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

Mark Tewart Author of How To Be A Sales Superstar

Mark’s own words -

“For the last 15+ years I have been a professional speaker, trainer and consultant.

I work with multiple organizations in various industries in helping them to increase their sales to explode their bottom line profits.

My areas of expertise are sales, sales marketing, sales management, sales motivation and creating a superstar life.

I entered the sales field at nineteen and became one of the youngest executive managers in the country at twenty seven.

I have spoken to thousands of audiences, published hundreds of articles and newsletters and have been interviewed in numerous magazine and newspapers as well as appearing on a top ranked satellite training network for several years.

I am also the founder and President of three other companies that are involved in the fields of products sales, insurance and real estate.”

Mark’s Accomplishments and Credentials – His Qualifications to Write How to be a Sales Superstar
• Spoken to over 2,000 audiences since 1993
• Professional Member of the National Speakers Association
• President and founder of 3 successful companies
° Seminar, Speaking, Training and Consulting company
° Software company
° Direct Response Sales Event Company
• Markets and performs over 100 seminars per year
• Had top ranked TV show for several years
• Published Hundreds of Articles
• Published numerous training manuals
• Created and sold thousands of videos and audio products
• Moved from entry level sales position to General Manager of a multimillion dollar company by the age of 27


Mark Tewart is a renowned expert on sales, sales marketing, sales management and creating a high performance life. Mark is a motivational speaker, consultant, coach, entrepreneur and owner of four businesses, and author of "How To Be A Sales Superstar - Break All the Rules and Succeed While Doing It" published by Wiley which is available in book stores and Amazon. Mark has spoken to over 2,000 audiences in the last fifteen years. Also, Mark has published hundreds of articles in numerous trade magazines and authored numerous books, audios, videos and online training materials. Mark has had a top ranked Satellite TV show and been interviewed by magazines, newspapers, radio and TV shows across the world.

Mark Tewart’s websites include: www.marktewartlive.com, www.marktewart.com and www.howtobeasalessuperstar.info

To read the first chapter of How to be a Sales Superstar and to receive several FREE bonuses from Mark Tewart, visit www.marktewartlive.com.

Full tour details are posted at http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-to-be-sales-superstar-by-mark.html

This book can be ordered on http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0470300965

In Detail with Kevin Gerard

Tell us the book title and your author name.

The series title is Conor and the Crossworlds, book titles are as follows:

Breaking the Barrier

Peril in the Corridors

Surviving an Altered World

Charge of the Champions (October 2009)

The Author of All Worlds (October 2010)

My author name is Kevin Gerard

What inspired the series?

The creature I held in my mind for almost forty years. I used to daydream about Purugama, the flying cougar, when I was ten or eleven years old. He becomes Conor’s mentor and best friend in Book One: Breaking the Barrier. I love the fact that I kept him with me for so long and finally wrote a story about him.

What makes this series special to you?

Book Three has just been released. The story is real, it’s alive, and every character has become a living entity to me. There are a lot of good books around, but only a handful of great stories. Conor and the Crossworlds is a great story, and I won’t stop promoting it until the whole world has a chance to enjoy it.

The Champions of the Crossworlds are all giant cats who can talk and cast magical spells. They all have very distinct personalities; I have grown to love them deeply. Maya, the Lord of the Champions, was a real cat who lived next door to me in San Diego. He got killed by a pack of dogs one day, and I told his mistress I was going to make him immortal. If you knew Maya like I did, you would understand why I made him, an alley cat, the leader of the great wild cats – the Champions of the Crossworlds.

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

I love great stories, and I love sci fi / fantasy. I love the escape it provides. The characters in this story are very compelling; you will grow to love them as much as I and others do. Conor’s journey through all five books gets wilder and more complex as you continue to read.

I wrote this series for kids, but people of all age groups seem to love it. Every school librarian tells me the same thing, that Conor and the Crossworlds is never on the library shelf. When a student returns a book, another student is with them wanting to check the book out. That’s a huge compliment to Conor and the Crossworlds.

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

I’m pretty twisted; it comes from being Irish I guess, so creativity has never been a problem for me. I finished writing the series two years ago, but I remember during the five years when I wrote it, I always thought about what was going on in the story. When I got up in the morning, went to bed at night, when I was teaching, driving, shopping, anything, I always had my mind on the story. So when I finally sat down to write I had oodles of thoughts ready to put down.

Another thing I always tell students at book talks is to write with abandon. I think everyone has creative juices, but as a college professor, I see how formal education stunts that part our minds. The cool thing about fantasy writing is that you just make everything up, and if you can do that, why would want to restrict your mind? Look at Conor’s arch enemy in his pristine form (he’s a shape-shifter). How could I have come up with a freak like that – a beetle head with squid legs and no torso, but he’s wearing an English waistcoat – if I was restraining my creativity at all?

I guess the secret is just sitting down and letting her rip, that’s what I always say. You have to trust yourself and the story. Your characters will tell you where to go at the next bend in the road. So write with abandon!

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

For me it was getting past the “favorite time to write” syndrome. I’m a morning person, so naturally I love to write in the morning. If you’ve made a commitment to write every day, though, things might get in the way of your morning writing time.

I had to learn that any time of day was good for writing. I also had to learn that any amount of time was good as well. I would e-mail sections of books to myself and when I found a spare half hour, I would locate a computer, download the story and write for thirty minutes. I found that with a limited amount of time I could fulfill my daily page requirement as easily as when I had all morning.

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

The direction my life was headed, the direction the country was headed, and the fact that I’ve always felt I was put on the earth to do something special, I mean something really spectacular. I wanted to make a contribution to the world, and writing seemed to be a way of accomplishing that.

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

I’ll tell you something I’m about to do – I’m about to make a big sign that says, “NBC doesn’t like teen readers,” and walk around downtown San Diego with it. I have this great promotion coming up, The Hunt for the Five Keys of the Creators, and I’ve been bugging the local news stations to put it on the air. Unfortunately I haven’t made much progress. Check it out on my website – http://wwwconorandthecrossworlds.com – it’s going to be awesome, but I can only spread the word so much doing book talks. I want all the kids in San Diego to be able to hunt for the key I’ve hidden here, so I need TV coverage. I think they’ll get the message if I make my sign and show everyone in downtown San Diego how I feel.

I spent the summer making data files of every middle school in America, and right now I’m calling every librarian to introduce the series. I call, talk for a bit, ask if I can send an e-mail, and then I send it. So far I’ve contacted about ten states. Should take me until about March or April to finish my lists I think.

I do book talks everywhere, but mostly in Southern California. I’ve been to Mississippi, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, and I’m going to Oregon, New Mexico, NevadaMissouri in the next few months. Book talks are more fun than anything else, middle school kids are great! and

I’m all over MySpace, and I think it’s a very good tool. Every time I see a new teen librarian, I send them a message asking if they would like some free book posters for their teen room. It costs me about ten bucks to send them. One day I contacted a librarian at a college, it turned out that this month was fantasy fiction month and every woman at the college was into fantasy adventure books. So I sent copies of books and posters and I get to be featured in their month long festival.

I’m also involved in a Blog Tour with Nikki Leigh. I think she’s got her finger on the pulse of viral marketing. The internet has such massive potential, so I’m excited about seeing what she can accomplish.

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 chose the Crossworlds as my setting because it is infinite. It is an endless series of worlds of light and darkness where anything can happen. What could be better than that for a fantasy writer?

There are four main venues that Conor and the other characters populate from time to time.

The realm of the creators is the home of the Council of Seven, a group of creators emeritus who oversee the Crossworlds. It is a place of unparalleled beauty and wellbeing. It is where Conor and the Champions go to rejuvenate themselves and prepare for battle.

The Glade of Champions is the world where the giant protectors of the Crossworlds live. Heavily forested and filled with lakes and small hills where the great cats can sun themselves, this is where Conor first meets Purugama’s brothers.

Earth – Conor lives there with his family in Northern California. His girlfriend Janine, introduced in Book Three, also lives there.

The Shadow World is the home of the Circle of Evil. The destroyers; Drazian, Gandron, Fumemos, Seefra, Pikiwik Loff, and the horrible assassin Nemelissi all stage their attacks in this place. Zelexa, the Lady of the Shadows, controls this world along with the three arcs of the ruling body.

All of these settings become interchangeable throughout the story. Destroyers come to earth, Conor and Champions go to the Shadow World, the realm of the creators is attacked by the Circle of Evil, and so on. I think the one thing that makes the Crossworlds unique is the aspect of organic life. Almost everything in the Crossworlds is organic, including the corridors, transmission portals used to travel to other worlds. They are living beings, and as you walk through them you can feel their presence.

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.

I like Conor because he is a good kid. He doesn’t swear, do drugs, or treat people badly (unless they have it coming). He is, however, a young man bursting with curiosity. There’s also something that only I know about Conor. The rest of you will have to wait until the end of Book Four to find out. All I’ll say at this point is there’s a reason the creators sent Purugama to Conor in the first book, and it’s not the reason stated in the story.

Conor’s girlfriend Janine becomes a heroine in her own right. She enters the story in Book Three, and before she knows it, she becomes quite involved in the Crossworlds. Like Conor, she’s a good kid, and also smart, athletic, and adventurous.

Both of them are pretty fearless. Things get pretty scary as they get deeper and deeper into the Crossworlds, but they always answer the call and step into the next adventure.

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 Circle of Evil has four levels of combatants; destroyers, shadow warriors, slayers and keepers. The destroyers are the most powerful, and Conor gets to do battle with them one on one pretty regularly.

Seefra is Conor’s nemesis throughout the story. He is the leader of the destroyers and very powerful. He can shape shift himself and his environment. He really causes the most friction in the story, because he keeps popping up to bother Conor (and Janine).

There’s a whole group of destroyers, however, and each is quite compelling in his own right. Fumemos is a formless entity who uses the elements of nature to fashion monsters with which to attack Conor. On one planet he hides in the ocean waiting for Conor to approach and then uses the seawater and sand to create a monster that attacks him.

In Book Five, Conor has to do battle with the most horrible destroyer of all, Nemelissi the assassin. Nemelissi is one sick creature. It lives to kill, and does so in some very amazing ways.

For example, it can vomit red hot lava all over its enemies – WhEw!

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.

Conor’s Website

http://www.conorandthecrossworlds.com

Youtube Video - Hunt for the Five Keys of the Creators

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-il2S5bjKm4

Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=conor+and+the+crossworlds&x=18&y=23

Barnes&Noble.com

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=conor+and+the+crossworlds

Borders.com

http://www.borders.com/online/store/SearchResults?keyword=conor+and+the+crossworlds&type=1&simple=1

Conor and the Crossworlds Contest

Visit his website and click on the contest video for exciting details regarding The Hunt for the Five Keys of the Creators which begins in January http://www.conorandthecrossworlds.com

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

Primary Blog: http://www.amazon.com/gp/blog/A1Y85GB3KR02Y6/ref=cm_blog_dp_artist

Before Tony "Tony Nap" Napoli Was Published

Tony shares some of the details about his life before he wrote My Father, My Don - if this piques your interest, that is a clear indicator that you should buy the book. All of the details about his life before he was published are in My Father, My Don.

Tony "Tony Nap" Napoli

My mother encouraged me as a young teenager and close friends encouraged me to write my book. I explain this in detail in chapter 2 of my book My Father, My Don. As I got older, I built up more and more reference material for my autobiography, without realizing it. Some of those friends were Wiseguys and some just regular guys I grew up with. My reputation was one of being an exciting and intriguing type of guy. The type of guy who was able to get away with things that would get others stuffed in the trunk of a car. That's because they didn't have a father like mine.

I lived a very gangster and mob type of lifestyle. What's the difference between a gangster and a mobster? A gangster gets no respect, A mobster is a connected guy, who belongs to a crime family. If he's a Made Guy, also, known as a Button Guy, and if he has a title like Capo, he gets more respect from his crew and the people on the streets who are aware of it. But most of the Made Guys didn't have a blood line like me. My father was the number one guy for all five families, in the New York area. Their father's were regular Joe's and probably hard working men, most of their lives. My father would say to them and me, "the toughest guy I ever met, was the guy who goes to work 8-10 hours a day to support his family." They knew he was talking about their fathers.

My Father, never let me get involved with him and his crew in the number business. He always told me that I was above that. He schooled me for Casino type operations. Legal or illegal, it made no difference to me. As long as he wanted me, I was there for him. Until one day on my 26th Birthday when I did something that caused him to dismiss me from all activities. I was forced to change my name and disappear for thee-and-a-half-years, by his orders. All the information I'm about to tell you is listed in chapter 17 of my book.

I worked over a Cop who just happened to be a Captain of the police department in Burgen County, New Jersey. He tried to shake me down thinking that my father, who was on the lam for more than three weeks, was done away with. I knew better, because I knew where my father was hiding out in the Jersey shores till the heat died down. It was because of a killing that happened in his neighborhood, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY. I couldn't tell the crooked cop all this, and I knew I would have to handle my own problems till Dad came home. This bastard cop was also on my father's payroll. He was looking to burn the candle from both ends. The cop lived and my father came back shortly after the beating.

By my Father's orders, till the heat on me died down, I was on my way to no mans land. While traveling, I found a carnival in Memphis, Tennessee. that was looking for boxers to fight spectators for a dollar a round. It was a form of entertainment, a part of their side show. I jumped at the opportunity, because I was running out of cash. I had to eat, and couldn't call anybody for help. I struggled for those three-and-a-half years as told in chapter 18 of my book. I hitchhiked along Route 66 across the country from New York to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and changed my name to Tony Reo, I often thought of past times when I always had a pocket full of money. How things changed. I thought “look at me now, wearing the same clothes day after day.”

I left the Carnival to work for farmers, pulling broom corn, hauling hay and picking cotton. I just didn't give a dam anymore. I thought of the times when I had my own Loan Shark business, and spent almost every day at the local race tracks. All the show broads I used to romance and spend all kinds of money on.

When you get to chapter 19, losing my Mother was a big blow to me. That's when my father found me in New Mexico, and brought me back home to New York. He told me how my mother died of cancer and that all was forgiven. In chapter 21, The Prince of Vegas, tells of how my father set me up as a casino boss in Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada. That's when I partied with celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Vic Damone, Sammy Davis, Dean Martin, Eddie Fisher and other well known people. I was involved in hiring the entertainers for the Palace as well as overseeing the Casino operation. I became a complete out-of-control alcoholic.

Again, my father came to my rescue, working over guys that were supposed to be connected in different states. After two years of that, I was ordered back to New York where I met the love of my life, Laura. She stayed by my side through thick and thin, for the past 38 years and after the death of my father, by natural causes, she encouraged me to find sobriety. It's been a big part of my life for the past 15 years. Yes, because of her, I found a better way in life.

Mark Tewart Talks About His Book and His Promotion

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

Your Name: Mark Tewart

1. Where you are from and where are you now?
I a was born and raised in Middletown Ohio and currently reside in beautiful Lebanon Ohio which is a country suburb of Cincinnati and Dayton Ohio

2. How did you get started writing?
I started writing training manuals with my ideas back when I was a General Manager of an auto dealership. That continued on when I became a professional speaker, trainer and consultant and I have written 11 or twelve training manuals and numerous CD,DVD and on line training materials. Later, I was asked to write a monthly column in a trade journal and that became several articles a month in different magazines. I also was asked to do an ongoing TV show on a satellite training network in which I wrote the shows. My new book is my first book through a publisher.

3. What do you do when you are not writing?
I own four businesses that keep me very busy. I am a speaker, consultant, coach and now author. I own a products company, a reinsurance company that reinsures many of the products and services I offer and a real estate investment/holding company. I am also married to my wife Kim with two children – Erin a 23 year old senior at Wright State University and Jake a 9 year old son. I am actively involved with Jake in coaching and supporting his sports and school activities. I am a member of the National Speakers Association, Authors Guild and the Elks Lodge. I like to scuba dive, ski, sky dive, read, write, travel and spend time with my family.

4. What would readers like to know about you?
I am the same as everyone else. I have hopes and dreams, triumphs and tradgedies, fears and trepidations. I grew up on the tough side of the tracks and left home after I graduated high school to make some money for college. I moved across country to a place with a better economic climate, but where I had no place to stay, no job, no car, no money. I experienced tough times but was able to benefit from it and persisted to create a successful path.

5. What inspired your first book?
Two things. First of all I was diagnosed with cancer in November 2005. I am a lifetime non smoker who eats right exercises and takes care of myself. However, I still got cancer. When you face a life threatening illness it causes strong introspection. I had always been pretty good about going for my goals but upon reflection I had not written he book that I had always had a goal to do. I got busy in educating myself about the book business and process. When I started writing, I wound up writing the whole book in less than two months. Secondly, I became tired and frustrated and watching intelligent, talented people either fail or not reach their goals, hopes and dreams. I knew that I could help them. I felt like it was my calling to share with anyone that had a desire to seek something better. I also know what a difference books have made in my life.

6. How many books have you written?
11 or twelve manuals I have self published, tons of articles but 1 published book so far.

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

How To Be A Sales Superstar – Break All the Rules and Succeed While Doing It
Sales, Sales Techniques, Sales and Marketing

However, I have been told by many that this book is also a book about life and strong self improvement book as well.

8. Why are you specially qualified to write about this topic?
I started selling when I was 18 or 19 years old. When I was in college, I started to sell automobiles and did well. I became a general manager of a dealership when I was 27. I started my speaking, training and consulting career when I was 31. I have personally sold many millions of dollars of products and services from business to consumer, business to business and presided over companies selling millions of dollars of products and services each month. I have spoke to over 2,000 audiences on sales, sales marketing and sales management. I have coached and consulted with many different companies in various industries that have had magnificent increases in sales and profits. I guess the simple answer is that I have and currently do what I write about. I have been fortunate to have success in the sales and business arena so I have a desire to assist people in reaching the goals and success they wish.

9. How do you manage to keep yourself focused and on track when you’re writing a book?
I set aside a time each day to write and in that time, I do not allow distractions. No emails, cell phones, office calls, office visits, family interruptions – nothing. The world has to wait. I wrote my book in less than two months. When I start something I am pretty fanatical about finishing it.

10. Do you write to make money, for the love of writing or both?
Both. I don’t believe that you have to separate the two. I think it’s dangerous to start making the two mutually exclusive. I think it becomes a self imposed roadblock. I love to write. I love to share. I also know that if my writing has great value it will be impossible for me to not be rewarded and one of the ways I will be and expect to be rewarded is financially. Money follows value.

12. What are some unique methods of marketing you have used? Which were the most successful?
Dimensional or lumpy mail – trash can mailers, bank bag mailers, barf bag mailers, FED Ex Mailers etc. email marketing – newsletters, autoresponders, special notices, tele-seminars, associations, articles with by lines, trade magazines, 800 recorded messages, special reports, ebooks, sponsorships, special events, speaking engagements, Twitter and many other social networking events, vendors and many more

13. Do you sell through a website? If so, what’s the address? If not, why not?
Yes, www.marktewartlive.com – www.tewart.com – www.marktewart.com – www.howtobesalessuperstar.info

14. Where can people order your books?
www.marktewart.com – www.marktewartlive.com – www.amazon.com as well as book stores and other online retailers

15. What format are your books – e-book, print, audio etc?
My book is only in print form at the moment. I do have a couple of ebooks and niched industry specific DVD, audios and workbooks as well.

16. Will you write more books?
My goal is write 1 or more a year for the next ten years minimum

17. What do you have in the works now?
I am writing another sales book titled – From Zero to Sales Hero In 60 Days or Less

18. What does the future hold for you and your books?
I will continue to write and have my books published where I am creating a brand around me and my writing and projects.

19. What was the most successful thing you did to promote your books?
Teleseminars, joint venture book announcements, speaking engagements, social media

20. What was the least successful thing you did to promote your books?
Hire a PR firm

22. What makes this book special to you?
It’s a lifetime culmination. The book is a completely different perspective on sales. The book emphasizes not only sales skills, people skills, life skills and marketing skills. I believe everyone is a salesperson and that we all should get better at sales. I have wonderful feedback from people who are not in traditional sales capacities that have expressed how much the book has helped them. I also wrote this book in a more conversational form which made it fun for me and hopefully for the reader as well.

23. What sort of comments have you gotten about the content of the book?
I have been told that it brings the missing elements to sales and success. I have been told that it updates and professionalizes the profession of selling. I have been told that it is a book anyone should read not just salespeople.

24. What makes this a book that other people MUST read and WHY?
This book is so much more than sales it is a success primer. The book addresses the roadblocks that in some form or fashion we all face and gives you real life effective approaches to use in your life. The things expressed in this book are not just theory they are tried and tested. The approaches have worked for myself and thousands.


25. What people NEED to read this book and WHY?
They only need two things. They need an open mind and a teachable spirit.

26. What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own
creativity?
Just about everything. I look at everything and ask what the opposite would be. I am a Contrarian. I also look at everything from a value and marketing perspective. I read newspapers from a marketing and copywriting perspective. I also get great creativity and motivation from education – Education = Motivation. I am constantly self educating myself through seminars, books, CD’s mastermind groups and more

27. What do you think motivates people to become authors? What motivated you to get into this unusual industry?
I think most people feel they have something to say and a burning desire to share. I have no misconceptions about my ability to spin prose. I only have confidence in my information and ability to communicate.

28. Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote any books?
I am in the process of setting up corporate sponsors and utilizing non profits where I can donate some proceeds from the book and in turn they will assist me in marketing

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 :)
Everyone is a salesperson. To be truly great at what you do, you must be great at sales in some fashion. This book is unique in the approach it takes to help you get to that success. This book breaks the mold of traditional selling techniques and brings a new perspective to sales. The world and the marketplace is a different and changing all the time and this book gives real world information on how to sell and market in today’s environment.


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 have lived and breathed sales and marketing my entire adult life. I have seen the rewards this information can bring and I have seen the sorrows that salespeople, entrepreneurs and people in general experience if they don’t have sales and marketing skills. Quite simply, you can’t afford to not have this information. It can only help and not hurt you. If you want to excel to higher levels you cannot do what you have always done. For what a person pays for book in relation to the value received and the possible results it can being is minuscule.

To read the first chapter of How to be a Sales Superstar and to receive several FREE bonuses from Mark Tewart, visit www.marktewartlive.com.

Full tour details are posted at http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-to-be-sales-superstar-by-mark.html

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.