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Weekend fun!

August 28th, 2015 | Posted by Sara in Uncategorized - (0 Comments)

It’s Friday!  Another summer weekend is just ahead.  The kids are getting ready to return to school and the days will quickly turn colder (at least up here in MN!).

So let’s enjoy it while we can!

Here are some of my fun weekend adventure suggestions!

1. See a cave.  In Minnesota and around the country there are several wonderful cave tours.  A few years back my husband and I found the cave in Dodgeville, WI.

2. While you are in Dodgeville, check out the House on the Rock.  There is an extensive museum in addition to the house.

3. If it rains, stay in on Sunday night and watch the the VMAs.  MTV’s award show celebrating excess and celebrity will be hosted by Miley Cyrus this year.  Expect a lot of twerking and fireworks exploding from her breast cones!

4. See a fun concert at a local festival.  MN has the state fair and it has a lot of great 1980s acts.

5.  Tour one of our government facilities!  We are going to tour our Federal Reserve.

Happy Weekend!

New Reviews

August 27th, 2015 | Posted by Sara in Uncategorized - (0 Comments)

Good afternoon!

At times the world is such a scary place.  Yesterday two Virginia TV news people were shot live on-air. Such a horrible tragedy! When the world brings such misery, I love to pick up a great book.

Here are some of my recommendations:

1. And I shall have some peace there:trading in the fast lane for the own dirt road by Margaret Roach.  The story of a woman who leaves a big city job for the solitude of the country.

2. Anything by Paullina Simons.  She writes about intense love.  Start with The Bronze Horseman.

3. Brown-eyed girl by Lisa Kleypas

4. Anything by Steven Gains:  I am reading Philistines at the Hedgerow.  It is about real estate in the Hamptons

5. In the Company of Legends by Joan Kramer. Great stories about movie legends

In the end, a simple, sweet children’s story is a good idea.

Try Ellie and the Golden Cricket by Dalyce Elliot Young.  Read the review: http://www.mrtierneyslibrary.com/ and win a free copy here: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/151633-ellie-the-golden-cricket

The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep

August 21st, 2015 | Posted by Sara in Uncategorized - (0 Comments)

I was amazed this morning when CBS This Morning starting talking about a book called The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep.  It is a children’s book by a Swedish psychologist named Carl-Johan Forssen Ehrlin.  It is about getting your child to fall asleep using hypnotism.

This is a major breakthrough in the self-publishing world.  It is the first tine a self-published author has held the number one spot on Amazon.

I have to say, the main character is called Roger.  Really? I loved the movie Roger Rabbit as well but I think maybe Robbie or Randy would be better.

This is a major win for self-publisher like Amazon Create Space.  The company said the title benefited from word of mouth marketing.

Here are some tips for word-of-mouth marketing:

1 .  Post articles and comments on social media like Twitter.

2. Network online and off-line.

3. Write about something you know and that will fix a problem you readers have.

4. Get reviews!

5. Reach out to readers personally.

 

Important News Stories

August 20th, 2015 | Posted by Sara in Uncategorized - (0 Comments)

Good morning!

I’m always fascinated by what stories make the news cycle.  Many times stories about the Kardashians or another celebrity of the week make the headlines more than stories that really matter.

Here are some stories that caught my eye that need more attention:

1. Missing Nazi Treasure: Two treasure hunters in Poland think they have found a train that went missing at the end of world war II. It may have been filled with gold and bombs.

2. The country of Kazakhstan lost a quarter of its currency’s value.

3. South Korea exchanged fire with North Korea.

4.  It is the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

5. Finally, Kelly Clarkson is pregnant again!

(Hey, I had to slip one in there!)

 

Summertime Movies

August 14th, 2015 | Posted by Sara in Uncategorized - (0 Comments)

My husband and I have been going to more movies lately.  There is really nothing like the theater experience.

Here are a few of our soundbite reviews:

1. Inside Out:  Wonderful entertainment! A Pixar movie for adults. This film will pull at your heartstrings and make you wonder about the emotions in your head.

2. Minions: Not as good as Despicable Me.  It is too much of a good thing and the giant size Minion was overkill!

3. Mission Impossible: Perfect summer fun movie!  Tom Cruise was born for this!

4. Shaun the Sheep: Great nugget of a movie.  Fun for kids and adults.

We are planning to see Man from UNCLE, Tomorrowland, Jurassic World and Mr. Holmes.

Have a great weekend!

 

Check out Afognak!

August 13th, 2015 | Posted by Sara in Uncategorized - (0 Comments)

Happy Thursday!

We are in the dog days of summer and temps are pushing 90.  It makes we want to stay home with a cold drink, air conditioning and a good book!

Here is one I recommend. Full disclosure, the author is a client of mine.

If you are interested in a good mystery , check out Afognak by James Rains. Here is a recent review.

Afognak is a pre-post apocalyptic tale by James Rains that fans of zombie themed horror novels are going to love. Not quite the living dead but enemies we see our survivors going up against take strong queues from them. A remote island that isn’t frequented by a large population is the perfect place to give us a post apocalyptic feel while the actual world hasn’t burned to the ground.

In the novel we follow Dr. Joseph Karikoff and a group of survivors struggling to survive. At the offset we are given a flashback from a past long over before jumping to modern times. Ill give you one guess where an archaeological dig is being conducted after the introduction.

This is Rains first novel and while there were a few moments where the writing was spotty, mainly with how the characters initially being introduced. It felt a little off pacing wise. However, that didn’t last long and past that the writing was excellent. Characters had their own voices and you could see development as the pages turned.

An excellent novel let alone a first one and well worth the read.

 

What Authors Need to Know, Part II

August 6th, 2015 | Posted by Sara in Uncategorized - (0 Comments)

Happy Thursday!

I’m continuing with my post from Monday about PR and what authors need to know.

Number six is simple.

6.  Be willing to go the extra mile.  Bookstores will not bend over backward for you.  Neither will media, distributors or readers.  You must drive, fly, spend money to get noticed.  If you are lucky enough to get a mention by a celebrity that garners more PR, that is great but it is part luck and part hard work.

7. Be sure to work with a publisher that has distribution.  This will open doors to getting into more stores and it will give you needed credibility.

8.  Take your time.  Send the book to numerous publishers and find the right fit.  Traditional publishing has gatekeepers for a reason.  They want the best product and they don’t want to rush.

9. Beef up your social media.  I recommend using Twitter.  Facebook is OK if you want to see baby pictures or know what your second cousin is doing today, but Twitter, Instagam, Snapchat,Pintrest are where Millennials hang out.

10.  Lastly, think about what else you can talk about beside your book.  What did you learn while writing it?  You are now an expert on that topic.

Also, if you need help, let’s talk.

Sara

Your Book PR Checklist Part One

August 3rd, 2015 | Posted by Sara in Uncategorized - (0 Comments)

Good Morning All!

In this day and age of traditional publishing, indie publishing, self-publishing, and vanity presses, there is much to learn as a new author.  I wanted to put together a check-list for new authors or even experienced authors.  This is a checklist to navigate the public relations world for authors.

1 The public relations process needs to begin when you start writing the book.  Think about questions like, “Will this sell?” or “Is this interested it anyone beside myself and my family.”  Pay attention to trends!  Is the vampire trend ending?  How about dystopian?

2. Once you are finished writing, make sure you have a talented designer and editor working with you.  Selling you book depends on how it looks.  We do judge a book by its cover and also whether it is edited well!

3. Make sure you know your research and can speak to groups about your topic.  If you are writing a non-fiction book about World War II, make sure you have taken classes, done research and even taught classes on this topic.  The media will be looking for this credibility.

4. Don’t be too much of a perfectionist.  Know that most people you speak to about your topic will want to learn from you.  Don’t be so handcuffed by wanting to be perfect when you speak or do a signing that you can’t do it.

5. Lastly, show why a contact should work with you.  Tell what why people would buy your book or would be interested in your book.

Later in the week I will continue this list.

Stay tuned!