Five Ideas on Where to Promote Your Self-Published Book

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I’ve uploaded my latest book, The Red Pagoda and Other Stories, to Kindle, set it for pre-orders and now for the part that I find is as hard as writing the book: the marketing. Of course, social media is always a good choice, but I thought I’d share some other options that I’ve used, big and small. What I keep in mind is that all magazines and their web sites need content. It’s just a matter of finding them and seeing what works for you.

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World Teachers Day

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When my first book, The Fragrant Garden, was published, I got a phone call that I will never forget. My fifth grade teacher, Miss Rubin, had called to congratulate me and to tell me she was proud of me. She had read the article about me that had appeared in The Montreal Gazette that week.

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Celebrating Independent Bookstores

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Authors for Indies Day

When I was a teenager and working part-time, there was a Classics bookstore at a nearby shopping mall, and that was where I headed on payday. My meager paycheque wouldn’t have gone far in a travel agency, but in a bookstore, it took me anywhere I wanted to go. I checked out the bestsellers before heading to the mystery section. On the top of my list were books by Agatha Christie (Hercule Poirot was my favorite) and the Peanuts series by Charles Schultz. I still have those books, now slightly yellowed, packed in a box. Back then, I thought working in a bookstore would be a dream come true. Continue reading →

Church Humour

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This is a hilarious post from The Highland Shepherd that shows the importance of good writing and editing.

Church Ladies and Typewriters

Thank God for church ladies with typewriters. These sentences actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:

  1. Bertha Belch, a missionary from Africa, will be speaking tonight at Calvary Methodist. Come hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa.
  2. Announcement in a church bulletin for a national PRAYER & FASTING Conference: “The cost for attending the Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.”
  3. The sermon this morning: “Jesus Walks on the Water.” The sermon tonight: “Searching for Jesus.”
  4. “Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale. It’s a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don’t forget your husbands.
  5. The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been cancelled due to a conflict.
  6. Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say “Hell” to someone who doesn’t care much about you.
  7. Don’t let worry kill you off – let the Church help.

Read the rest of the original post here. 

Intro to Copyright in Canada

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We are well into 2015 and some of you may be following up on one or two resolutions that you’ve made.

Want to lose weight? Can’t help you there. For the last ten years, I’ve been trying to lose ten pounds, and ended up gaining ten pounds instead.

Want to quit smoking? Can’t help with that either. I never smoked.

Want to write a book? Ah-ha, finally, something I can help you with.

copyright-40846_1280One of the things I’ve heard people say is that they’re afraid someone will steal their idea or story. This fear keeps them from talking about it to anyone or even from sending it out to an agent or publisher because they’re afraid their work will be published under someone else’s name. Sadly, what eventually happens to some of them is that they never finish writing the book and the idea never sees the light of day. But, this fear can be overcome by being informed. Continue reading →