Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week

Weekly Self Published Book Review: The Upside of Down Times: Discovering the Power of Gratitude

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 upside of down times

The Upside of Down Times: Discovering the Power of Gratitude

Lisa Ryan

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781432790554

Reviewed by Jennifer Hass

I have to say that “The Upside of Down Times: Discovering the Power of Gratitude” by Lisa Ryan is just what I needed. In my own personal journey, it has been suggested that I work on being grateful for what I have. It is a struggle at times to remember that when it seems everything is going wrong, it’s not really everything.
This workbook has really good exercises that forces you to dig deep to find the good. In most cases, it’s not really that hard; it’s really about if you want to recognize it. Looking at things from a positive perspective is not something I do easily or even very often.
The first exercise follows a short story about a trip to a restaurant where Lisa had experienced exceptional service. She asked for the general manager’s business card and sent a note about the server. The next time she came in, he remembered her and had written her a poem of gratitude and how her small note touched his life in a huge way. The exercise says to write to or about someone who has provided excellent service to you. This one I had to skip because I haven’t been out much. I will do this the very next time I have a great experience.

Lisa goes on to say “Gratitude is in the details” and “gratitude is not a now-and-then thing.” Boy is that true! It takes practice to make it a part of your everyday life, something I have not ever done in mine. No wonder I haven’t had much positive reactions to life.
Another exercise is to go about your day and make a point to bring a smile to someone’s face and log what you have learned from the experience. This is just another exercise from the introduction part of the book.

This book is filled with great ways to reflect on yourself and remember the good in the life you have, even when everything is not at its best. I believe this is a great tool for me. I can imagine this would be great for someone in the process of recovery, and I mean recovery of all types; mine is co-dependency, so I am working on making my life more enjoyable and setting the past free.
“The Upside of Down Times: Discovering the Power of Gratitude” by Lisa Ryan is a workbook I will work over and over, so I chose not to write in the book but rather in a notebook so I can do this over and over. This is part of my new self-loving program, and I will even purchase copies for my friends that have similar struggles!

Kelly Speaks

6 Radio Interview Tips for Self-Publishing Authors

Radio interviews are a great way for self publishing authors to promote themselves and their books, but many people are nervous about doing radio interviews. With these great tips, you are sure to have a successful and fun experience.

1. Keep it fun!

Most radio listeners enjoy some humor and natural conversation. The easiest way to nail your interview is to not over think it. Just go with the flow and don’t take yourself too seriously. Listeners can tell if you are having fun, so don’t forget to smile and be enthusiastic. Even though you are on the radio, listeners can still sense your expressions.

2. Keep it natural!

Interviews that are over-rehearsed and presentation-like are boring and awkward. While you can practice a little bit ahead of time, don’t read from notes or memorize your talking points. Just act as if you were talking to a friend.

3. Don’t worry about silence.

Many people worry about moments of awkward silence. It is the radio host’s responsiblity to fill those gaps and keep the interview moving, so don’t worry. The pressure isn’t on you.

4. Be ready to go live.

If you are doing a phone interview, know that many hosts start the interview shortly after the call begins. Some hosts will give you a few minutes to listen and get comfortable, but be prepared to go live immediately.

5. Keep it short.

Keep your answers to 30 seconds or less. This allows for more questions and some commercial breaks, and it keeps the listeners from getting bored.

6. Be respectful.

You may get some callers who aren’t very pleasant. They may challenge or insult you, but you must stay professional. While it is okay to defend yourself or the topic when the caller is wrong, be sure to do so gracefully. The listeners will respect you if you remain respectful.

I’d love to know, do you plan on doing radio interviews?

 

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog at http://kellyschuknecht.com.
Kelly Speaks, Self-Publishing Week in Review

Self Publishing Week in Review: 3/5/13

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 Tuesday to find out the hottest news in self publishing this week.

Self-Publishing Intelligence Report for February 2013

GalleyCat is now releasing a monthly Self-Publishing Intelligence Report that links to all of their resources for indie authors. It links to their bestseller lists as well as top news stories. As a self published author, it is a good idea to stay current on self publishing trends and to be familiar with bestsellers.

10 Proofreading Tips For Self-Publishers

Proofreading is essential for all self publishing authors! This article some great tips to help you get the most out of your proofreading efforts.

The Real Cost of Self-Publishing

This great article talks about the popular authors (J.K. Rowling and Stephen King) who have turned to self publishing, recent self publishing statistics, and costs associated with self publishing. This an interesting article for people considering self publishing.

If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog at http://kellyschuknecht.com.
Jodee Speaks

Marketing for Self Publishing Procrastinators: Part 1 – Be Newsworthy

It often seems as though the terms writer and procrastinator go hand in hand. Many authors find themselves constantly putting off finishing or promoting their book. Maybe it is because the amount of work that goes into writing and promoting a book seems daunting or because authors aren’t sure where to start. Whatever the reason, I am here to help.

The key to overcoming procrastination is taking small steps towards accomplishing your goals. In this series of posts, I am going to help all of you procrastinators to promote your self published books so you can start increasing your exposure and sales.

This week, we will start with a simple press release. If you want people to buy your book or turn to you as an expert, people need to know  you exist. One of the most classic ways to do this is the press release. If you don’t already know, a press release is basically a news article that you write and submit to news sources. Thanks to the internet, this now easier than ever. Also, some self publishing companies will help you write and/or submit your press release. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when writing a press release.

  • Keep your audience in mind. Every publication caters to a specific market, so your press release should be written to catch the attention of the appropriate audience.
  • Include information about your book and yourself.  If your release only describes your book, you are writing an advertisement. If you share your story or the story behind the book, you are writing a news piece.
  • Make it professional. Most news sources will use a press release as is, so if it isn’t professionally written, they won’t publish it. Hire a ghostwriter or editor to help you if you need assistance. Not everyone can write marketing materials for their own books. It is a special skill.

For the procrastinators reading this post, share your story in the comment section below. What are your biggest obstacles? Your greatest strengths? Why do you procrastinate? Now, get offline and go work on 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: The Puppet’s Secret

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 puppets secret

The Puppet’s Secret

Alex Samms

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781432790349

Reviewed by Tracey Rock

“The Puppet’s Secret” by Alex Samms is a story that journals the life of a woman named Angela, who falls into an obscure obsession with a man that she had a very brief encounter with while at a local beach. To Angela, this man is “the one.” Her obsession with him becomes so extreme that she finds herself completely consumed with the pursuit of this nameless man. Soon, this obsession turns into something darker.
Although Angela is forty-two-years old and married with children, she now finds herself willing to give up everything just to be with the stranger on the beach. To her, any of the consequences that come out of this soon-to-be romance will just be fate. At this point, Angela accepts that she is no longer in control of her obsession. She knows that from here on out, her mind is calling all the shots and she is merely a puppet. Angela knows that she will now do anything to be with her love, including murder.
How far would you go to be with the person of your dreams? What if by the time you found that person you were already married and had kids? Would it matter? Would you give up everything? Author Alex Samms has written a story that pulls the reader into the mind of the main character with a chronological step into the dark side of love. On the surface, this forty-six page novella shows love at its fundamental level. Love at first sight, finding the person of your dreams, etc. Search deeper and you will find that the storyline has more of a psychotic undertone but still allows the reader to relate to the characters and think deeper about how far a person would really go for love.
“The Puppet’s Secret” by Alex Samms is a very interesting book. I think this would be a great topic for a book club discussion. There are a lot of other things going on in the story that are surprisingly not apparent until the end. This is one that you will have to read over and over. However, I would not recommend this to younger readers. It does have adult content.