Five Secrets Every Author Should Know

"Secrets" is very possibly a misnomer for this piece, but as with every other blogger out there capturing your attention is important; and additionally, this may be new information to those beginning the process.  Perhaps you believe I'll begin by teaching writing techniques, how to set the scene in fiction or how to wow a publisher into taking your manuscript? Sorry, that's not what this post is about. It is about the raw truth. What every author wishes he or she had known at the beginning of the journey and what every new author should glean from and take heart.

The raw truth is that there are steps to the writing process and none of them begin with a sheet of paper, unless you are a list writer and then it is important. Writing is about a story, a lesson, accomplishing a task (for those of us oriented to "do"), and about sharing something inside us that will not remain bottled up! Writing is putting that idea on a piece of paper and hoping the world will consider it as brilliant as we do. Writing is about overcoming your fears and having courage to let someone outside read your work and possibly tear it to shreds, or even worse ... ignore it!

While writing is all of these things and so many more it is also about getting the word out about you, what you write and having anyone care enough to pause long enough to listen! We've become masters at words and little else. We've honed our craft, taken classes, joined groups and listened to radio shows on the topic at length. These too are highly commendable and congratulations if you are pursing improvement of your skills.

Jump Start Your Writing Career!

But writing is about the little know angles that no book, even my Information in a Nutshell: Writing and Publishing can cover well and that is getting your book seen takes an army and that means more than one. I've worked with many authors throughout the year and the first thing I look at is their motivation.

Why? Because if they aren't excited, thrilled and elated with this project they won't last.

Similar to the sappy comedy, The Wedding Planner (sorry guys, chic flick here), and the heroine's prediction that a bride-to-be's selection of a bridesmaid's dress color or song for the wedding signified whether or not the marriage would last, I too make a prediction. My prediction is based upon years of working with lackluster, unenthusiastic authors who think they want to write a book, and then at the least little bit of a road block or obstacle, cry foul.

It is all about the presentation in food and so too in writing! Excitement and enthusiasm goes a long way. Having talent is icing on the cake. You don't believe me? Think about the last lackluster book you took off the shelf and said, "How did this author ever get published?"

I can tell you how. Someone believed in them, their message or their social media outreach. The new crop of the writing elite are bloggers with thousands of followers. Blogging is a full time job if done well and the new blogger is the new best selling author. Bloggers have been given book deals, movie deals and soon possibly cologne deals!

Perhaps your manuscript is truly the next Indiana Jones, The Lion King or Les Miserables... so what if no one knows about it! How are they going to find you? Behind your laptop or in your home?

Perhaps. We're living in a new world, the new frontier and believe me many have gone before you with great success. These are the people who recognize that the "flavor" of the month was the electronic reader for adults for Christmas. And what goes on that eReader? Thousands upon thousands of manuscripts that might have sat undiscovered and unloved.

I will be sharing about writing eVersions soon, however the reason for this piece is there are things for you to do before you write that next best seller.

So what are the five secrets every author should know?

1. Relationships Matter and so do joint ventures
2. Branding is important
3. Your Reach
4. Your Contact List
5. Podcast, Radio, Internet, TV

This topic will be the covered in an upcoming webinar I'll be presenting hosted by Nathan Kievman group owner of Linked Strategies on LinkedIn. I've learned alot from Nate as well I should. I've worked with him over the past two years as a ghost writer and now I'll share my strategies with his group.

You are all invited to attend.

Where? Online: Here http://bit.ly/yBm9P7
Time? Noon ET
Host: Nathan Kievman ~ Linked Strategies

New RELEASE!

Speaker: Felice Gerwitz ~ Five Secrets Every Author Should Know Before Writing the First Word
Speaker: Carol Topp, CPA ~ Five Secrets to Short Cut Your Record Keeping for Tax Benefits






Can't make the live presentation? I'll post a recap for you here as well as share more about my ideas for the eVersion reading craze and how you can profit in these hard and challenging times!



Felice Gerwitz is an author and publisher of the series:


Information in a Nutshell:

Author: Felice Gerwitz Writing and  Publishing and
Author: Carol Topp, CPA Business Tips and Taxes for Writers
(To catch Carol's interview go to WritingandPublishingRadio.com)

You can find these books on Amazon in print and Kindle and in other versions on the publisher's website at Media Angels.com

Book Business ~ Terry Whalin

Shocking News To Authors: The Book Business Is A Business First

By W. Terry Whalin

            Before I began working inside a book publishing house, I had written more than 50 nonfiction books, ranging from children’s to adult books. I have never self-published a book and always worked through traditional publishers. However, I was unaware of the financial production numbers for nonfiction books and I found it shocking—and something critical for potential authors to understand. The author never sees these figures for their books as the publisher doesn’t reveal them throughout the contract negotiation process. A publisher will produce these financial calculations as simply a part of good business practices.  As an author, understanding this helped me see publishing as a business. Authors have huge amounts of time and emotional investment in their words. When I saw these production numbers, I understood that the publisher, not the author, has the largest out-of-pocket cash investment in a book. 

            Inside the publisher, the editor will gather a sales projection about how many copies the sales department believes they can sell of your title the first year. That sales figure will be used to calculate the production costs of ink, paper and binding for various amounts of printing (5,000, 10,000 or 15,000 copies). As the initial print number is raised, the cost per book decreases. You may ask, So why not print a large volume each time? The answer is, if the publisher prints a large number of copies, then he has to store those copies in their warehouse (read cost and expense), plus make sure they actually sell those copies within a year’s timeframe. The cost of tying up financial resources in storing and warehousing books that aren’t selling is large. Also the federal government taxes publishers on each copy in storage. These tax rules have forced publishers to think long and hard about how many copies of each book to print.

            Inside my former publisher, we calculated the overall printing details of the book (paperback with general publishing look or hardcover with jacket) and the number of books to print before offering a book contract. In short, publishers pour a great deal of work into their books and financial projections before they call you and offer a nonfiction book contract. Understanding this process helps you see some of the reasons it takes such a long time for an author to receive a publishing contract…

            Often the publisher returns to an author with whom they have already published a book. If the publisher takes a second or third book from the same author, they are investing in that author’s career and trying to build that author’s audience and market. If the author’s books are selling well, then the publisher will be eager for another project. Each week, publishers monitor sales numbers on their books to see if particular authors merit another book contract.

            Many writers focus only on the creative aspects of writing a book and getting it published, but the executives inside a publishing house are business people who want to sell books and turn a profit at the end of the day. It’s a delicate balance between creating the best possible product and assuring that each product has the best opportunity to sell into the market and reach the target audience.

________________________________________

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and publisher lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. A former acquisitions editor, former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams. To help writers, he has created 12-lesson online course called Write A Book Proposal. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com.

Unlocking the Writer's Block

Available on Amazon

Unlocking Writer’s Block
Guest Post 
by Karen Zeigler


Rarely will individuals admit to being worriers unless they are going through a really difficult time.  So it’s not unusual that writers don’t recognize that the writer’s block they are experiencing is just worry in disguise. 

• What if no one read what I’ve written?
• What if the publisher rejects it?
• What if I don’t connect with my audience?
• Why does it matter?
• What if I miss the deadline?

Or perhaps it’s something total unrelated to writing.
• I wonder what they will find in those tests the doctor’s office ran.
• I hope my child has the courage to discuss the problem with their teacher. Should I step in or am I helping her become a responsible adult by asking her to step up?

• I haven’t heard from my spouse, the presentation was over an hour ago.  Is this a good sign that they got the business or is he lamenting at the airport bar?

Whatever the case is I can tell you from experience that there is likely a thousand thoughts running through your brain, perhaps even some on the topic you wish to write about, but the fearful, anxious and worrisome thoughts have taken over control.  Your mind maybe racing but the results are zip – going nowhere, nothing happening.

When I wrote my book Freedom from Worry – Prayer of Peace for an Anxious Mind it was more about eliminating worry and connecting with God is a real and life changing way.  What I didn’t realize until I began to share the practice is what can actually get accomplished when worry is out of the way.  Clarity comes, courage to take action and confidence in yourself, your calling and your God are just high level things that happen over and over again.  And if clarity wasn’t enough to make any writer rush online to purchase the book here are just a few more reasons you’ll want to include this book and the process that it teaches into your writing routine.

1.    The first key thing that happens in the process is the journaling.  That journaling is many things but first and foremost it is a means of getting the negative thoughts out of your brain.  As writers we often try to set all the positive variables in place – right time, right place, right atmosphere with little action taken to eliminate the negative thoughts rolling around in our head, which we carry with us regardless of where the writing takes place.

2.    Second we shift our mindset to that of gratitude.  It is when we are in a grateful mindset that our mind delves into deeper meaning, in life and in the topic at hand.  A mindset that is ultimately where most writers hope to take their audience.  Even the most comedic of writers is hoping to help their audience realize through humor that which is important about the topic.

3.    And last but not least it is a connection with the Creator.  A means for getting divine inspiration from the author of all creation. 

Practice the steps of the prayer and journaling found in Freedom from Worry and it’s guaranteed that thoughts will flow and writing will occur.  It happens by design.  By the end of your journaling time you will have spent 15-30 minutes pouring out (writing) your worries, fears, gratitude and requests onto the pages of your journal.  And as the peace of mind settles in, the flow continues on to the inspirational thoughts and words for which you were meant to write.

Karen Zeigler, Speaker and Life Coach, Inspiration to Change. 

Karen has come full circle, after almost 20+ years of climbing corporate ladders and pursuing her career that provided the prestige and money she thought was so critical from her college days, she realized there was more to life! She discovered coaching. Although she agrees being an Investment Advisor was somewhat fulfilling it never really scratched her "itch"...longings to write and speak on topics of purpose, passion and personal development.
 

Fine-Tune Your Writing Vision

Some time ago I shared I was struggling with leaving my vacation time attitude, and moving back into the "workplace." I seriously struggled and no matter what, lists, deadlines or looming financial disaster (okay, so that is a little stretch), I could not make myself work.

However I soon found the root cause of this "funk" ...and none too soon... it was the lack of focus and vision. I had so many projects to work on, all with pending deadlines and I couldn't make time to finish even one! Until I was able to pull back, analyze my work load and make a plan, was I able to gain clarity and tackle the project one thing at a time.

Maybe you are a ball-juggler and like to have several projects going at once. I am one of *those* types of people. However, knowing which job to pick and put down is very important. I often run many things in my head at once and until I stop and take the time to write it down, it normally remains there.

Here are five keys to finding a focus and re-gaining your vision:

1. De-Clutter:
      While a messy desk may be the sign of a creative mind it wastes so much time! I recently de-cluttered my entire office, shelves, desk drawers, table tops and more and found so many things I had lost or misplaced months ago.

2. Organize
     If you clean and declutter and go back to your old way of doing things the same thing will happen. I have so much paper and often there are piles around my office. Now I've organized each group into specific places. This system is working well for me and helps contain the paper-monster piles.

1. Something I'm not finished with, but doesn't need my attention for awhile, goes into a folder and into a small holder beside my desk.
2. Work in progress into a notebook, sometimes with hole-punch and other times paper clipped (large ones) for easy flipping through. This works great for manuscripts that I'm reviewing, for example I have a final draft of the new Information in a Nutshell Book, "Taxes and Tips for Writer's" by Carol Topp sitting in a notebook at my desk waiting for ONE (hopefully) last set of eyes. (Book is due for pre-release in September.)
3. Important: This is pinned to one of my three bulletin boards. (Did you know I was a teacher?) Sticky notes for things to take care of and then discard, and more important to-do's are pinned on the board.
4. Completed project into a file and drawer.


3. Prioritize
     I'm open to suggestions on this one. I consider just about everything a NOW job! For example I am hosting several webinars and while hosting one I am taping behind the scenes sessions and planning and scheduling the next webinar. My list of to-do grows at this time and only with help can I accomplish everything in a timely fashion. Obviously a schedule is of major importance and the event schedule takes precedence over other deadlines. Which brings us to the next point...

4. Set Deadlines
I've found that I can work best under a deadline so I try to give each project a projected finish date. This has worked well and now with some help I am finding this to be a valuable aid. Having a mid-point date to re-evaluate is my goal, and would be wonderful, however I am not at that point. At least at this writing.

5. Celebrate
    All work and no-play makes Jane dull...and even if my name isn't Jane I've become dull at times. Racing to one deadline, only to begin another is seriously a recipe for disaster. I need time to regroup with my family, take a break and turn my computer off. Hibernate does not count! Taking time to celebrate the big and little events are a great way to get your focus back.

Whatever ways work for you, I hope you will share your successes here with me. What has worked for you and how do you handle one or more of the issues that plague even the most organized writers?

Writing from the Heart

Authors come to the profession in so many different ways. Some were born with the drive to write. Some never considered being an author a viable choice for a profession, still others considered writing an end to a means. What about those who write because of a passion. What about a mother with an autistic child? I have the privilege of interviewing people from all walks of life, however a mother with a love for a child is a very special guest.

My guest Annie Eskeldson is a mother of five, with a passion for understanding her child. Her fourth child was diagnosed with classic ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders). Today, due to Annie's intervention and therapy, Ashi is high functioning and gifted. As Annie puts it, she spent "...every day, all day, over the last 7 plus years..." with Ashi, and that made the difference in her daughter's life.


Due to Annie's immersion in her daughter's world she had an understanding that those of us outside of this world can little comprehend. And, she brings this knowledge to the table within her made for children illustrated books. Ashi inspired Annie to write a series of books from her daughter's perspective. These books are a rare look into the world of an autistic child. Annie explains these books are, "specially written to bring comfort to the parent by validating their feelings of sadness, frustration, and also the joy that comes with raising a special needs child.  Annie's books are full of 'self - discovery' type tips."

Giving your heart to a project, especially one that has impacted the life of a family can fall flat. I've read other "from the heart" types of books and one in particular that I can recall left me with sadness, disappointment and the feeling that I couldn't wait to put down the book. Annie's books however gave me a sense of hope that everything will be okay and an understanding of the situation within their home. I learned that having compassion may not solve all of the problems, but allow the families to cope well.


This is a book celebrating the facts and coping with the obvious, a child that needs understanding, compassion, love and attention. Really not that much different than other children who crave the same from their parents. I applaud Annie for stepping out and helping other parents and those who want to understand the life of an autistic child for writing these books. Her books show us that love, in this case does conquer all. Well done Annie and Ashi and the entire Eskeldson.

You can find more information about Annie and her books here:

Ashi's Gift website is at :  http://www.authorannie.com

Ashi's Gift blog is at: http://www.ashisgift.blogspot.com  

Writing Takes a Holiday

It IS vacation time, and here in Sunny Florida it began long before the thermometers topped 90 degrees. However, my brain seems to have decided that after my last live speaking event it too was taking a holiday. I can't seem to get myself motivated. There is no amount of prodding, calendar session planning, deadline setting and to-do list rituals that work right now. Nothing.

I have found myself missing important meetings, setting reminders on my phone for *very* important consults and meetings I can NOT miss, and using sticky-notes to paper my computer and office desk. 

All I want to do is go to the beach, enjoy sunsets such as this one shot by my daughter and enjoy other spectacular views from local restaurants and other places we frequent during the hot months. Work? Really? Must I? As a self-employed publisher, author and podcast host there are schedules I must keep year round.

As a normal schedule-holic I consult my schedule daily and usually tackle it with gusto, however due to the nature of my January through May schedule I was on overload. Possible, even for me. In my writing career spanning 19 years I have not experienced anything like this! I have discussed this phenomenon with others, especially new writers. I often hear people say "I don't have the time to write," or "I can't fit writing into my schedule."

A serious author who is goal-oriented can always fit writing into the schedule. Right? That is the ideal. However in real life the ideal doesn't always pan out. 

So, what am I doing to nix this holiday monster? First of all, I did take a much needed break. I have enjoyed the beach with unplanned company, my children and grandchildren. I have purposely left my computer home and didn't even check my phone or emails there. Of course I did check my emails daily...but only to put out fires if any.

This time away has encouraged me to relax and unwind, unhindered. It has allowed my fast-paced mind a time to slow down and T*H*I*N*K...  I realized I needed to re-organize, de-clutter and regroup before I began the next round of work related projects. And declutter I did! I shredded pages I no longer needed, I went through files on my desk and in my office. It feels great knowing where everything is and I am off to a fresh start when I begin my next project. This is not work in the sense of making important decisions or planning. However it has a wonderful outcome of allowing me to see that clean lovely space, like the top of my desk and it gives me a sense of happiness. I've listened to seminars and read so many books on organization in the past. The great tips on productivity only work if you have an organized space, so that is where I'm beginning.

I feel in the external de-clutter process the interior process is slowly becoming de-cluttered as well. It has been a time to think about my goals for the future. For the most part I truly enjoy working, I am passionate about what I do and feel it is led by God. While a crisis or two lately has challenged that peace I know that in the future I will emerge stronger and more Christ-focused in all that I am doing from here on out! With the de-clutter has come a time of re-evaluation and slowly that vision is unfolding.

In the next few blog posts I will discuss how you can regroup after a busy season and ways to re-evaluate your focus. Treating your writing as a business is important if you want to succeed in the sense of seeing your book in print. Treating yourself and your life away from your work with equal importance is also mandatory. The key is finding a balance and making it work in your life.

Twitter Contest Tips!

Guest Blogger Post by

Tony Eldridge

Contests are a very popular way of gaining subscribers. In Twitter, you can think of followers as subscribers for your newsletter. With traditional newsletters, you can offer an "ethical bribe" or a free gift in exchange for someone to give you their e-mail address. With Twitter, a contest can be a great way to find your targeted followers.

If you decide to conduct a Twitter contest, here are some things you want to keep in mind. :

1. Know your purpose for the contest- What do you want to accomplish with a Twitter contest; sell a product, service or book? Are you trying to use your Twitter account to feed your website newsletter? Are you trying to build your subscriber followers? In my opinion, you will achieve the most success with your Twitter contest if you focus on building your Twitter followers. And not just any followers, but targeted followers. Anyone can get tens of thousands of followers. But which would you rather have? 10,000 followers who never read your tweets or 1,000 followers who actually follow you and your tweets? Give me enough money as a prize and I can inflate your followers significantly. Sure, you want followers; but in the long run, you want qualified followers more.
   
   
2. Think about your prizes- What prize will you use for your contest? That is, what will be the "ethical bribe" you use to get people to enter your contest? An i-pad? a $500 gift certificate to a five-star hotel? $1000 in cash? These prizes may sound impressive on the surface, but chances are that they will not give you the results you are looking for in your contest. Those types of prizes attract people who are only interested in one thing- the prize. They could care less about you, your book, or your services.
   
   Ideally, you want to find prizes that will attract only the people who are interested in the products and services you offer while being passed on by everyone else. This is where you find your targeted followers that will be the most responsive to you tweets later. When I ran my Twitter contest, I gave away a library of signed book marketing books to the winner. After all, on my blog I deal with people who want to learn effective ways to market their books, products or services. If the prize package didn't appeal to someone, I wasn't necessarily looking for them as a follower. But if the person was someone who prayed to win that library, then they were the person I wanted to make sure knew about my blog.
   
   
3. Don't run your contest by yourself- Here is a mistake that many people make when running Twitter contests designed to increase their follower base: they give away a copy of their own book, service, or product. While this may be a great prize to have, it may not do a lot to expand your followers. The people who sign up for your contest will be mainly from your current subscriber lists. While you may have a few people re-tweeting your contests to their follower list, it will probably not be on the scale you are looking for.
   
   In order to find new followers, the details of your contest must be placed in front of new people who are not following you. That means you must find a way to encourage people to re-tweet your contest to their followers. Two ways to do this effectively:
   
   A. Create a prize with enough viral power to make others want to retweet it
   B. Give away a prize created by other people who have a lot of Twitter followers
   
   If you follow those two suggestions, you will have people who will use your contest to promote their own product. This is the way you create a win-win-win situation. If you can give away good, solid publicity to the creators of your prize, they will be more likely to tell their follows about your contest and encourage them to enter.
   
   Recently, I saw the power of this point. I ran a Twitter contest and went back to the same sponsors I had used in the past. While I had great participation, the percentage of new followers for me was down. I attribute it to a couple of things, one being that my contest was in front of the same followers it was in front of in the past. It was good lesson to learn.
   
   
4. Choose your contest length with care- If you run your contest too long, people will lose interest very quickly. They will also not see the urgency of entering now or tweeting about it now. On the other hand, if you make it too short, it will be over before you have time for it to really ramp up and deliver the followers you are looking for. My personal preference is to run a contest for about 10 to 12 days, starting on a weekend and ending after the next weekend. This will give you the best chance to catch the business Tweople as well as the weekend Tweople.

These are a few tips that I have learned while running effective Twitter contests. I am constantly learning new things with each contest, but one thing is certain... every one of my Twitter contests has helped me find new targeted followers and they were a blast to run. Good luck with your contest!

Tony Eldridge is the author of the action/adventure book, The Samson Effect, that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure" and the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests which helps people find targeted Twitter followers. He also shares his book marketing tips with fellow authors through his blog, Marketing Tips For Authors,  and through his free video marketing tips for authors. You can follow him on Twitter @TonyEldridge or find Tony here: Marketing Tips For Authors

Guest Blogger: Dorothy Cadet "Writing in the Midst of Chaos"

by Dorothy Cadet

http://www.dacbooks.com

When I tell people I am a motivational speaker and writer and have published my first book, they gasp and ask how a mother of 3, (at the time and all were under 7 yrs. old) was able to complete that task.  The short answer is, “sleep deprivation.”  The longer answer is that it was dedication to ensuring that I wrote something every day.

As a stay-at-home-mother, life can get hectic with children, school, house, and working to stay sane.  We are the great vacation-less class of society, but it’s one of the most important jobs in the world!  It’s not always fun and easy, but the rewards are limitless.  In December 2009, I made the decision that I would finally write a practical book full of tips that would encourage women to establish goals dedicated to making memories and prioritizing relationships.

I set myself on a timeline of five months.  Five months was important for me, to minimize the additional work that came along with the children being out of school for the summer, possibly having to relocate for my husband’s job, and oh, by the way, I found out I was pregnant as well. 

I drew up an outline with defining points and when complete, I would have my book in rough draft form.  It began as an hour to an hour and a half daily, however the closer it got to completion, it stretched to nearly three hours.  Regardless of whether it was good or not, I wrote.  I could always edit out, but if there was no content to edit, “Houston, we have a problem.”

It may seem like such a simple thought, but that is how it happens.  Taking what many see as a massive undertaking and blocking time out to get it done, little by little.  I gave up my favorite TV programs and limited internet surfing to about 30 minutes.  I had to get serious about reorganizing my time if I was to complete my project.  Once complete, my husband and I went on a celebratory mini-vacation.  This was crucial because I had poured so much of myself into this project; he and I had to take time to recoup and reconnect.

It was tips like this that I included in the book and a host of others that enable women, whether an expectant mom or veteran, to not let go of their dreams.  The goal of “Laundry Can Wait” is to become a resource for women with practical information that is relevant and immediately implementable.  I encourage all women to pick up a copy at my website, www.dacbooks.com, or they can order it at www.Amazon.com, or fine retailers. Dorothy also writes columns for Examiner.com, an online magazine.

Career Change or Updated Look?

I can't decide if I've had a career change or just updated my look. I've been an author since 1994 and have the typical ups and downs of any author. Some books sell well, others not as well. Some books have made it into the library and others...well, let's just say the libraries aren't interested. Sometimes I've been asked to speak and other times asked to rotate a turn with another speaker. For an author being a conference speaker helps to sell books.

If you have the best book in the world and no one knows about it, how can it sell? So how do you get a speakers platform. For many it takes years of relentless hard work.

However, I have recently taken over the helm of a webinar platform that started with a friend of mine, Cindy Rushton. She had the wonderful idea of creating a conference from the comfort of her own home and inviting speakers from all over the US and participants from all over the world! She decided to turn her energy elsewhere and asked if I was interested in running these expos. I jumped at the chance.

Jumping is what I do best, thinking things all the way through, well that is a story for another time. I tend to be impulsive and while I had been praying about what direction I should take, this webinar platform was not something that was within my radar at the time. Yet, I have loved every minute of hosting the series of webinars and let me tell you the work can be overwhelming.

I found that speakers were excited about picking up the phone to present, using handouts or power-point slides to walk the guests through the presentations. The participants were equally excited about having handouts and listening from the comfort of their own homes. And, the best part? Cell phones did not have to be turned off, crying children were allowed and eating and drinking were permissible. Even time could be moved, if the participant could not make the scheduled live talk they had the option of "buying" the set to listen to another time.

What could be better? For both the speaker and the guests there was no expensive hotels, meals out, gas bills and travel expenses or other costly expenses. They could relax, listen to the presentations at their leisure and enjoy the live sessions they chose to attend. Overall the conference experience is one with a lasting impact for all.

I never considered I'd be a host running a series of interviews, or speaker sessions. I thought I'd go on to write book after book without ever thinking of any other option for my life. Yet, I have been pleasantly surprised at how wonderfully I've fit into this role and how hosting has brought me considerable pleasure. While I enjoy my radio show for authors it is one day a week. Webinars allow me to interact with the guests, get to know the speakers on a more personal level and allow my marketing ideas to take route, like hosting Twitter Parties (follow #UltimateWomensExpo) or Facebook parties on my new site for Ultimate Women here: http://on.fb.me/UWEFacebook

With opportunities coming from different venues, such as Tony Eldridge's marketing tips for authors there are other ways for authors to get exposure. Today, an article of mine was posted on "Finding Your Voice." This article was about finding your vision and your voice and being heard above the crowd. Not only have I found my voice but other's have heard it as well. I will be interviewed on another radio show on Wednesday May 18 at 9:30 EDT. Can't make it? Well you can listen to the archives of course!

You will not want to miss my upcoming webinar... the Ultimate Women's Expo in May for women who want to write, market, organize, find out tax and bookkeeping info or legal information pertaining to writing and business. I hope to help others to fine tune their vision. How about you?

How are you fine-tuning your vision? Or have you had a career change? Share with us!

Christian Fiction Author: Penny Zeller

Christian Authors That Get It!

Can I say I love what I do?

Well, I do!

I finished a wonderful interview with Christian author, Penny Zeller. She has a series of books that make me want to head to the beach and just spend the day reading. Under the shade of an umbrella of course, because I know I'd get lost in the story! I was an avid romance reader back in the day. Those days began and ended in a short few years.

I left my job as an educator upon the birth of my first child. Changing the world through the life of my students didn't quite go the way I'd hope--a story for another time. But in those years that I read, I consumed hundreds of books. As a teen they were action, adventure and mystery. Raise your hand if you have read the entire series of Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Trixie Beldon (a lesser known series but I've met so many people who love those books in the early teen years and my own daughter is currently reading them.) Then I began my love of romance books. I had married my prince charming now I wanted to see how other women lived their lives with ideal mates. I subscribed to a book club, at least two that delivered 12 books a month to my doorstep. Not to mention those I'd purchase at a book store. Yes, remember those? Online book stores were not around a mere 30 years ago. I read throughout my pregnancy, and when my children were infants. By the birth of my second child and with a busy toddler under foot I ran out of creative ways to keep my children entertained while I read romance novels!

There is still a huge market for romance novels and Penny is providing a wonderful alternative to secular stream with those that focus on Christian truths.

Penny Zeller's story began typically with the love of writing beginning at a young age. Yet, taking the leap away from a day job to one that is sporatic to say the least, was a leap of faith. And faith is what has been Zeller's mainstay. She often referred to her faith in God in her work and her books. She began by self-publishing her first book for children with food allergies. It has since found a home with a publisher.


Part of the joy of interviewing Penny was to use her as a "poster child," if you will, on what to do right. (No, she didn't know that was the angle of the interview.) First, she sent everything in one email not a series of pieces. There is nothing that bogs me down more, than a guest sending me upwards of ten emails a day. It has happened. High maintenance guests are not invited back.

What did she send? First, her tag line contained everything I needed to know about her and more importantly, where to find her. After all part of the reason to be interviewed is for exposure, right?

Here is a sample of her tag line:

Penny A. Zeller

Christian Author

Impacting Lives for Christ Through the Written Word

For more information about my books and ministry http://www.pennyzeller.com

Come blog with me http://www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com 

Let's connect on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Penny-A-Zeller/96391560959

Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/pennyzeller

Perfect!  



So, what else did she send?

 Covers of the books she wanted to promote

Her bio

Synopsis of each of her books!

This last feature lights up the face of any busy radio show host, and is much appreciated. More than you know. No really.

One thing she did not do was send in a list of questions for me to ask. She had no way of knowing I prefer *not* to receive a list.

After all, no one is perfect this side of heaven--and we discussed this in the interview in regard to the characters in her book. Her characters are memorable, real and not perfect. While many radio show hosts ask you to send them a list of questions--and this may be important if you are promoting a particular book that is launching, I very rarely stick with the questions. I've been doing this for two years and I'd be bored to tears at this point if I did. Penny's interview came about three weeks after her book debut. **You can obtain her books via all the normal online channels such as Christian Book Distributors or Amazon as well as you local book store, if they don't have it they can get it!

But, back to the lists...while I don't mind a list, I am pretty, well, list impaired. I don't color in the lines, and I like to think outside of the box. Does that mean I sometimes ramble on my show, sure, but at least I won't have a canned interview with the perfect guest in the perfect box! I prefer to ask my own questions which means it takes more work. I must do my homework. I must look at the guest's blog. I must find out about them, and about the book they've written, if they are an author.


Because Penny sent me her bio I know:
She has authored several books and numerous magazine articles in national & regional publications

She has a blog

She volunteers in her community and runs a Bible study

Her passion is to use the gift of the written word that God has given her to glorify Him and to benefit His Kingdom

Her new book is a continuation of the series of the Montana Skies, Kaydie

Her publisher crafted a very well written "blurb" for her book and here it is:

Kaydie

For the first time in years, Kaydie Worthington Kraemer can breathe easily. Although she is still haunted by memories of her abusive husband, Darius, she takes comfort in knowing the man is dead. Staying with her sister McKenzie and brother-in-law, Zach Sawyer, at their ranch, Kaydie is still wary of men, especially now that she has another life inside of her to protect. As she looks forward to her baby's birth, she builds a protective wall around herself that won't be easy to tear down. 

Ranch hand Jonah Dickenson views his boss, Zach, like a brother. He does not, however, envy Zach's new role as a husband. Deserted by his mother at a young age and forever despised and rejected by his own father, Jonah has few close relationships. But there's something about Kaydie that draws him to her and makes him question his decision to remain a bachelor.
 
When Cedric Van Aulst, an old friend of Kaydie's, comes to town, an unforeseen prospect of marriage arises. Cedric is someone Kaydie trusts. Will she settle for a safe union with him, or can she trust God to guard her heart and her life in the arms of Jonah?



Okay, I admit it I love the happily-every-after-girl-meets-guy-falls in love and has a family! I know we can't all live fairy tale lives which is why romance fiction has such a big market. Take note of Mrs. Penny Zeller. She did a great job with this interview, bet she did a great job with her books! I'll let you know, she's sending me a set. Want to head to the beach?

P.S.: Yes, there's more. Don't forget to check out her interview on my radio show for authors, "Information in a Nutshell" and if you are reading this way after the fact, subscribe to my podcast. I promise you won't be bored!