Cardyn Brooks's Blog, page 7

Flashback Friday Tips from TJ Butler

 

[screen shot of author TJ Butler during her "DIY How to Market Your Book to Bookstores" live chat with The Write Women Network* last month https://www.tjbutlerauthor.com/]   

In early May author TJ Butler shared tips for effective ways for authors to get their books stocked in bookstores: Be your own best cheerleader! 
Your Pitch Package should include a pitch letter, book blurb, hi-resolution cover image, a professional head shot, press release, and an author one-sheet. 
Also include reviews and your connection to the bookstore. 
Consider consignment agreements and hand selling. 
Be prepared to self-promote and advertise. 
A hard truth: These days most authors, outside of the most successful bestselling legacy traditional ones, are responsible for 90% of the effort of generating attendance for their events. (Yikes!) 
Suggested resources: Before and After the Book Deal... by Courtney Maum and editing & coaching services offered by Aileen Weintraub https://www.witchesofpitches.com/  
TJ Butler also suggested subscribing to podcasts that are relevant to an author's particular book themes. And she reminds authors to decide their personal definition of success for themselves BEFORE their books launch. 
And as always, exercise due diligence before signing any contracts or even pursuing the suggestions of well-intended advisors.;-)  
Happy creating!  
*Two days ago TJ Butler offered additional information for indie authors in her "Your Path to Small Press Publishing" live chat with The Write Women Network whose small, dedicated team no longer records them.  

Throwback Thursday Thoughts on TWWBF2023 Day 2

 

[info & check-in table on the brick back patio of Marietta House Museum]

[printed information about author Leslye Penelope, featured guest speaker for day 2 of TWWBF2023]

[assorted vegan food on platters from DC Vegan] 

[more trays of food from DC Vegan] 
["The Write Women Book Fest 2023" t-shirt with a fountain pen design; on top of shirt is a "Thank you" postcard with a message from the co-organizers, Heather & Cardyn] 
Last year was the last time for hosting The Write Women Book Fest at Marietta House Museum but it's just the beginning of the next phase of partnering to host more intimate writing events like this Sunday's one-day writer's retreat from 11am - 4pm https://www.pgparks.com/event_list/a-day-retreat-for-women-writers-manifesting-an-authors-life-with-author-heather-brooks 

Hope to see you there! Happy reading & writing 

Top Reasons Why My TBR List Never Ever Shrinks

 Libraries! recommendations and assistance from knowledgeable librarians and staff eye-catching displays everything's free (for accounts in good standing:-), including access to ebooks & audiobooks, streaming content...  [collage images from top to bottom, then left to right: 1. an assortment of LGBTQUIA+ non-fiction titles arranges on a 3-tiered round wooden display shelf  2. "Celebrate Pride" sign atop the same 3-tiered display from a different angle showing an assortment of fiction and non-fiction titles  3. cover art for The Dreadful Duke by Grace Burrowes  4. cover art for Not Bad for a Girl by Anastasia Ryan  5. cover art for The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo] 
Teasers excerpts from the next installment in a series or from other authors at the end of books  [4 paperback books: Earls Trip by Jenny Holliday and You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian, both aranged with their spines up; For the Wolf & For the Throne - both by Hannah Whitten (and requested after reading an excerpt at the end of another awesome Kimberly Lemming book), with front cover art of women in profile wearing cloaks, facing up 
Online Book Reviewers, My Own Book-Hoarding Tendencies, New Releases from Authors Whose Work Was Previously Reviewed by Me, Sentimental Favorites, Intriguing Non-fiction Topics  hooked by contagious enthusiasm joyous privilege of proximity to lots of books prior good reading experiences grant benefit of the doubt guaranteed comfort reads opportunities to expand the scope of understanding the world - past, present & future  [3 images clockwise: 1. a horizontal bookstack from top to bottom - For the Wolf, For the Throne, You Should Be So Lucky, Earls Trip 2. two horizontal bookstacks 3. The Swans of Harlem by Karen Valby, People in Glass Houses by Jayne Ann Krentz writing as Jayne Castle]  
[cover art for Teacher by James Eric Riley] 

Too Many Books (Is That Even a Real Thing?)

 

How does this keep happening? 

Before each trip to my local library branches in the Prince George's County Memorial Library System and Anne Arundel County Public Library my mantra: “Return the borrowed items, greet the friendly librarians, then leave. Do not look at the enticing displays. Do not approach the shelves of new arrivals. Resist the temptation to borrow more books when there's still a stack of unread library books at home, my TBR list is encyclopedic, my phone and tablet are loaded with ebooks. Exercise some restraint.” 

It never works. 

A Court of Wanderers (Silver Under Nightfall #2) by Rin Chupeco 

speculative, fantasy, romantasy  

S&S/Saga Press, April 2024 

Competing interests, court intrigues, assorted monsters, shocking revelations, and a nuanced polyamorous romance that weaves all of these elements together to deliver drama, supernatural thrills, and emotional hits. 

And You Know This: Lessons on Living From Young Folx by Keturah Kendrick 

non-fiction self-care & reflection, May 2024 

Who am I? What's the purpose of my life? 

Those are big questions for anyone, especially for teens and young adults. In this quick read the author prompts readers to sit and focus and listen to their thoughts, to their authentic voices without the distractions of well-meaning loved ones, social media, and tech devices in order to recognize and reclaim core truths they've always known about themselves. Themes on the intersection of limiting, often toxic expectations imposed upon Black and Brown female, femme-identifying, and non-binary people address the ways in which conformity to narrow ideas about girlhood and womanhood are taught and set as baseline standards in families and society. This book challenges readers do the hard work of gaining clarity and acceptance and peace about who they are and what they want. Excerpts from her series of longer podcast chats with a variety of young people exemplify the struggles and benefits of doing so. It makes a worthwhile graduation gift or what's next gift to a seasoned adult who's pivoting in life. 

Pivots, New Challenges, Surprising Revelations & Joy

 

Creative Sparks: 21 Affirmations and Inspiration forCreativity at Midlife by Sharon J.  Burton

non-fiction, SJB Ventures, LLC, May 14, 2024

 

There's a shift happening. From #grayhairdontcare to Killersof a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn and other bestselling fiction titlesfeaturing women (and all kinds of people) who're over 50, a popular home shoppingnetwork’s Over 50 & Fabulous programming, and advertising campaigns thatpresent “seasoned" people as vibrant, engaging, and interested in pursuing assorted new challenges, attitudes toward midlife are moving from doom andgloom to excitement about what comes next. Creative Sparks… supportsthat endeavor in pursuit of the arts. As stated in the introduction, “In this bookyou'll not only learn how to use affirmations to gain more confidence with yourcreative life, but you'll discover how to use affirmations to overcome creativeblocks and create your own that are tailored to your specific needs and goals.”

The introduction defines the intention and the scope ofthe entire text, leading into the affirmations. Each one provides an openingcontext for specific goals, then practical strategies for achieving thosestated goals, followed by personal revelations about a named individual’screative pursuits. Journal reflection points as prompts to inspire relevantjournaling close out each chapter.

The“Moving Forward on Your Creative Journey” section offers concluding reflectionsand suggestions for next steps. The itemized list of contributors embodies abroad range and depth of all things creative. A detailed bibliography providesadditional resources for further study. Acknowledgements and the author's bioencourage and inspire readers to explore their creative potential. 

http://amzn.to/3UENMyj 

[Note: Sharon J. Burton and I connected years ago through my work as outreach director for The Write Women Book Fest, which is hosted by The Write Women Network. She was kind enough to give me an ARC without any strings or expectations attached.]  

Girls' Night Out @Turn the Page Bookstore in Boonsboro, Maryland

[a collage of 4 photos, from left to right, top then bottom: a standing chalkboard sign with "Girls' Night Out Guest Authors: Nora Roberts/JD Robb Lucy Score Madison Score Carla Vergot Lisa Proulx Sherianne Nemby; 3 stacks of paperback copies of Iktome by Sherianne Newby and 1 stack of Nomad Through Time: A Poetic Collection by Sherianne Newby; 1 stack of Lily Barlow: The Mystery of Jane Dough and 2 stacks of Lily Barlow: The Mystery in the Mangroves; a canvas tote bag with "Turn the Page Bookstore Boonsboro, Maryland"]   

[a collage of 2 photos from left to right: a tall street light post with an attached banner reading "LOVE your Local Boonsboro, Md Gifts Inn Boonsboro; a standing chalkboard sign with "GNO Thur May 9th 5-9PM curiouser & curiouser Town Wide Event" leaning against the outer wall of a boutique that sells a variety of new and vintage merchandise]   [a collage of 2 photos from left to right: smiling author Lucy Score seated at a table while "a patron" stands next to her; paperback copy of The Blast from the Past by Lucy Score with the Turn the Page Bookstore sales receipt sticking up above the front cover] 
Fun road trip to Turn the Page Bookstore in Boonsboro, Maryland Thursday night! It was cool, gray, and rainy as we stood in line, but the experience was worth the wait. Nora Roberts spoke to me and gently touched my arm but I was too awestruck to ask to snap her picture (and I'll force myself to wash my arm even though my inner fangirl doesn't want to erase the touch DNA as proof of the encounter). 
Also, telling myself NOT to start reading The Blast from the Past* tonight no matter how much I really, really want to despite my early start time Friday morning. 
Thought I'd already requested Bride or Die by Madison Score from the library but I was wrong so adding the ebook to my TBR; same for Lily Barlow: The Mystery of Jane Dough by Carla Vergot. 
Our group met up with friends from Charm City Romanticon and multiplied the vectors of fun. 
Concerns about the weather during the return drive meant we left without dropping in to browse the intriguing items offered by Josie's on Main and other charming businesses. Next time we'll arrive early enough to explore more shops! 
Bookish fun was had by all. 

*Note about a supporting character with a potential for embodying a problematic trope introduced in the first book in the Riley Thorn series, The Dead Guy Next Door: He's mysterious, possibly mystical and devoted to one of the main characters while not seeming to have family or backstory. The Corpse in the Closet begins to address those details. 

May Days of Note & Finding Love in Unexpected Ways

 

[bookstack of 5 books: Finders Keepers by Sandra Kitt, That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf by Kimberly Lemming, That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human by Kimberly Lemming, The Rule Book by Sarah Adams, The Boy Who Cried Bear by Kelley Armstrong] 

[two packaged "Golden Bowl fortune cookie" next to a set of decorative chopsticks and a stainless steel dinner fork arranged against a crinkled sheet of tissue paper - image inspired by Sandra Kitt's book] 
It's been a lovely start to the month of May with celebrating workers and the labor movement, a cultural phenomenon of a decades-long movie franchise, and Mexico's 1862 victory over France. 
And no, I'm not ignoring the civil unrest and protests across the United States and around the world. We're at a crossroads as a society that's deciding if we are sincere in our claims of liberty and justice for all [people]. 
For clarity: I am pro-freedom, pro-equal justice, pro-people, anti-racist, anti-terrorist, pro-inclusion, anti-homophobia, pro-The Golden Rule regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, physical or neurological accommodation, weight, height... 
Always sending waves of peace, good health, safety & joy your way 

Unlikely Friendships, Farewells, New Beginnings & Brunch

[book stack of 9 library books from top to bottom: Can't We Be Friends: A Novel of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe, Don't Go Baking My Heart, Only and Forever, Maya's Laws of Love, The Corpse in the Closet, One of Us Knows, Happily Never After, Double Lives, The Poisoner's Ring]  [Brave. Black. First. box of 100 postcards with Faith Ringgold postcard angled on top of the box] 
[resolve.org Walk of Hope for fertility awareness at the Charlotte Knights stadium]

[outdoor table setting: a white china dinner plate trimmed in silver with a floral border - a friend green tomato sandwich arranged next to basket of rippled potato chips and a thimble of ketchup; a Mason jar glass of lemonade, 2 water glasses, a bowl half-full of Mac & cheese] https://www.pennyroyalstation.com/ 

Waiting for the Dough (298 Days So Far)

 

My usual weekend post about books and bookish topics is being pushed aside today by the ongoing stressful aftermath of what had been an awesome experience with Howard University's PitchHU 3.0 cohort business incubator last year from April to June. More details here: https://swimmissionswimcapsaga.blogspot.com/  
Sometimes it's so hard to make progress as a creative, indie inventor, founder or entrepreneur or someone who's working toward expanding access for themselves and other people who are routinely excluded. 
My SwimMission Swim Cap prioritizes the hair health, appearance and protection needs of people who wear a swim cap to cover their hair, especially very thick coily, kinky, curly, voluminous, long or otherwise high-maintenance hair types like braids, locs, chemically straightened, color-treated or fragile, when it's dry and to keep it dry. So typical swim caps with "wet hair first" instructions automatically exclude them. 
The tedious patent application process ended successfully for me, but made me understand why so many applications were listed as "abandoned" during my research for application prep. This frustrating situation with PitchHU and the ongoing delay in receiving the awarded funds also explains why so many inventors and entrepreneurs with marketable ideas quit. 
On my worst days, I tell myself that what Soul Cap, Hairbrella, YouGoNatural and the few other brands offer in swim caps prioritizing hair health, appearance and protection is good enough, much better than typical swim caps, and that's true. It's also true that my U.S. utility patented combination of features and functions offers even more protection, security, volume accommodation and comfort. Plus, swimmers and pre-swimmers deserve options and variety according to need, mood, fashion or other factors just like with other kinds of head gear. 
I'm feeling discouraged right now, but I've worked too hard for too long to quit. Somehow I'll find a way to produce more prototypes for additional beta testing. (I'll keep saying it and pursuing it until it's true.;-) 
As a Swim Inclusion Advocate for Life my ultimate SwimMission remains: expanding access to the water safety, medical and mental health, physical fitness, training, fun, and employment benefits and opportunities knowing how to swim offers by "keeping the water out of your hair so your hair doesn't keep you out of the water. (TM)" 
Thank you for reading this post! Writing it helped me feel less sad and defeated. 
Always rooting for your good health and success, C. 

 

Celebrating Libraries, Authors & Books Every Week

[Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco, Hathor and the Prince by J.J. McAvoy, Flirty Little Secret by Jessica Lepe, A Governess's Guide to Passion and Peril by Manda Collins]  
 Silver Under Nightfall (Silver Under Nightfall #1) by Rin Chupeco dark fantasy with romantic elements Saga Press, 2022 
Remy Pendergast is dealing with a lot: unsavory family dynamics, deadly conflicts, uncomfortable desires, insidious coercion, zealots, painful truths and more. His angsty journey is heartrending and terrifying with moments of unexpected humor. Silver Under Nightfall creates a fantastical universe that blends assorted undead tropes and royal court intrigues in fresh ways. And as usual, the humans are as monstrous as the monsters. 
This passage from chapter 36 seems particularly relevant to the story and real life:  The only true power within Elouve, it seemed, lay with old men who should long ago have been relegated to obscurity. Change only occurred when they allowed it, according to what they considered proper, never for the most affected by it.  


And to celebrate the end of National Library Week, the Laurel College Center hosted their 1st Annual Book Fest! 
Author, founder & organizer of The Write Women Book Fest H.L. Brooks read from her upcoming witchy mystery and presented her "Manifest a Writerly Life" workshop with practical tips and strategies for moving from thinking about writing to actually writing. Other talented TWWBF authors who were there: Amy L. Bernstein offered a mini publishing basics tutorial, singer & award-winning memoirist Michelle M. Brown, multi-hyphenate creative Tyauna Bruce, J.S. Living read a passage from her riveting dark fantasy romance The Covenant of Blood, and Calliope Parrish tempted us all with an engaging snippet from Dragon War. 
Denise "D.M." Cross entertained with her poignant and humorous reading from "M.I.A.", and Joan Wahl combined meeting up with a close friend with teasers and context about Summer Love in Music City, the first book in her siblings and musicians series. 




[H.L. Brooks sharing hard-earned wisdom about the pursuit of a writerly life; engaging with interested readers; a TWWBF2023 journal and H.L.'s worksheet packet]  [the writing duo of Calliope Parrish, J.S. Living, Michelle M. Brown and some of her lovely author swag] 
The weather was sunny and warm, but the high winds made Saturday a perfect day for being inside and spending time with bookish creatives and book lovers.
Happy creating & reading!