When fellow blogger M. A. Lossl said she just self-published yet another book, I asked her to tell us all how the process went for her. Here's her post on it, plus some info on bee counting...
Writing a book is h-u-g-e ! Publishing it is double that! Bravo to Cathi Turow!
Cathi Turow
Cathi says of her new book and herself: “When I was on staff at Sesame Street, the show was intentionally written on two levels, for children and adults. I’ve just published an allegorical book which lifts the show’s adult sensibility (its humor, cleverness, and spirituality) and carries it to the other side of life: growing old. The book is based on my blog and can be purchased on amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com “
Traveling Over the Hill on the Yellow Brick Road, I’ve had conversations with lots of weird people and things while passing through the Neighborhood of the Empty Nesters, the Avenue of Ages and Stages, climbing over Makover Mountain, visiting the Career Change Cafe, and looking back on my life in Reflecting Ridge. So…I put all those conversations together in a book, along with a story that ties everything together. Here it is! The only problem is, my book is being a hypochondriac. While I was setting up links to Amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com, my book screamed at me:
BOOK: Ah!!!! Don’t make me travel across the internet!
Why not?
BOOK: Because I’m filled with conversations about growing older. I feel really fragile and responsible. If something happens to me on the way to Amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com, I’ll never forgive myself.
What's your favorite book from your childhood? I loved Winnie the Pooh. The best children's books are ones I appreciate all the more with the passage of time. Here Mr. Wolf, an author of the kinds of children's books that adults can enjoy too, shares a few of his illustrations... About the illustrator… Continue reading Guest Blog Post: The World of Mr. Wolf→
How blog posts and articles can promote your book!
Want to increase readership and book sales, write an article or blog post?
Writing material related to a non-fiction is a no-brainer. Chances are you’re an expert and can easily expand or provoke further discussion on your book’s topic through a blog post or article. But fiction writers have a challenge and need to be creative. Here are some of the areas to explore:
Your book’s central theme(s).
The main location(s) described.
Expand on historical references and the era.
Your inspiration for writing the book such as an event or other trigger.
Backstory of one of your main characters and if based on a real person.
Any unusual practice or method you used to write the book.
Bonus material in form of background stories or information.
I was fortunate my last book “Suddenly Single Sylvia” about a newly divorced mature…
So dear readers, as promised I’m going to talk to you about the dreaded book cover!
I know that most of my followers are writers, and often self-published as well, or considering that route. When you’re in that situation, the more information you can find, the better. So to that aim, here’s a short tutorial, chalk full of links and helpful hints. I’ll keep this short (it’s around 1200 words) because I know how little you want to wade through a word heavy slog of a tutorial : D
We can start with the question: Pay for it, or make it? There’s nothing wrong with paying someone else to make your book cover, if you can afford it. There’s also nothing wrong with accruing a hardcore useful-as-all-fuck skill. Pre-made book covers are expensive (if you don’t have extra money). Unless you’re some triple-bestseller writer, you don’t have money coming out…
