Latest NEWS from The Book Shepherd this week / AI Comparative Videos -register now

Practical Publishing Advice and Guidance for Authors

I create books authors never have to apologize for …

In this Issue

1. Discover … Use Google Voice for Backup Phone Line

2. Meet Author Help … Book Reviews with Blue Ink

3. Webinar … AI Comparative Videos

4. Author Success … October Amazon Bestseller classes open to register - 1 spots left!

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

6. Author Salons … October-November are posted—get registered

7. Question of the week … How do I keep track of my bookkeeping for my book sales?

8. Smile time … Dragon story time

This is the big week in September: it’s Banned Book week across the country. Most bookstores have a banned book section—buy a book or two and support the power of words and the authors that use them for your readying pleasure and knowledge.

The seasons are changing, moving from Summer to Fall … inside my home, it’s everywhere. Yesterday, wreaths were swapped and I picked up Reese’s peanut butter and chocolate pumpkin shaped goodies for my Barnes & Noble tables that are scheduled for the November and December book buyers. Fall dates are set up for Book Fairs, with one more to be confirmed this week.

I set the date for the official Book Celebration of Brian Barnes and my Book 3, The Secret Rise. I’m cooking on a Saturday AM to celebrate with book loving friends. Not sure of my menu but I have a few weeks to put it together. Want to join in? Let me know.

I am so ready to get back to the Publishing at Sea cruise slated for next February 15-22. It's on one of my favorite ships—love the Central Park area for schmoozing and relaxing--has always been a personal favorite. It's going to be a writing time for me as well ... I will be completing my next book. Why not join me?

Note to all … if you are interested, there are ONLY 1 staterooms left in our group. Call me with your questions. You need to commit by October 1 – final payments due November 1. Details here: https://PublishingAtSea.com

1. September 30 Webinar Creating Comparative Videos-get registered

2. October 1, 8, 15, 22 Amazon Bestseller

3. October 1 Last day to sign up for Publishing at Sea 2026

4. October 4 AuthorU Program

5. October 8 Author Talk with Jeanne Abrams

6. October 11 AuthorU Salons

7. October 16 Webinar with Jackie Lapin Marketing Your Books with Locations

8. October 17 Ask Judith anything about Publishing and Book Marketing

9. October 25 Speaking Unplugged – Online

10. November 1 AuthorU Program

11. November 8 AuthorU Salons

12. November 21 Ask Judith anything about Publishing and Book Marketing

13. November 22 Barnes and Noble Book Fair Fort Collins

14. November 29 Barnes and Noble Book Fair Colorado Blvd.

15. November 30 Barnes and Noble Book Fair Lakewood-Denver West Village

16. December 7 Barnes and Noble Southlands, Aurora Book Fair

How would you like a simple … and FREE … phone line that can be used for your author/publishing business? Google Voice has offered this as an ideal alternative for anyone who doesn’t want to use personal phone numbers to give to “the public” or place on their websites and business cards for many years.

Think of book marketing and other promos you have planned. You can set up the number you obtain to forward to your mobile or land line. For your mobile, any messages left on the voice mail feature will flow through as a text.
Info: https://voice.google.com/about

BlueInk Review, LLC – Patti Thorn or Patricia Moosbrugger
eMail: PT@BlueInkReview.com or PM@BlueInkReview.com
Website: www.BlueInkReview.com
Services: Serious reviews of Self and Indie-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.

AuthorYOU members get a discount to BlueInk.

Within the Publishing at Sea workshops last February, tech thriller author Charles Breakfield wowed the participants with his take on the Book Comparatives with the assist of AI. It was a variation of the standard poster with a huge twist to it—voice and active video. Everyone wanted more.

Now, it’s show and tell time. Charles will demo how to create them on your own … or offer you a super deal where he does it for you. It’s all happening on September 30. We will be recording—register so you get it.

Register: https://bit.ly/ComparativeBookVideos

Sign up for our next session for October 1, 8, 15, 22

There are 23 steps in your journey … a journey where you could pay someone to travel and implement for you … or one where you can roll up your sleeves and learn how to create, implement, and execute. As in DIY.

The Create an Amazon Bestseller Campaign for Your eBook Online course is the later. I will take you through each step during the four weeks. When you complete #17, you are ready to execute.

My goal is for you to have all components for your campaign DONE before your implementation/execution day. All social media tease pushouts done and scheduled before the big day starts.

Requirements;

1. 90 minutes of your time online each week via Zoom with Judith Briles. Late Wednesday afternoon will be our start time.

2. Social media presence. Thousands would be good but not crucial. You will learn tips and tricks during each session that will have new adds every week.

3. An “I want to be #1 and I can do this attitude” and commitment to do the work during each session and post-work each work.

4. A computer. A free account on either Canva and BookBrush.

Dates: Wednesdays, October 1, 8, 15, 22
Times: 4.00 P.M. to 5.30 P.M. MT
Cost: $299

Register: https://thebookshepherd.com/create-an-amazon-bestseller/

Amazon Class Alumni $150

Answer: There are several. For writing, in your personal resource library should be Stephen King’s On Writing. Add in William Zinnser’s On Writing Well, Strunk & White’s The Elements of Style, Anne Lammot’s Bird by Bir, Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi ‘s Thesaurus series , Ray Bradbury Zen in the Art of Writing, Les Edgerton Hooked, Mystery Writers of America How to Write a Mystery, And I would add my new book, The Author’s Walk. Then there are a boatload of “genre” guides. Suggest you Google yours with the adjective “essential” in it, or Top 5 books for (fill in the blank...) Good luck!

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.