Book Review: Publicity From The Trenches by Sherri Rosen

ONE WORD BOOK REVIEW - INTEGRITY

Title: Publicity From The Trenches

Author: Sherri Rosen

Publisher: Sherri Rosen Publicity Int'l NYC

Date: May 1, 2015

Length: 125 Pages


About The Author
Sherri Rosen came to New York City in the 60's and never left. She has her own publicity firm and has created her own niche of inspirational publicity.

What is a Publicist and Do You Need One?
Sherri Rosen is a professional publicist and owner of Sheri Rosen Publicity Int'l, NYC. She has written this book to inform published and self-published authors about the benefit of hiring a publicist.

The author provides a list of nineteen things to look for and some questions to ask when seeking a publicist. She explains what a publicist can do for an author, but makes it clear that there are no guaranteed results.

What distinguishes a great publicist from a mediocre one is getting the word to the right people, in the right venues, at the right time. 

Ms. Rosen believes that publicity must be based on honesty and integrity.  She has coined a term, "inspirational publicity", to describe publicity that isn't about making big money but is instead honest and real.

My Thoughts
Self-publishing has opened the door of opportunity to many new authors. This is an informative and inspiring guide to help authors choose the kind of professional support they need to get the word out.

This book is illustrated with beautiful color illustrations and sprinkled with motivational quotations.

Ms. Rosen describes the high standards that she holds herself and her associates to as they work with authors. Publicity must be custom designed for each client and honesty is emphasized in all communications.

If you are an author, I think you will find this book very helpful. If you are going to invest in publicity, you need to know how to find the best professional service available.

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received an advance digital copy of this book from the author to read and review.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Publishers Launch BOOKISH for Book Lovers

 
Bookish is a new book site that launched last night. The aim of Bookish is to help readers discover and connect with books and authors.

This is a FREE site that is financed by three of the largest book publishers...Hachette, Penguin and  Simon & Schuster. 
In addition to book recommendations and author profiles, the site offers original essays, interviews and book excerpts.

The Bookish mission statement is "to engage more readers with more books, more authors and with one another". 

Bookish will sell both print and ebooks on it's site, but allows customers to buy from other sources including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and IndieBound.

My Thoughts
Bookish is a brand new site with a great deal of potential. I am really excited about all the features that are offered here. This is much more than a book selling business or book review site. I am especially interested in the opportunity to stay informed on all the latest "book news" in the different subjects that I am interested in.

If you like children's books, Bookish provides top stories from the Bookish editors about children's literature. These articles include information on the newest and best books in the world of kid's lit. It also provides interesting interviews with children's book authors and illustrators. At the bottom of the page is a section called "Related News". Links for recent news articles about children's books are provided with short summaries. 

I think this site is a real WINNER!

Go take a look at BOOKISH and let me know what you think in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur - How to Publish a Book

APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur-How to Publish a Book

Authors: Guy Kawasaki and Shawn Welch

Publisher: Nononina Press

Date: December 10, 2012



About The Author
Guy Kawasaki is the author of Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions. He is the co-founder of Alltop.com, an "online magazine rack" of popular topics on the web, and founding partner at Garage Technology Ventures.

Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur
Are you an author or future author?

Are you thinking about self-publishing your book?

Do you have a gazillion questions about what to do and how to do it?

This is the book you have been waiting for.

Guy Kawasaki and Shawn Welch have written a 300-page book about "artisanal publishing." The thesis of APE is simple but powerful: when a self-publisher successfully fills three roles...author, publisher, entrepreneur...the potential benefits are greater than with a traditional publisher.

This book is a comprehensive handbook for authors who want to take complete control over the writing, publishing and marketing of their book. The authors provide technical instructions for formatting your digital files for ebook publication as well as sharing very helpful information for printing your book.

The marketing advice covers "guerrilla marketing" techniques and how to build a platform to promote your book online. The authors offer excellent free resources on the book's web site.

There is a lengthy glossary at the end of the book that defines many of the terms that are used in the book.

My Thoughts
I was absolutely blown away by the amount of NEEDED information that is presented in this book.

This book offers authors a great deal of value for a relatively small investment. This book informs, instructs, motivates and inspires.

The authors share all the steps they used to APE (author, publish, entrepreneur) this very book!

You can view a video book trailer HERE.

Self-publishing is not easy. It takes hard work, determination and perseverance. If you have been dreaming about writing and publishing a book, this book will be a very wise investment. Highly Recommended!

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received a complimentary digital copy of this book to read and review from Net Galley.


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Book Review: What Reviewers Want; Get Inside One Reviewer's Mind

What Reviewers Want: Get Inside One Reviewer's Mind

Author: D.L. Graham

Publisher: Twisted Rose Publishing

Date: October 9, 2011

Length: 24 pages



About The Author
D.L. Graham is a book reviewer and self-published author.

Book Reviews Are Subjective Opinions
This booklet was written by an author/reviewer to help self-published authors  make informed decisions on how to spend their money wisely, in order to produce a quality e-book and avoid costly mistakes.

There are several things this book reviewer advises a self-published author to consider before publishing their ebook.  Good editing is at the top of the list of requirements for a quality product that will attract reviewers and readers. Grammatical errors, typos and poor writing style is a big turn-off to any reader and should be avoided like the plague. This might seem like common sense but it is a fairly common problem in self-published books.

This booklet contains two chapters that deal with how to get a reviewer to read your book and how to respond to a review. There is good advice for contacting and communicating with reviewers. The reviewer has many opportunities to read good books and they must make a choice. The author must "sell" their book in a short query email that grabs the reviewer's attention and makes them want to read this book more than the others.

The last section of this book contains an "Author's Toolbox" that provides links to resources that will be helpful to self-published authors.

My Thoughts
This booklet gives some good advice to authors who are seeking reviews for their self-published book.

There is really only one chapter in this booklet about how to get a reviewer to read your book. I would like to see more information about choosing reviewers, writing query letters and communicating with the reviewer. There are many resources available that deal with good writing, editing, etc., but few books advise authors on how to work with book reviewers and get the kind of reviews that will persuade others to read the book.

As a book reviewer, I enjoyed reading this booklet and I agree with everything that was written. I just wish the author had gone a little deeper into the subject of how to get reviewers to read your book.

My Rating: 4 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I ordered this ebook from Amazon when it was offered as a free download. Please check the current price before purchasing.

I would love for you to FOLLOW this blog. You may use either the Google Friend Connect or the Networked Blog widget to show your support and encouragement.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below. 

Book Review: Introducing Wizzley.Com

What inspires you?  Would you like to tell the world about your passions and expertise?
"Introducing Wizzley.Com; A New Way of Making Money Online by Writing Articles" by Jill Gains, is an ebook that instructs users on how to navigate and benefit from the Wizzley.Com site.




What is Wizzley?
Wizzley.Com is a content and blogging platform that allows you to publish your articles online and earn advertisement and affiliate revenue from them. As an author, you can write articles on a variety of topics and upload them on this site. By promoting these articles on social networking sites, you can increase the page views for your articles, which converts directly to more revenue for you.

Authors on Wizzley receive the following benefits;

a professional and attractive environment for their articles.

several different avenues for making money or donating to charity.

many useful modules to create unique and useful articles.

personal attention and assistance from dedicated moderators and the Wizzley team.

a friendly and supportive community of peers.

Wizzley was launched in May, 2011, making it one of the newest content publishing sites on the Internet. It was created by some of the leading lensmasters at Squidoo, who came together to create a site that would help writers to earn more revenue from their content.


My Thoughts
I was not familiar with Wizzley.Com before I read this ebook. I was curious about this site because I know that article marketing is a very popular and profitable way to do business on the Internet.

Ms. Gains explains exactly what Wizzley is and the benefits of using this site instead of other content publishing sites. She explains how to register with the site and how to open an author's account. She provides detailed information about how to set up your profile.

The author explains how to create pages on Wizzley and how to add your content. She explains all the different modules that you can use to make your content more interesting and more profitable. She provides a detailed explanation about the affiliate programs you can use on Wizzley and how you can maximize your profits.

I am very impressed with the Wizzley site and I think Ms. Gains has done an excellent job putting together a detailed "how-to" manual. This ebook will help you get your first article published on Wizzley with a minimum amount of time and energy.

My Rating: 5 Stars out of 5

DYI ~ I ordered this ebook from Amazon.Com when it was offered as a free digital download. Please check the price before ordering.

The eBook Revolution and a Happy Book Blogger

The year 2011 is quickly coming to a close. This year has seen some dramatic changes for the book publishing and marketing industries.  I can honestly say that the Amazon Kindle has made this a fabulous year to be a reader and a wonderful year to be a book blogger.

The ebook revolution has made a huge difference in the accessibility of books, reports, articles, magazines, newspapers and essays. Amazon has reported that they are selling more ebooks than print books. I believe this trend will continue and I think this opens new doors of opportunities for both authors and readers.

I would like to share a few of my personal observations about the Kindle and the way it has changed my life for the better.

• I downloaded the free Kindle for PC Application to my laptop computer in 2009. I ordered several ebooks and was very pleased with the experience of receiving them in a matter of seconds and reading them on my computer screen. The only problem was that I could not carry my laptop computer in my purse and it was a difficult to curl up in bed with a computer.
• I began dropping hints to my husband that I would like to have a Kindle ebook reader. He didn't know what a Kindle was until he noticed a co-worker using one at his job. She showed him how it worked and he liked it. He also knew that I would like it. In October of 2010, my husband surprised with a Kindle 3.
• I had been writing book reviews on this blog for over a year, but I did not have access to the kinds of books that I really wanted to review. When I got my Kindle, a whole new world opened up to me. I was able to purchase and receive new books on their release date, receive books from authors via email and access free ebooks from Amazon.Com. I am now able to check-out ebooks from the public library and read them on my Kindle.
• My goal for 2012 is to continue to read, review and promote ebooks using this blog, social media outlets and video book trailers. I am a happy book blogger who is dreaming of writing and publishing a book for the Kindle during the next few months.

I would like to thank everyone who has taken time to read this blog during 2011. I appreciate your time and your participation. I wish you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR and hope to see you again in 2012.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: Smart Self-Publishing

Zoe Winters details her first-hand experiences with self-publishing in "Smart Self-Publishing: Becoming an Indie Author". She shares the secrets of her success and she tells of difficult lessons learned the hard way. Her writing is candid, honest and entertaining.
This book will serve as a blueprint for self-publishing from beginning to end.

About The Author
Zoe Winters has sold over 50,000 ebooks independently. She's taught self-publishing techniques along with April L. Hamilton at Publetariat.com with their Vault University series.
Zoe independently produces a series of quirky paranormal romance books, called The Preternaturals Series. The first book, Blood Lust, is a compilation of her three previously-released novellas: Kept, Claimed, and Mated. Blood Lust is available in ebook and print. The second installment in the series, Save My Soul, is now available.

The Life Of An Indie Author
This book is a crash course on self-publishing. It begins with discussing the meaning of self-publishing and determining if it is going to be right for you. Ms. Winters lists the following "success predictors" in indie authors;

• You need to be a good writer.
• You need to have the ability to separate yourself from your work.
• You have to be a self-starter.
• You have to be organized.
• You have to be in it for the long haul.
• You need the ability to blaze your own trail and forget the naysayers.
• You need to be a good money manager.
• You need the ability to determine the difference between quality and crap.
• You need to have passion.
• You need to be a self-promoter.
• You need to know what you hope to gain from all of this.

If you are still interested in self-publishing after reading this chapter, the rest of the book explains the steps that you must take to get your book into the marketplace. She explains her method of writing and editing. The information that she provides about finding critique partners, beta readers and editors is very good.
She provides valuable information about choosing the correct format for your book. Ms. Winters tells of her personal experiences with producing books in print, ebook and audio formats. The author states that "digital is where the money is for indies." She explains the process of publishing ebooks at Smashwords, Barnes & Noble and the Amazon Kindle Store.
Ms. Winters offers detailed information about creating the cover art for your book. She gives advice for working with artists and also explains how you can do-it-yourself (if you have to).
Ms. Winters provides step-by-step details on formatting your book and publishing it. She offers many tips that will help the newbie self-publisher succeed. She is not shy about warning authors to avoid expensive and non-essential services.
The final part of the book deals with marketing. The author provides details on platform building and Internet marketing. She discusses blogging, social media sites and forums. She advises authors on how to approach book reviewers and how to interact with readers. She also offers good advice on contests, giveaways and book trailers.

My Thoughts
I saw this book mentioned in several book reviews on Amazon. The reviewers all noted that this was "one of the best" books on self-publishing.  I purchased the book and was not disappointed. This book is a "must read" for indie authors.
This author is the real deal. She writes about experiences and processes that she has actually done...and her unique personality comes shining through. Great reading!

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: Promote Your Book

You have written your first book and now the hard work is finished. You are ready to sit back and wait for the sales to come flooding in.  WRONG!
Patricia Fry, author of "Promote Your Book; Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips And Techniques For The Enterprising Author", believes that you'll have to pay at least as much attention to promoting your book as you did to writing it. If you want to reach potential buyers in a wide range of arenas, you may have to market outside of your comfort zone. This book will show you how to do it!

About The Author
Patricia Fry has over thirty-five years experience marketing her own self-published and traditionally published books. She consults with clients on issues of book promotion and teaches online book promotion courses. Patricia is the Executive Director of SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network), a networking organization which she helped form in 1996.

A Complete Marketing Guide
The author provides 250 low-cost ways for authors to promote and sell their book. Ms. Fry suggests that this book should be read from cover-to-cover to get an overview of all the techniques available in the book. The reader should then go back and choose activities that are appropriate for his talents and skills. The author suggests that you start with just a few activities and then add more as your confidence grows.

Here are some of the chapter titles that I found especially interesting;

• Promote Locally
• Promote Your Book Through Social Media
• Solicit Book Reviews
• Get Out And Talk About Your Book
• Sell Your Book Through Retail Stores
• Become An Expert
• Give Something In Order To Get Something
• Spend Money In All The Right Places
• Go The Extra Mile For Your Customers

This book demonstrates how you can create a full-time job around the task of promoting your book. Ms. Fry has included unique and creative marketing strategies that she has used in her own marketing efforts.

Ms. Fry has provided many ideas for local promoting that I would have never thought of. She suggests selling books door-to-door and putting a stack of books on a table at your yard sale. You might not make any sales, but this is a great way to get exposure and open doors for future contacts.

There is extensive information provided for marketing your book on the Internet. Ms. Fry explains the benefits of having a web site, blog, joining discussion groups and using social media sites.

My Thoughts
I honestly did not realize that marketing a book could be so much work. I was exhausted from just reading about these activities. The amazing thing is that the author seemed to be having fun! It did not seem like a burden for Ms. Fry to promote her books...it was a labor of love. 
This is the most comprehensive material on book marketing that I have ever read. Highly recommended!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary digital copy of this book to read and review from the publisher.

7 Tips For Writing Book Reviews

How do you write enchanting book reviews that will make readers eager to get their hands on the book? Do good book reviews really sell books?
Here are seven tips for writing book reviews that will have readers anxious to learn more.

1. Always mention the name of the author and the book title in the first paragraph — there's nothing more frustrating than reading a review of a great book but not knowing who wrote it and what the title is! I like to post a picture of the book cover at the beginning of the review.  I hope the cover will make the reader curious about what is inside the book and read the entire review. (Yes, you can judge a book by it's cover.)
   
2. If possible, use one paragraph for each point you want to make about the book. It's a good way to emphasize the importance of the point. It will also make the review easier on the eyes. I like to use bullet points and bold type to emphasize important points in the review.
   
3. Try to get the main theme of the book across in the beginning of your review. Your reader should know right away what he or she is getting into should they choose to read the book. 
   
4. Is the book fiction or non-fiction? Is it a memoir or biography? Does the book fit into a genre like mystery, adventure, or romance? Many book reviewers specialize in specific types of books. My expertise is non-fiction and children's books so I seldom review books outside of these areas. I do not feel qualified to review fantasy and science fiction because I have very little experience with these genres. A book reviewer can fill a need for information in many different niches.
5. What do you like or dislike about the author's writing style? Are there grammatical errors and typos? Is the book appropriate for the intended audience? Is the writing style casual or formal? Are there illustrations? How do the illustrations enhance the story?
6. Try using a few short quotes from the book to illustrate your points. This is not absolutely necessary, but it's a good way to give your reader a sense of the author's writing style.
   
7. Make sure your review explains how you feel about the book and why, not just what the book is about. A good review should express the reviewer's opinion and persuade the reader to share it, to read the book, or to avoid reading it.

These are guidelines that I follow when I write book reviews on this blog. If you have additional tips for writing book reviews, I would love for you to post them in the Comments Section below.