tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25108110410922899852024-02-20T01:10:40.603-08:00You Wrote a Book; Who Cares?From Published Book To Marketed Product, one author's journey through the marketing and networking mazeDebra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-13476583056248306392011-12-08T15:47:00.000-08:002011-12-09T18:46:29.708-08:00Five Things I learned from Steve Job<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9OwZ3kGtyWg/TuFNYU6C4kI/AAAAAAAAD1o/2Pv0bC2GS-E/s1600/_MG_9867.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9OwZ3kGtyWg/TuFNYU6C4kI/AAAAAAAAD1o/2Pv0bC2GS-E/s400/_MG_9867.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683909285042643522" /></a>I've been staying up nights reading the Steve Jobs biography by Walter Issacson. Okay I know that's a lame excuse for not posting, but I'd wanted to read this biography ever since I caught wind of it before Jobs died. <div><br /></div><div>Why? I had a MacBook and loved the way it was so user friendly compared to my former Thinkpad and Dell laptops. In fact, I liked it so much I got an Ipad, then eventually an Iphone.<br /><br />And last summer when Copyblogger Brian Clark did an interview with former <a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/guy-kawasaki-enchantment/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Copyblogger+%28Copyblogger%29">Apple evangelist Guy Kawasaki</a>, I became more intrigued with Steve Jobs--who nearly 70 percent of visitors on the Time Magazine<a href="http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2098471_2098472_2098499,00.html"> website</a> said deserved to be the person of the year. And in spite of Jobs saying "Americans don't read," his biography racked up<a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/12/06/143212379/steve-jobs-bio-takes-top-spot-in-amazons-2011-best-seller-list"> 379,000 sales at Amazon </a>the first week it was released, and was the best selling book in 2011. How's that for book sales?<div><br /></div><div>I couldn't wait to get a copy of this book and learn his secrets.<br /><br />I'd heard he was brash and egotistical, but when you hear someone is a visionary, it sets you up to expect a typical <a href="http://www.mythichero.com/what_is_mythology.htm">"hero's journey,"</a> with the big transformation in the end. Don't look for that in this book. In fact, many people interviewed for this book thought Jobs brash, insensitive, prone to temper tantrums and some said he even took other peoples' ideas and passed them off as his ideas. So like many reviewers, at first I couldn't get past the fact that Jobs didn't seem likable. I obsessed about it, even looked online and there I found some<a href="http://thewirecutter.com/2011/10/steve-jobs-was-always-kind-to-me-or-regrets-of-an-asshole/"> people </a>did like him, even thought<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/06/steve-wozniak-steve-jobs-death_n_997533.html"> he was kind.</a><div><br /></div><div>What impressed me was Steve Jobs set out to change the world and he did pushing "both design and engineering to the edge," developing brand new products, not just better examples of existing products. I mean what did we have before the Ipod, the Walkman? Seriously compare the two.</div><div><br /></div><div>As this <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/24/steve-jobs-review-walter-isaacson-biography_n_1028495.html">Huffington Post article</a> puts it, this biography takes off the "rose colored glasses" for an honest look at "one of the greatest minds" of our generation.</div><div><br /></div><div><br />Here are five things I learned from the Steve Jobs biography:<br /><br /><b>1. Get inspired</b> about your book, article or project, go with your gut feeling. One person found Jobs fascinating because "whatever he was interested in he would generally carry to an irrational extreme."<br /><br /><b>2. Be passionate, fall in love</b> with what you do. If you aren't passionate, mediocrity the result. Take a look at books and products and see if you can discern which were produced with passion. Two farmers from Ayers Creek Farm in Gaston, Oregon come to mind when I think about passion and quality. The two words naturally flow together.<br /><br /><b>3. It's okay to obsess</b> about details and seek perfection, follow your path, don't listen to critics, believe in your project with all your heart.<br /><br /><b>4. Ask for what you want</b>, speak boldly with confidence, don't be creepy but don't accept "no." I was amazed to learn how Jobs' courted artists for put Itunes together, Jobs' audacity in approaching people and asking for exactly what he wanted amazed me.<br /><br /><b>5. Surround </b>yourself with talented people. Brainstorm frequently. I found this theme throughout the book from his collaboration with Steve Wozniak in his garage, to <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20116912-37/with-pixar-steve-jobs-changed-the-film-industry-forever/">Pixar,</a> to Apple. When I read that <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2011/10/steve-jobs-the-pixar-years/">Toy Story </a>wouldn't have happened without Jobs, I wanted to see the movie again.<br /><br /></div><div>It was tough to reading at times; I sometimes cringed when Jobs was so brutally honest with everyone, even the nurses in his hospital room. But I wondered isn't there a place deep down inside where many of us have wanted to be brutally honest? Mostly we can't, we're too polite, constrained by society. Not Steve Jobs. Still, I wouldn't exactly call him a hero, but he was a visionary.</div><div><br /></div><div>At his Stanford commencement speech, he told three stories about his life. (Remember the power of story.) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1R-jKKp3NA"> This quote</a>, played often in the news this past year is one of my favorites: </div><div><br />"Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You're already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Get inspired, roll up your sleeves and get busy with the work you love.</div></div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-28408265753164993242011-11-21T15:31:00.000-08:002011-11-22T14:06:01.891-08:00Reflections and Thanks<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AZHSwffCXUA/Tsrgb3sm6vI/AAAAAAAADtw/r9MMJfSRdMc/s1600/IMG_3759.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AZHSwffCXUA/Tsrgb3sm6vI/AAAAAAAADtw/r9MMJfSRdMc/s400/IMG_3759.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677597049666071282" /></a>This is my book at the <a href="http://www.gatheringtogetherfarm.com/#!__shop-and-dine">Gathering Together Farm </a>store. It's so cool to see my book on sale at this farm stand that I had written about. This farm store is one of the many things I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving. And the book itself was life changing because my food world expanded with each farm I visited and included in the book.<div><br /></div><div>Thanksgiving is a time for reflection and giving thanks and even though Abe Lincoln helped weave the sentimental<a href="http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2007/11/18/the_opposite_of_thanksgiving/?page=full"> myth of Pilgrims and Indians </a>sharing a meal on Thanksgiving, I'd like to list eight things I'm grateful for when it comes to my book:<div><br /></div><div><b>1. <a href="http://www.timberpress.com/">My publishers</a> </b>who took a chance on me and do an amazing job of getting my book out there. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>2. <a href="http://youwroteabookwhocares.blogspot.com/search/label/Friends%20and%20allies">My writing group</a>-</b>-<a href="http://www.discoverlavender.com/kathygehrt.htm">Kathy Gehrt</a>, <a href="http://sharemore1.wordpress.com/">Sharon Morris</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Glaciers-Bears-Totems-Sailing-Southeast/dp/1550175165">Elsie Hulsizer,</a> Jan Schwert, <a href="http://wendyhinman.com/">Wendy Hinman,</a> and <a href="http://www.treadwellgold.com/author.html">Sheila Kelly</a>--for listening to and critiquing my writing every week. We're a dedicated group, each with our own projects, and we come together on a weekly basis to share our writing. We also share marketing tips and media leads. Check out this great <a href="http://janefriedman.com/2011/11/16/book-marketing-budget/">article </a>Wendy shared recently about book marketing budgets. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>3. My cute<a href="http://flickr.com/gp/cawcawcaw2/K6zQy7"> assistant </a></b>who poses for my <a href="http://foodconnections.blogspot.com/">food blog</a> every week and my husband Tom for putting up with all the food photos and my<a href="http://foodconnections.blogspot.com/2011/11/soup-project-enchilada-soup-with-black.html"> soup-of-the-week </a>project. Oh my cute assistant should be listed first since he's really the one who runs this dog and pony show.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>4. The farmers</b> I met who opened their farms, barns and homes to me for the profiles in my book. I don't think I'd know half as many farmers if I hadn't written <i><a href="http://www.timberpress.com/books/northwest_vegetarian_cookbook/daniels-zeller/9781604690347">The Northwest Vegetarian Cookbook.</a> </i>And I'm still meeting more farmers. Recently at an event at the North Cascades Institute, I visited Anne Schwartz of <a href="http://foodconnections.blogspot.com/2011/09/soup-project-hot-apple-soup.html">Blue Heron Farm</a>, a certified organic farm that's been in the Skagit Valley for decades.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>5. The great people</b> who invited me to amazing events like the<a href="http://www.ncascades.org/get_outside/speaker_series/"> Sourdough Speaker Series</a> at the North Cascades Institute. These events are really well organized and it was great to return to the North Cascades National Park.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>6. My neighborhood <a href="http://www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org/markets/u_district">farmers' market</a></b>. And kudos to:</div><div><ul><li>JoanE of Rent's Due Ranch who makes the best raspberry vinegar around</li><li>Liz and Michael from <a href="http://grousemtfarm.wordpress.com/">Grouse Mountain Farm</a></li><li>Jeanette and Jeff Herman of <a href="http://www.cliffsideorchard.com/">Cliffside Orchards</a></li><li>Wade Bennett of <a href="http://rockridgeorchards.com/default.aspx">Rockridge Orchards</a></li><li>John Huschle of <a href="http://www.natureslaststand.net/">Nature's Last Stand</a></li><li>The farm crew at <a href="http://www.nashsorganicproduce.com/">Nash's Organic Produce</a></li><li>Katsumi Taki of Mair Farm-Taki</li><li>Liz at River Farm</li><li>Josh Nettlebeck of <a href="http://www.hiveharvest.com/">Hive Harvest</a></li></ul><div><b>7. This <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Northwest">place </a></b>I call home, and the opportunity to write about the challenges and rewards of the farmers who grow our food.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>8.<b> The many opportunities and rewards </b>that sprang unexpectedly from the book.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>9. All the bloggers, cooks and food writers</b> I've connected with since the book was out, here are just a few:</div><div><ul><li>Nancy Ging--<a href="http://whatcomlocavore.com/">Whatcom Locavore</a></li><li>Kathleen Bauer--<a href="http://www.goodstuffnw.com/">Good Stuff Northwest</a></li><li>Jill Nussinow--<a href="http://www.theveggiequeen.com/">The Veggie Queen</a></li></ul><div><b>10. The abundant food options</b> that make this place I call home special.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Where ever you are this holiday, remember to count your blessings, wet noses and all. </div><div>Happy Thanksgiving!</div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-67355597084991999802011-11-07T07:53:00.000-08:002011-11-08T10:07:02.222-08:00Book Selling: Persistence and the Personal Touch Wins Sales<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GojXKpvXbc0/TrlpVdJFuGI/AAAAAAAADog/4UtOUa80Zp8/s1600/_MG_9550.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GojXKpvXbc0/TrlpVdJFuGI/AAAAAAAADog/4UtOUa80Zp8/s400/_MG_9550.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672681022970771554" /></a>When she isn't sailing, Elsie Hulsizer is in my Wednesday writers' group. On her last trip, she discovered that shoe leather marketing pays off and authors can do a lot to get the word out about their books.<div><br /></div><div>I was happy when Elsie offered to write a guest blog. I hope you enjoy it. I'll return next week to resume my Tuesday posting schedule.</div><div><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Akuoq_GFbMU/TrhYa_7QdJI/AAAAAAAADlI/8f_C9LCDW_U/s1600/_MG_9547.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>Personal Touch Sells Books</b><div><br />By Guest Blogger, <b>Elsie Hulsizer</b><br /><br /><br />When my second book, <i><a href="http://www.sailblogs.com/member/ospreyvoyages/?xjMsgID=156776">Glaciers, Bears and Totems: Sailing in Search of the Real Southeast Alaska</a></i> (Harbour Publishing, 2010) was published, I had visions of it being prominently displayed in bookstores throughout Southeast Alaska. I’d given <a href="http://www.harbourpublishing.com/excerpt/GlaciersBearsandTotems/reviewquote">the publisher</a> a list of magazines, newspapers and bookstores to target in Southeast Alaska and the publisher had issued press releases, sent out review copies of the book, advertised on the web, included the book in their catalog, and promoted it to distributors. And of course, I had my own <a href="http://home.earthlink.net/~ejhulsizer/index.html">website </a>and <a href="http://www.sailblogs.com/member/ospreyvoyages/?xjMsgID=196267">blog</a> promoting the book. I assumed the bookstores would clamor for it. The attractive cover of <i>Glaciers, Bears and Totems </i>would appeal to the impulse buyer and all those cruise ship passengers wandering in and out of the stores were an obvious market.</div><div><br />The summer after <i>Glaciers, Bears and Totems </i>was published, my husband Steve and I sailed to Southeast Alaska. We planned to visit the bookstores, but I expected just to be encouraging an existing market.</div><div><br />I came away from our summer trip with three important lessons on selling books;<br /><br /><b>Lesson 1: </b>Publicity doesn’t equal selling. Old fashioned salesmanship is still needed.<br />I came down to earth with a crash in Ketchikan, the first Alaskan town on the way north. I made my way to a downtown bookstore we had visited regularly on previous trips and eagerly scanned the Alaska shelves looking for <i>Glaciers, Bears and Totems.</i> No joy. Perhaps they had sold all their copies. I went up to the checkout stand with my bookmark and asked the saleswoman at the counter if they carried it.</div><div><br />“This certainly looks like something we would want to carry,” she told me. “But I’ve never seen it and we don’t have it in our computer. Why don’t you come back when the bookstore owner is in?” </div><div><br /></div><div>I was dismayed. If this bookstore, whose owner knew me and carried my first book, didn’t have it, what were the chances others would carry it?</div><div><br />I returned two days later with a copy of <i>Glaciers, Bears and Totems </i>to show the owner. She promptly went online and ordered several copies.</div><div><br />“I think I saw a mockup of it at last year’s booksellers’ conference,” she told me. “But I was busy and forgot about it.”</div><div><br />With a couple of exceptions that’s how our visits to Southeast Alaska bookstores went. The owners or buyers would say they hadn’t heard about<i> <a href="http://www.armchairsailorseattle.com/glbeandto.html">Glaciers, Bears and Totems</a></i><a href="http://www.armchairsailorseattle.com/glbeandto.html"> </a>but immediately ask how to order it and how soon they could get it.<br /><br /><b>Lesson 2. </b>Nothing sells a book like putting it in a reader’s hands.<br />Since we didn’t find <a href="http://www.robertacruger.com/blog.htm?post=725357"><i>Glaciers, Bears and Totems</i> </a>on the bookstore shelves, we went into high gear to sell it ourselves. I placed signs in the window on both sides of our boat so passerbys on the docks would see it. I ordered more copies from the distributor to keep onboard, and we showed the book not only to bookstores but to boaters and other people we met. I was surprised how easy it was to sell. In the middle of a conversation, Steve would say, “My wife wrote a book about Southeast Alaska.” I’d bring out <i><a href="http://www.bookoftheyearawards.com/books/9781550175165/">Glaciers, Bears and Totems</a></i> and hand it to them and they’d buy it. Sometimes they didn’t even open it, but bought it on the strength of seeing the cover.</div><div><br />Once we were in a restaurant in Sitka with a box of books I had just picked up from the Post Office when I sold one copy each to the two couples at the next table. They were so pleased with the book and to be meeting a real author that they insisted on taking pictures of all of us together with the book. When we went to pay our bill, I learned one of the men had paid for our lunch.<br /><br /><b>Lesson 3. </b>Pushiness pays as does repeated exposure to the book.<br />At one point I thought Steve was getting too carried away with selling. Walking by a large powerboat at the marina in Sitka one day, Steve pointed to a woman washing the boat’s deck and said loudly, “This woman looks like she needs to buy one of your books.” I was so embarrassed that I looked around for a place to hide. So imagine my surprise when I heard,<br />“Are you Elsie? I was just wishing I had bought your book. I heard you talk in Anacortes and didn’t buy it then.”<br /><br />Our experience in Southeast Alaska was a good reminder that even in this digital age, selling books requires old-fashioned salesmanship.<br /><br />Read more about Elsie Hulsizer and her books at her <a href="http://home.earthlink.net/~ejhulsizer/">website</a>. </div></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LyJZqIMaYF8/TrgAlfwNgRI/AAAAAAAADk8/XiJYIxL2F8k/s1600/sign%2Bin%2Bwindow%2B%25281%2Bof%2B1%2529.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 384px; height: 302px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LyJZqIMaYF8/TrgAlfwNgRI/AAAAAAAADk8/XiJYIxL2F8k/s400/sign%2Bin%2Bwindow%2B%25281%2Bof%2B1%2529.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672284374852010258" /></a>Photo: A sign in the window of our boat advertising my books to passersby.<br /><br /></div></div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-49056689741290077092011-08-09T12:58:00.000-07:002011-08-09T13:19:26.425-07:00How to Keep the Buzz Going Long After the Book is Out<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7yEiMXM-FXI/TkGSHSeexiI/AAAAAAAAC2o/CSyWz9Ivf00/s1600/IMG_3747.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7yEiMXM-FXI/TkGSHSeexiI/AAAAAAAAC2o/CSyWz9Ivf00/s400/IMG_3747.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638948862360995362" /></a>The idea and content from this post come from my friend <a href="http://www.discoverlavender.com/kathygehrt.htm">Kathy Gehrt</a>, a savvy book author and excellent marketer. Check out her book <i><a href="http://discoverlavender.com/">Discover Cooking with Lavender</a></i>, visit her website and read her blog posts to learn more about this amazing purple flower.<div>
<br /></div><div>Here are her tips for following up on published article or interviews that can generate publicity for your book.
<br /><div><b>
<br /></b></div><div><b>1. Comment</b> on the article or story online.<div>
<br /><div><b>2. Post</b> a link on social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and other social media networks.</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>3. Stimulate</b> a dialogue with people in your community about something in the article.</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>4. Write</b> a blog about the interview.</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>5. Provide </b>new information about the topic.</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>6. Email</b> the article to people in your community who might be interested in it.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>And if I may add this one: </div><div> </div><div><b>7. Offer </b> to post a guest blog about the topic or article.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Here's to smooth marketing and keeping the buzz alive, until next time dear writers and authors.
<br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yMDi68sr6bY/TkGRmk_SdUI/AAAAAAAAC2g/qh5ftaVmZD0/s1600/_MG_0751.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div></div></div></div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-78930300624053134202011-08-01T12:32:00.000-07:002011-08-01T13:59:45.226-07:00Tips for Presentations: Make an Event Checklist<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SVWGqR3N_OA/Tjb_kXI-FvI/AAAAAAAACtw/stu9IF-MWRg/s1600/IMG_4194.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SVWGqR3N_OA/Tjb_kXI-FvI/AAAAAAAACtw/stu9IF-MWRg/s400/IMG_4194.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635972983852766962" /></a>One of my goals this year is to cut wasteful spending (sound familiar?), and those cuts include book promotion. I don't do many "free" events like I did last year for my book, where I end up spending <a href="http://foodconnections.blogspot.com/2010/09/dreams-fairytales-and-granville-island.html">big bucks on hotels </a>or drive all day to get there. I have a set price for a fairly simple demo event that's under 100 miles away and if I'm really interested in the venue. If the the event is under 10 miles away, I'll do it free of charge, with the requirement that I sell my own books.<div><br /></div><div>Recently I agreed to do an event at the <a href="http://www.slowrootsfestival.com/">Slow Roots</a> Food and Music Festival and I had agreed to do the event before going over details. It's a learning experience, I know, and in the early days that followed, I ferreted out details from the hosts. As I requested items, including a fee, my friend <a href="http://discoverlavender.com/">Kathy Gehrt </a>suggested writing a post on an event checklist. </div><div><br /></div><div>So here's one of those useful tip posts to help navigate the waters of event ambiguity. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here are five tips for your event checklist:</div><div><br /></div><div><b>1. Ask a lot of questions</b></div><div><ul><li><b>Who</b> (is your contact? Get email, phone, best time for contact?)</li><li><b>What </b> (lecture, talk, demo, class, how long, what is the line-up?)</li><li><b>Where</b> (how far, parking, unloading, general set-up--inside, outside)</li><li><b>When </b>(when are the biggest crowds most likely? check calendar, write it down)</li><li><b>How </b>(many other presenters?)</li></ul><div><b>2. Check</b> the organization's web page. Try and imagine that you are at the event. Make a list of things the presenter needs to do to meet your needs. For example--at the Slow Roots Festival I need a two burner set-up, a handwashing station and an assistant.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>3. Mention </b>fees long before the event; have a handy list of what you charge.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>4. Know </b>the things that are most important for your event.</div><div><ul><li>Projector</li><li>Stove, burners, kitchen equipment, assistants</li><li>Props and books for show and tell presentation </li><li>Parking arrangements at the event, unloading, prep time and place</li></ul><div><b>5. Make </b>a list of what you need early on. That way, if you need additional items from the hosts, you can ask well before the event and you can be more relaxed the day of the event because you took the time to get organized early.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">The less ambiguity and murky details you can clear away before the event, the smoother your presentation will go. </span></div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-60901166621845924282011-07-25T12:12:00.001-07:002011-07-26T08:58:53.606-07:00Catch and Release Books at Book Crossing<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--9XBRdz77gU/Ti3XskhpGII/AAAAAAAACrw/fhxwDQ8WBYQ/s1600/_MG_0372.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 344px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--9XBRdz77gU/Ti3XskhpGII/AAAAAAAACrw/fhxwDQ8WBYQ/s400/_MG_0372.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633395869629356162" /></a><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div>Book Crossing is an amazing ocean of books circulating through the jet stream of readers around the world who log-in with the book's journey and a book's travel adventures can take on a life of their own.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I'd wanted to join Book Crossing for a long time, but I couldn't quite reconcile how an author can generate sales through participating in the site. A few years ago <a href="http://www.amarketingexpert.com/">Penny Sanseveri </a>mentioned that she too had released her new books into book crossing, and said it was good marketing, but I wasn't exactly sold on how sending books into book crossing worked as a marketing strategy.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div>I mulled it over in my mind about sending books on a journey, but what really got me to investigate the site was <a href="http://street-pickings.com/2011/07/22/free-books/">this blog</a> that I've been working on with a friend where we promote free things--sidewalk art, things found in gutters, free sofas, etc. </div><div><br /></div><div>Book Crossing seemed to be a fun site to promote. So I decided to register my two books for release. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Like a message in a bottle; maybe someone will get it and log on but maybe not.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I picked a release place, date and time--two different coffee shops in Edmonds. And after ordering coffee and taking an out-of-the-way table, I set <a href="http://www.bookcrossing.com/mybookshelf/">the books free</a>. In Tully's, the ower or "Jim" was two steps ahead of me. He left a box full of books labeled "Jim's Book Corner" with the take a book leave a book concept. Who knew, coffee houses are now becoming lending libraries for used books.</div><div><br /></div><div> The odd part about this experience was that I felt a like a shoplifter or their as I left the coffee shops. How funny that leaving something pushes the same buttons as stealing something. </div><div><br /></div><div>As far as a marketing strategy the only way I can see that it helping authors market their books is to shout out where you released your books, like a giveaway-- on FaceBook, Twitter, blog and newsletter. That way you promote book crossing and your book--a win-win. Otherwise you're just releasing without any idea of who might pick up the book. Which is what I did, because like many other people, I often get caught up in the details and miss the big picture. (I can always go for a second release, and that may happen soon.)</div><div><br /></div><div>One thing about book crossing is it's an honor system. You hope a fellow bookcrosser may pick up the book, or at least someone curious enough to log on and tell a story. I didn't think much about those details--checking the time and place then sending the babies off. But do think ahead because it's your child's future. And you should probably also tell your journey as a writer on the book crossing site to go along with the book. Just a few tidbits of wisdom learned after the fact, before you log in and join the crowd.</div><div><br /></div><div>I can't say whether this Russian roulette method of book marketing will make a ripple let alone a spalsh, but the fun thing is,I get optimistic that my book will go far. Kind of like this <a href="http://www.desiretoinspire.net/blog/2011/7/25/mondays-pets-on-furniture-part-2.html">design blog</a> with pets-on-furniture Mondays that I sent my dogs picture to . You have to let the book go on an act of faith, hoping that somehow it will reach the right readers and inspire them.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here are a <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/bookcrossing-com-sandpoint">few reviews</a> if you want to check them out before sending your book into the stream of book crossing readers. Even if you don't think the publicity angle won't pan out, joining book crossing is a ticket to fun. </div><div><br /></div><div>And who knows, it may just be the perfect cup of tea to feed your soul and begin a new journey.<br /><div><br /></div></div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-72677382136307855092011-07-19T10:21:00.001-07:002011-07-19T12:36:58.696-07:00From Platform to Book<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G3b2eQliJUo/TiW-z-F3uqI/AAAAAAAACo4/tJzmuuohPV4/s1600/IMG_3322.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 326px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G3b2eQliJUo/TiW-z-F3uqI/AAAAAAAACo4/tJzmuuohPV4/s400/IMG_3322.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631116709146901154" /></a><b><br /></b><div><b>"Do you need to build a platform?"</b> asks <a href="http://www.becomebodywise.com/">Kelly James-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Enger</span></a> in an article in the August edition of<a href="http://www.writermag.com/"> </a><i><a href="http://www.writermag.com/">The Writer</a>.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>A platform is about what you bring to the publisher, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Enger</span> says it's as essential as writing ability when it comes to writing for a living. A platform is your ability to reach your book buying audience, your influence as an expert and all the connections you bring to a book project. Publishers want to know that you can write a book and more importantly that you can sell product, a fact that many authors gloss over or don't really think about.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, Times, serif;color:#4D4D4D;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;">The problem with building a platform is it's as much work as building a house and it doesn't stop after your book is published. Find your crowd and be an expert, but don't come off as preachy or have a money-grubbing buy this book approach. Join communities, help others by providing useful content that pays dividends and can increase over time. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, Times, serif;color:#4D4D4D;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, Times, serif;color:#4D4D4D;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;">If you don't like selling products, even your own, you must read <a href="http://michaelhyatt.com/5-steps-to-building-a-platform-when-you-hate-selling-yourself.html">5 Steps to Building a Platform</a> when you hate selling yourself.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, Times, serif;color:#4D4D4D;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, Times, serif;color:#4D4D4D;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;">The ideas is to become a well-liked expert. Here are 5 tips to the road to success:</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, Times, serif;color:#4D4D4D;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, Times, serif;color:#4D4D4D;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><b>1. Pick a venue</b> like Facebook or twitter and start sharing information and making thoughtful comments. It's not about your or your book but contributing to the community.</span></span></span></span></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, Times, serif;color:#4D4D4D;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"></span></span></span></span><b>2. Set yourself apart</b> from other people with similar platforms without being <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">competitive</span>. Copyblogger recently had a great <a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/online-obscurity/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Copyblogger+%28Copyblogger%29">post </a>about beating online-obscurity. I liked his idea of promoting other people to promote yourself and following </div><div><br /></div><div><b>3.<a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/blog-comment-traffic/"> Start commenting</a></b>, but leave the "that's fabulous" or "sounds delicious" comments to a minimum. It's a waste of time to leave trite comments and who really cares that you're going to make that recipe right away? Instead why not actually read through the post and make a relevant comment. And when someone comments on your blog, remember not many comments are random, most come from bloggers who also want their blog read. It's common courtesy to look at the link and check out the commenter's blog. At the very least <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">acknowledge</span> and answer questions raised.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Content_marketing">4. Practice content marketing</a> </b>and share news items and information your readers can actually use. Food bloggers share recipes. Interior Design blogs like <a href="http://design-elements-blog.com/">this one</a> and this<a href="http://www.desiretoinspire.net/"> one</a> do it with cool photos, enticing people with dream homes, rooms and furniture. Who doesn't want to live like that? Everyone has their content <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">antennas</span> on high alert with their WIIFM (what's in it for me) factor.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>5. Remember</b> the lost art of saying "Thank you." Cultivating relationships, adding value to other people's lives--that's what internet marketing is all about according to Gary Vaynerchuk in the<i><a href="http://thankyoueconomybook.com/"> Thank You Economy</a></i>. Retweeting, saying thank you on FaceBook walls and generally personalizing the way you do business. In other words, do unto others. Social networking is a cooperative framework for building a platform, sharing information and online book selling.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now all you have to do is put in farmer's hours to get the results you want. Now where did I put my hoe . . .</div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-63115516745016430982011-07-12T10:48:00.001-07:002011-07-12T12:04:42.274-07:00Selling Books at Nontraditional Book Venues<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hmLJ_yctE-A/ThyCsKGVFYI/AAAAAAAACk4/Mg0TUgZLrlQ/s1600/_MG_9054.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hmLJ_yctE-A/ThyCsKGVFYI/AAAAAAAACk4/Mg0TUgZLrlQ/s400/_MG_9054.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628517329443034498" /></a>One of the best things about writing a book is the journey it invites you on. New doors open, new opportunities appear, and new friends sprout up along the way. <div><br /></div><div>Perfect bookstore events, where you get great attendance and sell loads of books are sometimes hard to come by, so last summer I bought Penny Sanseveri's<a href="http://youwroteabookwhocares.blogspot.com/2011/01/one-strategy-for-authors-plugging-books.html"> </a><i><a href="http://youwroteabookwhocares.blogspot.com/2011/01/one-strategy-for-authors-plugging-books.html">Red Hot Internet Publicity</a>. </i>When I bought the book, I signed up for the newsletter <a href="http://www.amarketingexpert.com/about-ame/">52 Ways to Sell More Books</a>. Penny is generous with her promotional tips. One by one the tips arrived and tip #37 arrived just a few days ago. The tip was about doing book signings in unique venues and going beyond bookstores for book sales. </div><div><br /></div><div>This tip reminded me of a similar <a href="http://youwroteabookwhocares.blogspot.com/2010/05/book-marketing-101-thinking-outside.html">post </a>I wrote last year.</div><div><div><div><br /></div><div>My writing group friends are great examples of these events. </div><div><ul><li> <b>Sheila Kelly</b>, author of <i><a href="http://www.treadwellgold.com/">Gold: An Alaska Saga of Riches and Ruin</a>,<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"> has been making waves at mining association events. </span></i></li></ul><ul><li><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><b> Kathy </b><b>Gehrt</b><b>,</b> who wrote </span><a href="http://discoverlavender.wordpress.com/">Discover Cooking with Lavender</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">, does cooking demos at Lavender Festivals like the<a href="http://discoverlavender.wordpress.com/2011/06/08/the-more-the-merrier-two-celebrations-in-sequim/"> two festivals </a>coming up in a few weeks in Sequim, Washington. </span></i></li></ul><ul><li><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><b>Elsie </b><b>Hulsizer</b> author of two sailing books, the most recent </span></i><i><a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/61-9781550175165-0">Glaciers, Beans, and Totems: </a></i><i><a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/61-9781550175165-0">Sailing in Search of the Real Southeast Alaska,</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"> has been presenting slide shows of her journey at yacht clubs in British Columbia and Washington.</span></i></li></ul></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></i></div><div>I've done cooking demos at <a href="http://www.portlandfarmersmarket.org/">markets</a>, slide presentations at <a href="http://foodconnections.blogspot.com/2011/02/farm-to-church-connections.html">local churches</a> and this weekend, I'm participating in a<a href="http://freshlydougvegetables.blogspot.com/2011/04/july-16-2011-farm-to-fork-dinner.html"> Farm-to-Fork dinner at Whispering Winds Farm</a>. Sixty people have already reserved tickets for this farm-cooked meal, a farm tour, a chance to win door prizes (which I must say are amazing) and the best part for me? </div><div><br /></div><div>Meeting the people who grow our food in the Northwest. If you're going you'll love farmers Char and Doug Byde, Char always makes me laugh. I'll have my own table at the event, but what I'm really looking forward to besides Each step of my so called book promotion, even in this second year, takes me deeper into farms and food, my platform and the growing audience for local foods.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>In tip #37<a href="http://www.amarketingexpert.com/"> Sanseveri </a>says think "video stores, electronic stores, grocery stores, restaurants, coffee shops and even Hallmark stores." I once saw an advertised book signing at <a href="http://www.ivars.com/index.php?page=locations_mukilteo-landing">Ivars Restaruant </a>at Mulkito Landing while I waited in line for the ferry. Who would think Ivars could host a book signing? Book publishing and promoting today--times are certainly changing.</div><div><br /></div><div>Instead of lamenting the difficulty of successful bookstore gigs, go beyond the bookstore and let no possibility of possible promotion escape you. </div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-21906399839423035462011-07-05T09:21:00.000-07:002011-07-05T10:57:02.701-07:00The Seven Elements of Story<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UQ7qA2wZONc/ThM9NlhWNBI/AAAAAAAACfw/rNtklotcZ_E/s1600/IMG_4301.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 370px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UQ7qA2wZONc/ThM9NlhWNBI/AAAAAAAACfw/rNtklotcZ_E/s400/IMG_4301.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625907663135454226" /></a> The power of <a href="http://remarkablogger.com/2011/05/18/telling-stories-how-to-make-the-power-of-the-personal-narrative-work-for-you/">personal narrative</a> can catapult book sales and compel people flock to your blog with each post. Just check out the comment section at <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/">Pioneer Woman</a> or <a href="http://orangette.blogspot.com/">Orangette</a>, if you don't believe me. Even Michael Pollan discussed high end organic food narratives at Whole Foods in his best selling book T<a href="http://orangette.blogspot.com/">he Omnivore's Dilemma</a> a few years ago.<div><br /></div><div>I mentioned the power of story when I wrote about<a href="http://www.blogger.com/Phillip%20Margolin%20http://youwroteabookwhocares.blogspot.com/2010/07/serving-up-stories-at-book-signings.html"> </a><a href="http://youwroteabookwhocares.blogspot.com/2010/07/serving-up-stories-at-book-signings.html">serving up stories </a>and <a href="http://www.phillipmargolin.com/">Phillip Margolin</a>, a master of suspense novels and one of the most entertaining authors I've ever heard. And he's the only author I've seen who never really mentioned his recent book(sitting on display close by.) But he told the most fascinating narrative about his own journey and with such enthusiasm, I felt like I knew him. I had to get his book, and now I'm now a big fan.</div><div><br /></div><div>The problem with story is many writing coaches stress the <a href="http://www.sunnyroomstudio.com/2011/02/19/the-power-of-story/">power of </a>it, but few discuss it's basic elements. As a result bloggers and free lance writers often tell only half stories or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anecdote">anecdotes</a> or <a href="http://hollylisle.com/index.php/Workshops/scene-creation-workshop-writing-scenes-that-move-your-story-forward.html">scenes</a> leaving readers only partially satisfied like a bad meal.</div><div><br /></div><div>Many people suggest reading Joseph Campbell's<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hero_with_a_Thousand_Faces"> The Hero with a Thousand Faces</a>, </i>but if you just want the Cliff Notes edition because you want to write a compelling blog post or a short story, here are the seven elements I learned one year from a screenwriter at<i><a href="http://www.ci.edmonds.wa.us/ArtsCommission/wots.stm"> Write On the Sound</a></i>, a writers' conference in Edmonds, Washington.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>1. Once upon a time . . .</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>2. And everyday . . .</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>3. Until one day . . .</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>4. And because of this . . .</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>5. And because of this . . .</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>6. Until finally . . .</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>7. And ever since that day . . .</b></div><div><div><br />This is the bare bones structure your story should have. Use it as your cheat sheet to see if you've actually told a story and let me know how it the story ends.</div></div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-36311370844321874812011-06-28T07:35:00.000-07:002011-06-28T08:54:24.244-07:00Kathy Gehrt on the Magic of Lavender and the Opportunities of Self Publishing<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DR7Z8N9UpHk/Tgnncg__bkI/AAAAAAAACZ4/XzEoV6K4K9s/s1600/_MG_9670.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DR7Z8N9UpHk/Tgnncg__bkI/AAAAAAAACZ4/XzEoV6K4K9s/s400/_MG_9670.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623280086829461058" /></a><div><br /></div><div>I first met <a href="http://www.discoverlavender.com/kathygehrt.htm">Kathy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Gehrt</span></a> in <a href="http://www.robertacruger.com/">Roberta <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Cruger's</span></a> writing group in 2005. The group met every Tuesday evening in the old <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Carnigie</span> Library in Ballard, Washington. Kathy was writing about lavender then and she brought in essays and recipes to share each week. Eventually she decided to go with self publishing. After she went through the process of getting photos and putting her cookbook together, she published it last year. It's been amazing watching her connect with lavender growers and I've learned a lot with my front row seat watching Kathy's niche market book grow and blossom.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've wanted to learn some of Kathy's secrets for some time. It's my pleasure to share them with you.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>1. How did you decide to write about lavender?</b><br />I'd been searching for a topic, when my friend suggested lavender. At first I thought it was a crazy idea. The next day, "Sunset Magazine" grabbed my attention. The cover featured lavender--tips for growing along with recipes such as berry crisp with lavender. I was intrigued. The more I learned about lavender, the more convinced I became and I eventually wanted to write a book on the topic.<span style="font-style: italic; "></span><div><br /></div><div><b>2. Why did you choose to self publish? What are the benefits and challenges of self-publishing?</b></div><div>I choose to self publish for two reasons:</div><div><ul><li><b>Content control:</b> I wanted to select the recipes, the format, the photography and the design.</li></ul></div><div><ul><li><b>Business/financial:</b> I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">believed</span> in my book concept completely and I was willing to invest in it, and I wanted to reap the rewards.</li></ul><br /></div><div><b>The benefits </b>include editorial control and timing.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The challenges </b>include the financial investment, plus lots of decisions and hard work.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>3. Since your book has been out for a year now, what keeps you motivated?</b></div><div><ul><li><b>Connecting </b>with people who enjoy good food, vivid fresh flavor and healthy eating keeps me excited about sharing my recipes.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Meeting</b> lavender growers <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">throughout</span> the world. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">This</span> past weekend I demonstrated "Latin Lavender Salsa" and "Lavender-Infused Fruit Saute" at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Willakenzie</span> Lavender, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Helvetia</span> Lavender and Barn Owl Nursery--fantastic farms in western Oregon.</li></ul><b>4. What has been your biggest surprise about the book?</b></div><div>How quickly my book <i><a href="http://www.discoverlavender.com/">Discover Cooking with Lavender </a></i>found its following. Foodies, lavender lovers, farmers' market shoppers, wineries and spas seem to love my book. I've also been surprised by how much fun I've had meeting people who enjoy fresh and flavorful food. I also learned that self publishing is easier than I'd imagined.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>5. Can you give me five tips for marketing your book in a niche market?</b></div><div><ul><li><b>Identify</b> your potential readers. Be specific regarding gender, age, interests and values.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Find out </b>where they shop what they read and topics they follow.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Reach out </b>to shops, online stores and publications that serve your readers. Find out if you can do a demonstration and if they want to carry your book.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Establish </b>and maintain a dialogue or conversation with your readers using <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Facebook</span>, Twitter, your blog and newsletter.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Promote </b>your book and look for opportunities to tell readers about what they will discover by reading your book.</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div>Kathy is persuing the art of story telling these days. You can read her engaging stories about lavender growers on<a href="http://discoverlavender.wordpress.com/"> her blog</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you want more about lavender, check out lavender musings on my other <a href="http://foodconnections.blogspot.com/2011/06/lavender-season-in-northwest.html">blog</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>This a blueberry-lavender cooler from Kathy's book--a treasure that will make you fall in love with lavender for all the right reasons.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rgjYDVHCBFk/TgnnPyP72xI/AAAAAAAACZw/uGazWlnJ8ik/s1600/IMG_3284.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 383px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rgjYDVHCBFk/TgnnPyP72xI/AAAAAAAACZw/uGazWlnJ8ik/s400/IMG_3284.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623279868121438994" /></a></div></div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-54842702738882442832011-06-21T07:42:00.001-07:002011-06-28T07:51:26.865-07:00The Veggie Queen on the Challenges and Rewards of Ebooks and Online Marketing<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CBIUA7BYvbE/TgCuDJObYnI/AAAAAAAACUg/4FtSNZExuSY/s1600/_MG_9443.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CBIUA7BYvbE/TgCuDJObYnI/AAAAAAAACUg/4FtSNZExuSY/s400/_MG_9443.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620683703997653618" /></a><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Jill <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Nussinow</span> (aka <a href="http://www.theveggiequeen.com/blog">The Veggie Queen</a>) is one of the first people I virtually met on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Facebook</span> . I've followed Jill's healthy plant-based lifestyle and quenched my thirst with all the helpful information she finds and shares on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Facebook</span> and Twitter. Jill </span></b>is simply amazing. She's a freelance writer and cookbook author of these two books:</div><div><ul><li><i>The Veggie Queen: Vegetables Get the Royal Treatment </i></li><li><i>The New Fast Food: The Veggie Queen Cooks Whole Food Meals in Less than 30 Minutes</i> (currently available as an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">ebook</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">dowload</span>).</li></ul>Jill also stars in the DVD Pressure Cooking: A Fresh Look: Delicious Dishes in Minutes. Jill has been a culinary educator and Registered Dietitian for the past 25 years. Her website is <a href="http://www.theveggiequeen.com/">http://www.theveggiequeen.com</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm always amazed at how often Jill finds and shares useful news stories and when her book The New Fast Food was recently released, I knew Jill would be a whiz at online marketing. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here is my recent interview with Jill about ebooks and online marketing.</div><div><div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>1. Why did you choose to do an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">ebook</span> over traditional publishing?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">ebook</span> was part of a traditional publishing deal where I would get to sell the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">ebook</span> prior to the print version release. It was a way for me to make more money.</div><div><br /></div><div>What I have discovered is that a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">PDFD</span> download book is an easy way to deliver a book. It's almost an automated process and once the book is written, I had very little that I had to do. Also, if you find there are any mistakes or typos they are easily spotted.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>2. How long did it take you to write this book? How did you fit it into your busy schedule?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>It took a number of months. It's really hard to say because I develop the recipes for years as I go along so the actual writing of the book goes rather quickly. I am constantly developing new recipes so I can continue writing books, but I mostly do recipe development so that I can have more fun at my cooking classes.</div><div><br /></div><div>There is no way to fit writing your book into a schedule but if you want a book somehow you make the time. I said no to things when I could and curtailed my involvement with other groups for awhile to free up time. I also let my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">husband</span> know that he might see less of me for a few months.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>3. What is the biggest challenge of an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">ebook</span>?</b></div><div><br /></div><div>I don't have a physical product to sell when I am teaching. I think <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">that</span> I am going to remedy that by putting the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">PDF</span> on a thumb drive (a computer memory stick) and sell it that way. I plan to bundle with with my first book which is also now available in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">PDF</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">downloadable</span> format.</div><div><br /></div><div>Also it seems hard to market an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">ebook</span>. And if you want to sell the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">ebook</span> for various <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">ebook</span> readers, you need to have the "book" formatted differently for each type of reader.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>4. What is the biggest surprise about your book?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>How easy it is to sell with the help of other people. I can add on to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">ebook</span> anytime I want. Currently I offer a bonus <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">ebook</span> of recipes from other cookbook authors and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">bloggers</span>. The process happens so easily and I think that I get more emails and comments from those who purchase the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">ebook</span>. Maybe it's a friendlier format.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>5. What are your five best tips for online marketing?</b></div><div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><b>First</b> is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">perseverance</span>.</span></span></li></ul><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><b>Second,</b> play with various ways to market your book through your own social media, blog and newsletter. Always work on building your list and growing your platform.</span></span></li></ul><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><b>Be public</b> about what you are doing. Tell people that you are selling a book. Don't be obnoxious but let them know. Put it in your email signature, mention it any time that you can.</span></span></li></ul><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><b>Be strategic </b>about how you market. I have Google Alerts for my name, pressure cooker, pressure cooking and The Veggie Queen. I review what I get back to see what's <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">happening</span> with the topics that matter to me. I like to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">spend</span> at least a few minutes each day mining for ideas online. When I'm very busy, I don't always get to it, but I make it a goal.</span></span></li></ul><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><b>Collaborate</b> and network with the people with whom you feel most aligned. I post on other blogs when appropriate. I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">reach</span> out to people on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Facebook</span> and Twitter and engage in conversations via email.</span></span></li></ul></div></div></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zmcJchw7xQk/TgCt3pAZseI/AAAAAAAACUY/2smARE-ZGxc/s1600/_MG_9439.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 324px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zmcJchw7xQk/TgCt3pAZseI/AAAAAAAACUY/2smARE-ZGxc/s400/_MG_9439.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620683506370327010" /></a>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-74092954648650959762011-06-14T10:40:00.000-07:002011-06-14T13:55:35.165-07:00What Seeds and Intersections Taught me About Intriguing Blog Posts<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GTWJU6lcrbw/TfedM-oj_4I/AAAAAAAACOw/L_evDdnVvBo/s1600/_MG_9048.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 393px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GTWJU6lcrbw/TfedM-oj_4I/AAAAAAAACOw/L_evDdnVvBo/s400/_MG_9048.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618131906465103746" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I bought this bean seed from Peace Seedlings at the Corvallis farmers market last summer. This was the first year that I'd planted beans from seeds, not plant starts, and I thought about Jack and the Beanstalk as I poked seeds into soil. That was a week ago. </span></b><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I wasn't thinking about blogs at the time.</span></b><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">On a sunny day this weekend, the plant burst from the soil and sprouted leaves. Soil and water intersected with sun and seed at just the right time and the bean sprang forth. </span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">But what do bean seeds have to do with blog posts?</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">Finding Intersections</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div>After I planted the bean seeds, I read the <i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocWmWjTk1FI">Medici Effect: What Elephants and Epidemics can Teach Us about Innovation </a></i>by Frans Johansson. Though the book isn't new, I hadn't read it before and I became fascinated with the concepts of brainstorming and linking unalike concepts. I became a little obsessed about looking for quirky connections, like beans and blogs, in posts of popular longtime bloggers.</div><div><br /></div><div>I found the most intriguing intersection posts were linked to celebrity. These bloggers linked in amazing ways. Check out these posts:</div><div><br /></div><div><ul><li><b>Copyblogger--</b> <a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/dragon-tattoo/">Blogging Lessons from the Girl With the Dragon Tatoo</a> or<a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/apple-market-advantages/"> Six Unfair Market Advantages You Should Steal from Apple</a> and <a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/charlie-sheen-winning/">the Charlie Sheen Guide to Winning at Online Marketing</a> </li></ul><br /><ul><li><b>Remarkablogger:</b> post on <a href="http://remarkablogger.com/2007/11/21/what-you-can-learn-about-blogging-from-britney-spears/">What Brittany Spears Can Teach You About Blogging</a> or <a href="http://remarkablogger.com/2011/02/15/8-monster-lessons-lady-gaga-can-teach-you-about-blogging/">Eight Monster Lessons Lady Gaga can Teach You About Marketing </a></li></ul><br /><ul><li><b> </b><b>Lifehacker</b>: <a href="http://lifehacker.com/5810453/save-yourself-from-weiner+calibre-online-embarrassment-with-internet-shame-insurance?utm_source=Lifehacker+Newsletter&utm_campaign=99151b845a-UA-142218-1&utm_medium=email">Save Yourself from Weiner-Caliber Online Embarassment with Internet Shame Insurance</a>. </li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div><div>This isn't a shortcut to great content and consistent message, but wrapping your content around a current odd ball news topics, even the current celebrity meltdowns, can bring your post into the present moment. Current newsworthy mentions--whether books, singers, movies or politicians--makes readers smile and encourages them to return to your posts. </div><div><br /></div><div>Clever titles and good content, can grow your platform and online presence like bean seeds sprouting in the sun.</div><div><div><div><b><br /></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-40125807076801877332011-06-07T11:05:00.000-07:002011-06-07T13:39:59.340-07:00Five new things I learned about blogs and blogging<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jdytF1wlQkk/Te5oopFBc7I/AAAAAAAACNA/9tUkl0kVsUc/s1600/_MG_9016.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 170px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jdytF1wlQkk/Te5oopFBc7I/AAAAAAAACNA/9tUkl0kVsUc/s320/_MG_9016.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615540832808563634" /></a> Just when I think I've read my fill about blogging, <a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/">Copyblogger </a>comes out with a fantastic post about <a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/ultimate-facebook/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Copyblogger+%28Copyblogger%29">Facebook marketing</a> with all these crazy links that can consume an entire morning or day if you get really obsessed and aren't watching the clock. <div><br /></div><div>Before you know it, your day is shot and when someone asks what you've been doing all you muster up is your next move to promote your blog, which was supposed to support your book but now consumes your interest like a bad boy boyfriend.<div><br /></div><div>Yesterday I decided my approach needed to be more organized, so I got a notebook (the old-fashioned kind that requires a pen) and like a workout geek with a clipboard at the fitness center, I'm keeping a detailed record all the things I'm doing to help promote my <a href="http://www.timberpress.com/books/northwest_vegetarian_cookbook/daniels-zeller/9781604690347">book</a>. How many blogs do I read and leave comments on? What sites am I participating in? What works and what doesn't to promote my <a href="http://foodconnections.blogspot.com/">blog</a> and get my platform out there.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"> Here are five blogging tips I picked up:</span></b><br /><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>1. Steal</b> from your competition. <a href="http://nancyprager.wordpress.com/2007/05/08/good-poets-borrow-great-poets-steal/?utm_source=Lifehacker+Newsletter&utm_campaign=31570e088d-UA-142218-1&utm_medium=email">"Good Poets borrow, great poets steal."</a> I stole that from a post in <a href="http://lifehacker.com/5809331/what-sugar-actually-does-to-your-brain-and-body">Lifehacker,</a> one of the blogs I read every week. Turns out nothing is original, but if you can't think of an original post, it's not the end of the world. Thats where finding links comes in.</div><div><br /></div><div>I followed links on the Lifehacker post and found this<a href="http://www.austinkleon.com/2011/03/30/how-to-steal-like-an-artist-and-9-other-things-nobody-told-me/"> blog</a> which is a fun picture post with gems of ideas like "you're only as good as the stuff you surround yourself with." And this one, "Your job is to collect ideas, and the best way to collect them is read." Read the weather, the signs on the road, the faces of strangers and the more you read the more you'll surround yourself with choices for posts. The secret is do good work and put it where your audience can see it.<div><br /></div><div><b>2. Develop</b> an elevator pitch for your <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevator_pitch">blog.</a> I first heard about this concept in a class taught by <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/BookmarketingAME">Penny Sansevieri</a> an amazing book marketer who started her career marketing her own books and is considered by many people the expert on socal media. You blog represents your platform and your goal is to get your message to readers in a conscise way. "People don't buy a book, they buy a brand," says Sanseveieri. Understand your brand and you know what your blog and your platform will look like.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>3. Pay</b> attention to colors, photos and overall visual appeal. Sometimes we don't notice things that are right in front of us and color is something that people subconsciously connect with. I've been experimenting with color in my blog lately but just this moring I found <a href="http://www.colourlovers.com/blog/2007/06/20/color-inspiration-from-the-masters-of-painting/">this cool blog </a>called color lovers that has famous paintings and the color combinations out to the side. Now that I see those combinations, I think I'll tweak the colors in my blog again.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>4. Connect </b>topical news stories and celebrity. You may think how you can possibly connect with celebrity stores, but try thinking outside the lines for connections. I laughed out loud when I read <a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/charlie-sheen-winning/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Copyblogger+%28Copyblogger%29">this post</a> awhile back from Copyblogger and if you can't connect to celebrity and the news is too depressing, a good <a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/bad-dog-good-copy/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Copyblogger+%28Copyblogger%29">bad dog post </a>will can be just as intriguing </div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>5. Engage </b>in social media and sharing sites to take your blog from obscurity to a higher level. Check out <a href="http://jimraffel.com/2011/02/28/the-power-of-a-social-media-audience/">this post</a> by Jim Raffel about the power of social media. And <a href="http://youwroteabookwhocares.blogspot.com/2011/01/one-strategy-for-authors-plugging-books.html">Penny Sansivieri</a>, author of <i>Hot Internet Publicity</i> has amazing tips on participating in social media. But remember you aren't trying to reach everyone as copyblogger noted in this <a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/buddha-marketing/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Copyblogger+%28Copyblogger%29">post</a> about how Buddha solved his marketing problem.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Here's a bonus tip I found before I go: If you want to be persuassive and influential make your blog enchanting like Guy Kawasaki. I found this <a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/bad-dog-good-copy/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Copyblogger+%28Copyblogger%29">podcast</a> on Copyblogger and when Guy talked about likability and trust in marketing and how marketing isn't a zero sum game, I decided to order a copy of his new book<a href="http://www.guykawasaki.com/enchantment/">, Enchantment: the Art of Changing Hearts, Minds and Actions. </a> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I've decided Tuesdays are posting days for this blog. </div><div>Mondays and Fridays are special topics for <a href="http://foodconnections.blogspot.com/">Food Connections</a>, and Sunday, well that's up in the air what I'll post. In between I'll work on article pitches and articles. In the meantime check out <a href="http://foodconnections.blogspot.com/2011/05/farm-to-fork-dinner-at-whispering-winds.html">this event </a>in July and <a href="http://www.ncascades.org/programs/seminars/course.html?workshop_id=1066&utm_content=0000-00-00%2000%3A00%3A00&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=www.ncascades.org%2F&utm_campaign=Skagit%20Tours%2C%20North%20Cascades%20Stewards%20and%20Field%20Base%20Camp">this one</a> coming up in September. I'm thrilled about both of them.</div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-37463580261548387602011-05-24T10:21:00.000-07:002011-05-25T07:59:15.064-07:00Blogging: A Love Story<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7cW4JVljvwU/TdvpTiCR9MI/AAAAAAAACIs/-fQttwuJn3Q/s1600/IMG_3122.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 318px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7cW4JVljvwU/TdvpTiCR9MI/AAAAAAAACIs/-fQttwuJn3Q/s400/IMG_3122.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610334282583241922" /></a><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">It's been awhile since I posted on this blog and I might start whining with excuses, but just saying that reminds me of this <a href="http://remarkablogger.com/2011/04/18/how-to-whine-and-bitch-online-and-get-away-with-it-complete-with-incidental-grammar-tips/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+michaelmartine%2FymYs+%28Remarkablogger%29">blogger's</a> advice about whining on a blog, and then I reread his post, laugh and waste a few more minutes of writing time.</span></b><div><br /></div><div>I might have posted today anyway (even though I was planning a post for this <a href="http://foodconnections.blogspot.com/">blog</a>) but what really inspired me to write was this opportunity to attend a blogging retreat on June 4th, hosted by <a href="http://writingismydrink.com/">this author and blogger </a>who used to lead my writers' group. I love Theo Nestor because she also helped me get over writer's block, get on with my book and she gave me great advice for the farmer profiles in <a href="http://www.timberpress.com/books/northwest_vegetarian_cookbook/daniels-zeller/9781604690347">my book.</a><br /><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Anyway, to backtrack a bit, I started this blog <a href="http://foodconnections.blogspot.com/">Food Connections </a>to help support my<a href="http://www.blogger.com/the%20northwest%20vegetarian%20cookbook"> book</a>; my idea was people would automatically follow the blog when they bought the book. (Dream on readers, I soon learned a blog doesn't entitle you to readers just because they bought your book.) So when the book came out last spring, I thought it would also be fun to track what works and what doesn't as far as marketing so I started this blog. (Here's another tip readers, don't start two blogs unless you want to spend a lot of time writing for no pay.) With my postage stamp-sized budget, marketing in the traditional sense is too costly (transportation, food for cooking demos, postcards to hand out etc), so I'm taking it online and I've been reading blogs for tips.</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Ever since I read this one on</span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://manvsdebt.com/how-not-to-suck-at-blogging/">how not to suck at blogging</a>, I've plunged into the blogosphere big time, seduced by the idea you can promote yourself online without going broke. (Okay, I've also wasted more than a few hours on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/">Twitter </a>and I'm just about ready to jump into <a href="http://www.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a>, and then I'll seriously wonder where all my writing time has gone.) </span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Anyway, ever since I started these blogs, the more I post, and the more it intrigues me. I muse about popular blogs like this <a href="http://orangette.blogspot.com/">one</a> and I wonder if I can ever get there and whether it can help book sales.</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I think blogging is a tool to improve sales but only if you don't come off sounding self-centered and continually promote yourself. Since entering the blog world and after reading plenty of blogs, I grow inpatient when a blogger only talks about herself. I won't point out any specific blogs, you know who you are. When you weave in personal stories or have beautiful pictures like this <a href="http://fortysixthatgrace.blogspot.com/2011/04/on-childhood-wonder-and-clouds-made.html">blog</a> or a funny narrative like this <a href="http://www.tallcloverfarm.com/3975/where-a-critic-came-to-roost">one</a>, still every reader, I think wants to discover something that will make her smile or somehow improve her life. The question now it how to reach out to wider and wider audiences?</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">My goal on </span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><a href="http://foodconnections.blogspot.com/">Food Connections</a> was to write blog posts that will change the way people think about the food, give them a new recipe, lead them to a new food destination or maybe just make them laugh or smile. </span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> I hope the blog helps my book sales but the truth is, I've fallen in love with blogging, maybe more than my book. It's like having two children. Do you like one more than the other?</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">One of my favorite blogs is<a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/sea-salt-baked-potatoes-recipe.html"> this </a>one by Heidi Swanson whose new cookbook debuted at number 6 on the New York Times nonfiction best seller list. I've also been following <a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/">this blog</a>, this <a href="http://remarkablogger.com/2011/05/13/kill-the-words-save-your-readers-9-ways-to-stop-your-blog-suckage/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+michaelmartine%2FymYs+%28Remarkablogger%29">blog</a>, and this <a href="http://www.problogger.net/blog/">one</a> for tips on how to improve my blog posts.</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div>Has my blog helped my book sales? Only my publishers know for sure, but I've got to say, when it comes to my publishers, Timber Press is the best at getting promotional materials for this fabulous <a href="http://freshlydougvegetables.blogspot.com/2011/04/july-16-2011-farm-to-fork-dinner.html">farm dinner event </a>I'm doing in July, and sending a copy of my book to events like this one--The <a href="http://www.ncascades.org/get_outside/speaker_series/">Sourdough Speaker Series</a>--that I'm doing at the<a href="http://www.ncascades.org/"> North Cascades Institute</a> on September 25, but as for sales, I'm holding onto a ray of hope that my book (my first born) isn't on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remaindered_book">this kind</a> of table any time soon.</div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div></div></div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-74681413492849722011-01-20T08:56:00.000-08:002011-01-20T12:08:04.943-08:00One Strategy for Authors Plugging Books Online<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TThpf95AJTI/AAAAAAAABsM/npX6qM1YSG0/s1600/IMG_4857.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TThpf95AJTI/AAAAAAAABsM/npX6qM1YSG0/s400/IMG_4857.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564313337526756658" /></a>Information is passed around the Internet at such a fast pace, as an author, it's crazy not to be connected. But with so many places to choose, where do you start? FaceBook, LinkedIn, Twitter? Blogging?<div><div><br /></div><div>If you're a nontechie or are new to this game, right now is a great time because books on social networking and plugging your book online are hot. Peruse the selections and take your pick. My two current favorites are <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=d98P77i1zQ4C&printsec=frontcover&dq=red+hot+internet+publicity&source=bl&ots=tLRzVNqfRX&sig=PWrxFwCJOVEhEe7iQx7oTLl2z4o&hl=en&ei=93A4Td3pCYP-8AbZr7i0Cg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CFwQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q&f=false">Red Hot Internet Publicity</a> by Penny Sansevieri and<a href="http://www.chrisbrogan.com/social-media-101/"> Social Media 101</a> by Chris Brogan. Together they deliver enough tips and suggestions to keep me going for a long time. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is one of my favorites:</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The What's In It for Me (WIIFM) factor</b></div><div>It always makes me feel a little creepy when an author says something like "Please support me, buy my book, tell your friends about it, and spread the word." Why should I? </div><div><br /></div><div>Both Sanseveri and Brogan address how people surf the Net, what they're looking for, and why people will not only make time to read your blog or newsletter, they'll pass it along or post it on social networks. Sansevieri says people scan and search for the most relevant information, with one burning question: "What's in it for me?" Whether learning a new skill, discovering a distant land, or gathering information for a project, Brogan says to consider the recipient of your message before you start sharing tidbits about your Xbox, cats or exercise routines that you think are so interesting on your food or travel blog.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I'm glad you're proud [of running a marathon or meeting a celebrity] but is that really what you want to tell me?" asks Brogan. Be concise; get to the point. If I'm a customer, user, reader, you know what I'm thinking, right? How will this benefit me or enlighten my life? This means rethinking details that you think readers care about. Readers are liklely to leave and not return if you don't deliver usable information. Brogan gives an example of an ice cream truck that says "In business for 35 years," on the side, then Brogan asks: "Is it fresh? How does it taste? And, is it fun?" (Check out sales ads to see which ones address consumer benefits and which ones miss the boat entirely.) Focus on delivering benefits and you'll have readers who pass your blog post or newsletter on to friends and relatives.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Niche Marketing</b></div><div>Any book can be defined by it's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niche_market">niche</a> or specific area of focus. Keep your focus in mind. "People don't buy books, they buy benefits," Sanseveri says.</div><div><br /></div><div>For example, say you've got a great coffee table travel book with fabulous photos like this <a href="http://www.harbourpublishing.com/author/ElsieHulsizer">one</a> about sailing in search of Southeast Alaska. A marketing message might say, "The pictures are so vivid and the stories so captivating, it's almost like you're there with the author." Or take this beautiful <a href="http://www.treadwellgold.com/author.html">book </a>on Treadwell, Alaska--the town that was built for gold and disappeared because of it--here the descriptions are so vivid, you learn how <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_mining#Hard_rock_mining">hardrock</a> gold is mined and the details of a thriving company town that disappeared long ago.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sanseveri's and Brogan's book are packed with tips, tricks, Websites and online communities. If you've already got a plateful of books to peruse right now, why not take in a social media workshop like this one at a <a href="http://host5.evanced.info/sno_isle/evanced/eventsignup.asp?ID=20975&rts=&disptype=info&ret=eventcalendar.asp&pointer=&returnToSearch=&SignupType=&num=0&ad=&dt=mo&mo=1/1/2011&df=list&EventType=ALL&Lib=11&AgeGroup=ALL&LangType=0&WindowMode=&noheader=&lad=&pub=1&nopub=&page=1&pgdisp=25">local library </a>just north of Seattle this Saturday.</div></div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-7141224183131944612010-12-29T12:18:00.000-08:002010-12-29T13:55:05.586-08:00Book Selling--5 Essential Tips<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TRuX2ry2RSI/AAAAAAAABpU/QPhAQLiCu7E/s1600/IMG_4731.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TRuX2ry2RSI/AAAAAAAABpU/QPhAQLiCu7E/s400/IMG_4731.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556201531016365346" /></a>Thanks to this <a href="http://www.writeonwhidbey.org/">writers' group</a> (which by the way is a great group), authors were invited to sell their books at at the <a href="http://www.islandcountyfair.com/documents/102.html">Island County Christmas Fair</a> on Whidbey Island this month, so that's what I did. Selling at these events can bring in more money than royalties, but only if you watch the <a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/bottom-line">bottom line.</a> <div><br /></div><div>Since my own experience was a learning curve on what not to do when selling books at events, here are five helpful tips from the wisdom of my rearview mirror:</div><div><ul><li><b>First</b>, determine the distance and cost for driving to and from the event. If you take a ferry, factor in that cost too, before deciding whether or not to participate. Knowing this cost can help you determine how much to ask for your books. (I always want to give people a deal, and if you're in this boat, beware of costs you might miss.) </li></ul></div><div><ul><li><b>Second </b>calculate your gross sales for all the books you take. Deduct 15% or 30% from this number (or the percentage the event sponsers take from your sales); add the cost of your inventory, plus mileage costs and then decide if you still want to participate.</li></ul></div><div><ul><li><b>Third </b>(and this is the most important) write down the number of books for sale on a receipt. Take two copies of the receipt to the event; get them both signed. Keep one copy and clearly mark every book for for sale in a unique way. If possible, count the books carefully in front of the person who will sell them, and be sure to ask when you'll be paid for the books sold. Leave your name (clearly printed) and address for the check. Specify that you want the number of books that were sold, listed. It's interesting how long it can take to get a check for books sold. And it's not fun when a smaller check arrives without a number of book totals for sales. It's much better to hash out these business details before selling books.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Fourth--</b>inquire when you can expect payment. Also, ask what to do if your sales number doesn't match the event managers' accounting. (No one wants to go count receipts after an event is over.) It's up to the author to remember that book selling is a business; the state and Feds want to know how many books you sell.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Fifth--</b>pick up your books at the time specified; make sure you have all of your inventory, and get a signature on the number of books you pick up. Make sure this is the only inventory left and other books will be accounted for in sales.</li></ul><div>Promising events can go south when you don't plan adequately. Checks received may be less than expected, no book totals are listed, or missing inventory turns up in other peoples' hands, and suddenly it's inconvenient for a recount. Line up all your ducks beforehand and you'll have less surprises. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>The bottom line </b>is this: If you don't treat your book like a business, no one else will either.</div></div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-48216484879505991132010-12-14T10:00:00.001-08:002010-12-14T16:25:42.663-08:00Andy Warhol Marketing and Networking<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TQexlP-6ISI/AAAAAAAABnI/qKkGT94QDKE/s1600/IMG_3659.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 390px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TQexlP-6ISI/AAAAAAAABnI/qKkGT94QDKE/s400/IMG_3659.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550600319261090082" /></a>I take this sign to book events and when I go home, I leave postcards for my book. See them in the little slot? The postcard has my <a href="http://www.timberpress.com/books/northwest_vegetarian_cookbook/daniels-zeller/9781604690347">book cover</a> on the front and a recipe on the back. The most recent is a <a href="http://foodconnections.blogspot.com/2009/11/kale-and-avocado-salad.html">Kale, Apple, Cranberry and Avocado Salad</a>. Revised from my blog, the idea is to keep it for easy reference, collect them all, and remember my book. These postcards are my current version of Andy Warhol marketing. <div><br /><div>Years ago I was inspired by <a href="http://www.barbarawinter.com/">Barbara Winter</a> who was the first and only person I know to talk about <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/27/arts/27iht-warhol.3306022.html">Andy Warhol </a>marketing. The essence is simple--"be <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ubiquitous</span>."</div><div><br /></div><div><div><div>Andy Warhol was the definition of pop art in the 70s--Campbell's soup cans, Marilyn Monroe and James Dean. Warhol's face was on magazines and newspapers everywhere, and even today his face is on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">IPods</span>, t-shirts, beach towels. Now twenty three years after his death the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/info/andy-warhol/">New York Times</a> still says, "He's everywhere, like an aesthetic vampire haunting the culture, taunting the art world, making cash registers sing."</div><div><br /></div><div>I can't help but think that <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Warhol</span> would have loved the networking/marketing world today. Internet possibilities of reaching millions more people are endless. I love the idea of expanding my circles of friends, connections and interests and writing about it, whether it be for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Foodista</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Culinate</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Cookstr</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">FaceBook</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Scribd</span>, or Linked-in. But sometimes I long for more traditional ways of networking and marketing, that face-to-face contact we all seem to crave.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.startupnation.com/articles/1294/1/grassroots-marketing-success-stories.asp'">Grassroots marketing</a> involves doing events and classes can also imply networking on a more personal level. I am a fan of writers' conferences like this <a href="http://www.writeonwhidbey.com/Conference/">one</a> and this <a href="http://www.pnwa.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=5">one</a>. Or as a chef, I might want to find fellow writers in the <a href="http://www.iacp.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">ICAP</span></a> (International Association of Culinary Professionals). But sometimes there are mixers like this <a href="http://www.foodportunity.com/">one</a>, open to anyone interested in food, you never know who will be there.</div><div><br /></div><div>My idea is you should go to any event with high expectations (keep your goals in mind). Here are a five things to ask yourself these five things before you network:</div><div><ul><li>What are my goals? </li><li>Who do I hope to meet? Why?</li><li>Will I connect with other people who can help me meet my goals?</li><li>How will this help my book sales or build my platform?</li><li>What are my limitations? Do crowds, dressing up and putting on attitude, or noisy backgrounds annoy me too much?</li><li>What takeaway will tell me this is worth a repeat?</li></ul></div><div>Think social networking on the Internet has to be more effective? Maybe you should ask yourself these same questions when faced with an Internet site. </div><div><br /></div><div>While both approaches may work, I think Warhol would have chosen making Internet connections. Just a guess; what do you think?</div></div></div></div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-39668499657764646982010-11-16T08:28:00.000-08:002010-11-16T11:51:03.980-08:00Meet Your Publishers; Connect with Other Authors; Sell to Libraries<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TOKzGe59-KI/AAAAAAAABjA/qaCU8gy53BA/s1600/IMG_4301.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 370px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TOKzGe59-KI/AAAAAAAABjA/qaCU8gy53BA/s400/IMG_4301.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540187415575918754" /></a><b>Meet your publishers</b> before you sign your name on the book contract.<div><br /><div>That said: Even though my book was released last May, I just met with my publishers for the very first time in October. And once I did, I discovered why it's crucial to meet publishers in the beginning of a project. You gain an understanding about office relationships and you'll notice many things that you can't ever realize from phone conversations and emails.</div><div><br /></div><div>Why didn't I consider this in the beginning? Because I'm often impulsive and I always see the picture more clearly in my rearview mirror. Those ah ha moments--they grab you and a lightbulb illuminates what wasn't obvious before. I didn't realize at the time I signed the contract that for better or worse the publisher-author relationship is like a marriage. Like a child, the book forever links you together, and if you want to make sales and get your platform out there, you have to find a way to make the relationship work. So take your time, find the right publisher, meet them first before you take that big step with your baby.</div><div><br /></div><div>Why wait this long to actually meet the publisher? For one thing, Timber Press got my book from a publicity agent. No one ever said, "Come down to our offices, lets's meet." The proposed book was supposed to be an easy revision, just a few incissions and additions here and there. But the project morphed into a complete facelift and ended up with me missing 4 deadlines. Much of the original text required significant revisions, and by then my conversations with the publisher were only by phone or email. Also no one at Timber Press ever asked me to stop and meet everyone at the office, not until recently. When you think about it, it's like getting married to someone on the Internet; you'll never know all the details until you acutally meet.</div><div><br /></div><div>From all those emails and phone conversations, I'd formed opinons of people and even pictures of them way before the meeting. Once I met them I realized I never could have known about the nuances of relationships and how the company operated. If I had more than rearview mirror wisdom, I might have done things differently in the beginning of my book project. </div><div><br /></div><div>When my publicist asked me to stop by for lunch in October, we were joined by my acquiring editor an another <a href="http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-11-10/entertainment/24824146_1_garden-lighting-landscape-home-garden">author</a>. Luckily the day was sunny and warm for this casual lunch get together, but the meeting wasn't what I'd hoped for. I'd been counting on picking up great marketing tips from my publicist and getting excited about marketing for my so called "book tour." But lunch was all lite jokes and small talk, and after I left, I realized that what my writing mentor and friend <a href="http://www.robertacruger.com/">Roberta Cruger </a>said was true--book publishers today are little more than distributors. They get your book out there, but if you want to rack up sales, it's up to the author.</div><div><br /></div><div>One thing I discovered at this meeting was Steve Sando of <a href="http://www.ranchogordo.com/">Rancho Gordo</a> had also submitted a manuscript to Timber Press. The aquiring editor and publicist spoke as if the Rancho Gordo book would be out next spring. I didn't catch much more than a menion of the book but I was intrigued and impressed. I love Rancho Gordo beans. Timber Press really was branching into foods, I thought. This was one book I'd definitely want to read.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TOKylrOQJ-I/AAAAAAAABi4/TbfTmvqpHrU/s1600/IMG_4567.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TOKylrOQJ-I/AAAAAAAABi4/TbfTmvqpHrU/s400/IMG_4567.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540186851946538978" /></a><b>Connect with other authors. </b>I never thought about connecting with other Timber Press authors, it just happened, quite by accident. First, I was shocked when Anthony Boutard of Ayers Creek Farm said he had just submitted his manuscript for a book about corn. I was immediately intrigued because Anthony and Carol Boutard grow corn for polenta and corn for popping and because I know any book by Anthony Boutard has got thorough and it's bound to be good. So when Anthony and Carol mentioned the book, we shared experiences, discussed opinions and details about our writing and submissions as well as the ups and downs of working with editors.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Then a few weeks later, when I stopped at the Rancho Gordo booth at the <a href="http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com/farmers_market.php">San Francisco Ferry Plaza</a> farmers' market, I hoped to connect with Steve Sando, but he wasn't at the market that day. So I left my card. Later I blogged about <a href="http://foodconnections.blogspot.com/2010/10/empanadas-san-francisco-and-scoop-on.html">the encounter</a>. I didn't think anything more about it and was so surprised and delighted when Steve contacted me and told me about his book project and how it was for him working with Timber Press. This kind of information between authors is valuable and is so much more useful when trying to decide which publisher to submit your manuscrip to than discussing details after publication. Not that I have any regrets except that I was impulsive and I assumed it would be an easy submission when I signed the contract.</div><div><br /></div><div>I loved hearing about Anthony's project and I'm very intrigued about what the Rancho Gordo book will be like. I'll definitely buy both books next spring. But that's all fun and excitement, the big learning curve here was contacting other authors. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you haven't got a book contract yet, contact other authors and for better or worse, get a bigger picture of the publishing company. And don't just go with recommendations from your publisher. Seek out authors and find out what their experience was like, it can only enhance your book publishing experience, should you decide to go the traditional publishing route.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Sell to Libraries</b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">According to the American Library Association libraries buy more than 1.8 billion books annually, and in this economic downturn, many more people are turning to libraries for books and entertainment. Even though events tend to be free, libraries often pay for speakers to address timely topics, so it's a good idea even if you have to donate your book to a library to get their attention.</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></b></div><div> I decided to contact the library near my home and the librarians I initially spoke to were uncertain about how to get my book into the library system. Eventually I connected with the right person and the library had purchased 9 copies of <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=TD3D9PNM-34C&printsec=frontcover&dq=the+northwest+vegetarian+cookbook&source=bl&ots=K_HDXdMupC&sig=regSNIemguffF061Geu3WD04V_4&hl=en&ei=R9DiTMfxBIuonQelu_GGDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q&f=false">my book</a> for the Sno-Isle library system. I was also shocked that <a href="http://catalog.sno-isle.org:80/cgi-bin/cw_cgi?showImage+20981+94543807+86">the cover</a> displayed at the library was not the one that is really on my book, but I can't complain about details now because I'm a scheduled speaker in March for their spring line up. </div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of libraries, I'll be at the Port Townsend Library tomorrow for their 4th <a href="http://engagedpatrons.org/EventsExtended.cfm?SiteID=6359&EventID=78148">annual dessert</a><a href="http://foodconnections.blogspot.com/2010/11/port-townsend-library-dessert-auction.html"> auction</a>. This library selects a cookbook to feature at this event and I was honored this year when they chose my book. I'll be making a Cranberry-Raspberry Slump, then I'll be signing and selling copies of my book. Check out the recipe on <a href="http://foodconnections.blogspot.com/2010/11/port-townsend-library-dessert-auction.html">Food Connections</a>; I hope to see you there.</div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-67411704837805936232010-11-02T12:55:00.000-07:002010-11-02T15:43:17.903-07:00Advice from Agents<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TNB-ASHLd_I/AAAAAAAABhA/WzxPy6EbsAA/s1600/IMG_4195.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 352px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TNB-ASHLd_I/AAAAAAAABhA/WzxPy6EbsAA/s400/IMG_4195.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535062485365389298" /></a>I'm planning on interviewing a friend who has an agent and is looking for a publisher. She's bound to get one because her book is timely, and it's a memoir. I had my questions for her mapped out and suddenly I thought why not look through old issues of<a href="http://www.writermag.com/"> </a><i><a href="http://www.writermag.com/">The Writer</a>,</i> for better questions. So I scanned issues for interviews.<div><br /></div><div>But I continually got distracted. A good article here and there and then I stumbled across one titled: "Timely Advice from Agents" in an issue from 2009. It's about grabbing an agent's attention and every agent mentioned the crappy economy. Is it a little off track from book marketing? You be the judge; check out these five tips about selling your book in a down economy:</div><div><br /></div><div>1. <b>Develop durability, market sense. </b> "Have a solid platform, marketing savvy and basic durability," says Rita Rosenkranz of the Rita Rosenkranz Literary Agency in New York.<i> </i>Her best advice is to stay in touch with your audience. Connect with them in a consistent way. <i>(Possibly giving things away as in number 3.</i>)</div><div><br /></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">2<b>. Now is the time to be writing. </b><i>"</i>It's harder to sell a book to a publisher," says Peter Rubie the CEO of FinePrint Literary Management in New York City. </span><span class="Apple-style-span">(Got to love this kind of optimism.) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">"Authors have to go that extra mile in polishing their manuscripts and coming up with a truly compelling idea or concept as well as establishing strong platforms." His best recession advice is it's better to be writing the book rather than trying to sell it in this economy. </span><span class="Apple-style-span">(I</span>'<span class="Apple-style-span">ll second that. Selling a book takes persistence and consistent marketing.)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"> </span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">3. <b>Build a Web following. "</b>Give your work away for free. Use every chance that comes your way to expand your audience," says Ellen Geiger, a senior agent with the Frances Golden Literary Agency in New York. (</span><span class="Apple-style-span">Not sure what you live on while giving it all away--maybe just put in lots of extra hours. She should have added: skip the sleep, it's highly overrated these days.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">) Her best advice is to live modestly even if you received a big book advance. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">These are uncertain times for writers.</span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"> </span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">4. <b>Develop your own brand. </b>"Writers need to develop their own brands rather than identifying too closely with a particular publisher or medium," says Robin Mizel, a literary agent in the Midwest. Relying too much on one medium or one form of publicity to generate income is too risky at a time when publishing companies are downsizing and losing jobs. Do consider posting a video for your book on YouTube and proposing a column for a magazine or newspaper.</span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Her most encouraging words were "It's a great time for writers who are willing to take risks and try new things."</span><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">(</span><span class="Apple-style-span">I was just wondering who would loan me a kitchen to make a video.)</span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">5. <b>Platform is crucial. </b>"Platform is more important than ever, especially for nonfiction writers," says Janet Rosen an agent for Sheree Bykofsky Associates in New Yourd City. Her best advice is timeless: "Write well, meet deadlines, give people something they really need and want to read." Give the reader a reason to care deeply about your book. Take time, build community, and deliver the book your readers have been waiting for.<i> (More giveaways--it's that economy story again.)</i><br /></span></i><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Maybe I didn't pick up more ideas for questions for my friend's upcoming interview, but it's an eye opener when they can't get any more depressing about writing a book today. Every agent mentioned giving things away in various way for marketing. Who's on board to write that book now? Only the truly passionate writers as it has been in all times. It adds up to working more for less and budgeting wisely when marketing a book for most writers.</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TNBs9YCrwtI/AAAAAAAABg4/M5XxvXQNcvI/s1600/IMG_3464.JPG"></a></div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-25102268506610793832010-10-20T09:53:00.000-07:002010-10-20T10:30:15.950-07:00News Updates; Cooking Demos; and Meet and Greets<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TL8LuJLlgyI/AAAAAAAABfI/cRxlVYKJf6c/s1600/IMG_4500.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 354px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TL8LuJLlgyI/AAAAAAAABfI/cRxlVYKJf6c/s400/IMG_4500.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530151754800661282" /></a>I've been in Oregon and then working on my other <a href="http://foodconnections.blogspot.com/">blog</a>, an article about the cuisine of Argentina for <i><a href="http://www.vrg.org/journal/">Vegetarian Journal</a>, </i>and a column about making soup. Then there are the two interviews I need to organize, one for a blog post and another for an article. <div><br /></div><div>A writer often has to choose whether to write paid-for articles or do a live marketing event which brings in money, but not much and not right now. In other words, it doesn't pay for the tomatoes. That's one reason writing a column is a great idea for authors. I wrote about that in my last<a href="http://youwroteabookwhocares.blogspot.com/2010/10/look-around-write-column-promote-your.html"> post.</a><div><br /></div><div>Last week, I drove to Portland, had lunch with my <a href="http://www.timberpress.com/books/northwest_vegetarian_cookbook/daniels-zeller/9781604690347">publishers</a>, and did a cooking demo at Portland farmers' market. It amazes me how different each cooking demo is and a chef/author really has to weigh the pros and cons before doing one, especially in areas that don't have established kitchens like farmers' markets. One of the downsides is you must always bring some kind of cooking equipment, and unless you're skilled at doing this on a regular basis, you could miss something really important.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Cooking Demo Book Tours</b></div><div>Checking out the venue site ahead of time and meeting the demo coordinator is always a good plan, but sometimes that isn't possible. And othertimes it seems that no matter how much you prepare, there's always something that comes up and bites you. At the <a href="http://foodconnections.blogspot.com/2010/10/getting-ready-for-winter-at-ayers-creek.html">Portland farmers' market</a>, I realized I should have brought my own disposable gloves and I should have asked about clean-up. But I did bring my own towels, and these were in such short supply my assistant asked if I brought any.</div><div><br /></div><div>Another thing I didn't think to ask about was clean-up. Where to do it at the Portland market was a puzzle. Just a bucket below the hand washing station. When I began rinsing the dishes, food fell into this bucket and I wondered where the water was dumped afterwards. I finallyt gave up, took most of my dishes home without washing them. (Drove them home to Washington after they sat in my car for a day and developed an unappetizing crust. Washing crusty dishes is exactly the thing you don't want to do after driving so 200 plus miles for an event.) </div><div><br /></div><div>The growing list of "should-have-brought" "should have asked" inspired me to write a few helpful lists for chef/authors on book tours doing farmers' markets and other events.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>6 questions to ask before a cooking event</b></div><div>1. Are there burners available? How many? What kind? </div><div>2. Is there an electrical outlet for a food processor or blender?</div><div>3. What kind of equipment is available? Pots, pans etc.</div><div>4. Will I have an assistant? What will the assistant do? Prep? Clean-up?</div><div>5. Do you provide individual serving dishes? Napkins? Paper towels?</div><div>6. Where can I wash my dishes?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>10 essential items for any cooking demo</b></div><div>1. disposable gloves</div><div>2. cloth/paper towels</div><div>2. knives</div><div>3. cutting board</div><div>4. pot scrubber</div><div>5. measuring spoons/cups</div><div>6. spoon for stirring</div><div>7. spatula/tongs</div><div>8. peeler/microplane zester</div><div>9. strainer</div><div>10. Serving dishes</div><div><br /></div><div>Also it's good to ask about health code requirements, and when in doubt, pick easy dishes, so if things go wrong, they won't go horribly wrong.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Meet and Greets</b></div><div>Unlike cooking demos and author readings, the "Meet and Greet" is an easy fun event where you contact a store, pick a date and set up a table with your books. It's an easy fun event where you greet customers, tell stories about your book and sign copies for the folks to come out to see you. You meet lots of interesting people and it can be great fun.</div><div><br /></div><div>One of my best "Meet and Greets" was at <a href="http://www.edmondsbookshop.com/">Edmonds Bookshop</a> where owneer Mary Kay Sneeringer made carrot hummus from my book and so many friends and people, some I hadn't seen in years, stopped by. I also brought some biscotti to share, also made from one of the recipes in <a href="http://www.timberpress.com/books/northwest_vegetarian_cookbook/daniels-zeller/9781604690347">my book</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>I had a great "Meet and Greet" event at <a href="http://www.grassrootsbookstore.com/">GrassRoots</a> bookstore in Corvallis, where I met people who had enjoyed local CSAs from one of the farms profiled in my book and others who were interested in hearing more farm stories.</div><div><br /></div><div>I love the "Meet and Greet" events on busy afternoons. And if you are uncertain how many people may show up for an author reading, why not propose a "Meet and Greet" event? One thing that my friend <a href="http://www.discoverlavender.com/kathygehrt.htm">Kathy Gehrt</a> is really good at is the "Meet and Greets." She places a bowl of lavender-spiked chocolate on her table to compliment her book <a href="http://discoverlavender.wordpress.com/">Discover Cooking with Lavender.</a> Chocolate always lures people over to your table. Sweets or cards with tip sheets are fun giveaways for meet and greets. Or, for special occasions, offer a drawing for a book giveaway.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm gearing up for the holidays next. . . . </div></div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-13065897929528298442010-10-07T09:01:00.000-07:002010-10-07T11:18:06.791-07:00Look Around; Write a Column; Promote Your Platform<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TK3xxwzmbUI/AAAAAAAABdg/2b0Q5kf_Mf4/s1600/IMG_3322.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 326px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TK3xxwzmbUI/AAAAAAAABdg/2b0Q5kf_Mf4/s400/IMG_3322.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525338155070680386" /></a>I perused my email this morning and I noticed an invitation for a seminar presented by <a href="http://radar.oreilly.com/2010/07/book-publicity-and-marketing-h.html">Kevin Smokler</a> CEO of BookTour.com. I decided to look for Kevin on FaceBook and immediately sent a friend request after I read his great book marketing <a href="http://www.kevinsmokler.com/">blog</a>. <div><br /></div><div>I got caught up reading his compelling marketing advice and I even checked his guest blogs on other blogs like this <a href="http://radar.oreilly.com/2010/07/book-publicity-and-marketing-h.html">one</a> where I was struck by this sentence:<div><br /></div><div><b>"That authors must promote, often on their own, is now an accepted reality."</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"></span></div><div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-size:-webkit-xxx-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div>I sighed. I finally get how much publishers don't do. Previously I was seriously delusional thinking not me, my publisher is different. I wish I'd started with a stronger independent marketing plan, but drawing up plans are is not my strong suit. Authors be warned: be careful what you optimistically read into emails etc, then if you realize you perhaps expected too much from your publisher, get over and get on with fitting marketing into your life. If you have to mail your own books for reviews, do it.</div><div><br /></div><div>And check out <a href="http://booktour.com/blog/?p=80">Kevin's blog</a> --of course he's promoting his own businesses <a href="http://www.booktour.com/pressfinder/search">BookTour.com and PressFinder</a> but maybe that will also interest you as a promotional vehicle for your book. </div><div><br /></div><div>Also, if you're wondering what else to do right now, look around, and check out magazines and newsletters that pertain to your book. Maybe you can dream up a column that would be perfect for the publication. Check out specialty organizations, garden clubs, book stores--any place that might support a regular colum. A column can help satisfy your passion for writing and promote your book at the same time. Consider a column free advertising for your book and instead of paying for the ad, you get paid. It doesn't get much better than that.</div><div><br /></div><div>One day as I was looking through my book to see what articles I could spin off, I realized I had a number of ideas that would make a fun monthly column. I called my column Take 5 because the information could easily be broken up into topics and the article wouldn't take that long to write. I proposed my column to <a href="http://www.marlenesmarket-deli.com/">Marlene's Market and Deli's</a> <i>Sound Outlook</i> editor Lori Lively.</div><div><br /></div><div>I mentioned this new column in an earlier<a href="http://youwroteabookwhocares.blogspot.com/2010/07/getting-back-on-track-reviews-and.html"> blog post</a>, but it wasn't until my friend <a href="http://discoverlavender.wordpress.com/">Kathy Gehrt</a> pointed out it was great advertising every month, that I realized what a great idea writing a column is for an author. Molly Wizenberg, author and blogger of <a href="http://orangette.blogspot.com/">Orangette</a> fame has a column in <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/03/british_flapjacks">Bon</a><a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/03/british_flapjacks"> Appetit</a>; Mathew Amster-Burton, author and <a href="http://www.rootsandgrubs.com/">Roots and Grub</a>s blogger writes a <a href="http://www.culinate.com/columns/bacon">column</a> for <a href="http://www.culinate.com/home">Culinate</a>; and Amy Pennington, author and gardener writes a column for <i><a href="http://www.ediblecommunities.com/seattle/">Edible Seattle.</a> </i><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TK3xcvEWhFI/AAAAAAAABdY/NNXBGrtmaHc/s1600/IMG_4435.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TK3xcvEWhFI/AAAAAAAABdY/NNXBGrtmaHc/s400/IMG_4435.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525337793826817106" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">So consider promoting your platform and your book promotion will follow. Build your name recognition like a house, brick by brick, and any place you get your book mentioned every month is certainly worth considering.</div></div></div></div></div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-25241689733828255192010-09-24T10:17:00.000-07:002010-09-24T16:20:05.329-07:00Know Your Audience, Go With the Flow, and Tap Into Your Dreams<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TJzs2EO95EI/AAAAAAAABaQ/3-PRjsQGlsE/s1600/IMG_4301.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 370px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TJzs2EO95EI/AAAAAAAABaQ/3-PRjsQGlsE/s400/IMG_4301.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520547656842994754" /></a>Maybe writing a book has long been your dream, but for a book tour it's good to remember that people are looking for their own dreams and the event is all about them, not you. I think people attend book events because they believe your book may enhance their lives and they want to connect with you, the author, in some way. Learn as much as you can ahead of time, and if possible visit the venue before your event. Observe everything. Take it all in and then focus your presentation.<div><br /></div><div>This past week I had cooking demos at two wildly different events-- The Veg Fest in Portland and Barbara Jo's Cooks to Books.<div><br /></div><div><b><a href="http://www.nwveg.org/vegfest.php">The Veg Fest</a></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">At the Seattle Veg Fest years ago, I did a demo for my <a href="http://www.localvegetariancooking.com/">first book</a>. It was a wild crazy event, with little room for food prep, no formal kitchen and back-to-back demos. The Portland Veg Fest was a new experience for me and my <a href="http://www.timberpress.com/books/northwest_vegetarian_cookbook/daniels-zeller/9781604690347">new book</a>. I wondered if it would it be like the Seattle event--aisles and aisles of vendors hawking their products and people grabbing free samples of vegan foods and shoving pamphlets in bags. </span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The Portland Veg Fest appeared to be </span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">much the same type of event but when I read the instructions for cooking demos, but there was no mention of a stove or even a burner. But what demo doesn't have some kind of burner? I wondered. Just in case they didn't, I planned a recipe where I could use an electric skillet. I'd ask about the stove later, not really worried about the details once again.</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">One thing led to another and I never did ask about the stove, and then a day before the event I got a phone message from one of the coordinators. </span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">"I just wanted to make sure you knew we don't really cook at the cooking demo." I heard her say.</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I phoned back immediately. "What did you mean no cooking?" I was puzzled. </span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">"We've worked with a number of chefs for years. Some simply pretend to cook; you just have to make your dish ahead of time. It should be something that can be served at room temperature."</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">"Precooked you say?" I asked. </span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">Pretend to cook? I struggled to picture how I could make this demo happen.</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div>"It must be prepared before the demo," she patiently said again. "We have a tiny space near the sink you could use but it's crowded with people doing dishes and going in and out. Your dish should be okay to serve at room temperature."</div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">It took me a minute to put it together. I could change the recipe into a grain salad, add some balsamic vinegar. Then I remembered I had 150 copies of the original recipe from my book--just a minor problem that I could easily explain at the cooking demo.</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I didn't give much thought to actually cooking in my hotel room until I checked in and wheeled my suitcase filled with cooking equipment to my room. I got up at 6am, thinking it was so early no one would detect the smell of shallots and grains wafting under the door. There had been a wedding on an upper level in the hotel the night before so I hoped many guests were sleeping late. </span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I clearned a little table off, set the skillet up and once the shallots began to sizzle in the olive oil, I looked up and saw the fire alarm as the steam from the shallots began wafting towards it. I quickly covered the skillet and for a second the form I'd signed when I'd checked into the hotel flashed through my mind. The form specified that I wouldn't smoke in the room or the management would kick me out. What about cooking? </span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I felt my pulse quicken picturing the fire alarm sounding and some hotel bouncer tossing me out. All for a few shallots? I forced myself to quit mulling over details, and took a deep breath. I cranked open open window and blew steam outside as the grains cooked. Luckily, the room was on the 3rd floor so the smell disappeared into the city outside. </span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">When the grains were cooked, I felt like a child who had gotten away with breaking the rules. I couldn't help smiling as I signed out, butI wondered what the maid would think when she opened the door and got a strong whiff of caramelized shallots?</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>At my "cooking" demo I told stories about my road to becoming a vegetarian, vegan cooking classes, and a recipe column in the early 1990s for small publication called Vegan Network. I talked about being a locavore and staying vegan and when I put the salad together, I couldn't resist telling the story of how my recipe for Orzo with Shallots, Kale and Walnuts had turned into a Balsamic Quinoa-Orzo Salad with Peppers, Carrots and Basil in my hotel room.</div><div><br /></div><div>After my demo I strolled through this great vegan event and became inspired by all the latest information about the healthiest diet and decided to lose the eggs, cheese and butter for 30 days. If <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jun/06/usa.television">Oprah</a> can do it anyone can.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TJzsiQAfQOI/AAAAAAAABaI/AAz5AeC1dR4/s1600/IMG_4280.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TJzsiQAfQOI/AAAAAAAABaI/AAz5AeC1dR4/s400/IMG_4280.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520547316406108386" /></a><b>Books to Cooks</b></div><div>A day after arriving home from the Veg Fest in Portland, I drove north to Vancouver, BC where I had a cooking demo event at <a href="http://www.bookstocooks.com/">Barbara Jo's Books to Cooks</a>. I was looking forward to this cooking demo where an assistant would cook the meal while I did an easy demo for it and talked about my book. I was also looking forward to the event because I hadn't been to British Columbia for some time and had decided to make it a really fun trip and stay in a nice <a href="http://www.granvilleislandhotel.com/">hotel</a> on Granville Island.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TJzsThcZzdI/AAAAAAAABaA/vt1TOPLKpT4/s1600/IMG_4379.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 332px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TJzsThcZzdI/AAAAAAAABaA/vt1TOPLKpT4/s400/IMG_4379.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520547063388556754" /></a>I've never seen a store quite like Barbara Jo's. It's a fantastic cookbook store that must house over 10,000 cookbooks. Everything you could ever want is here including quirky books like After the Hunt (a thick tome that included a fried squirrel in gravy recipe), A Recipe for Murder(with a recipe for Hannibal's sweetbreads) and Marijuana Cooking (of course with the famous brownie recipe). As if that isn't enough, Barbara Jo's also has a demo kitchen for classes and events.</div><div><br /></div><div>I phoned a few days ahead and spoke with Barbara Jo McIntosh who told me the night I'd be in her store to do a cooking demo, a film crew would be in the store because Barbara was going to be inducted into the<a href="http://www.straight.com/article-333491/vancouver/harry-kambolis-barbarajo-mcintosh-be-inducted-bc-restaurant-hall-fame"> BC Restaurant Hall of Fame</a> this year. I suddenly stressed over what to wear what to talk about for this event.</div><div><br /></div><div>I arrived at Barbara Jo's a day ahead of my event to meet Barbara. I was tickled to learn that she recently released her book,<a href="http://www.bookstocooks.com/page424.htm"> </a><i><a href="http://www.bookstocooks.com/page424.htm">Cooking for Me and Sometimes You: A Parisienne Romance with Recipes </a></i>(French Apple Press)<i>. </i>After learning how the event would go, I bought Barbara's book and went home to read this treasure about Barbara's month in Paris and how it had always been her dream to spend a month eating in this great city. I thought reading the would give me a clue about how to phrase my talk, but instead I fell in love with Barbara's passion for the city of her dreams. I slept deeply reviving some of my own dreams.</div><div><br /></div><div>The next evening I told stories about childhood dreams and the path that led opportunities that opened doors to those childhood dreams. "I'd always dreamed about writing a book," I said. I laughed about the two bad novels I'd written before I turning to nonfiction--farms and food. Then I talked about my opportunity to write <i>The Northwest Vegetarian Cookbook</i> and about meeting Northwest farmers for my farmer profiles. I told farmer stories and talked about the challenges of growing local foods. I talked about <a href="http://foodconnections.blogspot.com/2010/08/snickerdoodle-stories.html">Dunbar Farms </a>in southern Oregon that started with pears 1909, about Nash Huber of Nash's Organic Produce winning Farm <a href="http://foodconnections.blogspot.com/2009/09/farmland-is-for-food.html">Steward of the Year Award</a> from American Farmland Trust and Jeff Miller of Willie Green's who cashed in a life insurance policy, rode his motorcycle Washington and started farming. When you think about it, anyone can relate to childhood dreams.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you're having a little trouble recalling your own dreams, take a trip to Vancouver and talk to Barbara Jo about her dream. Then visit Granville Island and indulge in one of these edible dreams--well unless you are dedicated to a healthy vegan diet for 30 days.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TJzsBMpw-PI/AAAAAAAABZ4/mPW9IGPPk1c/s1600/IMG_4371.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TJzsBMpw-PI/AAAAAAAABZ4/mPW9IGPPk1c/s400/IMG_4371.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520546748569811186" /></a><br /></div></div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-89236569508458396882010-09-12T19:48:00.000-07:002010-09-13T15:45:29.686-07:00Book Tours, The Downside of a Shoestring Budget, and Hiring A Tour Manager<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TI2RRUPGaCI/AAAAAAAABZo/Au2xAO6ABPE/s1600/IMG_4208.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 381px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TI2RRUPGaCI/AAAAAAAABZo/Au2xAO6ABPE/s400/IMG_4208.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516224845274572834" /></a>I'm thinking about hiring a tour manager. It's partly because I'm guilty of scanning details for book tour events, and because I never gave much thought to things like mileage, food and lodging expenses when I signed the book contract. Those new to the publishing world take note: deal with these cost issues early on because if you can take care of petty things like mileage etc, you'll have a less stressful booktour. One idea is to clarify exactly what the publisher will pay for on book tours when you sign on the dotted line.<div><br /></div><div>Try to bribe your agent and get a bigger advance of say $400,000 or more, then your book tour is a snap and every stop you'll be all smiles. Just ask <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOXFCKGVuyI">Sarah Palin</a> how she's enjoying the ride. Since I don't have a jet or a bus funded by a big fat advance plus contributions from right wingers who hope to get into the power spot next election, I brooded about tour expenses on the drive home from my last stop at <a href="http://www.bellewoodapples.com/">Bellewood Acres</a> near Lynden, Washington. It was a fun, crowded event but I paid my own way, paid full price for all the apples I ate while I was there and it was a 180 miles round trip. Whine, whine, whine-- but I've driven to Bellingham twice in the past few weeks for book events and I don't have anyone picking up the tab at the gas pump or the lunch counter.<div><br /></div><div>So what's an author to do when most or all these expenses fall on their shoulders? </div><div><br /></div><div>It's time to get creative, that's what. I started searching the Internet the other day to see what other authors have done to fund their book tours and here's what I discovered.</div><div><br /></div><div>The cost of a book tour is the gorilla in the room that not many authors talk about. Google book tour expenses and you'll see, not much has been written about this shadow in the room other than the vague idea that authors mostly fund their own tours, no one ever gives a break down of things you spend money on.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/280586197/justin-krebs-living-liberally-book-tour">One author</a> raised money for his book tour by getting various levels of backers. I laughed out loud when I read that he had a $2,000 level where he will go to your town with one or two commedians in tow. Justin got 77 backers who met his goal of $5,000 for his book tour. I love his creativity.</div><div><br /></div><div>Another<a href="http://unconventionalbooktour.com/"> author</a> partners with Ethiopian charities and is committed to raising $500,000 dollars for wells in Ethiopian cities. The tour boasts "meet-ups not lectures," it's collectively organized and it's all self-funded. Chris is stopping in a number of cities in Canada and he is visiting a city in every state and at each stop he requested volunteers to host, contact media and provide cupcakes. I say not only does this fund the book tour but it's great way to give to other communities and create community around your book. This is a feel-good we are community approach.</div><div><br /></div><div>If those ideas aren't quite your cup of coffee, check out <a href="http://www.freewebs.com/promote-your-book/">this book</a> I found about promoting your book on a shoestring budget. Or to cut down on expenses you can do a <a href="http://blogbooktours.blogspot.com/">blog book tour.</a> But you still have to get out and acutally connect with some stores and people who will also pass the message of your book along. </div><div><br /></div><div>You can also talk to other writers and get the details of their tours. The editor of my book told me that for her tour, she stayed with friends and in really cheap lodging in various cities and looked at it as a vacation. That's not really my idea of a vacation. Another friend only books events in towns where she has family or friends that can attend those sometimes lonely book events. Another friend urged me to do a <a href="http://virtualbooktoursecrets.com/">virtual book tour</a> instead of hitting the road. </div><div><br /></div><div>Even in the virtual world everybody's trying to make a buck these days. I think I'll just stay the course, try and get my publisher to kick in for some mileage and overnight stays, and who knows maybe my cooking assistant will consider signing on as my tour manager. Oh wait, he clearly wants a cut of the action too--some of those Honeycrisp apples I paid full price for no doubt.<br /><div><br /></div><div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TI2RFfQIytI/AAAAAAAABZg/dR-LZC1hkis/s1600/IMG_4213.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 352px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TI2RFfQIytI/AAAAAAAABZg/dR-LZC1hkis/s400/IMG_4213.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516224642073283282" /></a><br /></div></div></div></div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-22290186956053459902010-09-10T11:43:00.000-07:002010-09-10T14:37:11.270-07:00What's Your Goal? Falling Down the Rabbit Hole of Book Marketing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TIp_p6UcCgI/AAAAAAAABZY/H9VMK_ie8N8/s1600/IMG_4195.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 352px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TIp_p6UcCgI/AAAAAAAABZY/H9VMK_ie8N8/s400/IMG_4195.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515361051674937858" /></a>As I'm faced with a variety of opportunities for book tour events and networking options on social media sites, I continually have to reset the picture and ask myself: what's my ultimate goal?<br /><div><br /></div><div><div>A book tour is a bit like falling down a rabbit hole and it's risky to"just do it" like the Nike Ad instructs, even <a href="http://lifehacker.com/5634357/dangerous-ideas-getting-started-is-overrated">lifehacker </a>says so. Go out and start booking events for your book tour and you'll soon discover that each event needs to be tended like a new plant. Some stores expect authors to come up with marketing ideas, add blog entries for store blogs, provide snacks or do cooking demos for author appearances. It can cost more than you're bringing in. Blindly booking events can be a nightmare when you realize, you get to do all the planning and marketing. And when you book too many events all that precious writing time you dreamed about is sucked away.</div><div><br /></div><div>In this connected age, it's way too easy to get distracted with things like responding to blogs like this <a href="http://tallcloverfarm.com/">cute one</a> with two bull dogs. (What would my kitchen assistant say about that?) And social media sites are so addictive, they're driving me crazy--do I really"like" this? Or can I "comment" on that? And what does "poke" mean? I can barely keep up with my own life anymore. I don't even have to leave the house to get stressed over whether I've logged in and made comments on sites like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook">FaceBook</a>, <a href="http://www.foodista.com/">Foodista,</a><a href="http://www.culinate.com/home">Culinate</a> and <a href="http://www.scribd.com/">Scribd</a>--and all the blogs I'm following and commenting on.</div><div><br /></div><div>I continually remind myself why I'm doing any of this, which brings me back to my topic-- keeping your goal in focus.</div><div><div><div><div><br /></div><div>What do you really want to do with your time? Consider that question every time you start responding to a post on a blog or FaceBook and when an offer comes your way. Say an editor wants you to write an article about South American cuisine, or a natural food store wants a cooking class with raw food desserts, or someone wants to do a podcast with you--ask yourself: does it fit my goals? Will it propel me forward? Am I on the right path?</div><div><br /></div><div>For me, it's important to reflect about what I do with my time. One satisfying by-product of my book has been helping like-minded people connect through my articles, my food travels and farm visits. For example, recently I visited the Medford farmers' market and Cathy Pennington of <a href="http://www.penningtonfarms.net/">Pennington Farms</a> said thanks for putting her in contact with <a href="http://www.bellewoodapples.com/">BelleWood Acres</a> who helped her figure out how to get a sign on her barn. And more recently I helped connect this <a href="http://freshlydougvegetables.blogspot.com/2010/09/getting-there.html">farm </a>with a great farm-to-school program in the Rogue Valley. </div><div><br /></div><div>A rabbit hole offers many opportunities and lately I've got caught a spark of a trend I want to write about, and catching the spark is the fun of life. Starting a new article or book--the story coming to me in bits and pieces and I love putting it all together. I just have to keep reminding myself: <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:15.8333px;">what's my goal in this life adventure?</span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TIp_WIl2z6I/AAAAAAAABZQ/DBUgec_jLTA/s1600/IMG_4194.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 290px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/TIp_WIl2z6I/AAAAAAAABZQ/DBUgec_jLTA/s400/IMG_4194.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515360711908708258" /></a><br /><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510811041092289985.post-83799117135683440212010-08-26T15:04:00.000-07:002010-08-26T16:35:24.863-07:00Hornet's Nest Marketing and Plans Gone Awry<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/THblx7DReRI/AAAAAAAABUw/NYRy60S9uNc/s1600/IMG_4041.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 370px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/THblx7DReRI/AAAAAAAABUw/NYRy60S9uNc/s400/IMG_4041.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509843839962151186" /></a><div>Mary Kay from the <a href="http://www.edmondsbookshop.com/index.html"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Edmonds</span> Bookshop</a> showed me this perfect wasp nest (on Dayton Street) when I bought a card with beautiful photo of hornets' nest. <div><br /></div><div>"The nests are so amazing," Mary Kay said. "That picture [on the card] was taken by a seven-year old boy." She told me the boy's grandmother had a card making business and when she added the boy's photo to her card line, Mary Kay placed the young boy's card next to <i><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/30/books/review/Kamp-t.html">The Girl Who Kicked Over the Hornet's Nest</a>. </i> It was in the storefront window and when the boy saw the window display, he wanted his picture taken near his card and the book. </div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe we'd all secretly love a little celebrity to rub off on us. Perhaps that's what I was thinking when I spotted my book next to Alice Water's book and snapped a photo. If an alien popped in what would he make about our fascination with celebrity? It dawned on me that I'm just a little too impressed by celebrity, too. Who me? Hop on the celebrity bandwagon? Okay, maybe if the celebrity is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu12X0h6FEE">Alice Waters</a>.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/THblmiNlgLI/AAAAAAAABUo/sFpeArOWyqY/s1600/IMG_3447.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/THblmiNlgLI/AAAAAAAABUo/sFpeArOWyqY/s200/IMG_3447.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509843644315959474" /></a><b>Expectations versus reality:</b></div><div>What happens when events go awry? Recently, I signed up to sell books with <a href="http://www.writeonwhidbey.org/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Whidbey</span> Island Writes' Association</a> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">WIWA</span>). I'd imagined myself mingling with other authors, strolling the market and meeting farmers. I cheerfully packed my chair, sign and books and took the ferry to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Whidbey</span> Island.</div><div><br /></div><div>I pulled into the <a href="http://coupevillefarmersmarket.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Coupeville</span> farmers' market</a> long before it opened and looked for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">WIWA</span> table. I found a table that said <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Whidbey</span> Island Writers' but they told me they were the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Whidbey</span> Island Writers' Group and I wasn't part of the group. Finally the kind market manager pointed out a space between a blue and a white tent.</div><div><br /></div><div>I walked to the space and stood there for a moment, hoping someone would show up. One of the vendors next to me said, "It looks like you've lost something." I told him my group hadn't shown up and I had a chair but no table. "Take this one," my neighbor said, handing me a small folding table. I set up the table, then got the sheet I use for my kitchen assistant.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is the bare bones table I set up. I met plenty of fun market shoppers and talked to a number of great farmers. I learned about Rockwell beans (reportedly a native <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Whidbey</span> Island bean) and growing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">quinoa</span>. I discovered a 112 year-old farm and learned that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Whidbey</span> Islanders didn't even get ripe tomatoes this summer.</div><div><br /></div><div>What I'm saying is events may not always be up to expectations and there may be a number of explanations. Chill out, enjoy the sunny day, strolling the market and meeting other authors. That part of of my visualization was true.</div><div><br /></div><div>Someday I hope to climb off the <a href="http://www.bravotv.com/kathy-griffin-my-life-on-the-d-list/season-6/episodes">"D" list</a>, but for now, I'll settle for a few laughs after-the-fact with things like this tossed-together table at the market. It's one step above a lemonade stand. My expectations weren't even on the same ladder as reality that day. Three cheers for a sunny dayand some really good fresh green beans.</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/THblHil00hI/AAAAAAAABUg/ZBvhkjxFrTk/s1600/IMG_4044.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 383px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6hJMozGX1eQ/THblHil00hI/AAAAAAAABUg/ZBvhkjxFrTk/s400/IMG_4044.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509843111841681938" /></a><br /></div></div>Debra Daniels-Zellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11797092960369920910noreply@blogger.com0