Book Trailer: An Effective Promotional and Marketing Tool
By
Theresa Chaze
Book trailers are more than images set to music, nor do they just a recap of the book synopsis. In fact, they are an effect promotional tool that will create interest by going beyond the synopsis to the "heart of the book. Although, book trailers are considered promotional material, they are in reality an advertisement. The difference lies in the length and basic format.
Most book trailers are much longer than most conventional ads, running 1-5 minutes long, while currently most broadcast ad are 30 seconds. It would be too costly to run longer ads in prime time on the local or national level. Even well know writers such as Stephen King, only run 15 second national ads. They are quick in-out ad, which do little more than announce a new book However, book trailers are designed for the internet, where the venues are either free or low cost. Length is not a consideration; therefore, they can be more detailed both in content and style. The quality both in the writing and production can make the trailer an asset or a major liability. Being clever and unique can create a buzz about the trailer, which will in turn increase sales. However, if the trailer is merely random images set to music, it will make the author look amateurish.
The message has to do more than recap the synopsis. It has to be in itself a creative work that creates layers of interest. Whether as text or a voiceover, the message needs to tantalize the readers into buying the book. In the case of fiction, the trailer is a vignette with a beginning and middle, but the end is left hanging as a question. Its purpose is to introduce the lead characters and plot, while building up the conflict of the story, so that the readers will want to answer the question--what happens next? In non-fiction, most books have more of a targeted audience. The text will want not only to provide the author’s credentials, but also put forth her or his thesis, while hinting why it is different from ever other expert in the field. Both formats will want to provide reviews, ordering information, and run credits back to any person or site that provided resources for the trailer.
Multi-sensory devices such as videos, still pictures and voiceovers, all coordinated with music as the video trailer create layers of information that combine into a single effective ad. The video transitions and effects have to be appropriate for the message and match the audio portion of the piece. Both can create a sense of movement in still photographs, making them look more movie like. The availability of digit cameras makes adding live action shots easy and inexpensive. In addition, there are sites on the net that inexpensively offer video clips. There are also sites that music can be download for free, if they are given credit and a link back. The music needs to create a sense of the book beyond the words. It can add drama, intensity or humor depending the style of the music. It is just one more way to enhance the feel and add depth to the trailer.
By coordinating the whole package to roll out in a logical, concise format, the trailer becomes a thought provoking, interest creating marketing tool. However, if written and produced well, it doesn’t have to be elaborate or highly technical; sometimes the simple direct approach is the most effective, if done professionally and with creative thought.
I have produced the following trailers not no only for my books, but for others authors as well. I am available for hire by emailing: Tirgana (at) yahoo (dot) com. Here are some examples of my work.
West Across the Board
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWWEv7RqEpo
Behold Your Mother
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8F8UJnxaqg
Nict For Ure Selfe (Not For Ourselves)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Jk8S7AVw5E
Honor Due
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzpB6U3-Zm8
Ammie Wants to be on Oprah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6D4_4_wD27A
St. John of Midfield
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98gFiRMcZxc
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Showing posts with label promotions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label promotions. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Virtual Book Tour: Writing, Publishing, and Marketing Tips
FROM BLANK PAGE TO BOOK SHELVES VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '08
Join Theresa Chaze, author of the nonfiction ebook, From Blank Page to Book Shelves: How to Successfully Create and Market Your Book, as she virtually tours the blogosphere in April on her second virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion!
Theresa Chaze has been described as the woman who plays with dragons, especially the dragons of the mind. She leads her readers to magical realms and others worlds. Her work is based on her philosophy that all peoples can live together in peace as long as we come from respect, not only for ourselves but those who follow different paths or beliefs. Whether fiction or non-fiction, Ms Chaze uses her talent to help others find the path to healing and take back their own power. Her work has been compared to Marion Zimmer Bradley and Anne McCaffrey with an adult version of Harry Potter mixed in. Theresa Chaze's major works so far include the first two novels of the Dragon Clan Trilogy (Awakening the Dragon and Dragon Domain) , a Wiccan Book of Shadows, Out of the Shadows, and Into the Light, From Blank Page to Book Shelves--How to Successfully Create and Market Your Book and a free fantasy ebook called, Sisters, Mother, Daughters. She is also a publishing consultant and publicist who helps authors successful publish and market their own work. She publishes an ezine called, Messages From the Universe, which is available on her site http://www.theresachaze.com/.
From Blank Page to Book Shelves Synopsis
From Blank Page to Book Shelves--How to Successfully Write and Market Your Book is a new ebook, which give writing tips, publishing advice and marketing tools. From creating unique characters to strong plots, this ebook help authors become stronger writers, while also giving them insight into the business end of the industry. Although there are arch-types, there are no stereotypical characters in successful books. Equally as important is the story structure, plot progression and the conflict development; without a working knowledge of all three the author cannot write a story that will allow the reader to suspend their disbelief. In addition, From Blank Page to Book Shelves helps authors understand the publishing process and aids them to find a publisher that will be beneficial to their career. The last section covers marketing and promotional ideas. From traditional, internet to local, From Blank Page to Book Shelves gives marketing suggestions that are both effective and cost efficient. From Blank Page to Book Shelves--How to Successfully Write and Market Your Book is available as an Amazon Kindle book and on the Theresa Chaze?s website at http://www.theresachaze.com/. Those that buy the ebook from the Chaze will also receive a copy of her 345 page PDF listing of over 2000 independent bookstores for free.
*****
Visit Theresa's first week of tour stops!
April 1 - Theresa kicks off her virtual book tour with a stop at Jen's Creatif blog!
April 2 - Visit Theresa on the second day of her tour at Paperback Writer!
April 3 - Third day of tours finds Theresa at Beyond the Books!
April 4 - Week one wraps up with a stop at Jeffrey Redmond!
Be sure to comment to have a chance to win one of Theresa's books!
*******
FROM BLANK PAGE TO BOOK SHELVES VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '08 will officially begin on April 1, 2008 and continue all month. If you would like to follow Theresa's tour, visit http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in April. Leave a comment on her blog stops and become eligible to win a free copy at the end of her tour! One lucky winner will be announced on this blog on April 30!
*******
Theresa's virtual book tour is brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours at http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com/ and choreographed by Dorothy Thompson.
PUMP UP YOUR BOOK PROMOTION VIRTUAL BOOK TOURS
"We take books to the virtual level!"
www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com
Technorati Tags:
best selling novel, book marketing, book publishing, Christian fiction, creative writing, desktop publishing, e-publishing, keywords, publishing, science fiction, self publishing, SEO, book trailer, romance, book trailer romance novel novels online Jeffrey Redmond Passion lust sexual pleasure fantasy fiction, romance novels, online romance novels, Amazon Kindle, fantasy romance novels, book trailers, pulp fiction, ebook, e-publishing, adult fiction, Theresa Chaze, self publishing, book publishing, e-publishing, writing, creative writing, marketing, direct marketing, book marketing, fiction, book marketing network, book marketing consultant, online marketing book, book marketing services, book internet marketing publishing, marketing a published book, book publishing, book publishing companies, self publishing, what is desktop publishing, tips for writing a novel, tips for writing a story, creative writing tips, tips on writing a memoir, fiction writing tips, novel writing tips, tips on writing a book, romance writing tips, short story writing tips, romance writers tips on writing, tips on writing romance, good writing tips
Join Theresa Chaze, author of the nonfiction ebook, From Blank Page to Book Shelves: How to Successfully Create and Market Your Book, as she virtually tours the blogosphere in April on her second virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion!
Theresa Chaze has been described as the woman who plays with dragons, especially the dragons of the mind. She leads her readers to magical realms and others worlds. Her work is based on her philosophy that all peoples can live together in peace as long as we come from respect, not only for ourselves but those who follow different paths or beliefs. Whether fiction or non-fiction, Ms Chaze uses her talent to help others find the path to healing and take back their own power. Her work has been compared to Marion Zimmer Bradley and Anne McCaffrey with an adult version of Harry Potter mixed in. Theresa Chaze's major works so far include the first two novels of the Dragon Clan Trilogy (Awakening the Dragon and Dragon Domain) , a Wiccan Book of Shadows, Out of the Shadows, and Into the Light, From Blank Page to Book Shelves--How to Successfully Create and Market Your Book and a free fantasy ebook called, Sisters, Mother, Daughters. She is also a publishing consultant and publicist who helps authors successful publish and market their own work. She publishes an ezine called, Messages From the Universe, which is available on her site http://www.theresachaze.com/.
From Blank Page to Book Shelves Synopsis
From Blank Page to Book Shelves--How to Successfully Write and Market Your Book is a new ebook, which give writing tips, publishing advice and marketing tools. From creating unique characters to strong plots, this ebook help authors become stronger writers, while also giving them insight into the business end of the industry. Although there are arch-types, there are no stereotypical characters in successful books. Equally as important is the story structure, plot progression and the conflict development; without a working knowledge of all three the author cannot write a story that will allow the reader to suspend their disbelief. In addition, From Blank Page to Book Shelves helps authors understand the publishing process and aids them to find a publisher that will be beneficial to their career. The last section covers marketing and promotional ideas. From traditional, internet to local, From Blank Page to Book Shelves gives marketing suggestions that are both effective and cost efficient. From Blank Page to Book Shelves--How to Successfully Write and Market Your Book is available as an Amazon Kindle book and on the Theresa Chaze?s website at http://www.theresachaze.com/. Those that buy the ebook from the Chaze will also receive a copy of her 345 page PDF listing of over 2000 independent bookstores for free.
*****
Visit Theresa's first week of tour stops!
April 1 - Theresa kicks off her virtual book tour with a stop at Jen's Creatif blog!
April 2 - Visit Theresa on the second day of her tour at Paperback Writer!
April 3 - Third day of tours finds Theresa at Beyond the Books!
April 4 - Week one wraps up with a stop at Jeffrey Redmond!
Be sure to comment to have a chance to win one of Theresa's books!
*******
FROM BLANK PAGE TO BOOK SHELVES VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '08 will officially begin on April 1, 2008 and continue all month. If you would like to follow Theresa's tour, visit http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in April. Leave a comment on her blog stops and become eligible to win a free copy at the end of her tour! One lucky winner will be announced on this blog on April 30!
*******
Theresa's virtual book tour is brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours at http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com/ and choreographed by Dorothy Thompson.
PUMP UP YOUR BOOK PROMOTION VIRTUAL BOOK TOURS
"We take books to the virtual level!"
www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com
Technorati Tags:
best selling novel, book marketing, book publishing, Christian fiction, creative writing, desktop publishing, e-publishing, keywords, publishing, science fiction, self publishing, SEO, book trailer, romance, book trailer romance novel novels online Jeffrey Redmond Passion lust sexual pleasure fantasy fiction, romance novels, online romance novels, Amazon Kindle, fantasy romance novels, book trailers, pulp fiction, ebook, e-publishing, adult fiction, Theresa Chaze, self publishing, book publishing, e-publishing, writing, creative writing, marketing, direct marketing, book marketing, fiction, book marketing network, book marketing consultant, online marketing book, book marketing services, book internet marketing publishing, marketing a published book, book publishing, book publishing companies, self publishing, what is desktop publishing, tips for writing a novel, tips for writing a story, creative writing tips, tips on writing a memoir, fiction writing tips, novel writing tips, tips on writing a book, romance writing tips, short story writing tips, romance writers tips on writing, tips on writing romance, good writing tips
Thursday, December 06, 2007
December 6 Virtual Book Tour
Virtual book tours with Pump Up Your Book Promotion continues! All authors on tour in December will be giving away FREE copies of their books to a few lucky people who comment on their blog stops. Winners will be announced at www.virtualbooktour sforauthors. blogspot. com on December 31!
The following authors on tour and their tour stops today are:
Angela Benson, author of the christian fiction novel, THE AMEN SISTERS (Walk Worthy Press/Grand Central Publishing, Nov. ‘07), will be stopping off at My Christian Fiction Blog!
Theresa Chaze, author of the magical fantasy novel, AWAKENING THE DRAGON (Valkyrie Publishing), will be stopping off at The Book Connection!
Holly Fretwell, author of the nonfiction children’s book, THE SKY’S NOT FALLING (Kids Ahead Publishing), will be stopping off at Paperback Writer!
Roberta Isleib, author of the psychological mystery murder novel, PREACHING TO THE CORPSE (Berkley Prime, Dec. ‘07) will be stopping off at Plug Your Book!
Jim Melvin, author of book one of the DEATH WIZARD CHRONICLES epic fantasy series, THE PIT (Rain Publishing, Sept. ‘07) will be stopping off at Acme Authors Link!
Marilyn Celeste Morris, author of the non-fiction self-help book, DIAGNOSIS: LUPUS (Publish America) will be stopping off at The Writer’s Life!
Cat Muldoon, author of the fantasy novel, RUE THE DAY (Wings Press, May ‘07) will be stopping off at Pam’s Wild Rose Blog!
Nelson Pahl, author of the romantic fiction, BEE BALMS & BURGUNDY (Cafe Reverie Press, Sept. ‘07) will be stopping off at Snow’s Blog!
All authors will be giving away free copies of their books to a few lucky readers who comment on their blog stops. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to win free books!
PUMP UP YOUR BOOK PROMOTION VIRTUAL BOOK TOURS
"Leave your tour in our hands!"
www.pumpupyourbookp romotion. com
The following authors on tour and their tour stops today are:
Angela Benson, author of the christian fiction novel, THE AMEN SISTERS (Walk Worthy Press/Grand Central Publishing, Nov. ‘07), will be stopping off at My Christian Fiction Blog!
Theresa Chaze, author of the magical fantasy novel, AWAKENING THE DRAGON (Valkyrie Publishing), will be stopping off at The Book Connection!
Holly Fretwell, author of the nonfiction children’s book, THE SKY’S NOT FALLING (Kids Ahead Publishing), will be stopping off at Paperback Writer!
Roberta Isleib, author of the psychological mystery murder novel, PREACHING TO THE CORPSE (Berkley Prime, Dec. ‘07) will be stopping off at Plug Your Book!
Jim Melvin, author of book one of the DEATH WIZARD CHRONICLES epic fantasy series, THE PIT (Rain Publishing, Sept. ‘07) will be stopping off at Acme Authors Link!
Marilyn Celeste Morris, author of the non-fiction self-help book, DIAGNOSIS: LUPUS (Publish America) will be stopping off at The Writer’s Life!
Cat Muldoon, author of the fantasy novel, RUE THE DAY (Wings Press, May ‘07) will be stopping off at Pam’s Wild Rose Blog!
Nelson Pahl, author of the romantic fiction, BEE BALMS & BURGUNDY (Cafe Reverie Press, Sept. ‘07) will be stopping off at Snow’s Blog!
All authors will be giving away free copies of their books to a few lucky readers who comment on their blog stops. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to win free books!
PUMP UP YOUR BOOK PROMOTION VIRTUAL BOOK TOURS
"Leave your tour in our hands!"
www.pumpupyourbookp romotion. com
Friday, November 23, 2007
Virtual Book Tours: A New Promotional Tool For Authors
Virtual Book Tours: A New Promotional Tool For Authors
By
Theresa Chaze
Virtual Book Tours are the newest marketing opportunity for authors. With traditionally book tours, authors travel from town to town doing book signings and doing interviews to publicize their books. Although the process is very effective, it also involves great expense, travel and time. Virtual book tours essentially do the same; however, instead of the authors physically traveling to bookstores, the interviews and book readings are conducted electronically through posting on blogs and IM conversations.
Although a Virtual Book Tour doesn't have the same personal touch at the traditional tour, it can be more informative and effective. From the comfort of their homes, readers can learn more about new writers and their work. By reading the interviews on the blogs, the readers not only learn more about the author’s work, but about her or his private lives. Interviews are conducted by many bloggers, each of which will give a fresh perspective on the author as a person and on the work. By following the tour, the reader will be able to get to know the author on a more personal level as well as be able to read excerpts of the book.
The internet also allows the readers to meet the authors electronically through IM messaging, conferencing and chat rooms. Many of the IM services have both audio and video features, which personalized the experience more. No longer just words on the screen, the authors can become three dimensional people who can answer questions about themselves and their work in real time. Chat rooms and conference room have the advantage over the one to one IM messaging by allowing the readers to share in on both the questions and answers. By coming together in a room, the author's answers are shared with all in the room instead of just the individual. For the readers, it gives them the opportunity to receive answers to questions they may not have thought of or were afraid to ask.
For the authors, it has the advantages of being able to reach a more diverse audience quicker and more conveniently. No longer do authors have to pack up and travel from town to town to gain the attention of their target audience. The internet has also made reaching new audiences and reconnecting with existing ones, easier and quicker. No longer bound by time and space, authors can not only make direct contact with their target market, but also expand their readership into the general audience. The proper use of key words in the blog will make the interviews more accessible by search engines. The diversification of the type of blogs involved in the tour will help the author reach a varied audience that might not have be otherwise open to the author’s work.
Virtual book tours also benefit the bloggers involved by bringing more traffic to their site. As part of the promotional process, the coordinator also promotes the hosting blog thereby temporarily giving the blog additional attention. By hosting a stop on a tour, the blogger also promotes their own message, while helping another. It is a win-win situation for all involved.
Dorothy Thompson is one to the premier Virtual Book Tour co-coordinators. Her promotional website Pump Up Your Book Promotion and her book promotion blog at Pump Up Your Online Book Promotion has helped many authors successful promote their books. In January, she will be hosting a Virtual Book Tour for Kathleen Willey's book Target: Caught In The Crosshairs Of Bill And Hillary Clinton. Currently it is ranked 79# at Amazon. She has also hosted many other authors both in the US and in Canada. Her success rate has surpassed most of the other tour coordinators. In addition, she is the author of the self-promoting e-book, The Complete Guide to Promoting & Selling Your Self-Published eBook. Her success rate has made her tours a valuable promotional asset to the authors she has represented.
By
Theresa Chaze
Virtual Book Tours are the newest marketing opportunity for authors. With traditionally book tours, authors travel from town to town doing book signings and doing interviews to publicize their books. Although the process is very effective, it also involves great expense, travel and time. Virtual book tours essentially do the same; however, instead of the authors physically traveling to bookstores, the interviews and book readings are conducted electronically through posting on blogs and IM conversations.
Although a Virtual Book Tour doesn't have the same personal touch at the traditional tour, it can be more informative and effective. From the comfort of their homes, readers can learn more about new writers and their work. By reading the interviews on the blogs, the readers not only learn more about the author’s work, but about her or his private lives. Interviews are conducted by many bloggers, each of which will give a fresh perspective on the author as a person and on the work. By following the tour, the reader will be able to get to know the author on a more personal level as well as be able to read excerpts of the book.
The internet also allows the readers to meet the authors electronically through IM messaging, conferencing and chat rooms. Many of the IM services have both audio and video features, which personalized the experience more. No longer just words on the screen, the authors can become three dimensional people who can answer questions about themselves and their work in real time. Chat rooms and conference room have the advantage over the one to one IM messaging by allowing the readers to share in on both the questions and answers. By coming together in a room, the author's answers are shared with all in the room instead of just the individual. For the readers, it gives them the opportunity to receive answers to questions they may not have thought of or were afraid to ask.
For the authors, it has the advantages of being able to reach a more diverse audience quicker and more conveniently. No longer do authors have to pack up and travel from town to town to gain the attention of their target audience. The internet has also made reaching new audiences and reconnecting with existing ones, easier and quicker. No longer bound by time and space, authors can not only make direct contact with their target market, but also expand their readership into the general audience. The proper use of key words in the blog will make the interviews more accessible by search engines. The diversification of the type of blogs involved in the tour will help the author reach a varied audience that might not have be otherwise open to the author’s work.
Virtual book tours also benefit the bloggers involved by bringing more traffic to their site. As part of the promotional process, the coordinator also promotes the hosting blog thereby temporarily giving the blog additional attention. By hosting a stop on a tour, the blogger also promotes their own message, while helping another. It is a win-win situation for all involved.
Dorothy Thompson is one to the premier Virtual Book Tour co-coordinators. Her promotional website Pump Up Your Book Promotion and her book promotion blog at Pump Up Your Online Book Promotion has helped many authors successful promote their books. In January, she will be hosting a Virtual Book Tour for Kathleen Willey's book Target: Caught In The Crosshairs Of Bill And Hillary Clinton. Currently it is ranked 79# at Amazon. She has also hosted many other authors both in the US and in Canada. Her success rate has surpassed most of the other tour coordinators. In addition, she is the author of the self-promoting e-book, The Complete Guide to Promoting & Selling Your Self-Published eBook. Her success rate has made her tours a valuable promotional asset to the authors she has represented.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
New book cover for Magical Fantasy novel--
The new cover for Dragon Domain--Book One of the Dragon Clan Trilogy
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Direct Marketing to Independent Bookstores
Direct Marketing to Independent Bookstores
By
Theresa Chaze
Active book promotion and marketing is important to every book's success, especially when it comes to the beginning writer. Contacting independent bookstores is a direct marketing method that is not only cost effective but a successful way for the authors to bring their work to the attention of buyers. With the technological advancements of email, fax and unlimited long distance, it is easier and cheaper than ever before for authors to promote their work to brick and mortar stores.
In the past, authors used direct mailings and industry advertisements to gain the attention of independent bookstore owners. It was a costly and slow process. Not only was it expensive to print full color flyers, but the increasing postage rates made snail mail direct marketing cost prohibitive. Placing ad in trade magazines is effective only if the ad is well placed and designed. Yet even then, the message would only reach those stores that subscribed to the magazine or service.
The internet has opened the door to direct marketing to bookstores by making it cheaper, easier and quicker. Most stores have websites, which contain their contact information as well as accurate descriptions of the books they sell. It is an easy way for the author to reach their target audience by approaching only the stores who carry their genre. By searching the net, an author can find stores by state or specialty. However, compiling list of bookstores can be very time consuming and frustrating. There is no master site that lists bookstores. Instead, the search must be done by location or genre.
If an author is wise, she or he will create a list of the bookstores as they are contacted, not only to check back with them but for future use. However, there are short cuts that an author can take. There are sites that do sell lists of bookstores; however, they are very expensive and have been assembled by non writers. Valkyrie Publishing is offering the list it uses to promote their books. This list has contact information for over 2000 independent bookstores. Most of them have not only the contact information, but also details about the store itself. Below are examples of what the list contains.
Auburn University Bookstore
1360 Haley Center, Auburn, AL 36849
Phone: (334)844-1365
Fax: (334)844-1697
Type of Books Sold: Primarily New
Description: Auburn University Bookstore
Alabama Booksmith
2626 19th Place South, Birmingham, AL 35209
Phone: (205)870-4242
Fax: (205)870-4302
Type of Books Sold: Primarily New
Malcolm's Reading Room
404 17th Street, Birmingham, AL 35203
Phone: (205)563-4846
Fax: (205)802-2240
Page & Palette Inc.
32 South Section Street, Fairhope, AL 36532
Phone: (251)928-5295
Fax: (251)928-2550
Type of Books Sold: Primarily New
Description: For over 30 years we have been dedicated to enhancing the quality of life on the Eastern Shore.
Little Professor Book Center
2717 18th Street South, Homewood, AL 35209
Phone: (205)870-7461
Fax: (205)879-7563
Type of Books Sold: Primarily New
Accepts Book Sense Gift Cards
Description: Besides having an impressive assortment of books, we also have a wonderfully delicious cafe and one of the largest selections of magazines in Birmingham!
The stores are organized by state with additional listings for new age and fantasy stores. The list costs $20.00 payable through paypal only. It is found at www.theresachaze.com.
By
Theresa Chaze
Active book promotion and marketing is important to every book's success, especially when it comes to the beginning writer. Contacting independent bookstores is a direct marketing method that is not only cost effective but a successful way for the authors to bring their work to the attention of buyers. With the technological advancements of email, fax and unlimited long distance, it is easier and cheaper than ever before for authors to promote their work to brick and mortar stores.
In the past, authors used direct mailings and industry advertisements to gain the attention of independent bookstore owners. It was a costly and slow process. Not only was it expensive to print full color flyers, but the increasing postage rates made snail mail direct marketing cost prohibitive. Placing ad in trade magazines is effective only if the ad is well placed and designed. Yet even then, the message would only reach those stores that subscribed to the magazine or service.
The internet has opened the door to direct marketing to bookstores by making it cheaper, easier and quicker. Most stores have websites, which contain their contact information as well as accurate descriptions of the books they sell. It is an easy way for the author to reach their target audience by approaching only the stores who carry their genre. By searching the net, an author can find stores by state or specialty. However, compiling list of bookstores can be very time consuming and frustrating. There is no master site that lists bookstores. Instead, the search must be done by location or genre.
If an author is wise, she or he will create a list of the bookstores as they are contacted, not only to check back with them but for future use. However, there are short cuts that an author can take. There are sites that do sell lists of bookstores; however, they are very expensive and have been assembled by non writers. Valkyrie Publishing is offering the list it uses to promote their books. This list has contact information for over 2000 independent bookstores. Most of them have not only the contact information, but also details about the store itself. Below are examples of what the list contains.
Auburn University Bookstore
1360 Haley Center, Auburn, AL 36849
Phone: (334)844-1365
Fax: (334)844-1697
Type of Books Sold: Primarily New
Description: Auburn University Bookstore
Alabama Booksmith
2626 19th Place South, Birmingham, AL 35209
Phone: (205)870-4242
Fax: (205)870-4302
Type of Books Sold: Primarily New
Malcolm's Reading Room
404 17th Street, Birmingham, AL 35203
Phone: (205)563-4846
Fax: (205)802-2240
Page & Palette Inc.
32 South Section Street, Fairhope, AL 36532
Phone: (251)928-5295
Fax: (251)928-2550
Type of Books Sold: Primarily New
Description: For over 30 years we have been dedicated to enhancing the quality of life on the Eastern Shore.
Little Professor Book Center
2717 18th Street South, Homewood, AL 35209
Phone: (205)870-7461
Fax: (205)879-7563
Type of Books Sold: Primarily New
Accepts Book Sense Gift Cards
Description: Besides having an impressive assortment of books, we also have a wonderfully delicious cafe and one of the largest selections of magazines in Birmingham!
The stores are organized by state with additional listings for new age and fantasy stores. The list costs $20.00 payable through paypal only. It is found at www.theresachaze.com.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Free Spiritually Incorrect Ezine--Messages From The Universe November Issue
Greetings,
Here is the November issue of Messages From the Universe. As always it has the Tarot Energy reading for the month along with articles by Rev. Marci Drewy, Bruce Seah, Moriah Marston and many others. Although you are welcome to share the ezine as a whole, the individual articles remain the property of the authors.
The address is below. You may have to cut and paste it into your browser.
http://us.share.geocities.com/tirgana/MessagesNov2007.pdf
If you would like to insure you receive Messages From the Universe every month, please join the free Yahoo group at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MessagesFromtheUniverse/
Here is the November issue of Messages From the Universe. As always it has the Tarot Energy reading for the month along with articles by Rev. Marci Drewy, Bruce Seah, Moriah Marston and many others. Although you are welcome to share the ezine as a whole, the individual articles remain the property of the authors.
The address is below. You may have to cut and paste it into your browser.
http://us.share.geocities.com/tirgana/MessagesNov2007.pdf
If you would like to insure you receive Messages From the Universe every month, please join the free Yahoo group at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MessagesFromtheUniverse/
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Six Simple Steps For Successfull Publishing
Doing a simple search on the net for predators and editors, it is easy to discover how many individuals and companies are waiting to take advantage of writers. Making grandiose promises of making their book a best seller, they con unsuspecting writers out of the money, talent and royalties. Even those writers who do the research can find that they have been taken advantage, However, with the new technological advances in computers and in printing, writers no long have to depend on others to make their publishing dream come true. Print on demand opens the door for authors to not only maintain creative control, but also retain all of the profits from their work. There are six simple steps to getting your book successfully published and distributed.
1. Write your book, making sure that it is properly edited.
Not only does you book have to be creative and interesting, but it has to be readable. Meaning that you need to do more than run it through the spell checker. Punctuation, spelling, and grammar errors will detract from the content and discredit the author. Although mistakes can even be found best selling books, they are rare and quickly fixed in the next edition. First time authors especially need to make sure the work reaches the highest standard possible.
2. Format you book so that it is easy to read and looks professional with an eye catching cover and enticing back cover blurb.
Formatting your book not only is resizing it to fit the appropriate book size, but it is also making sure the typesetting gives the pages a professional appearance. Margins need to be justified to give the pages a clean look. In most cases, book covers should be kept simple and uncomplicated; the graphics need to lure the reader to pick it up. The back cover blurb needs to tempt the reader into reading a few pages. The pages within should persuade the reader the book is worth the money.
3. Find a printer who can produce quality books at a cost effective price.
The list of POD printers is rapidly growing. By Googling the “print on demand printers”, the writer can find an impressive of list that varies not only in price but also in services. Some POD printers provide printing services without set up fees; however, they have limited distribution, which will also reduce the number brick and mortar stores who will be willing to carry the books. However, if an author only needs a few copies or intends to sell solely online, theses services are inexpensive ways to get a book in print. Most POD printers charge set up fees, but they also provide other printing options for book size, colors, and binding.
4. Make you book financially attractive to bookstores.
New authors have be realistic about their profit margins. In order for bookstores to be interested, the books have to be reasonably priced with at least a 50% discount off the cover price. However, the current standard discount is 55% off. In addition, making the books returnable is a must. Very few bookstores will risk their money and shelf space on a book by an unknown author if it isn’t returnable. When setting the cover price all three factors must be considered in along with a royalty fee. Never forget to pay yourself for your work, but don’t forget that the higher the cost of the book, the few copies that will be sold.
5. List your book with a distributor who is widely used.
Ingram is one of the widest know distributors in the country. However, they will not work with publishing houses that have less than ten titles in print. For a new publishing house, this can be a temporary obstacle. They do however have a list of associated distributors who will represent books from smaller publishers. The site address for the list is http://www.ingrambook.com/new/distributors.asp. Each of these distributors has their own standards and genres that they represent. Some of which require an exclusive contract for each book.
6. Promoted and market you book 24/7
Whether traditional or POD, a beginning author does nearly all of the marketing and promotions. In order to be effective, the author has to not only find a niche market, but has to create brand name for her or himself. The niche market is the target market that you are seeking according to genre, age, gender and readership. Creating a brand name is process where an author creates a strong connection with the target audience. In the past, traditional publishers placed ads and arranged for reviews. These are both still important venues; however, the internet has opened up many different options. Blogs, vblogs, and homepages are only three opportunities to attract readers, which cost little or no money. Online groups, chat rooms, and message boards are not only places to promote your work, but it is a great way to make connections with like minds.
No longer costing thousands of dollars to get their books in print, more authors are starting their own publishing houses and going out on their own. By doing it themselves, an author can published and distributed to the public for less than three hundred dollars.
Valkyrie Publishing is a consulting service, which helps authors create their dream without risking their royalties or answering to another. It is their job to make the publishing experience as simple and inexpensive as possible. For authors who are not technologically savvy or would just like help with the process, they are an excellent resource and beneficial asset.
1. Write your book, making sure that it is properly edited.
Not only does you book have to be creative and interesting, but it has to be readable. Meaning that you need to do more than run it through the spell checker. Punctuation, spelling, and grammar errors will detract from the content and discredit the author. Although mistakes can even be found best selling books, they are rare and quickly fixed in the next edition. First time authors especially need to make sure the work reaches the highest standard possible.
2. Format you book so that it is easy to read and looks professional with an eye catching cover and enticing back cover blurb.
Formatting your book not only is resizing it to fit the appropriate book size, but it is also making sure the typesetting gives the pages a professional appearance. Margins need to be justified to give the pages a clean look. In most cases, book covers should be kept simple and uncomplicated; the graphics need to lure the reader to pick it up. The back cover blurb needs to tempt the reader into reading a few pages. The pages within should persuade the reader the book is worth the money.
3. Find a printer who can produce quality books at a cost effective price.
The list of POD printers is rapidly growing. By Googling the “print on demand printers”, the writer can find an impressive of list that varies not only in price but also in services. Some POD printers provide printing services without set up fees; however, they have limited distribution, which will also reduce the number brick and mortar stores who will be willing to carry the books. However, if an author only needs a few copies or intends to sell solely online, theses services are inexpensive ways to get a book in print. Most POD printers charge set up fees, but they also provide other printing options for book size, colors, and binding.
4. Make you book financially attractive to bookstores.
New authors have be realistic about their profit margins. In order for bookstores to be interested, the books have to be reasonably priced with at least a 50% discount off the cover price. However, the current standard discount is 55% off. In addition, making the books returnable is a must. Very few bookstores will risk their money and shelf space on a book by an unknown author if it isn’t returnable. When setting the cover price all three factors must be considered in along with a royalty fee. Never forget to pay yourself for your work, but don’t forget that the higher the cost of the book, the few copies that will be sold.
5. List your book with a distributor who is widely used.
Ingram is one of the widest know distributors in the country. However, they will not work with publishing houses that have less than ten titles in print. For a new publishing house, this can be a temporary obstacle. They do however have a list of associated distributors who will represent books from smaller publishers. The site address for the list is http://www.ingrambook.com/new/distributors.asp. Each of these distributors has their own standards and genres that they represent. Some of which require an exclusive contract for each book.
6. Promoted and market you book 24/7
Whether traditional or POD, a beginning author does nearly all of the marketing and promotions. In order to be effective, the author has to not only find a niche market, but has to create brand name for her or himself. The niche market is the target market that you are seeking according to genre, age, gender and readership. Creating a brand name is process where an author creates a strong connection with the target audience. In the past, traditional publishers placed ads and arranged for reviews. These are both still important venues; however, the internet has opened up many different options. Blogs, vblogs, and homepages are only three opportunities to attract readers, which cost little or no money. Online groups, chat rooms, and message boards are not only places to promote your work, but it is a great way to make connections with like minds.
No longer costing thousands of dollars to get their books in print, more authors are starting their own publishing houses and going out on their own. By doing it themselves, an author can published and distributed to the public for less than three hundred dollars.
Valkyrie Publishing is a consulting service, which helps authors create their dream without risking their royalties or answering to another. It is their job to make the publishing experience as simple and inexpensive as possible. For authors who are not technologically savvy or would just like help with the process, they are an excellent resource and beneficial asset.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Make Your Publishing Dream A Reality: paperback and ebooks
Publish You Own Book. Tired of doing all the work and receiving little or no profits. POD makes self-publishing cheaper and give authors more access to distributors. Traditional publishers throw good books into slush piles. Many POD publishers take your money, keep most of the profits, and give you minimal royalties. Beginning authors do all the writing, promotion and marketing, yet receive very little of the profits. It costs very little to get your book into print and accepted by distributors. Valkyrie Publishing helps you publish your own work and keep all the profits. For more information go to http://www.geocitie s.com/tirgana/Valkyrieserves.pdf or www.theresachaze.com
Monday, October 01, 2007
Print on Demand Opens Options for Writers
Print on Demand Opens Options for Writers
By
Theresa Chaze
The Print on Demand technology has given writers the freedom to take total control of their work. No long bound to publishers’ demands and limited expectations, writers can affordably publish their own work, circumventing both traditional and POD publishers all together. With the willingness of distributors to widen their standards, smaller publishers now have access to brick and mortar stores as well as the online shops. The internet not only makes marketing and promotion accessible and affordable, but it gives authors and readers greater access to each other.
Print on Demand or POD is the printing process that is capable of producing one book at a time for a relatively reasonable price. The printing process opens alternative options for authors to not only get their work into print, but to control the business end. By becoming their own publisher, the writer is able to manage the pricing and discounts of their work as well as maintain creative discretion. No longer do the private tastes of an editor stand between the author and the reading public.
Ingram is one of the widest know distributors in the country. However, they will not work with a publishing house that has less than ten titles in print. For a new publishing house, this can be a temporary obstacle. They do however have a list of associated distributors who will represent books from smaller publishers. The site address for the list is:
http://www.ingrambook.com/new/distributors.asp. Each of these distributors have their own standards and genres that they represent. Some of which require an exclusive contract for each book. For a fee, these distributors also provide a wide range of services from editing, promotions and marketing advisors.
Whereas there are limited amounts of distributors, the list of POD printers is rapidly growing. By Googling the “print on demand printers”, the writer can find an impress of list that varies not only in price but also in services. Lulu Publishing (www.Lulu.com) provides printing services without set up fees; however, their distribution is does not have the availability of Ingram, so it is more difficult to get into brick and mortar stores. Cafepress (www.cafepress.com) provides a similar service with equal distribution issues. However, if an author only needs a few copies or intends to sell solely online, both of theses services are inexpensive ways to get a book in print. Other POD printers are also available. The difference is that they not only charge set up fees, but they also provide other printing options. Lightning Press (www.lightning-press.com) is only one such printer who will provide professional printing services for reasonable prices.
No matter which printer is chosen, the author will have to provide all their materials print ready. The cover needs to be at least 300 DPI and be formatted correctly to include the full cover including the spine. The text will have to be typeset for the for the appropriate size and margin settings. In addition, the author will have to provide his or her own ISBN number. The ISBN is the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) that uniquely identifies books and book-like products published internationally, however the standard has been update to a 13-digit number. No matter what some publishing house advertise, ISBN numbers cannot be legally transferred or sold to individuals. The number is permanently connected to the publishing house. However, there is an option to buy individual numbers. For those authors who are planning to publish multiple books the cheapest option is to buy a block. Ranging from 10 to 10,000, the cost per number radically drops as the quantity increases. When a writer provides the ISBN number, it remains consistent no matter which printer or distributor works with the book. R. R. Bowker (www.isbn.org) is the exclusive US source of publisher prefixes and accompanying ranges of ISBN numbers for eligible publishers. They will also create barcodes for a fee. There are also barcode generator programs available; in addition, by doing a search on the net, the writer can find sites that will create the barcode for free.
Bookstores and chains are looking for quality books that are reasonably priced, with a good discount, and are returnable. These four qualities make it easier for a new author to find shelve space, which increases the probability for sales. Although online sales are increasing, the majority of book sales are still made in brick and mortar stores. Making the book returnable will not guarantee placement, but it will increase the number of stores who will be take a risk on a new author.
Whether traditional or POD, a beginning author does nearly all of the marketing and promotions. In order to be effective, the author has to not only find a niche market, but has to create brand name for her or himself. The niche market is the target market that you are seeking according to genre, age, gender and interest of the readership. Creating a brand name is creating a strong connection between the author and the target audience. In the past, traditional publishers placed ads and arranged for reviews. These are both still important venues; however, the internet has opened up many different options. Blogs, vblogs, and homepages are only three opportunities to attract readers. Online groups, chat rooms, and message boards are not only places to promote your work, but it is a great way to make connections with like minds. To just jump in to just do an ad, will annoy people. However, if you participate in the conversations, you will not only meet interesting people but allow them to see the author behind the words thereby creating an interest in you work. By creating cooperatives, such as blog rolls, you help other writers while increasing you readership. Dorothy Thompson of Pump Up Your Book Promotions (http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com/) is a full service online book promotion agency who can show you how to sell books without leaving the comfort of your home. They specialize in virtual book tours and video book trailers.
Valkyrie Publishing provides the technical support for authors who decide they want to publish their own work. Their services include typesetting and the creation of custom book covers. The author maintains all right and profits from the work. Valkyrie Publishing only provides the technical service to make the work printer ready. For more information, email Valkyrie@theresachaze.com.
By
Theresa Chaze
The Print on Demand technology has given writers the freedom to take total control of their work. No long bound to publishers’ demands and limited expectations, writers can affordably publish their own work, circumventing both traditional and POD publishers all together. With the willingness of distributors to widen their standards, smaller publishers now have access to brick and mortar stores as well as the online shops. The internet not only makes marketing and promotion accessible and affordable, but it gives authors and readers greater access to each other.
Print on Demand or POD is the printing process that is capable of producing one book at a time for a relatively reasonable price. The printing process opens alternative options for authors to not only get their work into print, but to control the business end. By becoming their own publisher, the writer is able to manage the pricing and discounts of their work as well as maintain creative discretion. No longer do the private tastes of an editor stand between the author and the reading public.
Ingram is one of the widest know distributors in the country. However, they will not work with a publishing house that has less than ten titles in print. For a new publishing house, this can be a temporary obstacle. They do however have a list of associated distributors who will represent books from smaller publishers. The site address for the list is:
http://www.ingrambook.com/new/distributors.asp. Each of these distributors have their own standards and genres that they represent. Some of which require an exclusive contract for each book. For a fee, these distributors also provide a wide range of services from editing, promotions and marketing advisors.
Whereas there are limited amounts of distributors, the list of POD printers is rapidly growing. By Googling the “print on demand printers”, the writer can find an impress of list that varies not only in price but also in services. Lulu Publishing (www.Lulu.com) provides printing services without set up fees; however, their distribution is does not have the availability of Ingram, so it is more difficult to get into brick and mortar stores. Cafepress (www.cafepress.com) provides a similar service with equal distribution issues. However, if an author only needs a few copies or intends to sell solely online, both of theses services are inexpensive ways to get a book in print. Other POD printers are also available. The difference is that they not only charge set up fees, but they also provide other printing options. Lightning Press (www.lightning-press.com) is only one such printer who will provide professional printing services for reasonable prices.
No matter which printer is chosen, the author will have to provide all their materials print ready. The cover needs to be at least 300 DPI and be formatted correctly to include the full cover including the spine. The text will have to be typeset for the for the appropriate size and margin settings. In addition, the author will have to provide his or her own ISBN number. The ISBN is the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) that uniquely identifies books and book-like products published internationally, however the standard has been update to a 13-digit number. No matter what some publishing house advertise, ISBN numbers cannot be legally transferred or sold to individuals. The number is permanently connected to the publishing house. However, there is an option to buy individual numbers. For those authors who are planning to publish multiple books the cheapest option is to buy a block. Ranging from 10 to 10,000, the cost per number radically drops as the quantity increases. When a writer provides the ISBN number, it remains consistent no matter which printer or distributor works with the book. R. R. Bowker (www.isbn.org) is the exclusive US source of publisher prefixes and accompanying ranges of ISBN numbers for eligible publishers. They will also create barcodes for a fee. There are also barcode generator programs available; in addition, by doing a search on the net, the writer can find sites that will create the barcode for free.
Bookstores and chains are looking for quality books that are reasonably priced, with a good discount, and are returnable. These four qualities make it easier for a new author to find shelve space, which increases the probability for sales. Although online sales are increasing, the majority of book sales are still made in brick and mortar stores. Making the book returnable will not guarantee placement, but it will increase the number of stores who will be take a risk on a new author.
Whether traditional or POD, a beginning author does nearly all of the marketing and promotions. In order to be effective, the author has to not only find a niche market, but has to create brand name for her or himself. The niche market is the target market that you are seeking according to genre, age, gender and interest of the readership. Creating a brand name is creating a strong connection between the author and the target audience. In the past, traditional publishers placed ads and arranged for reviews. These are both still important venues; however, the internet has opened up many different options. Blogs, vblogs, and homepages are only three opportunities to attract readers. Online groups, chat rooms, and message boards are not only places to promote your work, but it is a great way to make connections with like minds. To just jump in to just do an ad, will annoy people. However, if you participate in the conversations, you will not only meet interesting people but allow them to see the author behind the words thereby creating an interest in you work. By creating cooperatives, such as blog rolls, you help other writers while increasing you readership. Dorothy Thompson of Pump Up Your Book Promotions (http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com/) is a full service online book promotion agency who can show you how to sell books without leaving the comfort of your home. They specialize in virtual book tours and video book trailers.
Valkyrie Publishing provides the technical support for authors who decide they want to publish their own work. Their services include typesetting and the creation of custom book covers. The author maintains all right and profits from the work. Valkyrie Publishing only provides the technical service to make the work printer ready. For more information, email Valkyrie@theresachaze.com.
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Free e-zine: Messages From the Universe
Free e-zine: Messages From the Universe
Spiritual and Emotional Healing
Here is the September 2007 issue of Messages from the Universe. As always it contains the monthly energy reading. In addition there are articles by Cate Cavanagh, Revenerd Marci Drewry and several other gues writers.
As always you are welcome to share the ezine with others; however, the individual article remain the property of the authors
Here is the address. You may have to cut and paste it into your browers.
http://us.share.geocities.com/tirgana/messageSept07.pdf
To insure you receive Messages of the Universe every month, please go to
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MessagesFromtheUniverse/
to join this free egroup.
Spiritual and Emotional Healing
Here is the September 2007 issue of Messages from the Universe. As always it contains the monthly energy reading. In addition there are articles by Cate Cavanagh, Revenerd Marci Drewry and several other gues writers.
As always you are welcome to share the ezine with others; however, the individual article remain the property of the authors
Here is the address. You may have to cut and paste it into your browers.
http://us.share.geocities.com/tirgana/messageSept07.pdf
To insure you receive Messages of the Universe every month, please go to
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MessagesFromtheUniverse/
to join this free egroup.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
YouTube video for a Magical Fantasy Novel
Rachael moves to Coyote Springs to follow her dream and build a home, instead she becomes a catalyst in exposing a murder and a target of a violent cult. Where Anne McCaffrey and Marion Zimmer Bradley left off and where Harry Potter was afraid to go, Theresa Chaze takes the reader into realms of magic, suspense and horror. Set in Northern Michigan,Awakening the Dragon is a magical novel set in modern times containing working rituals and true magic.
Rachael moves to Coyote Springs to follow her dream and build a home, instead she becomes a catalyst in exposing a murder and a target of a violent cult. Where Anne McCaffrey and Marion Zimmer Bradley left off and where Harry Potter was afraid to go, Theresa Chaze takes the reader into realms of magic, suspense and horror. Set in Northern Michigan,Awakening the Dragon is a magical novel set in modern times containing working rituals and true magic.
Monday, June 04, 2007
Greetings
Here is June's Messages From the Universe. As always the individual articles remain the property of the owners, but you are welcome to share the ezine as a whole.
You may have to cut and paste the address into your browser
http://www.geocities.com/tirgana/messagesJune2007.pdf
To keep receiving this ezine go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MessagesFromtheUniverse/
and join this free egroup.
Many blessings
Theresa
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Energy Reading for June 2007
By
Theresa Chaze
The energy for June 2007 will be increasingly chaotic. There will be more decisions, which will have to be made without full or proper information. On the upside, there will be more cooperation between different groups as they finally see that their goals are not as different as they thought. People who once felt isolated by their uniqueness will suddenly find that they are not as special as they thought. Spiritually, unity will be the watch word and the goal of all those who are reaching for the next rung in the ascension ladder. Whereas we were working alone before, after June we will be working together.
The energy we will be bringing in to June is the six of swords. It is the card of the releasing of old worn out patterns and behaviors. As we examine and heal through old injuries and pains, we find ourselves forgiving everyone involved and releasing the situation to the Powers of Justice. We no longer have the time, energy or inclination to seek out vengeance. Other challenges have begun to take our interests down more positive paths. Although we will still actively participate in the justice process, we are no longer emotionally personally involved. We are merely doing what needs to be done to complete the tasks at hand.
June is represented by the ace of wands. Many will be starting new jobs both on the spiritual as well as mundane levels. It the time to start new challenges with courage and faith. If you know from you heart and soul that you have access to unlimited possibilities that is what you will draw into you life. By opening and accepting, you will begin to see the new path in front of you as a reality, not just a dream. What we ask for and are willing to accept is what will be created for us quickly and unquestioningly. Love of others will no longer be a bumper sticker, but a way of life.
The energy we will take out of June is the four of wands. From the inside out we will feel more at peace with ourselves, thereby creating more opportunities to meet others of like mind. There will be more connections as many others will be celebrating the successful opening of their lotus. Those who haven't become spiritually aware will see this energy as romantic love; however, those who have raised their vibrational level will find there hearts opening to all beings. This will be the awakening of lights that has been foreseen by many. Enough have done the work that it will be happening ahead of schedule. As each person lights up on the from the inside out, the planet will become awash with healing and forgiveness. The time is now and we are ready.
The energy challenge we will all contend with is the six of cups. Special friends and wisdom of the past will be brought forward. Many of us left mystical cheat-cheats with wisdom from the past. We wanted to be certain that we would have the information we needed, when it was required. The problem will be remembering where we put them and once again gaining access. As we have started to come back together, so we have started to not only collect our notes, but to share the information; in doing so, we are finding ourselves blessed and our lives filled with miracles.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Author Blogger Tour
If you were pitching Storm to a movie producer, what would you emphasize?
Storm has mass appeal--there isn't a person who reads it who can't identify in one way or another with at least one character or one situation. It deals with universal questions that we all face--regardless of race, religion, etc.. This is a story for the world!!
What motivates the main character?
Self-discovery. He appeared from nowhere, has no clue to why or who he is--he feels that yearning inside to answer these questions. He truly cares for those in this world, and that halts his journey--yet it adds knowledge at the same time.
How does the main character's issues complicate the story?
Not knowing his true identity, he is unaware of his power to make a difference. He feels lost and thus unsure on how to help those he meets.
How does he or she resolve the challenge?
His dreams help guide him. He finally takes time to stop fighting what he already knows deep inside. He takes hold of his destiny and willingly carries out what must be done.
Who is your target audience?
Anyone who has ever wondered about their place in this world. Anyone who questions if their is truly a higher power--and most of all, anyone seeking hope that wherever they are in life, there is a better place, a better way.
Tell us about "stop it now".
Stop It Now is a group that addresses the question of childhood sexual abuse. Rather than focus on treatment alone after the fact, they seek to stop this by educating others on the causes, making them aware of who is at risk, both of being an abuser and being abused. They believe stopping childhood sexual abuse is the responsibility of every adult--and they will educate anyone who is willing to get involved
Monday, April 02, 2007
Storm
by
Joyce Anthony
What do a prostitute, an abused child, a disillusioned minister, a Vietnam Vet and a homosexual have in common? These and many others find their lives changed when they meet Storm and his companion, an amethyst-eyed dog named Maggie.
As you follow Storm on his journey to discover his true identity, you will meet many of society’s forgotten people. You will laugh, cry and get angry—whatever the emotion, you will feel deeply.
When Storm realizes who he is and why he is here, the world is completely changed and not one soul remains untouched. Upon closing the covers of this book, you will see the world around you in a far different light and find yourself wondering—is it really fiction?
Author Bio
Joyce Anthony shares her PA home with her teenaged son and mini-zoo. She has written numerous articles and has published one short story. She is one of the founders of WINGS, an advocacy group. When not writing, Joyce spends time homeschooling her son and working on her photography. She is currently working on her next book, Spirit of the Stallion. A portion of all royalties from this book will be donated to StopItNow.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Copyright--A Writers Self Defense
By
Theresa Chaze
Some where along the way someone started the rumor that by simply writing a piece a writer automatically has the copyright--that US Copyrights are unnecessary to protect your work. I have also heard that the process is very complicated. All three are untrue. Mailing a copy to yourself and leaving it unopened to keep the postal stamp valid is call the poor man's copyright. It is a good temporary way of protecting your work, however it is only temporary. Accidents do happen and once the seal is broken, the protection has been invalidated. The only truly safe way to legal protect your work is to get a US copyright.
First, what is a copyright? It is legal proof of when and who created an original work. Whether it literary, dramatic, musical or artistic it falls under copyright protection. Owning the copyright means you have the legal right of deciding who and when the work may be distributed, copied, or performed publicly. This doesn’t mean if you are singing to the radio or if you loan your copy of a book to someone that you will be sued. However, if you start making copies of a Harry Potter books and selling them as your own, legal representatives of JR Rowlings who will take great issue with you. Any time you represent another’s efforts as your own you are stealing from them and cheating yourself. Everyone has a creative voice--something inside them that only they can share--if you usurp someone else’s creativity, you deny yourself and cheat the world of your special perspective.
However, there are ways to refer to another’s work without violating the copyright. Always make sure you give full credit to the creator of the work. It’s usually best to keep it enclosed within quotes or only used as a reference. But footnotes are also acceptable as long as they are clearly marked and easily accessible. In one article, I compared the lyrics of a song to the spiritual journey of a generation. I immediately opened the piece by giving credit to the author. Not only did it protect me, but it gave the reader a reference point. Quotes need the proper punctuation as well as the source information. To do other would only reflect badly on you.
I don't know who started it and really don't care. The fact is that writing a piece guarantees you nothing. It can be fun. It can be healing. It can be exciting. However, putting ink to paper doesn’t give you any legal standing. Even if your work is read by others before it is sent out, doesn’t mean it will not be challenged. On the opposite site, it doesn’t mean it will be either. What it does mean is that you aren’t protected. As of September 2006, it cost 45.00 to register a literary piece. If you are the sole author and the piece hasn't been previously copyrighted you can use Short Form TX. It is a single sheet that will probably take you longer to print up than to fill out. If there are multiple authors or other copyrights involved you will need to use Form TX. It is a longer form, but just as simple to fill out. The US Copyright site address is http://www.copyright.gov/
For smaller pieces, such as short stories or articles, I don’t individually copyright; instead, I tack them on to larger pieces and make a notation on the application. However, when you get over ten thousands words you are approaching a novella and that can be worth it to spend the money for an official copyright. Most smaller pieces are written to be published either online or in a magazine format. Once they are published, you have some protection. The publication date is evidence of your claim of ownership, but it is not proof. However, most smaller works are safe. The cost to fight for them is usually greater than they are worth. In addition, once you have a track record, your style will help protect you from someone else claiming your work. Everyone has their own voice, which is very difficult to imitate. Word usage and sentence structure are individual; it what makes every writer unique.
Before sending out any larger than a novella, I send out the paperwork and wait two weeks. Once the paper work reaches the Copyright offices, it is valid; however, receiving the paperwork can take up to four months. If you send it certified return receipt, the returned postcard can temporarily valid your claim of copyright. In this way, I can start approaching publishers, agents or movie producers and honestly say I have a copyright on the piece. In another place, I will describe the dark side of publishing; not everyone in the business is ethical or honest. By protecting my work ahead of time, I insure it will be protected from the beginning. In addition, there are some places that will not even look at work without proof of copyright. People in the film industry have been burned so many times that it is necessary to either have a US Copyright or to have the work registered with the Writers Guild.
Another way to protect your work is to register it with the Writers Guild. There are offices on both the east and west coasts of the United States. As far as I know, the Guild registration only offers protection in the USA. However, the length of the protection is shorter than a US Copyright. The Guild registration is valid for five years and can be renewed for an additional fee. As of September 2006, the fee is 20.00 for non-members and 10.00 for members. They also offer the option of filing online, which is quicker than a US Copyright and offers just as much protection. Their site address is http://www.wga.org.
There are some writers who register their work with both. With screenplays and stage plays that is a good idea. The Guild is part of the industries, which makes your work more accessible. The US Copyright gives it additional protection for a longer span of time. Either path is acceptable. But to send out a large project, without protection, is just playing Russian Roulette with you hard work.
By
Theresa Chaze
Some where along the way someone started the rumor that by simply writing a piece a writer automatically has the copyright--that US Copyrights are unnecessary to protect your work. I have also heard that the process is very complicated. All three are untrue. Mailing a copy to yourself and leaving it unopened to keep the postal stamp valid is call the poor man's copyright. It is a good temporary way of protecting your work, however it is only temporary. Accidents do happen and once the seal is broken, the protection has been invalidated. The only truly safe way to legal protect your work is to get a US copyright.
First, what is a copyright? It is legal proof of when and who created an original work. Whether it literary, dramatic, musical or artistic it falls under copyright protection. Owning the copyright means you have the legal right of deciding who and when the work may be distributed, copied, or performed publicly. This doesn’t mean if you are singing to the radio or if you loan your copy of a book to someone that you will be sued. However, if you start making copies of a Harry Potter books and selling them as your own, legal representatives of JR Rowlings who will take great issue with you. Any time you represent another’s efforts as your own you are stealing from them and cheating yourself. Everyone has a creative voice--something inside them that only they can share--if you usurp someone else’s creativity, you deny yourself and cheat the world of your special perspective.
However, there are ways to refer to another’s work without violating the copyright. Always make sure you give full credit to the creator of the work. It’s usually best to keep it enclosed within quotes or only used as a reference. But footnotes are also acceptable as long as they are clearly marked and easily accessible. In one article, I compared the lyrics of a song to the spiritual journey of a generation. I immediately opened the piece by giving credit to the author. Not only did it protect me, but it gave the reader a reference point. Quotes need the proper punctuation as well as the source information. To do other would only reflect badly on you.
I don't know who started it and really don't care. The fact is that writing a piece guarantees you nothing. It can be fun. It can be healing. It can be exciting. However, putting ink to paper doesn’t give you any legal standing. Even if your work is read by others before it is sent out, doesn’t mean it will not be challenged. On the opposite site, it doesn’t mean it will be either. What it does mean is that you aren’t protected. As of September 2006, it cost 45.00 to register a literary piece. If you are the sole author and the piece hasn't been previously copyrighted you can use Short Form TX. It is a single sheet that will probably take you longer to print up than to fill out. If there are multiple authors or other copyrights involved you will need to use Form TX. It is a longer form, but just as simple to fill out. The US Copyright site address is http://www.copyright.gov/
For smaller pieces, such as short stories or articles, I don’t individually copyright; instead, I tack them on to larger pieces and make a notation on the application. However, when you get over ten thousands words you are approaching a novella and that can be worth it to spend the money for an official copyright. Most smaller pieces are written to be published either online or in a magazine format. Once they are published, you have some protection. The publication date is evidence of your claim of ownership, but it is not proof. However, most smaller works are safe. The cost to fight for them is usually greater than they are worth. In addition, once you have a track record, your style will help protect you from someone else claiming your work. Everyone has their own voice, which is very difficult to imitate. Word usage and sentence structure are individual; it what makes every writer unique.
Before sending out any larger than a novella, I send out the paperwork and wait two weeks. Once the paper work reaches the Copyright offices, it is valid; however, receiving the paperwork can take up to four months. If you send it certified return receipt, the returned postcard can temporarily valid your claim of copyright. In this way, I can start approaching publishers, agents or movie producers and honestly say I have a copyright on the piece. In another place, I will describe the dark side of publishing; not everyone in the business is ethical or honest. By protecting my work ahead of time, I insure it will be protected from the beginning. In addition, there are some places that will not even look at work without proof of copyright. People in the film industry have been burned so many times that it is necessary to either have a US Copyright or to have the work registered with the Writers Guild.
Another way to protect your work is to register it with the Writers Guild. There are offices on both the east and west coasts of the United States. As far as I know, the Guild registration only offers protection in the USA. However, the length of the protection is shorter than a US Copyright. The Guild registration is valid for five years and can be renewed for an additional fee. As of September 2006, the fee is 20.00 for non-members and 10.00 for members. They also offer the option of filing online, which is quicker than a US Copyright and offers just as much protection. Their site address is http://www.wga.org.
There are some writers who register their work with both. With screenplays and stage plays that is a good idea. The Guild is part of the industries, which makes your work more accessible. The US Copyright gives it additional protection for a longer span of time. Either path is acceptable. But to send out a large project, without protection, is just playing Russian Roulette with you hard work.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Book Publishing and Promotion with Janet Elaine Smith
Last night I appeared on Janet Elaine Smiths podcast "Marketing for Fun and Profit" . In case you missed it, you can hear it in the archives here:
http://internetvoicesradio.com/page9.html
You have to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page for the replay of the podcast and the MP3 stream.
Last night I appeared on Janet Elaine Smiths podcast "Marketing for Fun and Profit" . In case you missed it, you can hear it in the archives here:
http://internetvoicesradio.com/page9.html
You have to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page for the replay of the podcast and the MP3 stream.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Awakening the Dragon--Book One of the Dragon Clan Trilogy
a review
Kirk Donaldson says:
Awakening the Dragon is a thought provoking, insightful tale. Theresa Chaze gives us a glimpse into worlds most never see. Rachael is a woman with a plan. With her lottery winnings and a the opportunity to make a dream come true, she moves to Coyote Springs to open a new store and start her new life. Brought uncomfortably close to her childhood home by Fate, she settles in to try and make a normal life for her and her feline children. Her plans for normalcy are interrupted when she finds a new house- the scene of the murder of one of the town's most respected women. Rachael is quickly drawn into the middle of what appears to be a religious war that has been simmering in the town for nearly twenty years. It is up to her to overcome her past and muster her growing abilities and try to bring out a truth hidden in the hearts of the townsfolk.
Suspenseful, thrilling, and imaginative, Theresa Chaze spins a web of plots, tying them neatly to give the reader an entertaining look at faith, tradition, and the hearts of followers of paths old and new.
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