Calling All Authors

Want to keep up with your favorite authors?  Discover new talent?  Here’s a dandy little website called AUTHORSdb.    

It’s a great place to explore author’s of all genres.   Since AUTHORSdb maintains a data mine of over 300 authors, there’s no need to waste time Googling the latest info.  Everything you need is right here.  Authors, be sure to visit the site and sign-up today for your free listing.

Busy Month: Book Release & Video Projects

There are only twenty-four hours in a day.  Looks like I’ll need everyone of them.   

First, I’m revving up for the release of my debut novel, The Epitaph of Jonas Barloff.  I had no idea how much time this project would consume.  Secondly, I’ve been asked to produce a series of swim videos geared toward helping tri-athletes improve their time in the water.  Then there’s an upcoming Mississippi Gulf Coast video project.  Fortunately, that’s a few months down the pike. 

In the meantime, I’m working on a second novel involving a kidnapped eight-year-old girl whose dad is killed, and whose mother is brutally raped and beaten.  As one TV reporter follows the story, she stumbles upon political intrigue and supernatural gamesmanship.

It’s good to be busy.  As my old friends at Ardent Studios used to say, “we’ll sleep when we die.”

Writing. Publicity. Marketing. Oh My!

Within the past decade, the world of book publishing has forever changed.  Ebooks now outpace paper.  Independent authors have taken a battering ram to the gates of the once impenetrable publishing empire.  According to reports, literary agencies have scaled back – changed their methods.  As a result, authors (debut and established) wear a variety of hats:  sales & marketing, public relations expert, booking agent, and, oh yeah, writer.

During this sea change, websites are battling for attention with paid and even free services.  Places where you can list your book.  Places where you can hire an editor or proofreader.  Places where you can hire an artist for your book cover.

Below is a short list of websites that offer these services.  These are just a few that caught my eye – none should be viewed as an endorsement.  Without a doubt, there are many, many more.  Want me to add your service to my list.  Contact me a dean1@centurytel.net.  Or simply respond below.

Books Listings/Promoters:

www.goodreads.com/

http://www.smashwords.com/

http://www.lulu.com/

http://www.worldliterarycafe.com/

http://indieauthorland.com/

Editing Services:

www.hockseditingservices.com/

Author Forums:

www.absolutewrite.com

Author Listings:

www.authorsdb.com

Book Covers:

http://marionsipe.blogspot.com/p/book-covers.html#mystery

http://www.llpix.com/customcovers.html

http://www.willsinrowe.blogspot.com/p/book-covers.html

http://jeroentenberge.com/ebook_covers

Marketing Considerations:

www.bookmarket.com/airshops.htm

www.bookmarketingworks.com/SelltoAirports.htm

Reviewers:

www.forbes.com/sites/markfidelman/2012/10/16/goodreads-ceo-these-top-25-book-reviewers-represent-the-future-infographic/

Publishing Made Easy

You’ve written the next Gone With The Wind but the gatekeepers of the publishing empire won’t give you the time of day.  Now what?

Take my advice.  Pitch those rejection letters in the fireplace and enter the brave new world of Independent publishing.  What’s that?  You’re a technological dinosaur?  You don’t know a Mobi file from a EPub from a tag word.  Believe me, that’s how I felt.

While researching the How-To’s of publishing, I jotted down everything necessary for transforming a Word Doc into an paperback and an e-book.  I read the overflowing, confounding manuals.  Navigated the on-line forums and asked pertinent questions in plain English, only to get responses written in ambiguous Greek.  Somehow, I managed to crack the code and push my way past the gatekeepers.  You can too.

Those notes I jotted down on a yellow legal pad?  They’re now available to you at Amazon.com.  My new e-book is written in easy to follow language with step-by-step instructions because I don’t want anyone to crawl beneath razor wire like I did.

The ebook is entitled “The Beginner’s Guide To CreateSpace & Kindle Direct Publishing.”   It’s written by a first time publisher for first time publishers.  Check it out at Amazon.com.

‘Epitaph’ Book Cover Approved

I received the final cover art for The Epitaph of Jonas Barloff today.  This is representative of one scene in the novel.  I described to the artist several scenarios that were floating around in my head.  She decided to take this avenue.  After two or three minor revisions…Voila!

The next step is to upload the art file.  I have already uploaded the manuscript.  A proof will be made, and after any necessary corrections, we’re off to the presses.

I am hoping for a early to mid-March release.  The book will be available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and other on-line retailers in soft back and eBook formats.