After I wrote the post, Will the Harlequin Controversy Affect Your Self-Publishing Route? award winning, self-published author, Kristie Leigh Maguire, provided this informative guest post.  She presents self-publishing from the author and publisher’s viewpoint.
Now perhaps the Harlequin authors (as well as other traditionally published authors), because of the controversy surrounding Harlequin’s decision to offer a self-publishing imprint, will realize the discrimination we self-published authors have known for years.
I am glad that this discrimination against self-published (or published by means not traditonal) authors has come out of the closet and is getting press. No matter what the type, discrimination is just plain wrong!
Just because …read more

In the post, Fun Promotional Tips , I discussed author Janet Elaine Smith’s promotional techniques and in another, Fall Festival Opportunities for Promotion,   I mentioned the possibilities at these events. 
Janet Elaine has combined these.  She attended a fall festival or street fair and wrote about her unique experience.  Maybe you can find some tips here to apply to your business.
Today was the first annual street fair at nearby Wausaukee, WI. I had a table, and the fair ran from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.   The temp was about 45 degrees. Still, it was very good, and there was a ton of walk-by traffic that were …read more

For years, author Janet Elaine Smith, has promoted her writing business from home due to her late husband’s illness.  Now her time is more flexible, yet she still does a marvelous job of promotion within about a 75-mile radius of her home in a northern Wisconsin small town. 
Janet does some book signings, teaches a few workshops, and gives talks.  Much  of the promotion of her many books consists of getting on her computer and phone.  She has become a well known name in her field of writing mysteries, historical novels, humor and books based on family research.
I was particularly intrigued by a description of one of …read more

Today I received a large postcard from best selling author, Debbie Macomber…addressed to me and sent from Debbie’s office in Washington.  No, it didn’t have a personal note (although some in the past have been signed), but it announces Debbie’s books related to Christmas and those that would make great Christmas gifts.  One even is a recipe book.  Another is a children’s book, even though Debbie is renowned for her romance stories.
The card is colorful and eye-catching.  It gives me information, at a glance, of some of her books I wasn’t familiar.  Coincidentally, the card arrived shortly after Debbie’s monthly e-mail newsletter.
I …read more

Noted retailer and author, Carolyn Howard-Johnson, will blog for the Gift and Home Channel. She’ll bring her nearly three decades of retailing experience, as well as her expertise in journalism, public relations and publishing to this blog, The Frugal Marketer.   This will give home business owners, as well as others, an opportunity to learn how to market their products and services in this cash strapped economy.
Also, Carolyn’s newest book, A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques was just launched at the National Stationery Show  at Javits …read more

Susan Gunelius, former b5 media business blogger, has written a number of business books, the latest of which is Google Blogger for Dummies.  I’ve found this an excellent book, and have mentioned it in a review at Blisstree, Crafters, Boost Your Blogging Experience.
 
If you’re blogging for your business or want to earn money by blogging, check out some of the tips Susan suggests.  Although this book was written for Blogger blogs, there still is information here for other types of blogging.
Related posts:
Susan Gunelius Write Book About the Harry Potter Phenomenon
Susan Gunelius: Exploring the Harry Potter Phenomenon (An Interview)
Susan Gunelius: A …read more

HomeBizNotes.com

For more than a decade, since I met Kathleen (Katy) Walls, I’ve seen her move from author to self-publisher to forming a publishing business, Global Authors Publications (GAP).  I thought some suggestions from Katy would help writers understand the publishing business from the perspective of an author/publisher. 
Katy founded GAP in 2004 to publish her books from her Florida home.  She has written the popular books:  Georgia’s Ghostly Getaways, Finding  Florida’s Phantoms, Last Step, Man Hunt- The Eric Rudolph Story, Kudzu, Tax Sale Tactics, and Hosts With Ghosts: Haunted Historic Hotels in the Southeast.
She is currently at work on a series of books about natural …read more

HomeBizNotes.com
I’m featuring a drawing/giveaway (in conjunction with the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival) for a copy of my self-published children’s anthology,Tales of Adventure & Discovery, described in the post, Mary Emma Allen Publishes a Children’s Anthology .It contains fun stories for youngsters, ages approximately 6-10. I also illustrated the anthology.
Authors (generally considered home business owners) may find ideas in it to use for a book project they’re considering publishing. Parents and children like the stories. Teachers also use this book in their classroom, and I include it when giving author presentations and teaching writing workshops for children and adults.
The second part to …read more

HomeBizNotes.com
When I mentioned, in a previous post, that I’ve been involved in self-publishing, Anne Wayman, of A Golden Pencil, asked me to share my experiences about MEA Productiions.
Here is a brief overview and I’ll go into detail about each in future posts.
Manuals – My first self-publishing venture consisted of manuals to accompany (or purchase separately) the writing workshops I taught at conferences and the local university. I made outline hand-outs of my 3-hour workshops (which later I turned into online classes), but soon found students wanted something more extensive and would pay for them.
So I printed …read more

HomeBizNotes.com  
My love of children’s and young adult books, as well as writing stories for young people, has flowed over to One Book Two Book, a blog for book lovers and readers at here at b5media. As a children’s author, I find writing this blog with Karen Weideman very fulfilling. 
This also is a way to find another niche for my love of writing for children and encouraging them to read and write.  It’s also a way to become better known in the field of children’s writing and entertaining.
Authors need continually to be aware of ways to expand their talents, to reach more …read more