Latest NEWS from The Book Shepherd this week / should authors work with a publicist?

Book Marketing and Publishing Tips for Authors

Newsletter Issue #284 – May 24, 2023

Publisher: Judith Briles

Practical Publishing Advice and Guidance for Authors

In this issue

1. Author Tips & Tools... Discover ReCaptcha

2. Publishing Help ... Meet Expert Click

3. Speaking Unplugged ... Tick Tock-Don’t be a Tardy Bird

4. AuthorYOU Salons … Posted through August

5. Hot podcasts for May… Add to your calendar and listen

6. Question of the Week … How should I work with a publicist?

7. Book Shepherd “Fun” of the Week … Summer fun with pets

Finally, my feet, legs, and back are back to normal action. This past weekend was all about getting the garden ready, including planting veggies. The challenge: how to outsmart the dang deer who have become blatant and bold in their devouring of everything that has a promise of “green” on it. The 8 heads of garlic I broke up and planted around the entire house outdoor plants when the calendar said “spring” are popping up everywhere. Why?, you ask. Fingers crossed that the deer and bunnies will sense the odor and stay away.

The tomato plants now have a double fencing “determent” around them plus the surrounding areas gets sprayed with the “stinky” repellent. Let’s see if it works this year. Squashes are in. I’ve added spaghetti to the mix. The onions that regrew/volunteered from last year are being used in meals—delish. Basil, dill, cilantro, and parsley are looking good.

I’ve always loved settling in on my back deck ... Sunday added “done” to my project list. Whether a social event where I’m hosting a small group of 50+, it just works—a place to be enjoyed by us and friends alike. John has his “guy gathering” on Tuesday afternoons to talk science, politics, and stuff, for a few hours. When winter disappears, the back deck is the gathering spot of choice. Rarely is golf chatter on their list. I put out snacks, a bottle of wine, sodas and head for my office, resurfacing three hours later when they are all gone.

This Sunday AM, John and I took the paper and breakfast outdoors and marveled at the orchestra of bird sounds. Yellow and red finches are abundant and the hummers have flown through a few times. I’m thinking of adding another feeder. That was before the “call” to pick up the trowel and shovel and go to work.

Don’t forget ... the early bird slot for the Speaking Unplugged disappears in 13 days on June 6th. If you want to sell lots of books, speaking is the Cast Cow Two-Step.

With so much going on in the book world, this week’s podcast, As the Publishing Legal World Turns with publishing attorney and expert Jonathan Kirsch should be a must listen into hour. Lots to be said to protect YOUR human intelligence.

Three dates are set for Barnes & Noble Book Fairs in Colorado ... Lakewood-June 3, Loveland-June 17, and Westminster-August 19. All slots are taken for participating authors. If you are in the area of one of them when we are there, come and support them and the stores. BN supports the Colorado Authors’ Hall of Fame.

Earlier this month, global bestselling author W. Michael Gear was on the hot seat. For writers of fiction, this was a not to be missed reveal and tutorial of how to spark your writing and research. Typically, these are 60 minutes. Due to technical hiccups, a reschedule was done and Mike and I went 90 minutes. The replay was sent to those who were pre-registered. I’ve already gotten feedback that it’s in a “replay” of the replay—there was so much content and insight. You can watch and learn here: https://vimeo.com/828179692?share=copy

And it’s Woof Wednesday ... If you are waiting for the phone to ring from a major media source; for the book store to call you with the news that there is a run on your book at its store; or if a reputable publisher to contact you offering oodles of money to publish your book—it’s time to come out of your dream world. The only way any of that happens is when a PLAN is in play. Oh, it can start small—most do—but there is a PLAN. It’s the be a DOER vs a Dreamer thing. What’s yours?

Lots of happenings below. My theme for the year, Be a DOER ... not a dreamer is off to a fast and big start. It’s the perfect few lines to noodle on and infuse yourself with inspiration each Saturday on my new blog.

1. June 3 Barnes & Noble – Lakewood

2. June 13 AuthorYOU Salons – IN-PERSON & ONLINE - AuthorYOU members only

3. June 17 Barnes & Noble – Loveland

4. June 23-24 Speaking Unplugged IN-PERSON ... Early Bird ends June 6

5. July 8 AuthorYOU Salons – IN-PERSON & ONLINE - AuthorYOU members only

6. July 12 Create Sizzling Book Marketing Copy Part 1 ONLINE

7. July 14 Social Media/Book Marketing combo Unplugged ONLINE

8. July 15 Social Media/Book Marketing combo Unplugged IN-PERSON

9. July 19 Create Sizzling Book Marketing Copy Part 2 ONLINE

10. August 2, 9, 16, 23 Create an Amazon Bestseller Campaign

11. August 12 AuthorYOU Salons – IN-PERSON & ONLINE - AuthorYOU members only

12. August 19 Barnes & Noble – Westminster

13. August 26 AuthorYou BBQ

Stay involved—if you don’t, it’s a publishing boo-boo. AuthorYOU promises its members a lot and delivers more. And wait ‘til you see the bundle of goodies and discounts we are starting to post on the website for Members only. All will be up before the end of the month. Yup, it’s a good idea. Not a paid-up member? JOIN or RENEW AuthorYOU today. Benefits galore. https://mp.gg/e9d1o

And a heads up—hold the FIRST Saturday of each month for our live event meetings—it’s

If you are like every other author, you get spam. Somethings truckloads of it and these nasty critters start the process b filling out your Contact form on your website. What to do?

You need some type of manual step on your Contact form before it can be submitted. A captcha is the most successful. There is a variety you can choose from including math (as in adding, subtracting, multiplying two numbers, and entering a result), letters and symbols (my least favorite—sometimes I can’t figure them out), and photos (like mark the cars, the traffic lights).

CAPTCHA has been around since the late 1990s. Not surprisingly, the advanced bots are able to bypass simple text and image-based CAPTCHAs. With AI bots in play now, It may be time to step up your website game with a more advanced CAPTCHA tool for your website security. Unfortunately, the old-fashioned CAPTCHA solution isn’t as efficient as it once was. What to do?

An option to consider is:

The No CAPTCHA ReCAPTCHA Reboot from Google requires users to click a box to verify they’re human. This is one of the simplest for your visitors to your website to use. Using advanced risk analysis from Google, the new service can consider the user’s entire engagement on your site with the CAPTCHA to help determine their human identity. Yup, it’s AI at work. Google promises: easy on humans ... hard on bots.

Pros:

Convenient for users
Uses advanced artificial intelligence-AI
99.8% accuracy rate according to Google
Simplifies the path to purchase

Cons:

The single checkbox may not feel very secure
Not suitable for people with disabilities

Have your webmaster post a captcha to create a block to your email box.

Mitchell Davis
Expert Click
Mitchell.Davis@ExpertClick.com
202-333-5000
www.ExpertClick.com

Are You Ready to Grab the Media’s Attention? Are you an Expert? If you are an AUTHOR, you are! Use the ExpertClick system to get known; to get called; and to send out your own press releases in a nationwide distribution. Link your blog that will in turn sent it to the press distribution channels. Use the ExpertClick press room to choose among 39 topics that link tens of thousands of other news releases to your press room, and then link them to promote your website. Discover how to Use PR to Boost Your SEO and Get Found Online as an Expert, starting now! Call Mitchell Davis at 202-333-5000 or email him at Mitchell.Davis@ExpertClick.com and position yourself in the media’s eye.

AuthorYOU members get a 15% discount

There are 3 reasons you need this tool!

1. Push technology for your news releases — pushing your news out ten ways including Google News. Plus, blog syndication to pull your posts and push syndicate. — PR Week called us: “dating service of PR.”

2. Internet Press Room designed for SEO with inbound links from tens of thousands of other member’s press rooms and news releases – driving inbound links to your website. — USA Today called our website: “A Hot Site.”

Be in the 35th annual Yearbook of Experts, Authorities & Spokespersons. The New York Times called it the “Dial-an-Expert.”

Yearly, I create and deliver an intensive 2-day event: Speaking Unplugged Intensive. This year’s final date is June 23-24, a Friday and Saturday held in my offices in Colorado. The early bird registration ends on June 6th at midnight.

We are in the midst of a LATE spring coming through in Colorado ... trees are finally displaying their wakeup with leaves. Daily rain drizzles to add to their sudden spurts of the green display. I’m a happy deck viewer as I step out each morning with a mug of tea and see what the overnight fairies have done.
My bestselling book, How to Create a Million Dollar Speech, adds to the Unplugged special workshops only once during the year for a small group of attendees. It’s hands-on with one-to-one coaching with me throughout the two days.

Speaking is the #1 to move books out the door and into buyers/readers/Fans hands super fast.

Speaking is the #1 ... it’s how a sold ONE MILLION copies of mine.

Would you like to do that?

You will learn how to move from free to FEE. You will learn how to choreograph a speech like Oprah did at the Golden Globe Awards—there were 9 essential elements … do you know them? And you will learn how to make money with your mouth and your words—all in 2 days in Denver, Colorado. It’s the Cash-Cow Two-Step. Are you ready to dance?

Be there June 23-24. This special price is only good through this Friday for my clients. The location is my home office. Continental goodies in the AM, lunch included.

Your Investment (and this is an investment): $297. It increases to $100 on June 6th.

Special for Alumni ... you will get an refund of $50 after registration

Details here: https://bit.ly/SpeakingUnplugged

Questions? Call Me ... at 303-885-2207 with any questions. Or email me at Judith@Briles.com to set up a short call.

Register for the next few months – The Saturday AuthorYou Salon will be ONLINE only starting at 7 to 8.30am MT. AuthorYou members will be emailed the link on Friday. Salons are a Free benefit for VIP AuthorYOU members only.

RULES …
1. You must register for this.
2. If less than 5 people are registered by Noon on the Friday before, event will be canceled. No exceptions.

If you have book marketing, writing, publishing questions, get answers. Or, you just want to schmooze a bit, It’s ONLINE and IN-PERSON on the second Saturday of each month. You MUST be a paid member of AuthorYOU.org to participate. ONLINE starts at 7 am to 8.30 am MT – IN-PERSON at 9 am MT. Here’s the link to register and getting notices/reminders forward:

Register here: https://www.meetup.com/AuthorYOUSalons/

Answer: Maybe. First, what are your expectations? In my opinion, your publicist will be the master of the press release, creating a few to reach out to the media. He or she should have contacts for major outlets—TV, radio, print, and podcasts. Some have expertise in social media—they should be pushing you and your book out within their channels. The “low hanging fruit”—the Weeklies, local stations, bookstores—you should handle.

Understand this: a publicist can be pricey, running several thousands of dollars a month. Know your budget; determine upfrontt what you can handle; ask if the publicist specializes in certain types of books or genres; what authors they’ve already worked with.

And remember this: there are no guarantees.

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 250,000 downloads a month. Her website is www.TheBookShepherd, email: JudithBriles.com and phone: 303-885-2207.