New book coming out in the beginning of June

Welcome to Moonlight Ridge, a magical, musical place overlooking a small town named Eden. Here you'll meet a pair of intrepid eight-year-old cousins, Lily Claire and Willie T., and their multi-ethnic family in the backwoods of Alabama. This is a story about family and community ties, loyalty and faith, and a very unusual map used by two flamboyant children to solve a mystery "out on the mountain."

Self-publish or subsidy press?

Both options seems to have a bad rep but I think it comes from people who are ill-informed. For a good perspective on this, read here.
I have it on good report, that a new company is coming soon. :>) Coyote Moon Books.
More to come later this month.
And when you think "traditional" publishing, don't automatically assume that means only the larger publishing houses. You stand a better chance of being published if you go with a smaller independent publisher. Like Chalet Publishers.

A Spiral of Echoes

Our publishing company's latest book is now available on Kindle.

Why do you write?

Just about everyone tells me they have a book in them but it's rare for most to get beyond that point. Anyone who completes a whole manuscript should pat themselves on the back. Whether it's the next great American novel or "just" a book, the fact that someone gets that far is noteworthy.
Why do we write? For me, it's something I have to do. I see the world as a writer. I find myself narrating my life to myself sometimes. Maybe that's a form of insanity. But I tried not writing and wasn't happy. I have to write. Some days it may just be a blog entry but at least it's something.
And I read. Every day. Some books [ like The Help] make me wish I was a better writer. It certainly gave me the drive to want to be better. To try harder. And to get back at the keyboard and write more.

New blog

Our publishing company has a new blog Under Chalet's Roof.
Stop by and check it out. Comment on posts. Get to know our authors and their books. We hope you enjoy it and maybe even learn a thing or two about writing and publishing while you are there. We hope to make it informative as well as entertaining.
We want to get to know our readers.

Ebooks for iPads - an app

This is so cool.

My Nook

I am in love with my Nook. I have already downloaded and read several books on it plus I can read my Word documents [after converting them to PDF] as well. It's fun and convenient. I had no problem adjusting to the screen or the page-turning button. And this will be great for anyone who travels. Imagine carrying up to 1500 books with you and they only weigh a few ounces. Whether your preference is Nook, Kindle, Sony, or whatever, I highly recommend this new way of reading.
Will it replace paper pages and covers? No, I doubt it but it's another option.

And it starts....

Seton Hall is going to issue iPads to all its incoming students. No more lugging around heavy textbooks. Cost of books will decrease. Work can be shared.

Some helpful information

How to do a virtual book tour. Thanks to Mary Nickum, author of Mom's Story.

Ebooks are definitely catching on. If you are a reader, investigate the newest devices: Kindle, the Nook, the Sony Reader.
If you are an author, don't be left behind. make sure your publisher offers you an ebook option.

Authors to Pay for Placement in Bookstores?: A new model emerges for the frustrated self-publisher

Authors to Pay for Placement in Bookstores?: A new model emerges for the frustrated self-publisher
Interesting concept. What are your thoughts?

Casita Books

Stay tuned for some exciting news re our new ebook line. We just signed two wonderful authors Ramey Channell and Judith Marrs. We hope to have their books available by the end of the month.
And Chalet has grown by leaps and bounds. We will be debuting A Spiral of Echoes, a new paranormal by Barbara M. Hodges and Maggie Pucillo in just a few weeks. It is already in the hands of proof readers. And more books are waiting in the wings. As we approach our first anniversary we are amazed at how far we have come in just a short time.

Red River Writers Live -No Limits

I am on this afternoon.
Click this link to listen live or listen to the archive.
Red River Writers Live -No Limits

It's Read an Ebook Week

And to celebrate, Chalet Publishers is offering 25% off its ebooks.
Go here.

Cost of an ebook

There has been much controversy of late about what an ebook should cost. You might remember the flap when Amazon tried to strong arm Macmillan into pricing their books at a level lower than what they wanted or face an inability to sell on Amazon. Amazon blinked and now Macmillan can charge what they want.
But all that aside, what as a reader are you willing to spend and as a writer what are you willing to accept?
Personally, I think it depends on two things - what the book offers and the competition. I think any reader purchasing an ebook is doing it for two reasons: convenience and cost. In the old days, I used to wait for the paperback version of a hardback to come out primarily because of the cost involved. It just chafed to plunk down over $20 for a book I was probably going to read once and then throw [or give] away. $5.95 [at the time] was easier to take.
I think the same holds true today. If I am buying an ebook it's because I don't want to wait and because I don't want to spend over $25 for a book. I also don't want to spend over $10 for the convenience.
I see eversions of some NY Times best sellers going for $13.99. You know what? At that price, I'll put my name on the list at my library.
So, take heed, publishers and authors. Don't price yourselves out of the market.

What sells a book?

I guess that should really read "who", not what, because what sells a book is the author.
Not the publishing company. If you have written a book that you believe in, you have to be the one to get out in front of people.
I hear the groans already. "I wrote it, why do I have to sell it, too? Isn't that the job of the publisher?"
Yes, and no.
The publisher is running a business. They are going to put their money behind a book they know is going to give them a return on their investment. So, sadly, they are going to spend money on the politicians, the controversials, the known names, because the public will flock to them.
Unless you are a household name, you are going to have to make sure your book gets some press.
And I know that's hard. I have to admit, I would probably prefer dental work to getting up there and making a presentation. Oh, I do all right once I get started but the anticipation kills me.
Yet, it's a necessary evil.
Don't believe me? Check here and here and here. There are dozens and dozens of other articles out there that can attest to this.
So, write the best book you can. Then market to your best ability. Use Facebook and Twitter. Write blogs. Network. And know that it still might not work. The competition for your book's audience is fierce. But at least you will know you gave your book the best chance it had to making it. And that's all anyone can ask.

NOAH'S WIFE

Our [Chalet Publishers] authors are meeting great success.
Noah's Wife by TK Thorne was #2 at a bookstore in Alabama last week. That makes it a best seller. Way to go Teresa!
Mary Jo Nickum's book Mom's Story is making the Internet rounds and receiving great feedback.
We are so proud of our authors.
And pleased to be signing new authors as we speak. Look for Barbara Hodges and Maggie Pucillo's book A Spiral of Echoes coming soon.

The self-publishing debate

Self-publishing, vanity publishing, POD, independent publishing - many people think they all mean the same thing but they don't.
And as an author, it's important that you know the difference. The cost of not knowing is high, both in actual dollars and in the outcome of your book.
Vanity publishing is probably the reason why self-publishing got its tarnished reputation. If an author is willing to plunk down a few [sometimes many] dollars, anyone can have a book published. With the advent of POD [print on demand] printing model, it is now possible for a company to format and upload your book to a printer distributor and have your book in your hands in just about a month. The problem with companies like that is that they do not edit or in any way vet your book.
That may be all right if you are diligent about doing that yourself. But many authors aren't. And many people who have no business writing a book are out there with published books. Readers tend to paint all self-published books with the same brush. So if they read one self-published book that was awful and then hear that yours is also self-published, they may be likely to turn up their nose at yours, fearing the worst.
Does it mean you shouldn't self-publish? No, it means you just have a harder row to hoe.
More to come this week.

My blog was quoted!

I have Google alerts set up - every author should. You never know when something is posted about you or your work that you should be aware of.
So, lo and behold, the other day an alert pops up telling me that my blog on ebooks [see below] had been quoted in an article on ebooks. How cool is that?
This points up two important things.
Blogging does work and if you write enough and well enough about a topic you know, you will eventually get someone's attention. This could lead to increasing your circle of influence. You never know where it might lead.
And you never know where it might lead. No, that was not an error. I repeated it for a reason. Be careful what you write. Don't write something you would be ashamed to have printed somewhere else. Don't jeopardize your job or your friends and family. Be informative but use common sense.
Employers are becoming very savvy about blogs and the Internet. Many of them Google prospective employees to see if there is anything damaging out there. Yes, we have freedom of speech. But we also have a brain. It pays to use it. I am amazed sometimes when I see what some people think is all right to post in blogs and on places like Facebook.
That being said, how cool is that that someone found my blog and thought it worthy to quote? It might not be much but it made my day.

Ebooks and Ereaders

Have you ever purchased an eBook?
For someone like me who hates to wait for things, eBooks are wonderful. And now with the proliferation of all the new and cute EReaders, nothing could be easier. See a book you want? Pay for it, download it, and in literally minutes you are reading the latest NY Times bestseller and you never had to leave your house or beach or bus.
Why would anyone buy such a thing? EBooks are less expensive than paperbound books. They are environmentally friendly. And now with an eReader, they are very portable and weigh nothing. Think of that next time you want to board a plane for your vacation and can't take your books with you because of the added baggage fees.
You could carry 1500 books with you on your eReader and it won't cost you a penny.
And if you are an author, now is your time. EBook lines are usually more open to new authors, giving you a better than average chance of being published. Your readers can get your book in seconds which means the chances of them making their purchase increases since they don't have to get in their car and go to your book signing, or go to a bookstore, or order online and then wait for the book to arrive in the mail.
When faced with the immediacy of getting what they ordered, a reader is more inclined to purchase.
No, eBooks are probably not going to replace paper books any time soon. But it is one more option and it is catching on quickly.
Just Google eBooks and you will find an extensive list of eBook publishers. And now Amazon and Barnes and Noble are competing for your purchases, too. Just about any book you could want is available in eformat. Like to support the independent publisher/author? Go to Smashwords for your purchases.
And if you are an author looking for a friendly publisher, go to Casita Books. We just opened our doors and we are waiting to hear from you.

Blog Talk Radio

A great way to promote your writing is to network. That means opening up your mouth and talking, something that many writers [myself included] find hard to do, especially when the topic of discussion is ourselves. Many writers are shy by nature. Heck, that's why we write instead of lecture. It's less stressful. But that doesn't get the word out as well as networking.
So, this year I have made the resolution to get out of my comfort zone and talk - to people.
To start, I have accepted an invitation to appear on Blog Talk Radio, hosted by Barbara Hodges. My segment will appear on March 11 at 3:00 PM Pacific Time.

Some thoughts

This probably has nothing to do with writing at all - or maybe everything to do with it, depending on your point of view. How's that for ambiguity?
A dear friend of mine died a few days ago. She touched many people and she lived her life as she chose. She will be missed for the love she gave and the joy she spread. I am so grateful she was in my life.
Her passing is causing me to re-evaluate and prioritize. Our time on this earth is short.
If you have a dream or a goal, go for it. If you have always said "some day I will give back", do it now. Some day is here.
None of us knows what tomorrow will bring or if tomorrow will even come. Look at the daily newspaper if you doubt that.
Be in the present moment and make the present moment count for all its worth. Reach out to those around you.
Each of us has a gift to share.
And for a true inspiration that will bring a smile to your soul, follow this link.

READ event

In a wonderful movement to promote local authors, the Scottsdale Public Library is starting a new program - READ Local. They will showcase and highlight the emerging literary efforts of the Arizona community. This will introduce readers to homegrown talent that may not be nationally known. It will also give local authors a way to connect with their Arizona readers. The collection will be housed at the Civic Center Library.

All Arizona authors are encouraged to submit their work for consideration. For more information, click here.

Microsoft Store - Scottsdale, AZ

Nadine Laman, my friend and fellow writer, and I were invited to participate in an author event sponsored by the new [and first ever!] Microsoft Store at the Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall in [where else?] Scottsdale, AZ. We had a ball!
As part of the event, authors can have their laptops "skinned", which means they will put images of the covers of your published books on a vinyl skin on the face of your laptop. What a great marketing tool. Of course, Nadine and I had to be the first and we had tons of fun doing it.

Now when we dine at Starbuck's while we write our latest epics, all the world can know we are writers hard at work. Seriously, can you think of a better conversation starter?
Anyone can "skin" any device they have. To do this yourself, go to http://www.skinit.com/ .

Nathan applying Nadine's skin to her laptop.

Nadine, Nathan, and me with our new dressed up laptops.

The whole gang after we skinned both laptops.

The Microsoft Store Author event will be held from January 22, 2010 - January 24, 2010. I will be appearing on Friday January 22 from 4 - 5 PM and Nadine will be the same day from 5 - 6 PM. Both of us will have slideshow presentations presented on their large touchscreen monitor at the back of the store.
The staff couldn't have been nicer. They were very helpful and are very excited to be doing this event. In fact, the response was so positive they are planning on having another some time in August 2010.
Come down and say Hi if you are in the area.

Happy New Year!

Make this the year that you finally get published if you have never been published and the year you publish something new if you have been published before.
Make resolutions you can stick to.
Write every day.
Join a support group if that is something you think will help you. There are many local groups of various national writing organizations that you might find helpful but there are also online support groups that can be just as motivating. Scope them out. And remember to give as well as take.
Network with other writers. Join Facebook and Twitter.
Take a course. Learn a new skill.
But most of all write.
Happy New Year!