Marty Essen's Blog, page 310
October 25, 2015
Coming January 8th!
My new book, "Endangered Edens: Exploring the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica, the Everglades, and Puerto Rico" will be published on January 8th. Amazon, Barnes & Noble and most local bookstores already have the book available for pre-order.
I'm really excited about this new book! I'm also excited about the Official Book Trailer, which features the amazing vocals of Callie MaRae. To view the trailer, turn up your speakers and click this link: https://youtu.be/UpOWWAcybBA
I'm really excited about this new book! I'm also excited about the Official Book Trailer, which features the amazing vocals of Callie MaRae. To view the trailer, turn up your speakers and click this link: https://youtu.be/UpOWWAcybBA
June 4, 2015
New book coming in January
My new book "Endangered Edens: Exploring the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica, the Everglades, and Puerto Rico" will be published in January 2016.
I'm so excited about this new book! Several prominent people have already read it and written great blurbs for the back cover.
In the meantime, please check out my new blog at http://marty-essen.com. There I will have updates and preview some of the photos that will be in "Endangered Edens."
I'm so excited about this new book! Several prominent people have already read it and written great blurbs for the back cover.
In the meantime, please check out my new blog at http://marty-essen.com. There I will have updates and preview some of the photos that will be in "Endangered Edens."
February 16, 2013
Cool Creatures, Hot Planet gets a new cover!
I have had a love/hate relationship with the original cover of “Cool Creatures, Hot Planet.” That cover, with the tailless whip-scorpion on my face, generated a lot of publicity for both my book and my college show, “Around the World in 90 Minutes.” Nevertheless, that eye-catching cover had a negative side as well. Barnes and Noble once complained to my distributor that some customers would see the book’s cover and hightail-it to the opposite side of the store!
I’ve always considered the primary audience for my book to be people who were also into TV shows like Steve Irwin’s “The Crocodile Hunter” and “The Jeff Corwin Experience,” so I never anticipated such an arachnophobic reaction. In all, that original cover likely cost me thousands in sales.
But all is not lost! In January 2013, the first-edition print-version sold out, and Encante Press decided to release both a second edition paperback and a brand new Kindle edition. It was a perfect time to switch covers.
Encante Press contracted Tugboat Design to create the new cover, and they came up with several outstanding options. Even though I had an immediate favorite, we decided to post the covers on Facebook to get input from my readers. When they voted for the same cover I liked, the choice was easy!
The new paperback editions are now available on both Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. The Kindle edition is available exclusively on Amazon.com. This link will take you to the Amazon page: www.amazon.com/dp/B00AGLS1BI
BTW: If you really want one of the first-edition books, you can still order it on my website: www.CoolCreaturesHotPlanet.com. I have about a dozen copies left in my personal collection. Just send me an email (provided on my website) as soon as you order the book, so I know. I sign all books ordered off my website.
I’ve always considered the primary audience for my book to be people who were also into TV shows like Steve Irwin’s “The Crocodile Hunter” and “The Jeff Corwin Experience,” so I never anticipated such an arachnophobic reaction. In all, that original cover likely cost me thousands in sales.
But all is not lost! In January 2013, the first-edition print-version sold out, and Encante Press decided to release both a second edition paperback and a brand new Kindle edition. It was a perfect time to switch covers.
Encante Press contracted Tugboat Design to create the new cover, and they came up with several outstanding options. Even though I had an immediate favorite, we decided to post the covers on Facebook to get input from my readers. When they voted for the same cover I liked, the choice was easy!
The new paperback editions are now available on both Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. The Kindle edition is available exclusively on Amazon.com. This link will take you to the Amazon page: www.amazon.com/dp/B00AGLS1BI
BTW: If you really want one of the first-edition books, you can still order it on my website: www.CoolCreaturesHotPlanet.com. I have about a dozen copies left in my personal collection. Just send me an email (provided on my website) as soon as you order the book, so I know. I sign all books ordered off my website.
February 8, 2013
Writing Cool Creatures, Hot Planet
Writing Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents was quite the experience! I devoted each chapter to a different continent, plus Central America.
My process for creating the book was to go on an adventure; write the chapter; and then head out again. In all, my travels spanned three-and-a-half years, and my writing and research time totaled more than twelve thousand hours!
Here’s where I went during my travels: Peru (the Amazon Rainforest), Argentina, Australia (Queensland), Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon Territory, and Northwest Territories), Antarctica, Europe (Spain, France, Switzerland, and Andorra), Malaysia (Borneo), and Africa (Zimbabwe).
Since I was essentially writing the book “live,” one of my trepidations was that a trip might turn out to be boring. If that happened, would I have to subject my readers to a snoozer of a chapter? Fortunately, something exciting and magical happened on every adventure!
Something else magical has happened: Cool Creatures, Hot Planet has become a book with a life of its own. After the print edition came out in 2007, it won six national awards. That led to a live, multi-media version of the book, called Around the World in 90 Minutes. I have been performing Around the World in 90 Minutes at colleges and other venues since late 2007. My show is still going strong. If I’m in your area, I hope you will check it out—you’ll have a blast. You can find my tour schedule on both my Goodreads page and on my website: www.CoolCreaturesHotPlanet.com
Finally, December 2012 marked the release of Cool Creatures, Hot Planet on Kindle. A Kindle release wasn’t part of the plan, but after purchasing a Kindle Paperwhite for myself, I fell in love with the format. I found that I could read much longer without eyestrain and loved that I could read late into the night, with the lights out. Encante Press did a great job of reformatting my book for Kindle, and it still includes all of the photos people ooh and aah about so often.
Whether you purchase the print or the Kindle version of Cool Creatures, Hot Planet, I thank you. And I hope to see you at one of my live shows soon!
P.S. If you bring your book to my show, I will be happy to sign it for you. If you have the Kindle version, I usually have bookmarks or other goodies with me that I can sign for you instead.
My process for creating the book was to go on an adventure; write the chapter; and then head out again. In all, my travels spanned three-and-a-half years, and my writing and research time totaled more than twelve thousand hours!
Here’s where I went during my travels: Peru (the Amazon Rainforest), Argentina, Australia (Queensland), Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon Territory, and Northwest Territories), Antarctica, Europe (Spain, France, Switzerland, and Andorra), Malaysia (Borneo), and Africa (Zimbabwe).
Since I was essentially writing the book “live,” one of my trepidations was that a trip might turn out to be boring. If that happened, would I have to subject my readers to a snoozer of a chapter? Fortunately, something exciting and magical happened on every adventure!
Something else magical has happened: Cool Creatures, Hot Planet has become a book with a life of its own. After the print edition came out in 2007, it won six national awards. That led to a live, multi-media version of the book, called Around the World in 90 Minutes. I have been performing Around the World in 90 Minutes at colleges and other venues since late 2007. My show is still going strong. If I’m in your area, I hope you will check it out—you’ll have a blast. You can find my tour schedule on both my Goodreads page and on my website: www.CoolCreaturesHotPlanet.com
Finally, December 2012 marked the release of Cool Creatures, Hot Planet on Kindle. A Kindle release wasn’t part of the plan, but after purchasing a Kindle Paperwhite for myself, I fell in love with the format. I found that I could read much longer without eyestrain and loved that I could read late into the night, with the lights out. Encante Press did a great job of reformatting my book for Kindle, and it still includes all of the photos people ooh and aah about so often.
Whether you purchase the print or the Kindle version of Cool Creatures, Hot Planet, I thank you. And I hope to see you at one of my live shows soon!
P.S. If you bring your book to my show, I will be happy to sign it for you. If you have the Kindle version, I usually have bookmarks or other goodies with me that I can sign for you instead.
