Wednesday, December 30, 2009

ONCE UPON WISCONSIN



Please check out our newest release, ONCE UPON WISCONSIN, from author Dennis McKay.

After the death of a wife who never loved him and son who meant everything, Bill Ennis travels to Wisconsin in pursuit of a vague yet stirring memory of his long dead father somewhere near the Dells. He forms ties with a small community of people while falling in love with the beautiful Trudy Pas’cal and bonding with her son. The arrival of Trudy’s rogue ex-lover and father of her only child shatters this new beginning. The ensuing turmoil and tragedy leads to a poignant and profound discovery from the past that determines a new course in Bill’s life journey.

"A beautifully written story about the power of memory to take us back to understanding."

Barbara Esstman
Author of THE OTHER ANNA and NIGHT RIDE HOME


“The dying art of scenic description is on shining display here. It's an adventure that kept me scooting forward to see where the road was going.”

Peter Brown, Author of Ruthie Black and Gone With the Gin.

- Dennis McKay resides in Chevy Chase, Maryland and has been a member of The Writer’s Center in Bethesda, Maryland since 1998

http://www.amazon.com/Once-Upon-Wisconsin-Dennis-McKay/dp/0984259449/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262184179&sr=1-1

A great debut position on Amazon: Amazon.com Sales Rank: #63,399 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Ten Ways to Sell Books on Amazon


From SharingwithWriters, Patricia Dischler and Mindy Lawrence Sharing, 10 Ways to Sell Books on Amazon, http://www.AuthorsDen.com/adstorage/1713/SharingwithWriters_Dec_28_2009.pdf




You can use Amazon to improve your ratings and your ratings don't get
better until you sell books.

So, telling you how to get better ratings on Amazon is tantamount to
telling you how to sell books. Many of you know that I rarely talk sales
when I can talk more important things like cross promotion and branding.
You may know that I believe if you network well, you won't have to sell
anything, ever. Not in the traditional sense.

That is my disclaimer. I'm going to tell you how to let Amazon help you
sell more books anyway!

A promotional drop in the bucket can move Amazon ratings drastically!
Especially if you keep dripping promotion into the pail. Use the perks
that Amazon provides for you (see the list below), and you'll find your
book selling. Especially if you don't give up. Just keep dribbling little
bits of information into these Amazon tools. It's about frequency and
longevity. Here they are. Pick one (or more) and keep at it:

1. Use Listmanias on Amazon and, along with your own book, sprinkle in the
titles of your author - friends. Let these authors know you did it. That's
a way to make a new promotion friend. There is a chapter in The Frugal
Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't that tells you how to
use this free promotional perk along with tips for making Listmanias more
effective. It also includes information on other free tools on Amazon.

2. When you read a book by an author you know (or even one you don't) do
yourself and them a favor by adding a review to Amazon. It takes but a
minute and YOU and your book get exposed too, if you use a promotion -
savvy signature. Simply type in a couple of dashes and then add "Reviewed
by xxxxx and your book title." Don't link to your own sales page on
Amazon, though. Amazon cops don't like that!

3. Tell other people about what you're doing, how your book relates to
current events and more by posting on your Amazon plog. Another name for
it is AuthorConnect ™, and it's really a blog provided by Amazon. You do
have one don't you? Spread the word about your fellow authors' books, too,
and then ask them to pass on the word about your plog, complete with URL.
This is viral marketing and it works.

4. Flesh out your book's page on Amazon by using Wiki (or Amapedia) to add
information on your awards or other publishing you've done.

5. Add to the tags, too. Use keywords from you book. As an example, for
This Is the Place, I use Big Love, Mormons, polygamy, Utah, western
history, women's fiction, coming - of - age story, New York, Latter Day
Saint, and a whole lots more.

6. Ask your friends and professional associates to review your book on
Amazon. See that word "ask?" They will be happy to do it. They just need a
nudge!

7. If you have a book suited to it, you add pictures to your book's page.
Check out my "Promote or Perish" picture on The Frugal Book Promoter page.
Here's the URL: http://www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo .

8. Don't avoid Amazon because you're mad at them. Getting caught up in the
idea of trying to sell your book only on your own Web site is
counterproductive. You may make more per book, but you'll make less over
all and your overall promotion will suffer. Read that word "promotion" as
"readership." Read it as "exposure." Read it as "credibility." You and
your book need to be seen more than you need a couple of extra dollars
profit on any given book.

9. Look into the So You'd Like To's . . . on Amazon. They will allow you to
rant or write essays to your hearts content and gather readers as you do
it. They work similarly to Listmanias but they're lots more work.

10. Make friends. When someone adds a review to your page, invite them to
be an Amazon Friend. Include a thank you in the message. Nose around a
bit. You'll find all kinds of ways to let Amazon Friends know about your
next book . . . and your next. And keep in mind that when someone is your
friend, your book or picture may show up on their profile page. Their
friends buy books, too!
CHJ

MARKETING TIPS FROM AUTHOR JOHN GORMAN


At ATTMPress we have a Yahoo group just for our authors. The group has become a family of sorts where they share marketing ideas, book reviews and connections. Not too long ago, we posted an article about 'author platforms.' John Gorman, author of SHADES OF LUZ, posted an excellent response that we feel can be shared with all authors. Here is what john said:

"I think I keep reevaluating the concept “Author Platform” in my head. To me, it’s much like the process of revision. I might get off to some good starts with my prose, but after while, after I have really looked it over, I realize boy does it need work. Only after the blood sweat and toil (the polishing) does the story take shape.


Building a platform takes a lot of work, but there’s a smart way to approach it. I have a much better idea of how to put one together now. But, I can guarantee the launch of my second book will not be nearly as good as the launching of my third book. Okay, so I think I am parroting a bit of what Phil says when he mentioned in the first post that building a readerships takes time. Indeed. I think I hit my wall a month ago. I went on a bloodless campaign to enlist all my former classmates, co-workers, I even reached out to family which showed my desperation or exuberance. It paid off, but it was a one-trick pony. The moment you lighten up everything comes to halt. But you can’t keep at it 24/7. Actually, it’s more like you need to be at it 35/8. In order to do that you need leverage. People who can spread the word for you.


Without a doubt, I was late to the blogosphere, book club circuit, and lit communities. Honestly, I thought it would be much easier to line up readings. It turns out venues I had read at before, places I was counting on reading at again couldn’t find spots for me even after I had given them head’s up. The readings I lined up came from new areas. Important lesson learned. Get used to cold calling and exploring new places. Also, expect setbacks.


I learned that one can list readings for free in Poets and Writers Magazine http://www.pw.org/calendar. A pretty awesome thing with a large national readership. Also, that you can get grants to fund your readings but this needs to be done in advance. http://www.pw.org/content/funding_readingsworkshops


Another thing I regret not doing sooner was approaching bookshops. When I had a little pushback from a few indie shops I decided to focus online. Good. But, if I stuck with it I would have bound the St. Mark’s and Bluestockings that were pieces of cake and very receptive. A lesson in it’s all a numbers game.

Once I had my blog, Facebook, and Twitter a-going I focused there. I rode a short wave of interest from Pacific University, where I studied for my MFA, and then was lucky enough to get some old elementary classmates into the John Gorman the author movement.


Big Publishers spend budgets and have a lot of lead time to get their book into the market. Small Fries need to think critically and leverage whatever resources they have. Here’s something I still haven’t done because I am a lousy procrastinator, but I am making it a top priority for the New Year. I am going to podcast readings and author Q and A's. You’ll notice whether it’s the New Yorker, Poets and Writers, A Public Space, or the myriad of journals and writers out there, and especially the established ones, they are all keying into the wired world.


Kindle is going to be a priority for me too. Also, I intend to release a single short story through Amazon. That’ll be another title under my name. This is all small potatoes but it builds a cumulative effect. I also want to get better acquainted with my local libraries. That seems like a no-brainer. I think there’s a lot of great stuff out there, but one needs to put together a master checklist of the things that ought to get done daily, weekly, monthly. You need to keep putting yourself back on track."



Check out the modern day Don Quixote
http://www.shadesofluz.com

Paper Cut: Blog that covers lit, pop culture, and all the cracks in between
http://jgpapercut.blogspot.com

Follow me on Twitter
http://twitter.com/Wonderboy33


Thanks for sharing these insights, John. The world of books and marketing is changing dramatically. Our authors are exploring and sharing some great insights and ideas that will bring them into 21st century marketing.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN WOMEN



CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN WOMEN:our defining passages

http://allthingsthatmatterpress.com

This unique collection includes over fifty articles by more than thirty-five diverse American women who revisit, celebrate, and share defining moments in their lives. Readers will see the universal in milestones of body, mind, family, career, and personal empowerment—whether joyous or difficult, chosen or unexpected, common or rare. These are poignant passages of women, told by talented and award winning writers: intimate glimpses into the lives of our sisters, friends, aunts, mentors, wives, grandmothers, partners, mothers, daughters—ourselves.


Praise for Contemporary American Women: our defining passages


Even though this collection is about contemporary 'American' women,
the stories are universal. As I read each one, I can see myself in them.
—Supriya Bhatnagar, Director of Publications, Association of Writers & Writing Programs;editor of The Writer's Chronicle

These experiences exemplify the range of passages that existing anthologies
have yet to address in a single volume. The authentic, often lyrical prose
speaks to a broad audience within and beyond academics.
—Diane LeBlanc, Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies
and Director of College Writing, St. Olaf College; Bechtel Prize winner.

This collection reveals those intimate moments that change women's lives:
the way we tough it out, break down, and become whole again.
—Arlene L. Mandell, Pushcart Prize nominee;

American Association of University Women's short story contest winner, 2008.
ISBN 978-0-9842594-3-4 • December 2009 • All Things That Matter Press • Trade Paperback • 268 pages • $18.99

Wholesale/Retail/Library: contact AllThingsThatMatterPress@gmail.com

Sunday, December 6, 2009

The Temples of Light


The Temples of Light: An Initiatory Journey into the Heart Teachings of the Egyptian Mystery Schools (Book & CD) (Paperback)

Danielle Rama Hoffman
Danielle Rama Hoffman has been a healer and teacher of metaphysics and the healing arts since 1994. She studied with Nicki Scully for 12 years and is a member of the lineage of Thoth. She specializes in Egyptian Temple Mysteries and leads spiritual tours to Egypt's sacred sites. She lives in Seattle, Washington.

http://www.amazon.com/Temples-Light-Initiatory-Teachings-Egyptian/dp/1591430992
A guide to the open-heart wisdom and secret rites of passage of thirteen sacred temples in Egypt

• Provides information on how to thrive as we move from the Piscean to the Aquarian age

• Offers guided meditations and rituals that connect to the ancient power of the Flower of Life, the Djed Pillar, the Ka, the energy body, and more

• Includes a 50-minute CD of a guided journey of the Sphinx

The Temples of Light guides the reader, as the initiate, on a spiritual journey through thirteen of Egypt’s sacred temples--a journey into the sanctuary of the open heart. Each sacred site is a portal to ancient wisdom that can assist the modern-day pilgrim with everyday life issues and struggles--love, purpose, money, and health--and the deeper questions of enlightenment and our divine origin.

Danielle Rama Hoffman opens up sacred rites of passage that historically have been kept secret to forge a relationship with the temples of Egypt as allies and spirit guides. For example, the temple of Sakkara is associated with abundance; the temple of Abydos with remembering. The initiations in this book awaken intuition and the Sahu--the fully realized self--allowing connections to the power, magic, and wisdom of such sacred symbols as the Flower of Life, the Djed Pillar (the backbone of Osiris), the Ka, and the energy body. Hoffman’s guided meditations, rituals, and exercises also raise the reader’s vibration level, as we move from the Piscean to the Aquarian age. Embodying the wisdom of the open heart of these temples imparts a shift in consciousness from fear to bliss, from powerlessness to empowerment, opening the body, mind, and spirit to the infinite possibilities within. The book also includes a 50-minute CD of a guided journey of the Sphinx.

Reviews

“The Temples of Light opens the Egyptian temple portals for anyone on our planet, and you don’t even have to travel to Egypt! By taking these journeys, you can align your heart with the wisdom keys of the temples, and then the wisdom of the temples awakens within.”
(Barbara Hand Clow, author of The Mayan Code: Time Acceleration and Awakening the World Mind )

“Danielle Rama Hoffman’s The Temples of Light reveals the great spiritual sanctuaries of Egypt were built to honor and embody the transpersonal forces of the Universe. A great read from a modern mystic!”
(Hank Wesselman, Ph.D., anthropologist and author of The Spiritwalker Trilogy, The Journey to the Sacred Garden, Spirit Medicine (with Jill Kuykendall), and Awakening to the Spirit World (with Sandra Ingerman) )

“Danielle Rama Hoffman has brilliantly brought forth a beautiful initiatory process that assists humanity in reconnecting to a sacred forgotten truth. These powerful processes of healing open the doors to the Temples of Light within and move the energies of love and wisdom into our hearts as we connect to our divine selves and remember who we really are.”
(Linda Star Wolf, author of Shamanic Breathwork, coauthor of Shamanic Mysteries of Egypt and The Anubis Oracle, and founder of Venus Rising Institute )

“The Temples of Light is a good read; inspiring, and thoughtfully written. Danielle Rama Hoffman makes you want to climb the ladders of light.”
(Lynn Andrews, author of the internationally bestselling Medicine Woman series )

“The Temples of Light is one of the most profound books of experiential integration that I’ve ever encountered. Embrace it, live it, and The Temples of Light will shift your life. A journey with this book is about embracing living energy.”
(Rev. Marj Britt, senior minister, Unity of Tustin, California )

“Danielle Rama Hoffman brings us a new way to connect with the power of the ancient mysteries of Egypt. Her initiations are rites of passage into the inner workings of the Egyptian temple teachings and will bring you healing and transformation.”
(Nicki Scully, author of Alchemical Healing and coauthor of Shamanic Mysteries of Egypt and The Anubis Oracle )

“The Temples of Light activates the Sekhem (life force) of the ancient Egyptian rites of passage. Feel it--you’re going to love it!”
(Emil Shaker, Egyptologist, Luxor, Egypt )

“Whether or not you have had the opportunity to travel to Egypt, this book provides an opportunity for everyone to experience the personal transformation and initiation available within the temples of the Nile. Danielle takes us on a journey through time and provides clear, easy-to-follow explanations of Egyptian symbols, bringing them to life so that we can awaken our own master within.”
(Ani Williams, harpist, sound therapist, recording artist, and composer of Homage to Hathor )

“Danielle Rama Hoffman provides us with the keys to our sacred becoming. She enables the traveler in body and in spirit to move beautifully and loving deep within to see with our own spiritual eye the powerful unfurling of the lotus that is the open heart of the Divine.”
(Normandi Ellis, author of Awakening Osiris and Dreams of Isis )

Danielle Rama Hoffman
Remember to Breathe Inc.
www.remembertobreathe.com
www.egyptiscalling.com
danielle@remembertobreathe.com
(206) 323-2762, (866) 903-MIND