|
|
Book Marketing and Publishing Tips for Authors
Newsletter Issue #441– June 17, 2026
Publisher: Judith Briles
|
|
|
Practical Publishing Advice and Guidance for Authors
I create books authors never have to apologize for …In this Issue
1. Discover ... Add Downdetector to Your Must Know List
2. Meet and Use ... Midwest Book Reviews
3. Have Questions? … Get Answers on ASK Judith June 19
4. Summer AuthorYOU Food Fest … Happening on August 15
5. Hot Podcasts for June and July … Add to your Calendar and Listen
6. Question of the Week … Should I Create an AudioBook?
7. Smile Time … Beyoncé Honors Tina
|
|
|
This Week Under The Book Shepherd’s ® Roof
|
|
|
|
|
Hello and Good Publishing Day to YOU …
|
|
|
It’s June … it’s summertime… and the Summer Solstice is rearing it’s head this weekend—the longest sunlight day of the year. That means … gulp … a few minutes of sunlight will evaporate starting Monday until another transition for Winter Solstice in December … then the two minutes a day start adding back. Such a bummer for me. I have relished long daylight and the warmth of this month here in Colorado. My deck has been my calm time … my relax time … my eating outside time … my visit with friends time … my work with clients in person and via Zoom time … and my time to just take in the birds that visit daily. I love my back deck—set up with two extra power sources for when I’m on computer time and recharge the mobile time.
My reminder for all of you. Find your place. Make time to spend
in it. Just solo and with others. It’s my secret sauce that keeps me going.
Last weekend found seven Colorado connected authors in a Barnes & Noble store that we hadn’t done a bookselling Book Fair in that benefits the Aspiring Authors Scholarships sponsored by the Colorado Authors Hall of Fame. We had a great time, meeting new book fans. The Littleton store is laid out differently with a quaint café in the middle surround by shelves and shelves of books. We look forward to working with the store and its staff again.
Don't forget … this Friday at 3 pm MT, it's Ask Me ANYTHING about publishing time. Details below.
|
|
|
|
|
| The end of last week delivered wonky land in many of the social media platforms. Meaning, they were down. Nonresponsive. Amazon’s algorithms were a mess and not reveling rankings for books. It all prompted me to create a
video—which I posted on Monday when the cyberworld had settled down AND to create Tuesday’s blog on the WHY YOU MUST HAVE A ROBUST eMAIL LIST.
I’ve said it a gazillion times—it’s your goldmine .. treasure chest. It’s how to connect with others that the social media world does not dictate the when and where. YOU ... dear AUTHOR … are in control of it. Not Facebook … not Instagram … not Threads … not X … not LinkedIn. You know who your contacts are—names, emails, sometimes mobile.
This week, the tool I’ve included is
Downdetector.com—it reveals quickly which platforms are in the wonky zone.
Make sure you add Saturday, August 15th starting at 4 pm to your calendar. The location is home … it’s the Author Gathering Food Fest—formerly the Author BBQ.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| On this Thursday’s podcast
Listeners heard from Deb Eckerling on LinkedIn Power. This week, it’s about using 7 Highly Effective Mental Triggers
for Authors with Casey Demchak.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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/
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
Add these to your calendar now. Details will all be posted under the Events tab on the website.
|
|
|
|
|
| 1. June 11 Podcast … LinkedIn Tips for Authors … Deb Eckerling
2. June 14 BN Book Fair, Littleton
3. June 18 Podcast … Creating Triggers for Conversion … Casey Demchak
4. June 19 Ask Judith
5. June 25 Podcast … Tips and Tools for Authors … Judith Briles
6. July 2 Podcast … Top 2026 Book Design Trends … Nick Zelinger
7. July 9 Podcast … How to Get Your Book Reviewed … Jim C0x
8. July 11 Author Gathering, Online Only
9. July 16 Podcast … How to Write for Children … Carolyne Ruck
10. July 17 ASK Judith
11. July 23 Podcast … Secrets
to Writing Enticing and Killer Book Marketing Copy … Casey Demchak
12. July 30 Podcast … How to Write a Screenplay … Viki King
13. August 1 Author Gathering
14. August 15 AuthorYOU Gathering Food Fest … Judith's Home
15. August 27 Podcast … How to Write a Memoir … Dan Janal
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Want tips for Authoring, Marketing and Publishing?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
Don’t forget … become a member of AuthorU.org.
Why? The once a month Author Gathering on the first
Saturday of the month is yours free. Webinars are free. Special programs for Author Success are free. Discounts to publishing service providers.
Here’s were to join: https://www.authoru.org/j-o-i-n
|
|
|
| 1 Discover … Add Downdetector to Your Must Know List
|
|
|
|
|
If something seems wonky—from Microsoft to Facebook to Amazon to what?—the Downdetector will let you know that you are not alone. Downdetector is where people go when services don't work
Downdetector collects and displays user reports about service issues from around the world in a clear and transparent way. Users visit Downdetector to check whether services
such as internet, social media, and banking are experiencing problems. By collecting these reports, Downdetector helps consumers understand the status of services and helps enterprises see when customers report issues.
Downdetector is part of Ookla®, a global leader in network performance and testing. Ookla provides tools like Speedtest® to measure network performance and Downdetector® to monitor service issues. These tools help consumers understand and improve their internet experience.
https://downdetector.com/
|
|
|
2 Meet and Use … Midwest Book Reviews
|
|
|
|
|
mwbookrevw@ao.com
https://www.midwestbookreview.com/
Since 1976, Midwest Book Review has been committed to promoting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. The MBR publishes the following monthly book
review magazines specifically designed for community and academic librarians, booksellers, and the general reading public:
Reviews are posted on the Internet with a number of thematically appropriate websites, databases, and online discussion groups such as alt.books.reviews. Our reviews are also available through Internet bookstores. Midwest archives all reviews on the Midwest Book Review website for a minimum of five years.
|
|
|
3 Author Gathering … ONLINE Saturday, July 11th at
8am
|
|
|
|
|
Think of The Author Gathering as a combo MASTERMIND and personal Advisory Board for Aspiring and Achieving Authors. And JOIN AuthorU.org today. https://authoru.org/j-o-i-n
Delivered 8 months a year ONLINE for global and housebound members and 4 times IN-PERSON for those in Colorado on the of the month. July is an exception—it’s the 4th, so we will gather on the 11th.
Your host is Dr. Judith Briles, The Book Shepherd and the Author Gatherings are held two ways: on ZOOM ONLINE from 8 to 9.30 am AND IN-PERSON in her home in the southeast Metro Denver area from 9 to 11.30 am. They are a benefit as a part of the paid AuthorU.org membership. A member can bring a Guest who can attend ONE Author Gathering. After that, you must be a member of AuthorYOU.org. Bring a snack to share.
Note: there must be a minimum of 5 participants (not including Judith) registered by NOON MT the day
before for any session to BE A GO. That would be July 10. If not, the session will be canceled and all members will be notified by an email announcement via Meetup.
To register for the FREE session, use this link: https://www.meetup.com/authorgathering/
|
|
|
| 4 Summer AuthorYOU Gathering Food Fest … Happening on August 15
|
|
|
|
|
Come to the Annual Summer AuthorYOU Gathering Food Fest Saturday
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 Hot Podcasts Slated for June and July
|
|
|
|
|
Ranked in the Top 10 podcasts for book marketing for authors by FeedSpot.
|
|
|
| June 4 Platform, Pitches, Panache … Kat Neff
June 11 LinkedIn Power … Deb Eckerling
June 18 7 Highly Effective Mental Triggers for Authors … Casey
Demchak
June 25 Tips and Tools for Authors … Judith Briles
July 2 Top 2026 Book Design Trends … Nick Zelinger
July 9 How to Get Your Book Reviewed … Jim C0x
July 16 How to Write for Children … Carolyne Ruck
July 23 Secrets to Writing Enticing and Killer Book Marketing Copy … Casey Demchak
July 30 How to Write a Screenplay … Viki King
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 6 Question of the Week ... Should I Create an Audiobook?
|
|
|
|
|
My Answer: Today, creating an audiobook should be an easy decision for authors. It’s a huge yes—audiobooks are part of the regular publishing menu—it should be on your publishing checklist. When you use ACX,
make sure you get the “freebie” coupons … and use them to encourage reviews and build buzz. The plus—the freebie records as an actual sale you the author gets paid.
|
|
|
|
|
Smile of the Week
Love it when I find a fun shorty—a quick smile, a laugh out loud, a learn something new, and a sip of tea … and back to work—perfect. Smile time—and honor Tina Turner when she was celebrated at the Kennedy Center with the voice and moves of Beyoncé - it's less than 5 minute feel good moment. Beyoncé - "Proud Mary" (Tina Turner Tribute) | 2005 Kennedy Center Honors - YouTube
Enjoy … and have a good giggle … my two bits.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
| Author Friendly Friday this week …
|
|
|
|
|
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/
|
|
|
|
|
Podcast has expanded to 11 networks … Follow us and learn … new shows every Thursday.
And, if you have listened, support our podcast and post a review. Thank you!
The AuthorU – Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast is now heard on eleven podcast channels. How cool is that? Listeners can tune into the weekly
(always new – no repeats) show on:
|
|
|
|
|
That’s my author and publishing news for today … what’s yours?
|
|
|
|
|
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™ All Rights Reserved.
|
|
|
