New NEWS from The Book Shepherd this week / goodbye July

Book Marketing and Publishing Tips for Authors–

eZine Issue #82 July 31, 2019

Publisher: Judith Briles

Practical Publishing Advice and Guidance for Authors

In This Issue

1. Author Tools … Discover Audionautix

2. Celebrate Authors … attend the Induction for the Hall of Fame—get your tickets

3. Mini Extravaganza … it’s a Publicity Palooza with Joan Stewart

4. Unplugged … Book Marketing is coming in October

5. Come Cruise with Me … January 25 – fab workshops, excellent fun

6. Webinars … Publishing Blunders on July 31 TONIGHT

7. Hot podcasts for AUGUST… 5 to put on your calendar (always archived) — it’s celebrating authors month.

8. Question of the Week … How do I get out of a publishing contract?

9. Book Shepherd "Fun" of the Week … Cats and Parrots

So much happening with the Colorado Authors Hall of Fame. Set up is done … hotel for guests secured Hilton Garden Inn on Colorado Blvd … and we will plan a light supper and the partying continues. All the Inductees bios will be up by tomorrow—I’ve got to tell you—what a wowsa group of authors. And we get an evening to snooze with many of them on September 14th. Both the Induction and AfterParty are ticketed events … and limited in the number available. We are six weeks away and 1/3 of the tickets are already sold. Yes!

Get yours now—Info is below.

Come cruising with me.THREE cabins are left … is one yours? The 2020 Publishing at Sea cruise begins in Miami, FL on January 25, 2020.

The power of the "in-person" connecting with other authors is stratospheric. The support. The insights. The ahas that can just pop up and out. On Saturday, September 7th, the insightful and full of info and how-to, Joan Stewart will be our presenter for the Publicity Palooza … the mini-Extravaganza coming up. Be there. It’s a full day of press release how-tos, hot seats, publicity tips. Full details on the AuthorYOU.org website under events. Early bird is on until August 15. AND … this is Joan Stewart’s FINAL presentation … do .. not … miss … it. Details are on the website … www.AuthorYOU.org.

July’s was packed … 20 were here! See you in August. Bring a snack to share … and some new socks that we donate to the homeless.

Love to support authors. AuthorYOU member Judy Kundert launched her new book, Sky Queen at the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum. She delighted us with her stories PLUS, we all got to wander the museum. We loved it. Check out the original prototype of the StarWars fighter … and then, of course, there’s the B18—wowsa. We watched as a wedding was being set up – I must say, what a HUGE dance floor for the wedding celebration! A delightful Saturday afternoon.

The dates are October 18-19. The Hotel is the Hilton Inverness (nice!). October is beautiful in Denver and our classroom overlooks a small pond and golf course where you will be able to view the changing colors. Perfecto for learning, a bit of escape and spending two days with me. Space is always limited. Always new info—come! Details below. The early bird registration is on and I expect this baby to sell out early.

Listen to my August podcasts – Join Courtney Miller, Lynn Hellerstein, Charles Breakfield, Rox Burkey, Steve Snyder and Lori Golden … their journeys, downs and ups and sage advice flows. August is all about celebrating authors. Looking forward to five weeks of ahs, insights, mistakes to avoid, "how they did it" …

The Colorado Authors' Hall of Fame celebrates the accomplishments of living and passed authors that have been connected to Colorado—their words, wisdom, accomplishments and impact—so they are never forgotten.

The Board of the Colorado Authors’ Hall of Fame is delighted and honored to announce the first Induction class for the Hall. The living and passed authors will be celebrated at the event planned in Denver, Colorado on Saturday, September 14, 2019.

Put the date on your calendar. Denver’s Mix 100 and award-winning author Dom Testa will emcee the Induction.

Attendees will receive a signed poster created especially for the event by internationally recognized Colorado photographer John Fielder.

Joyce Meskis, the founder of the Tattered Cover and author and publishing advocate extraordinaire will be honored with the Hall’s Life-Time Achievement award.

Celebrate with Colorado as we honor the words, the work, and the legacies of authors connected to Colorado in their writing or life—--space will be limited. Plan on attending:

Get My TICKET https://www.coloradoauthorshalloffame.org/2019-inductees.html

Create a Killer Press Release
&
How to Create the Ultimate BOOK Hook

Saturday, September 7
Is the Publishing Plunge for you?

How to Write Killer Press Releases That Sell Books
Nine out of 10 author press releases belong in the trash bin. The Publicity Hound will show you how to write a killer press release for your fiction or nonfiction launch and give you ideas galore for other types of releases you can write throughout your publishing career.

You will learn:

· The 9 elements of the perfect launch press release.

· Samples of press releases for fiction and nonfiction.

· The best free and paid press release distribution services.

· Key elements to include in your releases so you sell books in bulk, get invitations to speak, and invite the media to call on you when they need sources and interviews.

· Easy ways to come up with your own press release ideas by helping other authors on the hot seat.

Book Hooks: Fun, Timely, Compelling Angles for Pitching Your Book

If you can’t think of at least a half dozen juicy angles to pitch to the media so they cover you and your book, help is on the way. The Publicity Hound will give you more than a dozen hooks you can use to promote your expertise, your topic, and your book.

You will learn:

· The difference between a press release and a pitch, and why they work hand in hand.

· The easiest place to start your publicity campaign.

· Unusual angles for fiction authors, including ways to promote your expertise.

· Fun hooks that most other authors would never think of using.

· Easy ways to come up with your own ideas for book hooks and angles by helping other authors on the hot seat.

Let’s send off The Publicity Hound in style!

Register: https://authoru.org/event/mini-authoryou-extravanganza?instance_id=1498

The Book Marketing Unplugged is Coming … Early Bird Rates Up NOW

Question: When should authors start marketing their books?
Answer: The day they start writing it.

Okay … so must authors don’t get a "pass" on this question. So, let’s reframe the question:

Question: When should authors start marketing their books?
Answer: NOW.

√ When your car begins to make an awful noise and just stops, you know you have a problem … right?

√ When your basement is flooded; when you noticed that there are watermarks on your ceiling; ,r that water is seeping through your window edges, you have a problem … right?

√ When your computer goes blank and doesn’t respond, you know you have a problem … right?

BUT … what about marketing your book? Do you have a problem? YOU DO, if you have ANY of these symptoms:

· There are people who would benefit from your book, and you aren’t connecting with them.

· There are people who are interested in your topic or your genre and you haven’t reached out via social media to connect.

· There are people within social media that are interested in your topic and who aren’t engaging with you.

· There is a change you are focusing on that relates to the premise of your book … and others "don’t get it."

· You are having difficulty persuading book buyers or your target market to buy your book.

· Your ideal/target market doesn’t connect with your reasoning, rationale, solutions, or storyline within your book.

· Your social media and email contacts are less than 1,000.

· You have engaged the "BB" gun approach to marketing—just aim anywhere; push it out to anyone at any time.

Do any of the above sounds like you? If yes, you have a marketing problem.

If that is you, then how much time are you spending working on a marketing solution? What are you investing in your time, energy and money to learn and create a plan that works? Savvy authors have learned that you cannot solve your marketing problem the next day by simply repeating what you did yesterday, last week, last month … or certainly, last year.

Solution: Attend and participate in the first annual The Book Shepherd’s Book Marketing Unplugged. Successful authors have learned and practice: if my book marketing success is to be … it’s up to me. Join Judith Briles for Book Marketing Unplugged this fall. It’s a two-day intensive with just Judith. And YES, there will be hot seats for each participant.

Date: October 18-19

Site: HILTON DENVER INVERNESS – 200 Inverness Drive West, Englewood, CO 80112

REGISTER: https://thebookshepherd.com/book-marketing-unplugged

Create Your Ultimate Bestseller

Authors who need a crash course in book publishing before they write; need to create demand for books that aren’t selling; who want to learn the latest strategies in marketing, publicity and how to keep the sanity in an overwhelming world can learn the inside secrets of how to create, write and market the book success that they envision during a Caribbean cruise.

The "Create the Ultimate Bestseller at Sea!" cruise includes training sessions and laser coaching.

At sea, participants will attend intensive sessions on strategic book marking, distribution, publicity, professional speaking, social media and other topics important to creating a bestseller. They can also take advantage of laser coaching with the four experts. In port, participants are free to relax and enjoy the sites or just lounge around the massive ship that has something for everyone.

OUR PROMISES TO YOU:

· You will get the realities of publishing in today’s world.

· The how-tos of selling your book wherever books can be sold.

· Access to five publishing experts that you would have to pay a minimum of $300 an hour for any one of them on a one-on-one consult.

· The tools that you need to be successful in publishing.

· Address problems that are unique to you and your book.

· Shattering that publishing is a lonely business syndrome. You will learn and share from other participants problems and success stories–the Publishing at Sea Village is ready for you!

· One-on-one consulting with the expert of your choice.

· When you get off this cruise, you will take away a clear plan of what you want to do and how to do it.

· After the cruise, a follow-up Q&A session.

COME … there is limited space in our block.

Details at: http://publishingatsea.com/

TODAY Wednesday , July 31

How to Avoid Book Publishing
Blunders, Bloopers and Boo-Boos that, will Sink Your Book

Whether you are just beginning the author journey or think you are an old pro, the publishing maze has a few tricks up its sleeve. Contracts can snag you, marketing can swamp you, and social media can suck your energy. No wonder authors become comatose—no longer, after this highly interactive, fun and "aha" session.

Your takeaways include:

· Identify the 7 deadly sins that too many authors make and are all too common.

· Learn what the "escape" clause is that every author needs to include in a traditional publishing contract.

· Come away with great tips and tricks to goose up your open rate on blogs and emails.

· Embrace the strategy to deliver "Best Seller" status on Amazon without spending money or gathering up a bunch of gifts as inducements to buy your book on launch day.

· And much more!

Register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5611080915626651905

You can always listen in via our websites: www.AuthorYOU.org (click on the Air image on the Home page—wait for it to upload. Or www.TheBookShepherd.com (click on the Resources tab).

Throughout August, bestselling authors Courtney Miller, Lynn Hellerstein, Rox Burkey, Charles Breakfield, Lori Golden and Steve Snyder will be featured. Follow their journeys—their insights, ahas, oh-ohs (I won’t do that again) and sage advice for author and publishing success. Lynn Hellerstein kicks off Thursday, August 1.

Question: I made a mistake. How do I get out of a contract with a self-publisher?

Answer: You need to immediately go to the contract you signed. What does it say about "termination"? Most of the "self-publishing" contracts have them, but they may have slippery words. Words like: the contract may be terminated in 30 under "mutual consent." That’s an OMG in my book—when you want out, what’s "mutual" about it? The "self-publishing" companies and most hybrids are printing your book POD—one book at a time.

See what your contract says … it would be better to say something along the lines: I’m terminating our contract due to the mispresenting of what XXXXX company said it would deliver and do. It hasn’t. Therefore, immediately remove my book and eBook from all online sources.

Most likely, even though you paid for it with these companies, all you will get back is the rights of your books. It’s doubtful that the cover, interior native files will come your way. And it owns the ISBN. Hot for you (you may not feel this way), but you, in effect, get a new slate. Get yourself, and your "new" version of the book set up—new cover, interior, ISBNs. Relaunch time!

And when in doubt, talk to an IP, publishing attorney with business contract savvy. AuthorYOU member, Julie Bernard is my personal attorney of choice: Julie@BernardIPLaw.com

This is how each call starts: I share a few strategies, tips and tools that attendees can immediately start to use. All share … and ask plenty of questions. They get answers. Definitely an excellent way to start a Friday. Those of you who aren’t participating, you are making a mistake. I love the variety of books and authors who have chosen to participate. What’s also fun, is the energy that can be felt with what everyone is working on. Love it!

Here’s the link to take advantage of it and subscribe: https://thebookshepherd.com/product/author-friendly-fridays-subscription

About Judith Briles, The Book Shepherd ™

Book Publishing expert Judith Briles, aka The Book Shepherd has shepherded more than 1,000 authors and created 500 best-sellers and award-winning books. She knows publishing inside and out from both the traditional and independent sides. Judith is an advocate for authors within her blogs, podcasts and speaking engagements. What’s her pet peeve? Two words: publishing predators.

She hosts the podcast AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing that generates over 100,000 downloads a month. Her website is www.TheBookShepherd, email: JudithBriles.com and phone: 303-885-2207.

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