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Monthly Archives: November 2009

Self Publishing Spotlight: Social Security

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Outskirts Press author Robert James Karpie announces the release of his second book, Social Security: Immaculate Deception—A National Disgrace. The novel is about four old men in a nursing home who, sick of the neglect and abuse, conspire to overthrow the system. Robert Karpie is issuing a wake-up call to Americans to remember the power of the people. “It is our duty to question authority and demand answers. We should not fear our government—they should fear us. We the people!”

Using the latest swine flu scare as an example, Karpie urges Americans to get the facts behind what the government promotes. He questions the government’s use of scare tactics, by labeling the spread of the H1N1 virus an “imminent pandemic,” and reports that US government health officials are planning to spend up to $2 billion for 160 million doses of flu vaccine for the fall of 2009/winter of 2010. But in 1976, several elderly people died shortly after being inoculated against a similar virus, and eventually, the government suspended the program after inoculating 40 million people for a flu that never came.

Historically, government has had a tendency to hold mankind back as a whole, through politics, religion, and science, as lobbyists corrupt morals. To add insult to injury, it’s outrageous when much of our so-called free press—mainstream media—steers, persuades, preaches, promotes, and instills governmental policies via fear tactics, ridicule, disinformation, conjecture, propaganda, and censorship by ownership as “knowledge is power.” Unfortunately, power corrupts—and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Social Security dramatic, provocative, a little obscene, and educational through a historical is review. It’s also funny, bittersweet, and a bit violent, much like life itself. Bob wrote it to STIMULATE your brain, connect the dots; so to speak and make you think. Ultimately, Social Security is but a Wake-up Call. Frankly, the system itself is consuming the consumers. We are becoming slaves economically as our Individual Rights & Freedoms are cannibalized from within by own government; an Immaculate Deception. If the novel inspires the reader to sit up and vow to get involved, take a stand, or demand answers, so much the better. As Robert Karpie says, “When ignorance is ignored, stupidity is justified.”

About the Author:
Robert James Karpie is a former U. S. Marine and has been married to his lovely wife, Susan, for over thirty-five years. They have two daughters and seven grandchildren. Bob was born and raised in Buffalo, New York. He worked for the Buffalo Board of Education for twenty-three years as a computer operator at city hall. He owns B4HEART Publishing B4HEARTpublishing.com and is also the creator of www.YourWorkFromSolutionCenter.com  Bob’s first book, also published through Outskirts Press.

This author purchased the Book Blast package, saving 25% on 5 powerful marketing services to blast his book into the stratosphere! The Book Blast package includes the following options: Custom Press Release, PR Publicist Campaign, Book Review Submission Service, Book Video (shown above) and Personal Marketing Assistant. Outskirts Press authors can easily and conveniently add this package at any time from the Marketing Options screen of the author’s center.

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Posted by on November 13, 2009 in Author Spotlight

 

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New York Times to showcase Outskirts Press books

The December 13th issue of the New York Times Book Review focuses on the top 10 books of the year. This issue follows the Holiday Buyer’s Guide issue of December 6th. Each edition of the New York Times Book Review represents an opportunity for self publishing authors to get in front of over 4 MILLION book readers.

For the following 12 Outskirts Press authors, the December 13th edition promises to be an exciting one, when these 12 books will appear toward the front of the New York Times Book Review section:

With any extensive amount of exposure, progressive self-publishing authors are well-advised to start laying the ground work early, either through the distribution of a new press release, or by contacting bookstores where the media exposure will take place. In this case, New York City bookstores would be a good target for direct sales efforts. For instance, NY City’s largest independent bookstore chain is Strand Books and their website is at www.strandbooks.com.

All these books, and other Outskirts Press titles, are available from all major online retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powells, Books A Million, and others, plus conveniently from the Outskirts Press bookstore at http://outskirtspress.com/bookstore (or in quantities of 10 or more for full wholesale trade discounts at Outskirts Press Direct (where the retailer saves money and the author still get their full royalty): http://outskirtspress.com/buybooks

Not yet a published author receiving post-publication opportunities to appear in the New York Times?

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Posted by on November 12, 2009 in Author Spotlight, Top 10

 

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Personal Marketing Assistants for Self Publishing Authors

Successfully marketing a book can be a lot of work. A Personal Marketing Assistant is ideal for authors who want marketing assistance that is personal and specific. The Outskirts Press Personal Marketing Assistant is available to work with authors to promote your book in accordance with your plan and goals.

The Personal Marketing Assistant will correspond with you to arrive upon a marketing action plan. You will agree upon the specific tactics that will be taken which may include things like soliciting book reviews, contacting local bookstores, completing the verbiage on an author’s webpage, improving your Amazon tactics, or any number of tasks.

Meet one of the Outskirts Press Personal Marketing Assistants:

Sally Shields is an award-winning pianist, composer, speaker, author and radio personality. Co-host of the exciting new BlogTalkRadio show, “Blurb!” Shields is a frequent contributor to various magazines, and has been featured in Star Magazine, Obvious, My Day, Girlfriendz, For the Bride and many others. Endorsed by Dr. Laura Schlessinger and Martha Stewart, she has appeared on Fox and Friends, and is a repeat guest on the nationally syndicated The Daily Buzz with her Wedding Showers #1 Amazon.com bestseller, THE DAUGHTER-IN-LAW RULES!

Winner of the 17th annual Great American Jazz Piano Competition, she performs, speaks and gives workshops worldwide, and her music is currently featured on the ABC TV daytime drama All My Children. While not traveling and performing, she lives at home in New York City with her husband and two children.

Testimonial from Elise Cooke, author of The Grocery Garden:

I recently purchased a five-hour Personal Marketing Assistant block of time. Sally Shields taught me how to successfully pitch my frugality books to advertising-dependent media outlets, which is really on the order of selling surfboards in the Sahara! She truly understands how to make a product stand out, and how to get busy reporters and talk show hosts to take notice.

Sally answered all my questions promptly and completely; she encouraged me all along the way. I’m truly impressed with her work ethic. Even though I’m a real tightwad, I feel I got more than my money’s worth from Sally Shields’ publicity training. Sally taught me invaluable skills and techniques I couldn’t find anywhere else.

The Personal Marketing Assistant is available as an a-la-carte option or as part of the Book Blast package where authors can save 25% on 5 powerful marketing services to blast their book into the stratosphere! Outskirts Press authors can easily and conveniently add the Personal Marketing Assistant option or the Book Blast package at any time from the Marketing Options screen of the author’s center. Outskirts Press has a team of Personal Marketing Assistants ready to help you in your book promotion efforts today!

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Posted by on November 11, 2009 in Testimonials

 

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Self Publishing Gifts for the Holiday Season Feature Outskirts Press Books on Custom T-Shirts

November 10, 2009 – Denver, CO – Outskirts Press, the fastest growing self-publishing and book marketing company, today announced it is offering a Custom T-shirt option so authors can wear their books, literally. Each high-quality T-shirt displays the front and back covers of the author’s book in order to promote the publication.  This option is now available so that the shirts can be ordered and shipped in time for the upcoming holiday season.

“Some authors are known to wear their emotions on their sleeves,” stated Outskirts Director of Author Support Kelly Schuknecht.  “And now they can wear their book on their back, and promote it at the same time, perfect for author events, or an ice breaker for any occasion.”

Ever since Marlon Brando and James Dean popularized the T-shirt in the 1950’s, Americans have been using them to communicate all manner of things to each other.   Today 91 percent of Americans profess to owning a “favorite” T-shirt and more than 60 percent claim to own more than ten T-shirts.

Outskirts Press has tapped into this popular American custom to help its authors promote and market their books.  Their new Custom T-shirt option now flanks other recent promotional options like Custom Greeting Cards and Celebrity Endorsements options, among the other innovative marketing services available through the self-publishing company.

The front cover of the book is printed on the front of the white T-shirt while an image of the back cover is displayed on the back of the shirt.  Each short-sleeved T-shirt is heavyweight, pre-shrunk 100% cotton.  The shirts can be ordered by Outskirts Press authors in time to give as gifts for the 2009 holiday season or simply to wear themselves as a fun, and unique way to promote their books. 

Outskirts Press’ continued attention to post-publication marketing for their authors has kept them at the vanguard of the today’s self-publishing industry and has earned them the accolade of being named among the “Best of the Best” from Inc. Magazine’s Inc. 500 in the October issue.

About Outskirts Press, Inc,: Outskirts Press, Inc. offers full-service, custom self-publishing and book marketing services for authors seeking a cost-effective, fast, and flexible way to publish and distribute their books worldwide while retaining all their rights and full creative control. Available for authors globally at www.outskirtspress.com and located on the outskirts of Denver, Colorado, Outskirts Press represents the future of book publishing, today.

# # #
Outskirts Press, Inc., 10940 S. Parker Rd. – 515, Parker, Colorado 80134
http://outskirtspress.com  1-888-OP-BOOKS


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Posted by on November 10, 2009 in Outskirts Press News

 

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Holiday Greeting Cards for Self Publishing Authors

Want to send out a Holiday mailing to promote your book? Outskirts Press now offers personal and customized Holiday Greeting Cards, featuring your published book!

Greeting cards are 4.25”x 6” on Premium 14 pt. gloss cover stock. These cards are full color, front and back, and scored for easy folding. The front of the card recognizes the occasion. The inside-left of the card highlights your single book, along with the title, the author name, the cover image, and the webpage address. The inside-right of the card is blank so that you can personalize each card with a handwritten message before folding and mailing them in the included white envelopes.

Greeting cards come in quantities of 250. Outskirts Press authors can also order Custom US First Class Postal Stamps to send out these promotional mailings. Both of these optional marketing products can easily and conveniently be added from the Marketing Options screen of their author’s center.

*Production, printing and shipping can take up to 3-4 weeks. Order now to allow plenty of time to receive your cards for a timely holiday promotional mailing.

** The interior image in the example features “Sell Your Book on Amazon.” Details and cover image will be replaced by the details and cover image for your book.

It’s time to get published and experience book marketing support like this.
Click here for free publishing guides to help you get started.

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Posted by on November 9, 2009 in Marketing Options

 

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Self-Publishing Spotlight: So…You’re An Actor?! PROVE IT!

Canaan W.E.J. Robinson is an actor, a businessman, and a marketing expert. Throughout his career, he has fine-tuned the art of self-promotion, and he has an inside scoop on how the entertainment industry really works. This combined experience came in handy for his new book, So…You’re an Actor? Prove It!—Branding and Marketing for Today’s Aspiring Actors, published by Outskirts Press. It’s a straight-shooting guidebook designed to help actors stand out from the crowd and turbo-charge their careers—a self-marketing how-to book no actor should be without.

Packed with tips and secrets collected from New York City industry professionals, So…You’re an Actor? Prove It! teaches self-promotion through engaging exercises and practical tips. In this highly competitive field, actors must learn to stand out from the crowd, and Canaan’s new book will help any actor establish their stage name and visibility both online and off.

In this industry there are many advice, how-to, and instructional books, but they come from working actors or industry professionals, and while some of these books might have a wealth of knowledge, there is danger the advice might be outdated or skewed by perspective.… This is where Canaan’s book is a revelation, because it isn’t a “how-to” by someone trying to make his place in a competitive field, but a book for beginners by a peer who understands what you are (or will be) going through. The contents act more like a guide from a friend than a “do it this way.”

—Jagger Kaye
Actor, Instructor & Owner/Operator of http://www.CASTINGSnCLASSES.com

About the Author:
Canaan W.E.J. Robinson has participated in numerous projects for television, movies, commercials, and documentaries, as well as off-Broadway productions. With a degree in business and marketing, he takes the same principles for branding small businesses and applies them to his craft. Robinson lives in East Orange, New Jersey.

To learn more visit his website at www.soyouranactor.com

Canaan has proved his marketing chops by purchasing the Book Blast, saving 25% on 5 powerful marketing services to blast his book into the stratosphere! The Book Blast package includes the following options: Custom Press Release, PR Publicist Campaign, Book Review Submission Service, Book Video (shown above) and Personal Marketing Assistant. Outskirts Press authors can easily and conveniently add this package at any time from the Marketing Options screen of the author’s center.

Is it time to get published and receive
marketing support and services like this?

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Posted by on November 6, 2009 in Author Spotlight

 

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Self Publishing Bestseller Spotlight: Precession

What makes a best selling book in the competitive self-publishing market? It can be a variety of things like…

  • a professionally designed custom cover
  • professional copyediting
  • the content of the book can be very niche, targeted at a very specific and voracious audience
  • the use of productive marketing services/products from the publisher
  • whether the book is fiction or non-fiction…

The following book was among the top 10 best selling self published books by Outskirts Press in September 2009. 

What contributed to the success of this book? Let’s take a look.

By seeing what works for other authors, you can take the appropriate publishing and marketing steps to chart your own course toward successful book publishing!

  • Fiction
  • Professional custom cover
  • Editing
  • Retail Returns program
  • Productive marketing services from the publisher, like:
    • Amazon Kindle edition
    • Amazon Search Inside the Book Submission service
    • press release/distribution
    • ebook edition
    • author webpage
    • 30-second book teaser

Of course, books cannot become best sellers if they’re only printed and then only sold from the publisher’s website. Books must to be available via multiple sales channels, both wholesale and direct. This bestselling book falls into that category, as does every Outskirts Press book published with the Diamond, Pearl, and Ruby packages. See details about the Distribution-on-Demand Sales Channels by clicking here.

Receive over $1,500 in publishing value for only $899
when you start publishing today.
Click here for the necessary promotion code and details.

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Posted by on November 4, 2009 in Author Spotlight

 

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Self publishing authors promote their books with their Christmas cards

November 3, 2009 – Denver, CO – Outskirts Press, the fastest growing full-service self-publishing and book marketing company, today announced an exciting new line of personalized seasonal greeting cards.  Authors published through Outskirts Press can now conveniently promote their books on a variety of different occasions, including the upcoming holiday season and New Years.

According to the Greeting Card Association, 7 billion greeting cards are sent by Americans each year.  Greeting cards remain one of the most widely accepted customs in the United States and 90 percent of all households send an average of 30 separate greeting cards each year.  Nine out of ten Americans say they look forward to receiving greeting cards and, not surprisingly, the majority say they prefer the old fashioned, handwritten cards – like those now offered by Outskirts Press — to e-mail or text messages.

These handsome greeting cards are 4.25” by 6” on Premium 14 point gloss cover stock.  They are full color, both on the front and back, and they are scored for easy folding.  The line of personalized greeting cards recognizes not only the traditional occasions such as New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day and Easter, but also those days special to authors such as National Reading Month, Poetry Month and even Book Lover’s Day.  The line of greeting cards recognize at least one occasion for every month of the year, so there is always an excuse to promote the book.

The inside, left of the card highlights the author’s book with its title, the author’s name, a webpage address for it, and a full-color image of the book’s cover.  The inside, right is blank so that each card can be personalized with a handwritten message.  Envelopes are included with the cards, which come in packages of 250. A perfect complement to a pack of greeting cards is a package of Custom First Class Postage Stamps available separately, and exclusively from Outskirts Press. Custom first-class stamps feature the author’s book cover and work just as if purchased from the post office.

“Sending out holiday cards is something most of us do anyway. Our authors can now promote their books at the same time,” said Outskirts Press Director of Author Support Kelly Schuknecht.

With its Personalized Greeting Card option, Outskirts Press continues to expand the marketing services it offers its authors and remains at the vanguard of self-publishing firms, as demonstrated by Inc. Magazine’s October 2009 issue in which a panel of VC firms cherry-picked Outskirts Press from its Inc. 500 list of privately held companies and recognized OP with “Best of the Best” honors.

About Outskirts Press, Inc.:  Outskirts Press, Inc. offers full-service, custom self-publishing and book marketing services for authors seeking a cost-effective, fast, and flexible way to publish and distribute their books worldwide while retaining all their rights and full creative control. Available for authors globally at www.outskirtspress.com and located on the outskirts of Denver, Colorado, Outskirts Press represents the future of book publishing, today.

# # #

Outskirts Press, Inc., 10940 S. Parker Rd – 515, Parker, Colorado 80134
http://outskirtspress.com  1-888-OP-BOOKS


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Posted by on November 3, 2009 in Outskirts Press News

 

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Excellence in Self Publishing – 2011 EVVY Awards

Here is everything you ever wanted to know about the EVVY Book Awards…

What are the EVVY Awards?

The EVVY Awards recognize excellence in self-published books. Each year, 5% of the books published by Outskirts Press become finalists for official Outskirts Press nomination by receiving an invitation to participate from Outskirts Press.

When are books nominated by Outskirts Press?

Exemplary Outskirts Press books are nominated by the Author Support Department and OP Executive Team for submission to the EVVY Awards in the fall of the year of their copyright. For example, books with a copyright date of 2010  are invited to participate in the 2011 EVVY Awards by receiving an invitation via email in the fall of 2010.

The Outskirts Press Author Support Department will be notifying select authors of 2010 copyright books throughout the week of November 8th via email.  If you receive an invitation from Outskirts Press, you have a limited amount of time to accept the nomination and take the steps outlined in the email.

Where are the EVVY Awards held?

The EVVY Awards Banquet and Awards Ceremony are held in Denver, Colorado in March of each year.

Who sponsors the EVVY Awards?

The EVVY Awards are named in honor of the first president of the Colorado Independent Publishers Association; and CIPA continues the tradition of recognizing excellence in self-published books with their annual EVVY Book Awards.

How do you win an EVVY Award?
In order to be considered for an official 2011 Outskirts Press EVVY Nomination, your book must be published with either the Diamond Publishing Package (for black/white) or the Pearl Publishing Package (for color) and have a copyright date of 2009. Having a custom cover and professional editing services significantly increases your chances.

 

Why should eligible authors accept their EVVY Award nomination and participate in the Awards?

Winning any kind of book award is one of the most recognized and effective methods of differentiating your book from the masses. The EVVY Awards improve the chances of your book winning an award because just being nominated to participate indicates your book is in the top 5%.  In fact, recipients of the EVVY Invitation should strongly consider entering their book in additional book award contests.  Details about saving 25% with the Book Awards Submission Package can be found by clicking here.

Furthermore, unlike many other national contests, the EVVY Awards typically involve less than 250 total books, among numerous categories.  Plus, the CIPA EVVY Awards are nationally recognized as being indicative of excellence.

Along with the sense of pride and accomplishment that comes from winning the EVVY Award, Outskirts Press Officially Nominated EVVY Award-winning authors receive a variety of marketing and promotional materials, opportunities, and prizes. Depending upon the placing of your book among the winners, you may receive some or all of what is listed below:

  • Marketing materials like bookmarks and placards (all winners)
  • A framed award featuring the cover of your book (1st, 2nd, 3rd place winners)
  • Bonus blog and newsletter exposure (all winners)

Framed awards for the 6 First Place Outskirts Press Books from the 2009 Awards
 

Watch the video featuring 2009 EVVY Award Winners from Outskirts Press
Ready to publish your own award-winning book?

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*originally posted in 2009 and revised in 2010 for the 2011 awards

 
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Posted by on November 2, 2009 in EVVY Book Awards

 

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The Book Video Winner is…

For the last 15 days, Self Publishing News has been collecting votes to determine the most popular Halloween book video. The votes are in, and the final results are:

Watch the winning book video…

Congratulations to author José Cepeda García.  A $199 will be added to his online Author’s Center account with Outskirts Press for the purchase of an Enhanced Audio Excerpt.

 

 

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