Time for the Stories!

LDSP's 2009 Christmas Story Contest

Prize: Publication in a Christmas collection that will be published and ready for sale in October.

The stories will start posting in just a few minutes. I have them scheduled to post four per day, a few hours apart. If we get more submissions in, I may need to post a bunch on Friday and Saturday.

Just a quick review of some very important points:

• SUBMIT your story any time between NOW and Saturday, August 15, 2009. Yes, there's still time, if you hurry. Details HERE.
  

• If you submit more than one story, I'll split them up to post on separate days, if possible.

• Please tell your friends that you've submitted a story and to come reade and vote, but DO NOT tell them which story is yours. We want the stories to win on merit, not personal popularity.

• We will have Reader Voting for the best stories, as we have done in previous contests. The winners are guaranteed a spot in the book. Voting will take place August 16–22nd. I will post voting rules then. You may comment any time your like, but voting doesn't count until the 16th.

Books (Part 2)

All of these photos were sent to me from Sandra, who attended the convention on Thursday. She also felt it was small and sad. She said she saw everything in just a couple of hours. Thanks for the photos.


Cedar Fort's booth tied with Deseret Book for having the largest floor space. I think they were this same size last year, but not sure. They weren't having any author signings while I was there, but I think they did have a few scheduled.

This is one display of new Cedar Fort books. I think most of these have already been released. They had another bank of books this size that held new releases, as well. Some of them looked interesting. I would have been tempted to swipe a few but 1) they didn't have any that were just sitting around asking to be swiped, and 2) Lyle Mortimer was sitting right there giving me the evil eyeball. (Not really "evil"—just suspicious. I think it was the peacock feathers. I was molting all over his booth.)

CFI has really been picking up a lot of authors lately. It's a smart move on their part, if they can maintain the schedule.




Covenant's booth was smaller than last year, again, I think. They had the most traffic while I was there. They also had two banks of New Releases. Some of these are already out and others are coming out over the next couple of months.

I'm particularly interested in seeing the book on the bottom right shelf. (Click here for close up.) I really don't remember posing for that shot. Maybe I should sue them for endorsement infringements?


Another release I'm anticipating is the one on the bottom left of this bank. (Click here) While I think Jennie Hansen is a fine writer, I don't personally groove on historicals or westerns. This is a current day suspense, which I do like.

I would have swiped some of these books too, but they weren't real. They were old books with a new cover wrap for display purposes only. Bummer.



Deseret Book wins the "are you kidding me?" award. I was absolutely stunned by the size their booth wasn't. They are usually THE big spot each year, sometimes having more than one booth area. This year, while still the biggest (w/CFI), they were just so much smaller than before.


From another angle. And don't assume that it extends much beyond the picture because it doesn't. They only had one signing station this year. So disappointing to see that. But totally understandable. Why should they put out a bunch of money for a huge booth, when reseller attendance is at an all-time low?


The last photos I have here are of Brigham Distributing. Brigham doesn't publish but they distribute for small presses, like Leatherwood Press and the new Valor Publishing. They also carrying close-out titles for Spring Creek and Rosehaven Publishing, both companies are pretty much out of business now. I've been really impressed with Brigham Distribution over the years. I very much admire Barry Reeder.


This is Valor Publishing holding a mock-up of their first title, Am I Not a Man? The Dred Scott Story by Mark L. Shurtleff, scheduled to come out this fall. Tristi Pinkston (left) is acquisitions editor, BJ Rowley (center) is business manager, and Candace Salima (right) is president.

I did not see WiDo Publishing there (which I've heard pronounced as both "wee-doo" and "wid-doh"), although I heard rumors that a representative was strolling around there one day. I also don't know if they're self-distributing, or if they're going through another distributor.

That wraps it up for now. If you have more photos, corrections, comments, you know how to get them to me.

Now for Books (Part 1)

Let's go with the smaller book publishers first, as in smaller than Deseret Book, Covenant and Cedar Fort.


Granite publishes a few titles each year, but they also distribute for a variety of small presses. They had a teensy booth this year. (Click to see last year's booth) Last year, they had several booth spaces (4? 6?) combined together, lots of author signings, a huge display. This year, they had two booth spaces and there were two authors there signing books when I went by.

Sandra sent me this photo of her with Granite author, Kae D. Jacobs, and her book, Beyond the Masque.




Millennial Press seems to have found their niche in the market. They are solidly doctrinal. They have two great series, Setting the Record Straight, which features various authors on LDS topics, and Know Your Religions, which compares Mormonism to other religions.

In addition to their publications, the also distribute for BYU Studies, which specializes in LDS academic publications. They had several new titles on display at their booth.



Millennial combined booth space with One Associated, a company that has developed a POS software which helps both vendors and bookstore owners overcome some of the difficulties of doing business in the LDS market. They had a pilot store set up in Pleasant Grove, UT for several months and I've heard great things from vendors about how the system works. I have no idea why this hasn't taken off like crazy. I was very impressed with it when I first heard about it three years ago.

You can just barely see in the corner of that photo a display for OttoSkins, (their website is under construction so this takes you to a twitter page). These are technically sidelines, not books but it's run by Dave Trammell, who is also one of the owners of One Associated. OttoWear/OttoSkins are thin removeable skins for your electronics—computers, iPods, cell phones. They have an entire LDS line. Totally cool. Wish I had photos of their product to show you. I'm definitely buying some for myself!





Signature Books had a presence at the convention. They had a small booth, but then they generally do. They "promote the study of Mormonism and related issues pertaining to the Rocky Mountain area." Their collection definitely speaks to a particular niche of the LDS market, but they do it right because they seem to be growing.



Sounds of Zion seemed about the same size as usual. They are more of a distributor, than a publisher. They're probably better known for their music and audio CDs, but they carry a decent line of books, as well. They don't seem to have a focus to what they distribute, but will consider anything that they feel is worthwhile,



Walking the Line is a self-publishing venture for Kevan Clawson. He's had a booth there for several years and seems to be about the same as before. His books are doctrinal, missionary, and biographies.



The Wind River booth was smaller than last year, even though they now include Mapletree (Homeschooling & Child Development) and Trumpet Media (Christianity & Religious) as imprints. They carry a wide variety of titles and genres—home schooling, history, politics, fiction, self-help, and more. In this photo, JB Howick (owner) and Ryan Bott (Millennial Press) are discussing solutions to all of the world's problems.

Now for Sidelines

This is just a taste. Like I said before, I couldn't find my camera, so I'm relying on others for these images. If you have some, please send them.


Real Heroes Posters has Book of Mormon and other scripture hero posters. I thought this was a pretty cool concept but the art wasn't quite to my personal tastes. However, I liked Lehi's Dream and Mary Mother of Jesus.



Mormon Wrap, another great concept: LDS-themed wrapping paper and gift bags. Don't know if I buy their "Strengthen their faith with LDS wrapping paper" slogan or the label of "spiritual gift wrap"—I mean, c'mon. Really? Some of the designs were cute. I'm not sure they've hit the niche quite yet but they're close.



Daily Bread—freeze-dried food storage that will last 25 years, and is reasonably priced. I can't speak for their other products, but the lasagna they were giving tastes of was yummy.




Cherished Moments Jewelry featured some cute, dainty jewelry designs for baby blessings, baptism and YW gifts, as well as missionary gifts and tie pins.



RingMasters always wins the best decorated booth—and they deserve it. I didn't go to the awards banquet this year but I'm assuming they won because I really didn't see any other booths doing much to fit the theme. In addition to their popular CTR rings, they had YW jewelry with the new value represented. I also loved their decorator plates and their engraved crystals with mirrored platforms.


Anyone got photos of other booths? Send them in.

Starting with Art

[Thank you to those who've sent photos for me to post! I couldn't find my camera.]

There were a total of 85 vendors at the LDSBA Convention this year; less than 20% were publishers or distributors of books. The rest were what we call sidelines—art, candy, food storage, t-shirts, ties, games, rings, scripture totes, and all that other stuff you can find at your local LDS bookstore.

So let's start with Art. These are just a few of the art vendors who were there.

Altus Fine Art is best known for Simon Dewey's artwork but they also represent B. Laura Wilson, Walter Rane, Joseph Brickey, and Lynde Mott, among others. They had a nice L-shaped booth and their display was wonderful.

Greg Olsen Art had a nice booth too. Loved those columns.

Here are a few other art booths. I'm not sure which companies they represent. If someone wants to let me know, I'll post names and links.

Golden Street Artworks features the work of Scott T. Peterson. He has a really cute calendar (both a 2010 and a generic 2 year calendar), posters, greeting cards, stickers and a bank.

I didn't get a photo of their booth, but I was very impressed with them last year and was happy to see them back again.





A new art company (new to me) is Sculpture Grove. They have a 12"x10" solid cast bust of Joseph Smith. It was really attractive and detailed.

If anyone has pictures of these booths, send them to me.

The Incredibly Shrinking Convention

The LDS Booksellers Convention has once again come to a close. I experienced a variety of feelings during this week. While it was fun to see the new things coming out, network with old friends, meet a few new ones, it was also very sad to see how much the convention has changed over the past few years.

My first year at the convention, it was one huge event! We were in one of the bigger convention halls at the South Towne Expo—and it was crowded. There were vendors everywhere and I heard not all that wanted in were able to get a booth. (That may or may not be true, but every spot was filled.)

The aisles were nearly bursting with book buyers. All the Deseret Book managers were there. Buyers came from all across the U.S., Canada, and England. Sometimes the aisles were so crowded with people that you couldn't get through to where you wanted to go. And the noise! It was definitely noisy.

A few years later, we moved to a smaller convention hall with fewer booths, but it was still nice. Also, Deseret Book stopped sending the individual bookstore managers, sending only the corporate buyers. We saw a big drop in attendees then.

Last year, it was even smaller with the loss of some key companies who had closed their doors.

And this year. This year?


See that? That's a curtain that partitioned off probably a full third of the hall at the back. I've never seen that before!

While there were several new vendors there, a lot of the old-timers were missing. It also seemed that most of the booths were smaller this year than ever before. Granite had a teeny booth. Cedar Fort and Deseret Book both had smaller booths. Deseret Book only had one author signing station this year. Covenant was about the same size as last year (I think) but it has decreased since I first attended. WindRiver was smaller. Millennial Press was smaller and shared their booth with One Associated.

Attendance by buyers was lower than last year. I didn't think it was possible. I strolled the aisles at my leisure, never once having to stand in a line at any booth. I could hear every thing that was said to me, in normal speaking voices.

It was just sad.

Oh, and the LDSBA itself usually has wonderful decorations out in the foyer. Not this year. Nothing. Only this booth.


Of course, I don't blame them for not having lavish decorations. With this kind of turn-out, I wouldn't have decorated either.

I don't know if this is a reflection of the economy or the state of the LDS merchandising industry or a combination of both or what, but it is sad to see.

I really, really hope something breathes some new life into our convention before next summer.

Ghost Writer Wanted (again)

I'm not sure if you are the right person to contact about my questions but I simply don't know where else to turn. I am wondering how to get a book published by and LDS company. I have a truly amazing story to tell about my life the past few years and my battle with brain cancer, recovery, mission,struggling with drug use, and my journey back. I have started writing but I am not a writer, or at least I don't consider myself one. I'd rather have someone who is a writer possibly write it for me. So I am curious what my options are as far as how to tell my story. Are there LDS ghost writers? I really don't know anything about getting a book published at all. Where is a good place to start? I'm sorry these questions are kinda dumb, but like i said, I really don't know anything about this. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

Yes, this is the perfect place to ask your question.

First, understand that this is a very difficult type of story to sell. You have a limited market and unless you're a celebrity, most of the bigger publishers are going to pass. So will the bigger distributors.

You'll probably have to self-publish and do a lot of personal promotion and marketing. I'd recommend going with a POD so that you don't end up with 2,000 books sitting in your garage gathering dust.

However, there are people who ghost write. Check the comments HERE.

Anyone else do ghost writing? Post your contact info in the comments.

Off to the Convention!

The LDSBA starts today! Yay!

I'm off to discover some treasures.

I will try to post photos Friday and Saturday so as not to interfere with the Christmas story contest which will start posting on Monday. (Didn't plan that very well, did I?)

If you are at the convention and you take photos, please send them to me for posting. Especially if you get a photo of me. (ha!)

Writing Tip Tuesday: Consistency

When writing an inspirational biography to an LDS audience, do you think it's best to use serial commas?

A serial comma is when a comma is used in a series, for example:

I put caramel syrup, hot fudge, and whipped cream on my ice cream sundae.

The red one in front of the "and" is the one being asked about. I think. At least, whether or not to use this comma in a series is usually what people are asking about. Here's the sentence without it:

I put caramel syrup, hot fudge and whipped cream on my ice cream sundae.

Either is correct, or rather, an argument can be made either for or against it. The use of this comma goes in and out of style, and different editors/publishers will have differing opinions. Most style guides will say to use it. Newspapers often do not.

You can read about it here and here and here.

The most important thing to remember about this comma is to pick one way of doing it and stick to it.

And by the way, it doesn't really matter what you're writing—biography, fiction, poetry—or who your audience—LDS or not, children or adult—although generally, non-fiction and more literary works use it, while more casual works often do not.

I'd check a couple of top sellers by established publishers in your genre (or the publisher you're planning to submit to), see what their style is, and do that.

And no, it's not a big enough deal for you to do it both ways and send one version to one publisher and the other version to another. Just do it one way, CONSISTENTLY—and they'll tell you if they want it done the other way.

Send Your Stinkin' Story Already!

I had planned to start posting Christmas stories today (I'm now up to 8 submissions) but since voting is nearly two weeks away, I think I'll hold off until next week.

Submissions are low and I was trying to determine why that is and came up with this:

1. You aren't inspired to write about Christmas in the summer time—to which I say, deal with it because most seasonal books/magazines are like this, calling for submissions out of season
   or
2. You are intimidated because the prize is publication—to which I say, suck it up because if you want to be published you have to get past that and I promise to be gentle when I tell you your story didn't make the cut
   or
3. You hate me, think I'm a loser, think my book idea stinks, and you're trying to make my life miserable—to which I say, grow up and send your stinkin' story because chances are you're going to hate your publisher/editor/agent at one time or another.
   

Whatever the reason, get with it and write, polish and submit.

The clock's a-ticking!

August 2009 Prize Sponsors

Last month's prize winners announced HERE.

Please take a moment to learn more about our wonderfully generous sponsors.


Uncut Diamonds by Karen Jones Gowen


It is the late Seventies. Gold medallions and disco dancing, bell bottoms and bushy sideburns, Star Wars and Saturday Night Fever are all the rage. Jimmy Carter is President during a frightening recession, with mortgage interest rates at 13% and fuel bills higher than house payments. In the heartland of the nation, a young Mormon couple, Marcie and Shawn McGill, struggle to save their home, family and marriage, during these uncertain times. And they find help in unexpected places…

Follow the lives of Marcie and her two sisters as their lives intertwine. Beautiful Cindy who is single and dating, often the wrong guy. Linda who married rich and lives in Denver with her husband and young daughter. And their parents, the kindly Methodist minister and his cheerful wife, who do what they can to help everyone out.



Karen Gowen: Born and raised in central Illinois, the daughter of a second-generation Methodist minister, I now live in South Jordan, Utah with my husband and three of our ten children. We have a back yard overgrown with fruit trees, vegetable garden and wildflowers, as well as a pond full of koi. I love to read, knit and watch Woody Allen movies. I graduated from BYU with a degree in English and American Literature. I've been writing for most of my life, published a few newspaper articles and sold a few stories to the Friend. The past few years I have finally been able to devote more time to writing. Two years ago I finished Farm Girl, story of a young girl growing up on a 1930's Nebraska farm. Uncut Diamonds is a longer, more ambitious work, a novel set in central Illinois, one part chick lit, one part family saga, it is like Steel Magnolias with Mormon characters. I am now working on the sequel, House of Diamonds.





Illuminations of the Heart by Joyce DiPastena

Her heart is lost in that first embrace, her world shaken to its foundations. There is just one problem: her name is not Clothilde. It is Siriol de Calendri.

Trained in the art of illumination in the far-off city of Venice, she is directed by her late brother's will to the county of Poitou in France, where she enters the guardianship of her brother's friend, Sir Triston de Brielle. Once in Poitou, Siri hopes to find employment in an illuminator's shop -- until Triston unexpectedly snatches her heart away with a kiss.

Triston is a man of quiet honor and courage, but the guilt he carries for the death of his late wife, Clothilde, has left him numb and hesitant to love again. Worse yet, Siri bears an uncanny resemblance to his lost love.

Then Triston's past returns to threaten them both. Will his tragic life with Clothilde be repeated with Siri?




Joyce DiPastena fell in love with the Middle Ages when she first read Thomas B. Costain's The Conquering Family in high school. She is a graduate of the University of Arizona with a degree specializing in medieval history.

Joyce lives in Arizona with her two cats, Clio and Glinka Rimsky-Korsokov.

Writing Prompt Friday

[If you hate writing prompts, don't come visit me on Fridays.]

I'm done with Fatuous Friday. Bored, now.

Here's a new feature that I will continue until I get bored with it—Writing Prompt Friday.

Each Friday, I'll post a writing prompt. Why? To help encourage writing. Writing prompts can be very useful for the following reasons:

• Prime the Pump—to get you warmed up for a writing session or to help break through writer's block.

• Practice—like any skill, it's important to practice writing creatively. Prompts can help your brain stretch a bit.

• Drills—like practicing the piano, but you're writing instead

• Habit—to get you in the habit of writing regularly. Even if you're not working on a current project, it helps to write a bit every day.

• New Skills—sometimes a prompt causes you to develop a new skill or to look at a different style of writing. That's always good.

• Fun—do I really need to define this?

• Low Stress—because no one cares, a prompt is low stress writing.

• Promise—sometimes a prompt will start you on the road to a new novel. It's like heaven when that happens.

Okay, so enough justification. Here's today's prompt, stolen from Writer's Digest.com (Stolen because after wasting so much time on yesterday's post, I now have to hurry to get to my "day job".)

You're a pizza delivery driver and it's your last stop of the night. The house is on an unlit, unfamiliar street. As you ring the doorbell, you're greeted by an unusual character who invites you in while he gets cash—and abruptly knocks you out cold. When you wake up, you're tied to a chair. What happens next?

Limit your response to 500 words or fewer.

If you participate in this prompt, leave a comment and let us know how it went. If you post your response to this prompt on your blog, leave the link in your comment.

Christmas Story Contest Reminder

LDSP's 2009 Christmas Story Contest

Prize: Publication in a Christmas collection that will be published and ready for sale in October.


Submission deadline: August 15th.

Details HERE.

I will start posting stories next week.

Right now it's slim pickins. Only 5 entries. Get those stories finished and send them out to me ASAP.

Writing Conferences—The Lazy Way

(I'm sitting here pre-writing this week's posts because I've got a horrendous schedule this week. And honestly, I've been looking at this screen for over an hour with no idea what to write about! I do so much better answering your questions. Please, SEND QUESTIONS.)

For today, I'm linking to a post by Chip MacGregor, literary agent, who is discussing writing conferences and how important they are to those who want to publish.

A Dozen Questions about Writing Conferences

1st or 3rd POV?

I know you've discussed POV before, but how do I know whether I should use first-person or third-person in my novel?

First-person limits your writing in many ways. Because the story is being told by the main character (usually), you can only disclose what they experience. So if you need a scene that does not involve your main character, you have to have someone tell them what happened. Also, your secondary and supporting characters are a little harder to develop because you don't get inside their heads. We learn about them as they interact with your narrator. Some readers really hate first-person. (The woman who gives me pedicures refuses to read anything in first-person.)

The advantages of first-person is it often brings the reader in closer to the main character, letting them identify with them more. First-person goes in and out of style, but it is currently the favored POV for middle grade and YA novels. A very popular example of first person is the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer.

Third-person omniscient allows you to share the experience of a variety of characters. You can look at events from various viewpoints and listen in on the inner thoughts of almost anyone in the book—including the antagonist. This often makes it easier to show motivation and add dimension to all your characters. The difficulty with third person, however, is that it can distance the reader from the main character. It also lends itself to "telling" rather than showing. A popular example of third person done well is the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.

How do you know which is right for your book? Depends on the mood you're trying to create. Read several popular books in your genre that use different POVs and analyze how it makes you, as the reader, feel. Then use the POV that does best what you want to accompolish in your book.

Another option is to write the first chapter in both first and third POVs. Which one do you like best? Share the chapters with a few friends or in your critique group. Which did they like best and why? That should give you the answer to your question.

Writing Tip Tuesday: Regular Doses of Inspiration

I am sure that there are writers out there who can write in a vacuum. They don't need a how-to book or a critique group. They don't need support or encouragement or inspiration. And they certainly don't need to be spending their money on anything that might give them a leg up in the publishing industry.

I'm not one of them.

If you're not one of them either, I suggest subscribing to a writing magazine or newsletter. You can get one that specializes in your area of writing or a generic one.

I personally love Writer's Digest. Eight times a year I get a little dose of writing inspiration—personal stories of successful writers, how-tos, industry info and more. I don't just read the magazine, I actually try out their tips. If you don't have the $$ for a subscription, go browse their site. They've got all sorts of freebies there, from articles, to tips and writing prompts, to links to other great sites and blogs.

I also used to subscribe to The Writer (although when I had to make a choice due to my budget, I dropped this one and kept Writer's Digest). This mag also has tips and pointers and it comes monthly. The website has lots of free info, as well.

There's another one I just heard about called Writer's Journal. I haven't actually read this one but it looks like it may have some good information. (Anyone out there subscribe? Let us know what you think in the comments.)

So, what's the writing tip? If you need some regular inspiration and tips to keep you writing, subscribe to a good writing magazine and/or visit a writing website on a regular basis.

Are there other good magazines or newsletters you'd recommend? Let us know in the comments section.

LDSBA Less Than Two Weeks Away

The annual LDS Booksellers Association Convention is coming up very soon. Booth set-up starts on Monday, August 3rd, as well as Booksellers University, which is a training meeting for retailers.

The actual convention goes Wednesday through Friday, August 5-7th. And yes, I'll be there.

That's one of the reasons I've been so busy not posting here. Not that I'll have a booth, or a book signing this year. But deciding which of my many disguises to wear to the event is consuming my every waking moment!




Should I wear my turquoise business suit with faux peacock collar and matching hat, purse and pumps? (I had to make a little inset because it was too low cut for the LDSBA but I think it looks rather fetching.)









Or should I wear my super-spy undercover suit?

I think the flower makes the whole thing, don't you?




So. Who is going to the convention? Who has a book coming out or a signing there? When? Where?

Also, any questions about the convention?

Recommended by Moi—Does Anyone Care?

What are your favorite LDS novels? Which do you recommend?

Over the years that I've been doing this blog, I've gotten this question many, many, many times—at least a few times a month. Another variation on theme that I get several times a year is, would I consider creating an LDSP award for the best books?

I've mostly ignored these questions because I have a hard enough time finding and reading all the Whitney nominees. The task of finding and reading every novel by an LDS author would be outside my current resources—both in time and finances.

Then there's the possible backlash—accusations of favoritism to friends and genres; promoting books I've worked on, blah-blah-blah. If I give an award to one book, will people think I'm dissing all others? Also, there are a select few individuals who know my secret identity, and I might not give an award to them. Will they hate me forever?

Therefore, my answer has always been No.


But recently I've gotten a deluge of people asking me about this, which has caused me to do some rethinking. I want to be seen as a trusted source of general and unbiased information here on these sites—and I think I've accomplished that for the most part. Any LDS author can get their novel and author events listed for free, simply by letting me know about it. The networking is open to any LDS author, publisher or group (it is just taking me some time to get them posted). The only site that has judgment or opinion attached is the LDS Fiction Review site, and there are a variety of reviewers there.

So a few questions for you are:

• Do you really care which books I'd recommend?

• If I came out with an award for the best of the best (IMHO), would that skew the value of any other information I post on these sites?

• Would you be willing to send me a copy of your book to read—knowing that it may not be chosen for the award, but that by sending a copy you were guaranteed to:
  
  —be considered for the award
  
  —have it passed along to one of the LDS Fiction Review reviewers for review
  
  —get its spot on LDS fiction
  
  —move you up on the "Add to LDS Author Network site" list?
  
  —get you listed on the LDSP Good Reads shelf (which does not yet exist but will be created if I decide to do this)
  
  —get you added as a friend on the LDSP Facebook account (which does not yet exist but will be created if I decide to do this)

What do you think? Great idea or one to be tossed in File 13? Ideas? Suggestions?

This has nothing to do with publishing. . .

. . . but rather with technology. Which I am currently hating.

Remember this?

The problem is just getting worse. And of course, it happens when I'm up against a huge deadline. I don't have it in me to think of post-worthy content until I get this resolved.

So sorry. Consider this week my summer vacation.

Writing Your Book Club Questions

I've seen some book websites (and sometimes published books) with kits for book clubs—everything from discussion questions to activities to refreshment ideas. What makes for a "good" book club kit?

Having book club questions as part of the printed book is becoming very popular. You're more likely to find/need to provide these questions for women's books and Middle Grade/YAs. Discussion questions depend on the type of book and should be more than just a book content trivia quiz.

Personally, I like questions that relate things that happen in the book to the reader's real life.

From a book club perspective, get some ideas HERE and HERE and HERE. You'll want to customize them for your book.

As far as a book club kit, the more you provide, the better. You could do themed party ideas and provide suggestions for anything from decorations and invitations, to games and other activities, to refreshments and door prize ideas—your imagination is the limit.

Is this necessary? No. But as someone who attends a couple of book clubs and often finds them tedious, it is lots of fun to turn it into a party. (Which I do when it's my turn to host.)

Fatuous Friday: What I Do All Day

You say you've gone into semi-retirement. What exactly does that mean? What is your basic day like now?

I wake up around noon. Watch TV all day. Eat bon bons. Around 7:00 p.m., I eat some fast food, then get all spiffied up and hit the local dance bars until 2:00 a.m. Wash, rinse and repeat.

Oh, wait. That was college.

I basically do the same thing as I did before, but freelance and on a project by project basis. A publisher will call me up and ask if I'm interested in managing a project. If I have the time and the interest, I take it on. If I hate the book or need a break, I pass.

I take the project from manuscript submission to press ready—sometimes doing the work myself, sometimes outsourcing it to other contacts. I do the same thing for self-publishers.

I mostly work from home, rather than at an office, although sometimes I'll go onsite for a project. Just depends on the needs of the project.

I don't really have a basic day. It changes depending on the project. If I'm not too busy, I get caught up here on these LDSP sites. If I miss posting here, or post late in the day, it's usually because I've got a deadline I'm rushing to meet.

Publishing Artwork—Beats Me

Do you have any suggestions on getting artwork "published" or to a distributor? Do you recommend any sites with this info?

Uhmmm, I have no idea. Here are some places that I've seen at LDSBA. I don't know if they all publish or if some just distribute.

Altus Fine Art

Foundation Arts

Granite

Sounds of Zion

Readers, if you know anything about this, please chime in.

I'm Not Ignoring You. Promise.

If I sent you the info for my book but it never appeared on LDSF, to what should I attribute that? Will you be offended if I resend?

You should attribute it to the probability that I didn't get it. PLEASE DO resend.

I get a LOT of junk mail at the ldsp hotmail account. So much, in fact, that I'm considering closing down that email and opening a new one. Just haven't gotten around to it.

The first thing I do when I check my email is to weed out the obvious junk mail—you know the ones, where I've won the lottery or someone wants to pay me a million dollars to help them sneak their money into the U.S. If there's a question in my mind, I usually open it, but if you've put something really odd in your subject line, I might have accidentally deleted your email without opening it.

The best way to make sure I know it's a legit email is to think about that subject line. Good ones are:

• Question for LDSP

• Book for LDSF

• Contest for LDSP

• Author Event (or Book Signing or Workshop or. . .)

• From an LDS Author

• Will you review my book

• or anything else that makes it obvious you're a legit blog reader and not a mail-order-bride from Uzbekistan.

Sorry, Th. Yes, resend.

And about that Christmas Story Contest. Good suggestions everyone. I'm going to update the rules right now.

Christmas Story Contest

Updated 07/08/09 (see bolded purple info below)

Writing Tip Tuesday: Enter contests. Like this one. . .


Remember that Christmas Story Contest I mentioned last month? Well, here it is.


LDSP's 2009 Christmas Story Contest

Prize: Publication in a Christmas collection that will be published and ready for sale in October.


Submission Rules:

• FOLLOW rules carefully! In the past, I've let some of you slide a little. But since this is for a publication, I'm going to be as sticky-picky as I am when receiving real submissions. Why? Because this is a REAL submission!

• Write a short Christmas story in any genre. Stories should be positive and family friendly. I reserve the right to refuse any story I deem inappropriate for this blog/book.

• Maximum word count: 2,000; no minimum.

• Story must be previously unpublished. Stories published anywhere other than your personal website or blog are ineligible. (That includes books, magazines, e-zines or other contests.)

• Stories submitted for previous years' contests are also ineligible for this contest. (But may be selected for publication in the book.)
  

• Paste entire story into an e-mail. NO ATTACHMENTS, please.
  —Put "Contest: Title of Story" in the subject line of your e-mail. (Example: Contest: A Christmas Gift for Mary)
  
  —At the top of the body of your e-mail, type your name, mailing address, phone number, e-mail address, word count and whether you are a published or unpublished author (defined below). (Example:
  
  LDS Publisher
  123 My Street
  My Town, ST 00000
  123)456-7890
  ldspublisher@hotmail.com
  word count: 1990
  published author
  
  —Skip a line, then put the title of your story
  
  —Skip a line, then paste in your story.
  
  

• "Published"—as in published author—is defined as someone paid you money or comp copies (in the case of magazines) for any story or book written by you. (So either a publisher paid you, or you self-published and people bought your book.)

• If you are a published and/or agented author, check with your publisher and/or agent before submitting. They will want to know the information listed under "Book Details".
  

• You may submit more than one story. Send each submission in a separate e-mail. Include all your info, as outlined above, with each e-mail/story.
  

• SUBMIT your story any time between NOW and Saturday, August 15, 2009.

• I will post the stories beginning on August 1st, in the order that they arrive.

• We will have Reader Voting for the best stories, as we have done in previous contests. The winners are guaranteed a spot in the book. Voting will take place August 16–22nd. I will post voting rules then.

• You may tell your friends that you've submitted a story and to please go vote, but DO NOT tell them which story is yours. We want the stories to win on merit, not personal popularity.
  

PRIZE: Publication in the Christmas Collection

• There will be four winners:
  Readers' Choice/Published Author
  Readers' Choice/Unpublished Author
  Editor's Choice/Published Author
  Editor's Choice/Unpublished Author.
  
  These four winners are guaranteed a spot in the book.

• As usual, I reserve the right to not award one of the Editor's Choice awards if I feel none of the stories deserve it.

• Other stories in the book will include my choices from this and previous Christmas contests held on this blog, selected based on providing a variety of stories and book size.

• All authors to be included in the book will be notified by the end of August, 2009.

Book Details (Read Carefully):

• By submitting a story to this contest, you are agreeing to all the conditions below.

• Authors shall give LDS Publisher One-Time Publishing Rights for inclusion of story in the as yet untitled Christmas story compilation. This is the non-exclusive right to publish your story in this compilation, in various formats, and to retain your story in the compilation until LDS Publisher takes the compilation out of print.
  

• Authors shall retain all other rights and copyrights to their stories and may sell this story to any other party with a publication date after December 25, 2009.

• Compensation for use of story in this compilation shall be: one free e-book copy of the published book sent to author upon publication; author's name listed in the Table of Contents and on the first page of the story; and rights to use this compilation as a publishing credit. No royalties, advances or other monetary compensation will be given to any author. Author may not print or sell the e-book files.
  

• Compensation exception: If sales of the book exceed costs to produce it, LDS Publisher shall notify authors and arrange an equal royalty split between all authors. Conditions and terms of royalty and payment shall be determined at that time.
  

• LDS Publisher shall assume no rights to any future works by author.

• LDS Publisher shall have full editorial rights to the stories included in the compilation, including, but not limited to, title changes, editing for space and content, design and layout of book, title of book, and book cover.

• The compilation will be available for purchase online in both print and e-book formats by October 31, 2009.

• The compilation may or may not be made available to bookstores at discounted pricing, but in any case, no marketing will be done by LDS Publisher to guarantee placement in any bookstore.

• Authors agree to help spread the word about the contest and the book by any or all of the following methods:
  
  —Word of mouth to friends and family
  
  —Website/blog buttons, links, posts, etc
  
  —Facebook, My Space, Twitter, or other networking sites or forums
  

I think I've covered everything. If I update any of the above, I'll post a notice and mark it in bolded purple. I'll have buttons created later this week that you can post on your blogs/websites.

Help spread the word! Post about the contest on your blog, in your forums, and e-mail all your friends.


Buttons for your blogs:

Standard Sidebar (220px)

<div align="center"><a href="http://ldspublisher.blogspot.com/2009/07/christmas-story-contest.html"><img src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff111/LDSPublisher/09CmasButton_210.gif" /></a></div>

Smaller Sidebar (125px)

<div align="center"><a href="http://ldspublisher.blogspot.com/2009/07/christmas-story-contest.html"><img src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff111/LDSPublisher/09CmasButton_125.gif" /></a></div>

Creating the Buzz

My first novel was just released and I'd like to get some buzz going (my publisher doesn't do much) but I don't know where to start? Any ideas? Can you give me some step-by-step suggestions?

If I had a new novel coming out, I'd start with the free/cheap stuff first. I also would have started a few months ago, but that's okay. You can still do all these things now.

• Set up a blog or website with info about yourself and your book.
  (Good examples: Josi S. Kilpack [love the visually attractive details on her books; her site probably cost money, but you can do similar things with content for cheap] and the "Crusty Old Broads" who wrote The Company of Good Women series [good info on books, authors & upcoming events, visually attractive] )

• Contact bloggers who do book reviews and ask them if they'd be part of your virtual book tour. (Good example: Stacy Anderson's Life Is Tough Tour)

• Use the LDS Publisher sites to their full advantage. Take a look at what I do here and send me the needed info:
  
  —Send me info about your book, so I can post it HERE.
  
  —Send me info about yourself, so I can post it HERE.
  
  —Send me a review copy so one of my reviewers can post it HERE.
  
  —If you have book signings or other appearances set up, send me the info so I can post it HERE.
  
  —Offer to sponsor either the LDS Publisher blog or the LDS Fiction/Fiction Review blogs.
  
  —Start commenting on the blogs to get your name recognized (if you have a Blogger blog, your comments will auto link back to your profile, where you will have links to your website and/or blog about your book.)

• Do the same things above at other sites and forums that allow it.

• Offer to speak at schools, book clubs, libraries, etc. on a topic related to your book.

• Tell everyone you know how excited you are about your new book.
  

• Hold a contest on your blog/website with your book as a prize. (Good examples: Tristi Pinkston's Agent in Old Lace contest and Joyce DiPastena & Friends Summer Treasure Hunt Contest)

Now for the things that cost a little more money.

• Make business cards with the cover of your book on one side and your contact info on the other (including your website/blog URLs).

• Make postcards with the same info and send them out to announce book signings and other events. Be sure to include URLs to where the book can be purchased online.

• Send out press kits to local media—newspapers, radio, TV. You'll do best if you have a tie-in to an issue or event that will get good coverage anyway. (Good example: Julie Bellon's Skittles for Soldiers drive )

Readers, what am I forgetting? Feel free to share what you've done, with links to where you did it.

Fatuous Friday: Happy 4th!

I have a day off. I hope you do too.

My Favorite Blogs

Hi, LDSP--

Today's post made me say, Ooo! What other blogs are your "favs"? Or which ones do you think we ought to be reading?

I know I'm going to leave out some good ones because I don't have a list anywhere, but here are some of my favorites (in no specific order):

• Pub Rants

• Nathan Bransford

• BookEnds

• Writer Beware

• Chip MacGregor

• How Publishing Really Works

• Publishers Marketplace

• Stacy Whitman's Grimoire

• Booksquare

• Daily Writing Tips

• Absolute Write (forum)

• Miss Snark (her blog is inactive, but still available for browsing)
  

Readers, what are your favorites?

July 2009 Prize Sponsors

Last month's prize winners announced HERE.

Please take a moment to learn more about our wonderfully generous sponsors.


Altared Plans by Rebecca Talley


The perfect day. The perfect marriage. The perfect groom. What could go wrong?

Caitlyn has been preparing for her perfect wedding all her life. But when her fiancé abandons her at the altar, Caitlyn vows she ll never love again.

Going to BYU doesn't make that easy, however, and avoiding all social contact can only last so long. When her bishop calls her to be the mom of her family home evening group, Caitlyn is suddenly thrust into surprising circumstances that leave her flustered the attention of two unwanted suitors.

Travis, the FHE dad, has plans to woo Caitlyn by using his cowboy charms while Chase has his own ideas for dating her. Will Travis or Chase change her mind about love? Or will it be deja vu?



Rebecca Talley grew up in Santa Barbara, California and now lives on a ranch in Colorado with her amazing husband, 8 of her 10 creative children, horses, goats, and a llama named Tina. She is the author of a children's picture book, Grasshopper Pie. Her stories have been published in Story Friends, Our Little Friend, The Friend, and Stories for Children. Cedar Fort released her YA novel, Heaven Scent, in spring 2008.

Besides writing, Rebecca enjoys eating chocolate by the pound, dancing to disco music while she cleans all the messes that seem to multiply and replenish her house, and contemplating all the craft projects that still need to be completed. You can find Rebecca at www.rebeccatalley.com.



A Future for Tomorrow by Haley Hatch Freeman


A Future for Tomorrow is an extraordinary non-fiction account of the author’s actual battle against anorexia nervosa as well as a spiritual triumph against evil.

You will be brought into the anorexic mind, shown the fierce war against depression and self-depreciative thoughts and actions; and witness the gravity of the destruction this disease can do.

A deeply edifying experience will occur as you journey with the author to that eternal world. There, angels confirm to her gospel truths such as the intensity of Christ’s love, and the sacred and holy nature of our Father’s plan for his children here on Earth.




Haley Hatch Freeman was raised in a small Utah town on a cattle ranch. She led a generally happy childhood until life took a dramatic turn in her early teenage years. Her struggle with anorexia started and carried on for nearly a year.

She has always had a passion for the written word but it was surviving this extraordinary event which led her down the author path. She knew as a teenager she needed to share her story by writing a book one day.

Her newly released non-fiction book, A Future for Tomorrow, depicts her fierce war against anorexia as well as other spiritual triumphs.

In addition to being an author, Haley is a wife, mother of two, and sign language interpreter for the deaf. Haley hopes to publish more books in the future. She is now venturing in writing fiction novels for young adults.

Critique Groups

I have a novel I have written over the last year and a half and I have gone through it and gone through it pulled stuff out rearranged it put stuff in researched topics and I want to submit it to a marketable publisher but I have not gone through a critique group yet how do I do that?

I get this question a lot. It's sometimes difficult to start and/or find a good group.

Click HERE to read previous answers.