New Marketing Column Coming!

We're excited to announce that we've got a brand new marketing column starting up next week.  Linda F. Radke of Five Star Publications will be offering her wisdom for producing and marketing the small-press/self-published book.  


Since 1985, veteran publisher Linda F. Radke, owner of Five Star Publications, has been ahead of her game––self-publishing before it was commonplace, partnership publishing before the rest of the world even knew what it was and producing award-winning traditionally and nontraditionally published fiction and nonfiction manuscripts for adults and children.

Radke’s odyssey to becoming one of the nation’s leading consultants in the areas of book production, marketing, publicity and distribution began simply enough with the desire to print a few books to complement the household employment agency she owned. For Radke, who on more than one occasion has been teased about having “printer’s ink in her veins,” the experience of publishing the books was exhilarating, prompting her to change careers and launch Five Star Publications without looking back.

Eventually, Radke added services and acted as a publishing consultant for other self-publishers, ventured into traditional publishing and pioneered partnership publishing to allow her to publish more authors and make them a more integral part of the creative process of publishing.

Among her many accolades, Radke is author of The Economical Guide to Self-Publishing (a Writer's Digest Book Club selection that is now into its second edition) and Promote Like a Pro: Small Budget, Big Show (a Doubleday Executive Program Book Club selection). She is a founding member of the Arizona Book Publishing Association and was named Book Marketer of the Year by Book Publicists of Southern California. 

Linda's column will begin on Monday, November 9th.  Stay tuned for some great advice!

Reviewer's Tip - Bar Code and ISBN

This week's tip is a simple one - if you want to sell your book in traditional venues such as bookstores, include both an ISBN and bar code.  


If you're writing a memoir to be shared with family members, then getting an ISBN and bar code is not important.  If you plan on sharing your book with those you know and selling it via the trunk of your car, then again, you don't need these two items.  Unfortunately, we get a lot of books from authors who hope to sell their books on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, as well as bookstores.  These places need, indeed require, both an ISBN and bar code.


An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is assigned by R.R. Bowker.  Visit their website at www.bowker.com for more information.  DO NOT go to another company that offers to sell you just one ISBN (these numbers are normally sold in 10s, 100s, 1000s).  Buying from another company will probably mean that that company's identification will go along with the ISBN.  What's wrong with that, you ask?  Well, if somebody wants to buy your book and searches on the ISBN, they'll be led to that company, not to you/your company.  Go to Bowker.


Bar codes are easy to get and lots of companies offer them.  They're inexpensive (you should pay less than $25.) and typically should only take a day or two to obtain (I usually get mine the same day).  I've used Film Masters in Ohio (330-334-1302).  Ask for Kathy - she's very helpful  Or, search the net for another company that looks good to you.  Again, a bar code is easy to get and your book should have one if you want to sell it outside of your small circle of family and friends.

Editor's Tip

In case you've been wondering what happened to our weekly Editor's Tip column, Barbara Ardinger had to take a brief "vacation" to concentrate on a book she's editing and also to re-build her website.  She'll be back soon.  Looking forward to reading more great tips, Barbara!

Borders to Close 200 Walden Outlets in January

Reprinted with permission of Publishers Weekly

By Jim Milliot -- Publishers Weekly, 11/5/2009 

Borders Group is accelerating the pace of closing stores in its Waldenbooks Specialty Retail group, announcing Thursday that it will shut approximately 200 outlets in January. The retailer has been steadily closing its mall-based stores since 2001 and will have about 130 mall stores after the downsizing is completed. Stores to be closed fall under the Waldenbooks, Borders Express and Borders Outlet names. Superstores are not part of the downsizing nor is the company’s mall kiosk business and airport stores.

Borders CEO Ron Marshall said that “through this right-sizing, we will reduce the number of stores with operating losses, reduce our overall rent expense and lease-adjusted leverage and generate cash flow through sales and working capital reductions.” The closing will result in the elimination of about 1,500 jobs, the majority of which, Borders said, are part-time positions.A company spokesperson said the stores slated for closing "will be fully stocked for the holidays," but will begin clearance sales in mid-December that will run into January. She had no comment on the total amount of sales generated by the stores targeted for closure.

The company also said it plans to integrate the remaining Walden stores into its superstore computer system to create a single platform. Despite attempts to merge the two operations in the past, Borders and Walden have always operated on separate systems, much to the frustration of publishers. The spokesperson said the company hopes to have the stores moved into superstores' inventory and point of sale system within the first quarter.


Commenting on the closing, Simon & Schuster CEO Carolyn Reidy said she is "never happy to see the number of outlets diminished." She added, however, that if closing the stores helps to strengthen Borders, the move is a positive one.

Free Book Contest for November!

November - This month we have TWO books in our giveaway package! The first is The Three-Legged Kitten and the second book is Stinky Little Scroungy. Both books are by Samuel Lopez. Read the reviews here and here. Note that these books are paperback. We will contact the winner on or about the first of the following month and request a mailing address. Again, we will NOT keep this address on file. Ready to enter? Click here!

Author Interview with Lorna Barrett

Our interview today is with New York Times best-selling author Lorna Barrett, author of the Booktown Mystery series. Today we're interviewing her on the newest book in the series, Bookplate Special.




FQ: Tricia Miles was wondering if there was “something in the Stoneham water supply causing relationships to crash and burn.” Do you think there was something in the water supply that made her take a closer look at Captain Grant Baker and do you think we’ll be seeing more of him?


I think (like my readers) she was just relieved not to have to deal with Sheriff Adams. The readers spoke, and I listened. And yes, Captain Baker will be back.


FQ: Unfortunately we didn’t get to know Pammy Fredericks very well before she ended up head first in a trash cart with only her worn jeans and pink Crocs sticking out. Were you thinking of someone you knew when you developed her fascinating, but annoying character? No names please.


Pammy isn't based on anyone I know. Most of my characters are composites. I'll take a trait from one person I know, and add another from someone else. Sometimes my women characters might have a trait that some man I know has/does--and vice-versa. And, as a matter of fact, the scuffed up pink Crocs are mine!


FQ: I had never heard of the term “freegan” before I read it in Bookplate Special. We’ve all heard of dumpster divers, but is this an increasing phenomenon in this day and age and where does the word “freegan” come from?


According to Wikipedia, "Freeganism is an anti-consumerist lifestyle whereby people employ alternative living strategies based on 'limited participation in the conventional economy and minimal consumption of resources'. The lifestyle involves salvaging discarded, unspoiled food from supermarket dumpsters, known as dumpster diving. Freegans salvage the food for political reasons, rather than out of need."


The term freegan comes from the words "Free" and "Vegan," although you don't have to be a vegan to be a freegan. (And my characters certainly aren't.)


I first heard about freegans while watching Oprah and was fascinated by them. (I've also seen the lifestyle featured on an episode of "The F Word" (cooking show).) I was already thinking about writing about a food pantry, and adding the freegans just seemed like a natural fit. (And may I add that my editor was very nervous about it until he read the manuscript.)


FQ: We didn’t see much of Miss Marple in the Tricia’s Haven’t Got a Clue bookstore this time. She must have been hiding out in the stacks taking a catnap.


Yes, she likes to take long naps in the front display window, where there's ample afternoon sun.


FQ: Are you a cat lover and do you have any cats of your own?


I'm definitely a cat lover and currently have four cats: Betsy, Bonnie, Chester and Fred. (You can see their pictures on my web site: http://www.lornabarrett.com/cats.html). It just seemed natural to add cats to my stories. (And, as it happens, my editor requested Tricia have a "store cat.")


FQ: As your Booktown Mystery series develops you have been adding more characters. How do you keep track of them and their little idiosyncrasies without getting lost?


I keep what I call the Booktown Bible, it's a computer document that lists all the people I've used in my stories, where they live, what they look like, and anything else I might need to use in a future book. That way I don't have to go searching through the books when my memory is faulty. (As it often is.) Even if I mention a character in passing and they don't show up in the current story, I note it in the Bible in case I need to use them again. It works out handy.


FQ: Tricia and her sister Angelica seem to be getting along much better now and Tricia was even seen at Angelica’s café, Booked for Lunch, waiting tables. You have a few of Angelica’s recipes in the back of the book. Your favorite and why?


My favorite of all the recipes I've mentioned in the books happens to be in Bookplate Special--the mini spinach quiches. I just love hot hors d'oeuvres, and try to find any excuse I can use to make (and eat) them. It doesn't hurt that my husband loves them, too, and encourages me in this.


FQ: You’re now, understandably, garnering a large fan base with this series, but what kind of book do you like to read when you have a few moments to relax?


Who has time to relax? Seriously, when I'm on deadline (which seems to be every three months), I tend to read non-fiction; decorating and cookbooks. When I'm not on deadline, I read a lot of manuscripts written by my friends (other published authors) either for critique or for a blurb.


FQ: Any favorite authors, genre, books?


These days I mostly read cozies, and I love books by Julie Hyzy, Leann Sweeney, Cleo Coyle, Mary Jane Maffini, Krista Davis, Jeff Cohen, Maggie Sefton, Kate Collins, Jennifer Stanley, Heather Webber, Hannah Dennison, and Sheila Connolly. When I want a chance of pace, I'll read books by Doranna Durgin, Kate Flora, and the always wonderful Julia Spencer-Fleming.


For more information on Bookplate Special, read the review at Feathered Quill Book Reviews. Also, please visit the author at http://www.lornabarrett.com/

Borders Offers "In-Stock Guarantee"

Reprinted with permission of Publishers Weekly

-- Publishers Weekly, 11/3/2009
Borders, which earlier in the year struggled to keep books in stock as it reduced inventory levels, has introduced a new holiday program under which the retailer will provide free shipping on any item listed on Borders.com that is not carried in a store where a customer is shopping. The goal of the “In-Stock Guarantee,” said Mike Edwards executive v-p and chief merchandising officer for Borders, “is to have every single customer leave our stores happy this holiday season.” There is no minimum price level to qualify for the free shipping and there are no per-customer limit on the number of items eligible for the program. The guarantee program will run through most of the holiday season, with December 16 as the final date items can be located and reach customers in time for Christmas. Items will be sent via the U.S. mail.

The guarantee applies only to Borders bricks and mortar stores, but there is also a free shipping program available at Borders.com. Generally, orders over $25 purchased on Borders.com will be shipped for free. Orders placed on the site before December 16 will reach customers in time for the holiday.