Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week

Self-Published Book Review of the Week: In-Sight

9781432737023_cov.inddIn-Sight

by Gerard D. Webster

This self-published book was recently reviewed by Reader Views:

Author Gerard D. Webster has given readers an action-packed, suspenseful read that they will not be able to put down. His characters are lost in their own world of greed and deception, and Ward McNulty places himself in danger when he lets an old friend convince him that he should back an exclusive resort to be built on an island that his own father lives on.

Ward’s girlfriend, a popular news anchor, can’t understand why he won’t commit to marriage and still let her lead her life the way she wants. Later, through many dangerous adventures, she discovers something about her own past that makes her re-think her priorities.

The authors’ use of vivid descriptions of people, places and events put you right in the action. His underlying story is that of redemption, belief in the Higher Power and the love of family.

“In-Sight,” by Gerard D. Webster, is a book you won’t be able to put down.

For more information or to order the book, visit the author’s webpage:  www.outskirtspress.com/insight

Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week

Self-Published Book Review of the Week: Zoe Lucky

9781432731908_cov.inddZoe Lucky

by M. Carol Coffey

This self-published book was recently reviewed by Reader Views:

I think that Zoe Lucky is going to be our modern day Nancy Drew. Ms. Coffey has written a fastpaced, intriguing mystery for teens around a young girl name Zoe. Most teens will be able to relate to Zoe moving to a new town, trying to develop friendships and finding her niche. Zoe’s dad was killed by a bank robber and her mother and she moved to try to start over. Zoe found out that the burglar that killed her dad had escaped from jail and she just knew that he was coming for her. She didn’t like the apartment she and her mom were living in, and there weren’t many kids her age nearby.

Just when her mom thinks everything is going well, their house is broken into. Then suddenly there are several mishaps that happen that involve Zoe. During this time she meets Toby who is older than she is and a man named Mr. Richards who is downright scary.

On her thirteenth birthday, her mother surprises her with an African gray parrot that can speak Swahili. This is a parrot unlike any other parrot. He gets into just as much mischief as Zoe.

I liked the pace of “Zoe Lucky and the Green Gables’ Mystery” by M. Carol Coffey; it kept my
attention and really was written in the style and language of teens today. Although as a Psychologist I do know teenagers sometimes experiment with drugs and alcohol, I would prefer my teen not read about it in a book. I believe that the author has the best intentions on developing a modern character that teens can relate to in many ways.

For more information or to order the book, visit the author’s webpage: www.outskirtspress.com/ZoeLucky

Book Promotion

Today for Self-Published Authors

The Today Show has set the pace for early morning TV and “Early Today” is a fast paced call show in the same vein.

Kristine Johnson is the anchor with Andy Jones is the executive producer at andy.jones@msnbc.com. The show is headquartered at 1 MSNBC Plaza, Secaucus, NJ 07094, (201) 583-5000, or (201) 583-5684.

Weekend Today is seen on Saturdays from 7 to 9AM, and Sundays from 8 to 9 AM. Lynne Pitts is the executive producer.

The Today Show and Weekend Today are at NBC News, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112. The phone number for The Today Show is: (212) 664-4602. The phone numbers for Weekend Today are (212) 664-2937, and also (212) 664-4444, which is the switchboard for the network.

Watch the shows for several weeks before pitching, to make sure whether or not they might be interested in your self-published book.

Good luck and have fun!
Kelly Schuknecht
selfpublishingadvice.wordpress.com

Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week

Self-Published Book Review of the Week: How to Heal Your Heart and Soul From Divorce

9781598007145_cov.inddHow to Heal Your Heart and Soul From Divorce

by Tammy Lynn

This self-published book was recently reviewed by Reader Views:

Through the author’s own experience, she talks about her divorce and what she learned to help her get through this startling and traumatic time. Divorce is never easy, especially when it comes as a surprise.

Often we give up our careers and goals to the wishes of our partner; we have no job skills and don’t even know where to start to get back on our feet. We find that we have few friends we can count on during this time. Then we have the difficult task of telling our children what is going on. Tammy Lynn was able to do this through the help of very close friends. After being out of work for some
time, she found she needed to enter the job market once again.

Even though we go through denial, anger and maybe revenge, Tammy Lynn lets us know that those feelings can only hurt us and keep us from moving on. She has provided examples of how she was able to move on and shares them with the readers in an encouraging format.

“How to Heal Your Heart and Soul From Divorce” by Tammy Lynn is a wonderful, encouraging read from a mother of three.

For more information or to order the book, visit the author’s webpage: www.outskirtspress.com/howtohealyourheartandsoulfromdivorce

Choosing a Publisher, Self-Publishing

Self-publishing – Let’s Clarify

Tuesday’s post concerning publishing contract details prompted me to consider a few pieces of information self-publishing authors may benefit from on the front end, deciding which route to take their books. It’s true there can be a lot of confusion about self publishing and print-on-demand. Let’s clarify some misconceptions many have seen floating around.

1. MYTH: Whoever owns the ISBN owns the book.

FACT: This use to be true. Nowadays, not as much so. Most POD publishers assign an ISBN they own, and they do this for the authors’ convenience; in any case authors should ALWAYS keep all the rights to their book.

2. MYTH: Independent self-publishing is different from publishing with a POD publisher because the publisher owns the ISBN.

FACT: It is true that the ISBN identifies the publisher of record. Look for a publisher that allows authors to supply their own ISBN at some level.

3.MYTH: New York publishers promote and market all their books.

FACT: New York publishers usually devote the lion’s share of their marketing budget to the top 1% (Harry Potter, for example) of the books they publish. The other books published during that season are victims of the sliced marketing budget. Most authors don’t get any support from their traditional publisher at all.

4.MYTH: Printing a book with an offset printer is the same as publishing it.

FACT: Printing a book is one facet of publication. Before a book can be printed, it needs to be designed. Then it needs to be printed. Then it needs wholesale distribution through Ingram and availability online with retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Then it needs fulfillment of orders and invoicing.

Printing a book with an off-set printer accomplishes one of those steps. Publishing a book with a turn-key, custom self-publisher accomplishes all of them. Some authors choose to do both; an on-demand edition complements an off-set print-run very nicely.

Karl Schroeder