June 15, 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,
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_June_No2Week_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:

I always tell my students (any anyone else I can take by the scruff of the neck and make listen!) that one should read everything. Stuff you don't agree with. Junk mail. Ads. Even (very occasionally) SPAM. Don't just read it, read it with an open mind.

Here's an example of the benefits. An ad for Allstate (which I hardly noticed at first!) tells me, "Consider this: Hallmark sold 85,000 'Happy 100th Birthday!' cards last year." Now, I'm sure some of those were joke gifts (I'm sure because I don't swallow everything I read whole like a vitamin pill and neither should you!), but still, think of what this might mean if only half of those cards were sold to be given to real centenarian!

The ad went on to say that "Americans are living longer than ever. The average 65 - year - old woman can expect to live until 87 and the average 65 - year - old man to 84."

About ten years ago it was information like this that encouraged me to quit thinking my life was over (in spite of a bout with cancer) and write the novel I had always wanted to write. This Is the Place was born and won eight awards. So, OK. Not the Pulitzer but still . . .

This add also says that we should plan for a 30 year retirement. They mean financially. Because I'm reading with my thinking cap on, I figure for me it mean that we should be planning something meaningful to do with those 30 years.

Aren't we glad we're writers? Writing is something we can do with joy even if we're arthritic or otherwise challenged.

But it is more important to let this sink into our thinking pattern. 30 years is as long or longer than most careers last. That means no matter when we start, we aren't just diddling around. We're moving toward a new career. And this is a career that can build us a legacy. If not in the Pulitzer hall of fame then for our children.

"Honey, did you know your great grandma was a novelist? Here is her book." What beautiful words those are! Even if I don't live to hear them.

Thank you, Allstate. For the minute I was in your hands. ( - : Thank you Hallmark, too, for having those congratulatory cards available just in case we need them.

Happy promoting! And yes, writing and 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: Though June and July are my months to write, Patrika Vaughn, Allyn Evans and I will be giving a f r ^ ^ seminar by phone for anyone who wants to write that story - - theirs or their families' - - they've been carrying around inside them and use their genealogy or journal to help them do it. . .See below under my appearances for details. Come armed with questions.

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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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Letter - to - the - Editor

Hi Carolyn,

[Regarding the info in your last issue on Kindle] I was just introduced to Kindle by a friend who is legally blind but has peripheral vision. She was delighted as she showed it off to us after a dinner party. "It's the first time I've been able to read a book in six years!" she said.

Thanks for the newsletter and all your tips. I met you at Writers of Kern in Bakersfield the last time you spoke for us.

Cheers,
Annis Cassells, MA - Life Coach and Speaker
Connections & Conversations
www.connectionsandconversations.com
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Dear Carolyn,

We must be about the same age and it’s madding when we get these senior moments. I am forwarding the letter I sent to you and the answer you sent to me. You originally gave me Gregory’s e - mail, gregory@kompes.com. You thought he could help me with the Henderson Writers group. In your letter you asked for his URL for your news letter so when I wrote to him to see if it was ok, I just forwarded his answer to you.
Gregory introduced me to Leslie Hoffman, a delightful woman who is now editing my children’s books. Her e - mail is lesliehoffman@hotmail.com.

Between Gregory and Leslie, I have now been invited to two writers groups. One is for poets and the other is for writers that want to inter - net and socialize. I’M JAZZED ABOUT THAT.

This all began with a rather ungracious e - mail from a teacher who bought 3 of my books for her classroom. She eventually returned them AFTER I returned her money. She was right. The book needs a lot of corrections.

That brought me to you and your books.

So you see the progress of my journey. You are now a VERY IMPORTANT part of my journey. You lead me to your books, then to Gregory and then to Leslie and now my books are being corrected and I can use the marketing skills in your Frugal Book Promoter.

ISN’T GOD GREAT… Greg is also an editor and he has agreed to edit my novel that I have been working on for 20 years.

Gregory edits for structure and story content etc. It’s a Science Fantasy Story. Leslie will then edit it for punctuation and spelling etc. So my world is coming together and it all began with meeting you at the LA Book Fair.

With Love and thanks.

Jan Lease, author Pellina www.cinnamonridgepublishing.com

PS Actually I need to add another person to this list. Outside of your booth, I met Kathe Gogolewski (sponsor of the Out of the Box Promotion competition, kgogolewski@sbcglobal.net). I bought her book (Tato) and she invited me inside your booth to meet you. We met briefly, and I bought your book, The Frugal Book Promoter. There were so many people signing up for your newsletter, that I left my card and went back to my booth.

Kathe is also a teacher. She bought Pellina from me. This is the book I am now correcting. I need to send her a corrected copy when it is ready.

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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: Vicki Hinze has changed the name of her great writing aids group. It is no longer Aids4Writers. If you haven't received your issue recently, you may need to resubscribe at writerszone - subscribe@yahoogroups.com. It's one of the few letters on craft that I trust.
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TIP Contributed by Patrika Vaughn, publisher at Acapela.com (www.acapella.com): This is the time to think long term about publicity that will fit in with the winter themes for 2008 - 9. Most monthly magazines work six months or more in advance, so if your title has an angle that fits with the winter holidays or the changing of the year, now's the time to send out queries.

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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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Q&A a la Ann Landers

On Dangling Participles

Question: This is a question about dangling participles (and I'm blushing at how guilty I am - but I never knew what they were. Ahem!) The reason I do them is because I don't want to start every sentence with 'I' in a query letter or 'he, she, characters name,' in a fiction book - so I use the gerund or dangelly participle to change the sentence structure - Got any tips on how to do that without using the ING, ED, or EN on the end of my words.

Congratulations on being included in that book (Dee and Brian Powers' book on promotion) too.
Billie A. Williams, author of The Bread and Breakfast Murders

Answer: Billie, here is one rarely used construction one might use to vary your sentences. Begin your sentence with a "That." It goes something like this. "That Billie Williams didn't know the very boring terms for dangling participles and gerunds doesn't deter her from writing well." You see, the whole "that" clause serves as a subject and there is not an '"ing" anywhere.

About that idea that verbs that end in "en" and "ed" might indicate that you have used a dangler and that they should be avoided. Not really. Where would fiction writers (and writer!) be without simple past tense! LOL. Those "ings" are a different story. If you use one, know that it could very well lead you in that dangling participle trap. Doesn't mean that progressive tenses and other uses for "ing" aren't grammatically correct. Just be really careful. Double check when you see one. Because they are often associated, they may give you a clue. We all know those danglers are especially hard to see when they are our own.

BTW, there is a section in The Frugal Editor on dangling participles, gerunds and more. It may shed more light on how to avoid dangling participles and use gerunds more effectively.

PS: This conversation continues on my blog, www.thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com where Boyd Sutton, editor of the Wisconsin Writers' Journal, weighs in on grammatical terms, some odd uses of prepositions with verbs and more.

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So you got As in English. You know grammar and spelling. That's great but an editor of you it doth not make. An editor knows formatting, front and back matter, indexing, structure, the elements of fiction and on and on. But mostly she'll see your manuscript in a fresh, new light. Learn how to hire a great editor and learn to be a better partner for any author - - awful to superb - - in The Frugal Editor.
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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!)

Magdalena Ball , editor of The Compulsive Reader (www.compulsivereader.com), for mentioning her fondness for The Frugal Book Promoter on a panel discussion at The Writers' Meow. http://thewritersmeow.deviantart.com/journal/18814169/#journal This was a venue I hadn't seen before. It includes a forum and more.

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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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Help: The Frugal Editor is now up on Amazon as a Kindle selection. It looks kind of lonely. No reviews at all. Does anyone out there have a Kindle? If so, I'd love it if you could post a review for me. And, because I haven't seen this book on a Kindle, I'd like to know how the formatting came out with all those nifty sidebars. They do have a free sample available with one click but it is only available for those with registered Kindles. I haven't popped for one yet. So, let's talk. Here's the URL. http://www.amazon.com/Editor%253a - Forward - Humiliation - Success - Frugally/dp/B0011EK6VC

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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 frequently. If you don't see what you need for your blog or newsletter, just ask. HoJoNews@aol.com.
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Opportunities

Branson Veterans' Week and Slide Show

Joyce Faulkner is putting the final touches on a new slide/show video that features the books of Author's Coalition members. It is a cross promotion effort and appears on websites, blogs, etc of all the participants. The cost is $90 if you are first time participant and $20 if you are a repeat participant (because your slide/cover has already been produced). Paid membership in Authors' Coalition is required and that's $25 at the silver level. But look! Look at all the perks with that $25 membership! http://www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com/become_a_member1.htm

You get access to this slide show and other cross promotions, a page on the AC site, and tons more. By the way, next up will be the Branson Veterans Week show where this slide show will get lots of exposure as it did last year. For more information contact Joyce Faulkner, katieseyes@aol.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 Poetry Daily: 366 Poems from the World's Most Popular Poetry Website. Studying the poems in this book had made me a better poet and I thank my poetry mentor Suzanne Lummis for recommending it.

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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 on Amazon Shorts from Terry Whalin: "Keep up the great work on your newsletter. I appreciate it. You mentioned your Amazon Short. I assume you've had it out there for six months (when you give Amazon an exclusive). After six months, it goes to a nonexclusive relationship - - where you can use it elsewhere. I took my Amazon Short, updated it and changed the format into a new Ebook template - - and I'm giving it away at: http://www.straighttalkeditor.com I capture the email addresses from that tool - - much more valuable to me than selling it at 49 cents. Just a thought for you." You'll also want to explore Terry's Writing News at http://www.terrylinks.com/rwnews

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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.)

Annette Gisby just published New Zealand with a Hobbit Botherer by John Gisby with Annette Gisby as THB (the Hobbit Botherer). It is the hilarious tale of a tour of New Zealand, featuring snow capped mountains and turquoise lakes, flightless birds and flying cattle, bungee jumping grannies and the carrot mafia, and strange yellow eyes peering up from a road map. Buy it on Amazon
www.amazon.com/Zealand - Hobbit - Botherer - John - Gisby/dp/141165644X
Tami Brady, TCM Reviews, says
"I laughed so hard I could barely breathe!"
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Mayra Calvani's The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing was just published. In the Frugal Book Promoter I suggest writing reviews as a way to network with editors and other authors as well as a way to get publicity for your book. Mayra is a prolific reviewer who often contributes her reviews to my blog The New Book Review (www.thenewbookreview.blogspot.com). Her new book will go into more detail about how to develop that aspect of your promotion campaign. Find her book here: www.amazon.com/Slippery - Art - Book - Reviewing/dp/1933353228/

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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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Tip: What are you selling other than your book? If you can make that product or service fit under the categories of cars, real estate, for rent, job, items for sale, or tickets, you can run an ad f r ^ ^ with Wal - Mart. Go to http://WalMart.Oodle.com/. You can also search for items you need in your own city. Now, that's frugal. ( - :
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Affirmation: Sometimes it feels as if media releases are like leaves blowing in the wind. And then one day Google alerts you to something in print that you didn't even know was about to appear. No interview. No questions. No telephone calls. Of course, if it were a full feature story, a reporter would probably have called you but many times reporters and editors need nice, local filler. That is what happened recently with The Pasadena Star News. Michelle Mills's article with the entry on me as a lead. Here it is:
www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_9514992

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Endorsement:" I am so happy for you to receive a second award [Reader Views Literary 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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Q&A a la Ann Landers

Want To Get Paid for Writing Reviews?

Question: An SWW reader asked if I knew of a website or journals that pay for reviews and about how much and how he could find them.

Answer: A large proportion of review websites don't pay. Salon.com is one that does. If they're still doing reviews. That is the problem. So many former review places have cut back on reviews. You'll find a chapter in The Frugal Book Promoter http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/193299310X/ on how to use reviews for other purposes than making money, though. You'll also find a new book (http://www.slipperybookreview.wordpress.com) by Mayra Calvani on reviewing very helpful..

I asked her for her input on this question, and she said, "Actually, my book, The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing, includes dozens of paying markets for reviews in the resources section. I wouldn't be able to point your subscriber to a specific place in the net for a list because as far as I know, there isn't any. It took me months to collect the information from various sources. One source I think is good is the Absolute Markets Newsletter, which pays its reviewers. Paying markets start about $10 and go up to $300."

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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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Tip: Here's an alternative to the sell sheet, flier or postcard that we usually put into the ARCs we send to reviewers. It is from SWW member Linda Ballou. I think reviewers will pay extra attention to it.
Linda says, "I created a four color, 8 page brochure (4 pages folded in half so booklet fashion). The size is a piece a letter size paper folded in half - that is 51/2"x81/2'" It could be as many pages as you want it to be. Denise Cassino, my wizardly webmaster, put together this brochure in a pdf file. I loved what she did so much, I decided to make it a print handout for booksellers. I added speaking engagement talking points on the last page so I could show hosts how interesting my subject could be for a live audience. I sent the file to my local print shop. The owner created the booklet from the file using both sides of the paper to make it less expensive. I wanted color because my cover art (by T.C. McMullen) is so fetching. It cost me $98 for the first 33 booklets and it will cost me $66 for each order thereafter."

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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 2009's LA Times/UCLA Festival of Books with Christine Alexanians, tinooshik@yahoo.com ======================================================

Grammar Tip: Know what modals are? Well, I finally know something about a grammar element I had long suspected were different from auxiliary verbs but wasn't quite sure why. I guess that's why some of call English our native language - - it comes naturally but we don't really know what the heck we're doing! And that after taking an ADVANCED grammar class in college! Curious? Go to my Frugal, Smart and Tuned - In Editor blog to learn more about them. Really. It's painless. And you'll feel so smart. www.thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com. Scroll down to "Grammar Pals, Grammar Meanies, Modals and . . . "

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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 she sometimes throws in a resource for you.)

In the next couple issues, Elizabeth will explain some rights terms:

First Electronic Rights, First World Electronic Rights, Electronic Publishing Rights English Language, Electronic Publishing and Multi Media Rights: These are terms used for the right to be the first to publish the written work on the Internet, via e - mail, as a downloadable file or program, on CD or tape, store the work in a database, or publish or archive the work on the Internet, via email or on a bulletin board, etc. Another variation is Electronic Publishing Rights in the English Language, very similar to First World English, only limited to electronic media.
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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 - - 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: This comes from Penny Sansevieri's newsletter, The Book Marketing Expert Newsletter. (No I don't believe it competes with this one! I believe we're all in this together.)
She reminds us that less than 14% of website visitors will buy the first time they visit and so your job is getting them back. One of the ways she suggests you do that is to get incoming links - - good ones. Ones that come from sites related to yours, not just willy - nilly links which tend to downgrade your site in the Google ratings. She suggests you use a search engine to find them and I think it's a good idea to set up a time to do this and set a goal. Say, Monday mornings, 1/2 hour in which you expect to send out at least two queries for links. Use a template to make your requests but tailor it a bit each time to make it more personal. To subscribe to Penny's letter, e - mail subscribe@amarketingexpert.com.

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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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Tip: Mayra Calvani's interviews the editor of The Compulsive Reader Magdalena Ball about what she expects in a review. blogcritics.org/archives/2008/06/05/182209.php.

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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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An Itty - Bitty Column on Writing

The View from My Place

Point of view is interesting, and sometimes challenging. Do you stay in one POV throughout a longer work or switch out along the way to get into another character’s mind? Sometimes hard to say. Normally, writers who are newer to the craft stick to one voice so their work doesn’t sound like a patchwork quilt of characters jumping in and out of the mental picture.

Now. Person and tense. If you write in first person, do you write in first person, present or first person, past? Normally, I see first person, past but I am in possession of a novel that uses first person, present and I am quite intrigued with it. In fact, when I try to change it over to past tense for the author, something, some quality, seems to die.

Here’s the deal. First person, present is more intimate. You are placed squarely in the realm of the main character at that very moment. You go through what he or she is going through as it occurs – and nothing else that he or she isn’t thinking about. In first person, past, you get that character’s perspective of what has previously occurred and a sort of foreshadowing of things to come. You find out what has transpired, not what is transpiring. Here is an example:

[First person, present] Millie drags herself to the front room and starts yelling at me.

[First person, past] Millie dragged herself to the front room and started yelling at me.

I’ve found several competing thoughts on this issue. I’ve listed links below on what I’ve found across the Internet discussing the pros and cons of both.
Which is more marketable?

If YOU have a thought about first person, present verses first person, past, I’d love to hear it. E - mail me at mplcreative1@aol.com with [Tense] in the subject line. I’ll be happy to hear your perspective.

Links to Check Out:

Peninsula Writers’ Blog pwwriter.blogspot.com/2007/06/tense - past - versus - present.html

Absolute Write www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24751
Black Library forum.blacklibrary.com/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=3196

Specusphere www.specusphere.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=213&Itemid=31

Holly Lisle http://www.hollylisle.com/fm/Articles/time_first_person.html
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Mindy Phillips Lawrence www.freewebs.com/mplcreative is the author of One Blue Star and co - author of The Complete Writer. She is also the publicist and literary agent for Dr. Dan Skelton and representative for the fiction work of Bev Walton - Porter. She is in the process of researching a novel titled Alone is Where We Begin.
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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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Amazon Update

From Scott Flora, Director of Small Publishers of North America: "In a corporate news release, Amazon said that publishers that don't use BookSurge for POD can still use Amazons Advantage Program (which works on a consignment model) or third party vendors to sell their POD Books. I hope this puts to rest some of the worries out there.
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Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching:

(I'm taking the months of June and July off to write. Hope this plan works. ( - :)

Patrika Vaughn, Allyn Evans and I are teaming up to present a free teleseminar titled "How To Write Your Life Story."to writers who want to tell their own stories, as memoir or as fiction. It is for genealogists, journalists and story tellers everywhere. Writers are invited to listen and come prepared with their questions at noon on July 12th EST. Call 1 - 218 - 936 - 7999. When prompted use this access code: 390175. If asked, participants may need this pin number: 2823.
The teleconference will be available as a podcast afterward at:
 Authors' Coalition, www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress/podcasts_&_radio.htm
 The ACapella Publishing site, www.acapella.com/
 Allyn Evans' site, www.allynevans.com
 On Allyn's Queen Power site, www.queeenpower.com .
 And on Carolyn's Resources for Writers page at www.howtodoitfrugally.com
Those with questions may contact Patrika at .acappub@aol.com. Please put it on your calendar!
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 www.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: For more information click here:
http://www.themuseonlinewritersconference.com
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 Carolyn Howard - Johnson will speak to the California Writers Club of San Fernando Valley at 1 pm on December 13, 2008. It's at the Encino Community Center, 4939 Balboa Blvd (just north of Ventura Blvd.), Encino, CA 91316. Learn more about the year's programs www.calwriterssfv.com and sign up to join. It's a dynamic group. E - mail is cwcsfv@gmail.com.
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TIP: Your book or poem or story isn't the only thing you do that is contest - winning material! Your blog might win a contest, too. Go to www.blogofthedayawards.blogspot.com A win is sure to drive traffic to your blog. It looks as if you can nominate people frequently. I saw some people who subscribe to SWW (Mark Gerson!) there!

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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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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.)
"CAR SICKNESS: The feeling you get when the car payment is due."

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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/