July 4, 2007
Sharing with Writers
A newsletter that is also a community. Share your ideas. Learn from theirs!

From the Desks of
Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Authors' Coalition Friends
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"Sharing with Writers" is the official newsletter of Authors' Coalition,

http://authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com

an organization of writers who help writers.

To read this letter in plain vanilla text, scroll down. To read this newsletter with a bit more pizzazz (not much, though!) at Authors Den go to:

http://www.AuthorsDen.com/adstorage/1713/Sharingwithwriters_July_No1Week2007.doc

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Note from Carolyn:

My fellow AC Members and SWW Subscribers:

This letter is a little early because I have a last-minute interview on NPR in the Santa Barbara and Ventura CA areas and I'm hoping some of you will call in. Good for you, good for me!

Here's the information you will need to do that but, in addition, some of you may want to query Fran Halpern with ideas for an interview of your own.

Carolyn will appear with Fran Halpern on her lively, often funny Beyond Words, a show for literary toilers and word lovers which airs Saturdays at 2 P.M. on KCLU, an NPR affiliate: 88.3 in Ventura County & 102.3 in Santa Barbara County. It's on the web at www.kclu.org. Calls and e-mail responses are welcome during and after the broadcast at 805/493-9200.

Pass the word. I can do things on the fly. I'm not averse to preparation but I can do it without. (-:

Happy, happy writing and promoting!
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
HoJoNews@aol.com
Websites: http://carolynhoward-johnson.com and www.HowToDoItFrugally.com
http://authorscoalitionandredenginepess.com Blogs: A blog focused on book fairs at
http://redenginepress.com/chjohnson and another blog that is about writing and reading at www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com and
www.thenewbookreview.blogspot.com

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New members will help Authors' Coalition serve all its members better! Ask your writing friends to join at http://authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com. Paid members get a favorite review posted, consideration for an interview or review in Yarnspinners and Wordweavers and ditto for The Fiction Flyer. Membership is reasonable, too.
Tell friends to visit our blog. There they'll learn how to spark generally insipid book fairs by using value-added promotions: http://redenginepress.com/chjohnson .
http://authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com
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Tip: There is a new model for media releases because releases no longer go only to TV, Radio, newspaper and magazine editors. They go out on the web. Thus you can do more than one release per event or per news story. Just use different angles for each. The new net-model is to try to do at least a couple releases a month, at least a couple per event. Leaders in industry are doing it this way; you can, too.

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Subscribers who have websites or newsletters of their own may be interested in the Free Articles 4 Readers and Writers on my site, www.howtodoitfrugally.com. I try to add new articles to it each week. If you don't see what you need, just ask. HoJoNews@aol.com.
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Thank Yous

(There are leads here, just as you'll find in all the most innocent-looking areas of this newsletter. You never know when you'll find a name or a site that will help you network or write better!)

To S. K. Hamilton author of the Kahills of Willow Walk (www.skhamilton.com) writes: "I just posted this (see below) in Assembly Hall at Writers Village University. I want to post the links to each individual group [I belong to] . . .

'Hi Everyone,
I wanted to share with you two great links. Best selling author, Carolyn Howard-Johnson has developed a page for posting reviews. Go to guidelines: www.thenewbookreview.blogspot.com She says this blog is pretty heavily traveled. So, if you have a favorite review check out the guidelines to this site to be posted. I will be having one posted there in the near future. Take a gander. You don't want to miss this opportunity, guys.'"

So, now can you use this forum (see a tip below for more info) and my new blog, The New Book Review (www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com) in your promotion campaign. (-:

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No part of this newsletter is paid advertising. If you would like to advertise to subscribers, display ads are available at www.howtodoitfrugally.com at less per year than most sites charge for a single month (see the advertising tab at the top of the page) or at www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com.
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Tip: Utilize list serves, blogs and forums but do it the right way. Become part of the conversation. Add something useful. One in the swing of things, it takes only seconds or minutes to comment or to add something worthwhile. Once you're known, your media release might even get more attention from the blogger-in-charge. At the very least, when you have something to promote, you will not be resented

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If you enjoy "Sharing with Writers" please nominate it for Writer's Digest's 101 Best Newsletters for Writers. We aren't big, we aren't old. So it would take a huge outpouring from subscribers to make a dent. Send an e-mail to writersdig@fwpubs.com with subject line, "101 Best Newsletters for Authors" and let them know what this newsletter does for you!
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Big Love, Big Time Marketing Idea

I am having fun with Big Love, the HBO drama about the polygamist cults set in Utah. I am writing reviews for it at IMBD.com because the subject of the series is related in some ways to the subject of my This Is the Place.

You might be able to find a movie or TV series on IMBD or other sites that relates in some way to your book and do the same thing.

Like anything else, I've had to learn a few tricks.
Like Amazon, this site will only let a person post one review of 1,000 words. That makes it hard to build a presence on the site, and that might be something you want to do. I, for instance, want to weigh in on almost every segment of the Big Love series with a critique of what the writers and directors got right (and wrong) in their depiction of this unique place and culture. (Example: this week I note that bison are animals that have been reintroduced to places like Montana. You know, the Great Plains. Not Utah. Which is the High Desert! (-: )

I think I've found a way around that. I just go back, shorten what I've done before and add a new paragraph or two on the most recent segment. I'm also thinking of doing a blog where I can keep the past critiques in their entirety though there are problems with that, too. The review rules prohibit the use of URLs so how do I get readers from the IMBD site to my blog? Let me know if you have any ideas for me on that!

Please go to http://imdb.com/title/tt0421030/usercomments-35. Vote for the review and help me out while you're there exploring. I have to assume that heavy voting is one thing that will take a reviewer to the top of each review page.

And, why do I want to do this? Because Mitt Romney is running for President, there is a renewed interest in the culture in which I was born and raised. That means a renewed interest in my award-winning novel This Is the Place. So, I'm trying to foster that.

Which brings me to the idea that you know your book best. You're the one who wrote it so you can dig angles from it no publicist could, whether it's one you hire or one employed by your publisher. You are the one who needs to watch current events, as an example, and then either act on connecting your book with what is happening or at least pass the idea to your publicist so that he/she knows what to do with it.

Please, please don't depend upon your publicist to do it all for you. She or he needs an active partner. Your book needs you as its publicist!

So, will I see you at
http://imdb.com/title/tt0421030/usercomments-35 ? I hope so. (-:
Carolyn Howard-Johnson

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Opportunities

West Hollywood Fair Booth Space
Authors' Coalition is sponsoring a booth at the West Hollywood Fair. Paid participating AC subscribers are Joyce Faulkner, Carol Wood, Erica Stux, Janet Goliger, Jay Bern, Leora Krygier, Walter Brasch, Sona Ovasapyan. To learn more, e-mail me with BOOK FAIR in the subject line at hojonews@aol.com or go to the new blog on fairs (got a new one that works!) at www.authorscoalition.blogspot.com. By the way, this is a cross-promotion effort. Participants need to plan to send out media releases (with my guidance) and invitations. (-:
Check out the fair at http://www.westhollywoodbookfair.org/

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Please pass this letter on to others. Unlike many others, I do not mind if you use only portions of it as long as you credit the writers and include this subscribe information. "To subscribe to 'Sharing with Writers' send an e-mail to HoJoNews@aol.com with 'subscribe' in the subject line."
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Author Successes

(You are invited to send me news about your successes. New books, awards and more. If you read about others' successes you'll not only be inspired, you'll glean resources for future successes of your own. Please get in the habit of using subject lines, though, lines that will not be interpreted as spam.)

Walter Brasch (www.walterbrasch.com): In national competition sponsored by the National Federation of Press Women, Walter Brasch won 2nd place for general columns in the news-editorial division, and 3rd in media kits in the PR division. Brasch will be honored in September in Norfolk, Va., at the NFPW's annual convention. Last month, Brasch won first place awards for his column from the Pennsylvania Press Club and in the spotlight awards sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists. Brasch is the author of books about the PATRIOT Act, the federal response to Katrina, and other social issues books. Forthcoming are Fool's Gold, a book about the misuse of data mining by the government; and a book about the Bush administration. His books are available at amazon.com, bn.com, and other stores.
(See more on these Amazon forums below!)

========================================================Fun and F r * *: If you purchased The
Frugal Book Promoter in the past, I'd love for you to review it on Amazon or BN.com. Make it simple; just tell what part of it you found most valuable. If you do, send me the review link (URL) and I will send you an excerpt from my soon-to-be-released The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success that includes some sidebars from the book that will help you with some tricky grammar. As a thank you, of course. HoJoNews@aol.com, the Frugal Book
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Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching:

Carolyn will appear with Fran Halpern on her lively, often funny Beyond Words, a show for literary toilers and word lovers which airs Saturdays at 2 P.M. on KCLU, an NPR affiliate: 88.3 in Ventura County & 102.3 in Santa Barbara County. It's on the web at www.kclu.org. Calls and e-mail responses are welcome during and after the broadcast at 805/493-9200.
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson will introduce and sign her soon-to-be-released The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success at the new 2007 Hollywood Book Festival on Saturday, July 28, 2007 from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M at the Barnsdall Art Park in Hollywood, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90027.
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Carolyn is sharing her secrets again. This time with hose who tune into Yvonne Perry's Writers in the Sky podcast July 13, 2007. This 3-part interview will give you tips on editing, publishing and marketing your book. It is worth your time to listen and learn. This weekly podcast is available on iTunes.com and may be accessed on Yvonne’s blog http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com .
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Carolyn will moderate a panel titled
Reach for Your Dream: Prepare for Publication the Professional Way
at the West Hollywood Book Fair on September 30. Circle your calendars. It's f r ^ ^ Even those who are old hands at publishing will learn something new, I promise!
West Hollywood Park
647 N San Vicente Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Learn more at http://www.westhollywoodbookfair.org/
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Carolyn will speak at the fourth Annual Pen to Paper Literary Symposium October 6, 2007, Dayton Marriott, 1414 S. Patterson Blvd Dayton, Ohio, 45409. The conference, spearheaded by Valerie Coleman, will include tracks for music and screenwriting, in addition to writing and publishing books. Start planning now to attend this elite event and take advantage of the early bird special (www.penofthewriter.com/pentopaper).
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson will speak at the Southern Festival of Books (October 12-14) I in Nashville, TN. Time and subject to be announced later.
Here is info on the fair. During the second full weekend of October each year, more than 200 authors converge in Nashville to celebrate books with book-lovers at the Southern Festival of Books. It is held on the Legislative Plaza that surrounds the Capitol building in downtown Nashville. It is like a huge carnival of books. Speakers (including me in 2007) present in meeting rooms at various locations around the plaza. http://tn-humanities.org/festival.
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The f r ^ ^ Muse Online Writers' Conference, sponsored by Lea Schizas and Carolyn Howard-Johnson, is accepting early registration. More than 1,000 attended last year and openings are limited. Learn more about this year's conference, October 8 to 14, and how you can assure your spot in 2007. We will present an all-new program soon. Go to:
http://www.freewebs.com/themuseonlinewritersconference/presentersregistration.htm
To see the growing list of presenters go to: http://www.freewebs.com/themuseonlinewritersconference/2007workshops.htm

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Sign up to receive a copy of my Sharing with Writers blog. It is a focused blog on all things writing and publishing related, from scolding Oprah to free speech. Go to www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com. Sign up in the left hand column. Find related resources by scrolling to the bottom of the blog.
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Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching for 2008:

& As you can see 2008 is already beginning to fill. I will be sharing with the nation's humor writers again in the spring of 2008 at Dayton University's Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop. I'll speak twice at the Kennedy Union on campus. http://www.humorwriters.org/

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Booth opportunities at the West Hollywood Book Fair. E-mail me now. They're filling up fast.
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TIP: This comes from subscriber Walter Brasch (www.walterbrasch.com), a lovely page on C. Hope Clark's site that lists review sites: www.theshywriter.com/bookreviews.htm

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A general marketing rule is that a product must be seen seven times before it is purchased. That is just as true for books. Let people see that book cover image! So, you are invited to advertise as a site sponsor at www.howtodoitfrugally.com. for a year at the same price many sites frequented by readers and writers charge in a year. Yep, the frugal way! Click on the Advertising tab at the top of the page or contact me personally at hojonews@aol.com.
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Marketing and Writing Example in One

Even Disney/Pixar faces marketing challenges. And they're facing them primarily because they are being true to their story.

How to market a really ugly rat that has to be kept ugly as part of the characterization the piece required is a dilemma. After all, it's easy to root for somebody cute--person or rodent--but when we can transcend appearances, that is progress. Thus the rat had to stay, well, rat-like! Now add to that the fact this rat is mixing up great French food. Quite unsavory!

Then you take the animated movie associated business. My daughter would have liked a rat-toy with an unseemly tail and creepy little pink fingers and nose but will all children be so forgiving? I think many will, once they've met Remy in the theater. So, the lesson for us is here. Tell our stories truly and we may come out on top. Ratatouille is doing very well indeed this weekend. You can, too, maybe especially if you don't follow the lead lemming.
~Carolyn Howard-Johnson

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Available: Audios from Audio Divas on many aspects of building a writing career are published by Double Dragon Press. Here is the page where you'll find the full list (http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/glist.php?imprint=AUDIO) including one on "Do It Yourself Indexing." The first audio, "Promoting Easy and Cheap!" is a
F R ^ ^ sample you can download. Each comes with a resource guide. Here is an example of a guide for the audio-lesson Your Divas did on "Contests": http://www.derondouglas.com/audiosample/AwardResourceGuideContests.pdf

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TIP: From S. K. Hamilton: "This will give you an idea about Writers Village University
(http://writersvillage.com/100/index.htm). I've been a member since 2003. It's an amazing place to learn the craft of writing. They offer so much. I knew nothing about writing, only that I had stories in my head that I wanted to tell. How to do it is where they came in. Following, are some links on the site to check out.

CHARACTER WORKSHOP CALENDAR CHAT COURSES GROUPS INFORMATION LIBRARY SEARCH
COURSES: BUSINESS COMEDY FICTION LITERATURE NONFICTION POETRY - COURSE HELP TIME ZONES WEB DIRECTORY
BOOKSTORE CHAT LOGS CLASSIFIEDS EPRESS F2K INTERACTIVE STORIES RENEW MEMBERSHIP T-Zero XPANDIZINE
WVU WORKSHOP AND COURSE GUIDELINES WVU MENTOR SUPPORT GIFT SHOP ADVERTISING."

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Authors' Coalition members! For credibility, use the AC logo on your promotional materials. Ask for it by sending an e-mail to HoJoNews@aol.com or download it with a click from the AC site http://authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com.
Be sure to link it to the AC site, too!
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TIP: In the Midwest Review newsletter, Jim suggested writers go to www.prairiehome.publicradio.org/features/deskofgk/2007/05/29.shtml for a dose of common sense from Garrison Keilor, one writer to another.

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"AC is the current that powers your writing career." http://authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Authors' Coalition Founder
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Resources
From Elizabeth Lucas-Taylor

(Elizabeth contributes at least one valuable paying resource per SWW issue--either a great place to sell material or find writing craft or promotional idea--and sometimes throws in a resource for you.)

WRITERS MARKETS - Worldwide Freelance has a NEW fully-searchable Markets Database. Discover writing markets from North America, Europe, Australia and other places. It's free. http://www.worldwidefreelance.com

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Find Elizabeth at http://www.authorsden.com/elucastaylor or her new blog at http://www.elucas-taylor.blogspot.com/ or at MySpace http://www.myspace.com/elucastaylor
where you will find a writers' community.

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Reciprocal Links: Many subscribers are in a position to cross-promote. Let me know if you would like to trade some recommendation or promotion for any of my books -- the HowToDoItFrugally Series to my chapbook of poetry -- for a place on my Resources for Writers or Resources for Readers pages on www.HowToDoItFrugally.com.
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What Does This Info Mean to You?

A 2006 study by Outsell found that there is a trend for corporate and government entities to find their more and more of their information from media releases than from trade publications.

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I use Vista Print for lots of my promotional materials. Be aware that shipping prices may fluctuate, depending on the deal of the moment. Even at that, the prices generally are good, the products they offer excellent quality and they do short runs. (I don't advise long runs on promotion material because your needs can change very quickly.) Please use this link:
http://www.vistaprint.com/frf?frf=815651421184
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TIP: Reasons to send out a release are increasing in this Internet Millennium. Here are reasons to send a release:
1. You're speaking
2. You or your book won an award
3. You have a new product (that doesn't necessarily only mean a new book release!)
4. A celebrity endorses your book.
5. You published an article that might provide content for someone else

========================================================The New Book Review is a service of this newsletter and Authors' Coalition. It allows authors to get more exposure from their favorite review and reviewers a chance to have more readers see their reviews--with links, of course. Please check the guidelines on the blog site at www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. ======================================================

E-Tips for E-Promotion

When you write a media release, be sure to include links to pertinent sites, including yours. Anything that might help an editor or blogger follow an information trail. Don't over-do it, though. About one link max per 100 words. Find an assortment of media releases in my media room at www.howtodoitfrugally.com. They can be used as templates for your release. So can the samples I give you in The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Wont.
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This is a regular Sharing with Writers feature by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of USA Book News' Best Professional Book THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T and the soon-to-be released THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS. (E-tips for E-promotion was originally a regular feature of SellWritingOnline.com.)

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Endorsement:
"www.HowToDoItFrugally.com , by Carolyn Howard--Johnson [is] a top website for writers . . . I'd say my ROI is over 1,000%. The advice is particularly strong in addressing the new author where they are in learning the publishing/selling process. Very practical. The site is excellent." ~ Hill Kemp, author of Capitol Offense, http://www.capitoloffense.com/, and contributor to Secrets, Fact or Fiction? I, ISBN 0-9737282-5-6 and Secrets, Fact or Fiction? II, ISBN 1-59594-062-6, LOC 2006904627, http://www.secretsfactorfiction.com
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Wordstuff ™

Something to Make Writers Smile
(Every year the Washington Post conducts a neologism contest. These are the winners, one at a time. You might have some favorite neologisms metaphors or similes that make you smile. If so, please contribute.)

" Osteopornosis (n): A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)."

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Essential Book and Record Keeping:

This letter is an entity of Authors' Coalition http://authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com

Edited and distributed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson,

http://carolynhoward-johnson.com

author of This Is the Place, Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered, Tracings, and The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't, this is a place to share with others and learn from others.

Though I do attempt to verify information used within this newsletter's pages, Sharing with Writers does not guarantee entities or information. Subscribers should research resources

To submit information articles, tips or other information e-mail Carolyn at HoJoNews@aol.com . Please put "Submission: Sharing with Writers" in the subject line.

If you do not care to receive this letter, unsubscribe at HoJoNews@aol.com

Include "Unsubscribe" in the subject line but please, please don't tell me you've given up writing or promoting!

To subscribe to Sharing with Writers send an e-mail with "Subscribe" in the subject line to: HoJoNews@aol.com

Please pass this newsletter on to friends or e-groups. It needn't be pasted in its complete form, but please credit this newsletter, Authors' Coalition and the individual contributors with anything you snip and paste.

Order the Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't
at stores like UCLA, Dayton University and San Diego State University's bookstores. Order it as an e-book at http://starpublish.com/carolyn_howard-johnson.htm

or paperback at Amazon where it is discounted:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/193299310X/qid=1149015406/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-4692447-2218401?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

Tracings, a chapbook of poetry, published by Finishing Line Press may be ordered at www.amazon.com/gp/product/1599240173/qid=1139084827/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-7824821-4156653?s=books&v=glance&n=283155