Book Marketing

Tell Me a Story - opinion.

If you're looking for book marketing tips, try this site. It seems to offer some really good hints and tips.

I've only had a quick look but it looks the tops. I know I'm going to try some of them.....

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End of post - Book marketing

Senator Edward Kennedy - children's writer

Tell Me a Story - comment.

Senator Edward Kennedy will probably be recalled as a legislator who was often at the forefront of advancing enlightened causes.
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What some may not know, is that Senator Edward Kennedy's love of Portuguese water dogs prompted him to become a children's book author, penning My Senator And Me: A Dog's Eye View Of Washington, D.C., a book on the political process for ages 4-8.

According to Scholastic, Senator Edward Kennedy's book "Not only takes readers through a full day in the Senator's life, but also explains how a bill becomes a law."

Full story from Lori Calabrese
. .

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End of post - Senator Edward Kennedy - children's writer.

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Holidays in Alicante - the Hidden Spain
Lens Coating - What Everybody Ought to Know
Conserving Water - Your Must-Know Guide

Nick Cave - The Death of Bunny Munro

Tell Me a Story - opinion

Nicholas Edward Cave is an Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, artist, and sometime actor.

Best known for his occupation as frontman of the rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, he also fronted the group The Birthday Party in the early 1980s, a band renowned for its highly dark, challenging lyrics and violent sound influenced by free jazz, blues, and post-punk.

Nick Cave has also turned his hand to writing. His second novel, The Death of Bunny Munro, is due to hit stores on September 8th but given that it’s a book by Nick Cave, the Australian rocker has given special consideration to its audio counterparts. Two audio versions — a digital audio book and an unabridged CD — are due September 8th.

To say it pisses me off is an understatement. Celebrities should stick to what they do best and leave writing to those who can. Bad grapes I know, but his work will sell just because of his name, not because of the quality. It’s a hell of a struggle for writers to get our name's out there – maybe we should sing shit instead….

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Holidays in Alicante - the Hidden Spain
Lens Coating - What Everybody Ought to Know
Conserving Water - Your Must-Know Guide

Quote of the day.

Tell Me a Story - quote of the day.

Excess on occasion is exhilarating. It prevents moderation from acquiring the deadening effect of a habit.

- W. Somerset Maugham

Love it.

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Holidays in Alicante - the Hidden Spain
Lens Coating - What Everybody Ought to Know
Conserving Water - Your Must-Know Guide

Quote of the day.

Tell Me a Story - quote of the day.


Just found this little gem - and fell in love with it.

Nothing travels faster than the speed of light with the possible exception of bad news.

- Douglas Adams

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Holidays in Alicante - the Hidden Spain
Lens Coating - What Everybody Ought to Know
Conserving Water - Your Must-Know Guide

Quote - Freddy Mercury

Tell Me a Story - quote of the day.

People are always asking me what my lyrics mean. Well I say what any decent poet would say if you dared ask him to analyse his work: if you see it, darling, then it's there. - Freddie Mercury

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Holidays in Alicante - the Hidden Spain
Lens Coating - What Everybody Ought to Know
Conserving Water - Your Must-Know Guide

next post

Amy WInehouse musical?

Tell Me a Story - comment.

Who are you kidding?

Amy Winehouse's outlandish lifestyle might just become the topic for a musical! The singer’s brother, Alex Winehouse, says he considers a stage production centred on Amy’s struggles, is a genuine option now she’s getting to grips with her problems.

He said, “Amy is much better. I think one day there could be a musical of Amy’s life. You just don’t ever know how far things can go these days.”

Alex says he thinks the musical should also include her more contented, earlier days as well as the more sensational phase of her life.

Maybe I’m a touch cynical, but this seems to me like Alex has just thought up a way to make a cache of money.

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End of post - Amy Winehouse musical.

Book Promotion

Tell Me a Story - promotion

In today's post I'm presenting an extract from 'The Frugal Book Promoter by
Carolyn Howard-Johnson. Carolyn always gives good advice, so read on - enjoy - and learn from the expert.

Exponential Promotional Expansion
New Math Adds Up To FREE Publicity
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson


(An excerpt from THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER:
HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T)


The new math for free publicity is: E-book + E-gift = Promotion. Oops. Error. Make the
answer FREE promotion!


There are three magical concepts to this e-book formula
1. Accidental
2. Free
3. E-book.


My best promotion ever, a free e-book called COOKING BY THE BOOK, accidentally
fell into my lap and it uses all three. I’ll share more about these three promotional potions
a bit later.


COOKING BY THE BOOK began when more than two dozen authors from several
countries contributed to a book that would be given away free to anyone—as a gift of
appreciation to the support teams it takes to write and market a book and to the legions of
readers who cook but were probably never exposed to our books. Each invited author had
written at least one kitchen scene in his book. Each segment of the cookbook begins with
an excerpt from that scene, the recipe comes next and that is followed by a short blurb
about the author..


This cookbook e-tool is a cross-pollinator. Each contributing author was to publicize it
any way she chose. Participants promised to promote it and not to charge for it. That way
each contributor benefited from the efforts, the lists, and the contacts of the other authors.


We had some superior promoters among us:


�� Most of us set up a page on our websites.
�� Contributor Peggy Hazelwood promoted it in her newsletter for
book lovers.
�� Mary Emma Allen featured it in the columns she writers for New
Hampshire dailies, The Citizen and The Union Leader.
�� David Leonhardt, (http://thehappyguy.com/ ) author of CLIMB
YOUR STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN, incorporated the cookbook
into a Happiness Game Show he uses in his presentations.
�� We gave away coupons for this book at our signings. Because it
costs nothing, it can be given to everyone, not just those who
purchase a book.
�� I use them as thank yous to people who visit my site.
�� Some include information on these feebies on the back of business
cards and bookmarks.
�� I query site editors whenever I run across another place that seems
as if our CB Book would interest their audience.


Reviewer JayCe Crawford (http://www.authorsden.com/jaycecrawford) said, “For a
foodie-cum-fiction-freak like me, this cookbook is a dream come true.” That review has
popped up in places we didn’t know existed.


Our most startling success came from sources we had no connection to. It was featured in
Joan Stewart’s The Publicity Hound, in Writer’s Weekly, on MyShelf.com, in the
iUniverse newsletter and more. I had the highest rate of interest I’d ever had when I
queried radio stations for interviews and that was in competition with a pitch for THIS IS
THE PLACE just before the 2002 games in Salt Lake City and an intolerance angle on
the same novel right after 9/11.


Wait, we're not through yet. Mother's day invites us to repeat our publicity blitzes every
year, because -- if you haven’t noticed -- mothers tend to do lots of cooking. This book
was so successful I collaborated with Sarah Mankowski on a similar one called
SEASONED GREETINGS for holiday promotional blitzes.


Back to those three magic words:
1. 1. Accidental: I don’t take credit for knowing a good thing when I saw
it. What I learned from this experience is to never dismiss something
that is placed on your desk without careful consideration-- even if it
seems vaguely hokey. I nearly did just that. “E-book indeed,” I said to
myself. I was worried that association with this concept might taint my
literary works. Hubris can be very self-defeating.
2. Free: This charmed word convinced editors to offer our cookbook as a
freebie to their readers. Usually the contributing author who pitched it
was privileged with their own promotional site’s URL being used as a
link but when some editors chose to place the entire cookbook
download on their own sites, we all benefited just the same.
3. E-book: An e-book is easy for readers to obtain. The author need not
budget for postage or processing expenses. In the invitations, queries,
and releases I sent out, I emphasized a no strings attached attack: I
assured everyone that they would not be expected to register to the site,
sign up for a newsletter nor purchase a thing. The E-book concept is
also important because—though it may not be new to you and me—the
media is still infatuated with it.


Here is a fourth magic word. Cookbook. It has universal appeal. You might find
something else that works better for you.. I’ve been thinking of doing something similar
utilizing the subject of genealogy because my novel is based on the stories of my own
ancestors--four generations of them. It is not necessary that the freebie be knitted to your
primary title; you may benefit by a theme that reaches out, draws in those who might not
otherwise be exposed to your work. Your idea may appeal to a narrower audience but
niche markets work, too.



Everyone loves something that is FREE.


COOKING BY THE BOOK and my other e-books are like hospitality gifts. Only better.
That's because they promote not only my work, but that of others. Those who are
interested in how these books work can download samples at
www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com. Click on the free e-book link.


----------
Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the author of the award-winning This is the Place, Harkening, and
Tracings . She is also the author of the How To Do It Frugally series including The Frugal Book
Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won’t, the winner of USA Book News' Best
Professional Book 2004 and the Irwin Award and the soon-to-be-released The Frugal Editor: Put
Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. The author was honored by
members of the California Legislature as Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment and was
named outstanding woman of the San Gabriel Valley in California for her "literary activism" by the
Pasadena Weekly. Learn more about the author at: http://HowToDoItFrugally.com.

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Bookdoggie - a new idea

Tell Me a Story - comment.

For readers and writers alike, here's a catchy new idea for you. Bookdoggie have created a site where instead of searching for an author, you search for book genre.


A new website abroad.


Once your favourite genre is selected, Hey Presto, the site randomly pulls an author with a book in that category. You're taken to the author's website or an online sales site for the book.

Bookdoggie doesn't actually sell direct so has no axe to grind one way or another with author random selection. The only criteria is that authors have to submit their books for them to be considered, and each title is vetted before acceptance.

It might seem an odd idea, but it means readers are introduced to authors who might otherwise not have been considered. It doesn't mean you have purchase, of course - but it does mean you get a glimpse at authors or books which might be great but overlooked.

Give it a try, you might be pleasantly surprised.

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End of post - Bookdoggie, a new idea.

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Book writing, 20 ways to polish that manuscript
Writing a story – 12 important elements of dialogue
550 other words for said

Paula Abdul and American Idol

Tell Me a Story - comment.

So, Paula Abdul is to leave American Idol. Am I bovered?

Pretty she may be, useful to the show, she was not.

Half the time Paula Abdul appeared to be drunk or on drugs - and who needs that? I may be doing her an injustice, maybe she's been sick, maybe her nerves have played her up - but whatever, she's rarely added anything REALLY constructive to the show. Most of the time her mundane comments could have been cut and the show would not have suffered.

As writers, we quickly learn to remove unnecessary words and phrases. Paula Abdul was an unnecessary phrase. She needed editing a long time ago.

Maybe now, Simon Cowell will get down to the proper business of critcal analysis instead of pratting about with Paula....

*** Paula Abdul, Paula Abdul, Paula Abdul ***

• Next post on Tell Me a Story.

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Book writing, 20 ways to polish that manuscript
Writing a story – 12 important elements of dialogue
550 other words for said

End of post - Paula Abdul and American Idol.

Script writers dreams CAN come true

Tell Me a Story - resource.

Incredible news for wannerbee script writers.

Seasoned screenwriter Michael Elliot has formed an online resource to help new screenwriters break into Hollywood with their first screenplay. Elliot has revealed the launch of the website WritersLittleBlackBook.com.

WritersLittleBlackBook.com is an online directory of more than 1,200 film producers and the connections at each film company that Elliot thinks most probable to consider material from new, unrepresented writers. "Getting your script read by a Hollywood producer is a new writer's best chance of selling their screenplay," says Elliot.

Hopeful writers now have a door to these Hollywood producers through WritersLittleBlackBook.com. It's a members-only resource, though. Each of the more than 1,200 listings include the producer's contact information, produced credits, and more importantly, the one person at the producer's company that Elliot recommends writers contact.

*** Script writers, Script writers, Script writers ***

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Book writing, 20 ways to polish that manuscript
Writing a story – 12 important elements of dialogue
550 other words for said

Quote of the day.

Tell Me a Story - quotes

Not had a bad day, cleaned the swimming pool, painted the interior kitchen doors, taken it easy - no rush. Sundays are for taking it easy.

I love this quote, seems kind of apt in the circumstance.

Everyone rises to their level of incompetence.

Laurence J. Peter

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End of post - quote of the day.
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Book writing, 20 ways to polish that manuscript
Writing a story – 12 important elements of dialogue
550 other words for said

Dad Mitch, follows Amy Winehouse into songs

Tell Me a Story - viewpoint.

It sometimes happens that children follow in their parent’s footsteps; not so often that you hear of parents following into their kid’s career.

In this particular case, Amy Winehouse‘s dad, Mitch, a taxi driver, is taking the plunge.

Mitch has started recording an album of Frank Sinatra songs, along with a handful of his own songs. A source says, “Mitch has been working on the album for a while now. Amy always credits her dad with getting her into singing. He loves music. He has a good voice and wants a go at turning professional.”

Way to go Mitch – but hope you’re not following Amy into drugs as well……

*** Amy Winehouse, Amy Winehouse, Amy Winehouse ***

*** Mitch Winehouse, Mitch Winehouse, Mitch Winehouse ***

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End of post - Mitch follows Amy Winehouse into song

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Book writing, 20 ways to polish that manuscript
Writing a story – 12 important elements of dialogue
550 other words for said

Quick quote.

Tell Me a Story - quotes.

I love this quote. For writers it becomes somewhat poignant....

Criticism is prejudice made plausible.
- H. L. Mencken

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End of post - Quick quote

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Book writing, 20 ways to polish that manuscript
Writing a story – 12 important elements of dialogue
550 other words for said