Today, as an introduction to The Book Expert, I’m going to start the first part of a five-part series, a reprint of a report I wrote for the members of Arizona Book Publisher’s Association. See below!
If you would like to receive a full copy of this report, please email me @ cpennyc@msn.com
2012 PubWest Book Design AwardsPubWest Book Design Awards were developed to recognize superior design and outstanding production quality of books throughout North America. As we celebrate our 28th annual awards, PubWest invites you to submit your 2011 titles.
FOUR NEW CATEGORIES! We’re now accepting submissions of eBooks, apps, and special editions.
Winning an industry book award can be used as an effective marketing tool to boost sales and invigorate publicity. Your books don’t have the opportunity to be recognized, unless you enter.
Go to PubWest.org for more details. The deadline for entries is March 9, 2012.
Winning books will be displayed at PUBWEST 2012, October 25-27, 2012, in Keystone, CO. Contact the PubWest office for details about attending this event.
SELF-PUBLISHERS
–Rick Frishman, publisher Morgan James Publishing
http://www.MorganJamesPublishing.com
From the vanity presentation that could never find its way to a shelf in a bookstore (most likely a LuLu type of book) to a slick presentation that a buyer at first glance assumes is from a traditional publisher, the self and independently published books from small presses have prospered.
Self-publishers range from those who only envision selling a few books to those who sell thousands of them. Many New York Times bestsellers began their publishing journeys via the self-publishing route. The usual reason is that they couldn’t get a publisher to pick it up and/ or get an agent to become their champion, thus never getting it to a publisher’s doorstep. Self-publishing’s Hall of Fame includes mega seller John Grisham. His first book, A Time to Kill, started out published by the author after multiple rejection notices and was later sold to Fleming H. Revell for a few thousand dollars. Revell in turn sold it for over a million dollars for much needed cash.
Management guru Tom Peters rolled out In Search of Excellence in self- published format before it was bought by New York; and Ken Blanchard started his One-Minute series from the kitchen table as did What Color is Your Parachute? author, Richard Nelson Bolles. Betty J. Eadie birthed Embraced by the Light on the self-publishing route along with Sandra Haldeman Martz with her When I Am an Old Woman, I Shall Wear Purple and Richard Evans with his The Christmas Box. Then, there are a couple of reference gems that started the self- publishing route. Consider Robert’s Rules of Order by Henry Martyn Robert and the all-time classic, The Elements of Style, by William Strunk, Jr. and EB White. To date, over 10 million copies of those tomes have been sold. All were rejected by traditional publishing the first go around. The authors had their vision and did it themselves. By the time New York came to the party, the checks written were quite hefty.
There is a difference between self-publishing and independent publishing. Most people put the two in the same pot. Don’t. Self-publishing is certainly on your own. So is independent. Within the self-publishing category is what we call the “hobbyist” or “casual” publisher. Making money isn’t the key factor. Just having a book is. Most selfpublished books look, well, self-published. Money isn’t dedicated to quality, although the content may be good. If you plan on selling fewer than 300 copies, this is a reasonable route to take.
MORE TIPS AT http://www.rickfrishman.com
DAN POYNTER IS NOW LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL JUDGES, please go to his website for more information! Submitting your eBook for a Global Ebook Award is a publicity investment.
http://globalebookawards.com/
Video explanation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yNa85sdA-A
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 has been
amended to exclude children’s books from testing for harmful
substances. Publishers are greatly relieved.
http://bit.ly/qXuQsU
Please remember this: when you publish a badly written, badly proofed,
badly edited book, you don’t just make yourself look bad,
you make all self-published authors look bad.
Readers are becoming increasingly sensitive to self-publishing and have no
reticence to give very bad reviews to badly constructed books.
As a self-publisher commit to the highest standards possible.
(provided by Kathleen at Parlez-Moi Press via Dan Poynter’s eNewsletter)
by Jeff Rivera, founder of http://www.HowtoWriteaQueryLetter.com
1) Start with a question that makes them ponder?
2) Talk about a dramatic moment in your personal life that connects
with the book you’ve written
3) Tell them immediately about your platform
4) Compliment them on a specific recent sale
5) Tell them who referred you
Use one of the 5 suggestions above and you’ll be one step closer to landing an agent.
If you would like to see an example of query letters that worked, visit:
http://www.HowtoWriteaQueryLetter.com
Jeff Rivera is the founder of http://www.HowtoWriteaQueryLetter.com. He and his works
have been featured or mentioned in Publishers Weekly, GalleyCat, Mediabistro, Los
Angeles Times, New York Observer, NPR and many other media outlets.
Congratulations to the 2011 Glyph Award Winners!
http://azbookpub.com/onews/2011-aba-winners/
On Saturday, May 7th, 2011 the Arizona Book Publishers Association had their annual gala event at the Phoenix Country Club to present the 2011 Glyph Awards. I was very honored to receive the Most Valuable Person Award! For a complete list of winners follow the link above. Congrats to everyone, including the committee and volunteers that helped make this a smashing event!
GOOGLE SHUTS DOWN CONTENT FARMS;
SCAMMERS MOVE TO eBOOKS.
eBooks are the next frontier for content farmers and an increasing
number of spam eBooks are hitting eBookstores like the Kindle
Store.
http://bit.ly/hSLrMq
From: Dan Poynters eNewsletter
Specialty retailers
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Here are some more great retail stores that carry books (as well as CDs, DVDs, etc.):
Earth Treasures, Linda Walsh, Owner, 906 N US Highway 27, Berne, Indiana 46711; 260-589-3675. Health, nutrition, and cookbooks.
Hennessey + Ingalls, Space 15 Twenty, 1520 N. Cahuenga Boulevard #8, Los Angeles, California 90028; 323-466-1256; Fax: 323-466-1362. Second store: Hennessey + Ingalls, 214 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica, California 90401; 310-458-9074; Fax: 310-394-2928. Email: info@hennesseyingalls.com. Web: http://www.hennesseyingalls.com. Features books on architecture, art, fashion, furniture, graphic design, landscaping, interior design, photography, transportation.
Little Shop of Stories, Diane Capriola, 133A E Court Square, Decatur, Georgia 30030; 404-373-6300. Web: http://www.littleshopofstories.com. Features children’s books.
Mary’s Health Food Store, Mary Bogar, Owner, 2564 King Avenue W #J, Billings, Montana 59102; 406-651-0557; 800-935-6748; Fax: 406-651-0093. Web: http://www.maryshealthfood.com. Health, nutrition, and cookbooks.
Rudolph Steiner College Bookstore, 9200 Fair Oaks Boulevard, Fair Oaks, California 95628; 916-961-8729; Fax: 916-961-3032. Email: shopkeeper@steinercollege.edu. Web: http://www.steinercollege.edu. Featuring books on anthroposophy, biodynamic gardening, Waldorf education, consciousness studies, metaphysics, eurythmy, architecture, art, child development, parenting, holistic health, nutrition, cookbooks, and more.
Sid Richardson Museum Store, Monica Herman, Store Manager, 309 Main Street, Forth Worth, Texas 76102; 817-332-6554; Fax: 817-882-9215. Web: http://www.sidrichardsonmuseum.org. Features art and horse books, gifts, reproductions, apparel, and more.
