Sorry, no .pdf copy this week.

April 10, 2009

Sharing with Writers
A newsletter that is also a community. Share your ideas. Learn from theirs! Associated with the multi award - winning series of HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers, www.howtodoitfrugally.com


From the Desks of
Carolyn Howard - Johnson
and Sharing with Writers Subscribers

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 Mindy Phillips Lawrence ~ mplcreative1@aol.com ~ www.freewebs.com/mplcreative. I also tell writers to be patient with other writers when they make editing boo - boos. We're all human. This letter comes out weekly and it's long!

~ ~ ~:. ~ ~ ~.: ~ ~ ~.: ~ ~ ~:. ~ ~ ~.: ~ ~ ~.: ~ ~ ~:. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~:. ~ ~ ~.: ~ ~ ~

Contents
This Issue
~Note from Carolyn
~Letter - to - the - Editor
~Thank Yous (where you also find leads and great resources!)
~Tips and News Galore! (They're scattered, you'll just have to find them!)
~Opportunities
~Author Successes
~Mindy Lawrence's Itty Bitty Column: “Using the Senses in Writing”
~Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
~Wordstuff ™
~A Letter from John Kremer: Amazon Gets Stupid
~Score! Get Those Rights Back!
~Tech from Phyllis
~Feature: Recession - Fighting Promotion

Regular Features
~Cheryl Answering: YOU Asking: A new monthly feature
~On Poetry

~ ~ ~:. ~ ~ ~.: ~ ~ ~.: ~ ~ ~:. ~ ~ ~.: ~ ~ ~.: ~ ~ ~:. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~:. ~ ~ ~.: ~ ~ ~

Note from Carolyn


Dear Subscribers:

Today we are going to talk about what all of you have faced or may someday face. Bear with me. You need to know the background story. ( - :

I’ve been putting off telling you about my newest book because it isn’t about writing. Nor is it something you will want to curl up by the fire to read unless you are a retailer (although some of the promotion ideas in it might inspire a book launch or other event). You may have noticed that I’ve dropped a few hints in past newsletters. Call if foreshadowing. But, then I thought, Aha! I do have a lesson to derive from the marketing of A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In - Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques to share with you. And here it is.

Actually that secret is buried in the first part of this letter. Did you find it?

It’s about finding the angles. That sounds like hard - sell marketing but it is really about knowing your own book and how it relates to its audience and the world at large. We must find the aspects of our work that will be news at certain times or to certain segments of the population. The skills involved in doing this are what prepare us so we can get the publicity we need for our books. It is what we must know before we write our advertising copy, before we write our pitch, before we can know how readers will benefit from our book. We have to know it well enough so that we don’t fall back on, “Well, it will entertain.” That’s what all books should do. You need to recognized specifically how yours does that differently or better or is especially suited to an audience, a time or an event.

Generally speaking these angles are most visible to us because we know our own books better than others.
So, what is the angle here? Why would you writers be interested in A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In - Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques? Here it is. What I am going through promoting this book is something you may one day face if you haven’t already. It may face you when you write a book in a different genre or one that appeals to a different audience. John Grisham faced this problem when he wrote A Painted House after he had written only courtroom dramas for decades. He was still writing fiction, but Painted House was not a legal thriller and it was not received well by many of his most devout fans. I, for one, adored it because it was more literary. By that I mean that it was more about that connection that makes all humans part of the same species, therefore more lasting and meaningful that “just” plain old entertainment, however great that may be.

But back to marketing. I had to think about branding of this book. I wanted A Retailer’s Guide to benefit from my other nonfiction (and even fiction!) as much as possible but still be different enough that it wouldn’t be confusing. Here’s what I did.

~I used the same color combinations on the cover but varied the style of the art considerably.

~I worked the word “FRUGAL” into the title so it could still be part of the HowToDoItFrugally brand name but I gave it a different series name of its own. “Survive and Thrive.”

~I used my picture on the cover. Those of you who have read The Frugal Book Promoter know that it is the author that is the most interesting aspect of any book - - fiction or nonfiction. Without the author, a book can’t be easily promoted and readers tend to follow authors they already know - - either for their voice in fiction or for their expertise in nonfiction.

~I gave A Retailer’s Guide a page of its own on my Web site but also mention it on my other FRUGAL pages.

There are probably other ways that I subconsciously cross - branded these books but these are the ones that you may be able to learn from. If you switch genres, you definitely won’t want to throw away the work you’ve done to gain name recognition but you also want to separate your new work from the old enough so that there won’t be too much confusion. I may not have entirely achieved what I was after, but I sure enough gave it a shot on a conscious level.

In many ways it was easier than the marketing I have done with my poetry and fiction. The crossover has been harder there. Still I often get asked about how to handle a Web site when an author writes in separate genres. The trick is balance. You don’t want to fragment your work so much that you have to market several different sites. At the same time, you want your site not to confuse but still allow your readers to surf other genres instead of only the one they came to the site to find.

You can do that easily by categorizing your work and using

1. separate pages for separate genres and

2. separate domain names that take people to different pages within your site.

Example: When I promote my poetry I lead readers to my site with this domain name: www.carolynhoward - johnson.com . When I promote my HowToDoItFrugally books I use www.howtodoitfrugally.com. I may now get another for retailing. I’m thinking about the domain name for that. Any ideas?

Happy Writing, Promoting and, Yes, Editing, Too!
Carolyn Howard - Johnson

PS: So, what if you don’t write in two genres and never intend to? Rethinking one’s brand almost always leads to new and different ways to promote. So, if your book’s sales have gotten a bit musty, reread this letter to you. The principles are at the very root of great promotion.


=====================================================
Please note the new Resource for Writers page on Contests at http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/contests.htm Follow the “Click Here’s to other valuable lists on my site. =====================================================


Letters - to - the Editor
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Dear Carolyn,
In your latest newsletter, you have an item about agents and following up with them. My experience with agents was mostly bad. Some even got annoyed when you followed up with them. Also, some book reviewers behaved the same way—“I’ll get to it when I have time!” Take a hint—if they are besieged with inquiries and get testy about yours, you can forget them.

It took me a while to figure out how agents operate. They get a manuscript, read a few pages, think it’s worth a shot, and send it out to their list of publishers with whom they have contacts. That process is lengthy, taking six weeks or more. It’s easy for your MSS to get lost in this shuffle.

The lonesome author is waiting with proverbial bated breath, thinking that his/her precious words are being carefully scrutinized by industry heavyweights. Unfortunately—NOT. Long ago it became a numbers game for agents—send out X number of manuscripts, get one contract. Those who have a stable of recognized authors don’t take on new clients. Publishers, such as they have become, don’t want to take chances with unknown authors.

The old Hollywood version of book savvy agents pleading with authors to write the next chapter, or wining and dining publishers to take on their latest offering, has long since passed. There is no test, no license needed to become an agent. Anyone can hang out their shingle and solicit manuscripts—and he will be inundated.

Before you go to your next writers’ conference and pay $10 or $20 to get face time with an agent, check the list to see who is featured, write to each of them to see if they are taking on new clients. I did this and found that absolutely none of the listed agents were interested in new talent. So, I asked myself, “Why are they going to these conferences and taking money from people when they aren’t at all interested?” You might be able to figure that one out for yourself.
Raff Ellis, Author
Kisses from a Distance
www.raffellis.com
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohsvMi - VCjI

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hello, Carolyn.

I've taken to searching for bloggers who might be willing to mention my books. I do so by carrying out an Internet search for an appropriate term and the word "blog". For example, for my novel about the painter Bronzino, I search for "Bronzino" and "blog".

When I find a suitable blog, I add an entry mentioning my book and giving the URL of the publisher's website for it.

So far, no blogger has rejected my entry.

Best wishes, Alan Fisk
Homepage: http://www.geocities.com/alanfisk/


=====================================================
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."
=====================================================


Tip: Phyllis Zimbler Miller and I are coauthoring a book proposal and have come up with an idea for exposing it to agents and publishers. In addition to the traditional submission process, we are presenting the proposal on a Web site. On that Web site will be a blog that traces our path toward publication and the idea of using a Web site to shop a book proposal. It may be edifying for some. Find it here: http://www.fictionmarketing.com/blog/


=====================================================
Please paste this little blurb - - perhaps with a little endorsement - - in your newsletter or website: To subscribe to Sharing with Writers send an e - mail with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line to HoJoNews@aol.com or go to www.howtodoitfrugally.com for an auto subscribe box. Ask for a f r ^ ^ classified ad on my Web site in return.
=====================================================


Tip: Here’s an easy tutorial on how to make a blog banner! http://shuurl.com/V4141


=====================================================
My blog, War, Peace, Tolerance and Our Soldiers is where I get to nag and rag and try to make things better for our troops and maybe for the world. I'd love to have you leave a comment. www.warpeacetolerance.blogspot.com
=====================================================


Tip: You know by now that I love Twitter. It really works for me. But here’s a Publisher’s Weekly article that will convince you - - or not. ( - : http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6647149.html?nid=3329


=================================================== Book Proposal Help: Phyllis Zimbler Miller and I ran a fun Tweetchat on book proposals, she edited it down for easier reading and posted it for those who missed it. There is lots of info in it on shopping your book to agents, too. Remember, you read tweet chats like you follow blogs. From the bottom up. http://budurl.com/bookprotweetchat Another book proposal help is “The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything You Need To Know To Sell Your Book in 20 Minutes or Less” for 49 cents at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000YG6O5U/ =====================================================


John Kremer’s Amazon Warning

Amazon Gets Stupid
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Letter from John Kremer

I received the following information from several authors today. Here is a good summary of Amazon's new enforcement policy from Cheryl Kaye Tardif:

"I am bcc'ing this to ALL my author friends because I really want you to have this information before Amazon deletes all your reviews.
A week ago I found that all 85 of the reviews I've written for other books had been deleted. It has been a very difficult and stressful week dealing with Amazon. They are not very accessible and I was given at least 3 different reasons for why my reviews had been deleted. After numerous e - mails, this is what it's come down to:
Their final ruling: "Please know that our participation guidelines don't allow customers to promote their own titles in their reviews." If you sign your review with anything other than your name, your reviews could be deleted.

"If any of you are in the habit of signing your reviews with something like "..., author of Whale Song", which has been common practice for years, Amazon has deemed this as "inappropriate" and will be deleting them. It seems they're on a campaign to go through reviews posted.

"They recently made changes to the Amazon Connect program and all our blogs were temporarily gone too. Most are back up.

"They also will delete your reviews if you have added the book link (that they supply) and directed it to your own book title's Amazon page. Many authors have used that in their signature line. It can lead to deletion and suspension, according to Amazon's latest email.

"I argued the fact that thousands of authors sign their reviews like this, and that it's common practice in our industry. I was told by my last publisher to sign my reviews like this; he even wanted us to include the ISBN, which I only did a couple of times then stopped. It made no difference to Amazon that this is what my publisher wanted me to do; they aren't accepting signatures with titles.

"Amazon is starting to take note of such practices and you'll get no notice; they'll just pull all the reviews you have written. That's what they did with me, even though many of my older reviews were signed with just my name.

"So to clarify, according to Amazon, when posting a review, you are not allowed to have a signature of anything more than your name, and NO links to or mention of your books whatsoever in the review or sig line.

"I am giving you the heads - up now so you can go in and edit your reviews if you choose. That's what I'd do, to be honest, because fighting with Amazon is not easy. There is no one who will talk to you by phone, and waiting for their response is not easy.

"This rule also applies to any comments you leave on a book review.

Amazon does not want authors to mention their own books anywhere on the review pages.

"I haven't heard from Amazon.ca yet, but I expect this will be funneled over to all the Amazons, so I'll be working on editing my reviews there next week.

"Please forward this on to all authors you know and any writing organizations or associations you belong to."

I think Cheryl's email sums up the problem with Amazon.com right now. How stupid can they be! How really, really stupid. This leaves the door open for someone to create an unAmazon that really serves authors
rather than exploits them brutally. Amazon is stupid. I want them to know that I think they are stupid. I hope they read this newsletter (which will be reposted
to my website). I think Amazon is incredibly stupid, stupid, stupid.

I really do hope someone creates an alternative. I do agree with them that reviews written only to insert your link do no good for the book buyer, the author, or Amazon. But legitimate reviews that reveal that the reviewer is an expert (a book author) should be
allowed, indeed should be highlighted. Amazon is stupid. The people at Amazon.com are imbeciles. Jeff Bezos is sleeping at the wheel. This is what happens when one website becomes too dominant. Watch out for Google next.

Start sending your customers to BN.com today.

Signed - - John Kremer, author, 1001 Ways to Market Your Books You can order my book at BN.com here: http://search. barnesandnoble.
com/1001 - Ways - to - Market - Your - Books/ John - Kremer/ e/9780912411491

From My Letter to John

John, you said policies like this open the door for "someone to create an unAmazon that really serves authors."

Well, I'm not big like Amazon but I've had a sort of "unAmazon" for a long time. Authors may submit their reviews (up to one a month) to my www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. I let them put a nice tag/credit on their review. It's a great way to recycle (get more exposure) for your old reviews, too, and the authors themselves can submit reviews to me themselves as long as they get permission from their reviewers. If you decide to use this in your newsletter, please ask your readers to observe the guidelines in the left column where they'll find the e - mail address to send the reviews to, the format, etc. I need submissions to be pretty much a copy and paste process because, unlike Amazon (ahem!), I'm not automated.

BTW, I'm not going back to fix any of my Amazon reviews. I'm a vine review for Amazon and will be cautious about credits in the future but as for back reviews. Nope. Not going there. It's time consuming and I have better things to do with that precious commodity. A few years ago, Amazon deleted all my Listmanias with the same excuse, too commercial. It seems they don't know that THEY are in the business of SELLING books, too! I even used my Listmanias as references for the classes I teach at UCLA. It was such a handy way to recommend books on the subjects I was teaching and still build traffic for my lists. I view it as their loss. There are other ways to promote. Your 1001 Ways, my book and many others are full of them. If they take down my reviews, I will simply move on.

I’ve long recommended writing reviews as a good way for new authors to build a platform. There are many venues other than Amazon available for that. MyShelf.com is looking for reviewers. Norm Goldman at BookPleasures.com may be open to taking you on. BN.com and Powells (http://www.powells.com/) both allow authors to post their reviews of others’ books as do many other online bookstores. So, go for it!

Oh! Also look up Mayra Calvani’s The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing (note I’m not including the Amazon link - - I’m a little ticked this morning, but I get over those things fast!) and the section in your copy of The Frugal Book Promoter which gives tips on using reviews to help others, to network, and to promote your book.
CHJ


===================================================== So you got As in English. You know grammar and spelling. That's great but an editor of you those skills alone 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. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0978515870/
=====================================================


Tweet Tip: Follow everyone who follows you unless they tweet pornography and you hate pornography. You get the idea. As your list gets bigger, sort out the ones who tweet really valuable stuff by using www.tweetdeck.com. I put that off, but it becomes essential. I promise you.


===================================================== Recently Yvonne Perry, owner of WritersintheSky Creative Services, and I chatted about editing, everything from em - dashes to why what works on the Web doesn't work for you book's manuscript. Yvonne offers you the F r ^ ^ podcast on her blog: http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com/2008/12/do - you - have - questions - about - editing.html. You'll find other f r ^^ podcasts on writing on her blog, too.
=====================================================


Opportunities
F r ^ ^ Learning from Penny Sansevieri ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Penny Sansevieri proves f r ^ ^ classes at her AME university. You can even catch up on past classes at http://bookmkr.audioacrobat.com/download/49713933 - a2ef - a9f6 - 4f98 - 376f0809e90b.mp3


New Conference on Historical St. Simon’s Island, GA ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Plan a fantastic vacation at a great resort in a historic part of the country and hear me speak, too. That makes your vacation, at least in part, a tax deduction. Ha! You know you want to do this! It’s Scribblers’ Retreat Writers Conference at Sea Palms Resort, St. Simons Island, Georgia, November 12 - 15, 2009 “Novels, Short Stories, Etc.” Other featured speakers are: Chris Rumble, Lois Ruby, Len d’Eon, Prof. Richard Krevolin, Julie Grimm, and Patricia Patterson. Contact Jeanie Pantelakis at 1 - 800 - 996 - 290 or go to www.scribblersretreatwritersconference.com for more information.


=====================================================
No part of this newsletter is paid advertising. If you would like to advertise to subscribers, display ads are available at http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/advertising.htm at less per year than most sites charge for a single month. Find classified there, too.
=====================================================


Tech From Phyllis Zimbler Miller

A great way to know what kind of response you are getting from your tweets on Twitter (or your updates elsewhere) is to create a budurl.com for a particular blog post or product.

You sign up for the free account option and make sure you’re in your account when you create the budurl. Choose your 20 characters or less wisely. I created http://budurl.com/bookmarketarticles to send people to the book marketing articles page of my company website. Here’s an example of an effective tweet for getting people’s attention:

@FrugalBookPromo Are you looking for book marketing ideas? See http://budurl.com/bookmarketarticles

Note that I’ve written the topic in the tweet and that my budurl also has a shortened version of the topic. That’s two chances to hook someone’s attention.

I retweet a budurl like this one every so often because often I see people asking for book marketing ideas. And, here’s the big thing! My Budurl account shows me the cumulative number of people who have clicked through on this specific budurl.

Phyllis Zimbler Miller
MILLER MOSAIC, LLC
www.CalltoActionWebsites.com
www.MrsLieutenant.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/ZimblerMiller


=====================================================
Subscribers who have websites or newsletters of their own may be interested
in the F r ^^ Articles 4 Readers and Writers on my site, http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/free_content.htm 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.
=====================================================


Tip: It isn’t nice to fool Mother Nature. So quit sending your readers to your home page when you want them to find something specific on your site. They may get frustrated and leave (and be miffed at you or your site when they do!). Give them the exact URL of the page you want them to see. Successful authors, publicists, and promoters know they ultimately are here to serve their audience, not tick them off.


=====================================================
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
=====================================================


On Poetry
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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

This week I thought you’d like to see a poem about a poet. I hope it comes though on your computer with the line breaks as they are supposed to be. You’ll see it is inspired by an everyday occurrence - - seeing a movie.

Pleading for Sylvia’s Last Poem©

(Upon seeing the film Sylvia)

By Carolyn Howard - Johnson

Poet friends warn me against pointing a pen at Sylvia,
her magic too great, this shaman, this woman who uses words
like a wand. But a muse, not one that breathes the same ether
as Sylvia’s, not even a muse but a brute, insistent, a chronic
nightmare, forces me to revisit that moment after lovemaking,
between the time Ted and Sylvia, Sylvia and Ted, entwine
like a marble sculpture of Laocőon, coiled serpent limbs,
that pause before this dawn when Sylvia folds a bleached
towel to cushion her head, the oven ready. This expectant space.

This moment. I pack our wagon, pile shabby baggage
where children squealed and bickered only that morning,
hum by the time I get to Phoenix. A futile deed. Sylvia
never allowed herself such drivel. Detached, no cry for sympathy
the critics said. That time between decision and duty, that last confusion,
her head upon her laureate’s chest, believing in his love for her,
perhaps understanding how her own conjured images of faithlessness
compelled his infidelity, her defenses melted now, April slush.
Then her first unsummoned pain, she abhors this irony;
he is true to his lover’s unborn child with two of his and her own
in the room beyond, their cheeks flushed in sleep, she and they flotsam,
rising, falling on the surface of his needs with no watery vein to guide her.

Elsewhere. If she had poured self pity onto a page, in those minutes
before she places an offering on an alter to her children, closes and tapes
their door, if in that last manic moment she had whined, defenses down,
unafraid the critics might say sentimental, if she had shown
for once she didn’t care, those words would not be gestures, sodden grass
accepting whomever’s footprints. Knowing her heart in that instant
the rest of us might careen our aging Oldsmobiles down mountain curves,
never turning back.


=====================================================
Endorsement: I wanted to tell you how your workshops, reading your newsletter, and just chatting with you has been a great help to me. I have a background in marketing from the fashion world and even though it has helped me get my foot in the door, I honestly have to say that after getting to know you, reading your books, and everything else I just said has truly helped me put Stories for Children Magazine on the map. ~ VS Grenier, Founder and Editor - in - Chief Stories for Children Magazine. http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org.
=====================================================


Feature

Score! Get those rights back! New Paths to Explore ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

By Randy Platt

Just because a publisher 'gives up' on a book, does not mean we have to give up. Get a reversion of rights letter from your publisher. This usually includes the original copyright certificate.

The minute your book goes out of print and you get those rights back, start again!

I just sold audio rights to three of my YA novels, considered by the publishers to be dead ducks. Score! Two out of three of those 'dead ducks' have been optioned for feature film. Think of the possibilities IF/WHEN those films get made! I will also look into e - books for Kindle or other handheld reading devices. Foreign rights are a bit more difficult to figure out, but as long as there is print on that page, there is life in that book! And don't forget large print and the Authors Guild's Back In Print program. Score!

Try to get as many copies of your books as you can before your book goes out of print.

How? When doing a book signing, make sure the bookstore orders A LOT of books - far more than you think you can sell, with the understanding that you will buy the unsold copies at their discount, usually forty percent. Why? The books show up as 'sales' on your royalty statement (and you get your royalty percentage), the bookstore does not have to send them back (less work for them and less wear and tear on the books) and you start to build an inventory of books which, after the book goes out of print, you can sell or use as copies to score other deals. And, if you are offered remaindered copies, grab them up! I check my older titles on 'used' book sites every now and then and buy what are obviously remaindered and therefore 'new' copies. Some are still in their shrink wrapped bundles. Score!

Remember, with the release of every subsequent novel, you can breathe life into your older titles and continue to score!
- - - - - - - Randall Platt,author of audios soon available from Books In Motion: HONOR BRIGHT, THE LIKES OF ME, and THE CORNERSTONE
Coming this November! HELLIE JONDOE from Texas Tech University Press. So just who is this HELLIE JONDOE? A tough street Arab, a seasoned pickpocket and a small girl in big trouble. There’s a time to cut and run and there’s a time to stay and fight - knowing which takes savvy and guts. It also takes heart - all found deep down inside HELLIE JONDOE. So you’ve been warned about that HELLIE JONDOE - she’s a girl who can pick your pocket, lift your watch and just possibly steal your heart.
Randall Platt writes fiction for adults and young adults and people who don't own up to being either. Find out why at http://www.plattbooks.com



=====================================================
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.
=====================================================


Author Successes

Leora Krygier is MyShelf Author of the Month
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Subscriber Leora Krygier, is both juvenile court judge and author. She was just named Author of the Month at MyShelf.com http://www.myshelf.com/aom/09/lkrygier.htm. Her book, Juvenile Court, should be a staple in every home with tweens or teen - agers.


Radio Host Connie Gotsch Releases Children’s Book
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~Artemesia Publishing announces the 2009 release of Belle's Star a youth novel by Farmington, New Mexico author Connie Gotsch. Written from a dog's point of view, Belle's Star empowers children ages 8 to 12 to build new lives after escaping bullying and abuse or other difficult situations. Award winning joumalist and retired Farmington, New m\Mexico elementary school counselor Margaret Cheasebro has designed an activities booklet for Belle's Star. The booklet will be available in downloadable form upon purchase of the novel from Artemesia Publishing. The guide can assist in community, school and family sessions designed to help elementary school students understand abuse and deal with it. Veterinarians, pet store owners, and animal shelter workers can use the guide to promote pet care. Pre order Belle’s Star at apbooks.net


=====================================================
Available: http://www.tri - studio.com/audiodivas.html from Audio Divas on many aspects of building a writing career. Here is the page where you'll find the full list of the writer - related ones at http://www.tri - studio.com/writers.html. Titles include Contest Facts: How to Add “Award - winning” to Your Name, Do It Yourself Indexing: The Way to Sell Your Book to Libraries, Schools and Anyone Else That Buys Nonfiction, Fury and Destruction: How to Use Violence Effectively in Your Writing, and more.
=====================================================


Feature


Recession - Fighting Promotion
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
By VH Melville

The last time I contributed to Sharing with Writers I told you about good books on PR and about making low - cost bookmarks. Here are a few other money - saving ideas.

1. Make an idea file of cheap promotion ideas. Start with your favorites from The Frugal Book Promoter.

2. Create a web award. People like awards and a good web award might promote your site or blog and in turn promote your book.

3. Create a free newsletter and trade free ads with likeminded people.

4. It's not a war for publicity. The competition is really your ally. If you write literature you could create a literature - promoting club for lit writers. Joining with others can save a lot of PR money. It wouldn't make sense to mix genres like romance and picture books, so be selective. Also be careful because some people's egos are their worst enemies. I've seen pr groups destroyed and nearly destroyed because of one person and too few clear rules.

5. Talk to your publisher about running a bundle sale. A slight discount of older tiles if purchased together with a newer title might convince people to purchase a book they had been considering for a long time.

6. Find hooks in your book. You have a charterer who is eco - friendly so you promote to green groups. You might have one who grows vegetables so you promote to gardening clubs or a kid's club. If your protagonist is a guy who loves candy that might give you an in to sign at at a candy store. Many books, even literary novels, have such tie ins. My sci fi comedy Death Toys for Quasar (http://diskuspublishing.com/vhmelville.html) has a character who promotes futuristic waterless showers. It has a character who has lost a lot of weight and struggles with diet, exercise, and body image. Those characters are calling to me to promote in different ways than I have before.

7. Create your own writing award. This project will help promote you and writers you know. I used to sponsor an award for the children's e - book hall of fame because there were few children's e - book awards. If you are a literature writer create a literature award. If you write poetry create a poetry reward. Mine had no entry free and I offered just a few token e - book downloads along with a webpage and media release as prizes.
- - - - - -
VH Melville
Lives in the state of confusion and has a novel Death Toys for Quasar
published by Diskus Publishing


=====================================================
Yes, I do consult. I tailor my fees to your needs - - everything from coaching to full edits (sorry no partial edits) to hour consultation so help you with your marketing campaign or your path to publishing. http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/consulting.htm
=====================================================


Tip: Joan Stewart writes in her inimitable style about how focused Twitter can be - - and precisely how to focus! http://publicityhound.net/social - networking - roi - a - testimonial - more - valuable - than - an - ad/


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Thank Yous


Thanks to Dianne Sagan . . .
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
. . .for including running two blogs on my Frugal books for writers. http://diannesagan.wordpress.com/2009/04/03/why - you - need - to - get - carolyn - howard - johnsons - frugal - books/


=====================================================
If you're starting your own blog or want to market the one you have or focus it better here’s a f r ^^ chapter from Phyllis Zimbler Miller’s and my coming book. Download it now at http://budurl.com/bloggingchapter. =====================================================


Cheryl Answering: YOU Asking

Buzz Factor or Are You Feeling the Buzz? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
(This is a new monthly feature for Sharing with Writers. If you would like to ask Cheryl a question, please send it to cpickett@publishinganswers.com . Put Sharing with Writers Question in the subject line.)

Question:

A lot of authors seem to be using and recommending CreateSpace.com lately, it appears to be pretty popular. Is it a good way to go?

Cheryl’s Answer:

I agree that CreateSpace has been getting quite a bit of buzz lately within many writing communities. While sometimes popularity is an indication of quality, whether it's ultimately right for you depends on several factors, not just the buzz factor. Here are just three things you should consider in order to make a solid decision:

1.If you use an ISBN from Createspace, you are in the pay to publish/ POD publishing category just like with iUniverse and the myriad of others that you're probably aware of. Are you clear on how such companies work and the pros and cons in general? Most of them will apply here too.

2. If you use an ISBN from CreateSpace, your book will be available for sale on Amazon and through their storefront if you set that up. You could also link to these from your own Web site. However, it will not be available even for special purchase through other outlets like Barnes & Noble. CreateSpace also offers little to no help with promotion. Does that fit your marketing plan? Are you skilled in and fully prepared to handle publicity and sales yourself?

3. CreateSpace can also simply be used as a print vendor if you want to go the independent self - publishing route. Do you understand the difference and know exactly why one fits better in your plans than the other?

CreateSpace is definitely a viable option and many authors have had good experiences with it. Just be sure that if you go for it, you're doing it for all the right reasons, not just because you're feeling a little "buzzed".
- - - - - - -
Cheryl Pickett has been a freelance writer for almost a decade. Her new book, Publishing Possibilities: 8 Steps to Understanding Your Options & Choosing the Best Path for Your Book, helps authors publish with less stress and more success. Find out more about the book and Cheryl's other services at http://www.publishinganswers.com


=====================================================
The semi - annual AllTips edition is now in the works. Please send me your best tip for writing or promotion AND please let your fellow writers know now is the time to subscribe to Sharing with Writers - - so they don’t miss it. Send an e - mail with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line to hojonews@aol.com.
=====================================================



Tip: If you are ready to publish your first book or considering another publishing path for your second, you will want to read my review of Publishing Possibilities by Cheryl Pickett. The review is on the Writer Advice site edited by Lynn Good at http://writeradvice.com/hooked.html#pubpossibility


=====================================================
This is an example of one of my Twitters: "@FrugalBookPromo New trend? Borders to buy nonreturnable books from HarperStudio in return for a deeper discount." My tweets cover everything from news to more tips and resources all in 140 characters or less. If you don’t want to Tweet, at least follow me. Make a profile page and invite www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo. =====================================================


Tip: Has the blog learning curve kept you from starting one of you own? If Before you give up, go to http://www.fictionmarketing.com/ and opt in for the f r ^ ^ article my writing partner Phyllis Zimbler Miller and I just wrote. It is the chapter we will submit with a book proposal we are writing. (If you need help with your book proposal go to http://www.budurl.com/bookprposalreport on Amazon for a 49 cent copy of “The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything You Need To Know To Sell Your Book in 20 Minutes or Less.”


=====================================================
The New Book Review is a service of this newsletter. 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.
=====================================================


An Itty - Bitty Column on Writing

Using The Senses in Writing
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
By Mindy Phillips Lawrence

Curled up on my couch, I sat reading a book by the founder of the Stress Reduction Center at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, meditation teacher Jon Kabat - Zinn. In it, he has a chapter on each one of the senses and how they are used, both individually and collectively, in meditation. In one chapter, he described nothing but the sounds he heard when he was outside. Another chapter began with his vivid description of what he saw. When you read these passages, although you are not there, you are there.

Several years ago, I went to the Iowa Summer Writer’s Festival and took a class from Sands Hall on Writing with the Senses. It was a tremendous, eye - opening lesson. As an actor, writer, dancer and playwright, Hall had us enthralled with her words and hooked on how to use the senses in our work.

When we think “sensual,” we usually think about sex. That’s only one tiny aspect of sensual writing. When we describe a car, or a meadow, or a person, we write with the senses. Although this can be overdone, when we get a handle on how to use it effectively, writing with the senses pulls readers into the story, into where we are and who or what we are writing about.

I’ve listed a few sites below for you to ponder. Why not go out with a pen and paper, instead of paints, and color what you see with words? It’s finally spring! There should be a lot to “paint.”

LIST

Sand’s Hall at the Iowa Summer Writer’s Festival
http://www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/iswfest/html/instructor/Hall.html

Jon Kabat - Zinn - Coming to Our Senses (Hyperion, 2005)
http://www.amazon.com/Coming - Our - Senses - Ourselves - Mindfulness/dp/0786867566/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237670441&sr=8 - 1

Using the Five Sense to Enhance Your Writing
http://ezinearticles.com/?Using - the - Five - Senses - to - Enhance - Your - Writing&id=180036

The Quintessence – Writing with All Five Senses
http://www.creativemindscollective.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60:quintessence&catid=43:meeting - handouts&Itemid=66

Jon Kabat - Zinn Asks Us to Come to Our Senses
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA484806.html

Poetry Writing Exercises for the Senses
http://www.writingforward.com/writing - exercises/poetry - writing - exercises/poetry - writing - exercises - senses

Stress Reduction Center
http://www.umassmed.edu/content.aspx?id=41252

=====================================================


Carolyn's Appearances and Teaching
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Carolyn Howard - Johnson will be on a panel at UCLA’s Career Day on Wednesday, April 22, 7 - 9 pm at the UCLA Career Center, 502 Westwood Plaza, LA, CA. The topic is “Writing Careers: So You Think You Can … Write” For more information contact John G. Taborn, Ph.D. at 310 206 1025. Or go to www.career.ucla.edu.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Watch for a new podcast on writing The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything You Need To Know To Sell Your Book in 20 Minutes or Less (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000YG6O5U/ ) at Authors Access’s great, f r ^ ^ service for writers in June. In the meantime, find an old one on book promotion we did on book promotions at http://authorsaccess.com/archives/90. It was their most listened - to podcast last year.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Carolyn Howard - Johnson will sign a new chapbook of poetry She Wore Emerald Then: Reflections on Motherhood as well as her other books, including the HowToDoItFrugally series of books, at the world renowned LA Times/UCLA Festival of Books the last weekend in April, 2009, on the UCLA Campus. http://www.latimes.com/extras/festivalofbooks/ To learn more about a signing position for yourself next year (at a special earlybird price) , contact Christine Alexanians at chalexwrite@yahoo.com.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Carolyn Howard - Johnson will be presenting two seminars at the National Stationery Show, one on Monday, May 18, called "Move Upward in a Down Market with Free Publicity Exposure and Money - Making In - Store Promotions" and the other, "Grow Your Business Online for No $$$," on Tuesday, May 19. This is a huge show a la Book Expo America! for stationery retailers and will be at Javits Center in Manhattan. She'll also be publishing a new book for her HowToDoItFrugally series, this time for retailers. Many of the marketing principles are the same, though. ( - :

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Book Launch: Carolyn Howard - Johnson will launch Monday, May 18, at 9:30 AM at the National Stationery Show at Javits Center, NY, NY. Carolyn will present to the retail trade and sign A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In - Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. One of Carolyn’s HowToDoItFrugally books, this retail - focused how - to book will be the first in a Survive and Thrive series utilizing Carolyn’s nearly three decades experience as founder and operator of a chain of gift and home décor stores. Learn more at http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.redenginepress.com/frugal_in - store_promotions.htm
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Carolyn Howard - Johnson will speak on how editing is one of the most important parts of your book promotion with "Query Letters as Promotion: Let's Make Them Picture Perfect!" at International Conference PROMO DAY! on Saturday, May 9 at 9 am Pacific Time. The conference is broadcast from Rome, Italy so check your time conversion tables carefully to be sure you join the seminars at the right time. http://jolinsdell.tripod.com/promoday/. PROMO DAY! is an all day international online event for people in the writing industry. There are lots of new features for the 2009 event including a workshop chatroom.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For the first time, Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles and Mystery Writers of America/SoCal are joining forces to present a new venture, the California Crime Writers Conference, to be held June 13 - 14 at the Pasadena Hilton, Pasadena, CA. The conference is titled “Breaking In & Breaking Out: Plotting the Write Course,” and is the next incarnation of the successful No Crime Unpublished conference held biannually by Sisters in Crime/LA. Carolyn Howard - Johnson will be presenting a class on “Marketing Your Book Online” on Saturday June 13 at 9 am. The time is to be announced. The public is welcome. Learn more at http://www.sistersincrimela.com/ccwc.htm.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Carolyn Howard - Johnson will teach “Creating a Promotion Campaign for Your Fiction or Nonfiction Book.” A one - day seminar, it will meet on the UCLA campus’ School of Public Affairs Building (Room 2317) Saturday, August 1, 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Reg# U9836B

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mark October 12 to 18 on your calendar for The Muse Online Writers Conference cosponsored by Lea Schizas and Carolyn Howard - Johnson:

We are now taking reservations for the conference. More to come on my presentations there at http://themuseonlinewritersconference.com/. This year we’ve added pitch sessions: http://www.themuseonlinewritersconference.com/2009workshops.htm

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Carolyn Howard - Johnson will speak on writing picture - perfect query letters at the November session of Scribblers' Retreat Writers' Conference, www.scribblersretreatwritersconference.com at Sea Palms Resort, St. Simons Island, Georgia. Scribblers Retreat Writers’ Conference offers four conferences of specifically chosen genres throughout the year. It is brand new and one of the few chances I will speak on the East Coast in 2009.



=====================================================
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.
=====================================================



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.)

“FULL NAME: What you call your child when you're mad at him/her.”


~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~
=================================================
~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~

Essential Book and Record Keeping:

Sharing with Writers is edited and distributed by Carolyn Howard - Johnson,http://www.howtodoitfrugally.com. and proofread by Mindy Phillips Lawrence.

This is a place to share with others and learn from others.

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

Ordering Information:
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 or at Amazon where it is discounted:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/193299310X/qid=1149015406/sr=2 - 1/ Order it as an e - book at http://starpublishllc.com/id43.html

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
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/

A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In - Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques is available on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1441467246/

To learn more about This Is the Place,
Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered, Tracings, and She Wore Emerald Then: www.carolynhoward - johnson.com.

She Wore Emerald Then: Reflections on Motherhood is available on Amazon. It is coauthored by Magdalena Ball. http://www.amazon.com/She - Wore - Emerald - Then - Reflections/dp/1438263791/

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/

Contact Information
Websites: http://carolynhoward - Johnson.com (literary)
http://HowToDoItFrugally.com (all things about writing)

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

Blogs:

http://www.SharingwithWriters.blogspot.com, a blog on all things publishing

http://www.TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com, all things grammatical and ungrammatical

http://www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog focused on YOUR reviews

http://www.TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com, a blog focused on editing, formatting and craft

http://www.warpeacetolerance.blogspot.com War. Peace. Tolerance. And Our Soldiers.

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