Here’s What’s New
Kirkus Review has been revived.
The CBA National Conference (sponsored by the Canadian Booksellers Association) will be held May 28-30, 2010 at the Toronto Delta Airport West Hotel. http://www.cbabook.org.
Reader’s Digest plans to launch three new magazines this year—No Fail Weight Loss, Reverse Diabetes and Walk it Off. Only one of these titles currently has a website: http://www.walkitoff.com.
Town and Country will relaunch.
Smashwords is now supplying ebooks to the Amazon Kindle Store.
Smashwords has bought Bookhabit of New Zealand.
Opportunities for Writers
The Creative Nonfiction Foundation is sponsoring a contest with animals as the theme. They’ll award $1,000 for first place and $500 for second. Essays must be unpublished, 5,000 words or less and postmarked no later than April 2010. There is a $20 reading fee. Learn more here: http://www.creativenonfiction.org/thejournal/submittocnf.htm
Move over HARO, Reporter Connection has moved in. This is a new service where journalists can submit their requests to over 50,000 experts in various areas of expertise. http://www.reporterconnection.com/press.
Pitchrate.com is a free service with a site where journalists ask for help from experts. http://www.pitchrate.com
There’s a new Canadian magazine for teens and a new writing opportunity for those who can write for young people. Girlworks targets smart girls in the 11-15 age range. Each issue includes articles on noteworthy girls, career planning, money, entertainment, sports and fitness, technology, health, beauty, fashion, art and crafts—all age appropriate. This is a paying market. Payment is in the $100 to $200 range. http://www.girlworks.ca. Contact publisher, Janet Kim at publisher@girlworks.ca.
Opportunities for Authors
Grand Central has launched a new imprint called Grand Central Life and Style. They’re folding their imprints, Springboard Press and Wellness Central into this new imprint. Grand Central is part of the Hachette Publishing Group. http://www.hachettebookgroup.com
Epstein Literary Agency is seeking YA fiction and nonfiction manuscripts to represent. Learn more about this announcement at http://www.epsteinliterary.com/pdf/YAfor EpLit.pdf. Here’s the website: www.epsteinliterary.com. Contact Kate Epstein.
Little Brown is opening submissions to authors with suspense novels that “knock our socks off by gripping us from the first page.” They might be thrillers, crime novels, super-natural suspense or… Learn more at http://www.hachettebookgroup.com.
Nancy Paulsen, president and publisher at Putnam Children’s for fifteen years plans to start her own imprint called Nancy Paulsen Books. She will publish 12-15 picture books, middle grade and young adult novels each year, she says, “from culturally diverse and distinct voices which are enlightening and emotionally satisfying.” Watch for the launch. I will, too.
Because I think it is important to network with other authors—the very premise of WPN—I occasionally list regional publishing organizations that involve face-to-face meetings. Here is the list I posted in 2008 after meeting with representatives from most of these organizations at an IBPA affiliate retreat in Nashville. Find the one nearest you and pay them a visit.
Arizona Book Publishing Association
Tempe Arizona
http://www.azbookpub.com
This organization boasts 150 members. Membership dues are $125/year and benefits include monthly meetings, a newsletter, author events, an awards program and more.
Authors and Publishers Association
Houston, TX
http://www.authorsandpublishers.org
Meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month at Café Express, River Oaks, Houston at 6: p.m. For membership information contact info@authorsandpublishers.org.
Bay Area Independent Publishers Association
Corte Madera, CA
http://www.baipa.net
Formerly the Marin Small Publishers Association, BAIPA is an educational institution dedicated to elevating the art of the independent author-publisher. Meetings are generally held on the 2nd Saturday of the month at the First Congregational Church, North San Pedro Road in San Rafael. Meetings start at 9 a.m. for those with questions. The main meeting starts at 10. Dues are $40/year with six month and three year memberships available. For more information contact baipa@onebox.com
Book Publishers Northwest
http://www.bpnw.org
This is a trade organization for professionals representing the book publishing community. Most organization events are held in the Seattle area, but BPNW encourages members to meet in other cities. They recommend subscribing to their BPN news blog. Meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Good Shepherd Center in Seattle. See site for directions.
Colorado Independent Publishers Association
Denver, CO
http://www.cipabooks.com
The dues structure is a little complicated—but I can tell you that it ranges from $25/year for a student to $220 for an associate group membership. Renewals range from $25 to $195. It looks as though they offer quite a lot for the money. If you live in the Denver area, visit their site and see what’s available that might benefit your business.
Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association
Avon, CT
Southeast Division CAPA
Pawcatuck, CT
http://www.aboutcapa.com
Meetings are held on the third Saturday of the month in Avon. Dues are $48 for single member and $60 for family membership. Brian Jud (of Beyond the Bookstore fame) is the founder of this organization, which provides face-to-face networking opportunities, speaker/experts, monthly newsletter and focuses on educating the author and independent publisher.
Consortium of Northern Publishers
Fairbanks, AK
Phone: 907-474-4969 for more information.
Great Lakes Independent Publishers Association
Royal Oak, MI
Email glipa@tm.net for more information.
Hawaii Book Publishers Association
Honolulu, HI
http://www.hawaiibooks.org
Independent Publishers Association Canada
Calgary, AB
http://www.obpo.ca
Independent Publishers of New England
Gloucester, MA
http://www.ipne.org
This organization is of and for independent book publishers in the 6-state New England region. They offer a free monthly conference call member meeting where you can bring your questions and your expertise.
Michigan Black Independent Publishers Association
Lansing, MI
Email: mbipa_mi@hotmail.com
Mid-Atlantic Book Publishers Association
Baltimore, MD
http://www.midatlanticbookpublishers.com
Membership is $25/year for individuals. Groups of two or more people and organizations/companies should contact Donna Wessel at donna@americanliterarypress.com for these membership fees. This organization offers meetings now and then. Subscribe to their newsletter to learn when the next meeting will be held. One interesting aspect of this organization is their forum. If you live in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia or Washington DC, join up and join in.
Midwest Independent Publishers Association
St. Paul, MN
http://www.mipa.org
MIPA has been active in the book industry since 1982. Their purpose is to provide educational and marketing opportunities for its members. They represent the independent presses of their region in the MBA (UMBA Trade Show) each year and they offer book awards. Monthly meetings consist of a networking period, business and a speaker. Membership is $50/year for individuals—$25 for additional partner member.
New Mexico Book Association
Santa Fe, NM
http://www.nmbook.org
This is a statewide nonprofit organization servicing all book professionals: publishers, authors, editors, illustrators, booksellers, librarians, designers, writers, etc. They present professional development workshops, a monthly newsletter, monthly networking luncheons and more. Membership is $50/year. If you can’t get your questions answered via their website, call 505-231-1755 or email mail@nmbook.org.
Northern California Publishers and Authors
Sacramento, CA
Http://www.norcalpa.org
NCPA is an alliance of independent publishers, authors and publishing professionals in Northern California. You may have known this organization as Sacramento Publishers and Authors. In 2004, however, they changed the name. If you would like information about dues, how to join, etc., check out their website or contact info@norcalpa.org.
Northwest Association of Book Publishers
Wilsonville, OR
http://www.nwab.org
The mission of NWABP is to help independent publishers market and produce books. Dues are $75 year plus a one-time processing fee of $5 for new members. They provide a newsletter, have meetings and present seminars throughout the year.
Organization of Book Publishers of Ontario
Toronto, ON
http://www.obpo.ca
OBPO was incorporated in 1990 and currently has a membership of 43 Ontario-based Canadian-owned book publishing houses. For more about the dues structure, meetings, etc., visit the website.
Publishers and Writers of San Diego
http://www.publisherswriters.org
This is a professional association for the publishing community in San Diego. Their mission is to educate business-minded self-publishers and authors. They provide meetings the last Saturday of each month (except November and December). Meetings are generally held in or near Encinitas. Visit their website for more specific information and to apply for membership.
Publishers Association of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
http://www.pa-la.org
PALA membership is open to all publishers, vendors and participants in the publishing industry who are doing business in the greater Los Angeles area. They provide educational and informative publishing programs, networking with publishers and suppliers and cooperative marketing. Meetings cost $5 per member to attend and $15 for nonmembers. Check their website or contact Susan Reyto at treasurer@pa-la.org for membership and meeting information.
Publishers Association of the South
Panama City, FL
http://www.pubsouth.org
House members are trade and university publishers whose offices are located in 18 southern states. They also offer associate memberships for practically anyone else who is involved in or interested in the publishing field. Annual dues vary from $200 for businesses with 1-5 employees to $400 for businesses with 12 employees or more. See website for benefits.
St. Louis Publishers Association
St. Louis, MO
http://www.stlouispublishers.org
Annual membership is $72/year, 2nd member (in your business or family) and student fee, $48/year. They provide a monthly newsletter and monthly meetings. Nonmembers can attend meetings for a $6 fee. Meeting times: 6:30 p.m. at the Lodge at Des Peres. It looks like meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of the month.
The Greater New York Independent Publishers Association
New York, NY
Email: tntclassics@aol.com for more information.
Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association
Gaylord, MI
http://www.uppaa.org
This regional organization is located in the Saline/Lake Linden area of Michigan. Dues are $20 month or $30 for family/partner membership. They promote networking opportunities for members and present conferences. Members also receive a free subscription to their newsletter.
If your region isn’t represented here, let me know and I’ll attempt to locate a publishing organization near you. Patricia@spawn.org
Book Promotion Opportunities
I came across this list of the 25 best book festivals and book fairs in the world, according to Noel Griese of Anvil Publishers and Brokers in Atlanta, Georgia. Look this list over and see if there are any near you or where you’ll be traveling in 2010. If you have a desire to attend a book festival with your book(s) be sure to read my article, How to Successfully Promote Your Book at a Book Festival, posted at the WPN website: http://www.spawn.org/marketing/promoteatbookfestival.htm
1. Litquake, San Francisco’s Literary Festival, http://www.litquake.org
2. Frankfurt Book Fair, http://www.book-fair.com, biggest book show in the world, October 6-10, 2010 in Frankfurt, Germany.
3. Louisiana Book Festival, Baton Rouge, http://lbf.state.lib.la.us/
4. Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, http://www.latimes.com/extras/festivalofbooks a big festival attracting 150,000 readers, April 24-25, 2010.
5. BookExpo America, http://www.bookexpoamerica.com, May 25-27, 2010, Jacob Javits Center, NYC, the premier North American publishing event of the year.
6. Ann Arbor Book Festival, http://www.aabookfestival.org/, Ann Arbor, MI.
7. National Book Festival, http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/ sponsored by the Library of Congress on the Mall in Washington, DC.
8. Decatur Book Festival, Decatur (Atlanta), Ga., http://www.decaturbookfestival.com/Community/index.php. Held Labor Day weekend, claims to attract over 50,000 book fans.
9. Miami Book Fair International, http://www.miamibookfair.com, draws hundreds of thousands of people.
10. Vegas Valley Book Festival, Las Vegas, http://www.vegasvalleybookfest.org
11. London Book Fair, http://www.londonbookfair.co.uk, April 19-21, 2010, global marketplace for sale and distribution of content across print, audio, TV, film and digital channels.
12. American Library Association Annual Conference, http://www.ala.org/ala/conferencesevents/upcoming/annual/index.cfm June 24-29, 2010, Washington, DC, some 2,000 seminars and events plus a huge trade show.
13. International Christian Retail Show (ICRS) http://www.christianretailshow.com/. Considered the best show for Christian authors. http://www.marketingchristianbooks.com
14. CAMEX/National Association of College Stores, http://www.nacs.org, attracts more than 7,000 people, including booksellers from more than 1,000 stores.
15. Philadelphia Book Festival, http://libwww.freelibrary.org/bookfestival/, attended by 35,000 and more than 50 authors, performers. Third weekend in April 2010.
16. Printers Row Book Fair, http://www.chicagotribune.com/about/events/printersrow/, a large book fair attended by more than 100,000 book lovers in 2009.
17. Southern Festival of Books: A Celebration of the Written Word, http://tn-humanities.org/festival/index.php, Nashville, Tenn., attracts more than 200 authors from throughout the U.S. Second full weekend in October 2010.
18. Kentucky Book Fair, http://www.kybookfair.com. Frankfort Convention Center, attended by up to 5,000 people including 150 authors.
19. Texas Book Fair, http://www.texasbookfestival.org/, established in 1995 by First Lady Laura Bush, a former librarian, more than 45,000 attend.
20. Delaware Book Fair & Authors Day, http://heritage.delaware.gov/book_fair.shtml
21. Baltimore Book Festival, http://www.baltimore-bookfestival.com/, attracts more than 100 authors, Sept. 24-26, 2010.
22. Great American Bargain Book Show, held in Boston in late August, http://www.gabbs.net
23. Harlem Book Festival, http://www.qbr.com/, May 6-9, 2010, Bermuda.
24. Spring Book Show, http://www.springbookshow.com/, more than 50,000 book titles offered by vendors, Cobb Galleria Centre, Atlanta, GA, March 26-28, 2010.
25. South Carolina Book Festival, http://www.scbookfestival.org/, Feb. 26-28, 2010, Metropolitan Convention Center, Columbia, SC, more than 6000 attend 3-day festival.
Job Opportunity
Meg Weaver at Wooden Horse Publishing is looking to hire someone to do data entry. Pay is low at this point, but could get better. Contact meg at mweaver@woodenhorsepub.com
Opportunities for Artists and Photographers
Girlworks, a new Canadian magazine for girls ages 11-15, uses artwork. They pay $200 to $400 for one and two-page spreads. Submit samples for their files. They issue assignments. http://www.girlworks.ca. Contact Janet Kim at publisher@girlworks.ca.
Most animal magazines use photographs. If you’re into animal/pet photography, you might check out some of these magazines online or at the magazine rack at your nearest bookstore. Cat Fancy, for example, uses photos of happy, healthy, well-groomed cat and kittens in indoor settings. Fido Friendly Magazine encourages photos of dogs and The Horse and Horse Illustrated accept photos of horses in a variety of settings.
Going, Going, Gone
Ancestry Magazine is closing
Lola has shut down
Meredith announces that it is doing away with much of its do-it-yourself material. On the chopping block are Kitchen & Bath Ideas, Beautiful Baths/Beautiful Kitchens and Beautiful Homes.
Atlanta Life has closed.
From House to Home (a North Dakota regional) is out of business.
Bay Cities Magazine is gone.
NEED (Minneapolis-based magazine) has ceased publishing.
Another regional, Business TN (formerly Business Tennessee) has closed its doors. Will go online only.
I.D. (a 55-year-old magazine) has ceased publishing.
The Oregon Health News is no longer publishing.
Washington Spaces has also closed.
BBlog, a blog site, has closed down
Resources for Authors and Writers
Have you done a search at Addictomatic? It’s amazing and, actually rather addicting. Just go to http://addictomatic.com, type in your keywords (your name, company name, “publishing,” “book promotion,” “writing work,” etc.) and you’ll get responses from Twitter, Facebook, Friendfeed, Blogs, Flickr, YouTube and more. Use this tool to find out who’s talking about you and your book, to find a job, to locate interesting book promotion ideas and so forth.
http://gone-ta-pott.com is a seasonal/holiday site, listing traditional and bizarre reasons to celebrate AND to promote your book.
Bonus Item
I had the pleasure of interviewing book and entertainment publicist, Milton Kahn. Here is the result of that interview. (Note: be sure to listen in on March 4 at 11:30 am Pacific Time, to our teleseminar with Milton Kahn.)
Q: Please tell us a little about your background as an entertainment industry PR specialist.
A: I started my career in the William Morris Agency mail room in New York City where I was able to learn every facet of the entertainment industry from packaging motion pictures and television show to observing how agents worked with authors such James Michener and stars such as Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, etc… The agency had their own publicity department where I received a great deal of understanding as to how they publicize and promote Broadway plays that they had packaged as well as various television shows that emulated from New York City. I realized in 1995, that the publishing business was no different than the entertainment industry. I reinvented my business in the mid 90s by moving into the publishing world having previously represented people in the motion picture and television industry
Q: I understand that you are now interested in helping publishing houses and authors with their publicity campaigns. Explain your reasons for shift in your focus. Will this include fiction and nonfiction authors?
A: I have been able to have great success with books in almost every venue numbering fiction, nonfiction, biographies, self-help books, business books, etc… The key to a successful campaign is having a book with good issues along with having an author who is articulate and enthusiastic about his or her book during the interviews I orchestrate for them.
Q: Are you willing to work with self-published authors (those who have established their own publishing companies) and pay-to-publish authors (those who paid a service to produce their books)? Is there a difference in the way you work with self-published and pay-to-publish authors? Are there restrictions and challenges for the pay-to-publish authors, for example?
A: I work with both self-published and pay-to-publish authors as it is, again, the issues that the author brings to the table. One of my most successful campaigns was a print-on-demand book authored by Thomas Sawyer, the former producer and head-writer of the TV Series Murder, She Wrote. His self-published novel, the Sixteenth Man, proved to be a highly successful campaign.
Q: What is your primary focus with a publicity campaign for an author? Is there something the author can do to prepare for this campaign?
A: What an author needs to accomplish is to work at refining his or her skills in practicing interviews so that they will be comfortable and prepared when actually talking to the media. It is vital that they find a good webmaster to help them create a website that will be helpful to the media as well as the public in wanting to purchase their book.
Q: You encourage authors to do book signings. Why is this?
A: In regard to book signings, I think they are more or less something that an author who is not well known might want to consider if there are no travel expenses involved. Basically, book signings are fun experiences where they should not be expected to sell many books unless they happen to be famous and where their autographs happen to be worth money.
Q: How do you work with an author—do you have a sort of cookie cutter PR campaign or is it personalized for each author?
A: My campaigns are extremely personalized as each author and their book are unique and different. My job is to work with the author at coming up with key issues that will land them interviews with media in the areas of television, radio, newspapers, and magazines that are the best fit for the author’s topic.
Q:How does an author or a publisher choose the best publicist for his or her project? Can you offer tips?
A: I would suggest that an author or publisher looking for a publicist do some homework and go to sources such as Google and type in “Book Publicist” and then they can explore various information on PR firms and then contact those that are most interesting. From there, they must decide on who would be the right fit with the right price for them.
Q: When is the best time for an author to engage a publicist? Since you encourage authors to produce books with outstanding appeal—nice covers, etc., it seems that the ideal time for an author to start working with a publicist is BEFORE publication. Is this right?
A: I would say an author should try to find a publicist as soon as they know the release date of the book. The publicist, in most cases, would start a National Campaign at least a month before the release.
Q: Please give a few examples of some of your successes with campaigns for a fiction and for a nonfiction book.
A: Some examples of success with my National Campaigns along with the Thomas Sawyer’s book, is The Truth Machine by James Halperin, which was published by Valentine. This was an extremely rewarding campaign as this book dealt with the world as it existed 30 years into the future where every human being had a wrist watch that would light up if they were not telling the truth when asked a question. One of the most unique and interesting nonfiction campaigns was a book called Down To The Wire: The Lives of the Triple Crown Champions written by Robert Shoop. I was able to get him articles in Parade and USA Weekend along with major featured interviews throughout the country.
Q: Please add anything you would like to—and give us your contact information.
A: Regarding my contact information, one needs to go to www.miltonkahnpr.com as they will find a great deal of information of the variety of authors that I have worked with both in the entertainment industry, where my campaigns rendered more Oscar/Emmy nominations and awards than any other publicist and the publishing industry.