We CAN! promote our books

WRITERS WHO SPEAK: CHOOSING A TOPIC

2013-06-19T09:08:00-04:00

Greetings from Golden Keyes Parsons writing today on how to select a topic when asked to speak to a group. I had been speaking professionally for several years before I became a published author. Believe me when I say that choosing a topic as a published author. . .

. . . is much easier than selecting one as a general inspirational speaker. Here's three reasons why:

1. Tell them when/how you started writing.

One of the questions I always, 100% of the time, get asked is, "How did you get started writing?" I have a funny little story that I can tell. I actually kind of looked down on fiction writers. And now I am a fiction writer!. So I start out with this hook: "I have a confession to make." They are all ears from that point on. I tell them how I came to the realization at a Christian writers conference that Jesus taught truth by telling stories; how sometimes fiction can convey a truth much more forcefully than non-fiction and in a more palpable form; how a non-believer is more apt to pick up a novel, than a Christian non-fiction self-help book. Tell your audience about your writing journey. They really are interested in how you got started.

2. You have a ready-made topic--your books!

Every group I've spoken to as an author, whether a book club, a women's church group, a genealogy club, or a writer's group, also wants to know how you chose to write the book you wrote. How did you arrive at the story line? How did you choose your characters? Tell them about how you did the research for your books. Show pictures on the screen of locations (if you write historicals). Tell them how the covers were developed. You have a myriad of choices at your fingertips.

3. Tell them a little bit about the publishing process.

Groups who invite you to speak are interested in the publishing process as well. To those who have never had any exposure to the publishing world, it is a huge mystery. The reality of it is usually much different than their perspective, and they enjoy hearing about how a person walks through the process.In addition, I've found that many in one's audience have a desire to write and be published and want to know particulars how to go about that.

One thing I've discovered as I speak to different groups is even when I've been asked to speak on a particular subject, say a women's retreat on "New Beginnings," or "Spiritual Spring Cleaning," or some other topic, they still want to hear about my writing journey. So be sure to include, however brief, a bit about it. And if you have your books at the event to sell, talking about them helps draw attention to them.

One additional thought, I have developed an interest in the topic, "What Makes Christian Fiction Christian?" It is intriguing to me how the gatekeepers of the CBA make those designations of what is and what isn't Christian enough to be labeled Christian fiction. So I've done some research and developed a talk around that subject. What are your interests in the writing arena? Develop a talk around it and be ready when the next invitation comes.

"Would you be available to speak to our women's club next fall?"

You will be ready and can respond with a resounding "Yes! I'd be happy to!"

Visit my web site

God Uses Our Pain for His Glory and Others' Gain

2013-06-17T11:00:00-04:00

Hi! I'm Grace Fox, author of Peaceful Moments to Begin Your Day: Devotions for Busy Women. As a devotional writer and inspirational speaker, I help audiences learn how to relate God’s word to real life. I often include a personal anecdote to show them how I’ve learned to apply a spiritual principle. The most recent example wraps itself around James 1:2-4.

“Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything” (NLT).

This year started with a bang—in my left Achilles tendon. Partially rupturing it landed me in a knee-high cast for three months with no weight-bearing allowed. Nine days after that injury took place, my opposite knee gave out and required surgery. Three months in a wheelchair ensued. Living in a three-storey townhouse further complicated matters.

Life without the use of my legs became my faith test, and I had to choose my response. Would I grumble through the pain, insomnia, isolation, and inconvenience? Or would I apply God’s word and consider my situation an opportunity for joy?

I chose the latter while hoisting myself backwards up the stairs to my bedroom. It was the first night in my cast. I was exhausted and a tad traumatized by the injury and subsequent hours in the ER, but I could still think clearly enough to know that my immediate response was vital to my effectiveness as a disciple of Jesus and communicator of God’s word.

Choosing to embrace my circumstances as an opportunity for joy kept me from falling into self-pity. It also opened my eyes to see God’s faithfulness evidenced through friends’ kind acts, and to witness His power as He strengthened me to write and meet three book deadlines only six weeks after the initial Achilles injury. It didn’t leave me feeling happy, happy, happy as some Sunday school choruses imply believers ought to feel, but it rendered me surrendered to God’s sovereignty and eager to learn whatever lessons He wanted to teach.

My physical healing continues. As it does, I find encouragement in knowing that God wastes nothing. Learning to apply His truth to my life in this situation serves to make me more effective in leading my audience to discover how to apply truth, too.

Playing a role in others’ spiritual growth through writing and speaking is my passion. If the decision was left to me, I wouldn’t have chosen this particular process to provide fresh fodder. But the outcome, I trust, will be worth every minute.

www.gracefox.com

The Blessing (& Curse) of Instant Access

2013-06-17T04:55:00-04:00

Greetings from Connie Mann in Central Florida, where summer means sweet tea,
afternoon thunderstorms and mosquitoes the size of dinner plates. It is so tempting to hunker down inside—air conditioner at sub-zero, ceiling fans whirring, and our favorite electronic device clutched in our hands.

But that’s where things get tricky. Today’s instant-access technology can be a blessing--and a curse. The plus side is that smart phones and tablets allow us to work from anywhere, at any time. The downside is that we often keep working, when we should be connecting with the folks right in front of us. We can trade relationships for productivity—and not realize we’re doing it.

During my six-plus years as a Glass Bottom Boat Captain at Silver Springs, I met thousands of lovely people. Sadly, one man in particular stands out as an example of, “How not to go on vacation.” He came aboard my river cruise with his wife, several grown children and a cluster of grandchildren. As I narrated the trip, everyone aboard ooh-ed and aah-ed over the alligators, birds and beauty around us. This gentleman saw none of it. He had angled away from everyone and spent the entire trip talking on one cell phone while he typed into another.

I don’t know his situation, so I need to be careful, but I do know he missed an opportunity that may never come again. And if I’m honest, I can be guilty of the same thing. Unless I make a conscious decision to set boundaries on my time, my workday bleeds over into the evening and weekend.

If we’re never really “off” work; then we’re not really “on” for our family, either. We’re checking email while cooking dinner, posting Twitter and FB updates during television commercials, and listening to conversations with one eye on our computer screen.

Instead of flowing from social media to family to email and back, we need boundaries. We have the power to decide when we’re working and when we’re not. The trick is to be intentional about it.

I will admit that some days I do better than others; but the more I’m aware of it, the easier it is. I’ve learned to put my cell phone in another room, and to turn the computer off and call my workday done. I also try to make one day a week social media free.

I don’t want to miss opportunities and conversations with the real people God has blessed me with in this season of life.

How about you? How do you separate your creative work from your family time?

Connie Mann’s new romantic suspense, Angel Falls, is now available and she’s trying to promote it during her regular business hours. You can connect with her on twitter: @CaptConnieMann, Facebook and her website: www.BusyWomenBigDreams.com. During her “off” hours, she spends as much time as possible on the water with her family.

YOUR PLOT DRAGS? FIX IT.

2013-06-14T00:20:04-04:00

Happy friday from Michigan where we're enjoy lovely weather and my flower garden is flourishing. Welcome to the CAN blog from Gail Gaymer Martin at www.gailgaymermartin.com If you enjoy my website and blogs, you can subscribe in the right sidebar and if you'd like my monthly newsletter, you can subscribe in the right sidebar too.

Now down to business.

Authors don’t always realize their plot drags until they step back and take a fresh look. It’s always good to give your story a rest for a week or two, if you have time to spare, and then read with new eyes. The brilliant words can dull with time and that means authors need to dissect the plot, the language and techniques to bring the story to life and make it shine again .

A while ago on my Writing Fiction blog, I discussed four technique problems that affect the quality of a novel: POV, pacing, dialogue and passive writing (show don’t tell). Here are a few more elements that deal with faltering plots to add to that list:

Descriptions

: Bringing a scene to life takes balance. Too much description can bog a novel, but too little losses some of the ways in which your reader can envision your story. Describing each pebble on the path is a bit too much, but describing how a path meanders into the woods weighted with tree limbs, their fingers reaching for the sun can add to your novel. First the language is vivid. Next it can set the tone. Using the phrase "fingers reaching for the sun" can add a sense of foreboding to a suspense novel as can the word weighted. It can also reflect the characters personal burdens, his despair and heavy-heartedness. Use description effectively by making it do more work for you.

Language and Grammar

: Although grammar and punctuation are important elements, especially in narration, remember that even narration comes from a POV character. We are looking at the scene through a character’s eyes. Keep the vocabulary, sentence structure, and tone reflecting the POV character. Use the career lingo and regional vocabulary to make the language real for a specific character. Don’t forget we often speak in partial sentences. We don’t always respond to a question with an answer. Sometimes we restate part of the question: "Hit by a car?" or we respond to requests with: "You want me to what?" Listen to conversations and make your dialogue real. Short sentences add excitement or urgency. Longer ones are more thought-provoking or romantic. Plots bog when dialogue becomes chitchat or when the language is stilted.

Slow Action Scenes: Though you are trying to make an action scene exciting, learn when to present move by move detail and when to tighten your descriptions. As I said that short sentences in dialogue add excitement, the same happens with description. Joe saw it coming. The chair hurled past. He ducked his head and hit the floor. These three sentences create an image of excitement and action. The same idea can lessen the excitement with too much description. Joe watched the man enter the room, his eyes nailing Joe to the spot. With a quick move, the stranger grasped the chair, raised it over his head and flung it toward him. As he watched it sweep past, Joe ducked and threw himself on the floor behind the sofa. See the difference? Sometimes the readers feels more emotion from fewer words that create more tension and excitement.

Missing Information

: Authors are required to do research for most every book, and often gather far more details and ideas than they can use. Sometimes in trying to be discriminating by choosing only what seems the most important details or facts, the author ends up with the feeling that something is missing. Before adding more information, have a second party read that scene or chapters where the problem seems to occur and decide what will fill in the blanks. If the missing pieces are historical, do more research or try for a reasonable guess, and you can always add a line in your letter to the reader—that you’ve taken an author’s prerogative to make historical changes or additions. If the knowledge on any other topic is not readily available,(for example whether or not a certain code can be deciphered by a computer program and how long it would take), you can use your imagination. If you watch TV, you’ll see many police shows use tests and equipment that stretch the truth. Again it’s screenwriter’s prerogative. If you acknowledge the deception, readers will be less likely to write long scathing letters to tell you how stupid you are.

Giving Your Book A Classic Plot

: When your plot seems to be unraveling, think of other novels you’ve read even childhood tales and fairy tales. Notice the classic story structure and review your novel to make sure you’ve provided good motivation, a strong personal goal that makes a difference in the life of the main character, and a series of growing conflicts with powerful opposition. Opposition can be a person, a group, a belief or a deep-seeded fear. Then make sure you provide a satisfying ending that gives a reader pleasure. If you do this, you can stop worrying. If you’ve missed one of these important story elements, revise your plot to make it more dynamic.

These additional solutions can help your novel to be saleable and a great read.

Getting Your Publisher on Your Marketing Team

2013-06-12T08:26:00-04:00

I’ve heard for so long “Don’t expect your publisher to really help market your book” and “My publisher did zip to sell the book,” but that has not been my experience. I have found they will team with you and get behind your ideas. Few create complete campaigns but it’s amazing what they’ll do if you are open and creative.

Publishers already invested a lot to produce the book and they want a return as much as you do so they are actually motivated to help you sell the books.

Most will

Send review copies to media, especially to a list you send them. If they have an in-house publicist they may even follow up with the media to schedule interviews

Many will do bookmarks especially if you have something different or catchy or you explain how you’ll use them (you’ll mail to MOPS groups throughout your state or you have influencers in all 50 states to send them to or you will send them to book club leaders, etc. I spoke with marketing about an idea I had of an acrostic to go with my upcoming book and they volunteered to make bookmarks using the acrostic. As we talked about ways to use the bookmark they made it a much larger order.

They may back you in a magazine. I’ve gotten contracts for magazines and had editors pay for ads for the same issue. I’ve also worked out deals with magazines for a free ad in exchange for writing articles or a column and my publisher has created the ad.

They will send review copies for influencers and endorsers. You need to follow up and get those recipients to send the endorsements. Post them online, on your web site, and on your print handouts. If a publisher sees them gaining traction they will be happy to continue sending review copies on future books.

A publisher may team up and help pay the expense of a blog tour or special event. I just asked a publisher to send free copies for an event with a small group of retailers because the book has gone into a 5^th printing (great way to announce and celebrate that news). They agreed.

Books for contests. Publishers may send free copies for special contests if you give them the numbers of people involved (I did this for a social network group of 12,000 followers and an online group of 100k members). There may only be about 100 who participate in some of the contests but the event is promoted quite a bit to all the members so you get the promo sent to all.

Tap into the publisher’s social networking if possible and give them ideas. I’ll be sending one publisher content they will send on to blogs and places who request content from them. I also gave them a few ideas for a Pinterest campaign and they loved it and added it to their plans since they already utilize Pinterest.

Press releases are something publishers do well but they need to get news from you to put into the release. I let my publisher know I would be at a store for Kid’s Day and Christian Store Week and they sent out press releases.

Posters and other materials. I spoke with the marketing director for one book and mentioned I’d be speaking at an industry event so she had a poster made for it with the book cover. She also crated postcards for a campaign I idea.

One publisher mentioned they created a sampler with a little from my book in it (and a few other author’s upcoming works). I mentioned I have a college reunion where I’ll be signing books and I can ask my classmates to spread the word with giving away samplers and they are sending me a few dozen more than I requested. They will also send some for small homeschool event where I’ll have a table to sell my books.

Handouts. Is there a design you’d like to have to go with your website or handouts? I ask for the book cover jpeg but also some of the interior pages to print as handouts. I even asked for the artist to give me some of the artwork without the coloring in it to use as coloring book pages for kids

I write for several publishers and some have more marketing money than others but each one has really teamed up and I have learned where they are really good at providing support and find opportunities to tap into those strengths.

It takes communicating with the editors, marketing department, and sales team. I ask what they do well and how they approach marketing. That’s when I discovered one marketing director likes to do press releases and is good at getting them out to many places. I attend ICRS (International Christian Retail Show) where I can actually meet the sales team and chat about my books. I’ve even spoken with marketing before writing a book and incorporated their ideas of what they think will help sell the book. I just had my Home Front book named a finalist for an award. This is the sort of news to pass on to a publisher.

I’ve sent in my marketing plans well before a book is released to inspire the team to want to work with me. This has worked well as they are not surprised with requests after the book releases. Even now as the art is in development with one publisher I asked about using some of it for coloring pages for kids to give out at events. They are working with the artist now so the ability is easiest at this point.

It’s also about attitude. Be humble and know the limits of what to ask for. Understand if a publisher is having a financial crunch but might have personnel with skills (one of my publishers has someone very good at creating ad copy but they have limited funds for ads so I found places to trade articles for ads).

Never think it's too late. I've had a publisher supply books for an event 5 years out and now with The 365 Most Important Bible Passages for Women hitting a milestone we're doing a few new things.

And always know God is in charge and can open doors and hearts and minds of readers.

Blessings

Karen

Karen's website

Last Chance Justice by Kathi Macias--A new release May 1

2013-06-11T13:25:43-04:00

Welcome to Bloomfield, where life is simple, love is real, and stories are shared.

Lynn Myers is still reeling from losing her husband of thirty-five years when word comes that her only sibling, an older brother, has also died. With no one else to settle the estate, she must return to her small hometown of Bloomfield, however briefly, to settle his affairs.

Lynn’s daughter, Rachel, has just graduated from Bible college and with no other commitments comes along to sort through her uncle’s huge old home, right next to the local cemetery.

It isn't long before Rachel has two men -- a handsome CPA and the youth pastor -- seriously vying for her attention. At the same time, Lynn's attention is drawn to a set of journals her brother has left behind detailing a long-standing Bloomfield mystery.

About the Author:

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. A wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband, Al.

Website link: www.kathimacias.com

New Releases posted by Christine Lindsay author of the multi-award-winning Shadowed in Silk, and new release Book 2 of that series, Captured by Moonlight www.christinelindsay.com

PUGS Pointers #22

2013-06-07T14:30:25-04:00

Hi! I'm Kathy Ide. In addition to being a published author, I'm a full-time professional freelance editor. For CAN, I'm blogging about "PUGS"--Punctuation, Usage, Grammar, and Spelling...tips for writers based on the most common mistakes I see in the manuscripts I edit. Each blog post will have one tip for each of the four categories. (For more PUGS tips, check out my website, or get a copy of my book Polishing the PUGS (available through the website or at the conferences where I teach). If you're interested in working with a freelance editor (or know someone who is), e-mail me through the contact page of my website. Or go to the Christian Editor Network to get referrals to other established, professional editorial freelancers. If you're a freelance editor yourself, or think you might be interested in that field, check out The Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network.

PUNCTUATION TIP

Interjections

Commas should be used to set off interjections. Examples:

“Well, I don’t like to brag, but my last book sold twenty copies.”

“Why, I can’t even imagine that kind of success.”

“Hey, I meant twenty thousand copies.”

USAGE TIP

car pool/carpool

car pool (noun): an arrangement in which a group of people commute together by car, or the group entering into such an arrangement

carpool (verb): to participate in a car pool

GRAMMAR TIP

Don’t confuse the reader with pronouns that are unclear or ambiguous. Example:

“When Lori and Jan entered the room, Gayle noticed her right away.”
Which woman did Gayle notice?

Avoid using the pronoun it in confusing contexts. Example:

“As Allison drove her car up to the service window, it made a rattling sound.”
Does it refer to the car or the window? Rewrite to something like:

“As Allison drove up to the service window, her car made a rattling sound.”

“Audrey reached for her glass and drank it in one gulp.”
In this sentence, the it refers to the glass, and she didn’t drink the glass in one gulp.

SPELLING TIP

bookstore (one word)

Tips from the Pros: Debby Mayne

2013-06-06T09:00:00-04:00

Not-so-sunny (because of Tropical Storm Andrea) salutations from Florida! Today, I'm please to present an interview with multi-published author Debby Mayne. I know you'll enjoy what she has to share with us today.

Welcome, Debby. How did you get into writing?

I started writing articles for regional parenting magazines when my children were small. My husband challenged me to write a novel, so I did. It took about 5 years to sell, but I sold my first book to Avalon on October 6, 1999, and a novella to Barbour 10 days later.

It sounds like you were one of those five-year overnight successes. How
many books do you have published now?

Thirty-something.

That's great. What are a few of your latest titles?

Sweet Baklava – Abingdon Press (2011)

Love Finds You on Christmas Morning – Summerside/Guideposts – with Trish Perry (2011)

Waiting for a View – B&H (2012)

Upcoming titles:

Pretty Is as Pretty Does – Book #1 in Class Reunion series – Abingdon Press (June 2013)

Bless Her Heart – Book #2 in Class Reunion series – Abingdon Press (August 2013)

Tickled Pink – Book #3 in Class Reunion series – Abingdon Press (September 2013)

That's lots of books in a short amount of time. Congratulations! Will you please share how you got your first book contract?

After the Avalon assistant editor requested my complete, I sent it to him. Three weeks later, the new senior editor, Erin Cartwright, called and made an offer. I had to leave to pick up my daughter at her bus stop a couple of miles from home, so I had to tell Erin I’d call her back. That was the longest half hour of my life.

I can only imagine! What would you say has helped you promote your books the most?

Word of mouth seems to be my best promotion. I also send quite a few postcards, post messages on Facebook, and tweet.

The personal touch is important. What mistakes or wrong assumptions did you make with the marketing of your first book? Did those mistakes cause you to change? If so, how?

I didn’t have to do much when I first started out because my Avalon books were mostly found in libraries, and my Heartsong Presents books were direct to consumer.

So I guess you have more marketing to do now than you did back then. What's the craziest promotional gimmick you tried?

I’ve sent baklava to book club groups. Most of the recipients have enjoyed it, but it’s very sticky and messy.

Again, I can only imagine! What's the funniest thing that happened during a promotional activity?

Back to the baklava: I’ve brought platters of it to book signings. I learned to bring wet wipes because store managers don’t appreciate their customers browsing with sticky hands.

I can see where that might present a problem. But is there something you did that really helped with marketing your books?

I think having quite a few mega-churches close by has helped. I generally deliver one of each of my releases to each church office. Word spreads pretty quickly.

With or without baklava, did you see God open any doors you never expected in the promotion of your books?

God is always opening doors I never expected, from bringing me speaking engagements to having readers approach me at book signings, letting me know that they’ve experienced the same things as my characters.

And now that you've been writing a while, what do you find works best for you in promoting your work and why?

I think that the more organic the marketing is the better the results. I particularly enjoy chatting with readers in libraries and bookstores.

I love the organic approach, too. What are your top tips for writers with their first book contract?

Take your time and enjoy the process. Make sure you keep your editor, marketing rep, and agent in the loop with everything.

Thanks for all these words of wisdom. I know our readers will appreciate the great advice!

To learn more about Debby Mayne and her books, check out her blog and her website.

For His glory,

Marti Pieper

Marti's Website

Becoming an Expert

2013-06-05T03:20:00-04:00

Cheri Cowell here:

Do you consider yourself an expert? As a speaker and writer, like it or not, we are seen as experts. Wearing the expert mantle takes some getting used to, but if we want to carry the message that's been placed in our hearts into a world full of 'experts' on just about everything, we need to get comfortable fast. Here are some things to consider in hanging out your expert shingle.

First, experts are seen and heard in a variety of places. They are seen on television, in magazines, and online. They are heard on radio, T.V., and at conferences. Experts have websites and books and articles. Experts speak and write on their topic. Have I described you?

Second, experts are quoted. If you've written and spoken on a topic you can be quoted. You are an expert. Register at these sites so you can be the next 'expert' quoted: expertizing.com, guestfinder.com, PRLeads.com, and AuthorsAndExperts.com.

Lastly, experts speak. And if they are also Christians, they believe the message they have to share can change people's lives. Now don't confuse the word expert with know-it-all. No one wants to hear from a know-it-all Christian, but if someone has published our message in an article or book, then we know more about that subject than the average person. We are experts. Register at this site to let others know you are an expert speaker: ExpertsWhoSpeak.com

Next month I'll share more ways to grow your expert status.

Come visit my 'expert' website www.CheriCowell.com

Check out my Pinterest site - follow me and I'll follow you: http://pinterest.com/chericowell/

www.Facebook.com/chericowell www.Twitter.com/CheriCowell

Sweet Dreams by Carla Stewart---New Release May 15

2013-06-04T20:17:47-04:00

SWEET DREAMS: It's 1962, and Dusty Fairchild, daughter of a self-made millionaire and oilman, wants to go to college. Instead she is sent to a private finishing school in East Texas. Although she's never wanted for material possessions, Dusty longs for independence and adventure. The only upside to attending Miss Fontaine's is having her cousin and best childhood friend, Paisley, join her. Paisley has traveled the country with her bohemian mother, but she dreams of putting down roots and living a settled life. At Miss Fontaine's, their loyalty to each other binds them, but when they fall in love with the same handsome young man, their relationship teeters on shaky ground. Only after a tragic accident do they learn where their true hearts-and dreams-lie.

About the author: Carla Stewart is the award-winning author of three novels. She is a three-time Oklahoma Book Award finalist and Chasing Lilacs won the Best Book of Fiction from the Oklahoma Writer's Federation, Inc. She's twice been a FHL Inspirational Reader's Choice Finalist and winner in 2012 with Broken Wings. Currently, Stardust is on the short list for the INSPY award in General Fiction. With a passion for times gone by, it is her desire to take readers back to that warm, familiar place in their hearts called “home.” She and her husband have four adult sons and delight in the adventures of their six grandchildren. Sweet Dreams is her fourth novel. Learn more about Carla at www.carlastewart.com

Links:

FB Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/carlastewartauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChasingLilacs

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3335371.Carla_Stewart

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/chasinglilacs/

Purchasing Options: http://www.carlastewart.com/2012/12/03/sweet-dreams-4/

New releases posted by Christine Lindsay author of multi-award-winning Shadowed in Silk and Captured by Moonlight