Spring of 2011, and the deadline for submissions is December 31st, 2010. Poets retain the rights to their works, so they can print or sell them elsewhere at any time. (We have non-exclusive rights to publish this once.)
The website is www.swyerspublishing.com Email is bill@swyerspublishing.com
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Allbooks Review September 2010 Newsletter
Cooler temps of autumn
Nominate us for a listing in Writer's Digest's 101 Best Sites
of The Year. Please send your nomination, along with our web
name Allbooks Review and our URL www.allbookreviews.com
to: writersdig@fwpubs.com Subject "101 Sites".
Thank you for all of your support.
*****************************************************************************
ALLBOOKS REVIEW IS NOW ON iFOGO. Be sure and join the Albooks Review Author’s Group where we can share our success and our mistakes. Also join iFogo and get www.booksonfilm.com. Great promo for a great price, post audio, book trailers, contact with agents and producers and much more. Be sure and let them know Allbooks Review sent you and join our group.
http://ifogo.com/buy/order_abr.html USE THIS LINK TO JOIN TODAY
Submissions Wanted:
POOLE LITERARY FESTIVAL NEW MEDIA PRIZE
---------------------------------------
DEADLINE: September 15, 2010
GENRE: Short Stories, nonfiction, poetry, young writers
DETAILS: Two age categories: adult and student. Storytelling,
whether fiction or non-fiction or poetry, written specifically for
delivery and reading/viewing on a PC or Mac, on the web, or via
mobile phone. Could be thought of as a short story, a novel, a
documentary, or poetry. However, "writing" and "literature" in the
digital age now can include words, images, film, animation, and
interactivity for the audience.
PRIZE: £250 and an Apple i-pad for 1st prize winner in each age
category.
URL: http://www.poolelitfest.com/new-media-prize.php
FEATURE
Why Book Promotion Takes Patience
By Patricia Fry
Why must authors have patience? Because it takes time to go from exposure to sales. Exposure is necessary in order to alert potential customers to your book-let them know that it exists. People have to know about your book before they will purchase it. News flash: Just having it sitting on a shelf in a bookstore, doesn't necessarily mean that people will be inclined to purchase it.
They need to hear about it, read about it, hear others talk about it, see it reviewed in their favorite related publications, handle it a few (or many) times, have it recommended and learn more about it. Not only do they need to know about it, they must be convinced that this is something they want to read-that they will enjoy it or benefit from it or that someone they know will. Handpicked books make great gifts.
So how do you get this sort of exposure for your amazing book? You must establish a website and, perhaps, a blog site. Go out and speak. Get your book reviewed many times over. Arrange for book signings. Rent booths at book festivals. Join organizations and groups that can help you get exposure for your book (those related to the theme or genre of your book as well as those that can help with marketing, offer resources, etc). Where appropriate, teach courses and/or give workshops related to your book. Speak at conferences related to your book. Talk about it everywhere you go. Submit articles to appropriate magazines/newsletters/sites. And make sure you are listed in Books in Print (so booksellers can special order your book for customers).
Currently, I am testing new waters while getting exposure for my latest book, Catscapades, True Cat Tales. And I am reminded how time-consuming book promotion can be, especially just coming out of the publishing gate. How much time is it taking? LOTS of it. Getting exposure in all the right places is my full time job at the moment. And it takes patience, because reviewers don't always respond as quickly as you would like. Booksellers can drag their feet about scheduling your signings. Potential customers who may really want a copy of your book put off purchasing it.
How long does it take to get the results you want through exposure? Do you want me to be candid? This is an ongoing activity for as long as you want your book to sell.
Until you have major name recognition as the author of mysteries, true crime books, children's or young adult books, fantasies, science fiction or books on finance, for example, you will need to practically hand sell each and every book you produce. As authors in this publishing climate, the best that we can do is to consider authorship a serious business, not a privilege that will result in instant fame and fortune.
Sure, you'll get a flurry of sales after a positive review is published by a reviewer of some credibility and with a large following. You may sell a box or a handful of books at a book festival or a large conference where you speak. You will surely sell a dozen or so books at a well-publicized book signing. And some of those customers will tell others about your book and you'll get some residual sales. But then, you're back to the drawing board reminding potential customers about your book on a regular basis while attempting to find new ways to get exposure.
Does it sound like a dismal reward for writing a marvelous book-to have to promote for evermore? It depends on how you look at it. I suggest shifting a measure of your creativity over from your writing efforts to the process of promotion and look at it as a creative challenge.
Here's another tip. Don't ever allow yourself to be discouraged when your sales, during a particular event or after a great review, fall below your expectations. Exposure doesn't always lead to immediate gratification (sales). In fact, I like to tell the story of a SPAWN member who shared in our SPAWN booth at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books one year. He didn't sell very many books that year, but he made some amazing contacts that led to him being involved in a documentary featuring the topic of his book. It airs frequently on the Military channel.
If you are currently or will soon be promoting a book, keep things in perspective. Understand the concept of book promotion.
• Book promotion is not a one-time shot. It is ongoing for as long as you want to sell copies of your book.
• Book promotion is not a passive process. It takes serious planning and assertive action.
• Book promotion efforts do not usually result in high sales right off the bat.
• Book promotion takes time, effort, energy and creative thinking.
If you have a good product, your next obligation is to be proactive in promoting it and be patient.
SUCCESS STORIES
We love to hear of your success stories, submit them to us at: allbookreviews@aol.com
Remember to post your book signing, guest speaker events on our Bookstore page. Simply send us an email with details of your events and we will be happy to post them. Just part of the Allbooks service to our authors.
Congratulations to:
Creating A Healthy Life and Marriage has won an award. Judith
Readers Favorite
2010 Silver Medal Winner
Non-fiction, Relationships
Dear Shirley!
Wow. Thank you for the wonderful review. I have been real busy and could not get back to you.
I just broke my third Guinness World Record on Live TV last week.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etDo37PKKvk (see me drop the anchorman on the floor live)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGG9D7EO_rs
Another world record (4th one) is set for this Saturday August 14th at 1 PM PST at livestream.com.
The cookbook is here. I will send the hardcopy to you.
Thank you so so much!
THIENNA
Creating A Healthy Life and Marriage; A Holistic Approach: Body, Mind, Emotions and Spirit has received its first two awards:
Featured Book of the Month
August 2010
Pacific Book Review
http://www.pacificbookreview.com/
Readers Favorite Awards 2010
Finalist, Non Fiction - Relationships
Beyond Doubt is now available as an e-book through Amazon, Barnes and Noble and others, please let everyone know it is downloadable. Many blessings!
John
Allbooks Reviews INTERVIEW: (Please put your answers in black)
Please state your name and location. (city and State or Province, Country)
Don Hurst. Roseville, California, USA
Tell us the title and publisher of your book:
Cloud Riders. ePress-online Inc.
Tell us about yourself:
I'm Don Hurst. My full name is Donald Douglas Hurst. I'm a 75 year-old life-long bachelor living in Northern California, U.S.A.
I have an AA in Art and a BA in Expressive Arts.
I am a veteran of United States Navy during the Korean War and a veteran of the United States Air Force during peacetime.
I have two younger brothers.
10 years younger, Dennis, who lives in San Diego, California. He's an electronics engineer. He's retired but still magnificently smart.
And Bob, who also lives Roseville. He's 3 years younger than me and has for years been the president of a corporation. He's now retired but is still unabashedly bossy.
I write fantasy mostly, because it's more real to me than so-called reality.
I have a web site: www.donstuff.com
On the back cover of Return to UKOO, my first book, is the following: 'No matter where I go, there I am. I can either get in the way or enjoy the company.'
Enough about me. I'm getting bored.
Don
When was the book released?
2010
Give us an overview of your book.
14 year-old Paul Winsome has to ride clouds to save his 11 year-old sister Vicki, and the solar system. He has no idea how. Why was he chosen? Could anyone be less qualified?
Through his parallel-imagined-life, Paul has to enter a dangerous, intimidating, puzzling pursuit of a reality just beyond his grasp. He has no choice but to trust his imagination. However, isn't his imagination mixed in with everyone else's imagination in an imagination life stew? Aren't his chances of failure literally astronomical?
"Your gift of imagination is able to reach any altitude,” says wizard Maken Fairchild. Easy for him to say. He doesn't have to confront gargantuan gorilla Claude Nab or his owner, queen authority of malice Calamity Horrid. He doesn't have to face an invading solar system Vile Extinction, whose added suns will cook Earth upon her arrival. He doesn't have to face her laser-shooting eyed son, Kid Badd. Face six eyed Keen Aware. Bully Buster. Save his cat, Isno Gravity.
Not to mention, how does one ride clouds anyway?
Surely someone has made a dreadful mistake.
What inspired you to write this book?
E. B. White answered a child's question about whether his stories were true.
He answered, quote: "No, they are imaginary tales… But real life is only one kind of life―there is also the life of the imagination." End quote.
Combine that with the Harry Potter series and Cloud Riders sprang to life in my imagination.
How is your book different from other books in this genre?
I wanted to write a book about imagination itself. It took six years to complete. It's been quite a cloud ride.
Where can people buy your book?
www.ePress-online.com
Are you working on another book? If so when do you expect it to be published?
Not at the present time.
If you self published, what advice can you give to fellow writers?
Cloud Riders is not self-published. But my advice is to remember that
'writing the book and self publishing it is only half the task. The other half is to sell it.'
If published traditionally, tell us how you benefited:
Editing, cover design, encouragement and a reality check when my
Imagination soared too far for a reader to grasp. ePress-online Inc. is staffed by other writers helping writers with their craft. They have been wonderful to me both in guidance and understanding my goal.
Can you share one of your marketing successes with us?
My review by Alison Griffiths, an Allbooks Reviewer. She brought me out of a worsening dark cloud of self-doubt. The encouragement of Writers Village University's Donna Sundblad, know at WVU as Birdie, suggestions as to marketing. Marketing success is the branch held out to keep me running toward accomplishment. I truly care less for Don Hurst being successful than Cloud Riders reaching the reading public, young and old.
How did you find Allbooks Reviews and what are you hoping for in your relationship with us?
I found Allbooks Reviews on a site that lists book reviewers. I just got lucky in my pick.
Was the low cost a surprise? What other things would you like Allbooks Reviews to offer writers?
I'm 75 and living on Social Security. Low cost was not only a surprise, but a God send. As to what more Allbooks Reviews could offer, I haven't explored fully what is now offered. Seems to me so much is offered that it will take some time to grab a hold of the spinning merry-go-round of marketing help.
Thank you for this interview and best of luck with your book.
Thanks right back at you. I am truly appreciative.
Nominate us for a listing in Writer's Digest's 101 Best Sites
of The Year. Please send your nomination, along with our web
name Allbooks Review and our URL www.allbookreviews.com
to: writersdig@fwpubs.com Subject "101 Sites".
Thank you for all of your support.
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ALLBOOKS REVIEW IS NOW ON iFOGO. Be sure and join the Albooks Review Author’s Group where we can share our success and our mistakes. Also join iFogo and get www.booksonfilm.com. Great promo for a great price, post audio, book trailers, contact with agents and producers and much more. Be sure and let them know Allbooks Review sent you and join our group.
http://ifogo.com/buy/order_abr.html USE THIS LINK TO JOIN TODAY
Submissions Wanted:
POOLE LITERARY FESTIVAL NEW MEDIA PRIZE
---------------------------------------
DEADLINE: September 15, 2010
GENRE: Short Stories, nonfiction, poetry, young writers
DETAILS: Two age categories: adult and student. Storytelling,
whether fiction or non-fiction or poetry, written specifically for
delivery and reading/viewing on a PC or Mac, on the web, or via
mobile phone. Could be thought of as a short story, a novel, a
documentary, or poetry. However, "writing" and "literature" in the
digital age now can include words, images, film, animation, and
interactivity for the audience.
PRIZE: £250 and an Apple i-pad for 1st prize winner in each age
category.
URL: http://www.poolelitfest.com/new-media-prize.php
FEATURE
Why Book Promotion Takes Patience
By Patricia Fry
Why must authors have patience? Because it takes time to go from exposure to sales. Exposure is necessary in order to alert potential customers to your book-let them know that it exists. People have to know about your book before they will purchase it. News flash: Just having it sitting on a shelf in a bookstore, doesn't necessarily mean that people will be inclined to purchase it.
They need to hear about it, read about it, hear others talk about it, see it reviewed in their favorite related publications, handle it a few (or many) times, have it recommended and learn more about it. Not only do they need to know about it, they must be convinced that this is something they want to read-that they will enjoy it or benefit from it or that someone they know will. Handpicked books make great gifts.
So how do you get this sort of exposure for your amazing book? You must establish a website and, perhaps, a blog site. Go out and speak. Get your book reviewed many times over. Arrange for book signings. Rent booths at book festivals. Join organizations and groups that can help you get exposure for your book (those related to the theme or genre of your book as well as those that can help with marketing, offer resources, etc). Where appropriate, teach courses and/or give workshops related to your book. Speak at conferences related to your book. Talk about it everywhere you go. Submit articles to appropriate magazines/newsletters/sites. And make sure you are listed in Books in Print (so booksellers can special order your book for customers).
Currently, I am testing new waters while getting exposure for my latest book, Catscapades, True Cat Tales. And I am reminded how time-consuming book promotion can be, especially just coming out of the publishing gate. How much time is it taking? LOTS of it. Getting exposure in all the right places is my full time job at the moment. And it takes patience, because reviewers don't always respond as quickly as you would like. Booksellers can drag their feet about scheduling your signings. Potential customers who may really want a copy of your book put off purchasing it.
How long does it take to get the results you want through exposure? Do you want me to be candid? This is an ongoing activity for as long as you want your book to sell.
Until you have major name recognition as the author of mysteries, true crime books, children's or young adult books, fantasies, science fiction or books on finance, for example, you will need to practically hand sell each and every book you produce. As authors in this publishing climate, the best that we can do is to consider authorship a serious business, not a privilege that will result in instant fame and fortune.
Sure, you'll get a flurry of sales after a positive review is published by a reviewer of some credibility and with a large following. You may sell a box or a handful of books at a book festival or a large conference where you speak. You will surely sell a dozen or so books at a well-publicized book signing. And some of those customers will tell others about your book and you'll get some residual sales. But then, you're back to the drawing board reminding potential customers about your book on a regular basis while attempting to find new ways to get exposure.
Does it sound like a dismal reward for writing a marvelous book-to have to promote for evermore? It depends on how you look at it. I suggest shifting a measure of your creativity over from your writing efforts to the process of promotion and look at it as a creative challenge.
Here's another tip. Don't ever allow yourself to be discouraged when your sales, during a particular event or after a great review, fall below your expectations. Exposure doesn't always lead to immediate gratification (sales). In fact, I like to tell the story of a SPAWN member who shared in our SPAWN booth at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books one year. He didn't sell very many books that year, but he made some amazing contacts that led to him being involved in a documentary featuring the topic of his book. It airs frequently on the Military channel.
If you are currently or will soon be promoting a book, keep things in perspective. Understand the concept of book promotion.
• Book promotion is not a one-time shot. It is ongoing for as long as you want to sell copies of your book.
• Book promotion is not a passive process. It takes serious planning and assertive action.
• Book promotion efforts do not usually result in high sales right off the bat.
• Book promotion takes time, effort, energy and creative thinking.
If you have a good product, your next obligation is to be proactive in promoting it and be patient.
SUCCESS STORIES
We love to hear of your success stories, submit them to us at: allbookreviews@aol.com
Remember to post your book signing, guest speaker events on our Bookstore page. Simply send us an email with details of your events and we will be happy to post them. Just part of the Allbooks service to our authors.
Congratulations to:
Creating A Healthy Life and Marriage has won an award. Judith
Readers Favorite
2010 Silver Medal Winner
Non-fiction, Relationships
Dear Shirley!
Wow. Thank you for the wonderful review. I have been real busy and could not get back to you.
I just broke my third Guinness World Record on Live TV last week.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etDo37PKKvk (see me drop the anchorman on the floor live)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGG9D7EO_rs
Another world record (4th one) is set for this Saturday August 14th at 1 PM PST at livestream.com.
The cookbook is here. I will send the hardcopy to you.
Thank you so so much!
THIENNA
Creating A Healthy Life and Marriage; A Holistic Approach: Body, Mind, Emotions and Spirit has received its first two awards:
Featured Book of the Month
August 2010
Pacific Book Review
http://www.pacificbookreview.com/
Readers Favorite Awards 2010
Finalist, Non Fiction - Relationships
Beyond Doubt is now available as an e-book through Amazon, Barnes and Noble and others, please let everyone know it is downloadable. Many blessings!
John
Allbooks Reviews INTERVIEW: (Please put your answers in black)
Please state your name and location. (city and State or Province, Country)
Don Hurst. Roseville, California, USA
Tell us the title and publisher of your book:
Cloud Riders. ePress-online Inc.
Tell us about yourself:
I'm Don Hurst. My full name is Donald Douglas Hurst. I'm a 75 year-old life-long bachelor living in Northern California, U.S.A.
I have an AA in Art and a BA in Expressive Arts.
I am a veteran of United States Navy during the Korean War and a veteran of the United States Air Force during peacetime.
I have two younger brothers.
10 years younger, Dennis, who lives in San Diego, California. He's an electronics engineer. He's retired but still magnificently smart.
And Bob, who also lives Roseville. He's 3 years younger than me and has for years been the president of a corporation. He's now retired but is still unabashedly bossy.
I write fantasy mostly, because it's more real to me than so-called reality.
I have a web site: www.donstuff.com
On the back cover of Return to UKOO, my first book, is the following: 'No matter where I go, there I am. I can either get in the way or enjoy the company.'
Enough about me. I'm getting bored.
Don
When was the book released?
2010
Give us an overview of your book.
14 year-old Paul Winsome has to ride clouds to save his 11 year-old sister Vicki, and the solar system. He has no idea how. Why was he chosen? Could anyone be less qualified?
Through his parallel-imagined-life, Paul has to enter a dangerous, intimidating, puzzling pursuit of a reality just beyond his grasp. He has no choice but to trust his imagination. However, isn't his imagination mixed in with everyone else's imagination in an imagination life stew? Aren't his chances of failure literally astronomical?
"Your gift of imagination is able to reach any altitude,” says wizard Maken Fairchild. Easy for him to say. He doesn't have to confront gargantuan gorilla Claude Nab or his owner, queen authority of malice Calamity Horrid. He doesn't have to face an invading solar system Vile Extinction, whose added suns will cook Earth upon her arrival. He doesn't have to face her laser-shooting eyed son, Kid Badd. Face six eyed Keen Aware. Bully Buster. Save his cat, Isno Gravity.
Not to mention, how does one ride clouds anyway?
Surely someone has made a dreadful mistake.
What inspired you to write this book?
E. B. White answered a child's question about whether his stories were true.
He answered, quote: "No, they are imaginary tales… But real life is only one kind of life―there is also the life of the imagination." End quote.
Combine that with the Harry Potter series and Cloud Riders sprang to life in my imagination.
How is your book different from other books in this genre?
I wanted to write a book about imagination itself. It took six years to complete. It's been quite a cloud ride.
Where can people buy your book?
www.ePress-online.com
Are you working on another book? If so when do you expect it to be published?
Not at the present time.
If you self published, what advice can you give to fellow writers?
Cloud Riders is not self-published. But my advice is to remember that
'writing the book and self publishing it is only half the task. The other half is to sell it.'
If published traditionally, tell us how you benefited:
Editing, cover design, encouragement and a reality check when my
Imagination soared too far for a reader to grasp. ePress-online Inc. is staffed by other writers helping writers with their craft. They have been wonderful to me both in guidance and understanding my goal.
Can you share one of your marketing successes with us?
My review by Alison Griffiths, an Allbooks Reviewer. She brought me out of a worsening dark cloud of self-doubt. The encouragement of Writers Village University's Donna Sundblad, know at WVU as Birdie, suggestions as to marketing. Marketing success is the branch held out to keep me running toward accomplishment. I truly care less for Don Hurst being successful than Cloud Riders reaching the reading public, young and old.
How did you find Allbooks Reviews and what are you hoping for in your relationship with us?
I found Allbooks Reviews on a site that lists book reviewers. I just got lucky in my pick.
Was the low cost a surprise? What other things would you like Allbooks Reviews to offer writers?
I'm 75 and living on Social Security. Low cost was not only a surprise, but a God send. As to what more Allbooks Reviews could offer, I haven't explored fully what is now offered. Seems to me so much is offered that it will take some time to grab a hold of the spinning merry-go-round of marketing help.
Thank you for this interview and best of luck with your book.
Thanks right back at you. I am truly appreciative.
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