March 24, 2008

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://www.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_Mar_No3Week_2008.doc

In the spirit of the advice I give in the Frugal Editor - - that is to use an extra pair of eyes whenever possible - - this newsletter is voluntarily copyedited by Authors' Coalition member, Mindy Phillips Lawrence ~ mplcreative1@aol.com
www.freewebs.com/mplcreative
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Note from Carolyn:

Dear Subscribers and Authors' Coalition Members:

Another rant here. Some days I'm grumpy. The first time I heard someone decry the so - called efforts at controlling S P A M, it was in the monthly "Jim Cox Report" which you will find archived and free at http://www.midwestbookreview.com. This is the Jim Cox who is the founder of the fabled Midwest Book Review.
Since then this service of having people 'sign in' or register with you before you'll accept their email has proliferated. The system is meant to protect you all from the evils of using your little index finger to hit the delete button but it has got to be limiting your opportunities, too. Jim said that, in such a case, he often can't be bothered with (or hasn't the time and/or patience) making the effort an e - mail through such deterrents.

Since then I've been so inundated with these well - meant delays, inconveniences, deterrents and downright annoying messages that I'm agreeing with him

Besides, the first rule of getting publicity is "Make life easy on the editor you are trying to reach." Sorry, but this is putting a great big fat barrier up between the people you are asking to give you publicity and you.

So, I'm joining with Jim and telling you that those spam avoidance 'sign in first' dealies may be just fine for the average guy, but for an author they can be deadly. The worst kind of deadly. You'll never know what you missed because, frankly, you just aren't going to get the return message that you're looking for.

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
PS: Here's an interview I might not have been offered if I'd made it hard for the producer of Sound Authors to get through to me with one of those S P A M filters. The interview is on Friday, March 28th at 10:00 am Pacific, 1:00 pm Eastern. It's a 15 minute interview at www.soundauthors.com/wp - content/themes/revolution/images/log.gif. Learn more about how to query the producers at: www.soundauthors.com.

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Please pass this letter on to others. Unlike many, 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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Q&A:

Nothing Worthwhile on Google Alerts? Worried About Their Owning Content?

Question: Hi Carolyn,
I haven't been catching up with your news because of computer problems lately but it's good now and I've a silly question. I have been getting what I thought were Google Alerts for a long time, but I don't see where they provide anything like what I would want to thank anyone for.

Answer: Alerts come as people mention your name, or anything else you want alerted on. I can see two problems. Either you aren't signed up to be alerted on words or phrases that might involve you somehow (or the research you are doing) or you aren't sending out very many releases to people who could use your information, people like website editors, bloggers, etc.

Question: Also I got on Google to find out about Analyst because I'd like to know where my website readers come from but it seemed very complicated. I am supposed to have a Google Account?

Answer: Yes. If you have one your account link appears on the top right of your screen. Also, without an account, then what you are getting couldn't be Google Alerts. ( - :

Question: I see in Google's rules that they can use anything we post on our blogger or blogspot.com blogs. It seems complicated, although I'm sure it isn't. I know you are a busy lady but could you help me?

Answer: I haven't seen this rule but if they can use anything you post, so? Isn't the idea to get your stuff out there? You know, so Google CAN alert you when your name or book title comes up. And if they used something of yours, you would get an alert so you'd know it. And you might be glad you got that alert!

You can tell, I personally think that most authors worry way too much about this kind of thing. But that is obviously just me. I WANT my stuff out there, credited, of course. On the rare occasion something of mine has been out there without permission, I've approached the "perpetrators" and gotten excellent results by asking (nicely) for a credit, and maybe a free ad, etc.

Question: I sold 2 more novels to be released this year. Which brings up another question I've been yearning to ask someone like you who knows things. I've sold 5 books so far and thought I'd just keep getting royalties, however 4 went out of print, I bought the remainders I could afford and now I guess I have to try and resell them? So much for sitting back and collecting royalties.

Answer: Well, you know me. I never recommended just sitting back and collecting royalties anyway. If you are doing pretty well that way, great! But think how much better you'd do (and your publisher, too!) if you were working it. ( - :
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(Questions submitted by Pinkie Paranya, author of early American historicals, romance, cozy mystery, thriller and adventure. http://pinkieparanya.com )

==================================================== New members will help Authors' Coalition serve all its members better! Ask your writing friends to join at http://www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com/. Paid members get a favorite review posted, consideration for an interview or review in Yarnspinners and Wordweavers, ditto for The Fiction Flyer and Betty Dobson's Inkspotter. 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. www.authorscoalition.blogspot.com.
http://authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com
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Tip: For excellent author aids, visit Authors' Coalition. www.authorscoalitonandredenginepress.com. For a list of recommended websites and list serves, go to http://www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com/recommded_links.htm.

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My blog, War, Peace, Tolerance and Our Soldiers is where I get to nag and rag to try to make things better for our troops and maybe for the world. It's only been active a few weeks and is gathering an amazing following. I'd love to have you leave a comment. www.warpeacetolerance.blogspot.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 David Boyne for my books on his page of helpful writers' page. http://www.wordsd.com/WORD_san_diego_people.html/# . Do you have a book that fits? E - mail editor David Boyne at db@greenflashpublishing.com.

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To Gene Alvin . for using my article "Seven Easy Ways to Keep Dialog Sharp," on his blogs this month. He says, "[The article is] great and I think my readers will get something from it." He blogs at: http://www.aelfbooks.com and http://www.aelfwin.co.uk/aelf.
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To Dr. Joe Capista and his publicists, Kathleen Gage and Tami Blodgett for including my The New book Review (www.thenewbookreview.blogspot.com) on Capista's blog tour. This tour was one of the best powered tours I have ever seen. See the blogs involved and analyze them for your own needs. Here is the URL for that: www.joecapista.com/blogs.htm . And Kathleen's website is www.kathleengage.com.
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To Allyn Evans for referring to me in the article she just published on how to use Amazon.com to your advantage at Zimbio. Find it and leave a comment at http://www.zimbio.com/Talking+All+Things+Write/articles/2/Taming+the+Amazon?Success=Your+article+was+saved .
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To Romance at Heart for including the release on my Reader Views Literary Award for The Frugal Editor on their news page. http://romanceatheart.com/inthenews.html#Frugal - Editor - Wins

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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). Authors' Coalition www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com is also accepting ads. So is Yarnspinners and Wordweavers. Contact katieseyes@aol.com.
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Blatant Bragging

The Frugal Editor won the Reader Views Literary Award in the Publishing Category.

Go to http://readerviews.com/Awards2007Finalists.html to check out all the winners and mark it for your own campaign to set your book above the rest with an award. ( - :

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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 for your blog, or newsletter, just ask. HoJoNews@aol.com.
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Opportunities

Allyn Evans of "Moms and Girls Network" is launching a community for moms and girls. She says, "We are seeking mothers who write/blog to serve as contributors.
"The target audience is moms and girls between the ages of 8 and 13.

"We need:
 Nutrition/Health Mom
 Movie Review Mom
 WAHM
 SAHM
 WAFH (Work Away From Home)
 Single Mom
 Writer Mom

"For a pre - launch preview, please visit: www.momsandgirls.ning.com.

"At this point, this is a non - paying market. However, all contributors will be asked to include a tagline showing their work and projects. This is perfect for moms who are already blogging on one of the above topics. We can simply pick up their blog feed. All content will remain the property of the contributing author.

"Interested, please submit samples or a blog URL for consideration. Don't see your topic listed above, email us. We might love your idea!

Allyn Evans
www.momsandgirls.ning.com
www.allynevans.com
Founder of QueenPower.com"

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Fun and F r * *: If you purchased the Frugal Book Promoter or the Frugal Editor, 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 a handout from one of my UCLA classes. As a thank you, of course. HoJoNews@aol.com
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On Poetry

This is a new running feature for the poets among us and those who would like to try writing poetry but feel, well . . . inadequate. Please send in your poetry tips and resources for this section.

I love the book my poetry instructor used as a text for her class. It is Poetry Daily: 366 Poems from the World's Most Popular Poetry Website, edited by a Boller, Selby and Yost. And a poem a day? What a neat way to absorb the intricacies of poetry into our little writers' brains!

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Don't suffer with book proposals. You can be a pro with and investment of only 20 minutes and 49 cents with my Great First Impression Book Proposal Short.
http://www.amazon.com/Great - First - Impression - Book - Proposal/dp/B000YG6O5U
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Tip: F r e e stuff for authors living in and about San Diego County at www.wordsd.com/. Go see what they're doing. Are there any contacts there you can use even if you don't live in beautiful SD?

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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 (because they are products, like it or not!). Let people see that book cover image! To do that, you are invited to advertise as a site sponsor at www.howtodoitfrugally.com for only $25 to $30 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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Author Successes

(If you read about others' successes you'll not only be inspired, you'll glean resources for future successes of your own. You are invited to send me news about your successes. Please use "AUTHOR SUCCESSES" as a subject lines.)

Debra Killeen's first novel, An Unlikely Duke, won first prize for YA fiction in the 2007 Reader Views Literary Awards. More information about Debra and her writing can be found at www.myrridia.net. Her second novel, the sequel to Duke titled A Prince In Need, will be released in June 2008.
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Lois P. Jones says, "I woke up this morning to something very lovely.:" Her poem "Unmarked Grave" won a first prize with PenShell: http://www.webdelsol.com/IBPC/ This poetry community may be of interest to poets, too. I've been meaning to join but time! Where is the time?
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Nikki Leigh just published Book Promo 101 as a trade paperback. It's available on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Book - Promo - 101 - basics - Promotion/dp/1594314691. Find reviews for it here: http://www.nikkileigh.com/101 - reviews.htm

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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/eAuthor.php?Name=Carolyn%20Howard - Johnson ) 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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Mini Rant

Your Per Book Net Profit and What You Can Do About It

Stop Whining!

You know, about how much money you make per book.

If you self - published and your margin is too small to accommodate the profit margins of bookstore or Amazon sales it's your own fault. You didn't do your homework upfront. So swallow hard and console yourself. You've learned a valuable lesson for the next time you publish.

Ditto for subsidy - or partner - published books. Your publisher doesn't give you enough royalties? Next time negotiate better or choose another publisher or, better still, self - publish (yes, a new learning curve for you but you'll have more control over your profitability).

If you're traditionally published, you made the tradeoff! You hoped for fame. And you hoped for big sales. You may have gotten one, both or neither. You knew there were no guarantees. And didn't you know, too, that the publisher was taking the financial risks and therefore needed to take a bigger share of the pie to pay for his or her expenses and to make a profit to stay in business? If you didn't, maybe you should have taken a Business 101, Basic Economics or The Essentials of Capitalism course before you embarked on what, after all, is a business. In fact, an industry!

So the fact remains, you're boo - hooing because you don't make enough per book, right? Well be comforted because volume counts for something, too. So, roll up your sleeves and go for more sales. Promote like crazy. To do that, you'll want to be able to write a picture - perfect query letter so you can:

 Pitch your next book to a publisher or agent who can be a partner in increasing your profits.

 You'll want to know how to query appropriately for feature stories on you or the content of your book.

 You'll want to know how to write a presentable cover letter to contest judges so you can win some awards to make your book stand out.

 You'll want your query to entice radio and TV producers so they'll want you on their show. To do that, get controversial - - yes, even in the query!

 You'll want to query magazine and e - zine editors to publish your articles and/or excerpts so you can build credibility for your book and more easily sell the next one. And you do that by - - you guessed it - - doing your homework. Buy a book that tells you how to do that.

By the way, The Frugal Editor is a good start on all of the above!)

And then get a few good books on promotion. You need to understand what the different kinds of editors need. And you need to know how to offer them what they want in a way that makes it supremely easy for them to pick you.

You want to sell your book any old way your customer wants to buy them. Many people prefer to buy from Amazon so why would you try to force them to buy direct from your site? What if it doesn't work and they buy somebody else's book from Amazon instead. You know, they may be at Amazon spending their money and be interested in a book like yours. Lots of people are. They may need one more book to make the minimum to get free shipping. Or they may not want to pay sales tax. Or they may not want to take the time to make two purchases, one with credit card, one with Paypal. Or they may just get ticked because you're trying to make them buy your book YOUR way, they won't buy your book regardless.

What if they like to read e - books or need a book instantly and your book isn't available that way? Yep, they'll buy somebody else's! Loyalty only extends so far.

Ditto for Kindle!

What if they long for a signed book? Do you offer a way for them to get your treasured signature? With a label sent directly to them. Your autograph is one way to entice readers to buy directly from you if you prefer that.

Many authors rely solely on online bookstore sales. Authors can avoid some or our industry problems by selling their books that way. But what about customers who prefer to buy from bookstores? You should have at least made the effort to assure that your book can be ordered for customers who request them at B&N and Borders or at your local independents.

So, if your net profit is smaller than you'd like, finish this article for several ways to boost your profitability at: www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com

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Endorsement: I am so happy for you to receive a second award for The Frugal Editor. I bought this book a week ago, and I love it. I can already see the improvement in my work. Thank you. You deserve this award.
Katherine Harms, author
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TIP: Here is a fine literary journal published by the Association of Mormon Letters that my poem "Prevailing Winds" will be published in. It is Irreantum and may be purchased at. http://www.mormonletters.org/irreantum/toc07Spr.html The poem is about the nuclear tests on Yucca Flats in Nevada that were purposely manipulated so that the radiation would float over Utah and not Las Vegas or Los Angeles. If you are interested in submitting literary work, contact aml@mormonletter.org.

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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://www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com/AC_Promotional_Videos,%20Logos%20&%20More .
You know you want it on your website! Be sure to link it to the AC site, too! And there is a cross - promotional slide show there that will add movement and color to your site or blog, even if you aren't featured on it. It's all about Karma. ( - :
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Opportunities

A Room Of Her Own Foundation Invites Applications for Literary Gift of Freedom Award, http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/rfp_item.jhtml?id=208300008

An award of $50,000 will be given to a woman playwright, poet, or writer of fiction or creative nonfiction who is a U.S. citizen residing in the United States....
Deadline: October 31, 2008
Here's Allyn Evans' source: Foundation Directory Online. It is updated weekly. FDO points the way to prospective funders. It's the grant seeker's best friend.
Thank you to SWW subscriber, Allyn Evans
www.allynevans.blogspot.com for sharing this.
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Frugal Advertising

Lea Schizas is looking for publisher/writer who wants to focus their advertising budget on the writing community. She says, "I accept 2 ads per webpage only, and your ad will be up for an entire month at a whopping price of five dollars." Find the Writer's Digest award - winning site at http://museitupclub.tripod.com/. E - mail Lea at musitupeditore@yahoo.ca.
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Your Book in Poland

I have a new Polish friend. His name is Tadeusz Glowinski. He has made a library for his townspeople and it includes books in English. Won't you consider sending him one of your books? I'm sending him This Is the Place because he says he has many young readers and it's about a young woman finding the courage to follow a path that runs against the mores of her community.

Send it to:

GLOWINSKIS' LIBRARY
ul. Waly Jagiellonskie 20
56 - 400 Olesnica
Poland - Polska

Here is his other contact information:
 E - mail: teddy@box43.pl
 Website: http://glowinski.olesnica.pl/

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Authors' Coalition: No Hum - Drum Book Fair Promotion Allowed is a blog where you can watch how Authors' Coalition members make book fairs successful with cross - promotion, value - added promotions and a good assessment process. Find it at www.authorscoalition.blogspot.com. It's time to sign up for 2008's LA Times/UCLA Festival of Books.
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TIP: Find f r e e - content on my website at www.howtodoitfrugally.com/free_content.htm. I recently posted one of my Reviews for Riters ™ there. It is "Unfolding the Mysteries of Culture, Language and Writing Subtly, Like the Whisper of a Fan: A Review of Lisa See's Snow Flower and the Secret Fan." Learn more about how Lisa handles her prologue, narrative, dialogue and the use of first person.

========================================================Learn more about tips booklets and how to make them work for you. Paulette Ensign was one of the first master promoters I came in contact with. She'll teach you to make promotional booklets work for you with a variety of programs. http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/?af=696843
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TIP: The MuseitUp Club is setting up an extensive LINKS section where writers can come find helpful links for publishers, agents, review sites, blogs, and more. http://museitupclub.tripod.com/

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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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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.)

READ PLEASE - Text - to - speech software reads aloud any text on your Windows - based computer screen. Writers can use it as a proofreading tool to hear errors that you overlooked. (Also helpful for visually impaired and dyslexic readers.) http://www.readplease.com/

- - - - -
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 - - from 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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TIP: Amazon says, "Our Catalog Guide outlines ways authors and publishers can contact us about images and content, including listing new items, submitting corrections, enhancing the product detail page, and adding to the variety of information customers use to make a purchasing decision." Find the guide at:
http://www.amazon.com/publishers

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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. Please use this link:
http://www.vistaprint.com/frf?frf=815651421184
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Guest Feature

What Have You Done About Book Sense

(David H. Jones (www.davidhjones.net),
author of Two Brothers: One North, One South shares his new - found knowledge on the importance of Book Sense and how to make it work for them with SWW readers.)

I got the information shown below this morning from Book Sense about entering a title into the Book Sense database. Once there, independent book stores can then locate and order the book.

"Greetings from BookSense.com.
In order for titles to be added to our database, you'll need to compile the following information for all titles into a single email (fields marked with an asterisk are required):

*ISBN (10 - or 13 - digit, no dashes or spaces):
*Title (do not type all caps):
*Author (Last name, First name):
*Binding (cloth, trade paper, mass market, etc.):
*Publisher:
*Pub. date:
*Price:
*BISAC category code (if available) [%his is what bookstores use to categorize your book - - put you book on its bookshelves in the proper place.]
*Short description (50 words):
*Cover Image in JPEG format, attached, if available

... and send the email to addabook@booksense.com. In the end, the info for each title should look like this:

1234567890
Blood on the Blade
Smith, Harry
Trade Paper
Cascade Press
11/01/2005
14.95
FIC000000
A thoughtful and cleverly - engaging thriller about two brothers fighting on opposite sides of the law, etc....

"Please keep in mind that adding a title to our database does not make the title automatically available. If a customer orders the book, that order will fall to one of our member stores to fill. If the bookstore cannot find the book (or if they find the return on the book to be too small), they will likely inform the customer that the title is unavailable from them."

This initiative was motivated by my desire to set up a means for independent bookstores to offer my Two Brothers in addition to my offering it on my website. We can refer buyers to Book Sense similarly to the way we refer them to Amazon. Use this URL and replace the ISBN with yours:

http://www.booksense.com/product/info.jsp?isbn=9781885436405

The ISBN dictates what title is being linked to. When the customer clicks this link. Bookstore book buyers and readers will be taken first to the BookSense Store Locater. There they will be asked to input their Zip code, after which they will be taken to the "product page" for that title which will be at the closest BookSense.com store to their Zip code.

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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.
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Tip: This tip is for SWW subscribers who are already radio hosts or who are considering doing that. A new show from Francine Silverman, radio show guru, debuts on March 18, 2008 on Blog Talk Radio. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Francine - Silverman. It's called The Radio Host Show. Send her a query for a guest spot or simply tune in to know more before you take the plunge.

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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, 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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TIP: (Shared with SWW subscribe by Lee who send her cheers from New Zealand.)

I was wondering if you'd like to let your subscribers know that I run a site called: site4writers.com . It is a community like MySpace but designed only for writers, filmmakers and musicians.

There is a job board for writers attached to the site and I will soon be installing a php board so we can set up a critique board, submissions board and heaps more. I may install a chat feature as well.

The site address is: www.site4writers.com
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Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching:

Please listen to Sound Authors on March 28th at 10:00 am Pacific, 1:00 pm Eastern, 15 minute interview. www.soundauthors.com/wp - content/themes/revolution/images/log.gif. Learn more about the interview and how to query the producers at: www.soundauthors.com. The site is easy to navigate and, you can see, a great one to be listening to or appearing on.
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Carolyn Howard - Johnson will share with the nation's humor writers again in April 3 - 5 of 2008 at Dayton University's Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop. She'll speak twice at the Kennedy Union on campus. Go to www.humorwriters.org/2008SpeakerBios.html..Tapes will be available even though this conference sold out 77 hours after they opened registration. It is not too early to be thinking about 2010.
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 Carolyn Howard - Johnson will share her secrets for taking a book fair signing out of the realm of hum - drum to make it a sizzling success at the Thursday, April 17 meeting of Book Publicists of Southern California at the Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City.
BPSC is a resource for publicists, authors and others associated with the publishing industry. The organizations publishes a member directory and newsletter (www.bookpublicists.org/pages/newsletter.asp) ., sponsors events (www.bookpublicists.org/pages/events.asp) and gives out the IRWIN (www.bookpublicists.org/pages/irwin_award.asp) awards to help foster industry excellence.
The event includes dinner. Sportsmen*s Lodge is at 12825 Ventura Blvd., Studio City. A mixer at 5:30 is the epitome of promotion in action. Dinner at 6:30 is $35 and the program only is $10. Reservations may be made at irwinzuckerpr@aol.com. If you tell Irwin I sent you, he will extend the membership rate for dinner. $27.
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 On April 26 & 27, Carolyn Howard - Johnson will sign her new USA Award - winning book the Frugal Editor ( as well as her others) at the LA Times/UCLA Festival of Books on the beautiful UCLA Campus in the Authors Coalition booth, #610 and 611. (http://www.latimes.com/extras/festivalofbooks/_) Other authors signing there include Barbara Crandall, MD; David H. Jones, Joyce Faulkner, Pam Kelly, DanaLee Buhler, Annette Fix and poets Christine Alexanians and Sona Ovasapyan. To learn more about opportunities for your book go to: http://www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com/fair_booths.htm. Some promotions authors have to be present for, others not. Visitors at this booth will receive free books with their purchase.
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Nancy Mills, founder of Spirited Woman, will be interviewing Carolyn Howard - Johnson in her 2008 Spirited Woman tele - chat series. Sign up now to be part of this exciting series, whether you want to listen to Carolyn or to the likes of Jacqueline Mitchard, author of the Deep End of the Ocean and Catherine Ryan Hyde, author of Pay It Forward. To listen live to Carolyn, circle Tuesday, June 3, 2008, 10 am (PST), 1pm (EST) on your calendar. Find the entire series at: www.thespiritedwoman.com/ spirited_woman_circle Advance registration needed.
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Carolyn Howard - Johnson will appear on Write On Four Corners with host Connie Gotsch on KSJE FM Public Radio broadcast from San Juan College. Access the program at: www.ksje.com at 10:30 am Wed. 2:30 pm Fri. Mountain Time. Click on the website to listen live in your appropriate time zone. Connie is the author of the mystery suspense novel Snap Me a Future as well as host of Roving with the Arts on KSJE and regular contributor to The Four Corners Free Press, www.fourcornerspress.com.
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 The Catholic Writer’s Guild, www.catholicwritersguild.org, and Canticle Magazine, www.canticlemagzine.com, are pleased to announce the first Catholic Writer’s Conference Online May 2 - 9, 2008. Conducted entirely via Internet, the conference will feature online seminars and chat rooms hosted by editors, agents, published writers, and other media professionals in book and magazine publishing. F r ^ ^ to writers of all levels, advance registration is required. To register go to www.conference.catholicwritersguild.org. At 10 am, Pacific time, on Monday, May 5, Carolyn will present Your First Marketing Offense: Query Letters and Great Editing or Ten Ways to Let an Agent Know You Are an Amateur. Karina Fabian will moderate. Then Carolyn will co - present a seminar with Karina on book promotion at 11 am Pacific Time the same day.

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Carolyn Howard - Johnson will be guest speaker for Pamela Kelly's UCLA Extension course, "Public Speaking for Professionals" on Monday, May 19th at the Public Affairs Bldg, Room 2238, 7 - 10pm. Those interested in learning the steps to exciting and effective speaking, may enroll by going to www.uclatestension.edu and enrolling for Reg# T7594B. Pam Kelly is the author of Speak with Passion, Speak with Power!, a book on speaking that I strongly recommend for authors who want their books to succeed.
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Carolyn Howard - Johnson will be one of the featured winners of the USA Book News' booth at BEA on Friday, May 29, at the nation's premier book event, Book Expo America. She will sign her USA Book News Award - Winning book, The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success in the USA Book News booths, #835 & #837 in the PMA Pavilion. Make BEA reservations and get info about the event here: www.bookexpoamerica.com.
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Carolyn Howard - Johnson will read from her chapbook of poetry, Tracings, Monday evening, Aug. 11, at 7:30 pm at the Village Bookstore 1049 Swarthmore Ave, Pacific Palisades, CA. Poets Alice Pero and Lois P. Jones sponsor ongoing featured readings called Moonday. Learn more at home.earthlink.net/ ~pero/moonday.html.
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The f r e ^ Muse Online Writers' Conference, sponsored by Lea Schizas and Carolyn Howard - Johnson, is accepting early registration. Nearly 2,000 attended last year and openings are limited. Learn more about this year's conference, October 13 to 19th, and how you can assure your spot in 2008. We will present an all - new program soon. Carolyn will do a seminar on "Query Letters! Editing them perfectly for a great first impression." Go to: 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 in your e - mail box. It is a focused blog on all things related to writing and publishing. 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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TIP: Jordana Ryan mother hens three different yahoogroups. Try this one:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/allpromotionsallthetime

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Wordstuff ™

Something to Make Writers Smile

(Definitions in the next few newsletters are from www.butlerwebs.com/jokes/definitions.htm.You might have some favorite neologisms, metaphors or similes that make you smile. If so, please contribute.)

"BEAUTY PARLOR: Places where women curl up and dye."

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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 How To Do It Frugally series of books for writers,

www.howtodoitfrugally.com.

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/

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 newsletter, send an e - mail to HoJoNews@aol.com with "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/

The second in the How To Do It Frugally series of books, The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, is available at this link to Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0978515870/


The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything You Need To Know About Selling Your Book in 20 Minutes or Less, is available on Amazon as a Short for 49 cents.
http://www.amazon.com/Great - First - Impression - Book - Proposal/dp/B000YG6O5U/



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