MISTAKES OF FIRST-TIME AUTHORS

Prior to being published, new authors frequently make mistakes that damage or even preclude their book’s marketability. Commonly, these errors include:

• Poorly designed or stock cover art
• Unedited, under edited or unprofessionally edited text
• Under funding of or lack of a book marketing budget
• Invisible or inadequately visible online presence for author and title
• Absence of platform and clear audience for the material

Book Covers make or break your ability to obtain reviews and readers. You can judge a book by its cover. As James Cox, Editor of Midwest Book Review puts it:

“Stack #3 are those titles that are immediately rejected -- not for their subject matter; not for being written by a first time author; and not for their self-published, POD-published, or small press published status, but because they are poorly designed or defectively produced in terms of presenting substandard, inadequate, or otherwise unattractive covers.”

Appealing covers summon buyers. Whether these buyers actually read your book is another matter, but the most important element for purchasing a publication is its wrapper. It has been proven that people choose a book by what they see and read on the cover, especially if they don’t know the author or the title.

Make sure your cover is designed by an award-winning book designer, not a general graphic designer. For different angles and musings on book covers, visit book design web sites and blogs.

Editing is also critical to your book’s success. You want to interview several editors and hold their completed books in your hand. Choose a set of editors who are experienced with your genre. Among equally qualified candidates, hire those with whom you have some professional chemistry. For an explanation of the types of editing your work might benefit from, read Mindy Reed’s short piece, “Types of Editing”, on the blog at www.authorsassistant.com.

What is a reasonable Marketing Budget for a book launch? Plan to spend $2.5 to $12K before and during the first three months of your book’s life. If you get an advance on your manuscript, I recommend spending the whole amount on marketing your book.

Line item expenses in a prep & launch budget might include research & fact checking, editing, indexing, illustrating, cover & interior design, web design, optimization, & maintenance, distribution, shipping, travel, publicity, and advertising. If you need media training or a public speaking coach, include that. If you are independently published, add in book fair and industry conference fees, book award submission fees, exhibitor costs, and presentation equipment.

An author’s Online Presence is absolutely crucial in today’s book market. Internet book sales have risen 18% year on year since 2002. For this reason, each author needs a web site that pulls incoming traffic from people who are searching on the book’s issues, title, and author name.

The internet is so dynamic that each year the way to attract customers on the superhighway seems to morph. Right now it’s social networking and backlinking. Perhaps 12 million Americans now keep a blog because they’ve learned that updating it every couple of weeks will maintain or lift their page rank. If you are facile with a computer, use search engine optimization (SEO) tools to discover high ranking keywords, and then repeat those throughout your web site, blog and press releases. Seek a web designer who is both imaginative and good at taking direction, while exhibiting a proficiency in English, design, programming, SEO, and business.

Finally, if you cannot define your book’s Audience and Platform, your book will never get off the ground. To market your book, you must be able to distill its issues and know who and where your readers are and how they search for information. Create your log line to attract them and prioritize your first year plan so that you fully fund and lead with the strongest device in your platform.

Don’t end up in the slush pile! Spend time and money with your editing team, a book designer, an SEO guru, and a publicist, so your book is more likely to remain competitive among the 200,000 titles released in America each year.

This article was originally published in Scribe, August/September 2007 by Writers’ League of Texas.

Stephanie Barko is an Independent Literary Publicist who markets Texas authors and authors touring Texas. She handles nonfiction and historical fiction, and has worked as Supplemental Publicist to Henry Holt and Penguin/Berkley. Click www.authorsassistant.com for a full list of services and genres.

The Moonquest

Mark David Gerson will be joining us on Writers in the Sky Podcast January 4th, 2008!

Mark David Gerson has taught writing as a creative and spiritual pursuit for more than 15 years, helping both novice and seasoned writers to deepen their creativity, move through creative blocks and answer their call to write. He came to this work after many years of feeling he wasn't creative and didn't have original stories to tell. He disproved that myth and answered his call to write with The MoonQuest: A True Fantasy, a novel for adults and young adults that has already won awards nationally and in his home state of New Mexico.

Following on the heels of his success with The MoonQuest (itself the first volume of a projected trilogy), Mark David has written The Voice of the Muse: Answering the Call to Write, a book of inspiration, instruction and practice for writers, and has recorded a companion CD of guided meditations for writers. The book and CD, suitable for writers in all genres and all levels of experience, draw on his years of teaching and coaching in the U.S. and his native Canada and on his experiences writing The MoonQuest.

An inspirational speaker as well as an author, coach and mentor, Mark David has spoken to groups all over the country about empowerment, creativity, personal growth and spirituality. His essays on those same topics now reach readers in some two dozen countries through his free e-mail newsletter.

After nearly three years of full-time travel offering talks, workshops and seminars, Mark David now makes his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Synopsis: The Moonquest is a "true fantasy" set in a land where fear rules and storytelling spells death. Here, as black-clad armies terrorize the countryside, one young bard must come out of hiding to embark on The MoonQuest, the long-prophesied journey to end the tyranny...a journey guided only by stories...a journey that blurs the line between vision and reality. Only by trusting himself can he rekindle the spirit of the land. Only by trusting his imagination can he reignite the light of its darkened moon. A gripping and epic adventure rich with universal truth.

For more information about David Mark Gerson please visit his website http://markdavidgerson.com/.

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Listening to Writers in the Sky Podcast on a computer is easy. Just click this link: http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com/ and go to my blog.On the right sidebar there is a list of archived shows. Click on the interview you would like to hear and it will open a post that has a link to the audio file.

For information about being a guest on Writers in the Sky Podcast, see http://www.yvonneperry.net/Writing_Packages.htm#Publicity_Packages_

TGIF! Fat, Broke & Lonely -- NO MORE!

TGIF and I've uploaded another interview to Writers in the Sky Podcast.

This book and this show are just in time for New Year's and they don't come with a resolution you can't keep. Instead, this book provides an easy to follow plan that teaches you how to love yourself exactly as you are right NOW!

Each of the fifty, bite-sized essays--i.e., “What You’re Looking for Is Not in the Refrigerator,” “Sex and the Gritty,” and “Fit, Flush, Partnered and Still Empty Are Just Fat, Broke & Lonely in Drag”--guides readers out of the grip of fat, broke & lonely with the spiritual and practical steps she herself took to part company with this triple-threat.

Click here to listen to Part 1 of the interview...

Victoria Moran's spiritual program is designed to help us get past whatever holds us back. Her newest book is just out from HarperOne: Fat, Broke & Lonely No More: Your Personal Solution to Overeating, Overspending, and Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places.

Victoria is my podcast guest today and she will be speaking about her book, Fat, Broke & Lonely No More, that was just optioned for a reality TV show with Victoria as host. Victoria will not only discuss the issues in the book, she will also talk about her life-long writing career (she was first published at age 14!), and the intimate process of writing from one's own life experience.

Victoria Moran is the author of ten books on health and practical spirituality, a motivational speaker, and a certified life coach. Her books are in 32 languages across the globe and her best-selling Creating a Charmed Life is quoted on boxes of Celestial Seasonings teas. Other titles include Fit from Within, Shelter for the Spirit, Younger by the Day, and the brand new Fat, Broke & Lonely No More: Your Personal Solution to Overeating, Overspending, and Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places (HarperOne).

A two-time Oprah! guest, Moran has written for Daily Word, Yoga Journal, Body & Soul, Woman’s Day, Natural Health, Mothering, and Ladies’ Home Journal. Her work has been noted in publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, and the Christian Science Monitor. Her speaking clients include Hallmark Cards, Speaking of Women’s Health, the Sundance Resort and Spa, the Omega Institute, the Greenhouse Resort and Spa, the New York Open Center, and Unity and Religious Science churches around the country. Moran has studied the spirituality of daily life as far afield as India and Tibet. She is married, the mother of one daughter, and lives a charmed life in New York City.

Click here to listen to Part 2 of the interview...


Endorsements:

“A valuable message and one well said.” – Library Journal

“Insightful, compassionate, and unaffected…Everyone can learn something from this book.” – Armchair Interviews

"Moran’s books, and especially her new one, stand out... Moran believes that we can all have better lives, and she makes the reader believe it too." - Culture Vulture

"This guide to getting back your life from the fears that hold you captive is funny, frank, and will forever change your life. It is simple, straightforward, and the perfect antidote to the struggles we all face."- Mariel Hemingway, actress and author of Healthy Living from the Inside Out

“Victoria Moran is neither fat, broke, nor lonely and she’s telling the truth about how not to be any of those, ever again. Everyone with daughters should recommend this book to them.” –
W. Bruce Cameron, author of 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter

More about Victoria:

Moran made waves when she gave us the fine points for Creating a Charmed Life. Her new book is less sequel than prequel: “You’re never going to get a charmed life,” Moran contends, “until you stop struggling with fat, broke & lonely-- either as facts in your life or fears that won’t leave you alone.” Fat, Broke & Lonely No More: Your Personal Solution to Overeating, Overspending, and Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places offers an up-tempo and on-target 5-part plan for breaking up with inner emptiness (that’s what caused the trouble in the first place), kicking fat, broke & lonely to the curb, and hooking up with the life of your dreams.

Each of the fifty, bite-sized essays--i.e., “What You’re Looking for Is Not in the Refrigerator,” “Sex and the Gritty,” and “Fit, Flush, Partnered and Still Empty Are Just Fat, Broke & Lonely in Drag”--guides readers out of the grip of fat, broke & lonely with the spiritual and practical steps she herself took to part company with this triple-threat. Moran, now a popular speaker, media personality, and spiritual-life coach, was once sixty pounds heavier (her dad was a diet doctor and her mother worked in fitness salons). She also spent ten years as a single mom whose financial plan implied that if the rent was paid, all was well. “I know what it’s like to wrestle with the size of your body and size of your bank account, and to believe that Mr. Right is no more real than Mr. Clean,” says Moran. “But I also know how to change these things, for the better and for keeps.”

Unique in its genre, FAT, BROKE & LONELY NO MORE recognizes that although charting a new course with food, money, and relationships demands personal responsibility (“Life belongs to those who floss!”), guilt has to go. As long as corporations produce most of our food and subdivisions are built without sidewalks, “fat” will be the default setting for a lot of bodies. In a plastic-makes-perfect marketplace, staying financially solvency will take work. In a society short on the extended families and close communities we’ve depended on since before we walked upright, loneliness will be here. Those are the facts of the culture. FAT, BROKE & LONELY NO MORE aims to change the facts of readers’ lives.

# # #

FAT, BROKE & LONELY NO MORE
Your Personal Solution to Overeating, Overspending, and
Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places
Victoria Moran
HarperOne - June 2007 -$22.95 hardcover
ISBN 978-0-06-115423-2 - 314 pages - Self-Help

“Every step I take brings me closer to the realization of my dreams.” ~Judy Moreo

I am participating in Judy Moreo’s blog tour in which she asks us to think about what steps we are taking to achieve our dreams and write about it.

As I looked over my 2007 goals, I saw that I accomplished most of the things I set out to. However, my financial goals had not been reached. Why? First, I spent a lot of money publicizing my book RIGHT TO RECOVER Winning the Political and Religious Wars over Stem Cell Research in America. Now that I know how much it costs to promote a book, I can better plan for it. Secondly, I discovered that I was giving away a lot of my time without being compensated. I’ve set my intention to not get distracted by things that look fun but don’t pay. My plan is to stick with my goal of making sure that everything I do is generating income. I still want to help people, but not at the expense of sabotaging my own goals. I guess balance is the key.

If you would like to become involved in her ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ’08, here is how it works:

1. Repeat this passage from her book: “Every step I take brings me closer to the realization of my dreams” until you understand its powerful message.

2. Think about what steps you are taking to achieve your dreams and write about it. Your entry can be as long or as short as you’d like.

3. Post your message on your blog and give us the link so that we can post it on Judi's tour page down below. The email address to send your entry is thewriterslife(at)yahoo.com.

4. When we receive your link, we will put it on our daily rounds of promotions, thus bringing you instant traffic, so get those links to us soon!

5. We only ask that you include the passage above before your blog post so that people will understand what you are doing.

6. We also ask that you include a jpeg copy of Judi’s book, You Are More Than Enough Achievement Journal, in your blog post. You can find her book cover at http://tinyurl.com/3cqa46 and link it to http://tinyurl.com/ywf67x.

7. All participants will be listed below so that everyone can find out how YOU achieve your dreams!

That’s all there is to it! Hurry before time runs out. Become involved in a nationwide campaign to bring in 2008 with a bang and help others realize that dreams are not something that happens; dreams are something that YOU make happen. Let's make 2008 the year when you realize your dreams and make them happen. Share your stories and become involved in Judi Moreo's "Achieving Your Dreams Virtual Book Tour '08" where YOU are the star! Judi's virtual book tour will be highly publicized including press releases and other promotions. Let us know what steps you are taking to achieve success and be read by thousands of Internet users!

Click here to find out how you can win FREE incentives by buying Judy's book anywhere online!

Click here to find out how you can receive a FREE bracelet from Judi just by buying her book at her website at www.judimoreo.com!

Judi's virtual book tour is brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours. If you are an author and you would like us to set up a virtual book tour for you, click here for more information!

Need a place to post your writing news?

Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services publishes a free monthly newsletter called Writers in the Sky. The publication provides a rich resource of articles and information about the craft and business of writing, publishing and book marketing.

You may add your announcement or brag about your writing or publishing accomplishment. Tell us about your book promotion experience or share news about an upcoming contest or event that would interest writers. Share information and ideas or send articles or advertorial for the next issue by using the contact form at http://www.yvonneperry.net/contactUs.asp. There's no cost to be part of this community of writers, publishers, and publicists.

Join the subscription list and get a complimentary eBook TIPS FOR FREELANCE WRITING. This book has some great "how-to" information for those who are trying to get a freelance writing career off the ground! See http://www.yvonneperry.net/Writers-in-the-Sky-Newsletter.html for details or simply subscribe to Writers in the Sky newsletter at https://app.quicksizzle.com/survey.aspx?sfid=13065.

Book Publishing Methods: Which is Right for you?

Writing a book is the easy part. The hard part begins when you attempt to publish and market the book. In this article, I’ll share the publishing options available today. This will provide you with information needed to make a decision about how you will bring your book to the market.

Option One: You may find a mainstream publisher who is willing to take a look at your book, but if you’ve ever tried to pitch a book you realize that the probability of rejection is extremely high. Even if you do get lucky, you will still have to do a major portion of the marketing, so it helps to have some extra money to use for publicity. While mainstream commercial publishers and university presses have budgets for advertising and promotion, they tend to only use their resources to promote highly visible personalities whose books are easily sold by the power of that person's notoriety. These publishers will rarely risk a dime on an unknown author, and if they do, the window of time for the book to be deemed successful is roughly six to eight weeks. If your book doesn't justify its costs in that time period, it is back-listed and disappears from print. Unless the author wants to do his own publicity, he has little recourse other than to wait out the time period until he can purchase back the rights to his book.

Option Two: is to use a “publish on demand” service such as Lulu.com or iUniverse.com. Most of these companies will accept ANY quality of work from ANYONE, but you can expect to spend between $100 and $3,000 (shop for prices before you decide) and that price may not put any copies in your hand! Copies of the book will cost you about $5-6 each. You may do all the design work yourself or you may choose a la carte services or packages that include editing, cover design, formatting the page layout to their specifications, fulfilling orders and marketing the book. The services will help you obtain an ISBN and list the book on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and other major chain bookstores, but remember whoever owns the ISBN, owns the copyright. You may think you are self-publishing, but unless you purchased the ISBN under your name, you may very well have given your publication rights to the publisher.

One good thing about these services is they do handle distribution and order fulfillment. When someone wants to purchase your book, they will print a copy, ship it, and pay you about 30% of the purchase price as a royalty. If you print the book using a POD company, you will still have to market the book, but you won’t have to fulfill and ship orders.

The term "publish on demand" goes way back. When Monks got an order for a book, they would copy it by hand and deliver it to the client. They did not print extra copies and store them in the monastery. When printing presses were developed, we moved away from the monk's reproduction method. Large runs (called offset) were more economical so we printed thousands of copies and waited for orders to come in. Some publishers still pay to warehouse large quantities of books when they expect a high demand from the market. Many authors still have these books in their garages.

The more modern term "print on demand" is used to describe a technology called digital printing. Like the monks, a book is printed only when there is a request from a client, but today we use lightning fast printers to produce one copy at a time. Most conventional publishers use both offset and print on demand to make copies of a book.

Option Three: I checked into printing a book by using a local commercial printing company. The best price I found was three cents per black & white page. A 195-page book would cost about $6.50 including the cover (which you design) and perfect binding. If you want the book in color, the price could easily make the book cost more than you can sell it for. The printer I used allowed me to print as many or as few as I wanted since they offer digital printing technology.

It is very important to have someone proofread your text before submitting your file because the printer will print exactly what you send without making an edits or doing any revisions. If you print the book in this manner, you will still have to market the book, fill and ship orders. If you only sell one book per day, this might not be a problem, but if you sell twenty books a day, you may have yourself a new full time job!

Option Four: Publish it as an eBook. This is the least expensive way to publish, and people do actually buy eBooks. I had a graphic designer create my cover image to use for promotion of the book on my Web site. I set up a business account with PayPal and added my ISBN to my product list. They created an html code that I copied to my Web site. When someone makes a purchase, I receive an email notification. I respond to the email by attaching the pdf of my book and sending it to the customer. It would be better to have an auto responder email the eBook to the customer upon purchase but Godaddy, the company who sends my permission-based newsletter, does not offer an auto responder. Other services may.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

If you have a good quality alternatively published book, you can offer it for sale in bricks and mortar bookstores. You just have to pound the pavement and make the phone calls. The book must be returnable and wholesaled through Ingram or one of B&N's other suppliers. You may contact Barnes and Noble Small Press Department, 122 Fifth Ave., New York, NY, 10011, Phone (212) 633 - 3300. You will need to send an Advanced Reading Copy and a request for consideration for in-store placement.

You can’t judge a book by its publisher or by its printing method. The type of printing an author uses doesn’t make a good book bad or vice-versa. Content is what makes a good book. However, without good publicity no book will sell regardless of the quality the printing or how pretty the cover may be. Even spectacular content won’t sell a book if no one knows it is available. Therefore, it’s not how you bring a book to market that counts. It’s how you bring the market to the book.

Yvonne Perry is a freelance writer and the owner of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services based in Nashville, Tennessee. She and her team of ghostwriters service clients all over the globe by offering quality writing at an affordable price. If you need a brochure, web text, business document, résumé, bio, article or book, visit www.yvonneperry.net .

Are you Fat, Broke & Lonely?

You don't have to be fat, broke or lonely.

Victoria Moran's new book has the solution to overeating, overspending and looking for love in all the wrong places and she will be my guest on Writers in the Sky Podcast December 28.

Listen to a teaser from Victoria now ...

Each of the fifty, bite-sized essays--i.e., “What You’re Looking for Is Not in the Refrigerator,” “Sex and the Gritty,” and “Fit, Flush, Partnered and Still Empty Are Just Fat, Broke & Lonely in Drag”--guides readers out of the grip of fat, broke & lonely with the spiritual and practical steps she herself took to part company with this triple-threat.

Moran, now a popular speaker, media personality, and spiritual-life coach, was once sixty pounds heavier (her dad was a diet doctor and her mother worked in fitness salons). She also spent ten years as a single mom whose financial plan implied that if the rent was paid, all was well. “I know what it’s like to wrestle with the size of your body and size of your bank account, and to believe that Mr. Right is no more real than Mr. Clean,” says Moran. “But I also know how to change these things, for the better and for keeps.”

"This guide to getting back your life from the fears that hold you captive is funny, frank, and will forever change your life. It is simple, straightforward, and the perfect antidote to the struggles we all face."- Mariel Hemingway, actress and author of Healthy Living from the Inside Out

“Victoria Moran is neither fat, broke, nor lonely and she’s telling the truth about how not to be any of those, ever again. Everyone with daughters should recommend this book to them.” –
W. Bruce Cameron, author of 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter .

Victoria Moran is the author of ten books on health and practical spirituality. She is a motivational speaker and a certified life coach. Her books are in 32 languages across the globe and her best-selling Creating a Charmed Life is quoted on boxes of Celestial Seasonings teas. Other titles include Fit from Within, Shelter for the Spirit, Younger by the Day, and the brand new Fat, Broke & Lonely No More: Your Personal Solution to Overeating, Overspending, and Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places (HarperOne).

Read more about Victoria and her book on her Web site www.charmedlifelady.com

The Business of Publishing

Congratulations, you're published! But what exactly does it mean to be "published"? Besides the fact that your work is finally in print and your college alumni has asked to interview you for their newsletter it also means fame and fortune, right? Well, ok, maybe not on the level of J. K. Rowling, but at the very least you can expect a call from Oprah, right? I hate to be the one to break it to you but you're probably not even on her radar screen. The truth about publishing is really stranger than fiction and the truth is: getting published is only half the battle. The other half is to keep your reality check in balance so it doesn't bounce.

While publishing is all about creative expression, it's also about business and it's those business savvy authors who will succeed in the end. Now you don't have to be an MBA to be a keen business person, you simply have to understand that the choices you make relative to your books future should be based on strategies that will enhance sales not just drain your pocketbook. So, how do you do this? First, take a long, hard look at your reader.

At Author Marketing Experts, we always create a reader profile for each book we promote. This reader profile will tell us where to find buyers for the books we represent. Taking this first step helps us sort through our choices when it comes to book promotion and make decisions on behalf of our authors that are sound and will help leverage sales. There are times when it's a waste of resources to do a nationwide radio or TV promotion. In fact, some of our programs don't include any outreach to broadcast media. Why? Because as alluring as it might seem to appear on the Today Show, what's the point if your audience doesn't watch morning TV? And, if your audience isn't watching this show, the chances are slim they'll even consider you anyway. What? More rejection? Who needs it!

As you embark on or continue your campaign, ask yourself a few tough questions. First, what's your ultimate goal for this book? If it's just to give away at family reunions, that's great! But then you'll probably want to nix any marketing. If your book is an arm of your business and you have speaking engagements lined up through the end of the year. You probably don't need to spend a lot on marketing since most of your sales will come from your speaking engagements (i.e. back of the room sales). On the other hand, if you wrote this book to grow your business or to leverage your credibility then you will probably want to dial yourself into your industry through enhanced media exposure.

For fiction authors this area becomes a little tricky. First, you need to determine your long term goals. By long term we mean: do you want to stay in this business or was this book just "something you wanted to do." If it's a hobby, then treat it as such but if this is going to be your career, then you need to keep your message out there on a continual basis, through venues such as author events, talks, signings, print and broadcast media.

Make sure the choices you make, make sense for your book and aren't just made because you've always dreamt of being on Oprah. I've known authors lured into inappropriate marketing plans by big, flashy names and promises of stardom, wasting thousands of valuable marketing dollars and heading in a direction that wasn't right for them. If you're serious about your work, ready to let go of your muse and face the task at hand with some business savvy, then you're really ready to get published. Below are some guidelines that will help further your success!

1) Reader profile: create one of these at the beginning of your marketing campaign and keep refining it as you move through the process. Refine and redefine who and where your audience is and how to get to them.

2) Time commitment: determine what you can and can't reasonably do. If you have a full time job it probably doesn't make a lot of sense to commit yourself to forty hours of marketing a week unless your boss is on vacation.

3) Investment: how much are you willing to invest in your future? Are you willing to invest money without seeing much in return knowing that you are building a foundation or do you want to see immediate monetary results? Most authors don't see a return on their investment for a year or more. Are you committed enough to yourself or your project to keep this investment going?

4) Reality check: what's realistic for the industry you're in? Are you latching onto a fad or something with more longevity? Are you getting into a brand new market that will require lots of reader education? Or are you trying to go mainstream with a non-mainstream topic? While this is an admirable goal, it can be like swimming upstream.

5) Budget: while we encourage authors to invest in their future, we've also seen a number of people go into heavy debt, quit their jobs and even sell their homes just to promote their book. While that kind of dedication is certainly admirable, remember that although you have the potential to make a great deal of money it's not going to be overnight. The lure here is of course that "If I stick with it, this next sale will make me famous." Well, maybe or maybe not. If you've been plugging away for a while without any significant success get a professional to give you some honest, constructive feedback about your plan, your market, and your book. It might be that a poorly designed cover is the reason you're not making sales, or a topic that's fallen off of the public's radar screen. In the meantime as you're waiting to hit the big time you'll still need a place to sleep and Uncle Vinnie's couch will get old real quick.

6) Burnout: we hear this term often, even to the point of being overused. What we're really talking about here is author burnout. We've found that the average author only markets their book for ninety days. That means ninety days of day and night marketing, radio interviews at 3am and a book signing every weekend. On day ninety-one they are so tired, so discouraged and so broke they quit. You can avoid this by giving yourself realistic goals and a realistic timeframe in which to complete them. There's nothing in the world like seeing your book in print. If approached realistically, objectively and with sound business sense, it can be one of the most exciting times in your life.

Penny C. Sansevieri: The Cliffhanger was published in June of 2000. After a strategic marketing campaign it quickly climbed the ranks at Amazon.com to the #1 best selling book in San Diego. Her most recent book: From Book to Bestseller was released in 2005 to rave reviews and is being called the "roadmap to publishing success." Penny is a book marketing and media relations specialist. She also coaches authors on projects, manuscripts and marketing plans and instructs a variety of courses on publishing and promotion. To learn more about her books or her promotional services, you can visit her web site at Author Marketing Experts, Inc. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Penny_C._Sansevieri

Need a Graphic Designer?

Jessica Dockter with L.E.E. Design is the graphic designer for the Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services team. She is also available to assist you with your graphic design needs, such as:

Communication Material • Professional Photo Retouching • Brochures • Logo Identity
Brand Services • Advertising • Ad Series for Newspaper or Magazine • Magazine Cover Wrap
Sales Letter • Magalog & Issuelog • Postcard or Double Postcard • 2-Pocket Folder
Catalog • Newsletter Design/Makeover • Magazine Design/Makeover • HTML Emails • Web Sites & Maintenance • Template Sites • Domain Names • Web Site Hosting • Design Consultation

Visit her Web site at www.leedesign.org. For questions or a quote, call Jessica at 615.681.4401 or email her at leedesign@leedesign.org

TGIF! Janet Switzer's book teaches you how to make Instant Income

TGIF and I've uploaded another timely and informative podcast to Writers in the Sky.

• Foreclosure, credit card debt and no money for retirement?
• Are you on the wrong side of the American dream?
• Are you a baby boomer needing to make up for lost time and still retire in style?
• Have you tried cutting back and still can’t eliminate debt?
  

If any of the above scenarios or questions pertain to you, our podcast guest this week may have just the advice you need. Listen to learn how everyday people make millions...sometimes in as little as one day.

Most people want to be on a solid financial footing. Janet Switzer (pronounced S-why-tzer) has generated instant income for celebrity entrepreneurs like Chicken Soup for the Soul's Les Brown and others, but today Janet will talk to us about how you, too, can generate incredible amounts of cash in just hours, days or weeks.

Read more about Janet and her book at http://www.instantincome.com/

Janet is the author of a new book called Instant Income: Strategies That Bring In the Cash. Whether you’ve got a small business, whether you’re employed by someone else or if you just want to be an occasional entrepreneur making a few thousand dollars on the side several times a year—Janet Switzer has the formula for putting cash in your bank account.

Click here to listen to the interview...

Blogs to Support Grieving Hearts

Linda Della Donna, Grief Support Freelance Writer, to Appear on Healing the Grieving Heart National Radio Show New York, New York and San Francisco, California. Linda Della Donna will join Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley on their nationally syndicated talk radio program “Healing the Grieving Heart” December 20th, 9 a.m. PST/12 noon EST.

Linda Della Donna is a freelance writer who supports new widows through the grief process. A graduate of the Institute of Children’s Literature and School of Hard Knocks, she writes about death, dying, and cancer and shares ways to turn an upside-down smile right side up again. She writes from the heart. Her blog, www.Griefcase.blogspot.com, is written especially for widows and dedicated to Edward Sclier.

Della Donna makes her home 20 miles north from where the World Trade Center used to be and wants every widow to know we’re not alone. She invites you to her websites at www.griefcase.blogspot.com or www.littleredmailbox.com. Dr. Heidi Horsley is herself a bereaved sibling whose 17-year-old brother, Scott, died in an automobile accident when she was 20 years old. Currently she is an adjunct professor at Columbia University, teaching several courses including Grief, Loss, and Bereavement. One of the biggest challenges we address in both private counseling and with listeners on our radio show is how to heal after a profound loss. It’s really inspiring to hear stories of resilience and hope despite great adversity. We’re very excited to have Linda Della Donna as a guest and look forward to her enlightening our listeners and us about getting through the holidays without your spouse.

Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heidi Horsley host the nationally syndicated Healing the Grieving Heart Internet radio show, live every Thursday 9 a.m. PST/12 noon EST. This show is one of the top ranked on Health Voice America and is rebroadcast on the new women’s channel (Greenstone Partnership) and on World Talk Radio. This show can be accessed at http://www.thegriefblog.com.

Heidi Horsley, PsyD, LMSW, MS holds graduate degrees from the University of San Francisco, Columbia University, and Loyola University in New Orleans. She is an adjunct professor at Columbia University and a therapist and researcher for the FDNY-Columbia University Family Assessment Program, which provides ongoing intervention to families of firefighters killed in the World Trade Center. Dr. Horsley facilitates annual workshops at The Compassionate Friends national conferences. Dr. Horsley hosts the nationally syndicated Healing the Grieving Heart internet radio show, broadcast on Health Voice America, and rebroadcast on Greenstone and World Talk Radio. Her blog is: www.thegriefblog.com

Dr. Horsley currently resides in New York City with her husband and two children. Dr. Gloria C. Horsley, PhD, MFC, CNS has worked in the therapy field for over twenty years and is a bereaved parent. She holds graduate degrees from the University of Rochester, Syracuse University, and Holos University. Dr. Gloria serves The Compassionate Friends (www.thecompassionatefriends.org) in a number of roles, including as a member of the Board of Directors. She frequently serves as a media spokesperson for TCF in her dual role as a professional and bereaved parent. She has recently written a book with her daughter Heidi called Teen Grief Relief: Parenting with Understanding, Support and Guidance. Dr. Horsley resides in San Francisco, California, with her husband Phil. They have three daughters and 10 grandchildren.

Publishing Company Seeking Quality Christian Authors

Power Publishing is a Midwest publisher of books that make a positive difference in the lives of our readers. We are currently soliciting manuscripts for our Premier Publishing Program. We seek inspiring/motivating and/or instructional/reference manuscripts across a variety of genres including nonfiction, fiction, and textbooks. If you have a manuscript you would like to submit, please visit us at www.powerpublishinginc.com and check out our easy submission guidelines and find more information about us.

Look Who’s Talking About instant Income

New York Times bestselling co-author Janet Switzer (pronounced S-why-tzer) will be Barbara Milbourn's guest on Writers in the Sky Podcast this Friday, December 21, 2007 and you will not want to miss the show--especially if you need to make money fast!

Janet is the author of a new book called Instant Income: Strategies That Bring In the Cash. She’s generated instant income for celebrity entrepreneurs like Chicken Soup for the Soul, Les Brown and others, but this Friday Janet will talk to us about how you, too, can generate incredible amounts of cash in just hours, days or weeks.

Whether you’ve got a small business, whether you’re employed by someone else or if you just want to be an occasional entrepreneur making a few thousand dollars on the side several times a year -- Janet Switzer has the formula for putting cash in your bank account.

As one of America’s most respected authorities in the knowledge products industry, she also helps achievers who are experts in their field attain worldwide status and million-dollar incomes by building publishing empires around their business strategies, training concepts, industry expertise and unique market posture. Her multi-media short-course How Experts Build Empires is the industry’s definitive work on the subject of developing and marketing knowledge products.

• Consumers today are overwhelmed with many of the most daunting economic times ever seen. Skyrocketing mortgage payments, massive foreclosures, widespread layoffs and plant closings, soaring divorce rates and overwhelming credit-card debt are quickly creating a personal finance and debt crisis of staggering proportions. These serious economic trends are converging to re-focus consumers everywhere on the importance of creating cash.

• Millions of people will start new businesses in the midst of this cash crunch, and studies show 2/3 of them will be women. In America, these new entrepreneurs will join an already thriving market of 10 million small businesses, 15 million solo entrepreneurs and 112 million employees of small businesses—all desperate to earn more cash.

• There are millions of ways to make money in a small business. And then there are just some strategies which are very quick to execute and which bring in the cash very quickly, too...often in just hours, days or weeks. Those are the strategies that make up the Instant Income system.

• Most small businesses run on cash — if there’s money left in the checking account, you know the business is still alive. Well, if you’re about to close your business on Friday because there’s no money in the checking account, these are methods that can put money there by Thursday night.

• You don’t have to have a traditional bricks-and-mortar business to use the Instant Income system—you can use these strategies with your home-based business or if you do money-making projects on the side.

• The book details 35 little-known strategies Janet Switzer executes for her high profile clients — many of the best-known celebrity entrepreneurs in the world.

• Janet Switzer tells you how to make more money in the 7 critical areas of any small business —
customers, joint ventures, advertising, prospecting, sales, internet and overlooked assets.

• If you’re employed, you can actually boost your paycheck by identifying the income opportunities in your employer’s business, then go to your employer and negotiate a pay raise or a promotion or percentage of revenue for helping to bring that cash. The book gives you actual negotiating strategies — even a sample deal-point memo.

• Once you learn the strategies, the book provides an online tool that helps you build a complete written plan customized for your business. The plan tells you exactly which strategies to execute first by calculating the exact amount of money you’ll make from each strategy. Then, the online planning tool creates a printout you can refer to again and again.

• For entrepreneurs and employees who are really desperate and need emergency cash, Janet Switzer offers a free companion guide called the Instant Income 10-Day Turnaround Program — available at InstantIncome.com. It helps identify how much emergency money you need to make, who can help you bring in that money, which strategies to execute to bring in the cash — plus the exact implementation steps for earning the money and depositing it into your bank account. It takes away the anxiety and puts you into action by telling you exactly what to do every day for 10 days.

A 20-year veteran of the marketing and advertising field, Janet Switzer is unique among experts as the woman who’s actually developed and executed the day-to-day income-generation strategies of many of the world’s top celebrity entrepreneurs: Chicken Soup for the Soul co-founder Jack Canfield, financial guru David Bach, master motivational speaker Les Brown, Internet income expert Yanik Silver, America’s highest-paid marketing consultant Jay Abraham, and The One Minute Millionaire coauthor Mark Victor Hansen, among others.

Learn more about Janet at www.instantincome.com/media.html

Are you ready to market your work to agents, editors, or publishers?

A unique Web site, www.getpublishednow.biz, is dedicated to helping writers get published.

Molli Nickell is a former publisher, Time-Life editor, motivational speaker, teacher at UCLA and five-times published author. During her days on the “other side of the desk” she read thousands of query letters and book proposals. She knows what works and what doesn’t. She's been helping writers get published since 1998.

For a limited time, Molli is offering FR*E*E query letter evaluations. No kidding, they’re free. Come take a look-see. www.getpublishednow.biz .

Network with Us December 2007

Here are some announcements from the readers of this month's Writers in the Sky Newsletter:

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Merry Love narrates the rags to riches story of Little Goody Two Shoes life. From humble beginnings the little orphan girl teaches children and adults to learn to read and write with wisdom. The inspirational tale follows Goody Two Shoes on many adventures that challenge her sanity and survival. The story was a favorite with children and adults since 1765 and now it has been restored and revitalized to its rightful place as one of the best children's books of all time. Web site: http://www.pointoflife.com/

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SPIT DOG, WHOSE RUMP ARE YOU ROASTING? By Jamie Whitley is a great book for those who are looking to get off the corporate race rat and begin living life to the fullest. This book tells you step-by-step how to achieve your goals.

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One of Ang DePriest’s authors, Bonnie Brown, has been receiving a firestorm of publicity and attention lately for her book GIIGLE: HOW I GOT LUCKY MASSAGING GOOGLE. Her Web site is: http://www.giiglebook.com/ where she has some downloadable PDF excerpts of Giigle on her site. And there are media links to all the articles, blogs, and interviews.

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Krupin School of Publicity

A few years ago Paul J. Krupin published a book called Trash Proof News Releases (TPNR). Many hardcover books were sold and the PDF file eBook has been downloaded free thousands of times. He would like to share the newest edition (continuously updated online) of Trash Proof News Releases organized with live, hot links to articles on how to do publicity and various strategies and tactics, new PR Success Stories, free news release examples, publicity plans, a media search tool, and much more at my web site Direct Contact PR.

His Web site offers a structured education that will empower you with greater understanding so that you can make better decisions, spend your money wisely, and achieve greater PR and financial success with your products or services.

A list of free articles http://www.directcontactpr.com/free-articles/
Free examples of news releases http://www.directcontactpr.com/free-downloads/
Free eBook: http://www.directcontactpr.com/free-ebook/

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If you have a war story or service experience with any branch of the military, Ray would like to hear from you by email submissions@ewarstory.com. You may share your experience about basic training, humor, letters, WWII or even a fictitious story with others online. Visit http://www.ewarstory.com/ for more details.

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The audio version of A CORPSE IN THE SOUP, the first cozy mystery in the Silver Sisters Mystery series, was voted 2007 Best Mystery Audio Book by USA Book News. Read by Stephanie Brush, this audio book is available from Amazon, http://www.booksinmotion.com/ and various bookstores and libraries.

If they don't have it, ask your library or bookstore to order it by using ISBN#1-59607-857-X. It is not in Baker and Taylor's list but can be ordered from Baker and Taylor or Books in Motion direct. I know for sure it has been approved for several library collections such as the Las Vegas Clark County Library District; Beverly Hills, Redondo Beach, West Hollywood, Thousand Oaks and Pasadena California.

MORGAN ST. JAMES
http://www.silversistersmysteries.com/
http://www.morganstjames-author.com/

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Authors -- Get More Exposure!
Authors can have their book featured monthly on Author-Promotion.com for only $25.00 a month. If you are looking for greater exposure and would like to find additional ways to promote your book, then advertise with us. Why feature your book on Author & Book Promotion?• Get greater exposure• Increase your book’s publicity• Increase your Internet presence• Author-Promotion NOT only features books by authors but also aggressively promotes their authors by targeting the reading public!• Your feature and Bio will be announced to all Author-Promotion subscribers• Your book cover will be used in our ads • Your book will be added to Shelfari bookshelf (although to do so it must already be on Amazon) For more information see http://www.author-promotion.com/
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A listing of CONTESTS is available on Krista Barrett’s site: http://www.writergazette.com/sendstudio/users/link.php?UserID=11140&Newsletter=141&List=1&LinkType=Send&LinkID=5347
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A general marketing rule is that a product must be seen seven times before it is purchased. That is just as true for books. Let people see that book cover image! So, you are invited to advertise as a site sponsor at http://www.howtodoitfrugally.com/ for a year at the same price many sites frequented by readers and writers charge in a year. Yep, the frugal way! Click on the Advertising tab at the top of the page or contact me personally at hojonews@aol.com.

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Book Promo 101 - Learn the Basics of Book Promotion by Nikki Leigh now available in e-book format - for more information, visit http://www.nikkileigh.com/book_promo_101.htm Nikki Leigh is holding a Book Sale just in time to fill your gift giving needs. If anyone on your list loves romantic suspense, cozy mysteries and stories set on the coast near lighthouses, there is something that will make them happy. To learn more - visit http://www.nikkileigh.com/gift_2007.htm The latest edition of the Readers' Station Quarterly Newsletter is available at http://www.readersstation.com/nov_2007.htm

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Louiza Patsis has written three books and self-published on Amazon. I wrote my children's book at 10. The other book is a poetry/story book. My latest is POCKET GUIDE TO FITNESS based on the blog http://louizafitness.blogspot.com/. They are all great holiday gifts. I am also a screenplay writer and I am a medical editor and writer. You can see information on her books at http://www.blogger.com/www.louizapatsis.com and by looking her up on Authorhouse.com.

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Sheri Sinykin received a sweet surprise today from The Capital Times, a special feature from Heather Lee Schroeder about her recovery from writer's block and unresolved grief, that led to the publication of her book GIVING UP THE GHOST. You can read the article online at: http://www.madison.com/tct/books/258242. Listen to Sheri’s WITS podcast interview here.

Wide Open Spaces for Jim Palmer

Writers in the Sky Newsletter Subscriber, Jim Palmer, has a message for this writing community:

Hey friends, I went to Amazon today and it says my book Wide Open Spaces is stocked and ready for shipment. Yikes! Well, I guess that's just one of the laws of the publishing world: the author is the last one to find out. Anyway, a few things I'm asking you to consider if you plan on getting the book. If you can, get it either on Amazon or in a Barnes and Noble store. Barnes and Noble is doing a special in-store display the first 14 days of its release, and so it would help things all around by getting the book from them. Getting the book off Amazon is also helpful because it influences the Amazon ranking, which influences general perceptions about the book.

Let me share my heart on this if I may. I really hope Wide Open Spaces breaks out into the wider awareness and conversation of the reading public. Since writing Divine Nobodies and the people who have contacted me, I have interacted with an endless number of people for whom organized religion has been a barrier to their desire to know God. a lot of people get stuck at that point in this sort of anti-religion, anti-church, anti-God thing. its easy to stall out in that phase where you are quite sure you know what it's not. but this begs the question: then what is it? What is the alternative? Whereas Divine Nobodies was the "shedding religion" part of the journey, Wide Open Spaces is speaking to an alternative - the alternative of knowing God beyond the typical configurations and mentalities of religion. Freedom!

So, it would help me if you would consider:
1. Reading the book and sharing your feedback and input with me. I really want this to be a conversation.
2. Blog or email friends to give folks a head's up that the book is out.
3. Take the initiative to get multiple copies of the book (Christmas gifts?) and give them out among the folks with whom you have this conversation. (if money is a barrier, contact me and I'll send you some copies)
4. Leave me a review on Amazon

Just to let you know, I respond to every email, never turn down a request to get together with folks face-to-face within a reasonable drive distance, and I'm game for traveling if groups of people want to sit down and have a conversation about this stuff. I'm doing a book tour from December 6-15, and in the process of writing the next book, but I will do every thing within my power to interact with folks about Wide Open Spaces (or Divine Nobodies). If you send along an email or blog about the book here are a few helpful links for people to explore it:

Divine Nobodies on Amazon
Wide Open Spaces on Amazon
Publisher's Weekly Review of Wide Open Spaces
Early Endorsements for Wide Open Spaces
Wide Open Spaces excerpt in RELEVANT
theooze review of Wide Open Spaces
Wide Open Spaces/Jim Palmer interview on Next-Wave

December Poetry Corner

Weaving Through Traffic

Left lane
Right lane
Center lane
Storm drain
Hurry! Always hurrying
In White Rabbit fashion.

In and out and in again
Like a damned accordion,
Caution tossed into the wind
With multi-purple passion.

Cannot pause to meditate,
Can’t afford now to be late,
No time to consider fate or
Stop to smell the clover.

Cannot deal with hesitation,
No time to truck agitation,
Must belay this aggravation e’er
Hatter’s party’s over.

Pray for Divine intervention,
Even miracles are mentioned,
Puritanical intention
Offered as excuse.

Up ahead the traffic lessens,
Dormouse offers his confessions,
Thankful for such grand concessions,
Sad for the abuse.


Centered

In this blue funk
Self-righteous world it is
So easy to go off kilter,
To skew to the left,
Skid to the right,
Slip, slide and sashay on
Ice-covered pathways.

Every distraction demands
Just a little attention as
Everything multiplies and
Next thing you know all
Vision is lost and all that is left
Are the tears in your eyes.

Lying alone in your midnight enclosure
Lost as you contemplate
What might have been.
Looking for ways to get back to the center.
It never hurts to
Start over again.


Flair

Such panache,
Such flair,
Such a gift of gab has he,
Riding wave on wave of
Billowy praise for
Adoring eyes to see.

Love him, hate him or
Despise him with his cooing
Brooding eyes.
Catch the tone of
Innocence delivered in
His scathing lies.

Do not, cannot,
Will not fall
To his contemptuous snare.
For he is but a charlatan,
Although…
He does have flair.

Dennis Martin has written 13 plays –several of which have been presented as staged readings in the Baltimore Playwright’s Festival. He has written 800 poems and self-published a book of poems titled “Love and Passions” available at www.iuniverse.com and online bookstores. He has six poetry collections and three novels available at www.lulu.com/dsmartin. Read more about Dennis at http://www.iwritesome.com or blog with him at http://iwritesome.blogspot.com


Are We Having Fun Yet?
By Timothy J. Stewart

The Doctor says push just one more time,
Your wife says she can’t ‘cause she’s losing her mind
The nurse says a girl, do you want to bet,
You look at your wife --- Are we having fun yet?

The doctor says yes, we’re having fun,
Lookie here mister, you have a son,
The hospital says, now pay your debt,
You look at your wife --- Are we having fun yet?

You change that first diaper and man it smells,
You wake up early morning to baby’s yells,
You put him on your lap, now your lap is wet,
You look at your wife --- Are we having fun yet?

Now, baby is headed off to his first day of school,
You turn you head away, cause you feel like a fool,
He’s got his backpack and all his new stuff,
And, in them blue jeans, he really looks tough.
You wipe you cheek and you finger gets wet,
You look at your wife --- Are we having fun yet?

Well, now he’s suited up for his first ball game,
He is all set to play, but it’s called for rain,
Why can’t we play, he says, why daddy why,
You look at your wife as he starts to cry,
You tell him, son, ‘cause the fields are wet,
You look at your wife --- Are we having fun yet?

Now, he’s on a stage in a cap and gown,
There are medals on his chest and trophies all around
You wonder why time has to go so fast,
You would give a million dollars to relive the past,
You wipe you cheek and you finger gets wet,
You look at your wife --- Are we having fun yet?

Then, you get a phone call in the middle of the night,
Your wife takes the call with a look of fright,
She covers her mouth as the tears hit her eyes,
And her lips kind of quiver as she says, --- SURPRISE!
Our baby boy has just had a son,
You look at your wife --- Now, we’re going to have fun
With Our Baby’s Son ------ Are we having fun yet?

Timothy Stewart is the author of a novel being published by Nightengale Press Positive Force—a book that offers teenagers a positive alternative to gang involvement. www.reachforyoredreams.com.

Replay Memory
By Feon Davis

I see you caress me
I feel your flesh against my
I am without a doubt overwhelmed
No, I am mostly dismayed
A replay memory within my mind
Could there be a replay of my heart?
As the adrenline flows, so does this love burning
I confess that, I do not want this to end
I want to feel your arms around me
And to walk with replay memories of us together.

Feon Davis (http://www.inthearmsofgod.com) is an inspiring writer and resident of Morehead City, North Carolina. She loves writing compassionate poems, rather Christian, inspirational. She started writing when she was nine years old. Miss Davis has published poems online for all to read along with a series of books, and gift items available for purchase at her site.

Music Man

Family Trance Uncles And Aunts
Santa Wears Baggy Pants
Holiday Wishes Energy Kisses
Love’s Our Music Man

Credit Card Stew
Destiny’s Flu
Overboard Shuffle
Candy Coated Truffles
Life’s Inner Brew
Is Calling You

(Chorus)

Family Trance Uncle And Aunts
Santa Wears Baggy Pants
Holiday Wishes Energy Kisses
Love’s Our Music Man

Another Tree
God Bless Thee
In a Haze
New Year’s Rage
Black Eyed Peas Power Seeds
Harmony Bees Are Calling
Please

(Chorus)

Family Trace Uncles And Aunts
Santa Wears Baggy Pants
Holiday Wishes Energy Kisses
Love’s Our Music Man

Mental Notes Hearts That Soak
Physical Matter Overactive Bladder
Glory Be Enlightened Me
Native Skin And Silly Grins
Now Is Mine Source Filled Mind
Time Is Clear Change Wears Ears
And Reindeer Gear

(Chorus)

Family Trance Uncle And Aunts
Santa Wears Baggy Pants
Holiday Wishes Energy Kisses
Love’s Our Music Man

Hal Manogue, Poet and Author of SHORT SLEEVES A BOOK FOR FRIENDS AND SHORT SLEEVES INSIGHTS shares his holiday poem, now turned song, with WITS community. For more information about Hal, visit http://www.shortsleeves.net. To blog with him, see http://halmanogue.blogspot.com.

Meeting Author Gary Lincoff

Meeting Author Gary Lincoff

Ever since I bought Gary Lincoff’s NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY FIELD GUIDE TO MUSHROOMS, I’ve been looking for an opportunity to meet him. I finally got my chance.

Book-signings are proof that it’s a thrill to have a signed copy of an author’s work. In my case, several of my field guides are signed – yes I use them and get a thrill every time I see the author’s note.

Lincoff was the guest speaker at a recent Bedford (NY) Audubon Society meeting. This active group invites a wide range of naturalist experts to speak. The room was packed.

I was introduced to him by one of my mentors. As I handed him my field guide, I thought, “This is even better than going to a book signing. I got to chat with him, too.” He wrote a note and a drawing along with his signature in two places. I’m still on cloud nine.

Some readers may not find a field guide as exciting as a novel. It’s one thing to be knowledgeable. It’s another to be a talented speaker. Lincoff has the timing of a stand-up comic and the skill of a lead-singer. He knows his mushrooms so well that he can weave basic ID information, like where it grows, spore print color, and season into personal anecdotes, plays on words and recipes.

He has traveled the world. I nearly rolled off my chair as he described his trek to Kilimanjaro. “Why bother going to the summit? No mushrooms grow above the tree line.”

Anyone who can remain passionate and joyous during a 30-year study of fungi - or any aspect of nature - has my deepest respect. Lincoff blows me away, because he makes it look so simple.

JJ Murphy is a nature writer, blogging hiker, curriculum creator, locavore and tree-hugger currently based in Harriman, NY. Visit http://www.writerbynature.com for more information on JJ's writing services and her favorite places for gear and supplies.

The Case for Christmas: A Journalist Investigates the Identity of the Child in the Manger

Les Strobel
Zondervan (2007)
ISBN 9780310266297
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (10/07)

Lee Strobel, award-winning author, journalist and investigative reporter, has written “The Case for Christmas.” Stroble presents a logical case to help the reader determine for themselves if the babe in the manger, Jesus, was the person He claimed to be, Son of Man, Son of God, and very God Himself.

From the first paragraph of the introduction to the last paragraph of the conclusion, Strobel’s writing is compelling, intellectually challenging, thought-provoking, and convincing. Using eyewitness accounts, archaeological confirmation, and profile evidence Strobel helps the reader to arrive at a conclusion, their own personal verdict.

Stroble’s own journey to discover the reality of Christmas led him to seek counsel. He used his experience as an investigative reporter and the tools of his trade in his to find answers. Strobel presents the results of interviews with leading scholars in areas of biographical evidence, and scientific evidence.

In presenting his case Stroble presented fingerprint evidence to answer the hard question, “Did Jesus, Jesus alone, match the identity of the promised Messiah.” I personally found this chapter on fingerprint evidence insightful. The fulfilling of Old Testament prophecies regarding the Messiah gave authenticity to Gospel accounts of Jesus as the Messiah.

Strobel also presented profile evidence to see if Jesus fulfilled the attributes of God. The incarnation, omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, eternality, and immutability all fit in the sketch and are found in the Christmas child. Reflecting on these attributes as a devotional reading offers a rich and rewarding experience.

The book is designed especially for the Christmas and Advent Season. Strobel gives a strong presentation of the Christmas message for anyone seeking understanding of the tenets of the Christian faith, and for thought provoking reflection and mediation for the Christian. The format and design of this compact, attractive, book – “The Case for Christmas” -- make it an excellent gift for those family members, friends, agnostics, or atheists, who are seeking answers to finding answers in their pursuit for finding personal meaning to the reality of the Christian message of Christmas.

Valerie Connelly's Talk Radio

Carolyn Howard-Johnson talks to Valerie Connelly's radio audience on"Editing as Branding: Spelling success from queries to your book's manuscript." Circle your calendar on Wednesday December 12th at 8PM Eastern, 7PM Central, 5PM Pacific time. A downloadable MP3 recording of the Webinar will be available to registered attendees after the event.

Sign up by Dec. 11th. Space is limited. Contact Valerie at info@callingallauthors.org or Nightengale Press, publisher@nightengalepress.biz

TGIF Mango Tree Cafe Author Taryn Simpson

TGI Friday, December 7, 2007 and I have uploaded a new show to my podcast. Taryn Simpson joins Barbara Milbourn today on Writers in the Sky Podcast

Taryn Simpson is a freelance author, Pulitzer nominee, ghostwriter, screenwriter, playwright, blogger and columnist. Taryn's background not only includes writing, but she also enjoyed success as a classically trained musician. She also performed with the Beaumont and Lake Charles Symphony Orchestras where featured artists included Doc Severinson and other musical luminaries. She was accepted to the University of Texas at Arlington's college level percussion camp when she was 12 years old and auditioned at the famed Juilliard School in New York City at the age of 17. She holds a Bachelor of Music in percussion and counts her musical background as an important stepping stone to her successful writing career. Although she loves music, she discovered that writing was her true passion.

Click here to listen to Taryn's interview...

Today, Ms. Simpson has just completed her latest literary effort with her co-writer, Alan Solomon. It is a fiction novel titled “The Mango Tree Café, Loi Kroh Road,” which is garnering rave reviews from readers all over the world. The book was shown at the Beijing, China International Book Fair and is competing for a Pulitzer Prize in the Best Fiction category as well as the best fictional novel hosted by USABookNews.com.

Simpson has written/ghostwritten 2 screenplays, 9 books and is about to have her fictional thriller, "Glittering Secrets" converted to an independent film with Fast Track Productions. Her other screenplay, "Conversations with Pearl" garnered attention from the Project Greenlight critics and was featured at the Southern Festival of Books in 2002.

See Taryn's online presskit: http://www.taryn-simpson.blogspot.com/

The book is available on most retail sites including Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com.

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You may subscribe to Writers in the Sky RSS feed or listen online at your convenience by going to http://feeds.feedburner.com/audioacrobat/ZOhd

Each show has multiple parts which last about 15-20 minutes each. The short-length classes are a great way to learn about the craft and business of writing while driving to work or sweating at the gym!

By following this link http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=192160101 you may download Writers in the Sky podcast shows from itunes.com. You must have iTunes software loaded on your computer but you can download the free software at http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

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Next Friday I will upload my 2-part interview with Pete Billac.

Finding Father Christmas: A Novella

Robin Jones Gunn
FaithWords (2007)
ISBN 9780446526296
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (10/07)

“Finding Father Christmas” is written with an undercurrent of suspense, is rich in drama, and is lyrical in beauty. Robin Jones Gunn has masterfully developed a character, so real and believable that her story takes on the authenticity of autobiographical writing. Although the timetable of the story covers a timeframe of only two days, Miranda Carson’s lifetime of events, emotions, and reactions are dramatically relived in this dramatic novella.

Miranda Carson experienced emptiness in her life. She knew nothing of her father. Her only clues to his existence were a photograph, a birth certificate, and a playbill for a theatre in Michigan featuring her mother as Miranda in the play “The Tempest.”

Almost on impulse, Miranda booked a flight to London, for a few days over the Christmas holidays to pursue a search for her father. She had the location of a photo studio stamped on the back of a photo presumed to be her father, with an address on Bexley Lane in Carlton Heath, near London.

As a result of a cup of tea, a warm conversation, an evening at the theatre, a community party, and a late evening snowstorm Miranda found herself on an unexpected course that would forever change her life’s direction.

A reenactment of the play “The Christmas Carol,” the warmth and acceptance of family, and a Christmas morning service at the local church all play a part in Miranda’s willingness to open herself to change.

Gunn’s introduction of a background of classical writing and theatre add a unique depth to the narrative. Her vivid word pictures are picturesque and rich in beauty. The warmth of her characters exudes love, concern, and acceptance.

Poignant and heartwarming, “Finding Father Christmas” will resonate with anyone who has gone through childhood without one or both of their birth parents, or for anyone who has longed to know more of their heritage. This is a story that will become a classical family Christmas reading favorite.

Podcast on Writing and Publishing

WRITERS IN THE SKY PODCAST

Writers in the Sky Podcast offers interviews with authors and writers, as well as the latest news about books on the market, publishing methods and marketing techniques. There are more than 35 informational shows already uploaded and a new program is added each week.

December shows include:

Taryn Simpson - Author of Mango Tree Cafe
Pete Billac – Author of Your Home-based Business
Janet Switzer – Author of Instant Income
James Therrian – Author of Dance of the Heart
Vitoria Moran – Author of Fat, Broke & Lonely No More!

Occasionally, a teleclass may be longer, but most of our classes are recorded in 15- to 20-minute segments. Over 60 shows have been archived, and the best part is there is no cost to listen. What a great way to learn more about writing and publishing.

To sign up for the RSS feed go to http://www.yvonneperry.blogspot.com and put your email address in the “subscribe me” box on the right sidebar. You will get some great information about writing and publishing and you’ll never have to worry about missing a podcast show you wanted to hear.

The Mango Tree Cafe, Loi Kroh Road

Taryn Simpson will be Barbara Milbourn’s guest on Writers in the Sky Podcast December 7, 2007!

Taryn Simpson is a freelance author, Pulitzer nominee, ghostwriter, screenwriter, playwright, blogger and columnist. Taryn's background not only includes writing, but she also enjoyed success as a classically trained musician. She also performed with the Beaumont and Lake Charles Symphony Orchestras where featured artists included Doc Severinson and other musical luminaries. She was accepted to the University of Texas at Arlington's college level percussion camp when she was 12 years old and auditioned at the famed Juilliard School in New York City at the age of 17. She holds a Bachelor of Music in percussion and counts her musical background as an important stepping stone to her successful writing career. Although she loves music, she discovered that writing was her true passion.

Today, Ms. Simpson has just completed her latest literary effort with her co-writer, Alan Solomon. It is a fiction novel titled “The Mango Tree Café, Loi Kroh Road,” which is garnering rave reviews from readers all over the world. The book was shown at the Beijing, China International Book Fair and is competing for a Pulitzer Prize in the Best Fiction category as well as the best fictional novel hosted by USABookNews.com.

Simpson has written/ghostwritten 2 screenplays, 9 books and is about to have her fictional thriller, "Glittering Secrets" converted to an independent film with Fast Track Productions. Her other screenplay, "Conversations with Pearl" garnered attention from the Project Greenlight critics and was featured at the Southern Festival of Books in 2002.

You can steer people to my online presskit: http://www.taryn-simpson.blogspot.com/

The book is available on most retail sites including Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com.

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You may subscribe to Writers in the Sky RSS feed or listen online at your convenience by going to http://feeds.feedburner.com/audioacrobat/ZOhd

Susan Morgan is Out of the Ordinary!

Today we welcome Susan Morgan to our writing blog. She is discussing her book OUT OF THE ORDINARY. It's fiction, sort of a combined action/adventure/romance and the story is about an ordinary woman, no special skills or training, just a mom who finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time — in the middle of an attack on a suburban mall by a well armed, well financed group of rebels, though these are not foreign born fanatics, these are our own people. The heroine of the story by chance comes into contact with an undercover government agent who has been watching the group but had vastly underestimated their strength. Together they are taken by the rebels who survive the authorities counter attack to an isolated stronghold where they have to work together to survive.

YVONNE: Is this the first book you have written?
SUSAN: Actually it's the second, the first is something I did in college, tentatively titled After the Fall, and walked away from for a time. I focused my writing energies, especially after the birth of my three children, on Out of the Ordinary. But now, having finished and published this work, it's gotten me thinking about that earlier novel. I've been through it again, and am nearly ready to start sending it around to publishers.

And since I work as a freelance writer part time, I have ghostwritten about 6 or 7 full length ebooks, a few more mini ebooks, hundreds of Web articles and a huge number of long form sales letters. Before going freelance I worked in the corporate world as a direct mail copywriter and was involved with the writing, editing and production of full color catalogs that were hundreds of pages long.

YVONNE: How long did it take to write this book?
SUSAN: Out of the Ordinary took about 5 years, part time of course. I also run a freelance writing business and I'm a mom of three kids, two cats and a dog, so I've not had the luxury of full time devotion to a project.

YVONNE: How did you publish your book?
SUSAN: I published through booklocker.com, a print on demand (POD) publisher that I'd been getting newsletters from for about 2 years. I submitted my novel and was elated when thney accepted it for publication. I was amazed how quick and easy the whole thing was! They worked with me to design a cover, format the manuscript and get it up and available online. Now you can go directly to the booklocker site (barnes&noble or amazon too) and you can find, and order my book. You'll then get a professionally printed copy in about a week, depending on where you live of course.

YVONNE: Did you work with an agent? If so, how did you find the agent?
SUSAN: I didn't, frankly because I'd heard so many horror stories about fees and scams I stopped looking early on. I'm thinking that once I get to a point where an agent would be helpful, I'll know more about how to find one and what to watch for.

YVONNE: Where is your book available?
SUSAN: As I mentioned, you can buy them directly from booklocker.com, which I highly recommend. They are a family orientated, trustworthy business… long track record, good people. If you'd prefer, you can also go on barnesandnoble.com or amazon.com and type in Out of the Ordinary. You'll find a few similarly named books, but not that many.

I do have a blog that I must admit I don't update as regularly as I should — about 2 times a month is all I can manage. Still, the content is irreverent and totally topical. If you'd like, you can take a peek by going to http://smm110861.wordpress.com/

YVONNE: As far as marketing, do you do more online publicity or print/radio/TV promotion?
SUSAN: Most definitely online, and that is purposeful. I believe that most of my readers are those who have bought books online before, so they're comfortable with the process. I think that the promo needs to be where the buyers are. Right in front of them at just the right time. I'll be spending my promotions budget on online opportunities for now.

Of course, print, radio and TV are pricey, and I don't have pockets that deep. I do also promote to my family and friends, and have my own little postcards I can hand out at nail salons, my kids games or anywhere I see a chance to get the word out. It's small and simple, but it's working!

YVONNE: Have you hired a publicist to help promote this book? Have you worked with a publicist on any of your books?
SUSAN: I've never worked with a publicist, but I sure would like to. I can only imagine how much help it would be to have someone who knows the ropes… knows how to present things and who to present them to for maximum impact. Again, it's a financial issue, I haven't been able, as yet, to afford to bring on someone in this role. When the time comes, I surely will.

YVONNE: Any other comments or things you would like for us to know?
SUSAN: First and foremost, that even though my story involves violent circumstances and hateful, horrible people, I in no way condone or support this thinking or the use of terrorism in any form as a means to an end. In fact, I came a hairs-breath from deleting the 2/3 finished draft I had of Out of the Ordinary on 9/11/01. In the end, I couldn't bring myself to throw all that work away.

My aim in writing this book was to tell a story that makes it clear these actions, these groups will always fail because the men who join them are no different than the men they hate. In Out of the Ordinary, the bad guys, in the end, are defeated by their own schemes, their own demons, their own weaknesses, as such men always well be.

Just published online @ http://www.booklocker.com/books/2934.html
Portfolio @ http://www.Writing.Com/authors/smm110861
Blog @ http://smm110861.wordpress.com/