Latest NEWS from The Book Shepherd this week / discover LinkedIn Live

Practical Publishing Advice and Guidance for Authors

Create. Strategize. Develop. Publish. Achieve.

In this Issue

1. Discover … LinkedIn Live

2. Meet Author Help … Meet Bublish

3. AuthorU Program … ASK Judith this Friday

4. March Author U Program … Create Crystal Clear Characters

5. March Unplugged … Speaking

6. Author Talk … REPLAY Hall of Famer Dr/Commander Mary Kelly

7. Hot podcasts for February … Add to your calendar and listen

8. Author Salons … April and May posted

9. Question of the week … How do I get celebrity endorsements?

10. Smile time … Taste the Moonwalk

Your website should be thought of as a “work in progress” meaning not a “do it and forget it”—you need to revisit it on a routine basis. Ask yourself, Does this meet my needs … and for visitors to the website?

Bookstore happenings coming up … Come AuthorU authors at Barnes & Noble Colorado Blvd on March 15 or in the new Superior bookstore on March 16. In April, Colorado authors will be in Lakewood on April 5 and Southlands on April 6.

Publishing at Sea is in countdown time … 11 more days and then no snow in my midst for seven days. Just sun, water, and surrounded by 26 authors and 200 duckies seeking a place to hide on the ship. Perfect.

The AuthorYOU Salons are posted for April and May. Remember—there must be at least five registered for these events by the Friday before. If not, I cancel and delcare the next morning my just a JB time to do whatever. March is a pass due to being at the Publishing at Sea gathering. It’s schmoozing and learning with other authors and coming aways with tips galore. Get registered here—remember this is an AuthorU.org benefit. https://www.meetup.com/authoryousalons/

Yet, it’s toasty inside and I’m excited … I finally did it … I’ve turned some of the recipes you could grab on the JudithBrilesBooks.com website into a real book with lots more recipes and now available on Amazon! Cooking with Judith – Comfort Foods Create WOW Eating. Do you love comfort food? Come cook with me. I’ve got 50 plus of my recipes for you. Here’s the Amazon link: https://amzn.to/40Yp0NZ ... available in Print, eBook, Audio.

Smart Thoughts ... This week, Barb Wilson joins me on the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast. It’s all about editing tips for 2025. Listen in only or watch and listen on my YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@DrJudithBrilesTheBookShepherd/podcasts

1. February 5, 12, 19, 26 - Amazon Best Seller workshops

2. February 20 Podcast - Pitching and Working with Bookstores

3. February 21 ASK Judith Zoom time—Publishing and Book Marketing

4. February 21 Create Sizzling Press Releases Unplugged – In-Person

5. February 27 – Podcast - Writing the Ultimate Press Release

6. March 1 Creating Crystal Clear Characters

7. March 2-9 Publishing at Sea

8. March 6 Podcast – Writing --What's Working and What's Not

9. March 12 Author Talk with Helen Thorpe

10. March 13 Podcast – Create your Characters with POP

11. March 15 Barnes & Noble book signings Colorado Blvd.

12. March 16 Barnes & Noble Book Signing Superior Colorado

13. March 20 Podcast – Write Hot!

14. March 21 ASK Judith Zoom time—Publishing and Book Marketing

15. March 21 Speaking Unplugged – In-Person

16. March 22 Speaking Unplugged – online

17. March 27 Podcast - Creating the Ultimate Press Release

18. April 18 Create Sizzling Press Releases Unplugged - Online

19. April 19 Create Sizzling Press Releases Unplugged In-Person

Save 10% with the Bublish Book Marketing Platform.

Bublish is a publishing technology company that offers cloud-based tools, metrics and resources to equip today’s business-savvy authors for success. An innovative, award-winning platform, Bublish empowers “authorpreneurs” by providing a complete social marketing and digital publishing solution. Bublish has changed the way writers share their stories and reach their readers. Thousands of authors around the world use Bublish to promote their work and build their brand. www.Bublish.com

Take advantage of one of the hottest ways to build buzz around your book—it’s Book Bubbles. AuthorU Gold members get a discount from the annual membership. Watch your social media Klout build and visitors finding you. The result: sales.

Get 10% off at an AuthorYOU member.

Book Publishing and Book Marketing
The Book Shepherd is YOURS for 60 Minutes!

The Book Shepherd, Judith Briles is YOURS for 60 minutes on Friday, February 21st 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 seed your 2025 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=3ZRTEhb1TDrTvzcjps9ov0r3Tpihbg.1
Passcode: authors

Add to Your Calendar: Friday, February 21st at 3 MT (2 PT, 5 CT, 5 ET)

March 1, 2025 Saturday … starting at 8 am PT, 9 MT, 10 CT, 11 ET
It’s on ZOOM with Mara Purl

Get ready for a full two program …

Your first hour will focus on distinctions, delineations, and dimensions using the power of color in your writing. Your second hour will incorporate the strategies of using the Myers Briggs Personality Profiles as you create characters in your fiction and the use of stories in setting the stage of a nonfiction concept.

· Your Book Characters’ Color Personality will be revealed within the “live” personality test you will complete within the workshop.

· Next, you will use the tools within the Myers Briggs Personality Type Test to expand your descriptions of what your characters think and do.

· The workshop will be recorded and sent out to registered participants.

Information and registration here: https://www.authoru.org/events

Free to AuthorU VIP members. All others pay $25

Speaking Unplugged

March 22 ONLINE

March 21 - In-Person
8:30 A.M - 2:30 P.M.

If you want to sell books ... as it LOTS of THEM? Speaking on them, and your expertise, is the #1 way to do it. Do you have my book, How to Create a Million Dollar Speech? This full day workshop is an intense and FUN interactive and woven with live individual coaching.

· Zoom is the Online meeting spot.

Space is limited to a max of 10 participants. Starts at 9 am to 4.00 pm each day. Get registered before Tuesday. Alumni participants of other Unplugged events are always discounted.

https://bit.ly/JBSpeakingUnplugged

Get my book, How to Create a Million Dollar Speech HERE: https://bit.ly/CreateSpeech

Colorado Authors Hall of Fame Inductee Mary Kelly took center stage and revealed her journey to becoming an author and trendsetter for business, self-help, and leadership books ... oh the places she has been ... and will go. Mary was inducted into the Hall in 2023.

Key takeaways include:

· Her 7 tips for Author Success.

· Her ways to aways avoid procrastination.

· How she has never been caught with writer’s block.

· How she moves truckloads of books.

· How she writes.

· Why authors must avoid the “someday” factor if you want success.

Her embracing the above has led to 20 books with another in the works. Books she mentioned during the hour included Stop Procrastinating Tomorrow and WHO Comes Next. Mary’s website is www.ProductiveLeaders.com.
Listen and watch the REPLAY HERE: https://vimeo.com/1056498476

Answer: The first question you should ask is: Do I need one? Honestly answer it. The next is: Who are “names” that my target audience will immediately recognize and listen to? You need to figure out where they hang out on social media. Do a Google search for resources; copy what they are; pay attention to what their “handles” are; what hashtags they use. On your Google search, go to their websites—is their a “contact” form? Do they have a blog that you can follow and even comment on. Of course, do a reach out in your own network—do the ask: Do you know how to reach ________? That’s a start.

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/

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.