What's Your Biggest Challenge with Your Book?

[Bill Frank]

I'd be interested to learn what authors/publishers on this network think their biggest challenges are with their book. I wonder if there's any common, pervasive challenge we all face.

[Bill Frank]

Hi, Rita. Is your book listed on BN.com and Amazon? Bookstores aren't the only place to sell books. While Barnes & Noble's response may seem a "canned" answer to you, there may be a kernel of good advice in it. List your book on the web sites for those customers searching for a book on your topic.

As far as Barnes & Noble book buying is concerned, who have you contacted at B&N? The best person to contact with information on your book is Marcella Smith, [e-mail]. She is the king- or queen-maker when it comes to selecting books from independent, small publishers for Barnes & Noble. She can be a powerful advocate for your book if she likes your pitch letter.

Good luck and good selling.

[Rita Schiano]

Hi Bill, thanks for the good advice. The book is listed on amazon and is available through them. B & N has it as unavailable, and I'm not sure why. The pubco received the thank you, but no letter from Evelyn Velazquez at B & N. I will be sure to follow up with the queen-maker herself per your advice. All the best, Rita

[albertasequeira]

Hi Susie,
Thank you for the advise. I've decided to go back to my original story. I'm going to write it the way it was and then worry about the rest later. I'm going to use real names, place and events. I'm going to meet with my sister-in-law and niece. If they are upset in any way over this, I'll change them to another family instead of my husbands family. Other than that, the book should be ok. It's a shame that I had changed so much of the book and had erased the pages.
Oh Well, at least I can get going on this book.Thanks for your imput.

[SusieSunshine]

Hello, Alberta,

I believe if you stay positive about it, it will happen. I hear the groaners in here now. *grin* But it has worked for me in all aspects of my book, including marketing.

Anyway, write it the way you want it. Then cover your butt. Put disclaimers in it, contact those in the book and get written affidavits from them that you can use their name, and do what you can to hide the identity of those who don't wish to be known. This is not legal advice. It is how I would, and have, handled a similar situation. If it comes to push and shove, make that part of the book generic. Below is an excerpt from my book. I will also add below that my disclaimer.

"I would like to share an example of Martyr Sympathy with you using my own life and perceptions.

There has been a woman in most of my life whose name is Mary. In the past I dubbed her Martyr Mary. She does not see herself as a martyr. However others in her life, both friends and family, do see her this way. So I know I am not being unrealistic: harsh maybe, but not unrealistic."

"Anyway, Mary's husband started going to AA and started practicing the 12 Steps. Mary had nothing to complain about. Life was even more tense! It shouldn't have been with a sober man in the house. Mary was not Happy. She couldn't say poor me anymore. When she did cry poor me everyone started to look at her. 'Mary,' they would say, 'what is the problem? Your husband has stopped drinking. Your life is better now. What is the problem?' She would answer, 'You just don't understand at all!'

Within a matter of months her husband traded alcohol for gambling. So now Mary could play martyr again! Eventually he traded the gambling back in for alcohol. So now the real martyr came out. In the process of all of this his brothers eventually saw the Martyr Mary and disengaged their emotional ties to Mary. To this day she has no idea why. She told me once it is because her husband was their brother and they sided with him. Another poor me! Funny they should have sided with him after all of those years. Her Martyr Sympathy became evident to those around her. She lost, not only the sympathy she so desperately needed but, friendships, support, and love from those who cared for her!"

Disclaimer
Important Notice
This entire book is in my perception and my perception only. Events and situations may not be depicted as others have seen them. No intent to harm, embarrass, slander, or any other form of malice is intended. The situations related in this book are in my perception and are given as examples to help others.

On Copyright Page
The author of this book specifies the content of this book is of her own perceptions only. The perception of events in this book may not have happened the same way in the eyes and minds of those people mentioned.

I hope this helps you.

[albertasequeira]

Hi Frank,
Thank you so much for the leads on legal advice.
Alberta

[Theresa E. Grant]

Hi Bill,

Thanks for the great advice and the tips. I am going to contact Mr. Coates and Ms. Milligan.

Thanks,
Theresa Grant

[Bill Frank]

Theresa,

Another great resource for you may be Ebony Magazine's list of Black bookstores:

http://www.ebonypages.org/blackbookstores.html

[Dawn Carrington]

I've been reading all the responses and input on this topic, and it's an amazing amount of information. Thanks for starting the topic, Bill.

As both a publisher and an author, I have found that bookstores just aren't the places to sell books because a sale isn't a sale until all the returns have come in. I have discovered "Beyond the Bookstore" by Brian Jud to be an invaluable resource in marketing outside of bookstores.

One of the things I encourage our authors to do make a list of things, places, etc. in your book which they might be able to use as a tool. For instance, one of our authors wrote a book set in 1943 about a deaf child who receives help from the John Tracy Clinic. She got a rousing endorsement from the President of the John Tracy Clinic. Since the book's release in July of this year, she has sold over eight hundred copies outside of bookstore sales. This is just by using topics from her book.

At any rate, I just wanted to put in my two cents worth here!

Again, great topic!

Dawn Carrington
Editor-in-Chief
Vintage Romance Publishing
www.vrpublishing.com

[Bill Frank]

Hi, Dawn. Thank you for the kind words. I agree with you. Bookstores are a lousy place to sell books. Brian Jud's book, "Beyond the Bookstore," is great reading for authors and publishers alike. I recommend all authors and publishers subscribe to Brian's free newsletter, too.

Your story about the John Tracy Clinic is a great example of thinking outside the box. I recommend to authors to think of people within their area of specialization to read, review and recommend their book. For instance, I had an author who wrote a book on the 1986 Libyan War. I encouraged him to think outside the box for potential reviewers. His list included Colin Powell, Arnold Schwartzkof and John Warner (then Secretary of the Navy).

Think big. Sending review copies to important people is the least expensive form of marketing an author or publisher can do. And, good reviews sell books.

[Sean Toh]

Hi All,

I found a published book give lots of opportunities beyond just from the sales of the books in bookstores. I noticed the body lauguages and expressions of surprises or respects when I give my autographed copy of my book - " 4 Steps To Financial Freedom " to people I meet.

Knowing the right people in the distribution industries is very important to your sales. You want the biggest distribution networks you could ever get. Just imagine selling a book a day in 100 networks of distribution will create quite a good amount of money if calculate it in econmical sense.

At this moment, I found the greatest challege is to find trustworthy unknown distribution networks in country like India, China, etc. How do you ensure that the money from the sales of the books is credited into your bank account without leakages?

Yours Sincerely
Sean Toh
Author of “4 Steps To Financial Freedom”
http://www.creditplushealth.discovermangosteen.com/
http://seantoh.com/
http://creditplushealth.com/

[Bill Frank]

Hi, Sean. Your situation is unique and intriguing. Most authors and publishers think of distribution within their own country before they think international distribution. Finding the correct distribution partner in a foreign country, particularly in countries with notorious reputations for respecting copyright, requires research, patience and reference checking.

One way to short cut the process is to contact other publishers in your field that distribute their books in the countries you want to distribute in. Ask them for recommendations on which distributors they use.

Referring to the International Literary Marketplace is another way to research which foreign distributors your competitors use.

Continued success for your book. You have a topic that is "evergreen."

[albertasequeira]

Hi All,
I wanted to let you know that I had made it through my new adventure on Thursday afternoon with being a speaker at the Emerson House which is an alcoholic center in Falmouth, MA.

I spoke for 45 minutes to 30 women about having lived with and lost a husband and a daughter to this disease. The girls had a shocked expression on them when they had heard that I had lost two. I never had such a gratifying experience after seeing them lifted with hope. Many sat there crying.

When I was done, they all came over and hugged me. It gave me unbelievable comfort. What a gift from God. I left them with gifts and they all lit-up.

One of the gifts was leaving two of my books to keep at the Emerson House for everyone who goes there. I had passed out my bookmarks and asked them to email me when they got home. I wanted to keep in contact and support them the best that I could. It was stressed that their counselors and meetings came first.

I also left my new poem The Demons in a clear two-side frame with a picture of Lori and her father. I had the poem made up at Staples on a postcard style to give them. Prayer cards were left, rosaries and the rosary pamphlet. They were in line grabbing everything.

The director said she had never seen the women sit absolutely still during a whole meeting, and especially, for this length of time. They were glued to me. She must have thanked me five times for coming and I did the same for her having allowed me to speak.

She said it was one of the most powerful talks that she had ever heard given at the Emerson House. That was the best news. I wanted it to be powerful and it was.

As for strength, I broke down crying coming home from the sadness that I had picked Lori up from there February 2006 with her having had the same hope. It had been her third and last stay at a rehab.

It was agonizing to have seen the girl's trash bags at the house filled with their clothes in the hall. That's how a lot of them transport their clothes to stay. I felt Lori all around me and could picture her coming down the stairs to see me. The lump in my throat was ready to burst.

Her first anniversary is coming up November 22nd so this only added to my emotional state. A Healing Heart had been published sixteen days before her death.

I think I found what my future is supposed to be all about. I'm asking the director to spread it all over about me speaking. I want to speak at AA meetings, Al-Anon and the rehabs. She's calling the men's rehab in Woods Hole to see if I can go there. It will happen if she recommended it herself. They are all connected. My husband and I may become a team to talk at the AA meetings.

If one person can be saved than this will all be worth it. Lori wanted to be a counselor so I'm taking her place. Funny how things turn out. We never know what God has planned for us.