The first time, I wrote about a resident of the city in which the paper was published, a man whose father had known one of the persecuted Baha’is. I played-up the fact that the man’s home was near a spot where the city had recently made changes in the streets (adding some stop signs and bumps).

The second time I was asked to publicize one group’s plans to listen to a certain online broadcast. I played up the fact that at the time (spring of 2000) there were numerous blackouts in California. I said that the members of that group of Baha’is was praying that there would be no blackout on the day of the planned broadcast.

The Shrine of the Bab

Photo credit: 1yen / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

Here are the links to access each of the four Google Hangouts on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday – or to listen in after the original hangout is over.

Tuesday’s Book Marketing Hangout: http://askjohnkremer.com/ghangout/lunch-with-john

Wednesday’s Book Marketing Hangout: http://askjohnkremer.com/ghangout/lunch-with-john-wednesday

Thursday’s Book Marketing Hangout: http://askjohnkremer.com/ghangout/lunch-with-john-thursday

Friday’s Book Marketing Hangout: http://askjohnkremer.com/ghangout/lunch-with-john-friday

Register now to listen in live to any hangout or all four of them. If you attend live, you can actually ask questions!

Or click on the links above to listen in after the events.

Blog Tour Palooza: http://www.bookmarket.com/blog-tour-palooza.htm – How to carry out a blog tour or virtual book tour that gets millions of impressions, builds your brand, and sells thousands of books. $297

Book Marketing Magic: http://www.bookmarket.com/novelmarketing.htm – How to market novels, children’s books, memoirs, and more. $48 special offer

15,000 Eyeballs Internet Marketing Program: http://www.bookmarket.com/15000eyeballs.htm – Ten lessons on how to get thousands of impressions for you, your book, your blog, or your website. $50

Real Fast Book Marketing: http://www.bookmarket.com/realfastbookmarketing.htm – How to sell 100 to 200 copies of any book in two weeks or less. $97

The response? ZERO. Zippo. Nada.

Discouraged, I went to the library where I read in the Washington Post that Congress was considering a 4.2 billion dollar cut in funds for education. I then re-sent the exact same press release, adding
one sentence at the beginning:

“With Congress considering a 4.2 billion dollar cut in funds for education, a book about how to attract volunteers could become a survival manual for American schools.”

The response? 31 talk-show bookings.

The book, To Lead Is to Serve – How to Attract Volunteers & Keep Them, has become an evergreen bestseller and was quoted on television by President George Bush. It also led to more books and a successful speaking career on the topics of nonprofit leadership, fundraising, and leadership for women.

All of this because I added one newsworthy sentence to a press release.

— Shar McBee, author of To Lead Is to Serve – How to Attract Volunteers & Keep Them

Web: http://www.joyofleadership.com

Her book Pinterest for Business: a Complete, Updated Guide for Ultimate Success  is available to order via Amazon as a Kindle ebook or print-on-demand paperback.

==

The Pinterest profile of the yogurt brand Chobani is a must-see if you are using Pinterest for business. The first board, called Go Real (“Life’s real, so are we” is the board’s description) encapsulates what the brand is about — organic yogurt — and sets the tone for subsequent boards that focus on healthy eating.

Interestingly, the first board includes quotes and phrases that define what being real is (i.e. “Be you, bravely”) without alluding to food. Even though these sayings have little to do with yogurt, it helps further define their brand and company culture. Furthermore, quotes on Pinterest are quite popular and helps them gain further visibility around their brand.

Their boards also consist of different ways to use Chobani yogurt: Baked with Chobani, Dip and Dish with Chobani, Protein Parfaits and Smoothies, Tastes Better with Yogurt. The message here is that Chobani yogurt is versatile enough to use in many dishes.

Additionally, Chobani uses Pinterest to brand that their yogurts are a good way to add protein to any dish. As the description for the board Protein Parfaits and Smoothies mentions, Chobani has twice the amount of protein of other yogurts. That message appears on the smoothie and parfait board as well.

Not all the pins making up Chobani’s boards involve Chobani products. The company wisely suggests that it cares more about its customers’ well-being than about competing with other brands and businesses by excluding them from its Pinterest profile. This message harks back to the saying on the first board, “Real friends get treated like family.”

Chobani advertises foods from other brands, as well as recipes from culinary blogs and websites, such as Sweet Treats and More. The latter are important to Chobani, because they are venues where one can learn to use Chobani products.

Read the complete article featuring 4 case studies by Christine Corretti at: http://pinnablebusiness.com/new-case-studies-how-4-top-brands-are-using-pinterest.

“In the four narratives that make up School for Lovers & Other Stories, Kal Wagenheim has adroitly and entertainingly managed to give us lessons in American history and the latest in energy technology, as well as an appreciation of opera lyrics and a thriller plot. He has brought to literary life none other than Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr and a host of other captivating and empathetic real-life and fictional characters.” – Robert Friedman, his fourth, latest novel The Surrounding Sea.

“Kal Wagenheim presents his readers with little slices of life, populated with dear and quirky people who soon earn a spot in our hearts. He is an unusually gifted author, who writes with ease and gentle humor. He deserves a place alongside other great storytellers like Richard Russo and Richard Ford.” – Professor Elizabeth A. Hull, Chair, Political Science, Rutgers University, author of The Disenfranchisement of Ex-Felons

“Mr. Wagenheim’s brilliant writing is built on firm research, dramatically presented characters (with their complex motivations, relationships, and interactions) and consistently interesting stories. Here are rewarding examples of novellas that enlighten as well as entertain.” – Robert Roth, Professor of Psychology, Kean University (retired), author of 22 books, including Ego, Self, Person, Contest

“Your prose and story-line are like a cascade that crashes down…and then up, as if it were just a rush of spray. Love it!” – Professor Elpidio Laguna-Diaz, Rutgers University, Language Dept.

“Never at a loss for ideas, Kal writes with a love for humanity. In every work his characters celebrate what it means to be alive, even when caught in circumstances about and beyond the ordinary. His message is always inspiring, told with an elegance of the master of writing (and life) that he is.” – Elpidio Laguna-Diaz, Professor, Tisch School of the Arts, New York University.

Kal Wagenheim, author of School for Lovers & Other Stories

Website: http://www.KalWagenheim.com

For example, here are a few reactions of bloggers to recent stories in Elle magazine (all reactions were featured in the June issue of Elle):

Willow Smith is like, nine, right? Just checking. The girl is talented, but I’m not sure I would classify her as a woman in music just yet… just sayin’. – Marc, Pinkisthenewblog.com

I’m really getting sick of you Willow haters. Why don’t you people just admit that Willow is charismatic and different, and just move on? Instead of this endless whining about how young she is…okay, I get it!!! – Mann, JustJared.buzznet.com

I love her honesty. She admits to being vain (and really what celeb isn’t) and she’s honest about how hard she has to work to keep her figure, etc. So many celebs are such liars about that stuff. – Turquoise Blue, Celebitchy.com (on Gwen Stefani)

Now, read a few magazines related to your book’s topic or audience. Then pick out an article or two to write about on your blog. It may take a few such blog posts before you get a hit in the print magazine, but you will eventually get a hit if you write something interesting or controversial. Be bold. Be interesting. Speak up. Keep blogging.

The New York Times, Fashion & Style section

Vogue Italy

Elle

Harper’s Bazaar

Elle Decor

Time Style

DuJour

Design Bureau

InStyle

You can check out the articles via my blog: http://outtherenyc.com/press.

And you can check out my book as well at my blog: Out There by Maria Brito

And order the book via Amazon as well: Out There by Maria Brito

Specifically, it was asking for reviews from the right people.

My Clearest Me is a picture e-book for quiet and shy children. So I sought reviews from children’s books authors and bloggers, many of whom I assume have also experienced shyness or are introverts. They would be able to relate to Wynn, my protagonist.

Before this book came to be, I was already on a children’s literature forum called Writers’ Retreat. I started asking around on that forum, then went on to Book Blogs and Twitter and connected with fellow children’s books lovers.

Book reviewers and bloggers are voracious readers, so one can be sure their reviews carry a certain standard and are utterly honest (for they wish to maintain their integrity towards their readers). Posting their reviews on our dedicated webpage builds credibility with potential readers. Announcing each review on Facebook and Twitter always brings in curious browsers.

I hope to collect MORE reviews because this is also the most direct feedback on our story, which will help me tremendously when I write the next book!

About the Author

Gueh Yanting (Claudine) is the author of My Clearest Me, a picture e-book for quiet & shy children, and the publisher at CarryUsOff Books. Check out the lovely book trailer & other information at http://www.carryusoffbooks.com/my-clearest-me.html. Claudine is happy to be contacted at editorial@carryusoffbooks.com.

Synopsis - In My Clearest Me, Wynn is told that he is very quiet, and that he might have no friends or might let Dreams pass. The six-year-old wonders if he ought to be a different boy to fit the crowd. (Told in original rhymes and brilliant artwork.)

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance is a monthly personal finance and investment magazine. Editors and columnists. – http://magagenie.com/kiplingers-personal-finance

Entrepreneur is a monthly business magazine for entrepreneurs featuring personal finance, small business, franchising, marketing, technology, and related topics. – http://magagenie.com/entrepreneur-magazine

Woman’s Day is a magazine for women featuring beauty, fashion, crafts, food, fitness, garden, health, home, design, nutrition, relationships, sex, style, and organizing – http://magagenie.com/womans-day-magazine

Departures is a bimonthly luxury magazine on fashion, beauty, style, food, travel, art, lifestyle, and culture – http://magagenie.com/departures-magazine

Money Magazine is a monthly personal finance, retirement, real estate, and investments magazine – http://magagenie.com/money-magazine

Here are a few magazine updates I’ve made in the past few weeks:

Mountain Living Magazine – http://magagenie.com/mountain-living-magazine

Outside is a monthly magazine on climbing, kayaking, skiing, running, fitness, extreme sports, travel, recreation, and other outdoor sports. – http://magagenie.com/outside-magazine

Scientific American is a monthly science magazine covering physics, chemistry, biology, nature, psychology, health, medicine, astronomy, technology, and more. Editorial and contact information: http://magagenie.com/scientific-american-magazine

Spirit Magazine is a monthly airline magazine published by Southwest Airlines. It covers travel, business, entertainment, tech gear, sports, pop culture, and health. – http://magagenie.com/spirit-magazine

Published 10 times per year, Experience Life covers health, fitness, diet, relationships, self-help, and life wisdom. Their mantra: Being healthy is a revolutionary act. Their mission: Empowering people to become their best, healthiest selves, and supporting their enjoyment of a balanced, sustainable, deeply satisfying way of life. – http://magagenie.com/experience-life-magazine

Brides is a monthly bridal magazine with a focus on fashion, beauty, wedding plans, food, travel, relationships, and personal finance. – http://magagenie.com/brides-magazine