Promotional Interview with Karen Leland - Author of Time Management in an Instant: 60 Ways to Make the Most of Your Day (Special Event July 20--24th)

Tell us the book title and your author name.

Time Management In An Instant: 60 Ways to Make the Most of Your Day

Karen Leland and Keith Bailey

What inspired the book?

After years of leading time management classes we decided it was time to try and capture the information and put in in a place where people who could not come to our live courses could find it.

What makes this book special to you?

In order to update the book, Keith and I did a ton of research on the leading edge of what is happening in the field of time management. This book is special to me, because of that research and because it's a topic very close to my own heart!

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

I think this is a must ready because it covers some of the most critical time issues we face today such as multitasking, procrastination, lack of focus etc... The book has a great deal of practical information that can help people solve everyday time issues.

What people NEED to read this book and WHY?

Same answer as above.

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

Well, I'm embarrassed to say that a clean and organized desk and work area is one of the things that defiantly helps spark my creativity. This might explain why I am such a time management geek. But also, space to reflect. I find that if I book every moment of every day, I don't have the space I need to be creative.

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

By far the biggest stumbling block is just finding the time to sit down and do it! Once I get going I'm into it and thing flow, but finding that starring time can be a bear. What I have started to do is schd. an hour first thing in the morning just for writing.

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

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

I belted out 'Oh What a Beautiful Morning' form the musical Oklahoma at a book signing, on a dare.

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?

I've been leading time management workshops for close to 25 years. During that time I've studied the topic, spoken about it to countless conferences around the globe and written about for a wide variety of magazines and newspapers. But more than any of that, I've been working with my own time management habits for 40 plus years. I've tried all of this out on myself to see what works and doesn't.

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 "Its the greatest book ever." Give me something more specific :)

I would ask the person where in their life they could use more specific support to fight distraction and find their focus. What goals are they having trouble achieving? Could they use more of a feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day? Would they like to knock off work an hour earlier a few days a week or take a real vacation? The information in the book, could contribute to all of that.

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

A recent study by the Families and Work Institute found that more than 50 percent of those surveyed said they are either handling too many tasks at the same time or are frequently interrupted during the workday—or both. I'm passionate about finding ways to overcome this condition, and create a balanced.

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.

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

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

Karen Leland - Bestselling author of Time Management In An Instant: 60 Ways to Make the Most of Your Day

Buy a copy of Time Management In An Instant the week of July 20th and receive a free license to view the Essential Email online course. To buy the book and claim your bonus, or just to buy the book go to: http://www.quality-service.com/timemanagementinaninstant

Karen Leland and Keith Bailey are the bestselling authors of six books including Time Management In An Instant: 60 Ways to Make the Most of Your Day. They are the co-founders of Sterling Consulting Group, which helps organizations and individuals learn how to fight distraction and find their focus in a wired world. For more information please contact: kleland@scgtraining.comTell us the book title and your author name.

Time Management In An Instant: 60 Ways to Make the Most of Your Day

Karen Leland and Keith Bailey

What inspired the book?

After years of leading time management classes we decided it was time to try and capture the information and put in in a place where people who could not come to our live courses could find it.

What makes this book special to you?

In order to update the book, Keith and I did a ton of research on the leading edge of what is happening in the field of time management. This book is special to me, because of that research and because it's a topic very close to my own heart!

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

I think this is a must ready because it covers some of the most critical time issues we face today such as multitasking, procrastination, lack of focus etc... The book has a great deal of practical information that can help people solve everyday time issues.

What people NEED to read this book and WHY?

Same answer as above.

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

Well, I'm embarrassed to say that a clean and organized desk and work area is one of the things that defiantly helps spark my creativity. This might explain why I am such a time management geek. But also, space to reflect. I find that if I book every moment of every day, I don't have the space I need to be creative.

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

By far the biggest stumbling block is just finding the time to sit down and do it! Once I get going I'm into it and thing flow, but finding that starring time can be a bear. What I have started to do is schd. an hour first thing in the morning just for writing.

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

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

I belted out 'Oh What a Beautiful Morning' form the musical Oklahoma at a book signing, on a dare.

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?

I've been leading time management workshops for close to 25 years. During that time I've studied the topic, spoken about it to countless conferences around the globe and written about for a wide variety of magazines and newspapers. But more than any of that, I've been working with my own time management habits for 40 plus years. I've tried all of this out on myself to see what works and doesn't.

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 "Its the greatest book ever." Give me something more specific :)

I would ask the person where in their life they could use more specific support to fight distraction and find their focus. What goals are they having trouble achieving? Could they use more of a feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day? Would they like to knock off work an hour earlier a few days a week or take a real vacation? The information in the book, could contribute to all of that.

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

A recent study by the Families and Work Institute found that more than 50 percent of those surveyed said they are either handling too many tasks at the same time or are frequently interrupted during the workday—or both. I'm passionate about finding ways to overcome this condition, and create a balanced.

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.

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

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

Karen Leland - Bestselling author of Time Management In An Instant: 60 Ways to Make the Most of Your Day

SPECIAL OFFER FOR BLOG TOUR VISITORS ONLY THE WEEK OF JULY 20th

Buy a copy of Time Management In An Instant the week of July 20th and receive a free license to view the Essential Email online course. To buy the book and claim your bonus, or just to buy the book go to: http://www.quality-service.com/timemanagementinaninstant

Karen Leland and Keith Bailey are the bestselling authors of six books including Time Management In An Instant: 60 Ways to Make the Most of Your Day. They are the co-founders of Sterling Consulting Group, which helps organizations and individuals learn how to fight distraction and find their focus in a wired world. For more information please contact: kleland@scgtraining.com

Darryl Hagar - Before He Was Published

I was now two years sober.I had been to over 300 12 step meetings, worked with a therapist twice a week, attended group mental health recovery classes for a year straight. My head was clearing and I really didn't want to go back to sea. What did I have to offer the world? I had navigated 900 foot supertankers for 20 years. I couldn't that ashore. I had drank and drugged for 27 years and unfortunately that was the only other thing I really knew a lot about.

I could write a book! God it would be an awesome read. All my sea stories, piracy, exotic ports and women, but most of it would be risky behavior about drugs and alcohol. I had done a lot of things that were socially unacceptable but there were dozens of lessons to be learned. I could make an impact on the world and leave a legacy of helping future generations srtuggling with addiction. I could even help an entire shipping industry, the merchant marines, that had a long reputation for drinking too much. What do you do with a drunken sailor? Well perhaps I could teach some sailors through my story not to be drunks.

I prayed to God to give me the courage, the wisdom, the strength to use my drug and alcohol crazy past to teach others about the disease of addiction and alcoholism. About how I succumbed to the temptation to drink and drug every day and how it ruined my career, my health, and nearly caused me to lose the one thing in life I loved the most, my son.

I wrote my entire life story, blow by blow, drink by drink,arest by arrest. I left nothing out nor did i embelish any of the events. It would be a no holes barred book that would stir peoples emotions, fuel their anger, and cause everyone involved how to better fight alcoholism and drug addiction, no matter what industry or population involved. I might have legal problems as a result of my writings but I would ask God for help. I couldn't help others unless I wrote down my story and shared it with the world.

The Man Overboard

How a Merchant Marine Officer Survived the

Raging Storm of Alcoholism and Drug Addiction

was born and available at www.themanoverboard.com and www.amazon.com

Now I just had to have the courage to sign on the dotted line. As if a message from God came down from heaven I received the following two emails, One from one of my former Captains and the other from a major oil executive I had never spoken to in my entire life. I no longer believed in coincidences and after I received these emails, I moved forward and released my story to the world.

"I have had the pleasure of viewing your website,www.themanoverboard.com and wanted to let you know how proud I am having known you and what you are currently doing. As one of your prior supervisors, I apologize for not being more in-tuned with your needs at that time. Just know, as time progresses, we gain wisdom through experience. I have gained from this experience. Keep up the great work! I will continue to look for the good things in life that you have accomplished."

-Captain Richard Holman, Overseas New York and The Kenai

"Writing The Man Overboard and sharing your life experiences with alcoholism, ships, and the lessons you've learned takes great courage and will be helpful to our industry. I believe men will tuck your book in the bottom of their sea bags, right next to their dirty magazines, and read it back on the ships. I think men will look at their own lives, change their behaviors, and in turn, you will have helped prevent oil pollution and accidents. I will spread the work of your recovery and sobriety.

-Annonymous, West Coast Oil Tanker Port Captain

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

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

The Forbidden Daughter by Shobhan Bantwal

I'm very glad to be hosting Shobhan on the first day of her virtual blog tour with Promo 101 Virtual Tours. She has a writing style that I think you will like and she isn't afraid to tackle the hot button topics. Read on to learn more about Shobhan Bantwal and The Forbidden Daughter.
What inspired the book?

A deep interest in women’s issues combined with the love of fiction inspired me to write a book about gender-based abortions in India. I had an opportunity to bring awareness to the issue by weaving it into a story of romance, intrigue and drama.

What makes this book special to you?

It allows me to voice my opinion on a social issue in a highly creative way. If I had written a non-fiction book on the subject, it would have been boring for me to write and very few people would have read it. A novel is a way to reach a broader audience.

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

Many Americans, although aware of the general societal patterns of other countries, very rarely know about the more subtle social issues, both good as well as bad. THE FORBIDDEN DAUGHTER will provide them a rare glimpse into a culture that remains very private about certain negative elements.

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

Daily newspaper and TV stories are a great source of creativity. For some odd reason, driving on the highway seems to trigger it for me, but sitting in front of a computer makes my creativity plunge to zero.

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

My biggest stumbling block is my lack of computer savvy, which hinders my ability to use the Internet to optimum capability. Amazon optimization, blogging, chat room discussions, etc. are not something I can utilize for promoting my book mainly because of my inability to use technology.

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

I believe people become authors because of their deep love for expressing their ideas and opinions to others. It is a way of communicating, by being a storyteller and narrator. For myself, my motivation was to acquire a hobby that would keep my mind alert and provide an outlet for my active imagination and creativity. When I took up creative writing, I had not really dreamed of being a published author, but as I wrote more and more, my ambitions expanded.

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

I honestly wish I could think of something unusual to do, “outside the box” as they say, but so far I have done only the most traditional things.

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 like a small town atmosphere, like the kind I grew up in, so I created a fictitious small town that is very similar to the town I was raised in. It made the visualization much easier, without having to struggle to build a new one. The descriptions came easily and the culture of course is latent to me, so that was not an issue.

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.

Both my hero and heroine are people of strong convictions and generous natures, and they act on them without regard for tradition or personal gain. I find that very inspiring. Their strength and ability to fight and survive, and even win in the face of adversity is what makes them memorable. The main motivator for my heroine is the need to protect her children at any cost. The hero is motivated by his inherent desire to be the ideal doctor – help people in trouble.

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.

The obstetrician who first suggests an abortion and later resorts to more serious crime is the one who first introduces friction in THE FORBIDDEN DAUGHTER. There are secondary villains who augment the main villain’s deeds with their in their own twisted way. They all serve to add tons of friction that lends plenty of action and drama to my story.

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

You can visit Shobhan Bantwal at her website – www.shobhanbantwal.com

In Detail with Susan Wingate

We kick off Susan Wingate's virtual book tour with her visit In Detail with Nikki Leigh. Let's see what Susan wants to share with us...

Tell us the book title and your author name.

The title of my latest release is “Bobby’s Diner” and I’ve used my real name as the author name. I’ve used my real name because I’m not trying to identify myself with any one genre at this stage. If I, say, take off on a tangent and decide to write erotica, I may at that point use a pseudonym but until then, I’ll continue to write under my real name.

What inspired the book?

I dreamt the first sequence, the one where Georgette, the main character and narrator of the story, arrives in the fictional town of Sunnydale, Arizona. The actual dream sequence is the one of her hitching a ride with the skanky truck driver and then her walking the rest of the way into town.

What makes this book special to you?

This book is special to me for a number of reasons, most of which because the title character, Bobby, is designed (physically anyway) after my husband, Bob. Note the similarity in names? Ha! It’s a special book also because it’s my second novel. Sometimes I think the second novel can be a little more daunting than the first because you say to yourself, “Okay. Was that first one a fluke or can I write another one?” Plus, for me, I had help on my first. Close to the end of my first novel, “Of the Law,” Michael Collins began mentoring me. I give credit to him for helping me with the completion of my first novel. I don’t think I could’ve done it without him. He made me think of writing as a job, not a hobby.

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

Well, this story is about tolerance and one woman’s yearning to find a place for herself in this world. I think both themes are universal, quite profound and astonishingly relevant in today’s world.

What people NEED to read this book and WHY?

You know, I wrote this book with a very intentional light voice because of its profound theme. Any person other than Georgette telling the story just wouldn’t have worked. She’s this sweet gentle soul who can talk to just about anyone – young or old, man or woman, rich or poor – she seems to be quite the chameleon and is why the story is successful. So, to answer your question, I think the story is intended for any person who wants to hear its message.

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

I love answering questions about writing. My answer to this question in particular might be of interest to writers who sit in front of their computer or typewriter or pad of paper (whatever) and find it tough to start knocking out words. What I do is this, I like to bandy around with poetry in the morning to oil my writing muscles. Poetry gets to the nuts and bolts of writing, by its very nature. It doesn’t have time to screw around. So, before I get into my story du jour I write a few poems. But then sometimes if something comes to me whether in a dream or other creative state of consciousness – you know it’s like hearing a doorbell go off in your head – then I get it down to paper. It can happen anywhere too which can be very inconvenient like when you’re driving the car. That’s a real pain in the butt because you have three choices: to let the idea go, to stop driving or to scrawl it out on whatever you can find with one hand while you’re cruising down the road with the other – it’s a real pain indeed.

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

Patience. That’s my biggest problem. Oh, sure, I could say I have an almost compulsive tendency to, oh, I don’t know, end sentences with dangling prepositions, say. But, honestly, anyone can learn to write – I believe that with all my heart. What we have to do is to get out of our own way. Patience is not one of my virtues, unfortunately. I want everything to happen right away and in this industry, well, that’s just never going to be. So, if I begin to feel impatient about some submission or something, I just start writing something new and try to forget about whatever I was being impatient about. Is that a run-on sentence… oops. Maybe another stumbling block – just kidding. But, patience or the lack thereof is my problem. I’d have to say I could use a bit of meditation for learning patience.

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

Boy, you’re right there, it IS an unusual industry, isn’t it? Okay, I’ll talk to the first part of this question – what motivates others to write? Well, statistically, “they” say that approximately 85% of people, um, everywhere want to write a story or have a book inside them. I don’t know how “they” come up with that statistic. I can’t imagine “they” are interviewing every living being on the planet so all I can do is answer this question based on what I’ve observed. When I teach writing classes, my students seem to want to tell either wildly imaginative stories that are derived from their creative well or they want to tell a story that actually happened to them. So, I believe from a long time ago, I’m talking caveman times, people have been telling stories “around the proverbial campfire” in one form or another. It’s what we do. Think about it, even in the Old Testament, we had to have a rule instructing us not to lie, for goodness sake. I think it’s borne in us to tell stories.

Now, another aspect to this question is my observation of others who are not writing students and who know I’m a writer or find out that I am upon meeting me. Inevitably, most people tell me they have a “great idea for a novel”. Sometimes they even go so far as to say, “You can use it if you want.” Isn’t that generous? People just love stories - to tell stories and to hear stories and to read stories.

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

I’m not sure if this quite fits but it’s really the only unusual thing I’ve done to promote myself as a writer. I wanted to teach writing at a workshop and part of the process was to make available your current titles. Well, at the time, I had not a one! So, to get the application to them in time, I made something up and then created a book after the fact with my short stories, essays and poems. That book actually sells quite well and is called “Ravings of a Mad Gentlewoman.” You can find it on Amazon.com. I got it printed and marketed before the due date on books for that particular conference. Isn’t that naughty of me? Oh well, you do what you must in this crazy industry. Self-promotion is a HUGE part of it. I believe it was James Patterson who was a marketing man before he became the world-renown author he is today. He had the promotional smarts working for him well before he made his move into writing.

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?

Of course there’s the diner where most of the action occurs and making a vivid setting there was accomplished by adding the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures found within a diner. But, the desert - its desolation and heat, its unique flora and fauna - is most prevalent in the opening scene making it more vivid by contrasting it between cooler climates.

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.

Georgette is human. She’s afraid and damaged goods. She’s honest with others but then lies to herself. She’s good with a touch of bad. She’s just a fully-rounded person who is trying to make a go of her life, trying to keep her head above it all under some extreme circumstances. I think she’s a great person.

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.

It’s always easiest to write when there’s a clear-cut villain but there is no one clear-cut villain in “Bobby’s Diner.” Georgette is pitted against Bobby’s ex-wife, Vanessa, and their daughter, Roberta, but I can’t talk about them as if they were bad or acted badly in order to hurt Georgette. They, too, are just trying to live in a small town with the widow of Bobby. They’re all acting accordingly feeling embarrassed and hurt, humiliated and jealous – the way anyone else in the same situation would act. It’s a method of pitting good against good. I think pitting good against evil makes it easy for the reader to figure out what will happen. In this story, we’re usually taken off-course and diverted to some other part of the characters’ lives. Or, at least, I hope that’s what happens for the reader. Another more express point about conflict and friction is that it’s the scenes and situations that create the conflict as well as the characters in them. The inherent conflict in “Bobby’s Diner” is both women, Georgette and Vanessa, are left with half the interest in Bobby’s Diner to run together. Now, if ever a story built immediate conflict into it, I believe this is one does.

Thank you, Nikki, for hosting this interview. What a wonderful blog and fabulous list of books and writers you have. Kudos! –Susan Wingate.

For more information -

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

Primary Blog Address: www.susanwingate.blogspot.com

E-book 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

Promotional Interview with Dave Richardson

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

Your Name:
Dave Richardson

1. Where you are from and where are you now?
Born and raised in Southern California. Now live in Kansas.

2. How did you get started writing?
My 2nd son, Craig, (I have 4 sons), had tried for years to get me to put down in writing the stories I had related to them regarding my Vietnam experiences. (Incidentally, he has followed somewhat in my footsteps by becoming an Army helicopter pilot who served in the Panama incursion as well as Gulf Wars 1 & 2. He did Medivac [the Army version of rescue] in Panama and Gulf War 2. By the way, I have forgiven him for being in the Army instead of the Air Force!)

I resisted his efforts until I received a preliminary account of the ‘Streetcar’ rescue by Kenny Fields, the last guy I rescued. I thought it might be fun to write a counterpoint narrative, telling the story from my point of view, and found it to be enjoyable.

That was when Craig and I began working in earnest on the project—I wrote the narratives and supplied the photos, while Craig did the maps and supporting documents.

All of my sons, David, Craig, Eric and Mark plus my wife, Kaye, have participated in one fashion or another during the creation of this book.

3. What do you do when you are not writing?
Read; work with computer; enjoy life with wife, Kaye.

4. What would readers like to know about you?
I am a Christian. Decided while in the 7th grade I wanted to attend college, become a pilot with the USAF, retire and teach school—that is what I have done. (I flew a variety of helicopters and taught 8th grade Mathematics.) Wife and I are High School sweethearts. We live on the shore of a small lake in rural Kansas.

5. What inspired your first book?
My experiences as a combat rescue helicopter pilot in Vietnam.

6. How many books have you written?
One.

7. What are the titles of your books and what genres are they?
Vietnam Air Rescues. Historical/biographical.

8. How do you decide on that topic or genre? Why are you specially qualified to write about this topic?
Because I lived it. This book is an auto-biographical summary of my 7 rescues, plus other related instances that occurred while I was serving in Vietnam as a combat helicopter rescue pilot.

9. How do you manage to keep yourself focused and on track when you’re writing a book?
I try to pick a time when I am fresh and not involved in other things; then I ‘write up storm’ for awhile; then quit and do something else. Finally I review what I have just written and make corrections as they occur to me.

10. Do you write to make money, for the love of writing or both?
Originally, I wrote this book for the benefit of my children. Later, when others began requesting copies, I decided to have it published commercially. I found that I do enjoy writing and have been quite pleased to discover that others are interested in what I have written.

11. What are some traditional methods of marketing you have used? Which were the most successful?
Other than giving a few talks locally, this is my first attempt to market my book.

12. What are some unique methods of marketing you have used? Which were the most successful?
See answer #11

13. Do you sell through a website? If so, what’s the address? If not, why not?
Both through a website and directly through Amazon. The website address is: www.vietnam-air-rescues.com. The book is currently available in 2 formats: (1) as a printed book available through Amazon and (2) as a downloadable eBook. Both are linked from the website. I will soon have a third option—in audio book form. In addition, the book is available in Kindle format at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CDMNYU.

14. Where can people order your books?
See answer #13

15. What format are your books – e-book, print, audio etc?
See answer #13

16. Will you write more books?
Although I have frequently been asked this question, I do not envision writing more books (at least not for the moment!)

17. What do you have in the works now?
Nothing.

18. What does the future hold for you and your books?
Using my 30 minute power point presentation, I plan to offer my services as a speaker at churches, civic clubs and the like, hoping that I can stimulate interest in sales of the book.

19. What was the most successful thing you did to promote your books?
Speaking locally, I have managed to generate both interest and sales. I am hoping this blog tour will acquaint those in other areas with the availability of my book on Amazon. Another idea that has helped was to make, and distribute free of charge, bookmarks with advertising material about my book on them.

20. What was the least successful thing you did to promote your books?
Fortunately, the few things I have done to date have all proven successful.

21. Tell us about your most recent book.
“Vietnam Air Rescues” comes in several parts. Part 1 is my take on the history of the Vietnam War. Part 2 gives general background on how the rescue system worked. Part 3 presents the details of my 7 rescues. Part 4 is a collection of 30+ anecdotes concerning things that happened to me apart from a particular rescue. Part 5 is a summation of general topics. Part 6 contains a final word. and Part 7 is a glossary of military jargon for the non-military minded. Scattered throughout the book, at appropriate places, are over 100 photos, maps and drawings.

22. What makes this book special to you?
It relates a period in my life that was both stressful and joyous; when I was asked to gamble everything for the sake of others. Fortunately, my training and equipment stood me in good stead. Most important, at least in my view, is that the Lord stood by me and returned me home safely.

23. What sort of comments have you gotten about the content of the book?
Approaching the 100 books sold mark, all the comments I have received have been positive. In addition to the verbal remarks from people who have read the book, there are 5 reviews on Amazon which are all praising the book.

24. What makes this a book that other people MUST read and WHY?
I tried to be both factual and dispassionate in my storytelling. Many people have very different conceptions of the Vietnam War, both positive and negative. I was involved in the effort to save American lives, without regard to politics. I hope people will read about this and perhaps get a new view or slant on what went on—this time from a positive view.

25. What people NEED to read this book and WHY?
Both those who lived through the Vietnam years and those who knew only know about it from history books.

Surprisingly enough, a lot of women have been fascinated by this book. I
would have thought it would appeal mainly to men, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Several women have commented that it has allowed them to understand what happened to their father or husband when they served in Vietnam.

I did not keep a diary while I was there, so I wasn’t able to give a day to day account of my experiences. What I tried to do, and what some people have said they find fascinating, was to record the bare facts and avoid any hyperbole, while still communicating the details of rescue operations.

26. What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity?
In my case, there was little creativity involved, as these are tales of what actually happened to me in a manner that is burned into my memory.

In my case, I had constant support and input from my wife and all four sons, who encouraged me and occasionally prompted me to include tidbits I might have forgotten to include.

27. What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?
See answer #2

28. Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books?
To date, my promotion has been limited to speaking to churches, civic clubs and historical societies.

One bit of advice I received, which I believe has been of benefit, was to make bookmarks advertising the book and give them away. This has seemed to work quite well.

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 :)
This is a book that is more about saving peoples lives than war itself. I would encourage them to read a single rescue sequence to see if they found the descriptions interesting.

I knew that not all my readers would know about or remember the background of the Vietnam War, so I put in a section detailing my impressions of how and why we, as a country, became involved.

For the same reason, I included a background of life as a Jolly Green pilot and a bunch of anecdotes not directly related to rescue itself.

My hope was that even those who were vehemently opposed to the war would find something interesting they could relate to.

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.
I think most people are intrigued by ‘how it really was’ stories. The Air Force rescue portion of the Vietnam War, for some reason, has been mostly overlooked, so this is something new for most readers.

It interests me because I was there and experienced all the various incidents described.

Others, I think, find themselves fascinated by the lengths our country went to in attempting to rescue those in harms’ way.

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

Promomtional Interview with Hugh Ballou

Your Name: Hugh Ballou

1. Where you are from and where are you now?
I grew up in Atlanta, GA in the neighborhood where “Driving Miss Daisy” was filmed. I have lived in the South all my life in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and now in Virginia. Now, I am living in Blacksburg, VA with my wife, Leigh Anne Taylor, who is a pastoral church musician as I was for 40 years.

2. How did you get started writing?
Writing for church publications was a regular discipline for many years. It was a challenge for me to put facts, processes and theory into words that people would actually read and understand. Then, I began writing articles for other publications. Once I began to receive feedback on the articles, I realized that I could put together larger sections of information and then ended up with the idea for my first book. I received a rejection from a publisher, so I decided to self-publish that book to get it into the hands of people who would appreciate the information. I am now in the third printing of that book and it is included in the online catalogue of the publisher that rejected it.

3. What do you do when you are not writing?
I teach leaders basic leadership concepts from my writing and learn more about how to communicate fundamental concepts of leadership. I also continue to work with other conductors of musical ensembles to promote good music and great musical events worldwide. I love the passion of making great music with great musicians. In fact, I learned my leadership skills in my 40-year career as conductor.

4. What would readers like to know about you?
I help leaders create new paradigms for leadership. Presenting leadership skills from the perspective of a musical conductor is a fresh approach to a subject that may be stale in some training arenas. I am also passionate about cooking for my family! Both of the passions are me sharing the best of my God-given skills.

5. What inspired your first book?
After talking to many leaders who struggled with the same issues, I was inspired to share my story with them verbally. Once I discovered that the same issues were coming up again and again, I realized that it was time to write about those topics so I could touch more people. I do not consider myself to be a writer, so to overcome the feeling of inadequacy on that subject I began to write!

6. How many books have you written?
I have written 5 books. Transforming Power is actually the 5th book. It jumped over the 4th book, which is in its final stages. The 4th book, Leaders Transform, will be out early in the fall along with the 6th book, which is a companion workbook for #5.

7. What are the titles of your books and what genres are they?
All of my books are about Transformational Leadership. Leaders seeking to transform organizations, systems, and people’s lives need a constant source of inspiration and a resource for new and revised skills. My books can be categorized as “Leadership Tools” for those who want to keep “sharpening the saw,” as Stephen Covey puts it. I write books for people like me. People who want to read a brief chapter or illustration and get back to work - for people who want practical ideas that are immediately applicable – and for people who want realistic, not academic solutions.

8. How do you decide on that topic or genre? Why are you specially qualified to write about this topic?
Having working in many different situations as leader, I made all the classic mistakes and some really creative mistakes. I want to share the knowledge I gained from my mistakes. I wish I had had a resource like this so I could have made some better choices along the way as a leader! I actually developed and perfected systems and processed that worked. They worked really well! People would ask me, “How did you get that result?” So, I tell then through my writing. Some read, some don’t - some listen, some don’t - some succeed, some don’t – I’m happy if anybody applies anything is suggest and succeed.

9. How do you manage to keep yourself focused and on track when you’re writing a book?
I outlined my first book and put away the outline for 2 years. Once I left a job with a regular paycheck, I needed to get clients. So I needed some credibility and decided to bring out the outline and write the book. In looking over the outline, I decided to start with the chapter “Getting Things Done: Choosing priorities, running meetings and ordering our time.” I knew what to do; I just needed to apply what I already knew. Once I finished that chapter I was obligated to follow what I had suggested to others. My credibility rested in being able to focus and manage my time. So, I scheduled writing appointments with myself and kept the appointments. I finished the book in 30-days, sent it to the printer and was selling it a month later!

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

11. What are some traditional methods of marketing you have used? Which were the most successful?
Word-of-mouth is the most traditional, most successful and most cost effective! People telling people becomes a powerful system. This not only sells books, but it also validates me in my position as mentor of success. Word-of-mouth is also fastest and most thorough, especially when combined with an online viral marketing program such as a blog tour. I have been on a blog tour for the past month and I can see measurable results with book sales online.

12. What are some unique methods of marketing you have used? Which were the most successful?
I asked some business owner who are in similar or compatible businesses to give the purchasers of my book a gift that will assist them in their leadership journey. Everyone that I asked responded positively! So, I created a gift list of over $4,000 worth of leadership resources that are free or are major discounts on products or services – most are free. Each of these businesses also agreed to send out my message about the book to their contact list on a specific day. This is currently bringing wonderful results and a lot of traffic to my site as well as the sites for each of the contributors of gifts. When you ask people to share resources and you are willing to share with them, it works!

13. Do you sell through a website? If so, what’s the address? If not, why not?
I created a website just for the book - http://www.transforming-power.com
On this site I placed reasons people should have my book and told them about the free gifts. I also made a welcome video and told them what I had, why I was good for them and what to do next. I think simplicity is powerful! I can track who comes, how long they stay, if they purchase and were they come from.

14. Where can people order your books?
On http://www.transforming-power.com there’s a link to the book on Amazon.

15. What format are your books – e-book, print, audio etc?
Transforming Power is in print. My other books and in print and also available as eBooks from http://www.leaderstransform.com/products.htm
I am moving toward recording each book in various audio formats for ease of use – just like the books – short and to the point!

16. Will you write more books?
Leaders Transform: A Guide for Transformational Leaders and Leaders Transform: An Expanded Workbook for Transformational Leaders are due out this fall. Also, A Devotional Guide for Christian Transformational Leaders is in the works for next year. All these books follow my leadership coaching model, which groups leadership processes and skills into 4 areas: Foundations, Relationships, Systems and Balance. In my experience, the simplicity of categorizing everything about leadership into 4 topics can help to focus and unify strategies for leaders.

17. What do you have in the works now?
I am working on a 12-month teleseminar with study guide for leaders wanting to transform and organization, systems or people’s lives. This online and at home program will be announced through my online training site, Leadership TeleSeminar (http://www.leadershipteleseminar.com ) and will begin in the fall. This is a way for organizations to get a jump-start on a strategic plan that usually costs $25,000 to $50,000! In addition, many organizations with a strategic plan have parked it on a shelf or in a drawer and that plan is not a part of the DNA of the organization, so it is doing them no good al all! My strategy is to provide traction for plans so that organizations can transform!

18. What does the future hold for you and your books?
I am hoping to get more books into the hands of more leaders. Bloom’s Taxonomy (http://www.officeport.com/edu/blooms.htm) tells us that knowledge is at the base of the learning pyramid. I am currently working with the Cooperative Leadership Institute (http://www.vtcli.com/) to put my training into an online, interactive process. There are many things that leaders can study in books and online to stretch themselves and build some basic skills.

19. What was the most successful thing you did to promote your books?
Contract with viral marketing specialists who understand how to get a process started and build momentum. It is also important that authors participate in their own marketing efforts – either with viral programs or programs with publishers. It’s important to adequately describe what’s so good about the book, why people need it and what you want them to do next (tell them to buy it!).

20. What was the least successful thing you did to promote your books?
Running tradition print ads is like gambling. Most of the money is wasted unless it is in a form that connects with specific, targeted audiences.

21. Tell us about your most recent book.
Transforming Power: Stories from Transformational Leaders for Inspiration and Encouragement is a unique collection of stories that demonstrate the effectiveness of visionary leaders. Every story has a valuable perspective and provides good leadership principles that can be applied in any type of organization. Good leadership is applicable wherever people lead. Each contributing author shares insights from their perspective. My first books are the “How To” of leadership giving strategies and systems for leaders. This book teaches through stories. We all learn in different ways, so it’s important to have a variety of methods for learning. I learn from the “how to” resources, however, I am empowered to observe or to read about accomplishments.

22. What makes this book special to you?
Each author wanted to share from his or her own experience and, almost without exception, these authors responded with a resounding “Yes” when asked to contribute. I know each of these authors and I understand their passion for leadership and for changing people’s lives. As I read and reread each story, I remember, with gratitude, my conversations with each author and their response to my request. This book, in itself, represents transformation. I was able to transform an idea into reality. Once I was able to articulate my goal and share that goal with others, the idea began to manifest itself into physical form. I was the Transformational Leader in this instance.

23. What sort of comments have you gotten about the content of the book?
Several people important to me have written or called to tell me how they loved this book and many have used the same comment – “This is a really good book!”

24. What makes this a book that other people MUST read and WHY?
I get tired of the same old stuff! I know that other people must feel the same way. These are some fresh and exciting perspectives on leadership. Organizations fail because of lack of visionary leadership. Transformational Leaders lead with charisma with a clearly articulated vision. What new leaders and especially older, more mature leaders need most is passion and inspiration! This book provides the fire for that passion!

25. What people NEED to read this book and WHY?
This book is for leaders of organizations, leaders of teams, future leaders, and people who know leaders. Basically, this book helps promote good leadership for everyone. In fact, we are all called to lead somewhere at sometime in our lives, so, why not be ready before that opportunity comes? We each impact others in a positive, negative or neutral way – the choice is ours! Reading Transforming Power will equip people with the positive mental attitude to be that positive influence with everyone they meet. This not theory – it works!

26. What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity?
I feel empowered by the words, “I don’t think you can accomplish that.” My response is, “Watch me, and get out of the way!” Barriers and obstacles are opportunities for problem solving. The difference in barrier and opportunity in usually defined as perspective. My motivation is solving problems and helping leaders find ways to strengthen skills to solve their problems. I am empowered by each leader that succeeds – so, hearing that I have made a difference in someone’s live sparks my enthusiasm and creativity.

27. What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?
It is with great fear of rejection and ridicule that keeps some people from sharing their thoughts with others. I knew that this could be a possibility, however, I also know that I would grow in my own skills when becoming vulnerable and transparent. I teach leaders to be vulnerable in order to be effective, and to lead by example. In order to be effective in leadership myself, I wanted to set the example. People may not think that I am always correct, however, many say that they have learned something of value. Writing let’s me share with more people at the same time.

28. Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books?
I have loaned books to people for a week and asked them to respond to a specific chapter or point in the book. When I return to collect the loaned book, they write me a check about 90% of the time.

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 one story in this book could help you thing about creative solutions for your organization or change your life, would it be worth having the book? If you didn’t want to keep the book, could you think of someone who could benefit from some good leadership suggestions? Either way, it’s worth having a copy to read and to share.

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.
If an organization is stagnant because the leader is stale this can be an empowering resource. It’s also for leaders who are just “stuck.” It’s worth having the book to get just one idea that could ultimately change someone’s life – it might be the reader who is changed – how powerful is that?

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