Rusty McClure's Blog, page 5

Where is Publishing Going?

It’s no secret that the publishing industry is rapidly changing.  With the growth of the digital market, changing printing costs and realities (also thanks to digital technology), and more accessible web tools for self-publishers, things are changing fast.

It doesn’t seem like this kind of change is sustainable in the long-term.  This plane has to land sometime, and I think it’ll be soon.

More self-published books are being pushed to market than ever before, some with great production quality and others that are unedited, not properly designed and with virtually no marketing.  But readers are learning to sift through self-published books and finding new ways to separate the treasure from the trash.

There are also some interesting new developments.  I’ve been following Capital Offense through its release.  It was originally released as a web serial before a traditional release to paperback and e-book. (In fact, it’s free on Amazon.com through tomorrow).  The publisher gave all of the content away for free on the web before offering it for sale.  At face value, that seems backwards, but there could be some insight to it.  It’s an attempt to meet readers where they’re reading, which is smart.  Time will tell whether it was a brilliant move or a misguided stab in the dark.

Meanwhile, traditional publishers are still pushing out the same stuff, using the same business model and the same outdated ownership models.  E-books that cost virtually nothing to reproduce don’t reflect that discount in their pricing.  I routinely see traditionally published  e-books that cost the same amount or more than their paperback counterparts.  Granted, the printing and transportation cost of paper books isn’t that high, but eliminating that step ought to lower the price a bit.

So, I’m interested to know: where do you think the publishing industry is going?  What do you look for when you buy books?  Do you think self-published books are worth browsing, or do you stick with traditionally published books?

Thank You for Reading Crosley – A Continued Success

I just want to thank all of the people who continue to read Crosley: Two Brothers and a Business Empire that Transformed the Nation.

To be honest, when I wrote it, I had no idea that it would take off the way that it has.  But it’s been almost eight years since it was initially released, and people are still reading it and leaving reviews.

The Crosley brothers in the book are my great uncle and my grandfather.  I originally wrote Crosley as a tribute to my family, of whom I’m exceptionally proud.  I’ll be forever grateful to all of the folks who decided that they actually wanted to read about my family and learn from them.

The book has been a New York Times bestseller, and of course, it’s led me down a road to write more books.  The Crosley brothers became fictional characters in my thriller, Cincinnatus, for which I also researched Coral Castle, and later wrote a book about that! It’s been quite a ride, and it seems that the ride isn’t over yet. 

All of this is to say that Crosley has become so much more than I ever imagined.  All of the people who have read the book, and all of the book I’ve had the privilege of speaking to–I appreciate every one of you.

Review Coral Castle on Goodreads

Have you read Coral Castle: The Mystery of Ed Leedskalnin and his American Stonehenge?  Will you leave a review on Goodreads.com?

You can find it on Goodreads here.

Your review goes a long way to help the community of readers.  With so many self-published and independently published books available, reader reviews are the lifeblood of the industry.

I want you to be honest and I welcome legitimate criticism.  Please take a few minutes and write an honest review.

Thanks!

Photos of the Cincinnati Library

You have got to check out these photos of the old Cincinnati library, taken around the turn of the 20th centruy.  They are absolutely unbelievable.

Check out the photos here.

It makes me proud to represent a city and a state with such a rich history of supporting literature and education.

Did you know that at one time Cincinnati, Ohio was called the “Paris of America?”  In the 19th and early 20th century, Cincinnati was a cultural icon of the United States.

For reference, when these photos were taken the city of Cincinnati was home to a population of about 300,000, and was the ninth largest city in the United States. By all standards it was a large and growing industrial city.

The population peeked at about a half million in the 1940s, but gradually shrank back down to the 300,000 mark, which makes it the 23rd largest city in the country.

A library of this magnitude for that time period demonstrates the dedication the city Cincinnati had for literature and the finer arts.

Available for Speaking Engagements

I’m available for a variety of speaking engagements, including corporate events, national conferences, non-profit and trade organizations, and patriotic and civics groups.

Take a look at this video, which provides a sample of my presentation and some additional information:

If you’re interested in learning more about booking me as a speaker, please contact me.

Want More Cincinnatus?

Want more information on Cincinnatus?

Of course, my book, Cincinnatus: The Secret Plot to Save America, is fictional.  But I did a lot of research before I wrote the book and I based many of the elements on real things.  The Crosley brothers are real, Coral Castle is real, Cat Cay is real.

And Cincinnatus, the Roman general, is also real.  He really existed, and he inspired our founding fathers.  His full name was Lucius Quintcius Cincinnatus.

Here are some links to learn more about Cincinnatus, the person:

“Cincinnatus” article on Wikipedia

A short version of the story of Cincinnatus on About.com

Enclycopedia Brittanica article on Cincinnatus

Enjoy these links, and I hope you’re as inspired by Cincinnatus as I am.

New Cincinnatus Trailer

Check out the latest trailer for my book Cincinnatus: The Secret Plot to Save America.  We made a couple of changes to the video.

If you haven’t read Cincinnatus yet, you can find it on Amazon.com here.  It’s also available from all major retailers, as a hardbound book, a paperback book and an e-book for almost all devices.  It’s a 5-star book, with ratings from 28 reviewers.  If you have read it, please take the time to leave an honest review for other readers.

You can also find Cincinnatus and leave a review on Goodreads here.

Coral Castle and Ancient Aliens

A while back I had the pleasure of appearing as a guest expert on The History Channel’s Ancient Aliens segment on Coral Castle.

I flew down to Miami, Florida and we filmed at Coral Castle.  I answered some questions about Edward Leedskalnin and his theories on anti-gravity and magnetism.

Here’s a condensed version of the episode, which I think includes some of my best stuff:

Before I went on the show, my daughter said that Ancient Aliens is for crazies.  I don’t think I look crazy, do you?  haha.

In any case, I had a great time.  And I always enjoy sharing my expertise on some of the things I’ve studied.

If you’re interested in reading about Coral Castle, you can find it on Amazon.com here.

Let’s Connect on Goodreads

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a little behind the curve on this whole social media thing.  I’m doing my best to get the hang of it though, and overall I’m glad I did.  I’m able to connect with my readers in new and real ways.  It’s a lot easier than I imagine opening letters all day was!

One of my favorite new networks is Goodreads.  What a great idea!  Find my profile here and connect with me.

Some of these social media sites are so bogged down with features and things to do that it’s hard to sort it out.  But Goodreads knows its purpose, and it does it well.  It’s all about books.  It’s all about readers connecting with each other, and connecting with their favorite authors.

Check it out, review a few books (mine if you don’t mind), and connect with me there.  I’ll keep an eye out for you. 

It’s a New Year, New Plans

Happy New Year!  All of this talk of New Year’s resolutions has me thinking about my coming year.

I can tell you that I’m working on some very cool projects, and I can’t wait to start discussing and promoting them.  But…it’s not quite time for that yet.

In the meantime, I hope that 2014 is a great year for you and yours.  Keep reading, and thanks for connecting with me.