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.