I download this list every year and read it with increasing wonder at the speed of our cultural changes.

The college graduating class of 2014 was born in 1992. Think about that for a second. If you are a writer, you can no longer assume that your audience will understand your cultural references. In a mere six years, today’s 18-year-olds will be adults…possibly with families and jobs and children…they will be reading your books and articles.

And you will only be six years older than you are now.

Think about it …

For the class of 2014 Czechoslovakia has never existed.
For the class of 2014 Ruth Bader Ginsburg has always sat on the Supreme Court.
For the class of 2014 Clint Eastwood is better known as a sensitive director than as Dirty Harry.

There are 72 other observations in this year’s list.

Earlier lists illustrate things even more dramatically.

For this generation of future readers:

MTV has never featured music videos.
They have never used a card catalog to find a book.
Wal-Mart has always been a larger retailer than Sears.
Tiananmen Square is a 2008 Olympics venue, not the scene of a massacre.
Bobby Cox has always managed the Atlanta Braves.
The Green Giant has always been Shrek, not the big guy picking vegetables.
They have never seen “Magic” Johnson play an NBA basketball game since he has always been HIV-positive
They have grown up with bottled water.
Google has become a verb.
Smoking has never been allowed on a US airplane flight
Food packaging has always included nutritional labeling

It also dawned on me that, for these incoming Freshman, 9/11 happened when they were nine years old. Pause for a moment and try to remember what major world changing event occurred when you were nine or ten? Then ask if it really changed the way you saw the world. Of course it didn’t…you were nine. (For me it was the assassination of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy in the same year, 1968.) Your parents were effected but you weren’t, at least not as much. This means we have a new generation of readers who were only tangentially affected by 9/11.

So, the next time you visualize the audience to which you are writing, realize that they don’t think like you, process information like you, or see the world the same way you do.

With all this change it is comforting to know that our Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

One of those include the possible sale of the company.

Read the press release here.

Depending on the outcome this could have significant impact on the industry. Few authors realize how key B&N is to the successful launch of a book or how key B&N is to the ongoing sales of backlist titles. Barnes & Noble is the world’s largest brick & mortar bookseller. They operate over 700 stores in all fifty states. They also have a subsidiary that operates over 600 college bookstores which support nearly four million students and faculty across the U.S.

Think of it this way. If each B&N store sold only 12 copies of your book over the last twelve months (one per month) that would account for over 16,000 copies sold. If you eliminate the college stores from that scenario it still accounts for 8,500 copies sold.

That is significant.

Someone asked me the other day, “Who will be affected most by the e-book revolution. Publishers or Authors?” I answered, “Neither. Both will continue to survive for many reasons. The one effected most is the brick and mortar store.” B&N created their e-reader “The Nook” to combat that. But the combination of the economy, which has hurt all retail, and the surge in sales through places like Amazon.com has socked B&N right in their pocketbook.

Many have speculated that the other mega-store chain, Borders, would fail (hasn’t happened yet) but those same prophets figure that B&N would pick up the slack.

Now, just because they are for sale doesn’t mean they are out of business. Only that they want to find a way to secure better financial security. My guess follows the speculation of other press on this issue. They postulate that Len Riggio, who currently has a 30% stake in the company, will do his best to buy it himself (along with a consortium of investors).

Stay tuned!

I cannot emphasize this enough. Eighteen years ago I began working as an editor for Bethany House, but I worked from home. I never considered the need to keep my home address out of the public eye until I had three separate writers show up at my front door with manuscript in hand asking to see me. Very quickly I secured a mail box at a local mail service, changed my business cards, and have never made that mistake again.

I thought it appropriate to discuss a few of the simple steps you can take to protect yourself from your adoring public. I asked Ellie Kay to write down some of the ideas she has used. She started writing books for Bethany House in 1998 as a stay-at-home mom, since that time her platform has grown to national proportions.

“Be as wise as serpents and gentle as doves.” As many of you know, I’m on national, mainstream media weekly (both radio and TV) and I’m so thankful I have these safeguards set up. Before I did this, I was stalked a couple of times!
I would encourage writers to do a few basic security checks:

1) Set up a PO Box – Or use a mail service (like a UPS store) that has a physical address where you can received FEDEX and UPS packages. You should never list your physical address on any promo materials.

2) Set up an Online Contact Form — This uses code that the person will have to enter in order to send your office (or you) a note. Never have your email address listed openly on a website as there are cyber-spiders that crawl the internet, harvesting these addresses and sells them to spammers. If you do list your email, have your webmaster put a space in it somewhere and indicate to the reader that they will have to adjust the script when they mail it. I.E. assistant @ elliekay.com or [assistant at elliekay.com].

3) Set up an Assistant Account — This should be where your online contact form sends mail. Even if you cannot afford a assistant, set up this account. Then, if you feel compelled to respond to fringe people, then your assistant can do it first and there’s another layer of protection.

4) Set up Caller ID – Our phone won’t accept blocked calls. The caller has to leave a message and wait, if their ID is blocked.

5) Do Not Engage — Chuck Swindoll says he never reads an anonymous letter, I take his advice. He said, “If they don’t have the courage to put their name on it, then it’s not worth my time.” The same applies to email, you don’t have to respond or engage a looney. If you get a bad feeling about the person, then do not feel you (or your assistant) has to respond to the fringe. Pray for wisdom and act accordingly.”

Thank you Ellie! Those are excellent ideas. The one about the email is very important unless you want to be deluged by s.p.a.m. I made that mistake in the early 90s and had to change my email address to escape the flood.

In addition, consider setting up your writing business under an LLC (limited liability corporation). This will help separate your personal income from your business income. I did this for our agency at the very beginning. Ask your tax accountant for advice on how to set it up and use it. The easiest book to digest on this subject is Limited Liability Companies for Dummies by Jennifer Reuting.

A couple of our clients have gone a step further and created and S-Corporation (Inc.). This is a much more complicated procedure but has distinct advantages and protections, especially if you get sued. Again, consult experts in these areas before doing anything on your own. The best book I’ve read on the subject is Inc. Yourself by Judith McQuown . Make sure to buy the Tenth edition (published 2004) as the laws changed a few years ago.

If you plan to sell books from your home or office don’t forget to obtain a sales license for your city and state (each city and state have different laws and procedures on this). Why? Because if you sell books to anyone in your state you must collect state and local sales tax. Even if you don’t want to charge tax at your book table, you are still liable for those taxes. Again, this varies widely by state. Just make sure you are doing the right thing where you live.

If there are other idea you have or questions on these issues feel free to post below and I will try my best to help.

But today I came across this article “What Amazon Didn’t Say About E-Books” by David Carnoy for CNET. In the article he makes some very strong statements regarding Amazon’s claim of reaching a “tipping point” with regard to Kindle sales and its impact on e-book sales.

Do yourself a favor and read the article.

Then vow to lay it all aside for the rest of the Summer and write your book!

And no, the picture for this post is not our cat. I simply found the picture and thought it might get your attention. Feel free to submit your own caption for the photo in the comment section.

Additional statistics from that article include:  “Amazon sought to suggest that Amazon remains the leading retailer for e-books. The company said that of the 1.14 million James Patterson e-books sold as of July 6, nearly 868,000 were from Amazon.” Also, “in June, Apple CEO Steve Jobs had claimed that his company’s iBookstore, which launched in April, had taken 20% of the market.”

My observations of these developments are two-fold.
One. Everyone is claiming “dominance” but no one is sharing actual verifiable data. It’s like standing on the playground in pre-school and saying “my Dad can beat up your Dad.”

Two. Claiming that e-books have outsold hardcovers is disingenuous if they are counting free downloads as sales. Remember when Amazon claimed that on Christmas Day they sold more e-books than p-books? Of course they did. Everyone who received a Kindle as a gift, turned it on and downloaded books. Who else was shopping for books on Christmas Day?

Remember the news adage “if it bleeds it leads.” So just because something makes a great headline and a press release doesn’t necessarily reflect day-to-day mundane reality.

By the way, take a look at the comments section of yesterday’s blog entry. Randy Ingermanson provided some great thoughts and I responded with a couple other things to consider as well as part of the ongoing discussion on this issue.

The biggest area of growth, percentage-wise, is in e-books (up 162.8%).

But lets look at actual dollars, not percentages.

Publisher sales (according to the Association of American Publishers) were $715.3 million in May. Of that total, e-books accounted for $29.3 million…or about 4%. If this was a 162% jump over 2009, then e-book sales in May of last year were $11.2 million.

There is no question that this is a huge leap. But it still means that 96% of all sales are still in hard copy.

Many experts claim that in five years (by the year 2015) that e-books will “tip” and account for over 50% of all book sales. I’ve heard this from two major publishers (one was the head of the digital initiatives for that publisher) and from my friend Randy Ingermanson in his excellent e-zine (read pages 2-11 for his full report on the issue).

For that to happen a 100% growth rate would have to be sustained. That would mean 2011 would have e-books at 8% of sales, 2012 at 16% of sales, 2013 at 32%, etc.

I’m not arguing that it won’t happen. Just that it may not happen quite so fast. Sustaining that rate of growth is a lot harder than it looks on paper (no pun intended). Please read my earlier blog post “Is Print Dead” to go further behind these type of statistics (in that post I attempt to show that hard copy CDs still account for nearly 70% of all music sales).

I’ve written earlier that I own a Kindle and like it. I have bought a number of books for the device. And in fact have purchased many books that I already owned in paper…sort of a “best of” or “favorites” bookshelf. Why? Because I’m a collector. And having those books with me at all times is a neat thing. Plus they become searchable. It also means that I can have access to these books forever and from wherever I am. And I’m not in fear of losing books when the corner of the garage collapses in a big rain storm (true story). However, if there are a lot of people like me, then the “growth” is somewhat skewed.

I hesitantly compare this to the transition from record albums to cassette tapes to compact discs. Or the transition from VHS to DVD (and now to Blue-Ray). I suspect many of you purchased albums or movies that you already owned because you wanted them in the new format, for whatever reason. They were your favorites. So initially some of your expenditures were not for new material. Of course, eventually we began purchasing 100% of all new music or movies in the new format. And that is where the direct comparison with books breaks down.

There are legion of readers who will not convert to e-books. An amateur poll I’ve taken of folks (family, friends, professional acquaintances) has been very interesting. Most are intrigued by the Kindle device. One showed me their iPad (with an accompanying gloat). But few were ready to embrace switching from p-books (paper) to e-books (electronic). And none were prepared to go all digital any time soon.

I reiterate what I’ve said before. This is one of the most exciting times to be in this industry. The changes are rapid, they are innovative, and they are creative. Writers who can create dynamic content have nothing to fear. The consumer continues to demand great content in whatever form they can get it. Literary agents like myself, make it our job to watch these developments carefully and to continue to safeguard our client’s revenue and their ideas.

Read the entire article here.

Then weep.

Then pray that cooler heads prevail and that it can somehow be kept out of the court system.

The key element to the story, from my agent’s perspective, is that there was not a solid contract in place from the beginning. It started with a hand shake. Then when a big publisher (FaithWords, a division of Hachette) wanted to get involved in distribution a contract was put in place. But the agreement between the publisher, Windblown Media, and the author has terminology that remains unclear. Signing a contract that pays based on net profits can be trouble unless “profit” is defined very clearly. Most book contracts are based either on retail price or on net receipts. Big difference between receipts and profits. Young claims that Windblown has under-reported the profits.

Windblown Media counter-sued and claims that their owners Wayne Jacobsen and Brad Cummings should be named as co-authors of the book because of the work they did back in the beginning of the project.

So Hachette, in a defensive move, had to file their own lawsuit against Windblown Media and William P. Young. Why? Because they have one million dollars they owe to these fellows, but if they send a check, and it is later determined by the other lawsuits that the money was paid incorrectly, then Hachette could be sued. So they very wisely put the money in a judicial escrow account where it will remain until Windblown and Young settle their dispute. In other words, from now on…no one gets paid…until the things are settled by the courts.

What a mess.

Clearly some huge misunderstandings have occurred. Dig even deeper into the article and note that “reserves against returns” is misunderstood. In addition there is dispute over reduced royalties paid on books sold at a very high discount. Both are well documented industry practices and are usually in a contract with clear definitions.

This illustrates why writers need literary agents to help with their intellectual property concerns. This week I have helped three clients unravel their royalty statements. Each case had different concerns and because of what I do I could understand and explain the situation. In one case we are writing a note to the publisher asking for clarification. In another case I think the royalty rate for e-books does not match the contractual rate and thus a note has been sent asking for clarification.

I have seen situations among writing friends disintegrate over editorial and publishing issues. That is why I encourage anyone who is wanting to collaborate on a project that they get a solid collaboration agreement in place as early as possible.

Don’t just shake hands and hope for honorable behavior. We would like to hope for honor and honesty but we are all fallen creatures in desperate need of redemption.

At least consider using a conciliation organization like Peacemakers (click here for the first steps in dispute resolution) before taking anyone to court.

Update: August 2, 2010

If you would like to read the actual court documents you can follow these links — the federal court complaint of Jacobsen and Cummings (the founders of Windblown Media) vs. Young, Young’s court motion to dismiss, and Windblown’s legal response.

Then enjoy the actual court document where Hachette is asking for court relief — this is where they state that there is nearly a million dollars in royalties waiting to be paid.

This was my 29th consecutive booksellers convention. At its height there were approximately 14,000 in attendance, many years ago. That is no longer the case. Statistics released indicate total attendance was 6,812. Registered pick-ups in attendance was  4,747 (flat compared to 2009); professional attendance was 1,675 (up 4.5% over last year); and international attendance came in at 390 (up 4% over 2009). I’m not sure if they combine exhibitors and retailers in that first number of if the exhibitors (publishers, etc.) are included in the second number. As an agent we are considered “professional” attendees.

Apparently the national average retail trade show attendance is down 16%, so the convention is feeling pretty good about this year’s showing.

I’ll admit to being skeptical about St. Louis as the locale. In my nearly 30 years of attendance it had never been in that city. I was pleasantly surprised. I was fortunate to be staying at the hotel directly across the street from the convention hall which made moving from one thing to another very easy. I was also impressed by the number of fine restaurants in the area, most within walking distance. I had the fun to host two author-related dinners and both restaurants were excellent.

Since I don’t go to the convention with tourism in mind I have no idea what I might have missed, other than traveling to top of that Arch. However I spoke to the husband and son of an author who thoroughly enjoyed the area and filled three days with a wide variety of activities.

For me the event began with the Christy Award reception on Saturday night. Our agency had three authors who were finalists. None received the top award, but being recognized as a finalist is an honor in and of itself. I love the Christys and what it represents. If you ever have someone criticize Christian fiction as being vapid or poorly written, challenge their assumptions by suggesting they read the finalists. I predict they will be chagrined to have made their accusations after having a chance to read some of the incredible writers represented among the award finalists.

The rest of the week was a series of scheduled meetings and “hallway” or “aisle-way” conversations. I had thirty scheduled appointments and probably ended up with over 50 significant conversations when the time was done. Even had the chance to discuss deal points on a new contract that surfaced during the convention (that almost never happens).

I was also privileged to hear a hour and a half presentation by Hachette Digital. They are working very hard to maximize the opportunities created by the digital revolution. I came away feeling like some very smart people are working hard on doing smart things in this world. They were open to questions and suggestions. Very impressive. Thank you Rolf, for the invitation.

Tuesday was an odd day in that every meeting was in the hotel until late afternoon. I did not actually hit the convention floor until 4:00. That was something new for me since, in the past, most meetings took place on the convention floor or in Publisher suites. This was also the first year that not a single appointment took place in a publisher’s suite!

Because the convention itself was smaller in scale it fit in the hall very well. There were always people visibly roaming the aisles all the way until the closing announcement on Wednesday afternoon. It “felt” busier because of that.

The International rights section was a hive of activity. Goodness. There was never a dull moment in that space. It is incredible to think of the marvelous activity of great Christian literature and its impact around the globe.

I’ve had some disagreement with a colleague or two over whether the ICRS convention is a dinosaur that will soon disappear. I tend to remain positive about its place in the industry and truly hope it does not go away. There is simply no other single event where so many industry-related people gather in one place. I can think of a half dozen conversations that would not have happened if were not for this event.

For publishers it has become an Author-Relations event, not much of a sales opportunity. The stores have already placed their orders for forthcoming books and music. And while there are fewer Christian stores, many major big box retail buyers were in attendance. Therefore while actual orders may not be placed at the show, the seeds for new sales were being planted.

Since both Chi Libris (fiction) and AWSA (women speakers and authors) organizations have their retreat in the days before the convention, many authors are there. I believe we had at least 12 or 13 of our clients who were there for at least part of the event.

The gift section was humming the entire show. And that will always be. Many gifts are such that they have to be physically held or seen in person before knowing if they are a product the retailer can sell. If ICRS goes away the retailers will have to rely on the general market Gift Shows which would not have as many vendors and their selection opportunities would decline.

All the usual suspects of kitchy art, gifts, and toys were there. Nothing made me exclaim, “you’ve got to be kidding.” So that either means I’ve become immune after all these years or there were simply fewer products to see. (Years ago, my all-time worst observation was a clown making balloon art. He was methodically putting together a six foot high brown crucifix with a flesh colored Jesus on it…all made out of long thin “clown” balloons. From the back of the adoring crowd I muttered a little too loudly, “My kingdom for a pin.” And then walked away shaking my head.) In general I don’t mind most of that material since I sold a lot of it during my days as a Christian retailer. For many people the items are a real blessing in their church or home. But that balloon art exhibition was over my line.

I enjoyed taking pictures of client’s book covers and displays and emailing those to them. A lot of fun for those who couldn’t attend.

Bottom line? Publishing is alive and well. Publishers are still looking for great content and great authors. The Christian retail business is small, but those who survived the “crash” are still working hard and serving their communities. It is nice to see there are those still dedicated to the call of being booksellers.

I can’t wait to get to work each day to find out what’s new in this terrible, horrible, wonderful, exciting, frustrating, exhilarating business.

This is one of the keys to creating a marketing hook that makes your idea sellable in today’s crowded market.

You have less than a minute to make that hook work.

It is also called creating the “elevator pitch” or the “Hollywood pitch.” The goal is get the marketing department to exclaim, “We can sell that without any problem!” And ultimately to get a consumer to say, “I want that” or “I need that” or “I know someone who should have that.”

I recently came across a series of delightful web sites that takes this exercise to hilarious conclusions. Click through these links below and pick your favorite book, kids book, science fiction story, or movie and enjoy.

Let me know which one is your favorite. Then see if you can do the same, albeit in a more serious way, with your own idea. Then go pitch it to an agent or an editor!

A Book-A- Minute Classics

A Book-A-Minute Bed Time Stories

A Book-A-Minute Science Fiction/Fantasy

A Movie-A-Minute

It was a John Wooden and Bill Sharman (then coach of the LA Lakers) camp in Honolulu. We lived and breathed basketball 24/7 during that week. We drilled during the day, sat in classes, and scrimmaged in the afternoons and evenings. It was heaven for an aspiring athlete. (For the rest of the world that week was notable because President Nixon resigned that Thursday August 8, 1974.)

During one drill Coach Wooden pointed at me and said, “Come here young man and show me how you rebound the ball.” I sheepishly came out in front the other players and for a couple minutes Coach Wooden schooled me on how to box out. No matter what I did, spinning, pushing, hip-checking, and jumping, he always snagged the rebound. I couldn’t believe this gray haired “old man” who was at least five inches shorter than me could do that. (Coach Wooden would have been 63 years old at the time.) It was only later that I found out that he was in the Hall of Fame…as a player (inducted in 1960)! No wonder he taught this skinny kid a lesson!

When that exercise was over he patted me on the back and said, “Good work, son.” He didn’t shame me, he didn’t show me up. He taught me and everyone else on the court the power of good footwork, dogged determination, and that you didn’t have to jump high to get every rebound. The memory of that is so strong I can still feel his elbows, hips, and other bones grinding into my thighs and ribs as I tried to get around him.

Later that week they had us practice free throws until we were sick of them. Little did I know that at one time in his playing days, Coach Wooden made 134 consecutive free throws in a 46 game period. And the other instructor was Bill Sharman  who led the NBA in free throw percentage seven times! (Bill Sharman still holds the record for consecutive free throws in the playoffs with 56.) Now that I look back I’m amazed at the privilege I had to receive instruction from these great coaches.

But even greater is the legacy of character and faith that he instilled in everyone. I’ve read his books and interviews, and heard numerous comments about him from former players. A couple simple sentences illustrate some of his wisdom. In last night’s Associated Press article they wrote: “Asked in a 2008 interview the secret to his long life, Wooden replied: ‘Not being afraid of death and having peace within yourself. All of life is peaks and valleys. Don’t let the peaks get too high and the valleys too low.’

Asked what he would like God to say when he arrived at the pearly gates, Wooden replied, ‘Well done.’”

I suspect that is exactly what he heard last night.

In February I was in the Denver airport waiting for a flight. As usual I couldn’t resist browsing the bookstore shelves. Something about the book Inbound Marketing by Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah caught my eye. So, on impulse, I bought the book and began reading it on the plane. I learned a lot about this phenomenon called social marketing and thought that it would be a great book for all authors to read. But I never got around to writing a review!

The solution to this came yesterday when my friend Randy Ingermanson posted a review of the book as part of his Advanced Fiction Writing e-zine. Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, you owe it to yourself to subscribe to this free resource at advancedfictionwriting.com. And while you are there, read ALL of the past issues. In a short while you will receive a wonderful education!

Randy agreed to let me reprint his review of this book. He said the book had been recommended to him by Thomas Umstattd (authortechtips.com). Which goes to show, in a small way, how word-of-mouth sells books!

Let me step aside and let Randy’s review speak for itself:

The biggest mistake that I see authors making in marketing their book is based on the idea that “marketing is all about me.”

It isn’t, except in the very rare cases where the author is a celebrity, in which case the quality of the writing doesn’t matter. If Bill Clinton or Mother Teresa or Albert Einstein wrote a novel, it would fly off the shelves, whether it was any good or not.

Most novelists aren’t celebrities, and so we need to market our books, not ourselves. (If you do that well enough, you’ll become a celebrity and THEN you can market yourself.)

The second biggest mistake I see authors making in marketing their book is based on the idea that “marketing is all about my book.”

It is and it isn’t.

It is, in the sense that the success of a book depends in some way on its perceived quality in the market.

It isn’t, in the sense that you don’t persuade people that you have a great book by telling people, “I have a great book.” The problem is that “telling” doesn’t work any better in marketing than it does in fiction. “Show, don’t tell,” is a good maxim in marketing, just as in fiction writing.

What works in marketing is to show people that you have a great book, instead of telling them.

How do you do that? That’s what makes marketing hard. I recently read a book that gives you a strategy for doing exactly that.

The title of the book is Inbound Marketing. The subtitle is “Get Found Using Google, Social Media, and Blogs.”

Be aware that Inbound Marketing is not about marketing fiction. It’s a general-purpose book on marketing and it’s all about using the internet to get found by customers who are interested in your product, rather than trying to go out and find customers and persuade them to be interested in your product.

Traditional advertising methods are “outbound marketing.” You buy time on TV or radio or you buy space on a billboard or a newspaper or a magazine and you shotgun out a message about your widget and you just hope that people who want widgets happen to see or hear your message just at the time when their desire for a widget is causing them to pull out their wallets.

Outbound marketing is horribly inefficient, because the vast majority of people don’t give a flip about widgets and they get annoyed when somebody makes an unwanted sales pitch about their great widget.

If you don’t want a widget, you don’t want a widget.

Outbound marketing can never change that.

“Inbound marketing” is all about making it easy for customers who already want a widget to find the best widget-makers. It’s far, far easier to sell a widget to a customer who wants one that to a customer who doesn’t.

The internet makes it fantastically easy for anybody to find a widget. Google will find you all the most popular pages about widgets. Blogs will give you a wide range of opinions on which widgets are good and which ones suck. Facebook and Twitter will give you comments by real-live widget users, happy or unhappy. LinkedIn will connect you to the leading experts in widget making. YouTube will show you videos of people using widgets, mocking them, or in some cases, blending them to bits. Amazon will show you all the current books on widgets. Wikipedia will tell you how to make your own widget.

The book Inbound Marketing explains all the strategic principles needed to help you get found by hungry customers who want the widget you happen to make.

The tools customers use to find widgets are constantly changing. What doesn’t change is that you can’t make people come to you by using the old outbound marketing methods with these new tools. Building a brochure web site is outbound marketing. Writing a blog in which you constantly pitch your book is outbound marketing.

Flogging your book on Facebook or Twitter or LinkedIn or YouTube is outbound marketing.

Inbound marketing, by contrast, is all about creating what Seth Godin calls “REMARKable content” — content that’s worth remarking on. I have traditionally called this simply “great content”. I like Seth’s term because it gets to the core of the matter. If people are remarking about your product, then they are creating word of mouth.

And that’s the key for novelists. Just about everybody in publishing agrees that the most powerful force in the marketing universe is word of mouth. If you can get people talking about your book, and if they like it, then your marketing job is done. (If they don’t like it, your book is toast, but we’re assuming here that your book really is a great piece of work.)

The book Inbound Marketing explains the strategic principles of creating REMARKable content and then making it findable. Understand that this is not a tactical book. If you want tactics, then look for one of the popular Dummies books on SEO, Facebook, Twitter, Podcasting, or whatever particular tool you want to use.

Tactics are great, because they teach you HOW, but I always believe in learning strategic thinking first, because it teaches you WHY. Once you know WHY, learning HOW is a cakewalk because you’re motivated to work through all the details.

Inbound Marketing is, in my opinion, a REMARKable book.

The authors have succeeded in getting me to remark on it here. The reason is simple. They’ve given me a number of good ideas that I’ll be putting into practice on my own web site.

If you’d like to know more, here’s an easy link to the Amazon page for Inbound Marketing:

http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com/blinks/inbound.php

Full disclosure: The above link contains Randy Ingermanson’s Amazon associates code, which will earn a referral fee if you click on it and then buy the book. Randy only make referrals to books that he likes, but if you prefer that he earn no referral fee, then feel free to go direct to Amazon and search for Inbound Marketing.

Download your free Special Report on Tiger Marketing and get a free 5-Day Course in How To Publish a Novel.

May 2010

	Claim - Lisa Bergren David C. Cook Sent west by their father to make a new life, the St. Clair siblings have done so-but hardly as he’d wished. Beautiful, headstrong Moira, after pursuing a stage career in Paris, has returned to Colorado-older, wiser, and much poorer-to see if there’s anything left of an old relationship. Odessa and her husband, Bryce, are struggling to rebuild their ranch after a devastating winter. And then Nic turns up-broken, haunted, and sick about leaving his sisters. At last the family is reunited. But Dominic is still at loose ends, seeking a peace that has always eluded him. In the satisfying conclusion of the Homeward Bound trilogy, Nic finally begins to understand how passionately he is loved-by God, his family, and a good woman.
	Unwilling Warrior - Andrea Boeshaar Realms The War Between the States has Valerie Fontaine frightened about her future. She never suspects she’ll be thrust into the middle of it. Benjamin McCabe’s got a noble dream of photographing the Civil War – and he never expected to fall in love with a New Orleans socialite. When Valerie’s father is arrested on charges of treason, Ben secures a way for her to leave the city and travel to his family’s home in Jericho Junction, Missouri where she’ll be safe. Can Valerie adjust to life on the prairie and remain true to her promise to wait for Ben no matter what the cost?
	Heart of a Cowboy - Margaret Daley Steeple Hill Love Inspired Ten years ago Jordan Masterson left her hometown heartbroken — and pregnant. Now, yearning for connection with her family, the single mother returns to Tallgrass, Oklahoma. But she’s shocked to find her son’s father — unaware he has a child — a vital part of the community. Zachary Rutgers owns the ranch that the local homeschoolers use for riding and recreation. Which means little Nicholas, Jordan and Zachary will be spending a lot of time together. Jordan must tell Zachary the truth about their son—and ask for answers herself. Hoping the heart of her cowboy will still be hers for the taking.
	The Last Christian - David Gregory Waterbrook In the future, it’s possible to live forever – but at what cost? A.D. 2088. Missionary daughter Abigail Caldwell emerges from the jungle for the first time in her thirty-four years, the sole survivor of a mysterious disease that killed her village. Abby goes to America, only to discover a nation where Christianity has completely died out. A curious message from her grandfather assigns her a surprising mission: re-introduce the Christian faith in America, no matter how insurmountable the odds. But a larger threat looms. The world’s leading artificial intelligence industrialist has perfected a technique for downloading the human brain into a silicon form. Brain transplants have begun, and with them comes the potential of eliminating physical death altogether—but at what expense? As Abby navigates a society grown more addicted to stimulating the body than nurturing the soul, she and Creighton Daniels, a historian troubled by his father’s unexpected death, become unwitting targets of powerful men who will stop at nothing to further their nefarious goals. Hanging in the balance—the spiritual future of all humanity. In this fast-paced thriller, startling near-future science collides with thought-provoking religious themes to create a spell-binding “what-if?” novel.
	Demon - Tosca Lee B&H Publishing Group Recently divorced and mired in a meaningless existence, Clay drifts from his drab apartment to his equally lusterless job as an editor for a small Boston press–until the night Lucian finds him and everything changes with the simple words, “I’m going to tell you my story, and you’re going to write it down and publish it.”What begins as a mystery soon spirals into chaotic obsession as Clay struggles to piece together Lucian’s dark tale of love, ambition, and grace–only to discover that the demon’s story has become his own. And then only one thing matters: learning how the story ends. “So few books rattle me to the core yet lift my hopes to the heavens in the same breath. Tosca Lee’s Demon: A Memoir is a rare find that must be read.” Ted Dekker, New York Times best-selling author of the Circle Trilogy
	Almost Forever - Deborah Raney Howard Books Unearthing a lost memory may cause her to lose everything she holds dear…but could it also set her free? Bryn Hennesey, a volunteer at the Grove Street Homeless Shelter, was there the night the shelter burned to the ground and five heroic firefighters died at the scene. Among them was her husband, Adam. Like the rest of the surviving spouses, Bryn must find a way to begin again. But Bryn must do so living with a horrible secret.… Garrett Edmonds’s wife, Molly, was the only female firefighter to perish in the blaze. As her husband, it was his job to protect the woman he loved.… How can he go on in the face of such unbearable loss and guilt? And what started the fire that destroyed the dreams and futures of so many? Investigators are stumped. But someone knows the answer….
	Shades of Morning - Marlo Schalesky Multnomah Marnie didn’t know much about miracles. Mistakes maybe. Accidents. And monstrous mess-ups. She knew a lot about those. But miracles? Those were for other people. Marnie Wittier has life just where she wants it. Quiet. Peaceful. No drama. A long way away from her past. In the privacy of her home, she fills a box with slips of paper, scribbled with her regrets, sins, and sorrows. But that’s nobody else’s business. Her bookstore/coffee shop patrons, her employees, her friends from church—they all think she’s the very model of compassion and kindness. Then Marnie’s past creeps into her present when her estranged sister dies and makes Marnie guardian of her fifteen-year-old son—a boy Marnie never knew existed. And when Emmit arrives, she discovers he has Down syndrome—and that she’s woefully unprepared to care for him. What’s worse, she has to deal with Taylor Cole, her sister’s attorney, a man Marnie once loved—and abandoned. As Emmit (and Taylor) work their way into her heart, Marnie begins to heal. But when pieces of her dismal past surface again, she must at last face the scripts of paper in her box, all the regrets and sorrows. Can she do it? Or will she run again?

1. What do you believe to be the most important trend in Christian publishing and why?

This can be a complex question depending on which part of publishing being discussed. The obvious answer is the digital revolution. While e-book sales are still only a tiny percentage of the whole, the foundations being laid today will have long term implications.

In fiction I have been encouraged by the continued diversity in publisher’s acquisitions. While “romance” is king, a great story can still get a chance.

In non-fiction there has been a concerted push by publishers to acquire only those authors with a built-in audience of some sort. This is especially hard for the debut writers who have enormous talent and insight but have yet to construct a personal following. I even had one editor at a publishing house write me the following after I groused about a rejection letter that didn’t square with what I knew about that publisher:

“…it seems we no longer trust the old methods of reading the market, trying to get ahead of the curve on reader tastes and needs, and so forth. Now we have to prove a book’s success in advance, on paper, using mathematics.”

That is a stunning statement but in a sense is not news. If writers have not come to grips with the fact that publishing is a business, then now is the time to do so. Never forget that without a “bottom line” (i.e. profit) the publisher goes away (or they downsize) and everyone gets hurt.

Some will read that and despair. Others will shrug and say, “What’s new?” I think it is exciting that the industry is becoming that much more professional and the demands on excellence, quality, and “big ideas” will only help create better and more successful books.

2. When were you last in a Christian store and why?

In February, while traveling on business, I visited a local Christian store to observe their layout, featured products, and whether our client’s books were in stock. This particular store is part of a Christian retail chain with multiple locations.

The results were mixed. A front-of-store cardboard display was empty of product which was a good for store sales – meaning they had sold out, but signaled to me that their buyer was much too conservative (“stack ‘em high and watch ‘em fly” vs. “keep it low and they won’t go”). Since I did not own that item they missed out on selling one to me.

3. What can Christian stores do to better differentiate themselves from other channels selling Christian products?

Remember that I was in the Christian bookstore business for over a decade and our store received the National Store of the Year award from CBA (The Christian Booksellers Association) in 1989. So while my personal in-store experience is now nearly two decades out of date, I still understand many of the nuances of Christian retail.

My answer to the above question is “Personal service and community building.” The competition isn’t always the online channels. Sometimes it is simply those outlets that choose the top 10 titles to display. Thus product knowledge and personal relationships are the key to customer retention.

We had a Christian store in our area where our family shopped because of a long term friendship we had with its owner. Unfortunately, after 35 years it closed its doors after the city decided to build light rail in front of her location and made it nearly impossible to visit. We really don’t have an alternate store within a reasonable driving distance, which is disappointing in a city the size of Phoenix.

The CBA store is still a powerful customer for the Christian publishing community. But as a whole is losing “market share.” This market share has been shaved by online retailing, big box retailing that siphons off bestsellers, and a general malaise for the specialty retailer. The gift side of the CBA store is where most stores will find their survival because it does not have the competition from online stores. I hear many who are highly critical of the non-book section of the Christian store. Let’s stop that, okay? Let’s consider changing the view of the Christian bookstore to one of a Christian “supply” store or, if you must, a Christian “boutique.” Wherever there are vital and growing churches there are vital and growing Christian stores.

At the risk of sounding out of date I remember that the Christian stores I managed, back in the 80s, served nearly 500 church accounts. Once we counted the number of student curriculum packets we sold in one quarter and were startled to find that we sold 10,000 pieces of student material intended for Sunday School education for children. So while we had some plaques and jewelry and cards and posters and knick-knacks in the store we also had curriculum, at least 3,000 book titles, and hundreds of Bibles.

If you can, support your local Christian store, they serve a vital role as the Supply Sergeants of the Kingdom.

4. Do you own an e-book reader and if so what kind and what are you currently reading on it?

I have owned the Kindle since it was first released (currently using the Kindle 2). I last read a client’s manuscript on it while traveling (uploaded from my computer to the Kindle). In addition I also re-read Phil Vischer’s Me, Myself, and Bob: A True Story after hearing him speak on the topic at a recent conference.

I have resisted the lure of the iPad so far. I plan to wait for the second version to see if some of the bugs get worked out. Unfortunately the “swiping” motion on the screen gives me a bit of vertigo. I find that standing in the Apple Store playing with it gives me a slight headache. So I may never be able to use one comfortably.

April 2010

	Who Speaks to Your Heart?: Tuning in to Hear God’s Whispers - Stacy Hawkins Adams Zondervan ‘I wrestled with whether a God that I couldn’t see or touch would be willing to single me out from the millions of other people who wanted love, attention and help.’ To women all over the country, from all walks of life, this uncomfortable uncertainty is all too familiar. Now—for inspiration, for affirmation, for a divine connection—you have a new place to turn … to this authentic look at what it takes to pursue God with abandon, by acclaimed author Stacy Hawkins Adams. Offering insight, inspiration, and practical ideas on how to connect more often and more deeply with God, Adams helps give you and women the world over the courage to go deeper and grow deeper in God’s word to hear Him more clearly. Women young and old will be empowered and renewed by Adams’ reminder that—regardless of the labels placed on you by society, your family, your friends, and even yourself—your best and most important title is the one given by God … chosen vessel.
	God in Pursuit - Joseph Bentz Beacon Hill What is the turning point that causes a curious journalist and atheist to walk into a church and be converted to Christ the first time she takes communion? At what point is a lifelong atheist and head of one of the greatest scientific breakthroughs of the twentieth century persuaded to turn to Christ? What leads a woman, who had a Mafia contract on her life and who appeared on the FBI s Ten Most Wanted list, to become a Christian in prison and then start a national outreach ministry that has touched the lives of thousands of children? What is that moment at which God s disruptive Spirit invades the lives of even the unlikeliest of individuals, drawing them into relationship with Christ? Joseph Bentz calls this the tipping point. In God in Pursuit, Bentz identifies and celebrates the sparks that allow faith to catch fire in the lives of new believers who were once hostile or indifferent to God. Filled with insight, encouragement, and solid biblical wisdom, this earnest examination shows readers how those tipping points from doubt to faith operate throughout the Christian life as they confront spiritual crises and grapple with questions that will bring them deeper into relationship with God.
	Sing - Lisa Bergren David C. Cook It’s 1886 and the St. Clairs are living out their dreams in three very separate parts of the world—Paris, Brazil and Colorado. And while each has found a measure of success and joy, each are haunted by past sins and secrets. As they face the biggest struggles and challenges of their lives—including facing off with an old enemy—each must discover the power of homecoming, and what it means to sing praises to God, even in the midst of loss. Odessa St. Clair McAllan has adapted well to life on her beautiful Colorado ranch, but nothing has prepared her for the devastation that the winter of 1886 brings. And while she and Bryce struggle to find their way out of their loss, far away in Paris, Moira St. Clair discovers she has been robbed by her manager and has fewer options than she imagined. Meanwhile, Dominic, working the boxing rings of South America, loses the wrong fight and ends up shanghaied by a frustrated sea captain. Can all three manage to find their way back to a reunion in Colorado.especially with a former menace who reemerges, bent on bringing each of them down?
	Setting Boundaries with Your Aging Parents - Allison Bottke Harvest House This important book will help adult children who long for a better relationship with their parents but feel trapped in a never-ending cycle of chaos, crisis, or drama. With keen insight and a passion to empower adult children, Allison charts a trustworthy roadmap through the often unfamiliar territory of setting boundaries with parents while maintaining personal balance and avoiding burnout. Through the use of professional advice, true stories, and scriptural truth, readers learn how to apply the “6 Steps to SANITY.”
	Cowboy Protector - Margaret Daley Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense Two years ago, Hannah Williams left the Witness Protection Program–and she’s been running ever since. To stay ahead of the mob, she changes her name and location constantly. So when she takes a job caring for a Montana rancher’s sick daughter, she expects to leave soon. But little Misty Taylor tugs at Hannah’s heartstrings–and so does her handsome father. Hannah knows Austin Taylor suspects she’s keeping secrets. But how can she tell him the truth without endangering the pair she’s come to love?
	Love Lessons - Margaret Daley Steeple Hill Love Inspired Homeschooling his daughter is new to devoted single father Ian Ferguson. To ensure his child gets a good education, the busy CPA hires a temporary tutor. Twenty-three-year-old college student Alexa Michaels is too young—and too pretty—to be right for the job. Yet his daughter is coming out of her shell and learning. Still, Ian is traditional, and sweet Alexa—who graduated from the school of hard knocks—is challenging some of his old-school ways. Can this dad learn some valuable lessons about love, family and faith from the least likely teacher?
	Lucky Baby - Meredith Efken Howard Books All Meg Lindsay wants is to give a child the love and acceptance she wished she’d been given. When she talks her reluctant husband into adopting a Chinese orphan, she expects her dream to come true. But becoming a parent has a way of opening up painful doors from the past, and it’s all Meg can do to hold her new little family together. What started as a good intention could destroy her marriage and her family, especially if the daughter they’ve grown to love abandons them, too. Meg’s journey is a magical one as East meets West and imagination aligns with reality. Lucky Baby takes the reader on a realistic yet mystical journey into the complexities of family life.
	Day-votions for Women - Rebecca Barlow Jordan Zondervan Introducing a new series of Day-Votions™ from bestselling inspirational author Rebecca Barlow Jordan. This beautiful, lighthearted series of devotional books is perfect for you and is a perfect gift for women of all seasons, and all stages of life. From deepening your walk with the Lord to strengthening your relationships with others … mothers, daughters, grandmothers, and women everywhere will find page after page of powerful spiritual encouragement within. Each ‘day-votion’ points to a biblical truth, affirming with every reading that God is faithful no matter what challenges you face. With forty devotions per book in this three-set series—Day-Votions for Grandmothers, Day-Votions for Mothers, and Day-Votions for Women—designed to bring you into deeper relationships with God, your family, your children, and your friends … inspiration is certain. “Rebecca Barlow Jordan is one of the great devotional writers of our time. With warmth, originality, and brevity, she has crafted an effective tool for busy women who want to have daily com-munication with God but sometimes run out of time. Her com-bination of biblical truth, real-life examples, and poignant appli-cations help her readers to focus on one transformational action step each day.” – Carol Kent, author of When I Lay My Isaac Down
	Day-votions for Mothers - Rebecca Barlow Jordan Zondervan “What a beautiful gift of encouragement for mothers! From cover to cover, Day-votions for Mothers spoke to my heart. I was chuckling one moment and deeply convicted the next. Rebecca Barlow Jordan ended each devotional with practical applications, thought-provoking quotes, and prayers that I could incorporate as my own.” - Jennie Afman Dimkoff, international speaker, biblical storyteller, and author of Passionate Faith, Ancient Truths for Contemporary Women
	Day-votions for Grandmothers - Rebecca Barlow Jordan Zondervan “Jordan’s delightful Day-votions for Grandmothers touched my heart as a grandmother of sixteen and brought many smiles of recognition. This sweet collection of ‘grandma’ stories will warm your spirit. I especially enjoyed the story about Beanie Babies–since I have four such ‘babies’ of my own!” - Karen O’Connor, speaker and author of Bein’ A Grandparent Ain’t For Wimps
	A Waist is a Terrible Thing to Mind – Karen Scalf Linamen Waterbrook Multnomah The architects of pop culture have never been the leading authorities on what is best for you. So turn your back on the lies that you are not thin enough, not successful enough, and not glamorous enough! Physical perfection is not the goal. Instead, let Karen Scalf Linamen take you on a journey from a limiting and unhealthy body-image to a life of feeling good about yourself—body included. When you learn the secrets in A Waist Is a Terrible Thing to Mind you can change what you crave, what you eat, how you think, and ultimately how you live. Along with Karen’s trademark humor, you’ll find practical, common-sense tools to help you accept who you are today and take the steps that will make you the person you were created to be. Along the way, you’ll enjoy the new, improved, imperfect you!
	Five Ministry Killers: How to Defeat Them - Charles Stone Bethany House What if you could find a way to renew your enthusiasm for ministry? This is the book for you. Deftly analyzing and applying the latest previously unpublished research, Charles Stone has identified major causes of frustration and burnout among pastors and church leaders. But the book doesn’t stop there. Here is a practical plan that will: Show how to defeat obstacles with the potential to kill your ministry Illustrate healthy ways to respond to aggravating issues Minimize the draining effects ministry places on you and your family (with wise insights from Sherryl Stone, the author’s wife) Demonstrate how to share with others what they can do to help By learning to open up with vulnerability, own up with humility, show up with integrity, and speak up with courage, you can experience healing and renewed joy in service to Christ, your family, and your church. “A delightful guide to anyone in ministry. Just as you need a guide to keep you from making horrific mistakes when you go on a camping trip–mistakes that could embarrass, hurt, or even kill–Charles Stone’s book on the Five Ministry Killers will make you laugh, cry, and in the end may save your ministry. Get it, read it, enjoy it, and then learn.” –Elmer L. Towns , Co-Founder, Liberty University, Dean, School of Religion Lynchburg, Virginia
	Blaze of Glory - Jeff Stuecker and Alton Gansky B&H Publishing Group United States Sgt. Major Eric Moyer and his Special Operations unit have been called in to track down a wealthy Egyptian terrorist who is believed to have sordid ties to a sudden increase in female suicide bombers. Chasing El-Sayyed through Italy, they soon gain interconnected details about a Mexican drug lord who is plotting to kill the U.S. and Mexican presidents. Now Moyer and his team must stop not one, but two madmen on separate continents. And with a new member of the unit hiding his struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder, a third problem begins to boil.
	Bringing Out the Best in Your Husband - H. Norman Wright Regal Books Bookstore shelves are full of titles that tell women how to get what they want out of their man. But affectionate, long-lasting relationships thrive when the tables are turned— when each spouse focuses on giving, not getting. Bringing Out the Best in Your Husband delivers biblical and practical, proven ways to encourage the man in every reader’s life. This new book from bestselling author H. Norman Wright is packed with stories from wives struggling to understand their husbands’ needs and desires; every woman will see herself and her marriage reflected in these deeply personal accounts. Readers will also hear the other side of the story: Men share the ups and downs of their marriage experiences, and reveal the secret longings of their hearts. Every principle is presented with a true-to-life story so that wives can see the effects of encouragement, prayer, romance and inspiration on marriages just like theirs. Based on his experience counseling thousands of couples over more than 40 years, Dr. Wright shows how great an impact spouses have on one another and how to turn that impact into a loving, joy-filled marriage that stands the test of time.
	Bringing Out the Best in Your Wife - H. Norman Wright Regal Books Most “relationship books” are written for women, but women aren’t the only ones who want happy, enduring marriages. Bringing Out the Best in Your Wife is written with men in mind, men who want to build a satisfying relationship but just aren’t sure how. The secret, Dr. H. Norman Wright reveals, is mutual affirmation. But first, husbands have to understand that women receive respect and encouragement differently than men. When husbands discover how to speak the language of love their wives understand, relationships are taken to a whole new level. Dr. Wright lays out biblical and practical ways husbands can bring out the best in their wives. Readers will find firsthand testimonies from men just like them, who share the daily frustrations of living with a person so different from themselves. They may also be surprised by what they learn about women from the personal stories told by wives striving to make their marriages work. Each step toward a healthy, satisfying relationship is presented with a real-life situation that men will find immediately familiar. And as readers take each successive step, they will see the positive impact that encouragement, prayer, romance and inspiration have on the marriage they’ve always wanted.
	Sons of Thunder - Susan May Warren Summerside Press Sophie Frangos is torn between the love of two men and the promise that binds them all together. Markos Stavros loves Sophie from afar while battling his thirst for vengeance and his hunger for honor. Dino, his quiet and intelligent brother, simply wants to forget the horror that drove them from their Greek island home to start a new life in America. One of these “sons of thunder” offers a future she longs for, the other—the past she lost. From the sultry Chicago jazz clubs of the roaring twenties to the World War II battlefields of Europe to a final showdown in a Greek island village, they’ll discover betrayal, sacrifice, and finally redemption. Most of all, when Sophie is forced to make her choice, she’ll learn that God honors the promises made by the Sons of Thunder.

I must admit that I was so startled by this rumor that words nearly failed me.

“Where did you hear that?” I exclaimed.

“Oh it was at a recent writers conference and folks were talking, and your name came up.”

At the risk of sounding defensive, let me set the record straight. While there is no question that the publishing industry is in a mode of risk management, our agency is very healthy. We have the privilege of representing a large number of highly successful authors whose books are selling and whose new books are being contracted. Plus we have recently placed some first time authors and added some new veteran clients to our roster. In fact, if my projections hold true, we will break our single year sales record by the end of this calendar year. As of April 7, 2010 we have already contracted 29 new books. And, as our new monthly announcements show, we continue to have a lot of great new books being published.

In other words, The Steve Laube Agency is alive and well and is not having to scramble to survive.

Which brings me to the larger issue about rumors. After questioning this editor a little further it became evident that they had either misheard or misunderstood what was said. I am grateful that this editor asked me directly or I would never have known what was being said. Please don’t think that what I write next is directed at this person. Instead I’m addressing the issue of rumors and gossip in general.

Why is it that some people tend to believe gossip over actual truth? And then why do they spread the “news” to others without verifying the facts? These rumors can take a tragic turn. I know a friend whose career was nearly derailed by a nasty rumor. It took that person years to recover their reputation. Another example was last July when Michael Hyatt had to quell rumors being spread about Thomas Nelson Publishers. As it has been said, “Some bring oxy­gen and oth­ers expel CO₂.”

The publishing community is a small one. And the Christian publishing industry is even smaller. I try, albeit imperfectly, to verify a rumor before ever repeating it. This is the right thing to do. Stop gossip before it starts. It may be that we “like” to hear bad news (why do we slow down to look at the accident on the freeway?). And good news sounds like bragging. In fact the above paragraph about our agency will come across as braggadocios to some.

Let us endeavor to keep our own counsel. And undergird all matters with a Christ-like spirit. Celebrate each others victories and pray for each others miseries. We all have both. But rumors and gossip have no place in either.