Day: May 7, 2012

Be Prepared

K. S. Brooks' Desktop Folder
K. S. Brooks’ Desktop Folder

One thing I’ve learned about this industry is that opportunities come up in a flash, and usually the first people to respond get them. The difference between being prepared and NOT being prepared can cost you. And it’s literally as simple as being organized.

I have a folder on my desktop with all my book cover jpgs, my two author photos and a couple of other folders with high resolution versions and thumbnail size versions.  I’ve made sure they’re all named clearly, so it’s easy for the recipient to identify. It also helps, if they don’t rename the file, with search engine optimization. It never hurts to take advantage of every opportunity to get your title in front of someone. Plus, it looks far more professional to have the book cover for Night Undone labeled as “NightUndone.jpg” instead of “niteundonecoverartsmall.jpg”. My author photo is labeled as “AuthorKSBrooks.jpg” instead of  “DSC00013”.

You may think “whatever, the name of the file isn’t that big of a deal”, but honestly, it’s how you’re being represented to whomever you’re sending the files. I’d say about 90% of the files I receive (and I receive a LOT of them on a daily basis) are not properly labeled.  So when I save them to my desktop before uploading them for a post, many times I’m forced to rename them. When I go to look for them, if they’re “DSC00013” – that makes it a little more difficult to find. If you’re sending these files to a reporter or editor, do you REALLY want to make more work for them?  I’d say no. Continue reading “Be Prepared”

Thank You Norman Coulter

Author Yvonne Hertzberger
Author Yvonne Hertzberger

Now I know none of you have ever heard of Norman Coulter. He’s not a famous author, Indie or otherwise. He was my seventh grade teacher. That school had only two rooms so Mr. Coulter taught grades five through eight. And that year I spent in his class was his first year teaching.

A little background may be in order. Picture a rural farming community of mostly “Old Order Mennonites” or close to that. There are so many orders no one can keep them straight. Suffice it to say that none of the ones whose children attended that school valued education. It was a bad influence that lured their children away from their way of life. And understand that in the entire school, my sister and I, one other girl and three children from another family were the only non-Mennonites. (Being ‘other’ could lead me into a whole new direction, but not today.) Not an auspicious environment for an inexperienced young idealist fresh out of university with the goal of ‘educating’ children. Continue reading “Thank You Norman Coulter”