I'm going to be blunt. This post is going to blatantly ask you to buy a copy of my historical novel Papa's Shoes (Aberdeen Bay, April 2019). It's sales are very slow; however it's gotten some fantastic reviews. Hopefully after you read the three latest ones, you'll want to read Papa's Shoes too, and even write a five-star review of your own. 5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book! November 12, 2019 Format: Paperback Oh, this was such a wonderful book. I thought the author captured the time period so well and really brought me close to what it must've felt like for someone to be new to America and trying to assimilate and get comfortable. The family relationships were done so well and the Yiddish terms used throughout the book just added to the experience of feeling close to this family. Honestly, the ending of the book enticed me to want to know more about what happens in this family and I hope there is a part two! *** 5.0 out of 5 … [Read more...]
Please don’t mind my asking
My first steps in marketing Papa’s Shoes
After almost five days off-line, I'm glad to say all is well with this site. It's updated and ready for a steady stream of guest posts and my eclectic thoughts about writing and life. Thanks for your patience. Now for a look at what I've been up to for the last couple of weeks to get ready to launch my new historical novel, Papa's Shoes: a Polish shoemaker and his family settle in small-town America, published this month by Aberdeen Bay. There is one word for it: Marketing. They say marketing takes up most of our time once our book has been published. And now that my book is out and available online I totally agree. marketing has been first and foremost even before that. So here's where I am in the marketing path. I've booked a Papa's Shoes launch at my local Manhattan Beach, CA bookstore {Pages} a bookstore, on Thursday evening at 7:00 pm. If you are in my local area, please come. it's a free event; however, Pages would like you to RSVP, so they can get an idea of … [Read more...]
$.99 sale today through Sunday
My memoir Leaving the Hall Light On: A Mother's Memoir of Living with Her Son's Bipolar Disorder and Surviving His Suicide went on sale today through Sunday for $.99 at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. We're doing this promotion in honor of my participating in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's 16-18-mile suicide prevention Out of the Darkness walk in San Francisco on Saturday, May 21, and Mental Health Month. I immediately shared this promotion on my Facebook pages and with a few Facebook suicide survivor sites. Plus many of my friends also shared. As a result I've gotten a few kudos from people I didn't know had read it: This is a very good book. I encourage every survivor to read it. Thank you for writing and sharing your book. It helped me so much. So much of what you wrote felt like I was saying it. Some things you wrote I was even afraid to admit to myself and yet you were strong enough to share. Thinking of all of you this weekend. Thank you. A very … [Read more...]
How I got my book published
Now that this piece was rejected for inclusion into the Authors Publish anthology, I'm free to post it here. Hopefully my experience and perseverance and will to get my book published will inspire other authors to keep sending their work out. Please don't give up. It's worth it in the long run. How I Got My Book Published By Madeline Sharples Two years and sixty-eight queries later I finally got a book contract with a small press the now defunct, Lucky Press. I found Lucky Press through the the firstwriter.com Publishers Instant Alert Service, and followed the submittal instructions so carefully that in her response, the publisher told me my query letter was perfect. (The instructions said: Send query by email with cover letter, short bio, how you can help with marketing, 300-500 word synopsis, and first chapter, all pasted into the body of the email. No attachments. Write "Manuscript Query" in the subject line.) With that and her request to send her my manuscript, I thought … [Read more...]
