COMING EVENTS: Tomorrow, 2:00pm, talk and signing at the Adrian library. Friday, 12/11/09, 3:00 to 5:00pm signing at the Adrian Meijer store.
MORE COMMENTS:
Elmo Morales: I finished the book and cried at the end. I can see this as a movie...Brenda describes scenes really well. I can picture them so clearly -- colorful and picturesque.
Maureen Knight: I just finished your lovely book. I really enjoyed the characters and the story. I am glad you added the last chapter. Still, I find myself wondering where Finch is working and who she married.
Ellen Toronto: Believable and fascinating characters are an essential part of a good book for me. From that perspective Family at Booknook definitely qualifies. Dave is a lovable curmudgeon. Sparrow is quietly spunky and devoted to her daughter. In spite of her own difficult background she is committed to making a good life for her. As with any family the fate of the characters becomes deeply intertwined. The reader is drawn in to their all-too-human frailities, sorrowing in their tragedies and rejoicing in their ultimate message of hope.
MARKETING FOR CHRISTMAS
I am delighted that Meijer is going to sell Booknook. It will be in the Adrian Meijer and the three Ann Arbor stores. Meijer supports local authors, and Georgette St Amant, has taken me under her corporate wing so to speak and is shepherding the book through corporate channels.
Ben Negron the director of Adrian Meijer is planning a signing event in December, which will feature three authors, Laura Krzyaniak, Judge Sheridan and myself. A popular local band, The Injured List, will be selling CD’s. Ben tells me the band took the name in high school, when they played football and spent more time on the injured list than in the games.
Today I took more novels to Nicola’s books and dropped off Christmas fliers at several shops. At Unique Hair Salon, Karen read the back cover and bought two novels for Christmas gifts. She made my day.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
GOOD READS
I read novels like some people watch TV—every night. One of my top ten is Amy and Isabelle by Elizabeth Strout, about an adolescent daughter coming of age with a single, reclusive mother. Hmm, similar to Sparrow and Finch in Family at Booknook.
My favorite scene: Isabelle, the mother, is in a dither about entertaining her boss, whom she secretly loves. He and his wife do not show; Devastated, Isabelle dumps her gorgeous homemade chocolate cake into the trash. This is something that most of us can relate to. Inviting guests into our homes is anxiety producing. We worry, will the food turn out? Will there be enough? And, heaven forbid, what if our guests don’t come?
Strout's scene inspired me to write about entertaining. In Family at Booknook. Sparrow stumbles into uncharted territory, when she invites her friend Maria for dinner. Maria is late and Sparrow is fearful that Maria will not come. The dinner does not go as Sparrow has planned.
I was thrilled when Strout’s recent book of short stories, Olive Kitteridge, came out. Olive is featured in some stories and plays cameo roles in others. She is a tough appearing, no- nonsense sort of woman who estranges some people, including her son. A few readers think she is unlikeable. At times she made me cringe, but the nasty things that she says are often thoughts that we may have. In old age, we see her grow and regret her mistakes. Finally she is able to give up a bit of her rigidly and seize a moment.
I liked Olive. She reminded me a bit of crusty Dave Stanley in Family at Booknook. Sparks would fly if Olive met Dave. But I think they would be attracted to each other. Dave is mourning his sweet life Emily, and a feisty woman might bring him back to life.
Just musing. But I do recommend both books—good reads.
My favorite scene: Isabelle, the mother, is in a dither about entertaining her boss, whom she secretly loves. He and his wife do not show; Devastated, Isabelle dumps her gorgeous homemade chocolate cake into the trash. This is something that most of us can relate to. Inviting guests into our homes is anxiety producing. We worry, will the food turn out? Will there be enough? And, heaven forbid, what if our guests don’t come?
Strout's scene inspired me to write about entertaining. In Family at Booknook. Sparrow stumbles into uncharted territory, when she invites her friend Maria for dinner. Maria is late and Sparrow is fearful that Maria will not come. The dinner does not go as Sparrow has planned.
I was thrilled when Strout’s recent book of short stories, Olive Kitteridge, came out. Olive is featured in some stories and plays cameo roles in others. She is a tough appearing, no- nonsense sort of woman who estranges some people, including her son. A few readers think she is unlikeable. At times she made me cringe, but the nasty things that she says are often thoughts that we may have. In old age, we see her grow and regret her mistakes. Finally she is able to give up a bit of her rigidly and seize a moment.
I liked Olive. She reminded me a bit of crusty Dave Stanley in Family at Booknook. Sparks would fly if Olive met Dave. But I think they would be attracted to each other. Dave is mourning his sweet life Emily, and a feisty woman might bring him back to life.
Just musing. But I do recommend both books—good reads.
Monday, November 2, 2009
ADD ONS, THE ANGST OF SELF PUBLISHING, what every person who self publishes should know.
COMING EVENT: Talk and Signing at the Adrian Public Library Saturday, November 21st, 2:00pm
Marketing is a challenging adventure, often exciting, sometimes anxiety producing and occasionally discouraging. Every day I learn something new. And this I should have known, did know and repressed it. It was written clearly in the information I received from Author House. Returnability, the ability for bookstores to return unsold books to the distributer is an imperative feature in marketing. It costs $1,299 for a three year period. Still, I am ordering returnability today. It should be in the system by the fourteenth of this month.
Why am I, a frugal person, springing for this? I’d like to sell a few books. The big guys, as the independent book store owners call Borders and Barnes and Nobel, won’t consider books unless they can be returned. Also the ability to return books would have to benefit the smaller stores. In addition, buying this feature also gives the distributor, Ingram, a 48% discount from Author House, which hopefully will be shared with book stores. I am told that if book stores order directly from Author House they are assured of a 48% discount.
MARKETING 101 SUGGESTIONS FOR SELF PUBLISHING:
Make your book as good as you can and then pay a professional editor. I hired three. The first copy edited; the second lived in Texas, was unreachable and did not return the manuscript. Finally I hired Elizabeth Kirchen, an Ann Arbor editor, who worked with me for several months and helped make the parts of my novel a whole—better than the sum of its parts. Self publishing companies provide some editing for a fee. But I would recommend a local person that can work with you.
Read your contract carefully and then ask questions. Then read your contract again.
Procure copyright registration, your proof of ownership, which gives your book an ISBN number. This can be done on the internet and is a bit complicated. However with help I obtained the copyright for $30. Author House would have charged $175.
I purchased a Library of Congress control number for $75, which I am not certain I need, but I think allows libraries to access a book more easily.
If you want to market your book, purchase returnability.
You may want to create a web site or a blog. Advantages for a blog, simple, free and ongoing. I chose to craft my own blog, contact the news media, send out press releases, and create posters.
The publishing company provides these types of services for fees, which range from hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on what you buy. This is no panacea as, in my experience, no one at the company read my work. The author must decide the message and supply the publisher with information. The publisher will then produce your advertising material. If I am correct, authors buy posters, banners and bookmarks which may not be tweaked as they learn more about sells. Think of it as a factory that produces a certain product. For example, perhaps you order a doll in a brown dress. For Christmas you would like your doll to wear a red dress. You must make or buy your own.
Publishing companies often do not make the details of the business clear. New writers are naive and confused. Published authors could be a great source of information. If you have been published, it would be interesting and helpful to hear your thoughts on the matter.
Marketing is a challenging adventure, often exciting, sometimes anxiety producing and occasionally discouraging. Every day I learn something new. And this I should have known, did know and repressed it. It was written clearly in the information I received from Author House. Returnability, the ability for bookstores to return unsold books to the distributer is an imperative feature in marketing. It costs $1,299 for a three year period. Still, I am ordering returnability today. It should be in the system by the fourteenth of this month.
Why am I, a frugal person, springing for this? I’d like to sell a few books. The big guys, as the independent book store owners call Borders and Barnes and Nobel, won’t consider books unless they can be returned. Also the ability to return books would have to benefit the smaller stores. In addition, buying this feature also gives the distributor, Ingram, a 48% discount from Author House, which hopefully will be shared with book stores. I am told that if book stores order directly from Author House they are assured of a 48% discount.
MARKETING 101 SUGGESTIONS FOR SELF PUBLISHING:
Make your book as good as you can and then pay a professional editor. I hired three. The first copy edited; the second lived in Texas, was unreachable and did not return the manuscript. Finally I hired Elizabeth Kirchen, an Ann Arbor editor, who worked with me for several months and helped make the parts of my novel a whole—better than the sum of its parts. Self publishing companies provide some editing for a fee. But I would recommend a local person that can work with you.
Read your contract carefully and then ask questions. Then read your contract again.
Procure copyright registration, your proof of ownership, which gives your book an ISBN number. This can be done on the internet and is a bit complicated. However with help I obtained the copyright for $30. Author House would have charged $175.
I purchased a Library of Congress control number for $75, which I am not certain I need, but I think allows libraries to access a book more easily.
If you want to market your book, purchase returnability.
You may want to create a web site or a blog. Advantages for a blog, simple, free and ongoing. I chose to craft my own blog, contact the news media, send out press releases, and create posters.
The publishing company provides these types of services for fees, which range from hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on what you buy. This is no panacea as, in my experience, no one at the company read my work. The author must decide the message and supply the publisher with information. The publisher will then produce your advertising material. If I am correct, authors buy posters, banners and bookmarks which may not be tweaked as they learn more about sells. Think of it as a factory that produces a certain product. For example, perhaps you order a doll in a brown dress. For Christmas you would like your doll to wear a red dress. You must make or buy your own.
Publishing companies often do not make the details of the business clear. New writers are naive and confused. Published authors could be a great source of information. If you have been published, it would be interesting and helpful to hear your thoughts on the matter.
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