Book signing events can be a great tool in an author’s arsenal, but many new authors may be surprised to learn that sales are not the best measure of a successful signing event.  Of course, sales are always appreciated, but when considering the overall cost of attendance versus the profit made, the value of participation is rarely found in the day’s receipts. Signing events are about relationships–creating new ones and solidifying existing ones. Networking with Authors Writing can be a … Read More »

For three years, I sat perched behind my laptop. During that time frame, I posted a weekly blog, published one short story, Circle of Justice, my urban fantasy book, Reaping the Harvest, and the erotic romance novel, Losing Faith. At that point, I was informed it was time to get out of the recliner and meet other people––other authors as well as the readers who said they enjoyed my work. Basically, it was time to stop hiding behind the laptop … Read More »

Back in high school, I aced my writing class…and balanced it by failing art class. Years later, when wielding a pencil, I’m still at the “stick figure” level, but fortunately, the advent of technology makes beautiful art somewhat attainable. More importantly, as published authors, it’s sometimes necessary to develop marketing materials or even book covers. I’d like to share three of my favorite (and FREE) art programs with you. We’ll start with one of the most accessible: MICROSOFT POWERPOINT Say … Read More »

I’ve participated as a vendor in three book fairs; two of them were large multi-day fairs–the Miami Book Fair International and MegaCon (Orlando). The Florida Writers Association is getting into the game with a multi-genre book signing in May 2016. If you’re one of the authors, or if you’ve ever wondered whether to take part in a book signing or a book fair, here’s a handy list of what you might need. What the organizers usually provide: Table (be sure … Read More »

There’s something magic in cracking the cover on a brand new book—for you Kindle folks make that tapping a finger. Books become our best friends, trusted advisors, time machines and tickets to better places and times. Some of us are so in love with the whole book thing that we actually want to write one. Or, a few. Or, a few hundred. Enter the Florida Writers Conference. For a few days in October, we book lovers and would-be writers get to “crack the … Read More »

(Negative Content Alert… Read to the end for a positive outcome.) Books are still being discovered (and bought) in bookstores. I have never met an author who didn’t want to have their published work on the shelves of a bookstore. So, authors have books, bookstores sell books…what could be a better match? Here comes the rub: most local authors alienate bookstores, which hurts their efforts and … book sales. Today all authors are on the frontline of their promotional efforts, both online and … Read More »