Authors Access

On October 15th, 2009 Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman spoke with greeting card and gift industry maven Kate Harper. Kate Harper started her line of humorous greeting card from a hobby of making greeting cards for friends as gifts. Over the next 15 years, Kates turned her hobby into a business, manufacturing and shipping cards to over 2,000 stores, including Barnes & Noble, Whole Foods Markets and the Papyrus chain. She informed us on key areas of getting started as a writer or self-publisher of greeting cards, including:* Card terends: research, seasonal cards, occasional cards, and publishers* What subject areas and categories to focus on, how to stay organized* Test marketing your cards and card verse.* Seven most common mistake card writers will make* Why competition in the card business is vastly over-estimated

On November 5th, 2009 Tyler R. Tichelaar and Victor R. Volkman spoke with Toronto-based educator and print, radio, and TV journalist Donna Kakonge about how any writer can successfully refocus their work into the freelance journalism marketplace. She believes that you CAN break into the journalism business without having to have a specialist bachelors degree in the subject. Donna has been involved in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and Radio Canada International (RCI) on and off for 15 years at the local, national and international levels of both television and radio. She has also worked for the Discovery Channel and Discovery Channel International, Vision TV, the BBC and various publications around the world. Key talking points of tonights talk were:* How can I educate myself to start a career in journalism?* What important trade associations can help me on my journey?* Besides book writing, what other kinds of journalism are out there now today?* Should I establish some sort of business identity

On November 19th, 2009 Victor R. Volkman and Irene Watson interviewed media release guru Paul Krupin about whether Press Releases are still revelant to marketing your books in 2009. Krupin is the author of numerous books about publicity, search engines, and other topics. His latest book Trash Proof News Releases is also available as a free eBook download. We covered a wide-range of talking points, including* So What Exactly Is A News Release?* Why Is This So Hard To Do? What Makes This So Special?* So What Exactly Do Media People Look For When They Receive A News Release?* So What Do You Need To Do To Write A News Release That Really Works & Truly Gets Media Attention?* How do you know when youre ready?* What Specifically Should Authors Do To Create This Galvanizing Candy This Magic Script .* What is the Magic Formula (DPAA+H)? (Dramatic Personal Achievement in the face of Adversity, plus a little Humor)* Which Are Better For Authors To Aim At Book Reviews Or Feature Stories & Why?* How do you know

On December 5th, 2009 Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman interviewed author and editor Debbie Herald on writing for the erotic romance marketplace. Debbie Herald is an author and Editor currently working for Lyrical Press. Her two most recent books are Perfect Game and Sweet Dreams, available from BookStrand paperback and on Amazon Kindle formats under the pseudonymn Jordana Ryan. Among questions which Debbie answered for us were: What makes a good erotic romance? What is the difference between erotic romance and pornography? pseudonymns If a writer uses naughty words does that automatically make it erotic romance? If you write erotic romance can you branch out to difference sub genres with success? What makes erotic romance so highly successful in epublishing? Is there a standard for how much sex should go into an erotic romance? As an editor what do you like to see in a sex scene? What pushes the boundaries if anything in erotic romance?

On January 8th, 2010, we convened a roundtable discussion on Podcasting for Authors with Victor R. Volkman, Irene Watson, and Alan E. Smith. Each of the principals invited has been recording and distributing podcasts for several years through Authors Airwaves, Inside Scoop Live, and UnBreak Your Health, and podcast programs respectively. Our discussion ranged through a wide variety of subjects from production to promotion to book tie-ins and of course, getting started.1. How did you get into podcasting?2. Is it hard to do, do I have to learn a lot of stuff?3. Should I use blogtalkradio or do-it-myself?4. How do I get guests, what do I talk about?5. How do I promote the podcast?6. What is RSS.XML and stuff like that7. How can I tie my book into the podcast without making it an endless infomercial?8. Can I integrate or interweave my book and podcast content?9. How do I measure success?10. What about audio quality? tips

On January 22nd, 2010 Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman spoke with book marketing guru Dana Lynn Smith about exploiting the potential of Twitter for marketing your books. Dana Lynn Smith, owner of Texana Publishing Consultants, LLC, has 15 years of experience in publishing and 25 years of marketing experience. She specializes in developing marketing plans for nonfiction books and teaching authors how to promote their books online. She is the author of The Savvy Book Marketer Guides, a series of ebooks on book marketing topics. Talking points include: How does Twitter work Why do you think Twitter is a valuable tool for authors? What common mistakes do you see authors making on Twitter? Twitter profile for a minute what suggestions can you offer? Can you give us some tips for attracting followers on Twitter? A lot of people who use Twitter wonder what they should be tweeting about. Can you give us some suggestions? I know there are several different types of messages that can be sent

On Feb 4th 2010 Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman spoke with web media and book publicist expert Jamie Saloff on common pitfalls of author/book websites and simple, easy, and inexpensive ways to get more conversions from your web hits into book sales.  Jamie is the site owner for www.PolkaDotBanner.com an author-helping-author website designed to help authors gain visibility for their books. She also maintains several other sites she built and designed, including the site for Pennwriters, a regional multi-genre writers organization, where she is the Web Committee Chair.  In this wide-ranging discussion, some key talking points included: What are the high real estate values and high productivity areas of your website? How does art direct the eye and how can I use it to my advantage? Why are color and lighting important? How is reading a website different from reading a magazine or book? How does my website reflect who I am and why it is important? How to use multi

On February 19th, 2010 Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman spoke with fulltime freelance writer, proofreader, and editor Ernest Dempsey.  He shared encouraging information on how you can get started in the fun and profitable art of freelance writing.  In addition to having written 4 books, he is now the editor-in-chief of the literary magazine Recovering the Self: A Journal of Hope and Healing and also works as the country editor for Pakistan on the celebrated Internet news channel Instablogs.com.  He shared with us on the following points: Where are some places that I can go to look for freelance web writing? Is it ghost writing or does sometimes my name get shown? What about being a Foreign Correspondent for a news organization in another country? How does getting paid work? How do you manage personal time, schedules, and deadlines? What types of writing projects are available: interviews, reviews, tutorials and how well does each pay relative to the others How have y

On March 4th, 2010 Irene Watson moderated a roundtable with Tyler R. Tichelaar and Victor R. Volkman on how to successfully sell your books at conferences, craft shows, and regional, seasonal, and special interest fairs.   Tyler specializes in working regional craft and seasonal fairs and has achieved some remarkably good results.  Victor exhibits at professional conferences for social workers, psychologists, and mental health fairs.  Together, they addressed the following issues: Managing bathroom breaks Dealing with show management  Supplies You May Want to Buy as an exhibitor: tables, tablecloths, acrylic book stands and signholders, posters, Directors Chair, Tschokte items (pens, post-it notes, to give away), The Fine Print: watch out for proof-of-insurance, mandatory carpet purchase, furniture rental, and more Indoor vs. outdoor shows: foot traffic, weather, customers, pros and cons How to lure people to your booth Being prepared for any situation Off

On March 18th, 2010 Tyler R. Tichelaar and Victor R. Volkman spoke with veteran author and publisher Walt Shiel about some of the most confusing topics for the self-publishing newcomer: print book design, typesetting, indexing, and even eBook production. Walts publishing company, Slipdown Mountain, has published three novels, two military history titles, two other nonfiction titles, and one short story collection. Its subsidiary Five Rainbows Services for Authors and Publishers was spun off to meet the demand for assistance from self-publishers. Walt addressed some of these key points in todays interview: Book Design & Typesetting  * Is there any difference between designing a book and typesetting it?  * What are the key decisions a book designer must make?  *  Isnt typesetting just pouring the text into the typesetting software, adding some formatting, and letting the software work its magic?E-Book Design  *  Does design and/or typesetting matte

On April 1, 2010 Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman interviewed veteran cartoonist and graphic artist Marie Davis on the nuts-and-bolts of this exciting creative visual endeavor.    Marie is the creator of three comic strips which have run as long as 14 years in syndication: Kentucky Tales, She saidShe said, and Besos. We covered a wide range of topics in cartooning, including Cartoons as educational tools How to get started on cartooning Building a portfolio and finding your creative voice Non-traditional outlets for cartoon work: businesses, book illustrations, and more. Coloringhow it works Cartoon grammarthe 1 panel, 3 panel, and 6 panel strips Finding a mentor

On April 15th, 2010 Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman interviewed poet, author, and performance artist Janet Grace Riehl about recording, producing, and marketing audiobook versions of eBooks and print publications. Her book Sightlines: A Poets Diary, told in story poems, was recently made into an audio book Sightlines: A Family Love Story in Poetry and Music. Twice selected as finalist for Poet Laureate of Lake County, California and a member of Authors Guild, her poems, stories and essays are published in national literary magazines and several anthologies.

On May 6th 2010, Tyler R. Tichelaar and Victor R. Volkman spoke with successful nonfiction author and speaker Jonathan Maxwell. He is the author of Murderous Intellectuals: German Elites and the Nazi SS (2009). Jonathan has tirelessly promoted his books at bookstores, libraries, museums, colleges, and K-12 schools. Today, he shared his wisdom about The Importance of Making Public Appearances (sales, marketing, buzz) Alternatives to Public Appearances (reviews) Obtaining Public Appearances (libraries, schools and colleges, museums, bookstores) Charging Fees (why, when and how much) Becoming a great speaker(tips and tricks)

On May 20th, 2010 Tyler R. Tichelaar and Victor R. Volkman spoke with Manhattan literary agent Katharine Sands of the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency. She helped educate us on the basics of good pitchcraft, including What is pitching? Why is pitching your work so important? Why there is such a relentless emphasis on platforming a book What are some rules for pitching a book? How does self-publishing play into this equation? What do I need to know about becoming a full-time nonfiction author

On May 3rd, 2010 Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman spoke with artist, author, and book video director/producer Kim McDougal of Blazing Trailers.  Kim has produced more than 100 book video trailers and hosts more than a thousand of them on BlazingTrailers. She shared her hard won experience in producing and also critiquing these latest promotional marketing tools.  Her laser-sharp focus in marketing really showed us what does and doesnt work for videos.  Some talking points included: Why make a book video trailer? What makes a good trailer (good, bad, or ugly)? How do I use my trailer effectively? Can I include a Special offer in my video? Walk us through a typical experience with you working with an author Should I make my own trailer or have someone make it for me?

 This evening we chatted about the how and why of book contests including: Whats the purpose of entering a contest? What kinds of contests are out there? How are contests judged? How do I enter a contest? What can I do with the awards? What about poetry and short-story contests? How do I choose a category that I can win in? Local, regional, vs. national contests: is bigger always better? Whats a reasonable fee for entering my book? What about contests where everyone is a winner?

 OConnor Communications gets people into the news through radio and TV interviews, newspaper and magazine article placement, blog, social media and internet marketing, and media campaigns. In our wide-ranging discussion we covered the following points in detail: Why do you need to promote your book and yourself? Why every book is promotable When and how to get started Giving traditional media what they want Mass mailings and target marketing Social media and Internet Marketing What a publicist can do for you

On July 22nd, 2010 Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman spoke with Shel Horowitz, author, marketing consultant and copywriter who works with authors and publishers. A veteran of the 1977 Seabrook occupation, his first book, written when he was only 22, was about why nuclear power makes no sense. He visited with us to share some secrets from his 8th book Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green: Winning Strategies to Improve Your Profits and Your Planet (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, co-authored with Mr. Guerrilla Marketing himself, Jay Conrad Levinson). Specifically, Shel informed us on: How does ethical/green marketing differ from ordinary marketing? How can an author put together a green book event? What green options are physically available in terms of paper and book production? Does green marketing cost more, if not, why not? Where should I start and how can I get my customers to notice and to care? How can cooperative marketing create green results? How do I get started going green?

On August 4th, Irene Watson and Tyler R. Tichelaar spoke with university press publisher Mark Long. He has a BA from the University of Texas at Austin and an MA from the University of North Texas, both in English. In 2004, after teaching for ten years, he oversaw the formation of TSTC Publishing, the publishing arm of the Texas State Technical College System.  Mark Long shared his wisdom about: Manuscript/project acquisition (what we look for in proposals): market analysis, author credentials, ease of marketing/sales efforts The textbook sales cycle: summer (research), fall (pre-sell), spring (adoption season) Printing considerations: offset vs. POD Marketing/Sales: how we publicize and sell books: facebook, blogs, email newsletters, trade shows, direct mail pieces, inside sales/cold calling How authors make money: royalties vs. work-for-hire agreements (plus, as well, what publishers pay for vs. authors Future of college (textbook) publishing: ebooks, enhanced ebooks, and apps

On August 19th, 2010 Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman spoke with financial adviser and author James P. Studinger. He is the author of Wealth Is a Choice, and owner of the JPStudinger Group, a wealth-management company. Studinger wrote this book to create a road map for his children to follow should anything happen to him. This passion blossomed into a book to educate readers and help them embrace, not fear, financial decisions. This evening he spoke about the critical role of understanding how an author can exploit their book to best financial advantage, including: What is the secret to becoming wealthy? Good assets vs. bad assets Efficiency Where is there profit in a book? Sales of books Ancillary services What have other authors done in your field Leverage your credentials Where would you like this to take you in the future? Keep aligning your efforts with your goals.