Category: Uncategorized

elizabeth speaks, in your corner, Uncategorized

In Your Corner: More on Podcasts (Part II)

Last week, I started a new series on the merits of podcasting. This week, I’d like to dive in a little deeper….

professional microphone

Podcasts are wonderful. I don’t know how much you know about them, but I spend a fair bit of every day listening to these wonderful recordings which are streamed via a number of apps and websites–SoundCloud, Stitcher, iTunes, YouTube, and more–and saved to my phone by default. They cover an endless variety of subjects, but the ones I mostly listen to have to do with science, technology, film and television, books and book reviews, and gardening. There are knitting podcasts, social justice podcasts, music podcasts, and cute animals doing cute things podcasts.

Having even tried my hand in the past at podcasting myself, I can say with confidence that with a little time and effort, this is something almost anyone with a computer and a built-in microphone can do. Audacity remains the best and most widely-available software in which to record, edit, and otherwise “mix” your audio tracks, but a component of the whole process which has evolved somewhat in recent years is the importance of social networking to a podcast’s success. Just look at how well the Nerdette podcast has done in engaging fans on Twitter, Goodreads, and elsewhere! Science Friday has a great and constantly updated website!

I highly recommend spending a little time exploring the notion, at least. Done well and thoroughly socially networked, podcasts can have enormous reach. And they are also a lot of fun! You don’t have to limit yourself to talking about your book, although that’s certainly an option; you might as well discuss any interesting thing you love.

You are not alone. ♣︎

Elizabeth

ABOUT ELIZABETH JAVOR: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Elizabeth Javor works as the Director of Sales and Marketing for Outskirts Press. The Sales and Marketing departments are composed of knowledgeable publishing consultants, customer service reps and book marketing specialists; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process 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, Elizabeth Javor can put you on the right path.

Book Reviews, Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week, Uncategorized, weekly self published book review

Tuesday Book Review: “Shimji: The Channel Island Vixen”

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:

shimji the channel island vixen christina steiner

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Winner of the West Pacific Regional Reader Views Literary Award

Shimji: The Channel Island Vixen

by Christina Steiner
Illustrated by Steve Ordonez

ISBN: 9781478787082

Synopsis*:

Shimji, a young Channel Island vixen, dreams to go where no Island fox has ever gone: to the place her ancestors came from thousands of years ago. By talking with a sea lion named Malibu and a seagull named Topanga, she finds the island’s harbor and stows away on a boat headed to the California coast. During her adventure on the main-land, Shimji befriends wild and domesticated animals. She learns from their different ways and thus gains knowledge of the world. Her curiosity satisfied, Shimji longs to return home, only to be discovered by humans. Scientists want to send her to a zoo. Can Shimji escape and find her way back to her island home?

 * courtesy of Amazon.com

Featured Review

Shimji, the Channel Island Vixen is an adventurous children’s book written by Christina Steiner. After hearing so many tales of her ancestors, Shimji, a young fox kit, decides to explore the world and see what it has to offer. Knowing that water vessels travel between the islands and the mainland regularly, Shimji sneaks onto a ferry and makes it across, but has no idea where to go or what to do. She meets many different animals on her travels, but after being chased across town by angry dogs, Shimji finds herself befriending a cat and his human family. While trying to assist Shimji in returning to her island home, the family quickly discovers that Shimji would be taken by the government to a zoo instead. This causes Shimji to put all of her efforts, survival skills and cunning into trying to find a way back to the island on her own.

Positively engrossed in every word I read, I found that Christina Steiner’s story about a young fox named Shimji not only presented a wonderful, exploratory adventure of an animal eager to see the world, but also showed how different animal species interact, regardless of their difference in size or habitat, while helping each other escape the perils of various predators. Learning which foods and animals to avoid, Shimji is able to make her way across the treacherous sea and onto the mainland, where she finds new species of animals and is able to determine for herself whether or not they can be trusted. From sea lions, seagulls, possums, horses, cats and even skunks, Shimji has an incredible tale to tell, should she ever find her way back home. Each animal interaction left me smiling, with the exception of those with an evil motive in mind, and I found myself cheering Shimji on the whole way, while easily visualizing each interaction with each turn of the page. I thoroughly enjoyed Shimji, the Channel Island Vixen, and recommend it to readers aged 7-14 years of age, who enjoy books about various species of animals interacting in a peaceful, almost humanlike way. I look forward to reading more books from Christina Steiner in the future.

– reviewed by Rosie Malezer for Readers’ Favorite

Other Reviews

This book is adorable. I purchased it for my grandson who just turned 4 and we read it together as a chapter book. The tale is about Shimji, a Channel Island vixen, who sneaks off to the mainland for a look around the home of her ancestors. She runs into a delightful variety of animals who help her along on her adventure before she decides to sneak back home, a task fraught with some challenges.

Shimji is a sweet character with a courageous and friendly nature, and the animals that she encounters are a hoot with distinctive personalities and voices. The opossums made me laugh out loud, and Blackout, a domesticated cat, is a riot as he explains how he manages his humans. The gulls are pretty funny too. Throughout the book, Steiner weaves in a bit of history about the island foxes as well as information about all the different animals Shimji meets.

A highly enjoyable book for kids with gentle characters working together to help each other. My grandson gave it 5 stars, and I second the opinion.

 – reviewed on Amazon by Diana

 

With a story that takes you inside the world of wonderful little Shimji’s life and takes you on a quest to accomplish her dreams this book is a wonderful read that will educate you in a way that feels more like fun than just being told facts. The characters, story and setting will give any young reader a new favorite to go on their book shelves.
– reviewed on Amazon by Anastasia B.

tuesday book review

Thanks for reading!  Keep up with the latest in the world of indie and self-published books by watching this space!

Self Publishing Advisor

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news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 5.28.2018 – Publishing Trends Roundup

memorial day

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing, specifically regarding publishing trends within the publishing industry, and their implications for all authors!

Well, I suppose the title of this article is a touch misleading: indie author Jonathan Kile didn’t actually trade away his love of or involvement in self-publishing for the titular road trip–but he did write about both in this excellent article for Tampa Bay’s Creative Loafing column, as excellent a place as any to find reflections on music, art, and lifestyle. In his column, Kile deliberates upon what exactly it looks and feels like to “take a moment” while self-publishing. The temptation, one assumes and Kile confirms, would be to constantly take work with you; after all, portability is one of the self-publishing author’s greatest freedoms. One of technology’s–and therefore self-publishing’s–greatest strengths may, in the end, make it hard to clear your head. And while it is, theoretically, possible to make edits to your manuscript and even your published book while tent camping in the Sierras, Kile’s column is the reminder we all need that sometimes it’s okay to take a step back, take a deep breath, and leave work at home.

Did you know that there’s an annual self-publishing summit in Durban, South Africa? One of the most amazing aspects of taking part in this blog is learning about the global self-publishing movement, and how the tools we know and love here in North America are empowering and enabling indie authors all around the world to craft their platforms and find their audiences. The Durban Self-publishing Summit 2018 was by all accounts (including this one from Berea Mail) a great success, and if you’re in the area or will be around this time next year, it might just be worth penciling into your calendar for 2019. Here’s to many more successful self-publishing summits in far-flung places we hope to visit!

If you’ve spent much time around book blogs, you’ll know that we are often a bit … snobby. And don’t get me wrong, snobbery and gatekeeping is one of life’s finest pleasures … so long as you’re using it as an avenue to celebrate books and open up doors for authors, not the reverse. And it has long been an assumption, these days entirely unfounded, that self-published books suffer from poor cover design. But as this fabulous article from The Bookseller makes plain, it’s time for this particular brand of snobbery to disappear into the void. Writes Stuart Bache, the initial wave of self-published books may have struggled more with design simply because of tight budgets and limited options. These days, he goes on to say, are different. Writes Bache: “We had only dipped our toe into the self-publishing world for mere seconds before we were swept up in its authors’ enthusiasm and positive attitude towards publishing. Even on a tight budget. some of our indie clients were doing phenomenally well. There are entire communities on Facebook where an author can ask for advice about marketing and ask for recommendations for editors and designers they can use – the support network is one of the best.” Self-publishing companies like Outskirts Press offer design services, as do many independent contractors and graphic designers. These days, it’s much easier to craft a beautiful book, and Bache’s article for The Bookseller goes a long way toward pointing out options if you yourself are looking for a good place to start.

Do you know that old saying, “The King is dead. Long live the King”? Well, while traditional publishing is a long way from dead, the new kid on the block is definitely on the ascendant. This article from Frank Catalano of GeekWire is packed with good news for indie and self-publishing authors, and we all need a bit of good news after the last quarterly reports from Barnes & Noble. Writes Catalano, “Over a thousand independent authors surpassed $100,000 in royalties in 2017 through Kindle Direct Publishing,” and many of the statistics pertinent to indie authors are not included in the general publishing reports, including those for ebooks. If indie authors are discounted, ebook sales continue to drop as they have done ever since publishers won the right to raise ebook prices in 2015. If indie authors are included, writes Catalano, the numbers are much less dire for authors as a whole, although they certainly indicate that the healthiest portion of the ebook industry lies firmly toward the indie and self-published end of things. Long story short: Catalano breaks down the numbers (and uses infographics!) to explain just what is up with ebooks in 2017 and the first half of 2018. Well worth a look!

spa-news

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry.This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog every Monday to find out the hottest news. If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

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brent sampson, Brent Speaks, Uncategorized

6 Reasons to Add Postcards to Your Author Arsenal

There’s no doubt that book marketing can be challenging.  And giving advice or instruction on how to market a book is also not without its challenges. What works incredibly well for one author with one book may not deliver nearly the same results for a different author with a different book.  That is why the best recommendation of all is to start deliberately, slowly, and small – with measurable steps that produce measurable results. Then, once you find something that works, ramp it up.

postcards

For instance, some authors have a wide variety of branded and customized promotional materials at their disposal: business cards, publication announcements, postcards, posters, etc.  These are typically best suited for the extrovert author – the type of writer who loves the public eye and attends book fairs, book signings, and author events. At these events, every person you meet is a potential recipient of a branded piece of collateral, especially a business card.  Posters, too, are obvious in their purpose (book event signage to make your space stand out). But what about postcards? Well, stay tuned! If you are an extrovert author (or even if you aren’t), here are six great reasons to add branded, customized postcards to your book marketing arsenal:

  1. Invitations. If you’re attending an author event or book fair, postcards are the perfect way to notify everyone in advance. Sure, you should post the notice on Facebook and your other social media platforms, and email everyone you know, but in this day and digital age of electronic media, there’s still something about receiving a postcard in the mail that makes it stand out.  And standing out is what good book marketing is all about.

  2. Solicitations.  What if there is an event or conference that you want to present at? Same rule applies from number one.  An inquiry into a speaking engagement will literally speak volumes if said out-reach arrives in the way of a branded, customized postcard with your (eye-catching) cover on the front.

  3. Influencers. Speaking of out-reach, a successful book marketer never stops promoting themselves, their book, and their business (with diplomacy, of course). If you’re looking to catch the attention of influence-makers (other authors, experts, bloggers, and book reviewers), a handwritten custom postcard will certainly increase your chances.

  4. Media Chow.  Members of the media get bombarded with interview requests from self-publishing authors all the time, but most of those inquiries come in the form of email, Facebook, Linked-In, or Twitter.  Imagine the impact you would have on a local journalist or DJ if he/she actually received a handwritten postcard from you in the mail, with your eye-catching, full-color book cover on the front and a short pleasant note on the back introducing yourself and asking for a short meeting to pitch your story (remember, you pitch stories to the media, not books, and not yourself).

  5. Follow-Ups.  Many of the people you meet as a published author will present opportunities. In fact, you may not even realize what the opportunity is until later that day or even the following-week.  Sure, you exchanged business cards with them, but so did everyone else. Which author is going to follow-up with an email and which author is going to follow-up with a custom postcard in the mail?  And of those two, which author do you think those influence-makers are going to take the time to contact?

  6. Thank-Yous.  With all these book fairs and author events you attend, and all these media contacts, influencers, and writers you meet, eventually it will be time to thank someone. And that’s a great time for a personalized, branded, customized postcard. You can’t give a free book to everyone you want to thank, and a business card isn’t a “thank you” (it’s a gimmee), so postcards are the perfect compromise!  People typically only receive postcards from loved ones on vacation (if that anymore!), so postcards still possess a degree of intimacy while being entirely professional and appropriate.  And for that, not coincidentally, your recipient will thank you, also.
brent sampson
In 2002, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Semi-Finalist Brent Sampson founded Outskirts Press, a custom book publishing solution that provides a cost-effective, fast, and powerful way to help authors publish, distribute, and market their books worldwide while leaving 100% of the rights and 100% of the profits with the author. Outskirts Press was incorporated in Colorado in October, 2003.
In his capacity as the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Marketing Officer, Brent is an expert in the field of book publishing and book marketing. He is also the author of several books on both subjects, including the bestseller Sell Your Book on Amazon, which debuted at #29 on Amazon’s bestseller list.
Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week, Uncategorized, weekly self published book review

Tuesday Book Review: “Conscious Contact”

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:

conscious contact bill rich

Conscious Contact

by Deacon Bill Rich

ISBN: 9781478781875

Synopsis*:

Buen Camino… Deacon Bill Rich had a dream. To walk the Camino de Santiago; at 76, with severe arthritis and a shaky lower back. Accompanied by his son-in-law John McGrath, he was able to do just that. This is his story, a photo diary covering his preparations and thrilling journey across northern Spain. What did he learn? It is good to have a dream.

 * courtesy of Amazon.com

Featured Review

Conscious Contact: A Camino Pilgrimage by Deacon Bill Rich is an exciting book that chronicles the adventures of the author who, at the age of 76, dreamed of walking the Camino de Santiago. Deacon Bill Rich motivates and inspires readers through his story to take up challenges and look beyond their blocks and obstacles so that they can fulfill their dreams. The book covers his walk, which he terms as ‘Pilgrimage,’ and the thrilling journey he undertakes, in spite of having a degenerative arthritic condition in both feet. The book chronicles his foot problems, foot surgery, his determination to overcome the obstacles, and making the decision to do the Pilgrimage.

This book is amazing, uplifting, and thought-provoking and it encourages readers to look beyond the problems in their lives and do the impossible. It gives them the confidence to try out what they want to do and fulfill their dreams, despite setbacks in health. The ‘Pilgrimage,’ as the author terms it, is meaningful, profound, and will reinforce your faith in God and the higher self. Written in a journal format, the author’s pain, struggles, will to achieve what he wants, and determination are palpable. I like the strong messages the author conveys through his story – having a dream is important, to discover the incredible latent potential we all have, and spiritual growth. The photographs shared in the book help readers connect better with the author. His experience and ‘Pilgrimage’ will remove doubts and fears from our minds and encourage us to push beyond the limits.

– reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Reader’s Favorite

Other Reviews

Deacon Bill Rich had a dream. Despite being in his mid 70s with a bad back, two bad feet, one bad knee, one replaced knee, and two bad hands, he would walk the 500+ mile Camino de Santiago: the Way of St. James. Bill wanted both to stretch his boundaries and increase his contact with the Divine, and during the course of his journey is able to achieve both objectives. But this is not an expedition for the faint of heart; or the out of shape. And the intense two-plus year effort that he put into getting himself ready for the walk is a fascinating prelude to the pilgrimage itself.

But it is when Bill, accompanied by his son-in-law John McGrath, reaches Europe and begins his trek that the real fun begins. He shows an appreciation and delight in both the spectacular and the mundane and is an astute observer of both. There is breathtaking scenery and the serendipitous appearance of a lemonade stand just when he needs it most. He meets,and later re-meets, other pilgrims who evolve from occasional companions into friends. He learns the hard way that walking downhill can be much more treacherous than walking up. He fears a forecast of heavy rain but encounters a rainbow instead. But most of all he walks: 15 – 20 miles per day, over all sorts of terrains in all sorts of weather. And throughout, Bill shares with us his hopes and fears, but mostly the joy, of his journey.

This is a book that is both deeply spiritual and great fun. But the highest praise I can give “Conscious Contact” is that reading it made me wish I had made the journey alongside him.

As Bill says more than once: It is good to have a dream.

 – reviewed on Amazon by PBGNick

 

This book will be particularly meaningful to anyone who:
–is considering a pilgrimage of any kind
–has an interest in increasing their faith in a higher power
–wants to learn more about the potential of the human spirit.
– reviewed on Amazon by Tim

Book Trailer

tuesday book review

Thanks for reading!  Keep up with the latest in the world of indie and self-published books by watching this space!

Self Publishing Advisor

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