Showing posts with label #self-publishing #writingworkshops #ClaytonCountyLibrary #CoraLockhart #TheInheritenceofBeing #localauthors #MJKaneBooks #quering #ebooks #publishers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #self-publishing #writingworkshops #ClaytonCountyLibrary #CoraLockhart #TheInheritenceofBeing #localauthors #MJKaneBooks #quering #ebooks #publishers. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Publishing 101 at the Clayton County Library- Part 2

Welcome back!

As promised, here is the follow up post to the Publishing 101 event that took place at the Clayton County Library. If you missed part one, which focused on self-publishing, follow the link.

After the wealth of information shared by author Cora Lockhart, local authors were given the opportunity to share their work with the public. Tables were set up around the library so that they could introduce themselves to patrons they entered. Here are the authors I had the opportunity to meet.


Childrens Liturature: 

Do Your Best and Forget the Rest
Author/Illustrator: Vincent Wolf
Do Your Best and Forget the Rest inspires children to learn the value of keeping a positive attitude through all of life’s ups and downs. Using just a simple phrase, this book is right for both children and parents. Parents can use this phrase to teach and encourage their children and it is easy for children to understand and remember.
Website    Facebook    Twitter   Email   YouTube


The Kwanzaa Coloring Book
Author: Steven Thedford
For the millions of people that celebrate Kwanzaa, New World Press, Inc., has published a fanciful book that many parents will find helpful in teaching their children the principles and symbols of this African American holiday. Illustrated by Rachel Mindrup and Rhonda Mathews, the coloring book illustrates the principles in activities through childhood games. Afterwards, many of the symbols of the African American holiday are featured. More importantly, New World Press. Inc, has filled a void; in other words, most major bookstores do not stock coloring books that depict African Americans.

Website


Cashew the Flying Cow
Author: Dwayne Bowen
Cashew is an ambitious and determined cow that stops at nothing to teach himself how to fly. Be on the lookout for Cashew and how he plans on reaching his goal.” Stay tuned for the sequel, Cashew’s Greatest Adventure!

Website


Bowtie Brownlee Goes to School 
Author: Juli-ette Robin Goldston
Robert Brownlee is beginning kindergarten this year at a new school. Today is his first day of school. Robert is known for his signature bow ties and is affectionately known as Bowtie Brownlee. He encounters a little problem when arriving at school to find not many other boys his age are wearing bow ties. In this story Bowtie models how to handle adversity and to feel good about being unique. Bowtie has an eventful day meeting his new teacher and a new friend. This is the first book of Bowtie's journeys and adventures.

Amazon   Email   Facebook   Twitter
 


Fiction: 

Sheridan 
Author: Olivia J 
Sheridan Mason fights hard and plays dirty. Smart, savvy and independent, Sheridan makes no apologies for her choices. Sheridan is a hero, confidante, rock and best friend to the people she loves. She is fearless and determined. Confident and satisfied. Sheridan Mason doesn't want or need love. Sheridan is content being an independent woman with a flourishing career. She lives life on her own terms and at twenty-nine years old, she has no intentions of allowing anyone to change that. Sheridan Mason has a secret. A secret that is threatening to overwhelm her. She is afraid, terrified with no one to turn to. Can she be vulnerable with the people who need her to be strong? No. Sheridan Mason will fight this battle alone. Sheridan Mason may have met her match. Michael Wolfe. Handsome, daring and determined to love Sheridan. He awakens Sheridan's passion and stirs her desires; seduces her mind and ravishes her body. Sheridan wants more of the Wolfe. But can she expect him to stay when he discovers her secret? Does she want him to?

Visit her site to view more titles.

Amazon   Website   Email



The Book of Remembrance
Author: Sheila Cone 
What if your bloodline came from a race of supernatural beings, and you didn’t know it? Would you seek to find the answers, or would you let the decay of the village mold your life? These are the questions Rayniann must resolve in The Book of Remembrance, when a stranger arrives in his village and begins to tell him things he can’t quite comprehend. At the moment of the stranger’s arrival he is broken over the death of his mother, but he questions whether her death was accidental or planned. An unexpected betrayal from someone his mother trusted puts Rayniann in the middle of a wild conquest, with the stranger as his guide. As he battles a barrage of dark enemies and his own fears, Rayniann falls in love with a woman whose own brokenness helps him to embrace the truth. He begins to understand that his life comprises of he not only freeing the world of the darkness that consumes it, but freeing his own soul from the misery of mankind’s destruction. Rayniann’s discovery of truth leads him to one single purpose, but will he have the strength to accept the sacrifice?

Amazon     


Non-Fiction/Inspirational:

Skin: A Matter of Race In America 
Author: A.P. Brooks
Race as we know it today. It defines, as well as, divides us. Furrowed deep within the contour lines of our racial perceptions are social nuances we ascribe to every stroke of skin color. We afford to race the power to decide human intelligence, beauty and even moral goodness. We have created a truth or at least, a reality to every shade of skin. Race can affirm or deny. It is a measuring rod, determining who is good or bad and whom we should hate or revere. For almost as long as our inception as a nation, Americans have worn these attitudes like a favored old garment with each generation providing fecund to keep it going. This is not to say that our social biases are insular. On the contrary, ideals like these have existed in societies around the world and throughout history, we find a shared consorter of sorts. One not necessarily connected to skin color, but nonetheless, torn from the same broadcloth and extending from the same thought process. Such ideals have caused great divisiveness; building walls of separation between people within a society and the reasons are as age old as class, religion, and geography---a big fuss over a little piece of land. And history shows us all too well, how one voice ratcheting up fury over one of these ideals can lead to mass violence. Certainly, such social intolerances exist anywhere there is a lack of compassion and understanding. Still, Americans do hold a distinction in this area. To be sure, our use of race based on skin color as a means to hate and discriminate, even more so, as an evolutionary benchmark is a uniquely modern concept.

Website

To: Die Before You Die: The True Story of My Journey Through Life and Mental Illness 
Author: Melvin Ricks
I was born in rural Arkansas, the seventh child of a family of thirteen children, and after enduring an abusive, and poverty-stricken childhood, my family made its way to California where I would graduate from college. I would eventually return to the south and become an attorney in Atlanta, Georgia. However, like most of my siblings, I suffer from a mental illness that had long lurked within the shadows of my life, and which I had unknowingly been able to cope with for years. Nevertheless, my illness would eventually overtake me, and destroy everything that I had been able to accomplish, and nearly take my life. I am presently learning to cope with my illness in hopes of returning to my life as an attorney some day. As part of my efforts to understand what I experienced, I began writing about it, and my writings evolved into the book you're holding. It is my hope that my story will give you a direct insight into my battles with bi-polar and severe depression, and leave you with a better understanding of mental illness, and those afflicted by it. This is my story, and although I have changed the names of a few of the individuals to protect their privacy, it is a true and accurate account of my experiences.

Amazon   Email


Dancing in the Rain
Author/Speaker/Poet: Lesley Hudson

Lesley Hudson, a breast cancer survivor, has done an amazing job with her new book titled, Dancing in the Rain. On her journey through the storm she learned to lean on the Lord, focus on her health and inspire others. This inspirational book of poetry is not only for cancer patients, it’s a must read for everyone. The first section is dedicated to all of those diagnosed with breast cancer. She takes you through an emotionally charged journey of her ordeal and she excites the reader with positive messages such as Celebrate Life and The Best is Yet to Come.

Website



Words of Wisdom While Driving Daily
Author: Doretta Gahagan Lester 
Words of Wisdom While Driving Daily is a book of statements to keep individuals focus on frazzled days, emotional roller coasters and control those actions and thoughts with the guidance of the HOLY SPIRIT and Gods promises.

Website





Smudge 
Author: Vincent W. Brown
“Smudge” is a book about a young black boy’s struggles to become a man in the painful surrounding of the Bronx and Queens, New York during the 1940’s. It tells a tale of real life: the pitfalls of the street, drugs, alcohol, AIDS and incarcerations, but it also tells of courage, self-determination, and the power of family. The lessons taught in this work of non-fiction are so very relevant today’s society. “Smudge” is a wakeup call for every man, woman and child who want to keep the Grim Reaper from ringing their doorbell.

To purchase a copy, call 678-598-0355.
YouTube 



Taking Back the Woman in Me
Author: GlenNeta M. Griffin
“Taking Back the Woman in Me” is a must read for any woman ready to reinvent her life. Every woman has gone through some type of trial and felt defeated, but women can endure the worst and still come out on top. This book will motivate anyone to take a stand and make the necessary changes to improve a better you. If you’re ready for a change, it starts today with this empowering tool that you’ll want to share. I challenge you to find your passion and push for the stars. Let this book guide you to regaining your power, your strength and your life. Your journey begins now!

Website


 Editing/Marketing:

With Pen In Hand Editing Service 
Editor: Adel Brinkley
Email      Website

Positive Perspectives: A Public Relations Firm and Brand Architecture Firm
Business, Career, and Life Coaching Practice
GlenNeta M.Griffin, Certified Life Coach
Website


*Disclaimer: I do not receive any financial gain from sharing this information, nor am I responsible for the products or services offered.* 

Thank you to all of the authors who came out to share their published work with the community, and to Sherry Turner for making this event possible!


MJ

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Monday, July 23, 2012

Publishing 101- Workshop Held at the Clayton County Library- Part 1



I love my community library. Sherry Turner, the head librarian, goes out of her way to keep the event room of the library packed with classes of all kinds to encourage community development.

For the third year, I was able to attend a writing seminar that focused on Publishing 101. The speaker, Cora Lockheart, a very talented author, spoke to a room full of inquisitive attendees about her journey into self-publishing. Cora’s book, The Inheritance of Being, was published this year. She had a wealth of information to share.

One of the first things she pointed out is that self-publishing, as popular as it has become over the last few years, is nothing new. She shared an encouraging handout detailing some now famous authors and well-known books that were self-published.

Here are a few:

Famous Self-Published Books:
Ulysses
The Adventures of Peter Rabbit
The Bridges of Madison County

Famous Authors Who Self-Published:
Deepak Chopra
Zane Grey
Mark Twain
Bernard Shaw
Virginia Wolff
E.E. Cummings
Edgar Allen Poe
Rudyard Kipling
Henry David Thoreau
Benjamin Franklin
Walt Whitman
Beatrix Potter

Here is one that will probably shock you:

Famous Author’s Rejected by Publishers:
Kathryn Stockett- The Help- 60 times
George Orwell- Animal Farm
Joseph Heller- Catch -22 -22 times
Alex Haley- Before Roots- 200 rejections
John Grisham- A Time to Kill- 15 publishers and 30 agents (bet they’re still kicking themselves!)
Dr. Seuss- 24 times
Steven King
J.K. Rowling

And many, many more!

What does that mean for new writers, or those about to embark on the daunting query process?

It means you have options. But, like anything you want in life, not matter what you decide, there is work.

Some tips she shared were:

·         Covers are important! Make sure you use the right type of setting in order for your cover to come across online (if selling as an eBook), and printed (if doing print on demand) books. PDF Creator shows how your book will look on Kindle. CreateSpace also offers an app for self-publishing converted books to allow you to see your book cover in various e-Reader formats.


  While eBooks are great, not everyone owns or wants to read a book on Kindle. Think about your target audience.  Older readers may prefer the feel of a book in their hands, while younger ones enjoy the use of technology. Let your reader decide which option they prefer.  CreateSpace on Amazon allows you to make your book available as a POD option without costing you a thing. Research your options!

·         The biggest stigma about self-published books is that they are not edited. Overcome this stigma by having it professionally edited. If it is not in your budget, find reads (family, friends, teachers, professors, etc.) who may have an editorial background. Even readers who do not have a literary background can find mistakes/errors that you may not notice. (Think about it, not all readers who critique books have an English degree). Prepare yourself for the feedback and be willing to make changes. Repeat the process until your work is the best it can be. Take heart: even the major publishing houses miss errors in books every now and then!

·         While places like CreateSpace offer ISBN numbers, use of them may limit the online sites where you can sell your book. Consider purchasing your own ISBN number. If you own it, you can sell your book anywhere. Also know that if you use a CreateSpace ISBN, their name will be printed on the cover of your book as the publisher. Research your options!

·         If self-publishing is not for you and you decide to use a vanity publisher, RESEARCH! Their goal is not to put out quality work. They make money by charging you, the author, to publish your work. As long as they are paid, they will publish anything you want. Make sure the publisher you choose works to make sure your book is the best it can be. Make them care about you by staying in constant communication with them throughout the process. 

·         Use your network for editing, graphics, and assistance with marketing. Friends and family with experience in these areas may be willing to assist you to reach your goal.

Cora chose self-publishing. She researched her options  and created her own company, Paramour Press, and published her book. Next, she shared a few tips on self-publishing she learned from David Carnov in an article, Self-Publishing a Book: 25 things you need to know. Here are a few highlights. (For the sake of space, some of the tips have been condensed. Visit the link to read the full article.)

·         Digital, not print, is your best bet. A text-based book (no graphics, illustrations, or photos) sold as an e-book is easier to produce than a hard copy. It also sells for less, making it easier to move than a hard copy. You can always upgrade later.

·         Buy your own ISBN—and create your own publishing house. Even if you go with one of the subsidy presses for convenience’s sake, there’s no reason to have Lulu, CreastSpace, IUnivers, AuthorHouse, or whomever listed as your publisher.

·         Create a unique title. Your book should be easy to find in a search on Amazon and Google.

·         Self-publishing is a contact sport. The biggest mistake people make when it comes to self-publishing is that they expect to just put out a book and have it magically sell. They might even hire a publicist and expect something to happen. It’s just not so. You have to be a relentless self-promoter.

·         If you’re selling online, make the most out of your Amazon page. *Tip* Make sure your book is put into five browsing categories (it only allows five). It helps to categorize your book to readers and will make your book look better if it’s a bestseller in those categories.



The Inheritance of Being, by Cora Lockheart
Sometimes Lux Madigan takes things that don't belong to her, and this is the reason she believes her twin sister, Nix, fled the Cape Perpetua Asylum where they were institutionalized over thirty years before. Approaching sixty with a degenerative heart condition and a damaged memory, Lux roams Cape Perpetua desperately searching for Nix in the faces of twins that inhabit the city. Legend has it that the city was cursed when the ship, the Twin Sisters, smashed against its rocky shore in the mid-Twentieth Century. It's a curse that has always been attributed to Una Madigan, the twins' mother, because of the connection she claimed to have with the dead. With the help of a recently-widowed journalist, Victoria Belmont, the atrocities of the Eugenics Board are exposed and long-buried secrets are unearthed, making it clear that the curse lies more within the foundation of existence.

Find Cora at these locations:


Website    Email    Goodreads    Facebook    Amazon    Barnes and Noble    Powells Books

Come back for part two when I introduce fabulous local authors, their books, and where they can be found!


MJ


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