In today’s podcast, we speak with Mike Raymond, author of We The People, a Science Fiction Adventure. We The People deals with an act of terrorism so horrific it transcends the human race. In fact, CIA agent Cliff Tanner discovers the act of terrorism is of alien origin. Besides listening to the podcast, you can find out more about Mike’s book at mike-raymond.blogspot.com You can purchase a copy of We The People at stores.lulu.com/wethepeople

Click here to download and listen to the podcast. Listen to Author Blasts show now.

http://authorsonthenet.com/audio/MikeRaymondPodcastfinal.mp3

Note: depending on the speed of your Internet connection, this file may take a few minutes to download. You can also download the interview through itunes. To subscribe to this podcast, go to the itunes store, click on podcasts and search for “Authors On The Net.” Subscribe and you will receive our podcasts directly to your itunes.

Without an obvious target market or news hook, new fiction can get lost in the sea of novels published every year, no matter how well written it may be. Successfully Marketing Your Novel in the 21st Century is a step-by-step guide that’s jam-packed with proven tips and ground-breaking strategies to make your novel a sales success. Mystery and thriller writer Austin S. Camacho offers hundreds of winning tactics that he has personally used to get his six novels onto the shelves of major bookstores and into the hands of thousands of readers. This book will show you how to:

• Overcome the stigma of being POD or self-published.

• Create a basic marketing plan

• Make positive contact with booksellers

• Make your book signing an event

• Handle interviews for newspapers, radio or TV

• Make the best use of web-based marketing tools

Austin S. Camacho wants you to succeed as an author, and he shares everything he has learned in a decade of self-promotion in Successfully Marketing Fiction in the 21st Century.

2 - Interview

Who is Austin Camacho?

Some people think he’s a public affairs specialist for the Defense Department, but inside he’s a philosopher and a teller of morality tales thinly disguised as mysteries or adventure stories. He’s also a husband and father, a flirt and a loudmouth, with a big heart and an even bigger ego. And he’s a hard-working marketing fool who wants every adult alive to read his novels.

You’ve published several fiction novels. Why did you decide to pen a book about marketing?

When I was first published I read a number of excellent volumes on how to market self-published books, but none of them did a good job of addressing my specific needs. The most successful self-published books are nonfiction, but the best advice on marketing nonfiction books won’t help you sell your novel. So I set about culling out what was most useful to me. A lot of trial and error was involved, and more than a few disappointments. This book is the result of the synthesis of knowledge found in those books, my public affairs training, and my ten years of hard won personal experience.

Who is this book for?

This book is for all those novelists out there who got tired of waiting for Simon and Shuster or Ballantine to give them a chance. Print on Demand, self publishing and small presses are all reasonable options, but those authors need to know what to do to get their books the attention they deserve.

What are some key tips you offer authors to help them sell successfully?

If I were to offer just 3 basic tips they’d be:

1. Camouflage – make your book look like those the big publishers put out, and behave like a big time author.

2. Planning – decide what tools and techniques you’ll use and map out the timing of your marketing strategy.

3. Evidence-based Marketing – Don’t spend money on any marketing technique unless someone can show you proof that someone has made money doing it.

You publish your own work. What benefits are there to that?

The advantages are financial and emotional. When you self publish you don’t share the profits with a publisher so you can make a real profit on even a small number of books sold. Also, you own all the rights to your books and can sell them to anyone who wants to publish you in print, electronically, overseas or in audio.

Just as important to me is the total control I have. I choose the cover, the back cover copy, the interior design, the font… everything about the physical product. I like the feel of really owning my books.

What hurdles do you face?

Of course I face the obstacles every author faces: getting my book noticed in the crowded field of genre fiction, getting booksellers to stock them, building my name.

But I face some barriers that mainstream authors don’t. It is very hard for self-published and POD authors to get distribution, one thing that’s a given for mainstream authors. It is also much harder for us to get reviews in major papers and magazines. And we’re shut out of many of the most prestigious awards. For example, I’m not eligible for the Edgar awards, regardless of the quality of my writing, because the Mystery Writers of America don’t recognize me as a published author. Only books published by a short list of publishers qualify. My small press publisher, Echelon Press, has nearly 100 authors, pays an advance and works with several distributors, but it’s not on the MWA’s list.

You have a few marketing books on your own shelves. What are other tomes you recommend?

1,001 Ways to Market Your Books by John Kremer is the place to start. Unfortunately 90% doesn’t apply to fiction but it’s all good to know. Then I like the books by Tom and Marilyn Ross. Guerrilla Marketing for Writers is full of good ideas to try. And don’t forget Dan Poynter, the dean of self publishers.

What’s next for you?

My agent has a new Hannibal Jones mystery and two new thrillers I haven’t published. She and I met with some publishers’ editors at Thrillerfest and got some positive feedback. So, there’s a chance I may break into mainstream status. Cross your fingers for me.

I’ll also be at the Baltimore Book Festival and Bouchercon (also in Baltimore) and at Magna Cum Murder in Mincie, IN this year.

Where can we find you on the web?

Everywhere! Seriously, go to my web site - www.hannibaljonesmysteries.com - and click the “Austin on the web” link to see the other 20 internet places I call home.

3. Article

Make the Commitment

I am a big supporter of self-publishers, small publishers and Print On Demand authors. After all, I am or have been all of the above. I always believed that having my book out there would be a plus, and that a track record of sales would make me more attractive to publishers. Besides, with a book published I can demonstrate how hard I’m willing to work to sell books.

The truth may be someone different. I’ve spoken with several agents lately and been told some things that, if true, I wish someone had told me a lot sooner. Some things that POD Publishers and small presses would NOT want you to know.

For example, I’ve been told that some agents automatically reject any manuscript from an author who wants to step up to a bigger house, or wants a chance at a wider readership once he or she is already published. They say that publishers prefer the unknown risk of debut authors to the known potential of established authors who have shown they’ll promote their work, unless those authors have sold more than 50,000 copies.

For years I’d heard that large publishers would pick up books that had been successful at a small house or POD, but until now no one every defined “successful” for me. (This particular agent, Janet Reid, was speaking in the Sisters-in-Crime newsletter.)

Agents also report that most publishers aren’t interested in taking on a series that is already started. They might look at a new series by an author with a series already published, but only if they see the new series as potentially a big breakout hit.

So the advice from these agents is, keep submitting everywhere because if you self-publish, publish POD or go with a small press it could spike your chances at a career as an author for one of the big houses. Ms Reid says that until you’ve queried 50 agents with three separate books, it’s too soon to consider the other options.

It’s hard to say to what extent this is just information that small presses and POD companies just don’t want you to hear, since their livelihood is based on getting writers to publish with them. There is also quite an industry that has sprung up around selling products and services to self-publishers and POD authors. They don’t want you to think it’s pointless, or worse, counter-productive to try.

But it’s also hard to say to what extent this information is self-serving for the agents, whose livelihood depends on selling manuscripts to companies that pay an advance big enough to make 15% worth having.

As there are no disinterested parties in this business, we must all still use our best judgment: publish now and risk never being considered by the big guys, or keep submitting, knowing that you may never be considered by the big guys.

4. Excerpt:

Camouflage: Now that you have a book that reads like popular science fiction or romance or whatever your genre is, make sure that’s obvious to the casual observer. Big publishers ensure this as a matter of course, and small presses usually do pretty well too. Their experienced book designers, artists and marketing teams create the standard look and feel. But if you’re self-published or a POD author, it’s up to you. Don’t expect your POD publisher to mention ANY of this.
Why must your book look, feel, and smell like everyone else’s? Because readers decide to buy based on a large number of subconscious signals a book sends them. They’ve been trained by publishers to expect certain things. They’ve also been conditioned by those same publishers to believe that any book worth reading will be published by them. We know that’s not true, of course, but a book that says “self-published” to the consumer also says “amateur.” The same applies to booksellers. Your focus should be to make your book look as professional as possible, from the layout of the words inside to the cover art you choose.
Of course, you’ll need to look, sound, and act like a professional writer too, but that should not be camouflage. That’s what you are!

5. THE CONTEST!

Send me your best tips on how to market full length fiction. I will feature the best three, and their submitters, in my newsletter and on my blog – Another Writer’s Life (http://ascamacho.blogspot.com.) They will each receive a copy of my book, and the one who sends the best tip will also receive a package of free business cards plus a $50 gift certificate for bookmarks, a book cover or any other products from Iconix (http://iconix.biz/bookmarks.htm) – the company that designed the cover of Successfully Marketing Your Novel in the 21st Century.

To enter, just go to http://www.ascamacho.com/sfmyn.htm hit the link to e-mail me your tips.

Ten Rules for Dealing with Wholesalers and Distributors
A Saturday Rant 4-10-2004

First we need to define the difference. While there are some blends,
basically a wholesaler, like Ingram or B&T is an order taking warehouse and
fulfillment operation. They do no sales. They get around 55% discount and
pass 40% to their retail customers. A distributor is a different animal. You
can make the analogy that your distributor takes the place of your in-house
sales operation. Most book distributors require an exclusive right to sell
your product. They have sales reps, catalogs, and their mission is to go out
and hawk your book. They also warehouse your books and fulfill your orders.
Most take around 67% and pass 40% to the stores.

1. Don’t be afraid to negotiate the different discounts. Wholesalers and
distributors can be flexible on their terms. They don’t WANT to be, but if
they want your product line, they will make a few concessions here and
there. The exception is Ingram. It is either their way or the highway.
However with IPG, Midpoint, and others if you speak up you might not leave as
much money on the table as those who don’t.

2. Keep after your distributor to find “new” ways to sell your product. The
sales staff of most distributors are hard working, but are lacking in much
imagination. This is because they have a zillion books to hawk and it is
hard to have good ideas on how to hawk all of them. Fax or e-mail your
distributor contact every two weeks with an “idea” that their sales staff
can take to the field.

3. You still must be your own best salesperson. This is doubly true if you
only have a wholesaler. Remember, wholesalers don’t do squat to move your
product. That’s your job. If you have a distributor, they have lots of
publishers that they rep and are not going to give you as much “effort” as
they originally promised or as you might want.

4. If your distributor (or potential distributor) has suggestions about what
to price your book at, sit up and take notice. Most often they are close to
the mark. If you produce a little 4×4 book on inspirational sayings and you
want to sell it for $13.95 but are told by a distributor to price it at
$8.95 do what they say. These people have a good track record on how to
price books. Not always… but most often.

5. Don’t be afraid to question the reports you get. Many distributors have
terrible computer systems and poor data entry accuracy. Make sure you
reconcile the number of books you have sent against those that have sold
against those still in inventory. If they don’t “tick and tie” (and
sometimes they won’t) speak up and get an adjustment. You should have a good
back-office software product yourself to keep track of sales and inventory
both at your location and at your distributor/wholesaler(s). I can think of
a really good one that only costs $14.95 a month and does “it all.”

6. Don’t screw your distributor. If a store places an order with you, do the
right thing and send it on to the distributor. If they hear that you filled
it yourself they will be pissed and the last thing you need is a pissed off
distributor.

7. If Ingram orders a quantity of books over 20, only send them 75% of what
they order. This will save you the shipping cost when Ingram returns the
overstock (which they will re-order a week or two later.)

8. When you get one or two books returned by Ingram, call your rep and tell
them how upset you are. If it happens again, and you are a PMA member,
contact the PMA and demand that Jan Nathan look into it. It

9. If you expect some big publicity event to generate orders, call your
wholesaler and distributor and let them know that they should order some
more product. They will, and they will be glad you told them.

10. If Ingram is your only wholesaler AND you depend on the retail channel
for 80% or more of your business, never, never, never piss them off. If they
drop your account, you are out of business.

The real secret of this business is to find a way to by-pass the middle
channel and sell direct. Get a web site. Make Amazon and B&N.com your best
friends. That is where your future is. It is not with Ingram, IPG, or with
brick/mortar stores.

Alan N. Canton
Publisher/Software Developer
Adams-Blake Co.

Many authors will think to themselves and say to those around them they want to become a New York Times best selling author or they have written a “best seller.” The twist Mr. Kiyosaki puts on this concept is that the author him/herself needs to develop strong marketing and selling skills to make his/her book sell well - become a best seller.

In his book, Mr. Kiyosaki tells of a young journalist who asked him how her novels could become best sellers. He suggested she take a course on selling. Apparantly, the young lady did not like this advice and said that she had a masters degree in English and was a professional writer.

This story by Mr. Kiyosaki made me think of the many authors who come to me and say they have a very good book. I always believe they have written a very good book as I have usually not read them. I take the author’s word for it. The point is, I can’t read every book that is presented to me and even if I did, I might not share the author’s same enthusiasm.

You see, I do not see my role as being a gatekeeper like traditional publishers, trying to pick the next great book. My role at Authors On The Net is to help authors build their online platform so a larger audience, an audience that is interested in the author’s book, can tell the author his or her book is good. I am interested in helping authors learn how to market and sell to their target audience.

Yes, having a good book is important, but it is not as important as having a strong audience. Just look at what happened to the book The Secret. Most people I know who have read the book, even those who really liked the book, said to me that it was a pretty simple idea; an idea that has actually been around for a long time. But look at the sales job the authors did. That is an amazing story!

To have a best-selling book, the author needs to become a best seller. Many articles and tools on this site will help authors learn how to promote and sell more books. In addition, you might want to take classes on how to sell and market.

A Supernatural/Horror

“I,AM”

Mankind knows that God is all-powerful, but there IN THE MIDST OF GOOD, THERE IS EVIL and IN THE MIDST OF EVIL…
THERE IS…….. “I, AM”

“I,AM”
BY DEON C. SANDERS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 08, 2008

CHICAGO, IL.–SUPERNATURAL/HORROR AUTHOR, DEON C. SANDERS is proud to announce the E-book release of his second Supernatural/Horror novel titled “I,AM,” ISBN: 1-55404-315-8 taking a different direction from his first print supernatural/horror novel titled “Miss Mary Weather: A Southern Nightmare ISBN: 1-58851-837-X.”

Short Synopsis of “I,AM”
We all know how the story begins: God is completing Heaven and Earth. Heaven was full of splendor… and the Angels were filled with laughter. Except for Lucifer, the most exquisite Angel in heaven and the most jealous of God. Lucifer’s jealousy of God ignites a war between God’s Army and Lucifer’s followers. As the war ends, God and his army conquer Lucifer, banishing him from heaven. With God’s own two hands, he throws Lucifer out of Heaven to rule in hell for all eternity. However, Lucifer did not gather his jealousy of God and the thought of War by himself. Lucifer was tempted, and manipulated into thinking he could defeat God, by an unknown evil, just as powerful as God. Its name was “No Name,” it was neither good nor evil, and it was neither merciful nor malicious. It’s “I,AM”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
As a sophomore horror author in the publishing world, Deon C. Sanders (Deno Sandz), a black father of six working in the educational field, is on his way to writing numerous best-selling supernatural/horror novels, inspiring poems, short stories, and feature film screenplays. However, his passion is supernatural/horror writing.

Deon C. Sanders (pen: Deno Sandz)
ISBN: 1-55404-315-8
Genre: Supernatural/Horror - Suspense/Thriller
eBook Length: 76 Pages
Published: January 2006
Imprint: Double Dragon Publishing
P.O. Box 54016, 1-5762 Hwy 7 East,
Markham, Ontario, L3P 7Y4 Canada

AVAILABLE AT:
http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/single.asp?ISBN=1-55404-315-8
http://www.amazon.com
http://www.ereader.com/product/detail/21130?book=I,_Am
REVIEWS
http://ghostwriterreviews.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2_316

BOOK VIDEO
http://www.trailerspy.com/movie-trailers/view/547/iam-1/

RADIO INTERVIEW
http://www.globaltalkradio.com/profiles/denosandz.htm

Media/Press/Raves/Interviews
Contact: Publicist, Tray Taylor

In today’s podcast, we speak with Termina Ashton, author of Medwin’s Room, a fantasy novel filled with Pickwicks, Snotlings and Coblies. In addition to learning about her book, we also get a glimpse into how her book was discovered by a movie producer and other tips on how to use the Internet to promote a book. Termina has a great website promoting her book at www.medwinsroom.com and I encourage authors to visit her site to see how Termina took a concrete slab in her house and turned it into an incredible story and other products.

Click here to download and listen to the podcast. Listen to Author Blasts show now.

http://authorsonthenet.com/audio/TerminaAshtonPodcast.mp3

Note: depending on the speed of your Internet connection, this file may take a few minutes to download. You can also download the interview through itunes. To subscribe to this podcast, go to the itunes store, click on podcasts and search for “Authors On The Net.” Subscribe and you will receive our podcasts directly to your itunes.

Today’s Podcast is the second part of an interview with Phyllis Zimbler Miller, author of Mrs. Lieutenant: A Sharon Gold Novel. In Part 1, Phyllis tells a story from the perspective of four women who went through the military’s training program on how to be a good spouse to their husband’s serving during the Vietnam war. You can learn more about Mrs. Lieutenant by visiting the website, www.mrslieutenant.com. In this segment, Phyllis shares information on promoting books on the internent. It is a great segment and we hope you gain some valuable insight.

Click here to download and listen to the podcast. Listen to Author Blasts show now.

http://authorsonthenet.com/audio/PhyllisZimblerMiller-part1.mp3

To watch the Mrs. Lieutenant book trailer, click here.

Note: depending on the speed of your Internet connection, this file may take a few minutes to download. You can also download the interview through itunes. To subscribe to this podcast, go to the itunes store, click on podcasts and search for “Authors On The Net.” Subscribe and you will receive our podcasts directly to your itunes.

In today’s podcast, we speak with Phyllis Zimbler Miller, author of Mrs. Lieutenant: A Sharon Gold Novel. Phyllis tells a story from the perspective of four women who went through the military’s training program on how to be a good spouse to their husband’s serving during the Vietnam war. You can learn more about Mrs. Lieutenant by visiting the website, www.mrslieutenant.com. Phyllis also has a lot of information for authors promoting on the internent, so much that we decided to run her interview in two parts. The file below primarily covers her book and part 2 will cover what she is doing to promote her book online.

Click here to download and listen to the podcast. Listen to Author Blasts show now.

http://authorsonthenet.com/audio/PhyllisZimblerMiller-part1.mp3

To watch the Mrs. Lieutenant book trailer, click here.

Note: depending on the speed of your Internet connection, this file may take a few minutes to download. You can also download the interview through itunes. To subscribe to this podcast, go to the itunes store, click on podcasts and search for “Authors On The Net.” Subscribe and you will receive our podcasts directly to your itunes.

For authors, one tactic we can use is giving away free copies of our books, either hard copy books or ebooks. Ebooks are more popular as freebies as they do not cost anything to reproduce. The idea with freebies is that we will create a grass-roots awareness for our books. But so far, a proven model has not emerged that this strategy works.

Free content has its value if used strategically. For example, many people give away free newsletters, short ebooks or CDs as a way to build their list. These authors then put their lists of contacts in an autoresponder and prompt their customer base to buy other products. This is one way to start building your platform.

I personally think this culture of free on the Internet will evolve into more pay-for-content models. If you want to read more about free content on the internet, you might want to read this article, for free of course . . .