My Heritage and my Writing By Shobhan Bantwal

I was born and raised in a large, conservative Hindu family in a small town called Belgaum in Southwestern India. I was the black sheep of the family, the only tomboy and hellion in a family of five girls. My four sisters were angels—good little Brahmin girls with the perfect mix of academic achievement, modesty and deportment. Needless to say, I single-handedly gave my parents every gray hair they possessed, but they were wonderful parents and to a large degree I owe everything I am today to them. The most valuable things they gave me were an outstanding education and the love of reading.

An arranged marriage to a man who happened to live in the U.S. brought me to New Jersey several years ago.

My Indian heritage became the natural basis for my writing. As an Indian-American woman, I straddle two distinctly different cultures, both equally rich, both with their share of woes and quirks, yet both equally intriguing.

When I started to write, I decided to base my first story in India, and use my hometown as the backdrop. I gave it a fictitious name so as not to offend its denizens, but I had a perfect town with all its gossip and conservatism and color and sharp contrasts to draw upon for my stories. My characters are not based on any real people, but I could easily picture them living in my hometown, doing the things I did when I was growing. Even the convent, which my protagonist in my second book uses as a safe haven, is fashioned after the parochial school I attended as a young girl.

THE DOWRY BRIDE, my first book, was released by Kensington Publishing in September 2007. THE FORBIDDEN DAUGHTER, released in September 2008, is my second book and the one I am touring to promote at the moment. Information about my books and other writing is available on my website: www.shobhanbantwal.com

For more information about Shobhan Bantwal’s virtual tour, visit – http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/09/forbidden-daughter-by-shobhan-bantwal.html

The Forbidden Daughter can be ordered at: http://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Daughter-Shobhan-Bantwal/dp/0758220308

Green Stone of Healing Book Three by Candace Talmadge

Tell us the book title and your author name.

Title: Green Stone of Healing(R) epic fantasy series.

The initial books are:

The Scorpions Strike, Book Three

Fallout, Book Two

The Vision, Book One

Author name: C.L. Talmadge

What inspired the series?

I read Lord of the Rings at age 12, and always wanted more active female characters in the story. I read a lot of science fiction and fantasy in those days, and was frustrated that the protagonists were almost always male. If they appeared at all, females played marginal roles at best.

During the summer of 1967, when I was 13, I started day-dreaming about a heroine who had healing abilities and was in love with a prince whose father, the ruler of their country, was trying to have him killed. I soon realized that the story really started with the heroine's grandmother. I spent my teens and twenties trying to sort out all of the details, never getting more than bits and pieces.

In my early thirties, I awoke to my own spirituality and past lives. My guides informed me that two of the heroines in my series were people I had been in two of my past lives. I spent my mid thirties through early forties focusing on my own healing and self-growth, still thinking about my characters.

After a lot of self-healing, I woke up one July morning in 1998 at age 44 and realized I could finally write the books because I finally had all the information I needed. It dropped into my awareness like that proverbial cartload of bricks. By the end of 1999, I had rough drafts of the first two books.

What makes this series special to you?

It plays a major role in my life's purpose-to awaken to my own spirituality and to inspire others to awaken to theirs. Recalling my past life as the first-generation heroine helped accelerate my spiritual growth and has helped people I am close to as well.

What makes these books a book that other people MUST read and WHY?

This series recounts what happens when politics and piety collide. The powerful, wealthy island nation I write about is a theocracy, and priests who want to take total control of the country end up destroying it instead. We see a lot of violence fueled by religious fanaticism in our world today-even in the United States--and my series is a sharp reminder of the dangers inherent in giving state sanction to any religion or faith.

What people NEED to read this book and WHY?

People who want to know more about the relationship between healing, spirituality, and love need to read this series. That relationship is one of the books' main themes. Although the story at times is tragic and painful, ultimately it shows how love, healing, and spirituality prevail even in the face of tragedy and suffering.

What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity?

Spirituality and creativity are very much interrelated. We are created in the image of a creator, so creativity is one of our spiritual birthrights. The more consciously aware I became of my own spirituality and how to live in it on a daily basis, the easier it was to tap my own creativity. Exploring my own past lives was also excellent grist for character development.

What has been the biggest stumbling block in your writing? Can you share some tips to help others get past similar problems?

Over-analyzing and simply not being emotionally and spiritually prepared to write this multigenerational saga were my biggest stumbling blocks. Not knowing my characters was also holding me back. I believe that the storyline and action arise out of who the characters are, so get to know the heroines/heroes and villains on an intimate level, and then let them be who they are on the pages. The story begins to write itself at that point.

What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?

I cannot speak to what motivates others to become writers. Writing seemed to be the only marketable skill I possessed as a young adult entering the workforce. On top of that, I had this urgency to write a story that has become an epic fantasy series. I cannot imagine doing any other thing with my writing talent.

Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books.

My attempts at book promotion are fairly standard.

FICTION - If there is a setting, tell us how you decided on that setting and what you did to create a complete and vivid setting for your readers?

I didn't really decide on the setting, which is an island nation the size of a continent called Azgard. It is an element of the story. What I did to make it real and vivid was simply to remember the setting the way I experienced it in the life I lived as my first-generation heroine. It seemed very real to me then and it still does now. There is a map of the island at this URL: http://www.greenstoneofhealing.com/fallen_civilization.shtml

FICTION - What inspires you about the hero or heroine in your book? What makes them memorable for the reader? What motivates the hero and/or heroine? You can include information about both if you want.

The first-generation heroine of my series, Helen Andros, wants very much to make the world a better place by alleviating suffering. That is what motivates her to struggle against enormous odds to complete her education and training as a physician. But Helen is also wounded and vulnerable. She takes the prejudice of her society against half-breeds to heart and thus believes herself to be unworthy and unlovable. Her feelings of worthlessness condemn her to victimize herself and to dismiss the love that she might have allowed in her life had she felt herself worthy of it.

FICTION - Is there a villain or something that causes friction in your story? Tell us about what or who it is and how that contributes to the story. Any details about conflict and friction is good information to know.

Much of the conflict in the early books arises out of the pain and fears on both sides that keep Helen and her newly found parent fighting with each other instead of reconciling and getting to know one another. They love each other but find it hard to bridge a chasm of hurt and distrust.

There are also multiple villains in my series. Some are open about it, while others masquerade as allies. The conflict in my series is intra-personal, interpersonal, between political factions within Azgard, and between nations. The series tries to show how all these levels of conflict are interrelated and simply mirror conflict that is within each being.

If there's anything else you would like to share, this is the time and place.There is a rather large cast of characters in my series, so don't forget to check out the glossary at the back of each book. It gives some background on people, places, and things in the story. There is also more background on the series website.

Thank you for visiting with me and in closing, give us your website address and a link to order your book.

Series website: http://www.greenstoneofhealing.com/

Book buying links:eBooks: http://www.healingstonebooks.com/

Paperbacks:The Scorpions Strike-Green Stone of Healing(R) Series, Book Three http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9780980053753

Fallout-Green Stone of Healing(R) Series, Book Two http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9780980053746

The Vision-Green Stone of Healing(R) Series, Book One

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9780980053739

Lillian Brummet Talks About Her Book Promotion

Your Name: Lillian A. Brummet

Where you are from and where are you now?

Lillian: Originally, I am from California (USA) – However my family moved often so I’ve also grown up in Nevada (USA) and BC (Canada). I even worked up north in the Artic circle for a half a year when I was 18. Now, at 38 years of age, I reside in a sleepy little city of 6,000 in the South-Western area of BC with my husband, Dave - whom I've been with for 18 years. BC is the western most province of Canada and sits above the US states of Washington and Idaho.

How did you get started writing?

Lillian: I have always written for pleasure and as a healing tool, but I began writing as a career in 1999 with the column Trash Talk. I wanted to leave a lasting, positive legacy behind and felt that writing was the tool for me to do this. This continues to be the drive behind my various passions and endeavors.

What do you do when you are not writing?

Lillian: Dave and I purchased our very own home, our first home, nearly 3 summer seasons ago. It was a rental for about 20 years and as such needed a lot of tender loving care, which we provide with every spare moment (and every spare dollar) we have. I am a gardener at heart and I can often be found playing in the dirt. In between these things I am a wife that juggles caring for the house and yard with a drum teaching business that my husband and I operate. Besides writing, I am also a book reviewer and a radio show host. Dave and I produce 2 radio shows, in fact, through the Blogtalk Radio Station.

What would readers like to know about you?

Lillian: Readers tend to want to know what I’ll be doing next. I just completed a cookbook project for our families and friends to enjoy in CD format. Since then, I took a bit of a break on large writing projects for a while but have plans on returning to another project that was started about 20 years ago by my mother. This is an organic gardening guide that offers harvesting tips and a planting calendar for those who are interested in organic gardening using biodynamic, intensive planting methods. I’m not sure where this project will take us, but it is something I’d like to complete and help my mother realize her dream of sharing her knowledge too. Since the release of Purple Snowflake Marketing I've written approximately 24 poems; most of these have already been published in several magazines and read live on radio many times. Just this summer, one of the poems from Towards Understanding was converted into a song by the band Grooveyard for their recently released CD: Place in Time (www.grooveyard.ca). That was a wonderful experience, for sure!

What inspired your first book?

Lillian: Ironically, it was a client from a business I used to run that inspired our first book Trash Talk. She was telling me how afraid she was of being seen taking in the returnable bottles or going to thrift stores - even only to buy Halloween costumes – since she was of the upper middle class. Yet when blue box recycling began in her neighborhood, it was a really big deal to make sure that her items were put on the curb so that she would be “seen” as participating. This got me to thinking about false pride and the importance of helping people realize that living consciously is not always about saving a buck or two, it is about the kind of legacy we want to leave behind when our time is done. So I started with an article on the subject and quickly realized that this was a column in the making - which it proved to be. Trash Talk column ran internationally in a variety of publications and was translated into Spanish and French languages between 1999 and early 2007 – when the last article of this series was written. The articles continue to be picked up and used by various publications. Anyway, as time went on Dave and I realized that this column just was not large enough to allow us to share all of the information we had – that was the spark of inspiration for the book, Trash Talk.

How many books have you written?

Four books in total, but only 3 are available for the public. We are currently looking at the potential for e-commerce on our site for the family cookbook that I completed last winter and possibly for an upcoming gardening book project as well. We haven’t decided yet.

What are the titles of your books and what genres are they?

Lillian: Ok, the other two published books are Towards Understanding and Purple Snowflake Marketing. Towards Understanding is a collection of nonfiction poems; Purple Snowflake Marketing is a guide for developing marketing plans for written pieces (books, articles, etc).

How do you decide on that topic or genre? Why are you specially qualified to write about this topic?

Lillian: Well, a writing teacher once told us that writers should focus on topics they know well or have a genuine curiosity about. So that is where we started and how we continue to work with today.

How do you manage to keep yourself focused and on track when you’re writing a book?

Lillian: A healthy dose of self-discipline! People will also find that they may have to train their family and friends so that their writing time is respected.

Do you write to make money, for the love of writing or both?

Lillian: I tend to write for the pleasure of it although it has grown to be a tool that I use to leave a positive legacy with.

What are some of the marketing techniques you have used? Which were the most successful?

Lillian: Personally I feel any opportunity to build name recognition is an opportunity not to be missed. Every day I put in at least 2-6 hours into some aspect of marketing the book. The Internet has proven to be a powerful tool where an immense amount of information can be found from newsletters, publishers, forums and authors. Every on-line communication we have is an opportunity to plug our book by simply attaching an auto signature. We developed promotional materials (flyers, mini-posters, large posters, bookmarks, and labels) and, of course, galleys and sample packages for editors and booksellers. Most importantly, we had a great website built.

Having a plan of action for every project is vital. Every project should have an outline starting from the title through to the end. There should also be a market plan laid out. Who are you marketing to? How you are going about it? What will you do first? These are the most important tools of a writer.

Most people think of a writing career being one where you have lots of leisure time and creating with words. On the contrary, most of the time is spent marketing and organizing projects. For instance, we might write an article and query it to a market. That market may take a few days to get back to us, but it may also be as long as a year before we hear from them. In the meantime, that article is idle and we do not get paid until after it is published - often several weeks after it is published. Therefore, a writer must have many pieces of their work at various stages of writing and marketing at one time. They need to know where each piece is and its status, at a glance. We use the Excel program to take care of this.

The market plan that we use for our books will take us years to complete and is constantly being amended with new information, new contacts to broach. That is normal, actually. A writer must spend much of their time promoting the book for years after publication in order to keep sales happening until the contract with the publisher is finished. So the more work an author has ahead of them in their marketing plan, the better. Unfortunately, promotion and writing time are unpaid hours.

What are some unique methods of marketing you have used?

Lillian: Free promotional filler articles, book review projects and media interviews are the most
effective frugal marketing tools we have found to date.

Do you sell through a website? If so, what’s the address? If not, why not?

Lillian: We don’t currently sell our books ourselves – we let those in the industry do that for us. We are already overwhelmed with marketing and writing and do not want to take on the additional headaches that come with shipping and handling, lost orders, filling orders and all the taxes and international border issues that may arise from this. We are currently considering, as I mentioned earlier today, of doing e-commerce on our site in the near future with simple “buy now” buttons. The incentive to do this soon is there because of my husband's level 1 hand drum CD and the Grooveyard CD. We are excited about looking into this, but are a little apprehensive as well, because taking on yet another project like this means committing even more time to learn new things. It will, once again, boil down to finding that healthy balance.

Where can people order your books?

Lillian: Virtually anywhere. Trash Talk and Towards Understanding are paperback books printed on 50% recycled paper and are available to order through online and traditional retailers around the world. The books are stocked in numerous library systems in the UK, Canada and the US as well. My personal favorite online retailer is Barnes & Nobles due to their exceptional prices, shipping and speed of delivery - so I do recommend that online retailer.

Purple Snowflake Marketing is currently available as an e-book and as such on can purchase it at places like:

www.twilighttimesbooks.com
www.booklocker.com
www.fictionwise.com

However, in late 2008 Purple Snowflake Marketing will be released as a second edition with 200 more resources and marketing opportunities for writers to access. I am told it will be available in both hard and soft cover format and will be accompanied with a CD so that readers can still access the convenience of live links.

What was the most successful thing you did to promote your books?

Lillian: Without a doubt the most successful thing I did was to build a strong name recognition foundation to work from. With that to work with, doors opened much more easily for us whereever we went. Without it, our marketing efforts would have been much less effective because even if people took the time to listen to or read the exposure we received; they would have had a difficult time finding us online or anywhere else.

What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity?

Lillian: Reading other people’s work is a huge inspiration to me on a creative level. I am
constantly learning from others with every word I read.

What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?

Lillian: The notoriety is probably a big draw for most people - people treat you differently when you are a published author. However the reason behind our books, articles and even our 2 radio shows as well, is to inspire others to live more conscious, proactive and positive lifestyles. In doing so we hope to create a ripple effect of good works or good deeds across the planet.

Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books.

Lillian: I really enjoy doing crafts, though I rarely have the leisure time (she laughs) and I put this to good use. I reuse breakfast cereal boxes and maps or wrapping paper and create bookmark displays for various applications. I then take these around during our travels and keep an eye out for a friendly counter or bulletin board. I found tremendous success through laundry facilities near high tourist traffic zones in town and also at a popular restaurant that has a display for maps in the front. These were very effective methods to reach those tourists coming through our small city. Because the displays are pretty and attract the eye, they are very effective. I have different styles for different applications and would consider that prior to taking a display in. For instance, if the store serves a predominately male clientele, I take in a display made from a map or wrapping paper with images of antiques. Travelers would enjoy the map design, while families and women would be more attracted to floral and ribbon decorations.

If a potential reader thinks that your book wouldn't interest them, what would you say to convince them to buy?

The answer would vary depending on the book and the targeted audience. For Trash Talk it might be “save money, reduce waste and green the planet”. For Towards Understanding it might be “an emotional journey of finding one’s self and pursuing their passion”. For Purple Snowflake Marketing, I might say “learn how to create a frugal and effective marketing plan for every piece you write”.

This interview was done in conjunction with Nikki Leigh, author of the Book Promo 101 series and owner of Promo 101 Virtual Blog Tours. For more information, visit – www.nikkileigh.com/promo.htm and www.virtualblogtour.blogspot.com

Towards Understanding by Lillian Brummet

Towards Understanding – a collection of 120 nonfiction poems (2005; Lillian Brummet)

1 - How did you get interested in the topic that’s featured in your book?
Lillian: Poetry was a healing tool for me that I used to crawl out of my own personal hell. You see, after growing up in an unstable, troubled and abusive home and never really experiencing the joy of a father, I found myself on my own when I was just under 14. I was angry, scared and determined to thrive despite it all. Poetry was key in the journey from just getting by to growing into myself, learning to move in with myself and reach some form of understanding about the past – but also about my value as an individual… the reason why I live and breathe today. So that is what Towards Understanding represents – I selected 120 poems and placed them in chronological order so readers can follow along on this journey.

2 - Tell us a bit about your background. What have you done in the past that relates to your book and that topic?
Lillian: Well, the pen and I have always had an intimate relationship. It was not necessarily taught to me by outside influences, although I did go to school like everyone else. It just seemed to be so natural to me, and I’ve always enjoyed it. Friends, who had read some of my poetry, began encouraging me to save it. So I did. Little scraps in shoeboxes under the bed. Then I began writing them out and storing them in photobooks, believe it or not… with little drawings that I had kept over the years. In the late ‘80’s, I became brave enough to enter a contest, and my writing career really began then – I suppose, though I didn’t start writing as a career until 1999.

3 - What advise would you give to someone who is interested in your topic?
Lillian: Write because your pen compels you to do so – not because you feel you should write about this or that. When your head pounds and words flow down the arm and into the pen… write, write, write. It does not matter if the item is ever published. You never know who you might influence long after you are gone because of something you wrote once. Family will have a better insight into the person you are because of the writings you do today. There are so many reasons to write, if not for your own sanity… then for the pure joy of it. Don’t worry about being educated in this or that – just do it.

4 - What do you see as the benefit to participating in groups and organizations? My first thought would be networking opportunities and the chance for personal and business growth. What are your reasons?
Lillian: The best place to reach readers now-a-days is on the Internet and this is where authors, storytellers and poets need to spend their time in both building name recognition, but also in interacting with potential readers and selling themselves first. As such, joining networking organizations is a great way to begin this journey, but it is only one step in many that writers will need to take. Too many writers find themselves chatting away in various networking sites and spending way too much time interacting online. Balance is the key.

5 - Who is the ideal person to read your book? If each person that reads this was going to recommend your book to one person, what sort of person would they want to chose?
Lillian: Towards Understanding was written to speak to those who struggle with self-identity and for the people who are trying to give them support they need to get through this stage in their life journey.

6 - What do you think ignites a person’s creativity?
Lillian: There is only one word that I can think of – Passion.

7 - What have you found to be the biggest stumbling block for people who want to start writing?
Lillian: The inner critic is the harshest barrier to overcome… that little voice that says your work is not good enough, that the story has been told before so how could anyone want to read your book?. This is the voice that says you’ll never have the courage to approach a publisher, the media, an agent, or whatever the fear is. Sometimes we write with absolutely no intention of publishing it and making it available to the public – and that is okay too. Lack of support can also be another barrier, but if we have enough passion, if we really crave this – no one’s nay-saying can keep the pen out of our hands. Others find time is their constraint; but even parents with full time jobs that have a passion for writing will set the alarm early to get their words on paper. There really is no barrier if the passion is there – except one, sometimes it is not the right time for us to do that project. We can embrace that, and make a note to come back to that project at a later date.

9 - What do you find is the biggest motivator for people to succeed? Is it money, security, desire for fame or something else?
Lillian: I think for most people their motivation is money and security, honestly. But there are a growing number of writers who write because they really do believe in the message they are trying to relay to their readers. For us, that message is that the individual truly has value, that they can make a real and measurable positive impact on the planet and their communities, and that the past can be both embraced and released.

10 - Who is the “perfect” person to read your book?
Lillian: People who want to really feel a real-life journey of survival, of breaking the chains of inner demons, finding value and purpose in life and growing towards understanding of their inner selves.

11 - Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
Lillian: I would love for your readers to visit me at: www.brummet.ca There people will find our free newsletter and blog, a long list of free resources for greening the office, the home and eco-crafts for families. They can also find more information about all the things my husband and I do, including our 3 non-fiction books and our 2 radio shows.

Lillian Brummet - Before She Was Published

Dave and Lillian met and married 17 years ago in Kelowna, BC – the southwestern province of Canada, located just North of the US State of Washington. Sadly the couple are unable to have children, but they have always had several cats and dogs that they adopt from the SPCA to continually share their home. Gardening is the Brummet’s hobby of choice and you can often find them playing in the dirt. www.brummet.ca

“I grew up in a broken home; my mother was married 4 times and 2 of those men found me too attractive, unfortunately. Sadly there were no rule books at the time to help families deal with situations like this and I found myself on my own and on the street at the age of 13 -1/2. I stayed out of the government system by working the same jobs I always had up to then, such as working for nurseries and babysitting and yard chores and the like while going to public school. Soon, though, I found out how different I was from others at school and I just didn’t fit in anymore. So I stopped going to public school for a few years. At age 15 I was caught living on my own and was taken to a foster home where I was given the option of working part time, having some independence still, but going back to school to get my grade 10. Which I did, but when I soon was on my own again by choice this time, more due to my discomfiture with family activities and bonding than anything else. At 19 I went back to school and eventually received a university level of grade 12 (meaning some of the highest available courses in maths, sciences, etc). Eventually I took several other college courses that lead to a career in the field of hospitality management in my mid-twenties. On the side, I helped run my mother’s market garden and my husbands drum teaching business. To say I was on over-achiever is not an exaggeration. I had this drive in me to not let the past be forever torturing me and holding me back.

When I was growing up, teachers often commented on my writing ability - and honestly, English was one of the few classes that kept me going to school when I was first on my own. I used poetry as a healing tool, a way to get the pain out where I could examine it. Eventually, prodding from friends lead me to enter a contest and then another and another… I never did win a grand prize, but my work did appear in five hardcover anthology books and several publications throughout North America. I also had the honor of attaining "Editor's Choice Award for outstanding Achievement in Poetry", not once – but twice. These small achievements and praises gave me some confidence in the quality of my work.

But what prompted me to write as a career began with a bad car accident – a three-car pile-up and I was in the middle. After a year of full-time physiotherapy, followed by a year of trying to get back to operating my business and continuing therapy, I realized I was never going to be able to continue that work full-time.

At that point Dave and I were feeling like our lives were going the wrong direction. I knew that with the injuries received from the car accident, I was not able to continue to run my business and having a full-time job elsewhere was not looking like a possibility due to chronic pain issues. I mean, we worked hard for our careers and to have it just taken away like that was really shocking – of course, I’m grateful for it now. At the time, however, I looked back at my life in disgust because I felt all my efforts, work, pain… it was all for nothing. No one would notice and no lasting benefit was left behind. I questioned why I survived the life I had only to have these things happen – and I questioned the value of my life. This was the trigger that helped me realize that I just couldn’t live like that any longer. Dave and I had several heart-to-heart discussions about the meaning of our lives, what was important to us and how we mean to use the time we are given. I even wrote a short poem about it:

LOCOMOTION

Locomotion keeps me moving through the confusing compulsive waves of life.
And, lost in this rush, I consume and exhaust myself for the unknown.
Feeling awfully tired, I pause - and look in at my routines in disgust.
And a desperate yearning to escape beyond the maze, and into self-sufficiency arises.

Right around this time, my husband was taking a writing course and I began taking it alongside of him. Soon, our submissions were accepted and sold and a free-lance career began, which later developed into our career as authors.

We embarked on a freelance writing career in 1998, and began publishing our column “Trash Talk” in 1999. Although we stopped writing this column at the end of 2006, it continues to be picked up by publications around the world. This column was developed into our first book Trash Talk (2004), which we soon followed up with a collection of my poetry in the book Towards Understanding (2005). Our most recent book is Purple Snowflake Marketing, which was released in 2007 – we are excited to announce that this author’s marketing plan guide will be released as a 2nd edition in late 2008 with just under 200 additional resources and information for authors to use in their promotion plan.

We also write articles dealing with gardening, yard, pets and outdoor adventures. Dave is the editor, proofreader, photographer, graphic designer, diagram and image creator and website managing half of our co-writing relationship. While I do the research, data entry (typing), office work, handle most of the marketing and interacting with publishers and media. We work very well as a team for live marketing endeavors from interviews to book events – with Dave being the speaker while I am the assistant, events go quite smoothly.”

www.brummet.ca

Winton Churchill Talks About Promoting "Email Marketing"

You have been invited to share your promotional experience with others.

Your Name: Winton Churchill

1. Where you are from and where are you now?

Originally from Miami, Florida and now a vagabond...my business interests mean that I travel quite a bit, my company is based in Los Angeles and my wife and I have a place in Huatulco, Mexico that we consider home base.

2. How did you get started writing?

I came to writing through the back door... through the door of long copy direct marketing and advertising.

3. What do you do when you are not writing?

I run a consulting business helping executives and owners of small to medium size businesses grow their business. That usually takes the form of systematizing their sales process to eliminate the chaos I see in about 80% of all businesses of this size.

4. What would readers like to know about you?

That would have to be my name...I get questions about my name every single day!... and yes, that is my real name...there is kind of a long story about my name and rather than include it here I’ll give your readers this link so they can read the full story if they have an interest: http://www.churchillmethod.com/name.html

5. What inspired your first book?

I do a lot of speaking to small business owners on the topic of growing their business. In particular, my talk about email marketing has been very popular. I got a lot of appreciation for demystifying the concepts and putting them into plain language most business owners and executives could understand. When audience members asked me if I could recommend a book on the topic, I couldn’t find one that explained this stuff in business terms for the non-technical person...so I wrote it!

6. How many books have you written?

This is my first.

8. Why are you specially qualified to write about this topic?

There are a lot of good books about email out there but the complex sales cycle gets neglected. The things that work for selling toiletries through an online catalog site are completely wrong for say an engineering consulting firm that has to build trust and credibility before their prospects buy.

I have been using email in the complex sales cycle for over 20 years...long before most of your readers even had email address. I had the good fortune to work for companies like Apple before they were a household name, and other great companies like Oracle, Sun Microsystems and Spinnaker to name a few. I am very measurement oriented and have seen thousand of testing results in thousands of marketing campaigns and I know what works in certain situations and what doesn’t.

9. How do you manage to keep yourself focused and on track when you’re writing a book?

I have my talks and seminars transcribed and do all my editing from there. I get in to a rhythm with that and it helps me maintain focus.

10. Do you write to make money, for the love of writing or both?

I wrote this book in part because it establishes me as an authority on the topic. Of the people the do the kind of work I do, not one in a thousand has written a book about it...so it definitely elevates one’s work in the eyes of the market.

The other thought I had is that there are so many people who could benefit from email marketing (and aren’t now using it effectively) that I wanted to say something to the business people beyond those who hear me speak.

12. What are some unique methods of marketing you have used? Which were the most successful?

The book is published by MorganJames Publishing and they have done a number of the traditional things like a press release and programs with the booksellers.

The blog tour is one of the most unique and most successful. I could clearly see how effective it is when, on the third day of the tour my book hit the Amazon best seller list.

13. Do you sell through a website? If so, what’s the address? If not, why not?

I sell my company’s products through my main website ( http://www.churchillmethod.com/onlinestore.html ). The book is distributed by Ingram and available at all the usual online locations including Amazon.

14. Where can people order your books?

I have a domain set up that takes you directly to the Amazon sales page:

http://www.easyemailbook.com

15. What format are your books – e-book, print, audio etc?

Today, both hardback and paperback.

16. Will you write more books?

Yes, I have one on the works with my wife. It is a book on Winston Churchill’s leadership secrets for college students.

18. What does the future hold for you and your books?

I will continue to do both consulting and writing. I find that working in the field means I can bring a different quality to the work. I find that so many authors on this topic don’t actually work in the field...they interview people that do and write from there. That is one approach but I like to bring the most current knowledge to my readers.

19. What was the most successful thing you did to promote your books?

Has to be the blog tour and that has spawned a number of other marketing opportunities.

20. What was the least successful thing you did to promote your books?

Press release...didn’t see a lot of activity from that.


22. What makes this book special to you?

I had my first email address in 1980...so I was using email a good 10-15 years before most of the people on the planet even knew what it was. I also knew how effective it could be to build relationships and trust. I am glad to be able to bring that expertise to a large audience with this book.

23. What sort of comments have you gotten about the content of the book?

Feedback has been great...the most common theme is that readers (mostly business owners or executives) say they finally see how they can use email without being branded as a spammer or marketing pest.

24. What makes this a book that other people MUST read and WHY?

Prospects want to get to know the businesses they buy from even more than in the past. Companies are starting to recognize that the quality of the LONG TERM relationships they have makes for better sales, more profit and a better run company. Email is the best tool to build, strengthen and extend that relationship. Spam is a big problem today and many have turned away from email marketing because they incorrectly confuse it with spam. As spam prevention improves email will continue to get even more effective if done right.

25. What people NEED to read this book and WHY?

Anyone who touches sales in a company must understand this medium. In our consulting practice we typically work with the CEO, VP marketing or VP sales to design and implement effective email strategies. As your competitors begin to understand and use email, they have a discernable edge over your business if you don’t have a similar program. They can reach prospects more frequently, for less money and with greater impact than you can. If they pull ahead of you it will be very difficult for you to recover that lost ground.

We also find a lot of sales executives reading this book. Their companies frequently have “glossy brochure” sent out as email campaigns that are largely ineffective. They want sales leads and to build sales relationships. By applying some of the principles in this book they can improve the speed with which they build relationships and close deals.

26. What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own
creativity?

My creativity is sparked by the challenge of helping a client take their product or service and turn it into a successful marketing campaign. We find those campaigns can run for months to years because it really speaks to their prospects in a way that their competitors don’t.

When I am wrestling with a challenge like this, I like to immerse myself in as much data as I can dredge up. I talk to customers, past clients, prospects, internal people and when I am drowning in information for a day or 2 I begin to get tiny insights about some aspect of the problem. The insights build into a solution almost the way you would put together a puzzle.

27. What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?

I think that every author (myself included) believes they have a message or insight that is not being heard.

28. Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books?

It was accidental...I was traveling to Chicago sitting in an aisle seat. I was preparing to give a talk and wanted to refer to something in my book. To make sure I quoted the information exactly as I put it in the book, I whipped out the book and started flipping through the pages to find my reference. The guy sitting on the window saw the book and asked me about it. I told him I was the author. Turns out that he owns a business and wanted my consulting advice.

29. If a potential reader thinks that your book wouldn't interest them, what would you say to convince them to buy? I'm thinking something better than "Its the greatest book ever." Give me something more specific :)

If they have any responsibility for a business this is an essential process to understand. To me this is like the early days of the telephone, automobile or electric light. Many people thought it would be a passing fad. It’s not. In fact it is looking more like the aorta of the business in 5 years...and if your aorta isn’t up to snuff your business will almost certainly perish.

30. Why does the topic of your book interest you? Why would it interest potential readers? Give us a hook to reel in new readers.

Email marketing completely changes the game. It is a nearly free way to communicate with people...that’s the good news. The bad news...if you don’t communicate well they may not give you a second chance.

If you have to form a relationship with your prospects before they buy, you have a complex sale. Most of what you know about selling won’t work in this new environment. Read this book and you clearly see how to make those changes.

For more information, visit www.churchillmethod.com. Visit www.virtualblogtour.blogspot.com for the most up to date information. His full tour schedule is posted at http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/06/winton-churchill-email-marketing-for.html. Winton Churchill is offering a wealth of free gifts for every person that purchases his book Email Marketing. Visit www.churchillmethod.com/bookbonus for full details about how to download all of these free gifts.

In Detail with Winton Churchill

The book is “Email Marketing for Complex Sales Cycles” and the sub-title is “Proven Ways to Produce a Continuous Flow of Prospects and Profits with Effective Spam-Free Email System.”

My name is Winton Churchill and yes, that is my real name...there is kind of a long story about my name and rather than include it here I’ll give your readers this link so they can read the full story if they are interested: http://www.churchillmethod.com/name.html

What inspired the book?

I do a lot of speaking to small business owners on the topic of growing their business. In particular, my talk about email marketing has been very popular. I got a lot of appreciation for demystifying the concepts and putting them into plain language most business owners and executives could understand. When audience members asked me if I could recommend a book on the topic, I couldn’t find one that explained this stuff in business terms for the non-technical person...so I wrote it!

What makes this book special to you?

I had my first email address in 1980...so I was using email a good 10-15 years before most of the people on the planet even knew what it was. I also knew how effective it could be to build relationships and trust. I am glad to be able to bring that expertise to a large audience with this book.

What makes this a book that other people MUST read and WHY?

Prospects want to get to know the businesses they buy from even more than in the past. Companies are starting to recognize that the quality of the LONG TERM relationships they have makes for better sales, more profit and a better run company. Email is the best tool to build, strengthen and extend that relationship. Spam is a big problem today and many have turned away from email marketing because they incorrectly confuse it with spam. As spam prevention improves email will continue to get even more effective if done right.

What people NEED to read this book and WHY?

Anyone who touches sales in a company must understand this medium. In our consulting practice we typically work with the CEO, VP marketing or VP sales to design and implement effective email strategies. As your competitors begin to understand and use email, they have a discernable edge over your business if you don’t have a similar program. They can reach prospects more frequently, for less money and with greater impact than you can. If they pull ahead of you it will be very difficult for you to recover that lost ground.

We also find a lot of sales executives reading this book. Their companies frequently have “glossy brochure” sent out as email campaigns that are largely ineffective. They want sales leads and to build sales relationships. By applying some of the principles in this book they can improve the speed with which they build relationships and close deals.

What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity?

My creativity is sparked by the challenge of helping a client take their product or service and turn it into a successful marketing campaign. We find those campaigns can run for months to years because it really speaks to their prospects in a way that their competitors don’t.

When I am wrestling with a challenge like this, I like to immerse myself in as much data as I can dredge up. I talk to customers, past clients, prospects, internal people and when I am drowning in information for a day or 2 I begin to get tiny insights about some aspect of the problem. The insights build into a solution almost the way you would put together a puzzle.

What has been the biggest stumbling block in your writing? Can you share some tips to help others get past similar problems?

Time is the biggest problem. I run a business. I have to deliver services pretty much every day of the week. We are creating campaigns, meeting deadlines and pushing projects through our process. It is hard to get the time to write. I started with transcripts of talks I’d given and began organizing and refining from there. It was important to me that the book has a conversational tone so the editing process leaned towards readability. The process worked well.

I would recommend any author who gets stuck from time to time exploit dictation and transcription as a great way to get the ball moving.

What I like about working from transcripts of presentations is that they already have an organizational “backbone.” The more organized your comments, the easier it is to move forward with transcripts.

What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?

I think people become authors because they recognize they have a vision or perspective to bring into the world that is better and/or different than what they have seen before.

Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books?

It was accidental...I was traveling to Chicago sitting in an aisle seat. I was preparing to give a talk and wanted to refer to something in my book. To make sure I quoted the information exactly as I put it in the book, I whipped out the book and started flipping through the pages to find my reference. The guy sitting on the window saw the book and asked me about it. I told him I was the author. Turns out that he owns a business and wanted my consulting advice.

NON FICTION - Why are you the BEST person to write this book? What in your background or in your research makes you qualified to do justice to this topic?

There are a lot of good books about email out there but the complex sales cycle gets neglected. The things that work for selling toiletries through an online catalog site are completely wrong for say an engineering consulting firm that has to build trust and credibility before their prospects buy.

I have been using email in the complex sales cycle for over 20 years...long before most of your readers even had email address. I had the good fortune to work for companies like Apple before they were a household name, and other great companies like Oracle, Sun Microsystems and Spinnaker to name a few. I am very measurement oriented and have seen thousand of testing results in thousands of marketing campaigns and I know what works in certain situations and what doesn’t.

Everybody has an opinion about what will work, but at the end of the day, the number will tell you what really works.

NON FICTION - If a potential reader thinks that your book wouldn't interest them, what would you say to convince them to buy? I'm thinking something better than "It's the greatest book ever." Give me something more specific :)

If they have any responsibility for a business this is an essential process to understand. To me this is like the early days of the telephone, automobile or electric light. Many people thought it would be a passing fad. It’s not. In fact it is looking more like the aorta of the business in 5 years... and if your aorta isn’t up to snuff your business will almost certainly perish.

NON FICTION Is there a way to tie your book topic to current events? If so, tell us about how you could do that. I have a blog to feature information and examples about tying books into current events that might be a good place for you to promote your book.

Yes, certainly the economic crisis with the stock market problems and bailout of Wall Street are top of mind. The story doesn’t get much bigger than that. As the economy reels, those without an effective, trust-based email relationship with their prospects and clients will be at a tremendous disadvantage. They will have to spend more in media that are not as effective as they once were. A bigger problem is that businesses become distrustful of new relationships during economic hard times. The organization with the trust-based email relationship has already figured out how to inform, educate and delight their prospect and client base. It is very hard competitively to catch up.

If there's anything else you would like to share, this is the time and place.

If you don’t have a list of customers, clients and prospects who appreciate the information and insight you are able to provide them, you will become increasingly irrelevant and your business will die a painful death. You can transform that possible future by getting serious about building your business on the quality and delivery of informative and educational information.

Thank you for visiting with me and in closing, give us your website address and a link to order your book.

For more information, visit www.churchillmethod.com. Visit www.virtualblogtour.blogspot.com for the most up to date information. His full tour schedule is posted at http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/06/winton-churchill-email-marketing-for.html. Winton Churchill is offering a wealth of free gifts for every person that purchases his book Email Marketing. Visit www.churchillmethod.com/bookbonus for full details about how to download all of these free gifts.

Susan Wingate Talks About Her Book Promotion

You have been invited to share your promotional experience with others.

Your Name: Susan Wingate

1. Where you are from and where are you now?

I’m from Phoenix, Arizona and now live in Washington State.

2. How did you get started writing?

My dad was a writer and I always toyed with it when I was young but then started writing seriously about 13 years ago with poetry.

3. What do you do when you are not writing?

Well, lately, I’ve been taking care of a sick kitty, Twinkle. She’s been diagnosed with lymphoma and it’s been fully on my mind. She needs subcutaneous fluids twice a day, a steroid injection twice a day, three tube-feedings and several doses of water throughout the day. She’s really ill and I’m holding out on the hope that we can get her well enough to go through a series of chemo-therapy. But, we’ll see.

When I’m not busy with her, I read and clean and do the things most people do when they’re off work.

4. What would readers like to know about you?

I’m an avid fan of animals.

5. What inspired your first book?

My first book was inspired by an argument with my first husband. I was driving a motor home nearly 1,900 miles en route to where I live today and developed the story line over the time I spent on the road.

6. How many books have you written?

I’ve written four total – one short story compilation and three novels.

7. What are the titles of your books and what genres are they?

“Ravings of a Mad Gentlewoman: A Bold Collection of Writing” is the title of my short story compilation.

“Of the Law” is my first novel and it’s a murder mystery with a strong female antagonist.

“Bobby’s Diner” is my second novel (which has just been released) and it falls into the women’s fiction genre.

“The Last Maharajan” is my third novel and I’m currently shopping it around to publishers and agents.

8. How do you decide on that topic or genre? Why are you specially qualified to write about this topic?

Well, for “Of the Law” I had to do a ton of research. I have a stack of reading material about four feet high for the research – books and information I pulled off of the internet. It prepared me to handle the details of forensics and crime scene investigation. That was a blast. Plus, I met some pretty high level people from the FBI and interviewed them.

For “Bobby’s Diner” and “The Last Maharajan” my credentials (that make me specially qualified) are that I’m a woman. I think I know a thing or two about being a woman, a married woman at that and one who has been through the crushing experience of a divorce.

As for how I decide on a genre, well, usually ideas come bubbling up to the surface and if one feels enticing, then I write about it. But, lately, I’m finding I enjoy writing about women in conflict, especially conflict between mothers and daughters. In fact, I’m beginning a memoir that is interwoven through a fiction story.

9. How do you manage to keep yourself focused and on track when you’re writing a book?

I’ve been writing full-time since February of 2004. That’s when I quit my day job! At first, I bounced around from one thing to the other – from working at the computer to cleaning toilets. Really! I cleaned a lot after I quit my day job – cooked too. But, after about six months I settled in.

I get up every morning, Mondays through Friday and sometimes on Saturday, and get to work.

When I’m writing a book, I edit my work from the previous day and then begin writing new work after that.

10. Do you write to make money, for the love of writing or both?

Well, at first it was all about the burning need to get an idea onto paper. Thirteen years ago I never imagined I’d be writing for a living but here we are. So, things changed for me. I went from not making money with my writing to making money with my writing. But, the one constant has been that burning desire to write. I don’t foresee that ever changing.

11. What are some traditional methods of marketing you have used? Which were the most successful?

Well, I use press releases when anything wonderful happens in my career and I’ve advertised. The press releases are far more successful and cost nothing to nothing much, whereas, advertising is expensive and the dollars spent usually produce nothing much. Also, hiring a publicist (like you, Nikki) is always money well spent. Publicists know markets and the people who make decisions to get your book out. I ALWAYS feel the money spent was worth every dollar when I’ve used publicists.

12. What are some unique methods of marketing you have used? Which were the most successful?

Well, I guess because of the newness of internet marketing I can consider it unique but that’s changing rapidly.

13. Do you sell through a website? If so, what’s the address? If not, why not?

Yes, I have my books available through websites. A reader can buy my first two books through my website, www.susanwingate.com, and my blog, www.susanwingate.blogspot.com, and through Amazon.com. “Bobby’s Diner” is available through the publisher, ebooksonthe.net and also Amazon.com, FictionWise.com and Mobipocket.com. But, there’s a link through my website and blog to get to all of my books.

14. Where can people order your books?

Well, darn, I answered this question too soon!

15. What format are your books – e-book, print, audio etc?

“Ravings” is in print and “Of the Law” is print and ebook. “Bobby’s Diner” has been released in ebook and is expected to go into print later in 2009.

16. Will you write more books?

Of course! It’s my passion.

17. What do you have in the works now?

Right now, I’m working on two books and two screenplays.

18. What does the future hold for you and your books?

Well, I believe it holds the brightest of futures. Everyday my books get in front of more readers. That’s the most rewarding part of what I do.

19. What was the most successful thing you did to promote your books?

Hire Nikki Leigh – oh, wait, that’s you! But, seriously, I feel this is the most successful method of marketing.

20. What was the least successful thing you did to promote your books?

Do the publicity on my own.

21. Tell us about your most recent book.

“Bobby’s Diner” is my latest release and it’s a story of a women in search of what she hopes to find, family and home.

22. What makes this book special to you?

Other than the fact that I wrote it? Well, it’s special because the characters really grabbed hold of me while I was writing it. Plus, I’ve pitted two really good characters against each other. Neither one is what I would call a traditional antagonist.

23. What sort of comments have you gotten about the content of the book?

My ex-husband told me he got teary reading it. That’s good, I thought. Someone else told me that it felt a bit like Flagg’s “Fried Green Tomatoes.” That’s good too.

24. What makes this a book that other people MUST read and WHY?

It’s a story of growth and tolerance which, when I read the news, seems sadly lacking these days.

25. What people NEED to read this book and WHY?

Women. Any woman who has been through the break-up of a love relationship. Any woman who has lost a husband whether through divorce or death.

26. What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own
creativity?

When I’m involved in a story I like to flex my creative muscles by writing a few poems before beginning my prose. Writing poetry helps me cement ideas with specific words and phrases. Once I feel my creative juices have been properly stimulated, I begin working on my story du jour.

But, when I feel like I want to stand away from my computer and look at it from a distance, I’ll take my dogs for a walk on the beach. It gets me out of my head. It frees my flow and plus it’s good for me and makes my boys happy.

27. What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?

I think people write because they need something to say, to communicate something. And, I also wonder if putting pen to paper and then reading what you’ve written doesn’t feed itself a little. Once I read something I’ve written I want to write more and more and more. It’s an addiction.

The industry came along with the writing for me, quite frankly. If I’d been involved in the industry first, the business side of writing, I’m not sure I would’ve become a writer.

28. Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books?

Once I wanted to teach a workshop at a writing conference and part of doing so was to list all the books I’d written. Well, at the time, I hadn’t a single one. So, I made one up. I self-published my collection, “Ravings,” and sent off my title before the conference. When I showed up to teach I had a box-full!

29. If a potential reader thinks that your book wouldn't interest them, what would you say to convince them to buy? I'm thinking something better than "Its the greatest book ever." Give me something more specific :)

You don’t think sex and violence is interesting? And, if they don’t like that:

You don’t think family conflict is interesting? I’d really have to know the person before I tried to sway them, one way or the other. But, honestly, “Bobby’s Diner” is just one darn good read. I think they’d be missing out if they didn’t read my book.

30. Why does the topic of your book interest you? Why would it interest potential readers? Give us a hook to reel in new readers.

The topic is grounded in family unrest and conflict. To me that’s interesting. And, anyone who has grown up in a family (what?) probably feels a bit like spying on someone else’s troubles.

Okay, here’s a hook:

“Bobby’s Diner” is a story of a woman trying to find herself in a town where nobody wants her. Georgette Carlisle, twenty-five when she saunters into the rustic town of Sunnydale, Arizona, snags husband, Bobby, away from another woman, Vanessa Carlisle. After he dies - fifteen years later when the story begins - he leaves his restaurant called Bobby's Diner to both women. But, that's not the only problem. Bobby's Diner, situated on an attractive highway corridor property, is slated as the next boutique tourist site and sits smack in way of Zach Pinzer's dreams and future with Chariot International Incorporated, a large developer headquartered in Phoenix. Even after Zach arranges to destroy their property and fatally wounds their beloved busboy and gardener, he nearly kills Roberta, Vanessa's daughter. Georgette and Vanessa hold fast to the only thing they have, each other, and they fight. Georgette's story tells a tale of life, love, death, grief, pain, loneliness, and redemption. And, she finds her true family with the most unexpected people.

Thank you, Nikki, for this very thorough interview. Your questions were sometimes difficult but always well-thought out. Sincerely, Susan Wingate.

For more information -

Website Address: http://www.susanwingate.com

Primary Blog Address: www.susanwingate.blogspot.com

Ebook can be ordered at: www.ebooksonthe.net/catalog/eBooks_Catalog_NewBooks2.html

For more information about Susan Wingate’s virtual book tour and her full schedule at http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/08/bobbys-diner-by-susan-wingate.html