Author: selfpublishingadvisor

Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week

Weekly Self-Published Book Review: Pajamas and the Days of the Week

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if he or she doesn’t know it exists? Paired with other elements of your book promotion strategy, requesting reviews is a great way to get people talking about what you’ve written.

When we read good reviews, we definitely like to share them. It gives the author a few (permanent) moments of fame and allows us to let the community know about a great book. Here’s this week’s book review by Midwest Book Review:

Pajamas and the Days of the Week

Higina Da Guia

Illustrated by John da Guia

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781432720551

“Pajamas and the Days of the Week” is for all ages. The story is all about pajamas. I loved how the author compared snuggling under the covers to a snail. The author also tells a nice little joke at the end. What’s unique though is that the work is told in two languages: English and Portuguese. The bright happy colors of the artwork also convey the cheerful feel. “Pajamas and the Days of the Week” is a witty story about why we wear pajamas and is recommended for all.

Jodee Speaks

Famous Self-Published Author: Henry M. Robert

Henry M. Robert is the author of the famous book, Robert’s Rules of Order. (The full length title of the original version was Pocket Manual of Rules of Order for Deliberative Assemblies.) To this day, the book remains the most widely used text by parliamentary authority in the United States!

A self-published author was able to write and publish a book that continues to strongly influence our government. That is powerful, and you can do the same thing. If you have ideas you need to share, speak up and self-publish your book!

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 20 years of experience in   sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Manager of Author Services   for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department   is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants;   together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the   book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your   career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist   seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Jodee Thayer can put you   on the right path.
Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week

Weekly Self-Published Book Review: Life on Grayson Island

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if he or she doesn’t know it exists? Paired with other elements of your book promotion strategy, requesting reviews is a great way to get people talking about what you’ve written.

When we read good reviews, we definitely like to share them. It gives the author a few (permanent) moments of fame and allows us to let the community know about a great book. Here’s this week’s book review by Midwest Book Review:

Life on Grayson Island

E. R. Champion

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781432765798

Reviewer: Charline Ratcliff

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I asked to review “Life on Grayson Island” by E.R. Champion, but having found it listed in the “Humor” section, I did expect it to be funny. It was funny…just not as much as I had hoped. Don’t get me wrong; I’m sure there are those who will find this book hilarious, but unfortunately, I am not one of those people.

The premise of “Life on Grayson Island” is this: Brent Williams has just recently moved to Grayson Island in lieu of completely retiring from the police force. However, Grayson Island is a private island, which means that all of the standard infractions that would normally cause some form of citation, ticket or even an arrest do not apply to the “natives” of Grayson Island. Needless to say, most of the training and experience that Williams acquired during his stint as Lieutenant for the Department of Defense cannot be applied in his new position as “Special” Policeman of Grayson Island.

Grayson Island is also a crazy island. The people who live there are extremely wealthy and amazingly eccentric. Opinions are provided on an over-the-top regular basis to be made into the island rules for the non-natives to live by, and each resident seems to have their own reality that doesn’t mesh with anyone else’s. In summary, two hundred and eight pages of inane antics by the mainly over forty crowd and the question you have to ask yourself is: how long can Brent Williams and his wife deal with the idiocy before they decide enough is enough and move back to a more “normal” part of the country?

All in all, “Life on Grayson Island” was a decent read. To be fair, the book did manage to hold my attention/keep me occupied on the two-hour flight from Oakland to Phoenix. “Life on Grayson Island” was well-written, and due in part to the craziness of today’s society, the characters were totally believable. At times, there was a little too much innuendo/cynicism for my taste, but I do understand that’s kind of the premise of the book.

Jodee Speaks

You Can’t Sell Your Car in the Garage

If you have a car for sale and you park it in your garage, there is a very small chance you will ever sell that car.  Your family, friends, and maybe a handful of neighbors might know the car is for sale, but that’s it.

If you are really serious about selling it, then you need to advertise. You might place ads on Craigslist, in the classifieds, or on bulletin boards. You will probably even put a for sale sign on the car and drive it around or park it on a corner with lots of traffic so people can see the sign.

The same is true with self-published books.

You can get your book published and distributed through Amazon and Barnes and Noble online, but no one will know to look for it there unless you tell them about it.  As you are planning and saving for your book publishing project, don’t forget about the ongoing need to market and promote your book.  It could be the next best-seller, but not if no one knows about it!

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 20 years of experience in   sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Manager of Author Services   for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department   is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants;   together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the   book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your   career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist   seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Jodee Thayer can put you   on the right path.

 

Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week

Weekly Self-Published Book Review: The Plea for Righteousness

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if he or she doesn’t know it exists? Paired with other elements of your book promotion strategy, requesting reviews is a great way to get people talking about what you’ve written.

When we read good reviews, we definitely like to share them. It gives the author a few (permanent) moments of fame and allows us to let the community know about a great book. Here’s this week’s book review by Midwest Book Review:

The Plea for Righteousness

Marquette and Scott Frazier

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781432773199

Through knowledge of scripture, one can find their own righteousness. “The Plea for Righteousness” delves into the scripture as Marquette and Scott Frazier discuss the nature of scripture and the many things that have led us away from it throughout history. Arguing that the scripture can teach us much about virtue, world history, and more, they encourage biblical study in a more natural form. “The Plea for Righteousness” is a read to consider for those who seek another perspective on the scripture and some wise wisdom to avoid the false prophets in general.