1001 Ways to Market Your Books: For Authors and Publishers, 5th Edition by John Kremer 5 out of 5
This review is for the fifth edition of this book, though I suspect that the fifth and sixth editions are virtually the same save for a bit of info here or there.
Writing a book is easy. Getting it out there is hard. It’s a challenge for both the big, small and self-publisher alike. 10% of your time and energy goes into creating your masterpiece, 90% goes into bringing it to the masses.
In 1001 Ways to Market Your Books, author and publisher John Kremer walks you through step-by-step 1001 effective methods to market your book.
This doesn’t read like a manual or some textbook. Kremer’s professional yet personable writing style keeps you interested and forces you to pay attention to everything he has to say.
This book is so dense that you can’t just read it once then call it good. It’s a resource, which means it’s meant to be visited each time you publish a book so you can pull out some of the 1001 marketing methods offered.
Don’t try doing all 1001 things suggested in this book all for one title. It won’t work. Kremer even says so in the opening pages. The idea is to cater to your particular book’s needs and find the marketing methods that work for that specific title.
Kremer backs up his info with industry stats, gives examples of what’s worked for some publishers and what’s failed for others.
Take notes while you read it. Even jot down in separate columns on a loose sheet of paper what ideas would work for the titles in your company’s catalogue and mark down the page number in Kremer’s book for each.
This is a book every serious publisher needs to have on their shelf. More importantly, it’s a book they need to use.
Rizzo: Year One by Chris Riseley and Sean Simmans 5 out of 5
What do you get when you team up a struggling writer and an artist who wears a dinosaur costume all day long? You get Rizzo, a hilarious collection of the syndicated comic strip.
Rizzo, the character, writes. W. Bill Czolgosz, the character, draws, and these strips follow them on their adventure of trying to make their mark in a world that doesn’t appreciate them or their “art.”
The gags are brief, about 3-4 panels long, and you find yourself laughing out loud for most of them and laughing on the inside for all of them.
This humor, part simple silliness and part commentary, is smart, witty and, to a degree, “observational” ala Seinfeld.
Rizzo by Chris Riseley and Sean Simmans burst onto the scene a few years back and appears in many newspapers across the country.
This book is a “best of” collection, chosen from over 900 strips. (There are about 300 strips in the book.)
The Life and Death of Hertzan Chimera by Mike Philbin 3 out of 5
For over a decade Hertzan Chimera terrorized the online writing world both with his brutal brand of fiction and his brutal personality. That was until August 2004, when Mike Philbin, Chimera’s secret identity, killed off the fictional writer and decided to write under his real name. Which leads us to The Life and Death of Hertzan Chimera, Philbin’s much-delayed autobiography on his literary creation.
In short, The Life and Death of Hertzan Chimera is basically divided up into two halves, the first being a history on Chimera and how he came to be, the last being a series of interviews where Chimera acts as both interviewer and interviewee.
The reason this reviewer picked up the book was more so not because I was a fan of Chimera’s work—I had only read a handful of short stories; I will state that based on what I read, I enjoyed Chimera’s writing and was more than impressed with his insane amount of creativity—but because I was interested in getting a behind-the-scenes look at what most would consider a demented psyche. But I was only partially satisfied in my quest. The first half of the book gave insight into Chimera’s childhood, who he was and how he came to be, which was interesting but wasn’t really explored in the detail I had hoped. After each section I was left wanting a little bit more. But this is also coming from a guy who enjoys long-winded fiction and detailed explanations so it could be just me.
The latter half, the interviews, left me cold, I’m afraid. The ones where Chimera himself was being interviewed were fine and had a place in the book, but the ones where he was interviewer read more like filler than needed information. As I read the interviews, one of the biggest things I kept waiting/hoping for was an explanation for Chimera’s distaste with the current state of horror and, more importantly, his hatred for the mass market press. Though these were explained, they were explained briefly and I was hoping for something more in depth, a more thorough argument about horror being a lost art and all that’s left is cookie cutter fiction.
On the whole, I would recommend this book to those looking for a glimpse into the mind of Chimera and what made him tick. What I am looking forward to, however, is where Mike Philbin is headed now that he’s free of Chimera and is able to just be himself without always putting on a show. That, of course, is the secret to any great writing: honesty.
Here are the various publishing and creative services I offer to help you get your project off the ground and bring your creative vision to life.
Editing Services:
As an author of around 40 published books, as well as the editor of over 110, I’ve had extensive experience bringing a manuscript to a polished state. My mission with each book I take on is to keep the author’s voice and vision intact, while also making sure there are no grammar or spelling mistakes. I also keep an eye out for continuity and anything else the reader might find jarring. However, my main thing is to side with the creator and do my best to make their story the best it can be.
My rates are affordable and are broken down into the following categories, prices in US funds:
Short stories (1,000 – 7,000 words): 1.5¢ per word
Novelettes (7,001 – 15,000 words): $275
Novellas (15,001 – 40,000 words): $350
Short novels (40,001 – 60,000): $450
Novels (60,001 – 80,000 words): $550
Blockbusters (80,001 – 120,000): $650
Doorstops (120,000+): inquire for quote
As a comics writer and fan, I’m also available for comic script editing at $1.25US per page.
Formatting Services:
As mentioned above, I’ve had experience formatting around 150 books for print and eBook. Your paperback will be prepared to accommodate whomever you’re using as a printer. Your eBook will be formatted three ways: PDF, Kindle, and Smashwords (or to another party’s specifications). Once the project is complete, I’ll send you the print/eBook-ready files.
Paperback formatting – $225
eBook formatting – $175
Paperback and eBook formatting bundle – $375
Cover Services:
I have experience creating 160+ eye-catching book covers. Below is a sample of my most recent commissions. Please select one of the covers below to view the cover in its entirety (front, spine, back). Please note I do not create erotic book covers.
The below images are watermarked. Your final cover will not be.
I can create your book cover using images and/or illustrations you provide, or can seek them out myself. While I try to use free stock photos, sometimes a photo needs to be purchased. Cost of photo(s) will be added to the price below and a purchase(s) will only be made with your approval. Each book cover creation gets you the full cover made to your printer’s specifications as well as eBook cover sizing catered to the eBook outlets you choose.
Regarding the process and possible revisions, here is how a cover is typically created:
– You provide me with a description or sketch of what you’d like. If you’re not sure and wish to leave it in my hands, we can bat ideas back and forth a couple of times. I will also need from you the cover’s trim size, the book’s final page count, and the name of the printer you are using.
– I will get back to you with a loose mockup for approval. This mockup in no way indicates the quality of the final cover. It is simply a layout of the agreed-upon elements to ensure I am on the right track to providing you with what you want. The mockup stage comes with one revision.
– Once the mockup is approved, I get to work creating the cover with all the bells and whistles. Once this is complete, I will then submit it to you for your approval. This is the final stage to voice any suggestions. The final cover stage comes with one revision.
– Once the cover is approved, I will give the cover a final review to ensure it is printer-ready. After, I will create the necessary eBook cover files, if requested. Please note your approval of the cover confirms you are happy with it and my work is done. Should you wish for revisions after the fact, these can be done for an additional fee.
– The cover is then sent to you via email or download link and you submit it to whichever outlets you are using for printing and/or eBook distribution.
Using stock art/photos/art you acquired elsewhere, the cost is $300US or $400CAN
NEW – Using my original art created for the project’s cover (which includes the use of the art plus all the design that goes into a stock photo cover): $500US or $675CAN
Your cover will be scheduled into my current timetable. Book covers typically take about a couple of weeks from start to finish, though it might take longer if unforeseen circumstances like illness or emergencies arise. Please allow the necessary time for the cover creation process into your deadline.
NEW – Artwork Commissions
I am pleased to now offer artwork commissions. Please go here to see my on-line portfolio.
The price breakdown is as follows:
Penciled only: $150 (for up to two figures; additional figures $20 each)
Inked: $200 (for up to two figures; additional figures $30 each)
Colored (digital or traditional media, depending on the piece): $350 (for up to two figures; additional figures $40 each)
Custom Artwork: If your project doesn’t fit the above commission guidelines, inquire anyway and we’ll figure out something that works for both of us.
Payment via PayPal, certified check or money order are acceptable. Other payment options can be discussed. You will be provided with an invoice for your tax records.
Turn around time varies per project, but it would be within a few weeks depending on where you are on the schedule.
Thanks for your interest in my publishing services. I hope we can work together. Please send me an email via the contact page on this site and I’ll promptly get back to you.
First, let me say I enjoyed this book. The actual reading of it was easy, clear and not once did I have to reread a paragraph or sentence to reacquaint myself with what was going on. (You know how sometimes you get lost in the text and have to reread a section or two; not in this book.) Filippello is clear in explaining to you what’s happening in any given scene. The characters are all in all well-rounded and, since this book is the first in a series, are destined to be even more so. The most enjoyable aspect of Filippello’s story was the hidden light of passion behind each page, a light that shone with her love of being a police officer. I don’t think any author, no matter what research they did, could make the cops in this book as real as they came across. From the dialogue to the mannerisms, this is true police behavior. The kind of stuff you’d see happening in the background of a NYPD Blue episode, but even more so. Except Filippello brings it all to the foreground and, for the duration of the book, you feel like you’re a cop yourself.
Book Two, I’m sure, is going to be even better. At least, that’s the goal of an author (I hope)—to improve their craft and show said improvement in their latest release. I do it, and I know others who do it, too.
If I were forced to nitpick this book, there’s not much I could say. I would only suggest that the intensity of the deaths be taken up a notch and for the book’s ending not to have felt like it was rushed. This is not a bad thing, mind you, but I wanted to live in the resolution a little longer and/or experience each second in the final moments before the killer was revealed and the protagonist’s reaction to that revelation, and any and all action that followed.
This is a good read. Buy it. I’m waiting for Book Two from Rosanna Filippello.
Pandora Collins, one of Hollywood’s most famous movie stars, has a stalker. To eliminate the threat, she hires a hitman to pop the guy. Quickly, all goes awry as the hitman delves into plans of his own, betrays Pandora, and slips away without a trace every time he strikes. Add a romantic subplot between Pandora and Jerry Leger, the detective assigned to her case, and you’ve got yourself a compelling read.
Kilpatrick has succeeded where only the best authors do: he tells the story to you straight and not once are you thinking, “Hey, wait a sec. What happened here?” and you’re forced to reread the last paragraph or two or, sometimes, even chapters. But the most important aspect of his storytelling is his ability to make you believe he knows what he’s talking about and that every word you read is truth.
I’m a huge fan of the small press and of self-published titles. I’ve said it many times, but these “lesser known” books are far more engaging and far more authentic than so much of what comes out from large publishing houses these days. Kilpatrick has written one heck of a novel and the fact he went independent with it instead of selling out to some big name publisher (which he could easily have done), speaks of his desire to keep things simple and give you, the reader, a superb tale, an engrossing story, and an honest-to-God page-turner.
Being an author myself, it’s easy for me to pick apart someone’s work (I’m not saying I’m perfect, but after writing a few books, you develop an eye for “near-perfection”), and with Kilpatrick’s novel, that is extraordinarily difficult to do. This story is one worth reading several times over and one that gives you a sense of comprehension of how those who have been hurt in the past grow into the adults they become, whether for good or ill.
Like all writers, I’ve read a ton of books over the years, with a passion for small press titles. Below are ones I’ve taken the time to review. Give them a look. You might find something you’ll like.
Reading a Keith Gouveia novel always reminds me of sitting snuggled up on the couch in my parents’ family room, a wool blanket wrapped around me, classic horror on the TV screen. There is a ton of horror stories and novels out there but what sets Gouveia apart from the rest—and I’ve said this before—is his ability to take a horror idea or concept and strip it of all its fluff and unclarity and boil it down to a simple dark tale much akin to your classic horror pictures of the late eighties and early nineties.
This type of essential-basic-horror is evident in Gouveia’s third novel entitled, Killing Faith. Priests and cardinals are murdered left, right and center by an unknown killer. We quickly learn that this murderer is Julian Moore, a man that had been sexually abused as a child. What’s more, the abuse had been dealt by the hands of a priest. Grown up, Julian wants revenge and killing just one priest isn’t enough to punish the man that hurt him. He wants to destroy the “institution” that spawned him: the Catholic church. Enter Robbie Bachetta, an old cop in dire need of a vacation. He barely sleeps and has an intense passion for the law. But before he can disappear for a while for his own R & R, Robbie is called upon to stop Julian before any more priests are mercilessly butchered. Not only does Gouveia launch us into a game of cat-and-mouse, but he adds his own twist by empowering Julian with supernatural abilities by way of a bargain Julian struck with the demon Moloch, a general in Satan’s army, a demon covered in a mother’s tears and children’s blood.
A story of revenge and exposing the fine line between vengeance and justice, Killing Faith makes you wonder if something as holy as a church is truly expected to be “perfect” or if it’s allowed to be imperfect. We are all human after all. It isn’t an excuse for our wrongdoings, but it does provide us with a little cushioning when our own negative ways take over and we do something we are not proud of or something horribly wrong. Gouveia’s style is simple, reader-friendly, and presents his stories in a quick pace, one thing happening after the next.
If you’re looking for a classic tale of darkness with a real-world edge to it, Killing Faith is well worth your time. I am happy to share the table of contents with him in an anthology titled, THWN Presents: New Voices in Horror. You’d do well to check out Keith’s story in there as well.
Been taking a step back in my on-line activities in an effort to get work done. On-line communication has been dropped to near nil and I’m making a conscious effort to just focus on the two projects that need to be finished and out for C4 at the end of October. However, I do plan on broadcasting an item or two a day via my various social media channels to give you guys something to look at. Hopefully by the end of next week, things will be back to normal and I’ll return to being more connected.
Axiom-man Episode No. 3: Rumblings is underway and currently our hero is in a bind. That’s all I’ll say for now.
Hot Tub Time Machine (2010) Written by Josh Heald, Sean Anders and John Morris Directed by Steve Pink Runtime 101 min. 4.5 out of 5
Four friends, all failures. Adam’s (John Cusack) wife just left him. His nephew, Jacob (Clark Duke), is a stay-in-the-basement nerd. Nick (Craig Robinson) works at a pet spa and Lou (Rob Corddry) is suicidal.
And it’s Lou that gets them into trouble because when a suicide attempt lands him in the hospital, the four friends decide to return to a small town, the glory place of their youth, and try and cheer him up.
Greeted by a bellhop named Phil (Crispin Glover), who lost his arm long ago, the four friends try and party like they used to in a town that is no longer the cool place they remember.
After one drunken night in the hot tub, they suddenly find themselves back in 1986, and what’s even weirder is they also look like their younger selves. (Though onscreen we see their present-day selves but in mirrors it’s their younger versions and that’s what everybody else sees. Nice touch on a time travel story.) Once coming to grips of their predicament and while trying to figure out a way “back to the future,” they vow to maintain the space-time continuum and repeat what they did back in 1986 so as to not accidentally execute the butterfly effect and destroy the timeline. They swear to do things as they did it and how they did it back in 1986. Except little do they realize it’s much easier said than done because no one wants to go through that horrific break up all over again (great white buffalo), or get their face bashed in, or sleep with a hot blonde though you’re married to someone else in the future. (Actually, this last scene was done quite well.)
Guided by the aloof and cryptic hot tub repairman (Chevy Chase), these four misfits either accept the misfortunes of their past or, if they’re daring enough, try and right what went wrong in the past in the hopes for a better future.
Being a time travel nut, I had to see this movie. I went opening night. Loved it. Loved it. Loved it.
This flick was an ode to time travel movies, especially Back to the Future (and having Crispin Glover in it, who played George McFly in BttF only added to it). The 80s fashions, gadgets, phrases, music all amounted to a true trip through time and really convinced you that you were along for this crazy ride via hot tub time travel.
This movie is so tongue-in-cheek yet at the same time wasn’t just stupid slapstick comedy, but instead opted to take itself seriously enough to sell you on the concept.
Now, I’m not sure if you’re like me or not, but I really appreciate buddy-buddy humor—you know, the teasing, the kicks between the legs, the sarcasm—and the time-traveling quartet were just loaded with it, so much so you wished you were a part of their little group. And, really, the way the tale was presented in this flick, yeah, you were.
So many jokes, so much sarcasm, so much fun. This movie was just amazing and I’m counting the days ’til I can grab the Blu-ray for my collection and watch it over and over.
My only gripe was the coarse language. A handful of times in a movie—though, for me, a bit jarring—I can live with, but when it’s every second word then it becomes too much and it pulls you out of the flick during those little blurts of profanity.
Now I just need a hot tub time machine of my own to go back in time and check this flick out in the theatre again without having to spend the $10.25 (Canadian) all over for it.
