Joseph Demakis's Blog, page 10

Author Spotlight - Morgan Smith - A Spell in the Country

          Author's Bio       Morgan Smith has been a goatherd, a landscaper, a weaver, a bookstore owner, a travel writer, and an archaeologist, and she will drop everything to travel anywhere, on the flimsiest of pretexts. Writing is something she has been doing all her life, though, one way or another, and now she thinks she might actually have something to say.      Social Media         Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/morgansmithauthor        Twitter: https://twitter.com/morganauthor1        Webpage: https://morgansmithauthor.wordpress.com

A Spell in the Country
 About the BookWhat if you weren’t what heroes are made of? What if your life was an open book? What if you were just an ordinary soldier, with ordinary skills and ordinary goals? What if you weren’t “The Chosen One” but still had to try to save the world?

Lured into treason and only narrowly escaping the gallows, Keridwen was desperate to build some kind of life for herself. But between demons bent on death and mayhem, treachery at the very heart of the kingdom, and a prince who had every right to nurse a grudge against her, what were the odds that she could stay out of trouble for long?
“A Spell in the Country” is the story of that soldier – a young woman driven not by prophesy, but by circumstances and coincidence, and by the strengths and weaknesses that anyone might possess.
1       ExcerptIn the epic tales that I grew up on in my father's hall, the heroes were always victims of some singular circumstance of birth. They were the fruit of wandering gods, or the heirs of great realms, fostered out in mysterious ways, kept hidden from evil enemies until the time for their great deeds was ripe. I might have known, then, that I was not the stuff that heroes are made of.
My family was a large and happy one. I was the youngest, a last tribute to my parents’ long love, and I won't deny that I'd been somewhat indulged. Only somewhat; my father's rigid principles and sense of duty didn't allow him to forget that as a minor lord, he had little to offer me for the future. There were no lands left to make me a living, and little advantage to marrying the daughter of an unimportant man holding not very strategic lands.
Fortunately for all of us, I was fascinated by swords and soldiers, and he had himself been well-trained as a warrior. I got a fairly thorough education and, when autumn storms were late and Istaran raiders harried our fishing villages, some practical experience. It was just an accepted fact for most of my life that I would have to go out and seek service with some other lord, and in the spring of my seventeenth year, my mother dug out my grandmother's old chainmail shirt, my oldest brother conned his rent rolls and came up with the coin for a decent horse, my sisters chipped in with a newmade sword, and my father sat down at his table and wrote a letter of recommendation to a man he'd been a squire with, long, long ago.
If I'd been prettier, or more inclined to my books, there might have been some other option, but by the time I was ten, it was obvious that I had no other future than what strength, a good eye and an unlimited appetite for war stories would bring me. I rode out on a perfectly ordinary spring morning, on a perfectly ordinary task: to search out a perfectly ordinary position as a simple soldier in some as-yet unknown, but surely ordinary lord's troop.
It's funny, really, how perfectly ordinary dreams turn sour.
1       Review  This digital reissue of an excellent 1999 fantasy in Smith’s Averraine Cycle stars Keridwen of Orliegh, youngest child of a minor house in the kingdom of Keraine. While seeking her fortune, Keri enters into military service with Lord Uln, who then turns traitor to his prince, Tirais. After the rebellion’s defeat and Uln’s flight, Keri is spared and sent to Penvarron, a posting for the kingdom’s misfit soldiers, where she earns the respect of her comrades. Together with the rest of the garrison, she interrupts a ritual by evil Camrhyssi priests who have infiltrated Penvarron’s ancient tower, where mystical forces still linger. Keridwen then finds herself in the company of powerful figures, including the very prince who pardoned her, trying to discover where foul magic may strike next. Though the mythologies differ, this feels much like Lois Bujold’s novels set in the World of the Five Gods. Keridwen is a wonderful protagonist to follow: a skilled soldier with something of a stubborn streak and a keen eye but no great powers. Smith’s terrific storytelling and worldbuilding will thrill fantasy fans. (Publishers WeeklyBookLife)

Quotation of the Day

Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. - Charles R. Swindoll -

Author Spotlight - Karen Docter - Killing Secrets

Author's Bio: Bestselling Author Karen Docter writes contemporary romance. When she feels the need to feed the dark side, she writes intense suspense thrillers as K.L. Docter. She's an award-winning author, a four-time Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® finalist, and won the coveted Kiss of Death Romance Writers Daphne du Maurier Award Category (Series) Romantic Mystery Unpublished division. 
When she’s not saving her characters from death and destruction or helping them to fall in love, she loves camping and fishing with her family, reading, gardening and cooking. If she can do most of those things over a campfire, all the better!
         Social Media:       Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kldocter/      Twitter: @KarenDocter      Webpage: http://www.karendocter.com/       Goodreads: https://goo.gl/bsswDd
Killing Secrets By Author Karen Docter
About the Book Some secrets are better left dead.
Rachel James’ ex-husband is released from prison determined to reclaim her and her little girl — the child is his key to controlling the James fortune. Frightened, Rachel flees to Denver with the child who hasn’t uttered a word since her daddy went to prison.

Contractor Patrick Thorne wants nothing to do with another of his parents’ charity cases. He failed his own wife so abysmally she took her own life as well as his unborn son’s. After two years, it’s time to concentrate on the bid he’s won and the saboteur trying to destroy his construction firm.

There is no room for trust in either of their hearts. But trust is all that will untangle the secrets that dominate their lives, free a little girl of her silent prison, and save them all from a serial killer who stands too close.
ExcerptSixteen Hours
    …’Til death.The first time he laid eyes on her, he stood on the threshold of a doorway he dare not cross. He fell into her fathomless dark gaze, unable, unwillingto shake his soul free and, in that one moment, he knew. She was meant for him to love.Untouched by the sordid life that flourished around her, she was sunlight in a gray existence. A smile in a dingy room. A joy such as he’d never known. She was a gift from a cold, unforgiving God. Forever innocent.Why God would give him such a precious angel, he didn’t know. But he suddenly knew what he was willing to die for. What he’d kill for. In that instant of clarity the monster that lurked in the dark recesses of his mind was freed. A creature designed to kill. To live and die. Over and over again. Until his angel ascended once more to her place in Heaven at God’s feet where he couldn’t reach her. ‘Til death parted them, she was his and his alone.Certain she’d been lost to him, the shock of spotting her again in LoDo, a lower downtown section of Denver, nearly brought him to his knees. His brain tried to tell him he was mistaken. She had more curves than he remembered. Her hairstyle and clothes were different.The others were different, too.He shook his head against the monster’s treacherous whisper. He refused to listen. Couldn’t listen. His angel smiled at him. His soul recognized her. Somehow, some way, his fractious God had been appeased and given him yet another chance.The past seven days were hell. Watching her. Wanting to take her. Knowing he couldn’t screw up and lose her again. Tonight, his preparations in place, she’d return to his side where she belonged.Breathing slow and measured through the full-face ski mask he’d bought at a thrift store, he sucked in a lungful of musty stench. In this uncommon late-May heat wave, he was sweating bullets but the wool soaked it up before it could sting his eyes. The itching would drive him insane, though, if she didn’t come home from work soon.The LoDo sports bar where she waited tables closed almost an hour ago. She couldn’t have gone on a date at two o’clock on a Thursday morning, could she?Three times he’d entered her ground floor apartment after she’d left for work, and he’d seen no sign she was involved with anyone. No jockey shorts mixed with her panties in the hamper. No extra razor. The food in the refrigerator wasn’t enough to feed a cat, let alone her and a boyfriend, and the only scent on her pillows was floral. The sole message from a male on her answering machine had identified himself as a special research librarian from the Denver Public Library reminding her to pick up the copy of “The Warwick Genealogy” she’d requested.That doesn’t mean she isn’t still involved with him, the almighty scion of Thorne Enterprises. She’s probably crawling into his bed like a whore right this minute, letting him do things to her, making her scream….Screams.Blood.Death.“No!  Stop!” he whispered. “That was a mistake!”Was it?  The insidious question lashed him from the dark place in his pounding skull.He rejected the smirking voice, the vivid images. Think of something else. Anything else. Forgetforgetfor—A car alarm screamed at an outlying parking lot and dragged him out of his fugue. His eyes cleared. The pain behind them eased to a level he’d learned to carry over the years. He took a deep breath to smother his panic.Soon, he would kill the nightmares forever. Patrick Thorne would die and the secrets with him. But the contractor hadn’t been punished enough yet. Before he finished, he’d ruin Thorne’s reputation, his livelihood, and destroy everything he loved most in the world.Just as Thorne destroyed our lives. The man must die! Now!Restless to escape its bonds the monster thrust knife-hot pain into his brain, but he wrestled it back into the shadows and locked it down. Retribution was almost at hand, but not tonight. This night was about her.Where the hell was she?There!  Her tennis shoes slapped the sidewalk as she approached. He caught a flash of uniform—shorts and sports shirt, both too tight for decency. Then she walked out of the weak light that pooled across the commons into the dark well that led to her door. Her building superintendent had replaced her broken porch light this morning, but he’d smashed it again. He smiled when she cursed someone named Ronnie.With a jingle of keys, she passed the niche he’d carved for himself in the shrubs. A bunch of adrenaline surged through him, made him light-headed with anticipation. He shook the buzz from his head and crashed out of the bushes with more noise than he intended.Her head snapped left. She shot a glance over her shoulder. Her eyes widened. She lunged for the safety of her door.He chased after her, grabbed her by the throat. A squeeze of her windpipe cut off her scream. He didn’t want to damage her too much. He just needed to get her alone.To atone. To give him another chance.With her soft body pressed against him, he groaned with pleasure. It had been so long!  For a moment he forgot his purpose, lost in the new scent of her, in the innocent softness of her curves against him. Her breasts were full beneath his forearm. The sweet curve of her ass cradled his stiff penis. With another groan, his grip relaxed.She screamed. Struggling, she broke loose of his hold.Shit!  Reaching out, he snagged her long ponytail and yanked her back hard. With his other hand, he strangled her next scream into a whimper. “Do that again,” he grated, “I’ll use my knife.”  The honed blade was secure in his pocket but she didn’t know that.“I have money,” she croaked. “Three hundred. Tips. In my pocket. Please!  Don’t—”“Shh. Don’t fight me. Shh,” he crooned into her hair. He tugged a chloroform-laced rag from his pants pocket and fitted it over her nose and mouth. “Just give me another chance, Angel, and everything will be fine.” Reviews "The first sentence, in the villain's point of view, sent chills up my spine, and I was hooked. This romantic suspense is full of wonderful secrets, twists, turns and has an evil serial killing villain. The kind of killer we see on the TV show CRIMINAL MINDS." - Bernadette Cychner, Reader, RT Book Reviews
“K.L. Docter (Karen Docter) has struck gold with her latest book Killing Secrets (Thorne’s Thorns). In a nutshell Killing Secrets is a tale about love and betrayal, mysteries and lies, hate and revenge, murders, boy (reluctantly) meets girl and a very big melting pot bringing everything to an inevitable climax.” ~ My eBook Café
“Holy crap this book kept me up half the night.” ~ Peggy Salkill, Undercover Book Reviews
“This is a really well written book and if you are a fan of romantic suspense you haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaavvvvvvvvveeeeee to read this book.” ~ AmyDenim, Amazon Reader“From the first paragraph to the last, K.L. Docter has managed to weave a romantic suspense story that truly keeps you guessing and wanting more. You will love the romance and the evil twists and turns! When a book can draw you in and make you not want to stop reading, you know that it is a "Keeper"!” ~ Melissa Hansen, Amazon Reader

Quotation of the Day

Put your heart, mind, and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success. 
- Swami Sivananda -

Quotation of the Day

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.
 -  Helen Keller -

Author Spotlight - Frances Hoelsema - Long Lost Neighbors

       Author's BioFrances Hoelsema is a wife and mother residing in Michigan where she gets to enjoy all four seasons, autumn being her favorite. After earning a degree in business and transcription, she now gets the best of both worlds by working from home as a real-time writing manager for an international transcription firm.
In her spare time, Frances thoroughly enjoys traveling, kayaking, hiking, shopping and loving on her cats. She is also an avid reader and writer who loves to engage with others through social media.
Some concepts that Frances stands for are positive parenting, homeschooling, clean eating and pursuing a relationship with Christ instead of pursuing religion. She also believes in never giving up; that everyone should keep pursuing their dreams.
Frances loves to imagine a good story and write it to life so she’s always busy working on her next novel. If you would like to find out the latest news from her or to contact her, please visit her website: www.franceshoelsema.com
You may also connect with her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/frances.hoelsema.author or on Twitter: @FrancesHoelsema
1       Social Mediaa.       Facebook: www.facebook.com/frances.hoelsema.authorb.      Twitter: www.twitter.com/FrancesHoelsema(@FrancesHoelsema)d.      Webpage: www.franceshoelsema.come.       Email:  franceshoelsema@gmail.com
Long Lost Neighbors - by Frances Hoelsema
1       About the BookGregory Bronson learns he’ll soon be moving away from his neighbor and best friend, Alison Levin. When he tells her the shocking news, she feels her world is being turned upside down. What would she do without Greg? What would Greg do without her?
Fast forward fifteen years. Ali is engaged to Sean Whitman who can provide her with anything she could ever want. While vacationing, however, she runs into Greg. Suddenly she’s not so sure Sean is the one.
Greg finds himself just getting out of a bad relationship when he and Ali reunite. He can’t help but be attracted to her and wonder if the two of them could ever stand a chance.
As the two of them rebuild their friendship, the foundation for something more is set until one day they finally give in to their desires. But after they are interrupted with an emergency, Ali realizes she must make a choice. Will she choose her fiancé, Sean, and go through with a wedding that is already planned and paid for? Or will she give it all up for her friend, Greg, who could give her the one thing Sean doesn’t: all of himself?
1       Excerpt    She saw his demeanor as he turned around. His eyes were cold and hard; one fist clenched and the other wagging the frame in her face. Suddenly he was right in front of her.               “What’s this?” he sternly said through tight lips.                Ali took a step

Quotation of the Day

Quotation Of The Day

A List Of The Best Kindle Authors - That exceeded the definition of success for Indie Authors

A list of the Best Kindle Authors "That exceeded the definition of success for Indie Authors"

"This List was complied from the Member Spotlight of Createspace.com 
The Best Amazon Indie Authors
Kamilla ReidAuthor, The Questory of Root Karbunkulus: Item One: Miist
 
Freda WagmanAuthor, Snippets from the Trenches: a mother's AIDS memoir
 
Suzanne BrueAuthor, The 8 Colors of Fitness: Discover Your Color-Coded Fitness Personality and Create an Exercise Program You'll Never Quit
 
Robin Meloy GoldsbyAuthor, Rhythm: A Novel


Terri BransonPublisher, Dragonfly Publishing Inc.


Jill KetoAuthor, Don't Get Caught with Your Skirt Down: A Practical Girl's Recession Guide


Michelle LongAuthor, Successful Quickbooks Consulting


Maria MurnaneAuthor, Perfect on Paper: The (Mis)Adventures of Waverly Bryson


Jules ShepardAuthor, Nearly Normal Cooking for Gluten-Free Eating


Sheryl MatthysAuthor, Leashes and Lovers


Jim HammondAuthor, Wines of Enchantment: A Guide to Finding and Enjoying the Wines of New Mexico

Chad EmersonAuthor, Project Future: The Inside Story Behind the Creation of Disney World

Raymond Bean Author, Sweet Farts

April Hamilton Author, The Indie Author Guide

Stokes McMillanAuthor, One Night of Madness

Tanya Wright Author, Butterfly Rising

J.A. Konrath Author, Origin, The List, Shot of Tequila, and Disturb

Danny O. SnowPublisher, Unlimited Publishing

Sarah ReneeAuthor, The Tiger Princess and Dash

Bill Rasmussen Author, Sports Junkies Rejoice

Kevin Hansen Author, Secret Regrets: What If You Had a Second Chance?

Dr. Amy Tiemann Author, Courageous Parents, Confident Kids

Ray NaginAuthor, Katrina's Secrets: Storms after the Storm

Michael Margolis Author, Believe Me: A Storytelling Manifesto for Change-Makers and Innovators

Evan MossAuthor, My Seizure Dog

Tommy AngeloAuthor, Elements of Poker and A Rubber Band Story

Andrew Schorr Author, The Web-Savvy Patient

Dr. Arthur BradleyAuthor, Handbook to Practical Disaster Preparedness for the Family

Sarah O'Kelley Author, Glass Onion Classics

Brittany Geragotelis Author, Life's a Witch

Mary Jo Pehl Author, Employee of the Month and Other Big Deals

James Altucher Author, I Was Blind But Now I See

Sue Madway Levine Author, Susie's Shoesies series

Michael VitezAuthor, The Road Back

Theresa Ragan B estselling author of independent romance and thriller novels, including Return of the Rose and Abducted

Regina Sirois Author,  On Little Wings

Bruce Spitzer Author,  Extra Innings


Irwin YablansAuthor, The Man Who Created Halloween


Hugh HoweyAuthor,  WOOL


Rochelle WeinsteinAuthor, What We Leave Behind


Victoria ColliganAuthor, Dream It! Launch It! Live It!: Get the Life You Want in 5 Minutes a Day!


Ben MyhreAuthor, Fifty Shades of Bacon


Jennifer BresnickAuthor, The Last Death of Tev Chrisini


Chris-Rachael OselandAuthor, Dining With The Doctor: The Unauthorized Whovian Cookbook


Guy KawasakiAuthor, Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur - How to Publish a Book


Patti DavisAuthor, Till Human Voices Wake Us


Jasinda WilderAuthor,  Falling Into You and Falling Into Us

Suzan TisdaleAuthor, Laiden's Daughter: Book One of The Clan MacDougall Series

Terry JonesAuthor, ON Innovation


Dan SheehanAuthor, After Action


Jennifer TressAuthor, You're Not Pretty Enough


M. Louisa Locke Author, Maids of Misfortune

Basics of Book Marketing

Basics of Book Marketing

What lies behind the fantastic success of some of the most high-profile independent authors? You know, the people like J.A. Konrath and Amanda Hocking, who we read about on the blogs and news sites?

The answer is marketing. That is, communicating the message about their books to a wide audience, in many channels, and over a period of time. Sure, these authors have a lot of other things going for them, but you can't discount all the time and effort they put into spreading the word, growing their brands, and converting readers into raving fans.

If that's what you want to do, too, it's time to get up to speed on the basics of book marketing.

Generally speaking, there are two ways to approach independent publishing:

You write the book, perhaps spending years doing it. You hire an editor and polish the manuscript as best you can. When it's done, you produce the book and then ask the question, "How do I sell this book?"You have the idea for the book. You find ways to test the idea, preferably with people who might actually buy it. You use the feedback you receive to shape the book to readers? desires, and then produce the book which they have essentially requested.
Most indie authors, because they are motivated by passion, take option #1. You can market either kind of book, but your results may be very different. With option #1, you're counting on determination (and a little luck) to make your book interesting to people, marketable, and profitable. If you're publishing and selling a book you already know your readers want, you've taken option #2. Whichever path you've chosen, book marketing is essential to helping you reach your goals.

Let's take a closer look at the basics.

Book Marketing Today
Book marketing is a big topic, so to make it more approachable, let's break it down into areas we can look at individually. Taken all together, you should have a complete look at what's involved in successfully marketing your book and allowing it to reach its full potential.

Having said that, the absolute first and most important element of all in book marketing is... the book itself.

Why Books Sell
There is no replacement for a good book. Quality products repay our marketing investment because once other people learn about and interact with the product, they are much more likely to buy it and recommend it to others.

There are lots of different kinds of books, and we can point to a few clear reasons why some books sell better than others:


It has unique information that's in demand, but that cannot be found anywhere elseIt solves a problem that many people haveThe story is compelling and/or entertainingThe author is a celebrityThe book is already selling and people start telling others about the book

This last point is the ultimate goal of our marketing efforts. You cannot force people to buy your book, no matter how much you spend on advertising or how many times you appear in television shows. A friend who tells you that you just "have to read it" is far more powerful than any other influence for most people.

Keep in mind that you also need to avoid building defects into your book, because a book that's poorly edited, hard to read or awkward to handle is going to have significant obstacles finding a wide readership. For this reason, make sure your book conforms to generally accepted editing and design standards so you don't cripple your own marketing efforts.

Okay, let's say you've done your research and put together a book you know people will want. It's been edited, designed, and you're ready to go. What's next?

Marketing is Communication
First, it is important to understand the difference between marketing and selling, two aspects which are often confused by new self-published authors.

Selling is a transaction: one person pays to acquire a product from another. That's not what marketing is about, and you'll be much more successful if you realize that you don't actually have to sell your book at all.

Your duty as an author/publisher is to market the book. Marketing is communication; the process of taking the ideas you've put into your book and communicating those ideas - and your own passion for the subject - to as many people who might be interested in that subject as possible.

How do you communicate about your subject? This is the basis of your marketing efforts, so it makes sense to pay attention to the parameters of your marketing. For instance:

Identify who your audience is. Who will respond to the subject you communicate in your book?
Speak to those people in the language/terminology they're used to using on this subject.
Elaborate on how your approach to this subject might benefit them. Communicate how they will be informed, entertained, or educated by your treatment of the subject.
Finally, demonstrate the results by showing how these ideas have changed your own approach to the subject or how they have affected others.

Creating a Marketing Plan
To some authors, this part sounds like going in for dental surgery, and to others it's the reason they wrote their book. Even if you're not particularly looking forward to working on your marketing plan, spend some time thinking about these important points. You'll be glad you did.

First, understand niche marketing. Most indie books that sell well are in niche markets. That is, they may be of interest to only a small segment of the book-buying public, but within that niche they are authoritative, influential, or groundbreaking in some way.

Understanding the niche into which you are publishing is critical for creating your marketing plan. For instance, you will know where the people interested in this subject tend to congregate, online or off, what kinds of books they buy, and what motivates them to want to learn more about your subject. These elements will form the basis of your marketing plan, a step-by-step set of activities that you'll complete to reach the greatest number of people with your message.

Remember that your message is not, "Hey, I just published a new book, buy it." Your message is the same reason you wrote the book, more like, "Hey, did you know that you can bake pizza at home? If you're interested in that kind of stuff, there are recipes and instructions in my new book."

Also, a big part of your marketing plan is likely to involve social media, and there are great reasons for that. Social media is the easiest, fastest, cheapest place to build buzz. It's constantly changing as far as features, yet it is consistently a way for people to communicate and network; and that will only increase.

Setting Goals
As with most things in life, if you have no idea where you are going, you're unlikely to know when - or whether - you've arrived. That's why goals are important.

A key part of book marketing is establishing realistic, attainable, and exciting goals. What are your goals? They might be as diverse as:


Sales targets for a specific number of books soldReadership, where sales are less important than spreading your messageEstablishing authority in your fieldCreating a revenue streamPersuading others to take action on a social or environmental issue

Next, you need to understand how to know whether you're meeting your goals.

Measuring Results
In each of the goals I've listed above, there's a way to track your results. For instance:


For sales, use the reports you get from retailers or distributors and keep a spreadsheet of results.For readership, you can send readers to a website or blog for additional information or interaction and use the analytics provided by the site to measure traffic.For authority, look at whether other people start to quote you and mention your ideas, how often your blog or Twitter posts are forwarded by others, and whether you start to get inquiries from people who want to partner with you to use your new authority for mutual advantage.For revenue goals, keep track of the profit from your book. You may have acquired expenses in getting your book to market, and by tracking this you'll know exactly when your book becomes profitable.
For persuasive goals, you can track membership numbers or levels of engagement with your ideas as expressed by blog comments, Twitter re-tweets, and the number of subscribers who sign up to receive more information from you.

Nuances of Book Marketing
As you progress with your marketing, you can start to explore even more ways to make your marketing effective. Here are some ideas to get started:


PR as a marketing tool: Strategically using press releases and other media communications can supercharge your other marketing efforts and can be surprisingly affordable, or even free.Audience segmentation: Understanding the dynamics of the audience you're trying to reach can help create offers or marketing communications aimed at one segment or another of the total audience for your book. Tie-ins as marketing leverage: Many nonfiction books have potential tie-ins to companies or products. With the flexibility of CreateSpace's print-on-demand manufacturing, you are ideally placed to customize your product for a corporate customer who may buy dozens, hundreds, or thousands of copies of your book for their own promotions.

Long-term Marketing
Being a successful independent author means taking a long-term view. Many marketing efforts take months or years to come to fruition, and as you mature as an independent author, you will start to think of other books you can write and publish to further engage your current audience.

Here are some of the strategies you can put in place that could pay off down the road:

Build a media list: It's never too soon to start building a list of media, editors, influencers, networkers, and mavens in your field.
Create relationships: Interact with other experts in your field, identifying bloggers, book reviewers, and others interested in the same topics you're writing about.
Build your brand: Your brand is how other people view and relate to you. Building your expertise, authority, and influence in your niche is a classic long-term strategy.
Gather an audience: As you continue to publish and market your books, your audience will continue to grow over time, providing a larger and larger platform for all of your books to come.


Do these things, and as the release of your book approaches, you'll be miles ahead in starting to market that book. Communicating, listening to the responses you get, improving your products, and networking within your area of specialty will soon be part and parcel of your independent publishing efforts. And you will reap the success that comes with intelligent book marketing.

By Joel Friedlander