Tag: Guest Posts

Why I Write About Women by Terry L. White

I had a comment the other day that I tend to write about women. I am not sure if this was a complaint or an accolade. I am a woman, and while some folks say a female should not even attempt to write from the male point of view – when in point of fact Stephen King proved otherwise in Rose Red and Dolores Claiburn – I am drawn to illuminating the woman’s lot.

It seems to me that there is a body of history written by half of the participants in any given era. Men go off to war and have the big adventures in their life, and when they are old, they write about the glory parts and never mention the women who stayed behind. This is right and proper, but that old saying about a good woman standing behind a successful man is true. Women do a lot – and deserve to have their stories told, no matter how humble, as part of a larger story. Continue reading “Why I Write About Women by Terry L. White“

My Jewish Journey—Promoting to a Niche Audience by Erica Manfred

Author Erica Manfred

When I published Interview with a Jewish Vampire I thought it would be easy to promote. After all, it was a funny book about old Jewish ladies becoming vampires. Jews are big readers, right. All I had to do was find the Jewish, and specifically old Jewish lady, audience. Since I was one of them I figured it wouldn’t be too hard. Ha! Promoting fiction is hard, niche or no.

When the book came out I needed a kick start so I hired Wendy, a Jewish publicist. She was recommended by a colleague who wound up very pleased with her services. Wendy sent out a press release to her Jewish list and contacted five “influencers” as she called them for $500 which she said was a big bargain. She usually charges a lot more to do publicity, which I don’t doubt since I know a publicist who charges thousands PER MONTH. What was I thinking??? $500. That’s a huge amount of money for me with no guarantee of anything. Continue reading “My Jewish Journey—Promoting to a Niche Audience by Erica Manfred”

Inspiration Strikes at the Worst of Times

Author Greta Burroughs

by Greta Burroughs

For the last week, I have been sitting at my computer, wracking my brain trying to finish a short story. After seven days of madly typing away, only four paragraphs appear on the screen in front of me. The countless hours working on this one story and that is all I have to show for it? The right words elude me. I have deleted more material than I have saved. Where is my inspiration? Why won’t the words come to me? Have I lost my ability to write?

Desperation has set in. All I can think about is the stupid story. I need a distraction, maybe some housework. No, too close to the computer. How about yard work? Nope, I still look at the window of my office and the siren song from my computer lures me back inside. Continue reading “Inspiration Strikes at the Worst of Times”

Book Cover Design 101 – by Richard Sutton

Richard Sutton

Once you accept that you are now in the throes of marketing a consumer product, the first thing you need to do is get to a bookstore. Several bookstores. On the street, or online, preferably both. Booksellers are the front lines where the battle is met. How books appear “clearly” out of a jumble in the stacks, how special titles jump out at browsers and how they turn browsers into buyers is not magic. It’s careful, calculated packaging design. It is a science that has been around for quite a while now, and even a new author can make use of some of the most important precepts, learning how to be conversant in the lingo.

An effective cover is rarely chosen at random because it’s a nice picture that “reminds me of the story.” Your book is competing with hundreds, even thousands of titles in your genre and reader niche, and sometimes, only the cover will stand between a sale and an unmotivated browser. Continue reading “Book Cover Design 101 – by Richard Sutton”