Think Of The Kids For One More Day

Some things should be off limits, even for aggressive marketers and publicists. For one more day, the media should not be pitched anything but experts and resources related to how we can decrease the level of gun violence in America. That is the only thing on people’s minds – or should be.

After September 11 no one was pitching diet and romance books to the media. Nor was anyone pitching books on business, sports, or gardening. The same was rightfully true immediately after Hurricane Sandy. And now the Newtown shooting massacre is another exceptional event that demands we stop, look, and listen.

No one should be discussing holiday books when we mourn the 27 killed – 20 of them young children. No one should just go back to business as normal.  Time should stop and the world should be put on a different course, one that may finally move us away from the excessive, senseless violence that plagues our country.

None of this is new. We have had numerous mass shootings in recent months and years. Each and every day we lose 32 people to gun deaths. But we need new reactions and new actions, otherwise we have allowed death and loss on a mass scale to become the new normal.

I don’t accept it. You shouldn’t either.

It is a national disgrace that out Congress and White House is bought and paid for by the NRA. It is already embarrassing and frustrating that lobbying groups dictate laws and policy on taxes, healthcare, and other key issues, but it is a nuclear meltdown to let a group like the NRA stand between reasonable gun laws and a civilized society. Many believe Americans have a right to own firearms, whether for sport or for protecting their homes from burglars or from a n oppressive government. But it’s one thing to support such a right and another to abuse it.

All rights have limits, exceptions and extenuating circumstances attached to them. Gun ownership comes with responsibility and reasonable limits. Here is what I think should be put on the table:

1.      Limiting the number of guns one can purchase in a certain period of time and over a lifetime. How do we justify one person owning dozens or hundreds of guns? What legal purpose does that serve?

2.      Banning guns that have rapid-fire capacity. We don’t need the equivalent of a machine gun to go hunting or to protect one’s home from vandals.

3.      Limiting number of bullets per a clip or magazine. Many mass shooters have to pause to reload at some point. Shouldn’t we make it harder for them to shoot off 50 rounds at a time before reloading?

4.      Limiting the amount of ammunition one can purchase in a given period of time. Should one person be able to stockpile thousands of bullets?

5.      Everyone must adhere to a criminal background check. Right now 40% of all gun purchases are done without a background check, thanks to loopholes such as omitting gun show purchases from the background check laws.

6.      Make it mandatory that gun owners have to undergo a psychiatric exam. If you are mentally ill or unstable, I don’t want you to own a gun.

7.      Require all gun owners to be taught gun safety, including proper gun storage.

No doubt, we cannot prevent all gun deaths, but we can reduce the number of lost lives. You can own guns, just like other things, but it needs to be under tighter control. Just as we do not allow people to own bombs, we shouldn’t allow other devices that can kill more people than bombs, to circulate so easily. Today’s gun is so explosive and destructive that we cannot just let them flow freely in the hands of the insane, the criminal, the ignorant. I cannot stomach listening to anymore irrational arguments and political cowardice.

For one more day, think of the children. And keep thinking about them. Don’t forget they died because adults don’t know how to control their toys.

Please, do something about it. Otherwise, we will just have this conversation again, and again, and again, and the body count will just climb. Over the next four years we will lose roughly the same total number of people we lost in all of the Vietnam War and Afghanistan War combined – to gun violence in America. I think we can do better – and no one will lose their “right” to own guns in the process.

Book Marketing & Book Publicity Tool Kit

Book Publicity & Book Marketing Tips Galore

After 520+ blog posts over the past year and a half – and after promoting and marketing books for more than two decades – I am pleased to offer you 15 blog posts that collectively act as a book publicity and book marketing tool kit. These posts contain over 300 tips, strategies and ideas for authors, book publicists, and book marketers. Please feel free to share this with others and to use the advice for your benefit. Promoting and marketing a book can be a fun and fulfilling experience but it has its challenges. I understand what you are trying to do and hope you succeed.  HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

21 Book Marketing Tips

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/21-book-marketing-tips.html

The Grassroots Way To Build A Following For Your Book

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/start-your-grass-roots-campaign-with-10.html

Going Viral: Challenges & Rewards

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/going-viral-challenges-rewards.html

What Is Your Book Marketing Attitude?

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/how-do-you-view-book-marketing.html

15 Elements For A Strong PR Campaign

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/07/15-elements-for-strong-book-publicity.html

Blueprint Of The Book Publicity Landscape

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/07/blueprint-of-book-publicity-landscape.html

Book Marketing With Social Media

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/book-marketing-with-social-media.html

20 Ways To Boost Your Website Traffic

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/boost-your-web-traffic-now-20-ways.html

37 Ways To Get Paid For Your Words

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/37-ways-to-get-paid-for-your-words.html

Creating The Perfect Press Release

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/09/creating-perfect-press-release.html

The Subject Line Is Your Pitch

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-subject-line-is-your-pitch.html

25 Tips On What The Media Wants

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/25-tips-on-what-media-really-wants.html

33 Twitter Tips, Sites & Strategies

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/33-twitter-tips-for-authors-book.html

15 Ways For Authors To Work With Book Publicists Effectively

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/how-authors-should-work-with-book.html

25 More Tips Of What The Media Wants

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/25-more-tips-on-what-media-truly-wants.html

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This blog is copyrighted material by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2012 ©

Interview With Author Jude Callirgos

Jude Calliros recently wrote an important book.

Breast Left Unsaid, published October 10th date via Amazon.com, is Jude’s 18-month memoir recounting the days when her life became a self-described "Category 5 Hurricane". Imagine it: you’re in the midst a of heart-wrenching divorce, your best friend in the whole world has just passed, both of your parents are ill, and then the final bomb gets dropped – “You’ve got cancer.”

In Jude’s typical brash and unapologetic manner, she picked herself up from her bootstraps (after yelling, generally despairing and breaking things), and embarks on a life-altering journey.

“I didn’t know it at the time, but while I was living through this really abysmal period of my life, Breast Left Unsaid was writing itself,” Jude shares. "I felt like I was on this mission to move others past the awareness of this disease and understand in real terms how our lives are impacted. I guess my main motivation now, because I'm still battling breast cancer, is to hopefully make the struggle that anyone is going through; whether its cancer or whatever enormous crisis is invading your life - a little easier to reconcile. As cliché as it sounds, it helps to know that you’re not alone; that even when things seem their bleakest – they can get better. If I can offer hope - or with any luck, a laugh to even just one person dealing with this mess – I’ll be satisfied."

Here is an interview with her:

1.      Was writing the book a cathartic process to help you come to terms with being diagnosed with breast cancer? I love to write but am much more productive when I feel a personal need to create order out of chaos, so I can't think of a time in my life when writing has helped me more. The book begins when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, but comes on the heels of several other personal catastrophes: both of my parents were ill, I was in the middle of a divorce, and my best friend had recently died. This was an unprecedented period of turmoil in my life, so writing became a constant refuge, especially when I could expose humor in the cruel absurdity of it all. I have an odd and sometimes inappropriate coping mechanism of mining humor out of dark situations, so “Breast Left Unsaid” steers through some tough corners with a mixture of raw, honest emotion, uncensored observations and surprising laughs.

In truth, I didn't write during this period with the intention of writing a book; that idea surfaced after the realization that I had lived through something that (in hindsight) was a compelling story. I honestly had no clear perspective while it was happening. It also became more of a mission to complete the book when I received feedback that it had potential to help others.

Writing is always cathartic to a degree, but it's not what helped me eventually accept my diagnosis. My family and friends can take credit for that.

2.      What advice do you have for anyone who may be going through a tough time once diagnosed with a deadly disease? Allow yourself ample time to be miserable, angry, sad and pitiful. Just don't let that become the norm; it has to pass so you can, as Van Morrison says, “get the healing done.” The best way to move ahead and take control of the chaos is to become an expert in your disease and healthcare. Don't leave it to your doctors or your partner or anyone else; it's your new job, so research and actively network with others experiencing the same health issues because it will give you insight and much needed perspective. If you don't like a doctor because they make you feel worse and not better - find another doctor. If people around you are driving you crazy and not giving what you need - tell them what you need or find new people. Build your back-up team because you will need support and guidance and someone to make you laugh out loud on dark days. Nurture these relationships and stand guard over them.

Remember the hot mess you were when you were first diagnosed and realize how far you've come. Regardless of your prognosis or new limitations, there is always a measure of life to be lived so make the most of it. Tell your loved ones what you hold in your heart and forgive them when it’s harder on them than it is on you.

3.      What parts were the most difficult to write about? The sections that included my father (who was suffering from Lewy Body Dementia) and the four months of chemotherapy, or as I call it in the book, “The Dark Arts Medicine Show.” Chemo is just a legal form of torture in my opinion, so having to read back through my notes from that time and piece it all back together was like sticking the needle in my arm every morning before sitting down to write. I would stare at the computer and just put my head down on the desk and cry. It's amazing what your sense memory can do to you. I would like to never have to do that again.

4.      How do you see life differently as a result of this experience?  Unfortunately, this experience is not over. I am still battling breast cancer and it has framed my view of life in a way that is difficult to articulate without sounding cliché. Suffice it to say that when the universe sends you a message that your once awesome body has betrayed you and is making every effort to shorten your life, it requires a much more strategic approach to making peace with the world around you. My worst fear greets me every morning when I wake up so it’s impossible to stress over anything other than the safety of my loved ones and doctor appointments. Everything else is a big, shiny, bonus.

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This blog is copyrighted material by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2012 ©

No Chainsaw Massacre Here

My dad always taught me “safety first” to the point I only did things that were safe.  That meant I didn’t grow up around power tools, building anything or fixing anything.  I may have missed out but I have longevity on my side.  Maybe by now I would have fallen to a terrible accident involving a piece of machinery or equipment if only I’d had the opportunity to use any.

But the other day I had the opportunity to use a power saw.  I borrowed my neighbor’s tool to help clean up heavy tree branches that walloped my backyard and side of the house (thanks, Hurricane Sandy).  These limbs weigh more than I do.   I couldn’t just toss them in the garbage.  They needed to be cut into pieces.

My hand-held ax and pruner weren’t up to the job.  Neither was a manual saw.  I needed to bring in the big guns.  I found using it rewarding, exhilarating, and fun.  I felt proud of learning a new trick, one that saved me some money in the process.

I wore gloves and goggles and heeded the tips for using it safely from my neighbor.  I was a cutting machine.  I even scored some points showing off for my wife.

The experience opened me up into wanting to take on new challenges.  Would I rewire the house, do drywall, and build a deck?  Probably not, but maybe I could do things I never pictured myself doing, whatever those things may be.

I at least proved to myself that I can overcome what is really just a mental barrier.  Where a fear for safety guided me in the past, I want to instead be inspired to take a calculated risk to pursue what’s a little less familiar or common to me.

Today I conquered a chainsaw.  Tomorrow, who knows?  Who really knows?

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This blog is copyrighted material by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2012 ©

Great Media Pitch. Now Improve It!

Getting the news media to pay attention to you can depend on no less than a dozen factors – from contacting the right person at the right media outlet, to timing, newsworthiness, popularity of the topic, credentials of the spokesperson, the needs and desires of the media, etc.  But one thing that needs to fall into place in order to register some media exposure is a catchy pitch.

A pitch can be a 15-second verbal explosion out of your mouth.  It can be a targeted e-mail.  It can be a press release.  Whatever form it’s in, it has to spark an idea, generate curiosity, and come off as intriguing.  Saying what others say won’t separate you from the masses.  You will need to generate a phrase or a word that makes them think, feel, laugh, or question things.

It may need to be sarcastic or declarative or outrageous.  It shall need to tie into something big, famous, or important.  It should feel like news even when it’s not. And it must sound timely and immediate – the media likes to have a deadline to beat.  Above all, the pitch has to pique their curiosity enough to ask for more information and a copy of your book.  You just need to hook them in -- and then you can close the deal.

So what will impress the media?  Different things will impress different people.  One reporter may want an entertainment angle, while one needs a health theme to the story.  Some people and books could very well appeal to multiple types of media beats.

Whatever you come up with, keep trying. Once you hear something that sounds edgy, look to build on it.  The pitch may come to you quickly but it still may need to be played with.  The substitution, addition, or deletion of even a single word can make all the difference in how the media receives you.

First, determine the tone – will you use deeply serious, confrontational, demanding, questioning, or other?

Second, decide if you lead with credentials or the subject – “bestselling author Joe blow says blah,blah” or “Economy may rise by double-digits in 2016, says professor Joe Blow in a new book.”

Third, if you use humor, how outrageous will you be?  How will you know that people understand the wit?

Fourth, determine the length of the pitch-- shorter is better.

Fifth, which words can be changed so as to give the pitch a certain feel – perhaps an intellectual voice works or maybe go for athlete speak or perhaps it’s the voice of the victim or that of the small businessman.  Determine how you shall be seen.

Sixth, think about how to tune your pitch to the news cycle of the day/week, calendar events, or stuff that is in the news now.

Lastly, whatever pitch you have, see if you can tweak it and make it better.  You are competing not just with yourself – but the pitches of millions of others.

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. All material is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2012.

Print Book Sales Rise, Sort Of

The number of printed books year-to-date vs. a year ago is down 11% across the board, but one area was showing growth: juvenile nonfiction, which showed an uptick of 4% in that same period. another birght spot: board books (fior infants/toddlers) rose 2%. Adult nonfiction declined by 15%, adult fiction by 13% and juvenile fiction decreased by just 3%.  No doubt, with a new holiday season of ebook reading device purchases, the number of print books sold will likely experience another double-digit decline in 2013. Still, even with the increasing popularity of ebooks, some 482,000,000 printed books were sold this past year, according to Nielsen Bookscan, which doesn’t necessarily include a lot of sales, such as those conducted by authors at events or their Web sites.

Interview With Best-Selling Novelist Jamie Freveletti

1. What is your new book, Dead Asleep, about? Dead Asleep takes my character, Emma Caldridge, a chemist and ultra runner, to an island in the Caribbean where she searches for a mineral unique to the area. While there she meets with superstition and folklore. As a scientist she begins to unravel what's real from what's imaginary, but while she does a very real virus begins attacking the population. The island is quarantined, leaving Emma trapped with some unsavory characters and no way out.

2. What inspired you to write it? I was reading some "folklore" about ancient sailors reporting sea monster sightings, and on the heels of that a group of Japanese sailors (present day) videotaped the first sighting of a giant squid-- with 40 ft tentacles. Suddenly it was clear to me that those ancient sailors weren't lying. Imagine if a 40 ft long massive tentacle rose out of the ocean? You'd be terrified! I decided to look into other phenomenon that seem otherworldly but had an actual scientific answer. As a scientist Emma is the perfect person to unravel the mystery. This book was challenging and fascinating to write.  

3. What draws you to the thriller genre? I've always loved the genre starting from when I was a young girl reading Edgar Allen Poe. I was only 9, but I loved it! I moved on to Nancy Drew mysteries and Agatha Christie and my love for them has never died. It's great to now be able to write them. A dream come true, really.

4. You also are the new voice for Robert Ludlum's Covert One series. What are the challenges of writing for a best-selling franchise? The biggest challenge was overcoming fear! My mother introduced me to Robert Ludlum's books--I think she gave me her copy of The Matarese Circle. When the Estate contacted me I was flattered but scared to death, really. I didn't want to mess up his legacy. I spent a lot of time analyzing his style and then just went for it. I'm pleased to report that the fans have been wonderful! I enjoyed every minute of writing his characters.

5. What do you love most about being a writer of fiction? I love being able to live in my imagination for a portion of each day. It's like play to me, and it refreshes me and takes me away from any troubles or mundane problems that the real world presents. On a practical level, I love that my thirty or forty minute one way commute is gone. My current commute is from my master bedroom to the coffee pot in the kitchen. You've gotta love that!

6. Where do you see the book publishing industry heading? Ahhh, what a tough question. Everyone in the industry has this on their mind. Authors as well. I definitely see the formats reshuffling. When Borders closed a lot of shelf space was lost. Add to that the convenience of E-readers and it seems to point in the direction of electronic books, but I think it will settle out at a mixture print and electronic books. I have children that are avid readers and when they're not streaming movies on their computer, watching YouTube or interacting on Facebook they read actual books. I've asked them if they'd like an e-reader, but they've declined, saying that they spend all day on the computer and prefer a book to relax. Since they are the next generation, I think that's instructive. I don't think print will die, as some are predicting, but I'm no fortune-teller either. We'll see what the next year brings!

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. Please note that Jamie’s newest book was promoted by my employer. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This blog is copyrighted material by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2012 ©

Marketing Books Successfully By Phone

Some book publicists and marketers operate almost exclusively by email, social media, and texting.  Many consumers and members of the media prefer it that way.  But there’s still a place for good ol’ fashioned phone calls and because some people use the phone far less often than a decade ago, any phone call seems to stick out with far more greater impact.

So what are the keys to good phone etiquette?

1. Keep it short  - no one has time for you to blab on.

2. Only call people that you cannot seem to reach any other way and are too important/valuable not to call.

3. Don’t bother leaving a message; instead, try again at another time or on another day.

4. Be a polite caller and a good listener.  No one wants a call that comes on with blatant selling.

5. If you get through to the person you want, don’t ever put them on hold.

6. Use the call to get their attention for your emails or letters and leave the details in your correspondence.

7. Give them your best pitch and then get a sense of their reaction, needs, roadblocks or desires.

8. Get the recipient to agree to an action step to click on a site, agree to receive a book, a promise to respond to an email.  It can be step one of a two-part closing process – just get them to agree to do something.

9. Use the call to hear the passion, conviction, sincerity, energy, and happiness in your voice.  Let them fall in love with your phone persona.

10. Do not hound them or call back repeatedly.  You get one shot to impress them.

How you establish rapport with someone depends on who you are calling and the subject matter but suffice to say asking how the weather is, flirting, or expressing extreme or controversial viewpoints on unrelated topics is probably not the way to leave a good impression.

Lastly, even if they can’t see you, those whom you call can sense it if you are smiling.  Always smile and talk as if someone is right in front of you.  Sometimes a friendly voice and a nice smile go a long way.

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This blog is copyrighted material by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2012 ©