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Monthly Archives: December 2010

Self Publishing Book Spotlight: David Cornerstone by Faye Hunter

Self Publishing Book Spotlight: David Cornerstone by Faye Hunter

David CornerstoneOutskirts Press author, Faye Hunter, recognized that children needed an alternative to the dark wizardry of the Harry Potter series and wrote an ageless Christian tale for young children to help teach them the power of faith.

Seen through the eyes of seven year old David Cornerstone, the story offers a little “soul food” in order to restore and increase one’s Christian faith.  After being faced with the frightening news of his father’s illness, young David discovers that sorcery and wizardry are not needed.  All that is needed is faith in Jesus.  Miracles then occur.

“There’s no wizardry or darkness about the truth.  Just light,” says first time author Faye Hunter, who has taken as a title for her full color, illustrated children’s book a play on the quote from Psalms 118:22: “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”

As a survivor of childhood abuse, the author became passionate in 1995 about establishing a home for abused children.  “God gave me the vision of funding this home, The Olive Branch, through this little book,” the author said.

Birinder BhullarABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Faye Hunter is from south Georgia and the sixth child in a family of eight. She has worked with the federal government since 1986. From 1986 to 1991, she served in the U.S. Navy as a Hospital Corpsman during Operation Desert Storm. For her service on the Home front, in Desert Storm, she received the Navy Achievement Medal. As a survivor of childhood abuse, Faye has been passionate about establishing a Home for abused children since 1995. God gave her the vision of funding this Home, The Olive Branch through this little book. Please know this, that your purchase of this book makes you a part of this vision and God’s Home for His children.

For more information or to contact the author, visit www.outskirtspress.com/fayehunter.

This author purchased the Book Blast package, saving 25% on 5 powerful marketing services to blast the 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?

 

Start Publishing

 
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Posted by on December 31, 2010 in Book Spotlight, Uncategorized

 

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Top Ten Self Publishing Book Marketing Options for November 2010

Top Ten Self Publishing Book Marketing Options for November 2010

Outskirts Press is an industry leader in providing post-publication support, products, and services to its growing family of published authors. Because we know how confusing it can be to pick the right marketing solution for your book, we publish our list of Top 10 Book Marketing Options each month to help you prioritize your book marketing efforts.

The top-ranking options are determined by how many self-published authors sign up for them. Many of these products and services are even available to authors who did not publish with Outskirts Press.  Visit our Marketing Solutions page to view the growing list of available book marketing options.

These are the marketing products and services determined to be most popular by our authors for the month of November 2010, listed below in alphabetical order:

Amazon Cover Enhancement
This is an option that helps you either get your cover on Amazon faster or enhance the way it looks to increase exposure.
Amazon Extreme Package
This is a package deal that lets you save 25% on 3 amazing marketing tactics centered around Amazon: The Amazon Kindle Edition, Search Inside the Book, and the Keyword Search Submission Service. Plus a free copy of the Amazon best selling book, Sell Your Book on Amazon.
Amazon Kindle Edition
The Amazon Kindle is a revolutionary wireless reading device that allows its owners to instantly download books and newspapers. This is the new way that people are buying books. However, only books that have been submitted to the Amazon Kindle via the required process and in the required format are available for Kindle readers to purchase and enjoy.
Amazon Search Inside the Book
This service allows your potential buyer to browse your book online just as they would in a “traditional” bookstore. This alleviates a lot of the the anxiety associated with purchasing books online.
Award Recognition Cover Enhancement
This option allows you to add an award seal to the front cover of your book helps notify everyone that you are an award-winning author with an award-winning book.
Barnes & Noble See Inside
This is Barnes & Noble’s answer to Amazon’s “Search Inside the Book” program. Books that participate in this program receive a “See Inside” icon next to their Barnes & Noble cover image, which invites potential customers to electronically “flip” through a small section of the book.
Benjamin Franklin Awards Submission
Every year the Independent Book Publishers Association honors exemplary books with the Benjamin Franklin Award. With this option, you can make sure your book is among the ones being considered.
Evvy Awards Submission
The Evvy Awards are sponsored by the Colorado Independent Publishers Association and is invitation-only. The top 5% of Diamond and Pearl authors that publish with Outskirts Press during the past year are nominated. Authors that accept this nomination enjoy a certain level of prestige and can possibly go on to win our “$1500 Best Book of the Year Award“.
Personal Marketing Assistant
The Outskirts Press Personal Marketing Assistant option is ideal for authors who want marketing assistance that is personal and specific. The Personal Marketing Assistant is available to work with you in five hour blocks of time to promote your book in accordance with your plan and goals.
Reader Views Literary Awards Submission
Every year Reader Views honors exemplary books from independent self publishers with the Literary Book Award. With this option, you can make sure your book is among the ones being considered.

Outskirts Press authors who are interested in any of these options can find further details and ordering information by clicking on the name (or image) of the option above. Information about either of these solutions can be found on the Marketing Options page of your Publishing Center. Authors who published elsewhere can visit our Marketing Solutions page to get more information about any of  the marketing options available to order.

Is it time to get published and start receiving marketing services like this?

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Self Publishing Virtual Book Tour: Princess and Missy’s Magical Adventures by Michelle Nicole Martin

Self Publishing Virtual Book Tour: Princess and Missy’s Magical Adventures by Michelle Nicole Martin

Outskirts Press author, Michelle Nicole Martin, is taking her latest book, Princess & Missy’s Magical Adventures, on tour – a virtual tour, that is. She will be featured on the following blogs in the months ahead:

Monday, December 27, 2010: A Moment with Mystee

Tuesday, December 28, 2010: Thoughts in Progress

Friday, December 31, 2010: TC & TBC

Monday, January 3, 2011: Closing My Eyes Helps Me to See Clearly

Tuesday, January 4, 2011: A Fanatic’s Book Blog

Wednesday, January 5, 2011: I Am A Reader Not A Writer & Wise Words

Friday, January 7, 2011: Review From Here & The Hot Author Report

Monday, January 10, 2011: Simply Stacie

Luckily for us, Michelle was kind enough to answer a few questions while on tour so that we can give you a sneak peek into the mind of the creator of Princess & Missy’s Magical Adventures.

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Princess & Missy's Magical Adventures

OP: Tell us a little bit about Princess & Missy’s Magical Adventures. What is it about?

MM: A dog named Princess loses her family and becomes homeless. Even through her hardships, she doesn’t give up. She saves children’s lives. She is then rewarded by Missy, a magical butterfly. They go on adventures to help people, but they have to tackle Jaith the Joy Stealer’s wicked plans.

OP: Why did you decide to write this story?

MM: I wanted to write something that was fantasy, but also touched on life’s struggles so that children could understand the problems we face.

OP: What types of readers would be interested in this story?

MM: Children are interested in the book because it is fantasy and also has a game that teaches geography at the end of the book. Parents enjoy the book because it teaches a lesson that no matter how hard life is, if you help people and tackle each problem, life gets better.

OP: What is special about your book?  What differentiates it from other books in the same category?

MM: There are a few things that differentiate my book from others. In the beginning, there is a poem dedicated to the children. This book is a fun read, but also touches on real life issues. At the end of the book is a game that is deciding whether the places in the book are real or fantasy.

OP: Thanks for your time, Michelle! We look forward to learning more about you as you visit other bloggers!

 

Michelle Nicole MartinABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Author Michelle Nicole Martin grew up in California. She started writing poetry when she was thirteen years old, and began writing children’s stories at the age of thirty-one.

For more information or to contact the author, visit www.outskirtspress.com/princessandmissy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This author purchased the Virtual Book Tour marketing option, which allows authors to connect with bloggers and harness the power of the blogosphere by taking the book on the “virtual road”.  Learn more about this service by visiting your Publishing Center and reviewing the available marketing options.

 

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

Start Publishing

 

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Two Outskirts Press Facebook Fans Win Free Amazon Kindles in 2010 Self-Publishing Holiday Giveaway

Two Outskirts Press Facebook Fans Win Free Amazon Kindles in 2010 Self-Publishing Holiday Giveaway

Two Outskirts Press Facebook fans have become the happy holiday winners of an Amazon Kindle e-book reader courtesy of a free giveaway by Outskirts Press to celebrate both writers and readers during this 2010 holiday season.

December 28, 2010 – Outskirts Press, the fastest growing self-publishing and book marketing company, announced today that their Facebook fans Shaun Scalerandi and Josh Sklar are the two winners of Amazon Kindles this holiday season.  Outskirts Press has been sponsoring the contest this December as a way to celebrate both readers and writers through their Facebook page at  www.facebook.com/outskirtspress.

Shaun Scalerandi and Josh Sklar will find themselves in good and extensive company with their new Kindles.  The Amazon Kindle is the number one bestselling, most wished for and most gifted product on Amazon’s website.  The portable, wireless reader allows users to read their favorite books anywhere, anytime, and they can download their favorite magazines, newspapers and blogs onto it, as well.  An improved Kindle display now makes reading all that much easier and a new battery design can provide up to a month’s worth of reading pleasure.

“We’re pleased to be able to play Santa Claus this season to two of our valued Facebook fans,” said Outskirt Press Director of Author Support Kelly Schuknecht.  “The Kindles are a small measure of our appreciation for the support that our fans – readers and writers alike – have shown us through this and every year.”

Outskirts Press is also giving away a free iPad to one author who begins publishing this month. Details are on the Outskirts Press website at www.outskirtspress.com .

About Outskirts Press, Inc: Outskirts Press offers high-quality, full-service self-publishing and book marketing services for writers and professionals who are seeking a cost-effective, fast, and flexible way to publish and distribute their books worldwide while retaining 100% of their rights, 100% of their profits, and 100% of the creative control. www.outskirtspress.com.

# # #

Outskirts Press, Inc., 10940 S. Parker Rd. – 515, Parker, Colorado 80134

http://outskirtspress.com 1-888-OP-BOOKS

 
 

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New Illustration Styles for Self-Publishing Children’s Book Authors

New Illustration Styles for Self-Publishing Children’s Book Authors

Outskirts Press is proud to introduce 16 new illustration styles to our ever-expanding custom illustration packages. This brings the available styles to choose from to almost 40!

Can you imagine YOUR children’s book with original, affordable full-color illustrations?  Have you been looking high and low for professional, full-color illustrations that are affordable and where you do not have to split your royalties with the artist? Look no further. Outskirts Press can help. Our illustration services are available to all authors, regardless of where your book was published.

To view all the illustration styles and pricing, visit our art page at http://outskirtspress.com/p/art

Not published yet?

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5 Ways that Offering Books on Consignment Helps Self-Published Authors

5 Ways that Offering Books on Consignment Helps Self-Published Authors



If you’re like many Outskirts Press self-published authors, you may be seeking creative ways to increase your book sales. You may have tried contacting the big box stores (Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Borders Bookstores, etc.) but haven’t had much luck. You may already be successful at online sales but want to tap additional sources of revenue.

Either way, offering your book on consignment is a great way to achieve your goals. But, let’s take a step back and discuss exactly what consignment is — it is the process of stocking your book in a local (most likely independent) bookstore at no cost to the seller. Once the book sells, you and the store owner split the earnings.

Here are some key benefits to setting up such an arrangement:

  1. You get added exposure in your local community. People you know or with whom you share a personal connection (i.e. same hometown, etc.) will be more willing to try and buy your book than others.
  2. There is no risk for the retailer so they are more willing to display your book. You don’t have to worry about paying extra fees to ensure your book is returnable because the store owner doesn’t have to pay anything upfront to stock your book.
  3. You can usually keep a short trade discount. Of course, this is dependent on your goals for the book. If you’re still planning to approach the big box stores as a part of your book’s overall marketing strategy, you may consider maintaining at least a 50% trade discount. However, consignment arrangements can be setup independently of trade discount amount since the store is paying nothing to acquire your book.
  4. The independent bookstore that is consigning your book will be more open to scheduling a book signing event with you if sales are on target. Book signings mean an opportunity to meet new people that could be interested in buying your book.
  5. The more places your book is being sold, the greater the likelihood for sales.

For this to be most effective, you have to come to an agreement that is fair for both parties. In some cases, this may be a 50/50 split and in others a 70/30 (author advantage) may work. The specific pay plan should be discussed with the store owner in advance.

To locate local bookstores in your area, you can visit: Indie Bound.

If you need assistance with this technique, 5 hours with a Personal Marketing Assistant or a 30-minute Marketing Consultation may benefit you.

Have you ever tried to sell books on consignment? How did this work out for you?

Happy Marketing!

 
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Posted by on December 26, 2010 in Advice, Uncategorized

 

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Merry Christmas from Outskirts Press!

Merry Christmas from Outskirts Press!

MERRY CHRISTMAS
FROM OUTSKIRTS PRESS

Seated, Front Row: Jodee, Jeanine, Lynn, Tony
Back Row: Cindy, Margaret, Trinity, Lora, Donna, Caroline, Patrick, Ellen, Shirley, Brent

If you don’t see all your Production Team members, don’t worry. Only about 20% of us are in the photograph above, but we ALL wish every one of our published, in-progress, and soon-to-be-published authors a happy, safe, and wonderful holiday season!

 
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Posted by on December 25, 2010 in Holiday, Uncategorized

 

Top 25 Self-Published Christmas Books For 2010

Top 25 Self-Published Christmas Books For 2010

Today is Christmas Eve and the last day to catch the Christmas spirit. To help you get into the mood, we thought we would recognize the Top 25 Christmas Books in self-publishing this season, rather than the traditional 10 (since December 25th is Christmas Day). In alphabetical order, the top 25 self-published Christmas books at Outskirts Press are:

 

All of these books, along with other Outskirts Press titles, are available from the major online book retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powells, Books A Million, and others, plus conveniently from the Outskirts Press bookstore at http://outskirtspress.com/bookstore.

Is your Christmas or Christian book ready for publication in 2011?

Start Publishing

 
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Posted by on December 24, 2010 in Top 10, Uncategorized

 

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Self-Publishing Bestseller Spotlight: Command Influence by Robert Shaines

Self-Publishing Bestseller Spotlight: Command Influence by Robert Shaines

Command Influence by Robert Shaines was recently on the Outskirts Press bestseller list.

How can a book become a bestseller in the competitive self-publishing market?  It can be a the result of a mixture of efforts — including dedicating a great deal of time and/or money to marketing activities.

Let’s take a closer look at this best selling book published by Outskirts Press to see what contributed to its success. 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!

  • Genre: Law/Military
  • Content for niche audience
  • A professionally designed custom cover
  • Author platform: rshaines.com
  • Virtual Book Tour
  • Comprehensive and productive marketing services from the publisher, like: Author webpage, Amazon Extreme package, Book Blast package, Ebook, Posters, Book award submissions, Retail Returns program
  •  

    About Robert Shaines

    Robert A. Shaines is a practicing attorney in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He lives in Rye, NH with his wife Denise and their three dogs and ten horses.

    He has had extensive experience representing clients from all over the globe, including Canada, Russia, Switzerland, France, The Netherlands, various Carribean Islands, Australia, England, The Sceychelle Islands and Moldova. His travelling days are over at this time of life and he wants to continue to maintain his law practice and continue with his new career as an author.

     

    Of course, books cannot become best sellers if they’re only printed and sold from the publisher’s website. Books must to be available via multiple sales channels, both wholesale and direct. All Outskirts Press books published with the Diamond, Pearl, and Ruby packages receive the benefit of either national or worldwide book distribution. See details about the Distribution-on-Demand Sales Channels by clicking here.


    Begin your own self publishing journey today by clicking the button below.

     
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    Posted by on December 23, 2010 in Bestseller Spotlight, Uncategorized

     

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    Amazon Kindle Giveaway Winners Announced!

    Amazon Kindle Giveaway Winners Announced!

    This month two lucky Outskirts Press Facebook Fans were selected to win a FREE Amazon Kindle.  All Facebook Fans were eligible to win.  The following winners were selected randomly:

    December 14th - Shaun Scalerandi
    December 21st - Josh Sklar

    Congratulations Shaun and Josh!

    Not a Fan of Outskirts Press on Facebook yet?  Simply click the “Like” button on the top of our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/outskirtspress).

    You can also follow us on Twitter @outskirtspress: www.twitter.com/outskirtspress
     
     

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