Book Reviews, Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week

Weekly Self-Published Book Review: Touchpoints

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:

Touchpoints

Touchpoints

Sally Shirley

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781432779504

Reviewer: William Phenn

“Touchpoints” is a bit different from the norm; its 132 pages contain poetry that is rhyming in spots and somewhat like prose in others. They vary in length from short to extending over into the next page and completely span the range of the author’s emotions from A to Z. In “Death Unnerves Us,” she speaks of the grief suffered when a loved one dies, the pain and loneliness that is felt by all concerned. Another touchpoint brought out is the romantic dance that two people in love will engage in. Sally emphasizes this point in the poem called “Dance with Me.” Ms. Shirley makes a very good point for everyone to think about in the poem “Promise Me.” She tells her lover to promise her many things, but not to promise her love “if you can’t love me.” I thought this a very good line and one that is worth remembering.

Her “Touchpoints” poetry takes the reader into her soul, her heart and her head. Giving the reader an inclination of the emotions she was feeling in all the different aspects of her life. Ms. Shirley seems genuine and down to earth in her writings. You can tell in the first few pages that this was a heartfelt write.

I think Ms. Shirley has written a book that could possibly be a piece of her personal diary. That is what I sensed as I read page after page of this emotional volume. I was very happy to give “Touchpoints” a high B rating for her well written, nicely covered and decently edited book of poetry. I recommend it to the general audience because it does not contain any offensive language or graphics.

Kelly Speaks, Kindle

The Bestselling Self-Published Kindle Books of 2012

Amazon recently announced its Top 100 Kindle Books for 2012. I was very excited to see that 15 of those books have self-publishing origins! One of the most notable titles is the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy, which was originally published by an Australia-based e-book and print-on-demand establishment. Many of the other self-published titles were also in the romance genre. However, several of the titles were from other genres. Here is the complete list:

2012’s Bestselling Kindle Books (Self-Published Origins)

1. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

2. Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James

3. Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James

4. Bared to You by Sylvia Day

5. Reflected in You by Sylvia Day

6. On Dublin Street by Samantha Young

7. Snake Skin by CJ Lyons

8. Wool by Hugh Howey

9. The Sweetest Thing by Barbara Freethy

10. The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted by Andrew Kaufman

11. Wife by Wednesday by Catherine Bybee

12. The Wedding Gift by Marlen Suyapa Bodden

13. Blood Stained by CJ Lyons

14. Secret Lives by Diane Chamberlain

15. Down to You by M. Leighton

This list is great news for self-publishing authors! It proves that you don’t have to go the traditional publishing route to be successful, and it provides significant insight into the types of books that have been successful. If you are considering self-publishing, you may want to check out some of these books to see what makes them hits among readers. However, never feel obligated to follow trends. Just because 2012 was a huge year for the romance genre, does not mean you must write romance novels, and it doesn’t guarantee that the genre will remain popular.

I’d love to know, what is your favorite self-published e-book?

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: 12/18/12

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, I’m starting a new weekly post that will give you summary of the recent hot topics. Simply visit our blog every Tuesday to find out the hottest news in self publishing this week.

5 Ways to Reduce Your Self-Publishing Costs

This post offers great tips on how to save money while self-publishing. It is great because it doesn’t save you money by sacrificing quality. Instead, it offers simple solutions to avoid costly mistakes.

Guy Kawasaki on the Top Ten Reasons to Self-Publish

This bestselling author discusses his top ten reasons to self publish. He shows that there are more benefits to self publishing than just avoiding the traditional publishing politics.

Authors Exercise Their “Write” to Self Publish

CBS news recently covered the self publishing trend and authors who have chosen to self publish their books. One of the key points is that traditional publishers are looking at self publishing best sellers list to find new talent. Self publishing is changing the way authors get discovered.

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, Uncategorized

Get (or Give) the Gift of Self-Publishing

Are your friends and family members asking you for last-minute holiday gift ideas? How about the gift of publishing?! Many self publishing companies offer gift certificates that can be used towards a variety of publishing and marketing services. For instance, Outskirts Press offers instant gift certificates in the amount of $99. Here is how their process works.

  1. Click the “Add to Cart” button on the page and complete the transaction on a secure server.
  2. Outskirts Press will email the purchaser to find out who the special author is and whether  to include any special messaging on the gift notification.
  3. If the writer isn’t yet registered with Outskirts Press, they will create a free account and apply the $99 credit to the new account.
  4. If the author is already registered and/or published with Outskirts Press, they will apply the $99 credit to the existing Publishing Center account.
  5. Once the credit has been applied to the writer’s account, Outskirts Press will notify the writer via email of the special gift using any messaging provided.

The turnaround time is typically 2-business days, and there is no searching for a parking spot at a busy mall, waiting in a long line, or paying expensive shipping charges. Your friends and family will appreciate an idea that makes their shopping a little easier and that they know will bring you great joy. This is also a wonderful for the self-publishing authors on your list.

I’d love to know, what are you asking for this year?

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.
Book Reviews, Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week

Weekly Self-Published Book Review:The Ultimate Job Directory: Comprehensive Guide to Legitimate Work at Home

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 ultimate job directory

The Ultimate Job Directory: Comprehensive Guide to Legitimate Work at Home

SM Consulting

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781432741846

Reviewer: Kathleen Dowdell

 

As promised by author Amber Scanlon of SM Consulting, “The Ultimate Job Directory” delivers a comprehensive list of legitimate work-at-home job opportunities. In the introduction, Scanlon builds a case of how this book can help people who are tired of daily commutes that keep them away from home and family. Having had many jobs as a work-at-home mom, she is qualified to develop this guide to help readers find companies that provide opportunities to work from home.

There are over 300 pages filled with names, brief overviews of services, and contact information of nearly 1,000 companies. I like the ease at which one can visit the websites of the various companies to gain more information. Also included are the required job skills and career background necessary to perform the work, equipment that may need to be purchased, and potential salary of the job. The list is comprehensive. The book ends with a list of similar job opportunities such as mystery shopping, direct selling, business start-ups, auction sites and e-stores, and turning a hobby into a business.

This book does not guarantee an offer of employment. There is still work to be done by comparing what each company has to offer to see what is a good fit for you. Because the companies are listed by sub categories according to skills needed to perform the work, it is easy to find the type of work you are qualified to do.

Working from home is not for everyone. It takes discipline and the ability to separate work you’re getting paid to do from work you do around the house. Many of the jobs listed are for non-traditional work hours so you have to decide if you are willing to work during your dinner hour or late at night. The pay may be better, but are you able to adjust your lifestyle to fit the needs of the company?

A final chapter is devoted to tips on starting your own business from a hobby or skill that you have. Included is a list of companies where you can find more information. The website of SM Consulting provides additional information about Scanlon’s company and how you can download this book for $10.00 less than purchasing the hard copy. I suggest you check out the website first if you are interested in pursuing the opportunities found in “The Ultimate Job Directory: Comprehensive Guide to Legitimate Work at Home.”