Buddhapuss Ink

Red Hot Internet Publicity: Words on Your Website

2013-05-09T06:51:00.002-04:00

Define Your Goals
Before you put pen to paper to write your sales copy for your website, be clear about your goals. We talked earlier about your goals for building a website—pull those out and look at them again. While you may be building the website to sell more cookies, as you start to look at the broader reach of your message, your goals might change. Perhaps you can put together gift baskets too.
Make sure the copy you are about to write targets those goals. And don’t forget to use all the keywords you just selected!
Sell the Benefits
Save the small talk for your next cocktail party. When it comes to filling websites with words, beginners tend to lean towards what I like to call the “cocktail party approach to website copy.” What do I mean by this? Well, let’s pretend you’re at a cocktail party, you’re huddled with a group of friends gabbing about everything under the sun, and around you hundreds of other conversations are mingling with your own, making the voices sound like a hum. That’s what it’s like to a website visitor when you cram a lot of cocktail party copy onto your home page. It’s confusing and it’s white noise. Chances are good that it will result in a “click” signaling the party’s end, your visitor long gone.

Instead, write copy that speaks to your readers and tells them the benefits of your product. Sell the sizzle not the steak.
Make it Scannable
Remember that Internet users scan websites and that relates to how you write good copy. When I spoke to Susan Gilbert, she told me about the elements of good copy. “The Internet has made ‘brochure-style’ writing obsolete. Studies have clearly shown that people do not read websites—they skim them. That means your copy must be written to be eye catching, visually compelling and keep the visitor on your site.”
How do you write scannable website copy? By incorporating lots of

white space
bullet points
highlighted and bolded words
images

In addition, your copy needs to use simple words, short sentences and include the keywords your site visitor probably used to find your site in a search engine.
Stay On Point
You should distill your web copy down to the most important points and eliminate everything else. You have less than a second to grab someone’s attention.
Don’t risk overwhelming your reader. Remember, it’s not about you, it’s about them.
Use Captivating Headlines
Be sure to make your message obvious. Use headlines, lists and bold text to convey your message. Spend some serious time really thinking about a catchy headline.
What Do I Get Out of the Deal?
When it comes to sales copy, the WIIFM (what’s in it for me) factor is more important than ever. I have already mentioned the importance of selling the benefits when writing good copy. Then I talked with Susan Gilbert and she emphasized this point: “People want to know what benefit they’ll receive from buying your product or service. Don’t be shy—tell them! Will they get free delivery? Will they make more money? Will they look better? Although visitors may want to know you, the person, sales copy is much more about telling them how their life will be better, safer, happier and richer once they’ve bought from you.” Hopefully between Susan and me we have hammered this point home.
Picking the Perfect Font
When it comes to a font for your website, it’s easy to get carried away. Temptation might dictate that you use a fancy scroll or a really bold font. Wrong.
The challenge with using unique fonts is that the person at the other end might not be able to read it. When you land on a site that’s full of that horrible Courier font (my apologies to all you Courier lovers out there, this usually indicates that the site is using a font your computer can’t read.
Sometimes, when people want to use special fonts, they’ll turn them into graphics instead. But that’s good and bad. First, search engines can’t spider graphics (we’ll discuss the spider factor later). And second, it increases the load time of your website. The trick really is to pick a font (preferably a sans serif) that’s both readable and friendly to the eye, meaning that it doesn’t tire the eye the way a serif font does. So, what’s the difference between the two? When a web designer talks about a serif typeface, he means fonts like Times or Century Schoolbook, where the characters (letters) have little accents or curves. The small downward curves that appear at each end of the cross on the top and the inverted curves at the foot of the letter are known as serifs. “Sans” is French and literally means “without.”
Don’t Get Font-Happy
Do not overwhelm your site with a bunch of different fonts. It simply takes too much work for the reader to process the different letters and fonts. Nothing will send your visitors away faster.
*Excerpt from Red Hot Internet Publicity: An Insider’s Guide to Marketing Online by Penny Sansevieri, available now on Amazon.com

Mariam Kobras Wins 2013 Silver Independent Book Award for Under the Same Sun!

2013-05-01T17:33:00.002-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 2, 2013

Mariam Kobras Wins Second Independent Publisher’s Book Award, Under the Same Sun Snags the 2013 IPPY Silver Medal

Buddhapuss Ink LLC, a NJ based book publisher, announced today that Mariam Kobras, of Hamburg, Germany, has won the 2013 Independent Publisher Book Awards’ Silver Medal in Romance for her book: Under the Same Sun: Book II of the Stone Trilogy. Kobras said she was “thrilled, beyond thrilled, stunned” with the news. Under the Same Sun, which released in October, 2012, has been a bestseller on Amazon in Contemporary, and Women’s, Fiction. This is Kobras’ second book, and second IPPY. In 2012, she won the Bronze Medal for her first book, The Distant Shore: Book I in the Stone Trilogy. “Winning the award for her first book was recognition of just how talented a writer she is. The second award removes any doubt one might have had that she is truly a phenom.” said Buddhapuss Ink Publisher, MaryChris Bradley. “Her writing is extraordinary and her reviews prove it. We extend our hearty congratulations to Mariam for this well-deserved award! ”

Under the Same Sun—a contemporary romance—continues the story of Jonathon Stone, a rock superstar and Naomi Carlsson, the girl he loved, lost, and found again. The story picks up where The Distant Shore left off, and focuses on Jon and Naomi as they deal with the lingering aftereffects of her shooting, their son Joshua’s decision to give up his music studies, and Naomi’s desire for another child. The story takes place in locales from London, to Italy, to New York City. “Under the Same Sun screamed at me to be written. The story of Naomi dealing with the terrible trauma of having been shot was like a fist in my neck.” stated Kobras. “The book is about growing up and taking charge of your life. It's about discovering that following your own dreams, rather than what others impose on you, is a valid way of life.”

Born in Frankfurt, Germany, Mariam and her family lived in Brazil and Saudi Arabia before they decided to settle in Germany. She attended school there and studied American Literature and Psychology at Justus-Liebig-University in Giessen. Today she writes and lives in Hamburg, Germany, with her husband, two sons and two cats.

BUDDHAPUSS INK LLC is based in Edison, NJ. Founded in 2009, it is led by Publisher, MaryChris Bradley, a 29 year veteran in the book industry. “Our company mission is to ‘Put readers first’ and we are committed to finding and growing new authors at a time when the major houses seem to have turned their backs on writers without an already well-established track record. “ Bradley can be contacted at Publisher@BuddhapussInk.com. “Of course, you can always find us on Facebook, and twitter too.”

Twitter: @Buddhapuss Facebook: Buddhapuss Ink LLC Website: http://www.buddhapussink.com/

Company Blog: Buddhapussink.blogspot.com

How to Approach Publishing as a Business

2013-04-29T14:06:00.000-04:00

Publishing is a business and, as the author, you must consider yourself the CEO of your book. From start to finish—the germ of a book idea to publication (and beyond)—you must take charge. If you make good business decisions, you will surely experience greater success. If not, then, you could be one of the nearly 78 percent of authors who fail.
So where does an author start? What is the first step? Understanding the publishing industry—getting a grasp on what it entails, what all of your options are and what your responsibilities as a published author are.

Here’s what publishing professionals suggest:

Study the publishing industry.

What do I mean about studying the publishing industry? How does one go about this?
1. Continue to visit blogs. Follow the links. Consider the recommendations. Check out the resources. Heed the advice of professionals.
2. Read books by industry professionals such as Patricia Fry, Dan Poynter, Brian Jud, Mark Levine, Penny Sansevieri and others.
3. Join local authors’ groups. Attend meetings and events, participate in their discussion groups, read the articles and check out the resources at their sites and study every newsletter they so carefully prepare for you.
4. Subscribe to magazines and newsletters related to publishing. “Publishing Basics,” “Book Marketing Matters,” “SPAWNews,” “The Book Marketing Expert Newsletter—all FREE.
5. Search the Net. Spend time each week checking out the resources you’ve already discovered and searching for additional resources, articles, discussion groups and books. Use these materials and sites to gather additional information you need about the industry (your publishing options, how to choose and approach publishers/agents, your responsibilities as a published author, what to expect when it comes to marketing your book and so forth).
6. Attend at least one good authors’ conference. Sit in on several of the workshops. Ask questions, pick up handouts and network with other authors.
How can you succeed as an author in today’s highly competitive publishing arena? Remember that publishing is a business and approach it as such.

————
* [This article was written by Patricia Fry, author of 37 books and executive director of SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) www.spawn.org. Her latest book is Talk Up Your Book (Allworth Press). Follow her informative publishing blog daily: www.matilijapress.com/publishingblog.]

Celebrate Lover's Day with a Romantic Duo!

2013-04-23T07:05:00.000-04:00

When you're in love, everyday is Lover's Day.

Sometimes people need a little incentive to express their love or to take a "leap," Valentine's Day is one such opportunity. Lover's Day is yet another chance at love. Some people get married on Lover's Day, others propose, or have a romantic dinner for two.

What do we do on Lover's Day? Because we love romance and readers, we want to give you a present for Lover's Day. In fact, we like you so much, one day isn't enough—we want to give you THREE DAYS of LOVE!

So, for the next three days, Tue 4/23 through Thur 4/25, we are giving away the bestselling kindle edition of The Distant Shore by award-winning author Mariam Kobras.

The Distant Shore is the first book in Mariam's Stone Trilogy, and here’s what her fans have to say:

~ Valerie Storey, 5 Stars, “Mariam Kobras has a real gift for description, and I loved the settings in particular; some of the passages read like poetry. Reading her book was the equivalent of taking a vacation—and to my mind that's the best kind of reading experience there is.”

~ Lauri Rottmayer, 5 stars, “Mariam Kobras has crafted a love story that you can really imagine. Her beautiful words create the images in your head drawing you into the story and the lives of the characters. I'm excited to read the next book!"

~Adele Adair, 5 stars, "Jon and Naomi's love story had me captivated and I was carried along on the roller coaster of their relationship. Her ability to set a scene transported me to Norway, New York and beyond. The journey she takes us on is not an easy one for her characters as they struggle to overcome years of separation and the differences in their lifestyles, hopes and dreams."

~Johanna Harness, 5 stars, "The set-up is straight-forward. Jonathan Stone, an aging rock star, still longs for the woman who walked out of his life years ago. His fan mail is usually screened, but this time his manager gives him a letter. "My mother's name is Naomi Carlsson," it begins. "We live in a small town in Norway called Halmar where she manages a hotel, the Seaside. She said you are my father." From there, the story tumbles out beautifully, structured with a sense of inevitability—and yet I still found myself surprised."

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE . . .

We've also put the kindle edition of the second book in the Stone Trilogy, Under the Same Sun, on SALE for $3.99, 50% off. Yep, it's twice the love!

Both books are beautifully written, engaging stories, that will keep you turning the pages late into the night. Don't miss out on this LIMITED TIME OFFER! All good things have to come to an end so, even though we'll still love you on the 26th, this offer ends at midnight PDT on the 25th.

No kindle, NO PROBLEM, Amazon has an app for that. You can read these ebooks on your computer, smartphone, or tablet. Just click HERE and get reading!

Our prescription: Take two Kobras kindles with plenty of chocolate and unplug the phone!

Are Book Critics Obsolete or Essential?

2013-04-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

From a Creative Penn article called “The Discoverability Challenge: With More Authors Self-Publishing Each Year, How Will Your Book Get Noticed?”

Amazon and other online publishers have made it so simple for authors to self-publish that the number of books hitting the electronic shelves each year has skyrocketed. For example, in 1950, only 11,000 new books were published. Seems like quite a good amount of books, doesn’t it? The year 2011 welcomed an estimated 340,000 new books into the world, according to data company Bowkers.
In the days of bookstores, titles were quickly retired to make way for the latest and greatest. With online book retailers like Amazon now the go-to place for literary material, books can stay on electronic shelves indefinitely while each new year brings an ever-increasing tidal wave of newly published selections.
Readers have more reading choices than ever, but writers have never faced a more competitive environment or struggled so hard to get their book noticed.

Outlets that will review your independently published books

As possible solutions to this discoverability challenge, the article’s author (Jessica Bennett) goes on to mention sites like Netgalley, Goodreads, Bookish and Rabble Reads, as well as her own CompulsionReads. I’ll add our friends at the B.R.A.G. Medallion to the list too. These sites aim to highlight the best indie books on the market — the very, very flooded market.

What are your predictions for the future of book criticism?

In a world where Amazon customer reviews can be purchased, are these kinds of grassroots and crowd-sourced review sites more important than ever? Do they help bring attention to the most deserving indie books? Or do they reinforce a certain stylistic status quo?
Do they nobly broaden admittance into the canon, or are they perpetuating an obsolete notion (the myth of a canon in the first place, especially in the digital age)?
And if they are serving a crucial role in a changing industry, maybe it’s not that big a leap to think that book critics — the old-school, individual kind — could still offer a valuable service too (if, of course, they’ll consider books not being pimped by the traditional publishing industry).
Now that the barriers to publishing and distribution have fallen, are critics more important and more powerful than ever?
And what does it even mean to be “a critic?”
Which can you trust more, the wisdom of the masses or the tastes of a learned (maybe snobby) individual? Data from a social graph or the instincts of an experienced book critic?
Yes, I realize there’s probably a place for both in tomorrow’s publishing industry. But I’d love to hear your thoughts on how the floodgates of the future (and present) will be tended. Let me know in the comments section below.

One Writer's Conference Could be Your Catalyst

2013-04-18T15:51:00.000-04:00

Why attending a writers conference will take your career to the next level

*This article was written by C. Hope Clark, editor of FundsforWriters.com and originally appeared here.

New writers might fear attending a conference. Seasoned writers may think they don’t need to go to conferences anymore. But I would like to argue that every writer should dare to attend one conference per year.

It doesn’t have to be a huge, 1,000-attendee extravaganza, but try to make it more than a Christmas party for your writer’s group. You want to make yourself attend a conference where:

1) You meet new authors.

2) You hear new presenters.

3) You have the ability to receive a critique.

4) You have chat time with other writers.

I’ve been to many conferences. Some are better than others, but keep in mind I’m viewing it from the standpoint of a presenter. I’d love to attend a function where I wander around meeting others who are lost like me, or seeking answers to writing problems. I want to sit at the same table as someone who’s at my level of writing and publishing. And I want to be accessible to teachers willing to explain an issue to me, or tell me if I’m on the right track.

Who you’ll meet at a writers conference

We develop a hunger for our kind. That not only means writers in general, but also writers who:
1) write in our genre
2) write part-time or full-time like us
3) started later in life
4) just left college and don’t know where to turn
5) self-published instead of traditionally published
6) remain stubborn for a traditional contract
7) like agents
8) don’t like agents
9) prefer ebooks
10) won grants and contests
11) have great blogs
12) make social networking work
13) place their books into bookstores
14) attend retreats and know how to get their way paid
I’m sure you can add to the list, but what we want is to exchange thoughts with others who have our same doubts . . . while seeking similar dreams.
In other words, they get you . . . and you get them.
You know how rare those people are in your real world. Conferences rejuvenate you, but they also help you deduce whether you’re on the right track. They open doors.

What kinds of career-building opportunities happen at a writers conference?

1) A published writer meets another published writer and learns more about selling foreign or film rights.
2) A struggling writer meets one more experience who has a fantastic blog and offers an opportunity to guest post.
3) You analyze the way author tables are decorated and develop some great ideas for a new banner.
4) You study business cards and bookmarks handed out and see why yours aren’t cutting the mustard.
5) You hear about new magazines seeking freelancers and decide to pitch a few.
6) You become friends with a bookstore owner who offers to stock your book in his store after the conference, maybe offer you a signing event.
7) You offer to volunteer next year at the conference in exchange for your conference fees being paid.
The opportunities are endless! Just go to a conference, and choose to learn and network. You will walk away with enough ideas to keep your muse pumped for months to come.

————-

BIO: C. Hope Clark is editor of FundsforWriters.com chosen by Writer’s Digest for its 101 Best Websites for Writers for the last 12 years. She’s author of The Carolina Slade Mystery Series. Lowcountry Bribe released in February 2012, with book two (Tidewater Murder) coming out in mid-April 2013. And she’s also author of The Shy Writerand The Shy Writer Reborn. Her freelance work has appeared in Writer’s Market 2013, Guide to Literary Agents 2011 and 2012, Writer’s Digest and The Writer Magazine. www.fundsforwriters.com and www.chopeclark.com Twitter @hopeclark

COMING ATTRACTIONS!

2013-03-26T11:49:00.001-04:00

Releasing in July 2013, Song of the Storm, Book III of the Stone Trilogy by Mariam Kobras

The book will be available for PreOrder on Amazon.com in April.

WOOO HOO! Congrats Mariam!

Submissions Call for Mystery Times 2013!

2013-03-25T00:30:00.000-04:00

Will your story be part of this year's edition of Mystery Times?

Calling all Mystery short story writers: We have posted the hows and whys on our website.

Sharpen those pencils, and wax those keyboards, because the competition starts on April 1, 2013!

Sweet William Book Launch

2013-03-12T01:00:00.000-04:00

Sweet William by Martie Odell Ingebretsen launches today, March 12th, the first book in our Emerging Voices imprint.

All of the advance reviews have been stellar. Below are just a few, and at the end is a special note from us to our readers that outlines how you can read this wonderful book AND help the homeless at the same time.

Robert Lee Haycock:
"Sweet William" is beautiful. My only difficulty with it was reading it through the tears that kept coming. Thank you so very much for allowing me to read this. I am truly honored."

Daria DiGiovanni:
"It’s hard to describe just how moved I was in reading Martie Odell Ingebretsen’s wonderful novella, Sweet William. Perhaps heightened by the reality of current economic hardships throughout our country (as evidenced by the many friends and acquaintances who are struggling daily to support their families), Ingebretsen’s eloquent tale of a once-successful owner of a chain of thriving gas stations and loving family man who’s fallen from grace in the aftermath of tragedy is a stirring wake-up call to embrace and appreciate life, with all of its imperfections and disappointments. It’s also a stark reminder that in the blink of an eye, everything can come crashing down around you. One day, you might wake up to count yourself among the homeless after years of enjoying the fruits of your labor, surrounded by the ones you love."

Mariam Kobras:

"I want to call Ingebretsen’s writing voice formidable, overwhelming, literary in a way that many authors won’t allow themselves to be. She must be a fearless, clear-eyed woman to write the way she does, and yes, she makes me jealous at times, when I wish I had thought of that phrase, and not she."

Jeff Feezle:

"It’s easy to forget what we take for granted, the simple things, like keys, are freedom—they open houses, they indicate ownership fresh food, with the inviting smells and crispness of taste.

Yet, for over a million homeless folks, doing without is a daily part of their existence. Martie Odell Ingebretsen recognized this pain, and the injustice toward those without a home. Her book, Sweet William, is a poignant glimpse behind the curtain that is seldom revealed. It details in quite poetic terms, the fall and rise of William Biggs: the struggles of a man desperate to embrace the old memories of comfort, love, and understanding that comes from a good home and family. It’s a tale of coming full circle with what is possible, what a dream is, and what is unattainable. There are those along the way, who distrust William, simply because of his place in life, and push him into paths and unexpected alternatives that are both good and bad."

Ned Johnson:

"There are many "laws" of writing style. Among the few that stand out as preeminent are, "Write what you know about," and "You can't write about what you don't see in your mind." In her novella Sweet William, Martie Odell Ingebretsen violates the first and proves the latter, both with brilliance. Those are two of several keys to her unique and powerful style."

Nancy Ness, M.Ed:

"Worldly experiences, whether successes or failures, are life’s appointed means of growth, and Martie Odell Ingebretsen brilliantly depicts the story of William’s journey through his most challenging days. Ms. Ingebretsen delights her readers throughout, portraying her characters’ lives as hauntingly palpable to their own. This is a truly insightful story for readers from all walks of life."

Karilea Rilling Jungel:

"Martie is the kind of writer that sees the world through a raindrop – images are magnified and words are profoundly plumped with sensations and imagery that make us slow down to read her words yet again, so perfumed are they with the scent of life. Yet, such imagery can take a dark and shattering turn by a flick of her pen as she thrusts the reality of unmerciful pain, and makes the reader take a step back, perhaps in memory of their own anguish, before picking up the story again.
Like a good author, she does leave us with the embrace of hope, the idea that although as we step into the shoes of any of her characters, like they, we might rise again like a Phoenix to find that quite often, we are the shapers of our own destiny, good or bad, as you will find in the story of Sweet William."

A Note from the Publisher of Sweet William:
Sweet William is one of those amazing books that reaches out and grabs you. Cloaked in the structure of words and sentences, it tangles itself around your heart and shows you how much the simplest act can affect the lives of others.

Long after we had first read it and decided to publish it, I found myself wondering how we could build on that idea of simple acts. I hope you’ll approve of our decision.

Because William, the protagonist, a guy who might be your neighbor, cousin, or friend, shows so clearly how we are all just one crisis away from homelessness, Buddhapuss Ink will donate 10% of the profits from the first year’s sales of Sweet William to the Coalition for the Homeless. The Coalition works with homeless men, women, and families—including those affected by the recent Superstorm Sandy which devastated our area in October.

We’d like to think it’s our way of being their Nell.

Book Descriptions, More Than Just a Summary, Please. Five Essential Qualities of Irresistible Product Descriptions

2013-02-18T11:00:00.000-05:00

I was reading an article in The Daily Egg and realized that all to often authors and publishers fall prey to the "summary of features" style when penning those brief descriptions that appear on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other bookselling sites.

Although they may well convey the type and scope of the book, they don't exactly tantalize the reader into wanting to find out more about what's inside the book.The same can be said of many author bio's.

So, before you send off that query, upload your catalog to the printer, or post that next book for sale, read the article, and then rewrite those book blurbs a bit . . .

5 Essential Qualities of Irresistible Product Descriptions

by Kathryn Aragon 10 01/26/2013

Product descriptions aren’t that hard: Just list a few features and move on, right?
Wrong.
Your product descriptions should position your product, target your ideal customer, and set off a strong buy response. Features alone can’t do that.
Just take a look at this high-end retailer’s description, and you’ll see what I mean.

Trusting customers to buy based on a brand name and photo alone is like sending them on an ocean voyage in a rowboat. They might arrive safely in port, but the odds are high that they’ll get lost along the way.
People need help understanding what your product is and what it will do for them. They need to know why your product is better than all the alternatives.
And with so many brands not investing the time to write useful descriptions, you can easily stand out from the crowd. Just try one of these five simple techniques to make your descriptions irresistible.

1) Spark imagination with vivid language: Teavana

Tea, in and of itself, is nothing exciting. At least, not until Teavana talks about it.
The key is to nix all neutral words that don’t inspire or persuade. Replace them with words that create mental images or an emotional response.
Descriptions like rosy blush blend, enticing, tantalizing and intoxicating make this tea seem more than just another cup of caffeine. It’s an experience.
Then instead of listing ingredients, Teavana takes it to the next level by telling us how we’ll feel when we drink it. Guilt-free, slimful beauty? Who doesn’t want that?

How you can do it

First, decide on the primary emotion you want people to feel when they think about your product.
Then look for words that elicit those feelings. If you need help, use a reverse dictionary like this one from OneLook.
Now write a description that incorporates some of those words. Don’t just talk about your product. Help people experience it by showing them how their life will be changed by it.

2) Add spice with sensory details: Whole Foods Market

Specifics sell. And this description by Whole Foods Market proves it.
The implicit suggestion is that this pizza will transport you to Italy, where pizza isn’t a fast-food industry but a way of life.
Look at the details in the description. You may not immediately recognize schiacciata style pizza, but it enhances the trip-to-Italy metaphor. We’re even told the specific village where the pizza is made, Friuli, and if you keep reading, the meaning of schiacciata.
These types of details are what keep people reading, while colorful, sensory details help them visualize your product.
In this case, you can almost see the pizza being made: the crackle of the wood fire, the bright red cherry tomatoes, the smell of the rising yeast and the crunch of a thin, crispy crust.

How you can do it

Don’t just list features and benefits. Make your description a sensory experience.
Find ways to engage as many senses as possible: sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste. Weave in interesting facts about your product: where or how it’s made, who uses it, and anything else that could pique people’s interest.

3) Jazz it up with active verbs: White House Black Market

If you don’t have time to try any other tip, make time for this one.
The heart of any sentence — and the power — lies with verbs.
The temptation is to say, “This leather jacket is a surprising mix of motorcycle details and soft ruffles.” But where is the action?
Instead, White House Black Market uses strong verbs. Motorcycle details mix with ruffles. And not just any ruffles, but cascading ruffles. A pearlized neutral gives it luster. And the zipper pulls sparkle.
Don’t be afraid to surprise readers with an unusual noun-verb combination. Who would have guessed that a pearlized neutral could give luster? But here it does, and it sounds surprisingly attractive.

How you can do it

When writing your descriptions, try to avoid all passive verb constructions. For instance, “A jacket was made,” is passive. “Designers made this jacket,” is active.
Things don’t magically happen. Someone or something performs the action. That’s active, and it’s a powerful way to energize your descriptions.
When you’re done writing, read through your copy to find all weak or boring verbs. Replace them with vivid, colorful ones.

4) Connect the dots for readers: Wolferman’s

People don’t always make the connection between features and benefits.
If your product can change people’s lives, you need to tell them clearly. Even if it’s as simple a benefit as having your English muffin stand up to the toughest topping.
Just as Wolferman’s explains why thick muffins are more satisfying, tell people how your product’s features will change their lives for the better.

How you can do it

When you list a feature, tie it to a benefit. When you list a benefit, explain the feature that creates that benefit.
It doesn’t matter which comes first. You simply need to create a strong association between your product and your customer’s happiness.

5) Create an identity: Think Geek

People who identify with a certain group or class of people love products that help them express membership in that group.
It may be fan mentality, as when football fans wear the star quarterback’s jersey. Or it could be a sense of exclusivity, as when fraternity brothers wear a particular ring.
In this case, Think Geek knows that many professionals are really geeks in disguise. They craft a description that helps these people maintain their gamer identity, even while sporting a suit and tie.
This approach takes more space, but it can be very persuasive. Notice the description starts with the problem, having to replace gamer t-shirts with a pinstripe shirt. It then provides a solution, using a gamer’s backpack instead of a briefcase.
This approach creates such a strong identity with the product that details don’t matter to the buyer. It’s what the bag represents that’s important, not what it does.

How you can do it

Don’t just describe your product, describe it in terms of your customers. How will this product benefit them? Why should they choose it over every other option?
Make them feel special. Like members of an elite group. Then focus on the features that relate specifically to members of that group.

A little improvement can help a lot

So few brands see the value of writing strong product descriptions, it isn’t hard to make your descriptions stand out.
You only need to find the reasons people buy and the words to prove you get it, and you can easily beat the competition.
What about you? Do you have other tips for irresistible descriptions? Share them in the comments below.

About the Author: Kathryn Aragon is an award-winning copywriter, content marketer and editor of the C4 Report. Connect with Kathryn on Twitter.

To read the full article or subscribe to The Daily Egg, CLICK HERE

The Last Track by Sam Hilliard - FREE for a Limited Time

2013-02-11T19:33:00.000-05:00

For a limited time only, The Last Track, Kindle edition will be available for FREE download on Amazon.com. This bestseller has been listed as high as #44 on the Suspense / Thriller list and #1 on the Mystery Hard-boiled list! Don't miss your chance to pick up a copy of this book that was reviewed by Mystery Scene Magazine - "If you like thrillers set in the great outdoors, Sam Hilliard's The Last Track might light your campfire . . . Brody's search takes us deep into the Montana woods, which the author describes in such beautiful detail that we can almost smell the pines. Hints about Brody's own tragic background ratchet up the tension, which spikes further when his own son is threatened . . . Brody is such a riveting character that he could easily anchor an entire series." and was "Highly recommended" by The Midwest Book Review. With 25 reviews on Amazon and a 4.3 rating, you won't want to miss it! To get your copy now, CLICK HERE.

Coming on March 12, 2013 from our new Emerging Voices Imprint - Sweet William

2013-02-02T09:56:00.001-05:00

A novella by Martie Odell Ingebretsen, Sweet William will capture your heart.
William’s arrest on suspicion of child molestation is the catalyst that finally puts him back on the road to recovery. For too long he was caught in a web of guilt that turned him from the owner of a successful chain of gas stations, and loving family man, into a homeless alcoholic who spent his time dreaming. What appears to be just one more turn of bad luck turns out to be the turning point that allows him to open the door to the past and, at long last, accept it, and the love of the people around him. Slowly, life welcomes back William, and he is ready to embrace it once more.
Martie was born in Pasadena, California. She studied English literature, creative writing, and child development at various universities. Inspired by her father—whose stories were published in The Saturday Evening Post—she has been writing since the second grade. She strives to create characters who are always learning, growing, and trying to find answers to big questions. Her poetry has been published in journals, magazines, and various anthologies. She and her husband currently live in California, as do their two sons and four grandchildren. Sweet William is her first novella.

Creating Your Literary Ecosystem: The 10 Elements of a Successful Writing Career

2013-01-31T17:25:00.000-05:00

[As a literary agent (Larsen Pomada Literary Agency), Michael Larsen has been helping writers launch careers since 1972. More recently, as the founder and director of the San Francisco Writers Conference, he's helped countless authors build and nurture their own literary ecosystems. In this guest post, Michael provides an outline for you to create a sustainable ecosystem for your writing career.]

You can create a literary ecosystem: a balanced, organic, evolving, sustainable, inter-dependent, international, environmentally sensitive community. Your system will be unified by two holy trinities and by passion, interest, service, connection, and commerce.

The ten elements of your literary ecosystem are:

1. Passion—your love for creating and communicating your work

2. Purpose—literary, publishing, and community goals that inspire you to achieve them

3. Professionalism

–knowledge about writing, publishing, and your field
--the holy trinity of craft: reading, writing, and sharing
–the holy trinity of commerce: communities, a platform, and test-marketing
–using the technology you need to succeed

4. Perspective—understanding that developing your craft and career is a long-term process
5. Products and services—being a contentpreneur by producing a steady stream of work in your field in different forms and lengths that you re-purpose in other media
6. People—win-win relationships with engaged, committed, growing communities of people you serve who want to help you, because they know, like, and trust you
7. Platform–your continuing visibility, online and off, on your subject or the kind of book you write with your communities and potential buyers
8. Pre-promotion–test-marketing your work in as many ways as you can
9. Promotion— serving your communities by using your passion and platform to share the value of your work
10. Profit—what you need to achieve your personal and professional goals and maintain the system
The importance of each element will vary depending on what you write. Promotion and test-marketing will be more important for a book than a blog post.
Your ecosystem has to keep learning from and contributing to your communities, the hyper-connected human family, and the planet. Your system will continue to build synergy as long as you sustain it by enriching its soil with content and communication. Make cultivating your ecosystem a lifelong quest. You will accomplish more than you can imagine.

Mystery Times Nine 2012 - SOLD OUT in First Two Hours on Sale!

2012-12-06T12:09:00.004-05:00

What has nine tales, nine authors, and is an Amazon Bestseller?

Mystery Times Nine 2012!

Featuring stories by Kristina L. Martin, Michele Shaw, Wendy Sparrow, KC Sprayberry, Johanna Harness, Sam Hilliard, Melanie Cummins, Donna Jean McDunn, and Pat Cox, it has enough thrills, chills, murder, and revenge for any mystery fan! Hurry and get yours now, there's only a few left!

Harper Fails to Capture Penguin, Now Pursuing S&S

2012-11-21T17:02:00.002-05:00

After expressing at least theoretical interest in bidding for Penguin when that merger deal was all but finalized, News Corp. has reportedly moved to the next most likely potential target: Simon & Schuster. The WSJ, which often has a good line on parent company News Corp.'s strategy, is clear in their lead that the company simply "has expressed interest to CBS about acquiring its Simon & Schuster book business," which is a soft starting point.
To underscore that, "the people described the talks as preliminary and cautioned that a deal isn't imminent." But it does indicate that News Corp. remains interested in the possibility of adding to their trade publishing holdings as they prepare to spin all publishing (and education) into a separate company, which will naturally lead through a range of possible acquisitions. (Note there is a significant error in the WSJ piece that more than doubles Simon & Schuster's annual sales, which were $787 million for 2011.) Representatives for both Harper and S&S have declined to comment on the report.
CBS ceo Les Moonves did say to the WSJ in a video interview earlier this month, when asked for what amount they would sell their publishing division, that "we would never put a price on" Simon & Schuster, but "if someone came to us with a big offer, we would have to listen." Moonves underscored that "when you look the profits from books, they're very strong." At the end of the interview, unprompted, Moonves notes News Corp.'s late interest in Penguin and says, "If Mr. Murdoch called, I would always be interested in hearing what he had to say."
Speaking to Publishers Lunch after reporting third quarter earnings earlier in November, Simon & Schuster Carolyn Reidy said this about the pending Penguin Random House deal and the possibility of further consolidation among large trade publishers: "I'm not sure how much size gets you in a digital world," Reidy observed, noting "we're happy with our position in the marketplace. I think CBS is happy with its position in the marketplace." She said she will "be watching with fascination to see how this works out for them. Those results may be part of what determines whether a string of other consolidations follows."

*From today's issue of Publisher's Lunch

Rejection Letter Nightmares

2012-11-08T11:36:00.000-05:00

Every agent, editor, or publisher has them.

They start off with a vision of an ever-growing slush pile of manuscripts, emails, letters, chat messages, or dentist chair encounters, that involve some-usually poorly conceived-idea, story, novel, poem, that arrives with the plaudits of "my friends and family all say this would make a great book."

The pile shifts slightly off center as you approach it. Carefully, precisely, you pull one or two from the top of the tower only to find that through some paranormal process you'd prefer not to think about, the two are replaced by four more that quickly morph into twelve. You step back cautiously, never turning your back on the mass, fearful that it will tumble down and bury you alive.

You sit down to peruse your selections, find them noxious, and repeat the process. No matter how many you take from the stacks, they just keep climbing ever closer to the limits of your 12 foot ceilings. You do this again and again, until soon you have achieved nothing more that acquiring a new pile on the floor. This one sits next to your chair. And as awful as it is that you didn't find the gem you were hoping might be lurking in that evil-smelling mess threatening to take over the entire room, nothing is worse than what faces you next - writing those rejection letters.

All of this was brought to mind by a recent Forbes article titled: Why You Shouldn't Be a Writer. It was full of all the usual things, but one of them struck me as the perfect wording for what I'd like to send out to the worst of the wanna-be authors.

" . . . here’s the question you should be asking yourself: Can I write? Not literally. Not physically. Not technically. Anyone can do that. Can you make the words sing? Does your prose have that certain something? Are you gifted at showing not telling, or telling not showing, or creating an entire world that didn’t exist before that is born again when someone else reads your work?
Probably not. Most people cannot write well. This is a fact. This is something that is true. This is a hard thing to accept. Most people cannot write well, and that includes you, and what we can conclude from this is that the person we are talking about here who cannot write well is, in all likelihood, you."

Now of course I would never send something so cruel out into the world . . . but a girl can dream, can't she?

*Click HERE to read the entire Forbes article.

The Under the Same Sun Blog Hop Winners are . . .

2012-11-04T11:55:00.002-05:00

AND THE WINNERS ARE:
Christine Marshall / Krishenka
Rosona Taranta
and Kathy Wicks

YAY!!!!! Your book and chocolate will be shipped out as soon as we get your shipping addresses!

Random House and Penguin Make Merger Plan Official

2012-10-29T11:51:00.002-04:00

After last week's official confirmation of talks and a newsmaking weekend overture from News Corp., Bertelsmann and Pearson made their intended partnership official in an early Monday morning announcement that they have agreed to combine their trade book businesses into a single entity known as Penguin Random House. Under the deal, which is "expected to complete in the second half of 2013" but could take some time while awaiting regulatory clearances in multiple territories, Bertelsmann will hold 53 percent of the new company and Pearson will take a 47 percent stake, agreeing to hold those stakes for a minimum of three years. Markus Dohle will be worldwide ceo while John Makinson is to be chairman of the board, and Bertelsmann will appoint five executives and Pearson four to the new board of directors. Until the deal closes Penguin and Random House "will maintain their current separate operations and continue conducting business independently." A Bertelsmann spokesman indicated the deal was preceded by "five months of detailed discussions."
Those percentages are more closely aligned than some had expected, at least in part because the new entity will not include Bertelsmann's German-language publisher Verlagsgruppe Random House. (While sales figures are not provided separately for that unit, it is the largest trade publisher in the world's second biggest market. We no longer know just how big the combined company will be, but it's smaller than the $4 billion previously cited when you strip out the German sales.) RH Germany's ceo Frank Sambeth will continue to report to Dohle. RH spokesperson Stuart Applebaum told us the exclusion of the German division was part of a "strategic consensus between the two partners in the new company to invest in English- and Spanish-language publishing." Bertelsmann, however, "will continue to invest in German-language publishing as a 100 percent owner of VGRH [and] intends to endow VGRH with all the resources it needs to maintain and grow its German-market leadership."
Once the Penguin Random House deal closes, the new company, which they say "will continue to publish their books with the autonomy they presently enjoy, and retain their distinct editorial identities," will comprise all the English, Spanish and Portuguese language interests of Penguin and of Random House, as well as Penguin's operations in China and other interests. That includes Penguin's recently-acquired Author Solutions (whose roughly $100 million in sales has not been included as everyone has compared the relative sizes of the companies) and other Penguin assets such as Bookworld, the Australian ebookstore comprising the Borders and Angus & Robertson online businesses.
As the minority partner, Pearson can "offer to sell its entire shareholding" to Bertelsmann after three years and if their partner declines, then Pearson can "require a recapitalization" by raising debt equal to up to 3.5 times EBITDA, with "a dividend distributed to shareholders in line with their ownership." Five years after the deal closes, "either partner may require an IPO of Penguin Random House."
While some news organizations have noted the deal does not include a breakup fee if it is not consummated, it cannot be derailed by anything other than regulatory issues. Makinson tells us both companies "have signed a binding undertaking" and "the only condition to closing is regulatory approval," so Pearson's board could not abandon the deal in favor of a cash offer from some other party. If HarperCollins is looking to acquire more scale and has money to invest, they-- like their other peers -- will have to look to other potential acquisitions. (Presumably Les Moonves' phone has been ringing.)
As we hinted in calling it a "cashless sale" last week, the deal structure should please Pearson shareholders. Once it closes, Penguin's results will be treated as discontinued operations and Pearson will report only their share of Penguin Random House's profits. "It will have quite a positive effect on both the margin and balance sheet of Pearson," Makinson said, since Penguin is lower margin business than education for Pearson and trade publishing "employs a lot of working capital." Makinson underscored, "there's no write-off of goodwill" at Pearson when the asset transfer is made. While Pearson has been supportive of Penguin with capital investment for purchases like ASI, Makinson noted "one of the issues I thought about a lot in this combination...is the competition for capital." He expects that "within the Bertelsmann balance sheet we probably have a better shot at getting access to investment capital" in the future.
In a letter to Random House staff explaining "this is the future," Dohle stressed "the coming together of Random House and Penguin is both a realization of [Bertelsmann's] strategic plan for growing creative content businesses, and further affirmation of their belief in the great future of trade book publishing."
Echoing Makinson's words in a letter to Penguin staff last week when the talks were first acknowledged, Dohle wrote to employees, "I understand how difficult it is not having all of the details immediately about our new company. In order to overcome the uncertainty for all of you I will communicate and share with you directly and regularly as we move toward this transition, and I will do so with complete openness and transparency."
The key to the new joint company is, Dohle said, that "authors remain the center of everything we do" and that they, and their agents, "will continue to enjoy an enormous choice of publishing homes, where creative autonomy and great resources will be a defining hallmark."
Dohle said he is "deeply convinced that the creativity and experience of our publishers, aligned with our decentralized entrepreneurship, will enable us – together with our new colleagues – to more completely and immediately realize our vision to provide our content for everyone, everywhere, in every format, and on every platform." The combined Penguin Random House "will be able to offer a deeper, even more robust backlist, along with our highly successful frontlist" on a global scale. In addition, "both companies are already highly advanced and accomplished in digital publishing, and with this new partnership we will accelerate our digital transformation, while ensuring a strong future for print." Dohle also wrote separate letters to agents, authors, and booksellers, which we link to at the end of this piece.
In a separate letter to Penguin staff, Makinson said that discussions of industry consolidation had been taking place among Penguin management "for several years now" and as such, "we could have waited" to make a deal. But, Makinson explained, "in any industry it's always right to lead the process of consolidation rather than to follow. That way you get to pick the most attractive partner and steal a march on everyone else. I have always thought that Random House would be far and away the best partner for Penguin, not just because of its reach and our obvious complementarity, but because of the outstanding quality of its publishing."
The scale of the consolidation will lead to regulatory scrutiny in many places. Makinson told us "we know that there is quite a regulatory compliance burden" and "we are realistic about that," though he said "we aren't expecting there to be anything material" required for approval since "the combined market share of the two companies falls short of 30 percent" in major territories. He added, "we wouldn't have reached this point of announcing the transaction unless we felt some confidence in our ability to obtain regulatory clearance."
Trickier, perhaps, is that Penguin is currently in litigation with the US Department of Justice over ebook pricing and is the one trade publisher in Europe that declined to settle with the European Commission over similar issues. Makinson acknowledged that "our relationship with Justice becomes more complicated as a result of having two parallel inquiries" (the regulatory clearance and the ebook litigation). While saying their position on DOJ suit has not changed and they are "not about to settle it," Makinson admits that "we'll be giving it some more thought" and "will sit down with our partner at Random House and try to figure out the best way through this." (Though minor, the deal also enmeshes Random House in the Bookish joint venture.)
Penguin's release notes the expectation that the combined company "will generate synergies from shared resources such as warehousing, distribution, printing and central functions" and financial analysts have started trying to estimate the costs savings, though Makinson emphasized to us that "the deal isn't really driven by the costs arithmetic." He said that they will now "embark on a more careful and granular process to think about how we achieve the benefits of combination." Joint teams from Penguin and Random House will work through some of those details "and Markus and I will exercise joint stewardship of that process." Makinson said that in many ways it's an extension of "a conversation we've been having for some time" since "many of those decisions are going to have to be taken in any case because of the changes from physical to digital content."
*From today's Publisher's Lunch
In further remarks, Bertelsmann ceo Thomas Rabe said in the announcement: "With this planned combination, Bertelsmann and Pearson create the best course for the future of our world-renowned trade-book publishers, Random House and Penguin, by enabling them to publish even more effectively across traditional and emerging formats and distribution channels. It will build on our publishing tradition, offering an extraordinary diversity of publishing opportunities for authors, agents, booksellers, and readers, together with unequalled support and resources." He further added: "The combination of Random House and Penguin, first of all, significantly strengthens book publishing, one of our core businesses. Second, it advances the digital transformation on an even greater scale, and third, it increases our presence in the target growth markets Brazil, India and China."
Pearson ceo Marjorie Scardino, who is leaving the company at the end of the year, stated: "Penguin is a successful, highly-respected and much-loved part of Pearson. This combination with Random House--a company with an almost perfect match of Penguin's culture, standards and commitment to publishing excellence--will greatly enhance its fortunes and its opportunities. Together, the two publishers will be able to share a large part of their costs, to invest more for their author and reader constituencies and to be more adventurous in trying new models in this exciting, fast-moving world of digital books and digital readers."
Dohle, who will run the day-to-day operations of Penguin Random House, said as part of the joint statement: "Our new company will bring together the publishing expertise, experience, and skill sets of two of the world's most successful, enduring trade book publishers. In doing so, we will create a publishing home that gives employees, authors, agents, and booksellers access to unprecedented resources. I deeply believe that the support and services that we will be able to offer, coupled with the creative and editorial independence that we will continue to maintain, will benefit everyone in the book publishing environment, especially our passionate readers from today's generation to the next."
Dohle Letter to Agents
Dohle Letter to Authors
Dohle Letter to Booksellers
Dohle letter to staff
Makinson letter to staff

* from today's Publisher's Lunch

Yes Virginia, It Is a Blog Hop and Other Fun Stuff!

2012-10-12T15:50:00.001-04:00

AND THE WINNERS ARE:
Christine Marshall / Krishenka
Rosona Taranta
and Kathy Wicks

YAY!!!!! Your book and chocolate will be shipped out as soon as we get your shipping addresses!

DUE TO SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS CAUSED BY HURRICANE SANDY we were without internet access until late Friday night (11/2). We are checking all the posts, and entering all the names of the commenters and will be posting the winner's names tomorrow, Sunday 11/4.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 15th - follow @Mariam_Kobras on twitter as she celebrates the launch of her new book, UNDER THE SAME SUN. Mariam will be tweeting, 140 characters at a time, the full first chapter of the book!

Also on Monday, Mariam will begin hopping and bopping all over the web, making 14 stops in all! Follow here as she is interviewed, reviewed and leaves guest posts at each stop.

What's in it for you?
Well, besides a really good time following Mariam, you could win one of THREE SIGNED COPIES of her book, PLUS CHOCOLATE (yes, I did say chocolate). It seems more than one reviewer has said the perfect way to read Mariam's books is with a good cup of coffee and a stash of chocolate, we thought we'd help you out. You'll have to supply your own coffee (sorry, it's just impossible to send a cup of hot java safely through the mail) but if you're one of our three lucky winners you 'll be able to settle in for a terrific read complete with some chocolate to nosh as you follow the continuing story of Jon and Naomi Stone.
How do you win? Simply follow Mariam to each stop on the Hop and after reading that day's post, leave a comment. That's 14 chances to win if you leave a comment at each stop.
We'd love it if you would also follow the blogs you like along the way-they're all pretty terrific!

Want more chances? If you're on Facebook - just LIKE the page for Under the Same Sun .

What's the schedule?

10/15 Johanna Harness http://amwritingblog.com/wordpress/archives/15377

10/16 Lisa M. Stull Live at noon EDT http://lmstull.com/2012/10/16/interview-with-author-mariam-kobras/

10/17 Amber Meadows http://www.amberrisme.com/2012/10/17/under-the-same-sun-book-blog-tour/

10/18 Kristina Wagner http://tenminutemissive.com/2012/10/18/celebrating-mariam-kobras-under-the-same-sun/

10/19 Rebecca Emin http://ramblingsofarustywriter.blogspot.de/2012/10/guest-blog-mariam-kobras.html

10/22 Nita Beshear http://devotedtoquilting.wordpress.com/2012/10/22/mariam-kobras-word-scraps-create-under-the-same-sun/ (review)

10/23 Carrie Bailey http://peevishpenman.blogspot.de/2012/10/writing-this-is-how-it-works.html

10/24 Julie A. Lindsey http://blog.juliealindsey.com/julie-anne-lindsey-writer/spooktacular-giveaway-october-24th-31st/

10/25 Junying Kirk http://www.junyingkirk.com/?p=3459

10/26 Katie Weiland http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/2012/10/10-tips-for-beginning-writers.html

10/29 Leanne Gagnon http://leanne109.blogspot.com/2012/10/truth-and-fairy-tales-guest-post-author.html

10/30 Lauri Rottmeier http://rottitude.com

10/31 Wendy Mason http://wisewolftalking.com (interview)

We were floored when her book released and made the Amazon bestseller list, you'll want to order yours soon.While you're waiting for it to arrive, you can follow the link at the right to read the first two chapters for FREE!

Oh, and don't forget to follow Mariam on the Hop!

The Final Countdown . . . 5 . . 4 . . 3 . . 2 . .

2012-10-10T16:57:00.002-04:00

The final countdown has begun for the release of Under the Same Sun , Book 2 in the Stone Trilogy by Mariam Kobras. Today the final copies arrived from the printer!

Monday, the 15th, is the official release day and we will be marking it with a Blog Hop (watch here for more details) and Mariam will be tweeting the entire first chapter, 140 characters at a time, from her twitter account @Mariam_Kobras. You won't want to miss the fun, so be sure and follow here on twitter, and watch here for links to all the fun!

Book Publisher Goes To Court To Recoup Hefty Advances From Prominent Writers | The Smoking Gun

2012-09-26T15:16:00.000-04:00

A New York publisher this week filed lawsuits against several prominent writers who failed to deliver books for which they received hefty contractual advances, records show.
The Penguin Group's New York State Supreme Court breach of contract/unjust enrichment complaintsinclude copies of book contracts signed by the respective defendants.
The publisher is seeking repayments from:
* "Prozac Nation" author Elizabeth Wurtzel, who signed a deal in 2003 to write "a book for teenagers to help them cope with depression." Penguin wants Wurtzel, seen at right, to return her $33,000 advance (and at least $7500 in interest).
* Blogger Ana Marie Cox, who signed in 2006 to author a "humorous examination of the next generation of political activists," is being dunned for her $81,250 advance (and at least $50,000 in interest). Her Penguin contract totaled .
* Rebecca Mead, a staff writer at The New Yorker, owes $20,000 (and at least $2000 in interest), according to Penguin, which struck a deal in 2003 for "a collection of the author’s journalism."
* Holocaust survivor Herman Rosenblat was signed for in 2008 to describe how he "survived a concentration camp because of a young girl who snuck him food. 17 years later the two met on a blind date and have been together ever since, married 50 years." While Rosenblat’s story was hailed by Oprah Winfrey as the "single greatest love story" she had told on the air, it turned out to be a fabrication. Penguin wants him to repay a $30,000 advance (and at least $10,000 in interest).
* "Hip-Hop Minister" Conrad Tillard signed an Penguin contract in 2005 for a memoir about his "epic journey from the Ivy League to the Nation of Islam," and his subsequent falling out with Louis Farrakhan. The publishing house's lawsuit is seeking the repayment of about $38,000 from Tillard.*

*From The Smoking Gun, Sept 25, 2012

We can sum this up in a few sentences: Too often Big Names + Big Advances = Big Flops!
At the same time, talented, but unknown writers receive blanket rejections from the big houses. That's why we left big house publishing. We at Buddhapuss Ink, are always looking for new, talented, authors that we can grow!

What's your opinion?

Bookstore Sales Up Again in July

2012-09-14T11:10:00.003-04:00

Bookstore sales rose 1.2% in July to $981 million, according to estimates released Friday morning by the U.S. Census Bureau. The July increase followed a 3.8% gain in June and resulted in a 0.6% increase in bookstore sales for the first seven months of 2012. In the January-July period, bookstore sales hit $7.96 billion. For the entire retail segment, July sales rose 3.0% and sales for the first seven months of 2012 were up 5.9%.

Bookstore sales include results from retailers that generate at least 50% of their revenue from books.

*from today's issue of PW Daily

We Will Never Forget

2012-09-11T12:12:00.001-04:00

Eleven years later and it is still so fresh in our memories, but today for the first time my thoughts turned to the future. How much longer will the memorials continue to be covered live on all the networks? I thought as I watched today. I'm struck by the fact that many of the children reading the names today were just babies, toddlers when this all happened. How much longer will this memory-which seems seared permanently onto my brain-live on?
Children grow up, parents, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles, move on and pass away until at some point there will no longer be anyone who remembers this day because they lived it, there will only be the pictures, the videos and timelines, to bring it into the collective consciousness. In a way, I envy these future generations. They won't have that pit of the stomach churn, the tears, the nightmares and fears. For them it will be a memorial of something tragic, something awful, that happened once, but not to them.
And so, eleven years later, as I listen once more to the seemingly endless list of the victims names being read one more time, I pray that these future generations will never experience anything even approaching the horror of that day. I pray that we will all finally figure out how to live peacefully with one another, no matter how farfetched and impossible that thought might seem.
At the same time I pray that we will truly never forget all those people-who just like me-got up on September 11, 2001, grabbed breakfast and hurried off to their jobs or flights, but never came home again. Those of us who did come home will never be the same. We carry their thoughts, their memories, their lives, their deaths, forward with us into that great unknown-the future.

Dedicated to all my former fellow workers at NorthSouth Books and NordSued Verlag who witnessed this day from our office windows. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.

To view the interactive timeline of the events of September 11, 2001, click here

Trade Books Sales Rise in May-ebboks Set New Record

2012-09-06T12:01:00.001-04:00

The AAP monthly sales reports remain relentlessly cheerful, with May statistics released Wednesday morning showing strong trade sales and another burst in ebook sales. Total trade sales from the reporting publishers were $535 million, up 17 percent from $457 million a year ago. In contrast to some previous months, the gains came from higher true shipments/sales in multiple categories, rather than just fewer returns.

eBook sales, which had been growing at a slower pace since last fall, hit a new record for the month, at $133.7 million overall--well ahead of the previous high mark of $121.1 million in January. Since the whole trade is healthy, though, ebooks remained at about 25 percent of all sales, consistent with the year's pattern. And the gain, while big, was up 77 percent compared to a year ago--still below the doubling that had been common when the market was smaller.

Adult ebooks alone rose to $106.3 million--up from $70.1 million a year ago--though they were still outpaced by both trade paperbacks ($135 million) and hardcovers ($106.6 million). They comprised 27 percent of all adult sales. Children's ebooks of $27.7 million comprised 20 percent of sales across that segment (a new high), up sharply from $7 million (and 5.5%) a year ago. Here are updates of our standing charts to visualize the ebook sales trends. Updates of our standing charts that visualize the ebook sales trends are available at the PM site.

*From Today's issue of Publisher's Lunch

UK Publisher Triples Sales by Bundling

2012-08-14T14:44:00.000-04:00

A truly interesting experiment that was reported in today's PW Daily:

"The Clonefiles initiative was a small experiment, involving a single imprint of Osprey Group, Angry Robot, and one indie bookstore, Mostly Books in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England. The store tested bundling by offering a free electronic edition of every one of Angry Robot's print novels it sold and promoted the venture with a window display. But the initiative could have big implications. According to reports in the Futurebook blog of The Bookseller, Clonefiles has already been so successful since it began on July 4, tripling sales of those titles, that Angry Robot is planning to roll it out to more stores.

Mostly Books owner Mark Thornton told Futurebook that the initiative has been a game-changer. “It has allowed us to engage with customers and break the ‘ereader taboo’ with people coming into the shop,” he said. “At Mostly Books, we assume that everyone coming into our shop has an ereader. Clonefiles allows us to start a conversation with them, and it is amazing how customers have responded. From a slightly-embarrassed ‘let’s all pretend eReaders don’t exist’ awkwardness, customers have opened up to us about their eReading experience—and in the process are actually telling us what we need to offer to stay relevant—and survive.”

Given the number of independent booksellers in the U.S., who have advocated bundling print books with e-books for several years now, Clonefiles could have an immediate impact on this side of the Pond as well. In the UK experiment, purchasers simply gave the bookstore their e-mail address and were then sent a DRM-free electronic edition. No heavy tech knowledge required."

Although we're not sure exactly how we would accomplish something similar, we are definitely investigating the possibilities!