Invitation to Authors: Cross Promote with Tote Program

You Are Invited To Participate in Authors' Coalition's Tote Program

Tote bags are long lasting, cross-promotional tools. That means that YOUR name, book title and the URL of your choice will go out wherever participating authors choose to distribute the bags, not just in the cities where you are promoting.

All participating authors will have their name, their book title and their website printed on the totes, alongside the Author's Coalition's logo, which will be kept relatively small and will give crediblity to the authors participating for it will show they are members of a professional writers organization. There will be up to ten authors featured in this way on the bags. Printing will be in one color, royal blue.

The bags can be distributed at fairs, library reading events, and other literary occasions. The cost of 1000 bags for 10 participants (100 bags per person) will be $225.00 per participant. (Participants may choose to have the 100 bags shipped to them for their own events or to have them distributed to the readers at the LA Times/UCLA Festival of Books. Or they may choose to have a portion shipped and let us distribute the other portion.)

The price includes
the art work
the printing on canvas totes (see picture)
shipping and handling to each individual.

If we get more participants we can order higher quantities for a lower price, possibly print on both sides. This will be first come, first served. We will carry over those we can't accommodate to a second bag printing if the numbers warrant it.

Also, we are going to have a stuffing program. Anyone can supply from 25 to 100 items for stuffing in the bags for a charge of $25. We will accept only promo items or books. No fliers, bookmarks or business cards.

If you are interested, please send your checks to:

Christine Alexanians (e-mail for address)
Christine is a trusted Authors' Coalition member, memoirist and poet.

Please e-mail Christine with questions. tinooshik@yahoo.com .

The checks will not be cashed until we receive enough commitments to make cover the costs of this promotion. Checks will be returned or destroyed if there are not enough participants. There will be no refunds if it becomes a "go." Deadline for orders is March 5, 2008.

Attached is a picture of a sample tote. Ours will have blue handles to match the Authors' Coalition colors.
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.

You Are Invited To Participate in Authors' Coalition's Tote Program

Tote bags are long lasting, cross-promotional tools. That means that YOUR name, book title and the URL of your choice will go out wherever participating authors choose to distribute the bags, not just in the cities where you are promoting.

All participating authors will have their name, their book title and their website printed on the totes, alongside the Author's Coalition's logo, which will be kept relatively small and will give crediblity to the authors participating for it will show they are members of a professional writers organization. There will be up to ten authors featured in this way on the bags. Printing will be in one color, royal blue.

The bags can be distributed at fairs, library reading events, and other literary occasions. The cost of 1000 bags for 10 participants (100 bags per person) will be $225.00 per participant. (Participants may choose to have the 100 bags shipped to them for their own events or to have them distributed to the readers at the LA Times/UCLA Festival of Books. Or they may choose to have a portion shipped and let us distribute the other portion.)

The price includes
the art work
the printing on canvas totes (see picture)
shipping and handling to each individual.

If we get more participants we can order higher quantities for a lower price, possibly print on both sides. This will be first come, first served. We will carry over those we can't accommodate to a second bag printing if the numbers warrant it.

Also, we are going to have a stuffing program. Anyone can supply from 25 to 100 items for stuffing in the bags for a charge of $25. We will accept only promo items or books. No fliers, bookmarks or business cards.

If you are interested, please send your checks to:

Christine Alexanians
736 Cordova Ave
Glendale, CA 91206

Please e-mail Christine with questions. tinooshik@yahoo.com .

Please make sure to folllow up with an e-mail to tinooshik@yahoo.com, so she can be on the look out.
The checks will not be cashed until we receive enough commitments to make cover the costs of this promotion. Checks will be returned or destroyed if there are not enough participants. There will be no refunds if it becomes a "go." Deadline for orders is March 5, 2008.

Attached is a picture of a sample tote. Ours will have blue handles to match the Authors' Coalition colors.







Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.

Meet Famous Authors--Very Nearly Face to Face!

Here is an invitation to readers and writers to connect with writers who can make a difference in your reading life. Well, OK. In your life, period! The invitation comes stright from Spirited Woman Nancy Mills:
In the Spirit of Connecting

Come Join Us for our 2008

SPIRITED WOMAN CIRCLE TELE-CHAT
CONVERSATION SERIES


YOUR CHANCE TO CHAT WITH BESTSELLING AUTHORS
& MEDIA PERSONALITIES


When: First Tuesday of the month, March thru October
Time: 10-11am PST, 1-2pm EST
Where: By phone from your home, office, wherever...


Hello My Wonderful Spirited Woman Friends -

I am so excited to announce we're beginning our third season of the Spirited Woman Circle Tele-Chat Conversation Series. Our guests this year are amazing!

The tele-chats are fun. Informative. Revealing. Sooo...inspiring. Your chance to chat with women you'd probably never get a chance to talk to.

You'll hear their stories. Listen to their challenges. Find out what changed their lives. Motivated them to success. And you'll get a chance to ask questions.

I moderate the calls and I personally guarantee these conversations will uplift you. Promise. Please join us!

Nancy Mills
Founder, Spirited Woman

GUEST LINE-UP

Erika Schickel on March 4
Author/Humorist/Book Critic/ Blogger Queen
You're Not the Boss of Me: Adventures of a Modern Mom

Jill Conner Browne on April 1
Mega-Author/Southern Humorist
Sweet Potato Queens' Book of Love & more & more

Susan Miller on May 6
Famous Astrologer
Founder of Astrologyzone.com

Carolyn Howard-Johnson on June 3
Writer's Advocate
How to Do it Frugally Series of Books

Jacquelyn Mitchard on July 1
Highly-Acclaimed Author
The Deep End of the Ocean (Oprah's First Book Club Pick)

Laurel Touby on August 5
Founder of Mediabistro.com
Just sold her company for $23 million to Jupitermedia.com

Catherine Ryan Hydeon September 2
Bestselling Author
Pay It Forward

Victoria Moranon October 7
Self-Help Guru
Creating a Charmed Life
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SPECIAL OFFER

BEST VALUE 8-PART SERIES SPECIAL - $99 thru March 3
or buy individual conversations $15 each. To sign-up by phone call 888-428-1234.

Remember: If you register, and can't make the call "live," we'll send you an MP3 audio recording to listen to at your convenience.
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TESTIMONIALS

"The Spirited Woman Circle is magic. For an hour each month, and from the comfort of my home, I became a participant in a master class featuring world famous authors from various literary genres. I took notes, asked questions on the air, and when the hour was over, felt enriched, and inspired. I just signed up for my second season. Nancy is a skillful interviewer, and brings out the best in her guests. Two thumbs up." - Betty Goldstein

"The Spirited Woman telechat series offers a great opportunity to get up close and personal with inspiring successful women. Nancy is a great professional interviewer, she puts everyone at ease. I found the series very enjoyable and uplifting and I look forward to this year's line up." - Alecia Caine

"There is nothing better than to be involved in an intimate conversation with some incredibly powerful mega-successful authors. It is really neat to hear their stories and their struggles. We forget they're just as real as we are. So thank you Nancy for bringing together this spirited group of women." - Stacey Kannenberg

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.

Jennifer Akers Shares Squidooing Secrets

Big Buzz on Social Networking with Squidoo

At the recommendation of StumbleUpon.com and others, I am trying more social networking. Jennifer Akers has Squidooed longer than anyone else I know and has several lenses. This is our dialogue on that subject:

Jennifer says:

The secret to lensbuilding [on Squidoo] is to find a narrow topic, include unique content and then tell everyone about it. ;-) Niche topics seem to do well. Make sure to add phrases to your tags -- things that people would search for to find your lens.

My lenses have done okay. I've gotten a little cash. Better than that (did I really say that?) is that my work on Squidoo shows up higher in Google searches than work on my website.

Carolyn says:

Cash? I didn't know about the cash. Too funny. Based on visits?

Jennifer says:

Yep, cash, paid monthly. When you sign up at Squidoo, you decide if you want cash or to donate to charity. Your payment is figured from a portion of the purchases from your lens and a portion of everyone's sales, based on your lenses' performance and quantity. Only Squidoo knows the exact formula. To find out your answer to cash or charity, check out your profile.

Carolyn says:

Oh, I must have signed for charity. Hope they really use it for that. Ha! So about those getting ratings?

Jennifer says:

Better ratings means more people see your lens, and more visitors increase your sales.

Another way to earn money is by referrals. If a friend uses your referral URL to create their first lens, then both of you will earn money. When the friend earns her first $15, each of you will earn $5. If you find yourself talking about Squidoo to everyone, then use the URL and make money for you and your friends. I list my referral URL at the bottom on my Freelance lens.

Carolyn says:

So, tell me. Do you see any results of any kind from having a Squidoo lens? (-:

Jennifer says:

I've been contacted to write articles on another site, do a podcast interview, and join a Squidoo marketer for a new product based on one of my topic lenses. Just a few things off the top of my head, besides the small checks.

Carolyn says:

So what's this voting business? Send me your address and I'll go vote!

Jennifer says:

Definitely vote. You've got to be logged in to vote. (Sorry, can't vote on your own lenses,) Your lens rank increases with votes and visits. Here's my address: http://www.squidoo.com/JenniferAkers

This is the main lens, Carolyn. On the left, under Explore More, look for Lenses by Jennifer Akers for the rest of my lenses. I have 7, I think. :-)

Carolyn says:

Mmmm. I imagine that would be a good example of how people might focus their own lenses.

Jennifer says:

I'm taking you to that page for a reason. ;-) Every lens has that link, which takes visitors to your profile listing all your Squidoo lenses and Fan photos.

Carolyn says:

So how do you drive traffic?

Jennifer says:

Squidoo works like other social networks -- be social. Join groups, lensroll similar or complimentary lenses on your lens, make comments. They recently started members as "Fans" of other lensmasters. I joined as your fan today -- make sure you join on your own lens too!

Visit your Lenses by Carolyn link and you'll find your profile. Under your name/bio, you'll find the link for Join this Fan Club.

Carolyn says:

I just visited. Wow! I have two fans. You and Maggie Ball who is co-author of an e-chapbook of poetry I did. Anyone can do it here http://www.squidoo.com/member/join_fan_club/Carolyn. This could get fun!

Jennifer says:

From that page you can also email your lens, or submit it to other social networks like StumbleUpon, del.icio.us, reddit, etc.

Carolyn says:

I haven't quite figured out how to do use this del.icio.us stuff. I started trying to use them on my blogs and got hung up. I'm still working on it, though. Ha!

Jennifer says:

Carolyn, you're fabulous at marketing and making social contacts. I get more contacts from Squidoo when my lenses are built from my passions with substantial content. Your goal is to inform and also drive visitors to your other sites.

It doesn't have to be a cold, unfeeling job. I love being able to help others and share new information. That's the heart of social networks. It's helpful to define your topic and your lens purpose when you start. It will grow from there.

My warning is for people not to use it to spam others or to leave random messages on lenses or groups solely to leave their 'lens-print'. Join groups and make comments on lenses, but do so because you're interested in the topic and want your lens-print there.

Carolyn says:

Aha! Lensprint. Sort of like leaving a comment on a blog. I'm sure one tries to make a useful comment and to always include their website or Squidoo URL.

Jennifer says:

I joined StumbleUpon and del.icio.us a few weeks ago. When you find something worth saving or sharing online, click on the social network's icon (which is downloaded to your browser window). I use mine like a favorites page only better because you tag each site you save. That makes it easy to search for similar topics in your own file or others'.

Carolyn says:

Yes, StumbleUpon is certainly touting these social networks and talks about these additions to one's toolbars to make networking easier.

Jennifer says:

I'm not an expert, and I neglected mine for a few months last year. I know others who do very well -- both income and marketing. Like I said, it's superb in Google searches. I recently read a marketing study, which shows social networks rank higher than traditional sites.

Carolyn says:

I got a sense from something that you said that one could add articles to their Squidoo lenses. I'll search around for a way to do that, if that is true.

Jennifer says:

Squidoo lets you build your page with sections called modules. They always add new modules, so I'm always learning new things. I found out how to use them simply by playing with different kinds. Modules can always be deleted if you're not happy with the results.

So, you use a text/write module to add articles. I've written my own articles on my lenses. You can also use basic HTML in Text/Write and add URLS to articles and sites. Try Amazon Plexo, which is good for visitor interaction, as they vote on your links and can add their own.

Carolyn says:

Ahem! What is Amazon Plexo?

Jennifer says:

Squidoo has modules (or sections) that you add to your webpage. You want to add some modules that encourage interaction from visitors.

Using the Amazon Plexo module, you add links to whatever products you want under Amazon. Visitors can add their own links, which they cannot do under the basic Amazon list module. Visitors vote on their favorites, moving items up or down the list. Visitors can also add your entire list to their lens. Does that sound like copying? On Squidoo, it not only drives traffic back to your lens, but also your work is seen by more people.

Squidoo has "Plexo" on other modules, like Links Voting (links from any site), Text List Voting (your written lists), YouTube Voting and Flickr Voting.

A new interactive module called Duel is for the brave and smart user. You set up a debate, and visitors 'duel' by commenting on their side of the argument.

Carolyn says:

OK. To see a beginner's lens go to mine: http://www.squidoo.com/HowToDoItFrugallyforAuthors. The only value of mine is just to show you that you can do it and then, when you visit Jennifer's, you can pick up ideas to grow yours bigger and better.

To see an expert's go to Jennifer's. http://www.squidoo.com/JenniferAkers,And don't forget to explore her different lenses.
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Jennifer Akers is a freelance writer and book reviewer with a social networking addiction. Her relationship articles focus on strengthening families, nurturing children, and ending domestic violence. Jennifer helps businesses and individuals connect with their audience through copywriting and editing. She Squidoos.
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.

More on Italics and Internal Thought

I'm adding some more of my answers to writers on the thread that started on italics. I knew I'd stir up a hornet's nest! Scroll down to see the original post. (-:
Here it is:

Here's the thing, fiction writers. We all want to become the best writers -- and the best readers for that matter -- that we can be. If you were paying $400 to $800 for a course from one of the best writing schools (including UCLA's) you would get this info in a class. I know. I took those courses . I probably spent a cool $3,000 taking those courses. And now I'm teaching there.

These fine schools of writing are trying to make writers reach for the best they can be.

I haven't seen Stephen King use italics for internal thought. Or, Grisham. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)

Using italics for internal thought is done more frequently among romance writers, often unnecessarily (i. e. without a good reason).

What's happened here (with the proliferation of the use of italics) is that many writers are making it easy on themselves and training us to expect it to be made easy on us. They use them. Then someone who admires them sees them in that book and so he or she uses them, too. It's like gossip. It's fun and easy but it doesn't make using them right.

Using punctuation that isn't essential (or punctuation that is different from what tradition has taught--indeed trained--us to expect) can be distracting. (There are no italics for internal thought in the classics you'll note.)

The secret is to think, "I'm already in this person's head. My reader knows it. I know it. So why am I pretending like we both don't know it." That's why we also have to be very careful with our Point of View as well. No one would think of suggesting that we shouldn't be careful with that. Right? We work at great transitions so we know exactly who is doing the observing and all of that. (-: So why would we. as writers, usurp what POV is supposed to do with something as obvious and intrusive as italics.

Now, I know most of you don't think that using italics to indicate internal thought is intrusive. But, the Frugal Editor is written so that writers (those who want to) can eventually sell their work to the nation's best agents and so those agents can sell their clients' work to the nation's best publishers.

Those who want to continue to have the control over their work (one of which might be to continue to use italics for internal thought without an exceptionally good reason for doing so) will continue to do so, I guess. But if you are interested in going in a different direction, please don't take this guideline on italics lightly.

If you use italics for internal though in the first chapter and that chapter isn't so absolute above-board great that an agent will figure she can sell your work IN SPITE of them (or talk you out of it!), you will be doing yourself a disservice.

Of course, it's up to each of you to decide. Do try to judge, though, based on what's best for your writing career, rather than that you already have a book out that uses them. That would be investing in the past, rather than the future. And when you run across a book that uses them -- a very good book like LIsa See's Peony in Love published by Random House (and she uses them very sparingly!), try to determine why she broke the guideline.

Now, that's an exercise in better writing.
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.

Here's the Thing: From Library Thing. Guest Blogged by Annette Fix

Today Annette Fix is guest blogging on a resource that many authors aren't aware of. If you will soon have a book out, for heaven's sake, copy it and save it. ~~ CHJ

If anyone is at the stage where they are ready to send out ARCs for reviews, I highly recommend signing up with the Early Reviewer Program through www.librarything.com.

Library Thing will post your cover image, the back cover copy of your book, and the number of copies you are willing to provide. Their members then have the opportunity to "bid" on receiving a copy. When you sign up for the program, you give Library Thing a list of similar books and their system uses that list to pair your book with the most suitable readers out of the members who bid for the book. Library Thing then emails you an address list of the members who have been selected. Then, you are responsible for mailing out the individual copies to each member.

There were 462 members who bid to receive my memoir, The Break-Up Diet, but I only listed 60 copies available. I mailed the ARCs out on January 28th to the members who had been chosen. And the reviews are beginning to come in! Sixteen, so far. The reviews have been posted on Library Thing (of course), but also cross-posted on Amazon, Facebook (by the readers), and on the readers' personal blogs. You can see how Library Thing posts the reviews here: http://www.librarything.com/work/4670669/reviews

Overall, I think this is a fabulous service that gets your book into the hands of readers, helps spread the word/visibility, and succeeds in getting early reviews posted on Amazon. (So you don't have to bribe your friends to post something! LOL)

My next step is to contact those 402 readers who *didn't* get a copy...

Annette Fix
Author of The Break-Up Diet
www.thebreak-updiet.com
Visit the *new* Break-Up Story Forum
Read. Share. Relate.
www.mybreakupstory.com (launches Valentine's Day)
Senior Editor: www.wow-womenonwriting.com

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.

Make Bookstore Book Buyers Sit Up and Take Notice

Calling booksellers on the phone can be a futile effort if they have no reason to know you.

Worse, it's impossible to call every book buyer and expensive to send info on your book out to hundreds of them.

And, yes, you need some credibility. There could be some past experience with the bookstores (you were a guest on a panel perhaps?). Or you could be part of a professional organization and that is evident in the first contact you make with them.

Authors' Coalition to the rescue!

Authors' Coalition sends out a catalog under our name. But we also tie it to our booth at the LA Times/UCLA Festival of Books. That's Double Credibility!

Participating authors provide the names of the book buyers we send it to, 500 or more. That means that it many cases the bookseller will know at least one author featured in the catalog. That's another level of credibility, another reason for them to pay attention to that book and the others in the catalog.

And it gives the author a way to follow up with a phone call that will be better received. They simply ask, "Just calling to see if your received the LATimes/UCLA catalog sent by Authors Coalition. My book, Great Expectations, was featured."

Then, of course, it's a four color catalog. It comes in the mail, a rarity these days. And, did I mention that it's less expensive than going it alone?

Learn more about this and all the Authors' Coalition programs at: http://www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com/fair_booths.htm.

The catalog and others are designed so you don't have to be at the fair or even in LA to benefit.

After you've peeked at the AC page, e-mail me with CATALOG in the subject line. I'll help you pick and choose the programs right for you. HoJoNews@aol.com.
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.

Q&A: Hate Amazon But Don't Mind Learning to Get Along?

This question came from one of my favorite online egroups, Word_Mage (word_mage-subscribe@yahoogroups.com) listmomed by Billie Williams. One is from a writer who says she loves Amazon and that if she weren't a tree-hugger she'd carve that into the trunk of a big oak. And, of course, she suggests the chapter in the Frugal Book Promoter that talks about the perks Amazon offers.

Then another member was she was really ticked with them because the reviews of her book had gone missing, had even sent them a blistering note. She said she was "as mad a wet hen." So she was glad to see another point of view.

Then another told her to cool it, that sometimes Amazon is just working on stuff and that, like ghosts or fog, they disappear only to reappear in a couple of days. And I commented said that is true. You know how these e-group threads go. (-:

Of course, I still had to chime in with more, a la Ann Landers. So here it is:

Carolyn's Advice:

In the Frugal Book Promoter , I start the chapter with something like "Authors love to hate Amazon and, sometimes, I hate to love them."

The fact is undeniable, though: Amazon can do wonders for writers and that without them -- especially those of us who publish with POD technology (on occasion or exclusively), we are pretty much lost if we intend to do much volume book selling. Collectively, the booksellers certainly aren't going to do it for us.

Therefore we are duty-bound (for the good of our books) to learn Amazon's perks and how to use them effectively. As an example, I am about to take pictures of some of the farm antiques I have from the polygamist grandfather's farm and post them to the This Is the Place page in the photos feature. (This Is the Place is about five generations of hardy Utah women who all married into the Mormon religion and found the hardships inherent in that situation hard to overcome.) It's based on my own genealogy.

So, be mad as a wet kitten, if you want. But keep learning to work within Amazon's system. Let them know where problems exist. Here's how:

 Wait a couple days to see if the problem resolves itself, especially if it involves disappearing features.
 Use their feedback feature to communicate. Do it politely.
 Be persistent if they don't respond.
 When they do they will give you a URL to respond if your question was resolved and another if it wasn't. Use whichever suits the occasion. Know that the one that clues someone (someone apparently higher up on the Amazon totem) that the problem wasn't resolved, gets action quickly but don't use it without good reason.
 Send a thank you.

You want to stay on Amazon's good side. After all, they're just working people like you and me. Approach it that way and you win (and, yes, so do they!)

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.

Aha! Big Publishers Doing What Authors Have Been Doing For Some Time!

The "In the News" segment is something I include in my Sharing with Writers newsletter frequently. Here is the latest on books and streaming:


In the News:

Daniel Menaker, former executive editor in chief of the Random House Publishing Group and fiction editor of the New Yorker, will be the host of a new Web-based book show. The show is Titlepage. It will feature discussions between Menaker and four authors and will be streamed online at titlepage.tv on March 3.

Apparently everyone is beginning to understand that it is much easier to post video online than to get a show on television. Having said that, you may want to consult with an expert on that subject, Rey Ybarra. Find him at rybarra106@aol.com. He's the one who does my videos (find one of them on this blog). Read the whole N.Y> Times areicle on Menaker's "new" concept at: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/30/books/30mena.html?ex=1202706000&en=0a067128c2a480e5&ei=5070&emc=eta1
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.

Unsolicited, Unexpected Valentine for Me and for You!

This is from my coming Sharing with Writers newsletter. I know Nancy meant to spread her Valentine wishes among all the writers who come together to help one another so I'm including my blog visitors, too. To subscribe to Sharing with Writers newsletter, send me an e-mail with SUBSCRIBE in the subject window. HoJoNews@aol.com.

Dear Blog Subscribers and Visitors:

A very simple wish of love for Valentine's Day. Love comes in many forms. I am passing this note from one of my associates on to you. I hope you will take advantage of the offer, but I also hope you will see the spirit intended and do something lovely and loving for someone other than the people you always send your love to. Choose someone to surprise! And ask them to keep passing the love around.

Here is the note:

Hello Carolyn's Devoted Readers -

With Valentine's Day coming up, I just wanted to write something from my heart about Carolyn Howard Johnson. I believe Carolyn is a gift to all writers. She is someone who is there when you need her, shares endlessly, and gives bountiful advice. The real deal. And I feel so very fortunate to have her on my Spirited Woman advisory board you have no idea. Thanks doesn't begin to cover it. She is my cherished
friend.

So I want to give back to Carolyn through you - her readers. I've never done this before. I'm offering all of you a Valentine's present in her honor. I founded the Spirited Woman tele-chat Conversation Series a few years ago. Janet Fitch, Fannie Flagg, plus countless other famous women authors have been my guests. This year our line-up is fantastic: http://www.thespiritedwoman.com/spirited_woman_circle

The series begins on March 4. Carolyn's chat is on June 3, 10 am PST. All chats are $15. My Valentine's offer to you is sign up BEFORE February 14th, and I will make Carolyn's conversation a gift to you. All other conversations (upcoming or in our MP3 library of past guests) will be only $10 each before February 14th. That's a great savings. All you have to do is e-mail me at: nancymills@thespiritedwoman.com and let me know your choices.

Happy Valentine's Day.
All my best,
Nancy Mills,
Founder, The Spirited Woman.com

I guess you can all tell that my heart was warmed by this unsolicited gesture, and that she included all of you in it, too!

Happy writing, promoting and, yes, editing, too!

Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Websites:
http://carolynhoward-Johnson.com (literary)
http://HowToDoItFrugally.com (all things about writing)
Authors' Coalition: http://www.AuthorsCoalitionandRedEnginepress.com

For the Frugal Editor, Amazon-direct: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0978515870/

Blogs: http://AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog focused on book fairs
http://www.SharingwithWriters.blogspot.com, a blog on all things publishing
http://www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog focused on YOUR reviews
http://www.TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com, a blog focused on editing, formatting and craft
And now blogging on War. Peace. Tolerance. And Our Soldiers at http://www.warpeacetolerance.blogspot.com.

And now! Squidooing at
http://www.squidoo.com/HowToDoItFrugallyforAuthors
and http://www.squidoo.com/carolynhoward-johnson