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Book Marketing and Publishing Tips for Authors
Newsletter Issue #445– July 15, 2026
Publisher: Judith Briles |
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Practical Publishing Advice and Guidance for Authors
I create books authors never have to apologize for …
In this Issue
1. Discover ... Free Indie Bookstore Map
2. Attend ... Meet BlueInk Reviews
3. Get Registered … BookBrush’s Book MarCon-Free: July 24-26
4. Got Questions … Get Answers July 17
5. Get Registered for Summer AuthorYOU Food Fest … Happening on August 15
6. Hot Podcasts for July … Add to your Calendar and Listen
7. Question of the Week … Do I have to buy a book on Amazon to post a review?
8. Smile Time … Lean on Me
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This Week Under The Book Shepherd’s ® Roof |
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Hello and Good Publishing Day to YOU …
This is a big week for me. After several weeks of 15+ hour days writing, rewrinting, Book #49 is in the hands of editor #3 for the final “cold eye” read for Appetizers with Judith. Over 80 more nibbling recipes debut for year round gatherings for few or many. Amazon and IngramSpark is around the corner.
On Saturday, I will be in the Southlands Barnes & Noble, one of my favorite stores. My table mate will be Joseph Caldara who writes for the middle school grade crowd.
I hope your story ideas and your book marketing are sizzling … to match the weather patterns that many are experiencing. It’s hot throughout the world. I’m getting ready to do the launch for my new book baby, including a launch at the Denver Women’s Press Club on August 13 where friends Juliana and Linnea will be my assists with food and book sales PLUS a full event in my home for many later in the month with lots of nibbles for all. I plan on doing a “rolling” launch with multiple dates that has no end date. I know that the BN bookstores are looking forward to it. Coming in at double the page count and over 80 recipes.
Get YOU to your KDP accounts TODAY to adjust the price of your eBooks. Amazon has lifted the range for eBook prices. It will now pay 70% on e-books if your price is between $2.99 and $12.99. That’s a payout of two dollars extra to you… If your genre supports the higher price, I would increase yours today. That means, if you did the max amount as of last week of $9.99, you would receive $6.99 for each eBook downloaded. Increasing the price to $12.99 now will net you $9.09. I likely!
Last week I included an alert about emails being blocked. I’m going to do a repeat: what can you do to reduce being blocked? Here’s the tip I would start with to prevent your emails from being blocked in your marketing: Make sure you ask your followers to add your name name and email to their CONTACT list … some have a designation that can be market “do not block”. Also, on your website, add to your home page a message to add your name email to theirs. Something like this:
If you have a Gmail or Yahoo email account, make sure you ADD my name and email --YOUR email address --to your CONTACTS to receive my newsletter, blogs, and special event notices ... otherwise they may go into your junk/spam folder. Thanks! |
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On this Thursday’s Podcast
Last week, Jim Cox, the founder of Midwest Book Reviews joined me for How to Get Your Book Reviewed. This week, Casey Demchak is back with how to reveal Secrets to Writing Enticing Book Marketing Copy for authors. |
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Last week's blog focuses on a guide on building your copyright page.
This week's focuses on something to do: creating a special circle of who becomes an advisory board—ready to give you pushback… and feedback. I call it the Author’s Inner Circle. Make sure you take a few months to read.
https://thebookshepherd.com/publishingsuccess/ |
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Are you getting my Tuesday and Saturday BLOGS? Tuesday is about info and meaty—all designed for your author and publishing success. Saturday is about chewy and re-juicing. Read in less than a minute.
Make sure you are registered to get them: https://thebookshepherd.com/author-newsletter |
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Top 10 podcast for book marketing and Top 100 for book publishing tips for authors! You can always listen in via our websites: www.AuthorU.org - click on the Resources tab on the Home page—pick your podcast … |
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Have you ever explored the network website where I store all my podcasts? … Holy Moly … over 22 million downloads now of various podcasts since the podcast started six years ago.
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You can select which podcast is for you from over 600 shows … the latest will always be posted on top of the podcast home page: http://bit.ly/BookPublishingPodcast ... it goes directly to the Show Page, where you can view all podcasts at once—just scroll … you’ve got a lot to pick from to expand your learning and how to curve. |
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Add these to your calendar now. Details will all be posted under the Events tab on the website.
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1. July 16 Podcast … Secrets to Writing Enticing and Killer Book Marketing Copy … Casey Demchak
2. July 17 ASK Judith
3. July 18 Barnes&Noble, Southlands
4. July 23 Podcast … How to Use the Inner Method to Soar Your Writing … Viki King
5. July 30 Podcast … How to Grow Your eMails with the Ultimate Opt-In … Judith Briles
6. August 1 Author Gathering, Online Only
7. August 6 Podcast … Author Mindfulness … Heather Elliott
8. August 13 Podcast … Building Community with Communicating …Terri Murphy
9. August 15 AuthorYOU Gathering Food Fest … Judith's Home
10. August 20 Podcast … How to Write a Movie in 21 Days …Viki King
11. August 27 Podcast … How to Write a Memoir … Dan Janal |
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1. Discover … Indie Bookstore Map |
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How cool is this—almost 6,000 indie bookstores ID’d around the USA. It doesn’t include chains like half-priced books and it has more indie bookstores than you even knew existed. About a third of the bookstores on this map do not show up in a Google Maps search on their own.
P.S. Send your corrections to info@iheartbookstores.com so that the map can be updated if you know of bookstores in your location that aren’t included … just saying
It’s here: https://www.iheartbookstores.com/ Bookstore Map | iheartbookstores
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2. Meet … BlueInk Reviews |
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Patti Thorn or Patricia Moosbrugger
BlueInk Review, LLC
PT@BlueInkReview.com or PM@BlueInkReview.com
www.BlueInkReview.com
Services: Serious reviews of self-published books. BlueInk Review offers honest, objective book reviews of self-published titles. Founded by Patti Thorn, former book review editor of the Rocky Mountain News, and Patricia Moosbrugger, an internationally known literary agent, BlueInk offers reviews penned by professional critics and writers whose bylines have appeared in major newspapers such as the New York Times, Washington Post and Chicago Tribune and senior level editors from major New York publishing houses such as Viking and Crown.
Completed reviews run on the BlueInk website, which has special features designed to help publishers and literary agents find promising new material and to help librarians and booksellers discover titles their patrons will be interested in, such as those written by local authors or set in their regions.
AuthorU members get a discount to BlueInk.
Join in here: https://thebookshepherd.com/author-friendly-fridays/
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3. Register for Book MarCon … it’s FREE to any paid BookBrush Member! |
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It’s time for Book Brush’s annual BookMARCon … three days of author and marketing successful available to you … and it’s all FREE this year. Slated for this month, a Friday afternoon July 24, and 9 to 4:30 Saturday July 25 and Sunday July 26. To grab your FREE spot, you need to register for the day/days you desire. There's both a speaker page and full schedule page, too.
Each day has a separate registration. For paid up Book Brush Members, you will get an automatic pop-up to register. If you are an unpaid member, fill out the form on Home page to get information to participate on each day. There's also a spot on the account page under "Webinars" to "Opt-in" for BookMARCon and the team there will get them registered. Make sure you review the schedule and register for what you want.
For more details, go to the BookMARCon Homepage: https://bookbrush.com/bookmarcon/
You will find it here to meet the SPEAKERS: https://bookbrush.com/bookmarcon-speakers/
Create your SCHEDULE: https://bookbrush.com/bookmarcon-schedule/
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I’m honored to be part of it again where I’ll present killer tools as the “wakeup” after the noon break on Sunday. |
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4. Got Questions … Get Answers |
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Ask Judith ANYTHING on ZOOM next Friday … think Book Publishing and Book Marketing … The Book Shepherd is YOURS for 60 Minutes!
Judith Briles is YOURS for 60 minutes on Friday, July 17 at 3 pm MT to ask any question you have about book publishing, book marketing, writing a book … or just getting a “little juice” to start your engines after the Holiday rush from the past few weeks.
Post your questions as soon as you come on … Judith will come to you LIVE and bring you on the mic to respond to YOU and possibly ask additional questions.
It’s 60 minutes to start smoke ‘em your Author Success … and why not? Grab your favorite beverage; just listen in … or ASK, ASK, ASK! It’s time to re-juice and rekindle your author energy!
Join Zoom Meeting – click on it or copy/paste
https://zoom.us/j/95000476418?pwd=SH5vWqz0SkvVIZIgnC95lHCmCAi2km.1
Password: authors
Add to Your Calendar: Friday, July 17 at 3 MT (2 PT, 5 CT, 5 ET)
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5. Summer AuthorYOU Gathering Food Fest … Happening on Saturday |
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Come to the Annual Summer AuthorYOU Gathering Food Fest Saturday
When: August 15, at 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM MDT
Where: Judith’s Home. 8122 S. Quatar Cir. Aurora, CO 80016
Join your fellow authors for some great food, fun and networking at the annual AuthorYOU Food Fest. There will of course be plenty of beer and wine.
Singles: $20
Duos: $30
Grab your spot: https://bit.ly/AuthorFoodFest
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6. Hot Podcasts Slated for July |
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Ranked in the Top 10 podcasts for book marketing for authors by FeedSpot.
July 2 Top 2026 Book Design Trends … Nick Zelinger
July 9 How to Get Your Book Reviewed … Jim C0x
July 16 Secrets to Writing Enticing and Killer Book Marketing Copy … Casey Demchak
July 23 How to Use the Inner Method to Soar Your Writing … Viki King
July 30 How to Grow Your eMails with the Ultimate Opt-In … Judith Briles
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7. Question of the Week ... Do I have to buy a book on Amazon to post a review? |
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My Answer: NOPE … you do not. What you must be is a CUSTOMER of Amazon to post a review for any product sold on Amazon. Meaning, that you spend at least $50 a year on any product(s) on its website. Toothpaste and batteries count. There are other “rules.” Suggest you Google the latest “guidelines for posting book reviews on Amazon”—that will take care of additional questions.
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Author Friendly Friday this week! |
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Join Author Friendly Fridays: a fun, sharing and dynamic closed group. You can join in the next week.
It’s a full hour when you can ask questions—any question. And, I always include a few strategies to get your authoring life ahead of the competition.
It’s for paid subscribers ONLY and we do it on Zoom.
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/author-friendly-fridays/ |
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Want tips for Authoring, Marketing and Publishing? |
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Get your copy today – it’s my life on steroids … earning a Baker’s Dozen plus ONE in book awards. Now Available in Print, eBook, and audiobook. http://bit.ly/whengodsaysno |
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You can pick my brain … minimum time is 30 minutes. If you need one-on one-time with me, I’m always open for a few minutes to give you some quick input. But, and it’s a BIG BUT, many call and expect far more than a few minutes. |
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This is called a “consult” and I would be delighted to schedule time with you for “just you and your many questions” that need answers.
You can book time with me at: http://bit.ly/JudithCoaching |
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I love mentoring authors, and their books, and supporting their vision. If you want intense, one-on-one time with me over a several-month period PLUS the ability to call me or email with a quick response, join my Mentor Program. There is ONE spot open —if you want an accelerated six months that deals with your infrastructure; your influence building; your what? … this may be the missing ingredient in your mix. |
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Follow us, listen, and learn … new shows every Thursday. Each month, you will get a variety of topics on our monthly podcast. Never a repeat program … always fresh, listen in. http://bit.ly/BookPublishingPodcast Every Tuesday, a new blog is posted. On Wednesdays, a new edition of this newsletter. On Thursdays, a new podcast. SHARE THEM with your author friends. |
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Each month, you will get a variety of topics on our monthly podcast. Never a repeat program … always fresh, listen in. http://bit.ly/BookPublishingPodcast Every Tuesday, a new blog is posted. On Wednesdays, a new edition of this newsletter. On Thursdays, a new podcast. SHARE THEM with your author friends. |
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Podcast has expanded to 11 networks … Follow us and learn … new shows every Thursday.
GO to the SHOW page and select which podcast is for you… the latest will always be posted on top: http://bit.ly/BookPublishingPodcast
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And, if you have listened, support our podcast, and post a review. Thank you!
The AuthorU – Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast is available on all major podcast channels. How cool is that? Listeners can tune into the weekly (always new – no repeats) show on:
Get the latest #AuthorU-Your Guide to #Book #Publishing #podcast with @MyBookShepherd via iTunes here: http://bit.ly/BookPublishingPodcast |
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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 which generates over 250,000 downloads a month. Her website is www.TheBookShepherd, email: JudithBriles.com and phone: 303-885-2207.
© 2026 Judith Briles, The Book Shepherd |
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