I have been on several sides of this business. I began my journey working in an independent bookstore as a manager where one of my many duties was scheduling book signing events with New York Times bestselling authors and making sure everything went off without a hitch. From there I worked for a publishing company and then on to my own business.

During my time at the bookstore I had the pleasure of meeting many wonderful authors but one that sticks in my memory is Steve Hamilton, NYT bestselling author many times over. He has an extensive list of titles under his belt. Now here is someone that could have been full of himself, but instead he was down to earth and a really great person. The size of the audience was not the deciding factor on how he addresses his audience. He made each and every person that came to get a book signed feel special and appreciated. Now here is a guy that wrote great books, traveled around on his own to book signings and kept his day job, even though he didn’t need to. This is an author that has paid his dues yet continues to promote his books in the same manner as when he was not well known.

In my line of work I meet with and speak to many first time authors that don’t know what to expect from this business. When I sit down with a potential client to discuss a marketing plan that works for them there are a few things I hear over and over.

I want to be on Oprah. I only want to do book signings near my home and only if they will pay me and or guarantee sales. How do I get stores to buy my book by the case?

Everyone has a wish list and we should always strive to be our best and take our work to the next level.

You may never get on Oprah but you don’t need Oprah to be successful. Bookstores won’t pay you and they can’t guarantee an audience nor do they buy books by the case under normal circumstances. This is a one at a time kind of business but that’s okay what fun would it be if we could predict every step of our success.

So in closing please, never think you are too big to get out there and talk to people about your work. Promote your 10^th book with the same excitement you had with your 1^st. It’s not the size of the audience it’s the quality of the company. If someone is there to see you then you have touched them with your work and that is very special. In closing never stop “paying your dues” and you will always have success.

Denise

Progressive Book Marketing

http://www.progressivebookmarketing.net

http://marketyourbookwithprogressive.blogspot.com

Today we have a special treat for the online listeners. Out guest is a PK (pastor’s kid), PW (pastor’s wife), mother of six, a teacher (she homeschools), and a comedian. She wears many different hats, including that of a speaker and author. Whew! Lastly, I’d like to add that above all these things she is a child of God. She has taken the time out of her BUSY schedule to share and enlighten us. The person whom I am referring to is none other than Cheryl Moeller. Listen in as we get to find out more about her!

To learn more about what’s happening with Cheryl visit her blog Mom Laughs.

After his graduation from college Thomas Ollenburger is filled with big dreams and even bigger questions. What will he do for a job? Should he marry? Where will he call home? Torn between his Mennonite roots on the Kansas Prairie and his love for the big city of Boston, as well as his affection for a girl from each location, Thomas doesn’t know which path he is meant to take. He has always sought God’s help with his decision-making, but now it seems Heaven is staying stubbornly silent. What will Thomas choose? Will the desires of his heart lead him away from his Mennonite upbringing?

Kim Vogel Sawyer, the best selling author of Waiting for Summer’s Return.

Churched details are American boys’ experiences growing up in a culture where men weren’t allowed to let their hair grow to touch their ears (“an abomination!”), women wouldn’t have been caught dead in a pair of pants (unless swimming), and the Pastor couldn’t preach a sermon without a healthy dose of hellfire and brimstone. Matthew Paul Turner grapples with the absurdity of a Sunday School Barbie burning, the passionate annual boxing match between the pastor and Satin, and the terror rapture movies – while growing into a young man who amidst the chaotic mess of religion, falls in love with Jesus.

Being Christian. What does that mean? And how do you do it?

However you answer the questions – even if the answer is “I don’t have a clue!” – you need this book. Here Steve Arterburn and John Shore tackle some simple but complex questions that just about everyone has about being Christian. And they do so using everyday language. Not churchy language. Not confusing language. Not the language of seminary professors (which they aren’t). Here you’ll find real questions like

How do I know that God loves me personally? Is there any sin that’s beyond forgiving? Will being a Christian help me get rid of my bad habits? Why are there so many Christian denominations? Should I join a bible study group?

Go ahead. Take a look inside the book. Read the answer to a question or two. See how Steve and John write like people talk, like you might talk with friends over lunch. In fact, after you read the book, you’ll probably want to talk about it with some friends, because just about everyone you know has some of the same questions about being Christian.

Stephen Arterburn is founder and chairman of New Life Miniseries – the nation’s largest faith based broadcast, counseling, and treatment ministry – and host of the nationally syndicated New Life Live daily radio program. A nationally known speaker, he has been featured in the New York Times, US News and World Report, Rolling Stone, and many other media outlets.

John Shore is the author of I’m OK – You’re Not: The Message We’re Sending Nonbelievers and Why We Should Stop and Penguins, Pain and the Whole Shebang. He is co-author (with Richard Lederer) of Comma Sense and co-author of Midlife Mannual for Men, he also blogs on Crosswalk.com.

Somethings you just know without being told, like…

You past the math final (or you didn’t).

Your boyfriend isn’t into you and wants to break up.

You’re the “new girl” and your junior year is going to be utterly miserable.

Lissa Mansfield is used to being in the “in crowd” – but being accepted by the popular girls at Posh Spencer Academy boarding school in San Francisco is a lot harder than she thought. And then there’s her New York loudmouth roommate, Gillian Chang, who’s not happy just to be a Christian herself – she’s determined to out Lissa too. If Lissa can just keep her faith under wraps long enough to hook Callum McCloud, the hottest guy in school she’ll be golden.

But when Callum pressures her to go all the way with him, Lissa has to decide how far is too far. How can she see that line when he’s so gorgeous and popular and God seems so far away? Between that and shopping for a knockout dress and booking the hottest celeb for the Benefactors’ Day Ball…who knew finding a place at Spencer Academy would be so complicated?

Shelley Adina is a world traveler and pop-culture geek with an incurable addiction to designer handbags. Between books, Shelly loves traveling, listening to and making music, and watching all kinds of movies.

Meet The Miracle Girls of Half Moon Bay…

They make look ordinary, but each one is living out her second chance at life.

Too bad it’s their last chance at surviving high school!

Ana Dominguez was happy in San Jose, but everything changed when her dad moved the family to Half Moon Bay, California, to open a law practice. Her parents think she’s setting into her new school nicely, but she has them fooled. Riley, the most popular girl in school, has picked Ana enemy #1, and Tyler, Ana’s crush, doesn’t even know Ana exists.

When Ana ends up in detention with Riley and two other classmates – Christine and Zoe – the girls discover they have more in common than they ever would have imagined. Now as Ana lives out her faith, she and Zoe are determined to befriend Riley and Christine. But the drama of high school life has only just begun…

Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt are co-authors of several chick-lit novels, including Emily Ever After and Consider Lily.

Everyone wants to make a difference in the world, but most have no idea how to maximize their impact. In The Encore Effect, best-selling author and leadership expert Mark Sanborn provides the answer. He leads readers in six practices that will move them beyond excellence to distinction and from mundane to memorable. These principles guide readers to draw on their passion and devote themselves to preparation, practice, presentation, polishing, and finally, avoiding pitfalls. When readers follow these principles they will find that people are attracted to them. More importantly, they’ll find that they now have an influence over others that can impact lives for eternity.

By following the six principles of The Encore Effect, readers can:

Deliver a remarkable performance in everything they do.

Elevate the performance of the people they lead and influence.

Extend and deepen the impact they have on others—even for eternity.

Author Bio: Mark Sanborn is the best-selling author of The Fred Factor and You Don’t Need a Title to Be a Leader. An internationally acclaimed motivational speaker, Sanborn is president of Sanborn & Associates, Inc., an idea studio for leadership development. Having served as president of two national organizations, he regularly keynotes meetings in the United States and abroad—speaking on leadership, team building, customer service, and mastering change. He and his family live near Denver, Colorado.

I had the privilege of interviewing Patti S. Webster this morning. She’s funny, down to earth, funny, caring…did I mention FUNNY! Get ready to laugh ladies and gentlemen because not only are the stories in this book hilarious but they are also true – which makes it that much more comical.

As you listen in to the interview you’ll find out that there is so much more to Webster than just jokes and laughs. Find out how she gives back to others, in more ways than one.

Hey everyone! Books A Latte was able to snag a second interview with Megan DiMaria. Her second novel is the continuing story of Serching for Spice, and in this sequel Linda Revere is losing control.

Listen in as we chit-chat about adult children, in which Megan was able to provide me with some great advice since I have yet to cross that bridge. ; )