Epstein LaRue, author

Intrepid Media Partners with Lulu to Expand Services to Writers

2009-06-11T09:06:00.000-07:00

Partnership Creates Start-To-Finish Relationship with Authors Through Writing, Publishing, Promotion and Sales

CHAPEL HILL, N.C., June 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Intrepid Media, a creative network and promotional site for writers, and Lulu.com, the marketplace for digital content on the Internet, have created a partnership to provide authors with expanded sources for creative assistance, publishing services, and promotional tools. Intrepid Media helps Lulu's authors write, market, and sell books, while Lulu helps Intrepid Media and its members publish. Both Lulu and Intrepid Media offer these services with no up-front cost to the author.

Intrepid Media members include writers at every level, from beginners to New York Times bestselling authors. By posting columns to Intrepid Media during the creative process, authors generate targeted advice and feedback as well as build their brand via publication. Authors can also build a portfolio and create an online project for their book.

Under the partnership, Intrepid Media serves as an incubator for the author and then walks them through Lulu's no-cost print and electronic book publishing services. Lulu handles all of the production, storefront, and distribution of print and electronic books, even allowing authors to sell their book on Amazon and other web-based booksellers.

Once published, authors can return to Intrepid Media to promote their book by posting samples of their content or writing style -- short, easily consumable pieces that link directly to a storefront for their book.

"We chose Lulu because we know them - we use them to produce and distribute books for our own publishing imprint," said Joe Procopio, founder and publisher of Intrepid Media. "The self-publishing market has become a large and legitimate one, but it's overwhelmed with so many authors publishing so many books, and there's little out there in terms of tools to help these authors promote themselves and, therefore profit. The partnership, combines elements of social networking, quality control, print-on-demand, and blogging to provide a start-to-finish service. We are thrilled that Lulu recognizes the value we offer writers who are looking to do it themselves."

"We are excited about this partnership with Intrepid," said Jeff Kramer, Senior Vice President of Engineering and Technology Operations at Lulu. "Lulu has always been about helping authors profit from their work and Intrepid's vast creative network can provide our authors with valuable services that can help them do just that while Lulu offers a publishing solution for Intrepid members."

About Intrepid Media: Intrepid Media (www.intrepidmedia.com) is a second-generation social network and promotional tool for writers and other artists. Founded in 1999, Intrepid Media has grown to over 1,000 members around the world, including New York Times bestselling authors, writers represented by major agencies, novelists, journalists, freelancers, technical writers, bloggers, students, and everything in between. Intrepid Media helps published and unpublished writers realize their goal of publishing their own books while employing the site's marketing and networking tools to assist with their business and creative interests. Intrepid Media also helps writers hone their talent, promote their work, build their brand, and further their career.

About Lulu: Lulu.com (www.lulu.com) has over 1.1 million recently published titles, and more than 8,000 new titles added each week, created by people in more than 80 different countries. With over two million registered users, and two million site visitors each month, Lulu is changing the world of publishing by enabling authors to publish their work themselves for free with complete editorial and copyright control and empowers them to sell directly to their customers and the rest of the Lulu.com global marketplace. With free web storefronts, social networking offerings and available services and global distribution, Lulu authors are fully supported to profit from their work.

Publishers Adopt Mobile Technology to Reach Young Readers

2009-02-17T16:19:00.000-08:00

With the creation of MobiStories, Still Motion Media answers the call from publishers to advance children's literature distribution into the 21st century. With the latest MobiStories release of the children's picture book, "Mommy's High Heel Shoes", Kristie Finnan joins the growing number of publishers ready to extend the reach of their books through mobile digital devices including iPhones, iPods, laptops and portable DVD players. MobiStories maintains the integrity of each book by keeping the rich illustrations, but enhances the story time experience by adding music, sound effects, narration and "turning pages" to accompany the author's original text. Looking to reap the benefits of non-traditional methods of selling books, publishers are embracing this new format.

Doylestown, PA (PRWEB) February 13, 2009 -- Still Motion Media, exclusive producer of MobiStories (www.MobiStories.com), digital books for kids, answers the call from publishers to advance children's literature distribution into the 21st century. With the latest MobiStories release of the MobiStories (www.MobiStories.com) [children's picture book, "Mommy's High Heel Shoes", Kristie Finnan joins the growing number of publishers ready to extend the reach of their books through mobile digital devices including iPhones, iPods, laptops and portable DVD players.

Looking to reap the benefits of non-traditional methods of selling books, publishers are embracing the digital realm. By visiting the website, MobiStories.com, parents can download a digital file of a picture book to a multitude of portable devices, enabling kids to take their reading on the go. Utilizing experts in fields as diverse as reading education and Hollywood film production, MobiStories sets the bar for children's digital book entertainment and stands out as the only mobile-multi-platform provider.

Amazon's Kindle, a favorite of Oprah's, has brought legitimacy to the world of digital publishing. However, until the advent of MobiStories, children's picture books had been left behind. "These days kids seem to come pre-wired to handle anything digital," says Rick Toone, Creative Director of Still Motion Media. "They have access to digital players at a much younger age. MobiStories utilize that mobility to instill the joy of reading and offer publishers the opportunity to reach their readers on today's terms."

MobiStories maintains the integrity of each book by keeping the rich illustrations, but enhances the story time experience by adding music, sound effects, narration and "turning pages" to accompany the author's original text. The company consulted with reading experts and others in the field of education to ensure MobiStories' readers benefit from proper early reading strategies. Still Motion's latest release, "Mommy's High Heel Shoes," is the quintessential example of what sets MobiStories apart from the pack. Finnan's charming book, a heartwarming look uniquely told from a child's perspective at the numerous jobs a mother does and why a working mommy goes to work, is narrated by a child actor and is accompanied by music and sound effects by an award-winning Hollywood film composing team.

"Creating the book in MobiStories format fits hand in glove with my life and many of the working mothers with whom I've had contact," commented Finnan. A full time working mom of two, with one on the way, and blogger, Finnan knows first-hand how hectic today's family schedule can be. Certain activities, such as reading together, may get lost in the shuffle. "Now, children can enjoy my book even when their Moms or Dads are unable to read it to them," said Finnan. "In fact, I have several MobiStories on my iPhone to use whenever my kids are with me."

Bob Budlow, president of Still Motion Media, noted, "MobiStories aren't meant to replace the crucial early story-time experience with mom or dad reading to a child." He continued, "They offer children the opportunity to learn and enjoy a story-time experience on familiar digital devices, throughout the day, anytime, anywhere and on virtually any device. Now, screen time is reading time."

The Perfect Gift For Any Man! 'Perfect Seduction' is a Guaranteed Turn On

2009-02-17T16:17:00.000-08:00

Diss, Norfolk (PRWEB) February 14, 2009 -- "Perfect Seduction" is a brand new book written by John James Newhouse. It is squarely aimed at heterosexual men who want to seduce a woman with all the best techniques available.

"Seduction doesn't stop at the early stages of a relationship," said John James Newhouse when interviewed recently. "It is just as important for those couples who have been in a relationship for some time. This book is aimed at spicing up the love lives of couples both old and new!"

So what makes "Perfect Seduction" the ideal gift to give to any heterosexual male?

Firstly it is designed to be a real confidence booster. Every single step of the seduction process is covered, which alone makes this book stand out among the various others on the market which deal with this subject. Never before has something this comprehensive been published.

But it is also a unique mix of fact and fiction. Once he has read the first two sections - which cover everything from Mars versus Venus to going beyond the kiss - he will discover a section which is guaranteed to keep him reading!

This section contains a heady mix of erotica and brings the book and its lessons alive in a way that any man will appreciate. This section includes five complete fantasies packed full of erotic images that will give any man something to think about before he brings these fantasies to life with his own partner. This is essential reading for men of all ages who want to spice up their love life - no matter how long he has been with his significant other.

"I've read a lot of similar books on the art of seduction and I haven't yet come across one which mixes fact and fiction in this way," added the author. "We've hit on something totally new here and I think men and women in heterosexual relationships are both going to be very responsive to it. It's a book to be enjoyed, not to sit on the bookshelf!"

John James Newhouse's writing technique has certainly resulted in a unique book that covers everything a man will need to know to perform the perfect seduction. As such, while it makes the perfect Valentine's or anniversary gift it is also the best gift any day of the week.

This is an erotic guide that will no doubt find its intended audience very quickly indeed - with the help of some eager women!

To find out more about "Perfect Seduction" visit the Dragon Books website at http://www.dragoncub.com. Alternatively you can email the publisher for more information, including full ordering and pricing details, at Authors (at) DragonCub (dot) com.

Free eReader eBook Application for iPhone and iPod Touch

2008-07-18T10:31:00.000-07:00

Fictionwise, Inc. today announced that its popular, free eReader eBook reading application is now available for the Apple iPhone and iPod touch. Now, nearly 50,000 eBooks, including current NY Times best sellers and titles from top authors, large publishing houses, and fine independent publishers can be read on the iPhone and iPod touch. The eReader eBook reading application is the only application that supports best selling eBooks on the Apple devices now.

Chatham, NJ (PRWEB) July 17, 2008 -- Fictionwise, Inc. today announced that its popular, free eReader eBook reading application is now available for the Apple iPhone and iPod touch. Now, nearly 50,000 eBooks, including current NY Times best sellers and titles from top authors, large publishing houses, and fine independent publishers can be read on the iPhone and iPod touch. The eReader eBook reading application is the only application that supports best selling eBooks on the Apple devices now.

The eReader application may be downloaded free of charge after upgrading the devices to the 2.0 operating system using iTunes 7.7. The newly released Apple iPhone 3G comes pre-installed with the 2.0 operating system so eReader may be immediately downloaded to the new iPhone with no upgrade required. eReader may be found in the Reference section of the Apple on-device application store, or by searching on the word "ereader". For more information see

"The Apple iPhone and iPod touch devices make killer eBook reading platforms," remarked Steve Pendergrast, co-founder of Fictionwise, Inc. "They have large screens compared to most PDAs, and those screens are sharp and clear. Battery life is solid at 6 to 8 hours, enough for reading nonstop on a typical coast to coast flight, for example. Wireless connectivity makes uploading eBook content a breeze."

The eReader ebook reading application is one of the most popular ways to read electronic books, with hundreds of thousands of customers. The eReader application was already available on over 300 different handheld devices and the iPhone and iPod touch devices are likely to be among the most popular for reading eBooks. Currently there are nearly 50,000 titles available at eReader.com and Fictionwise.com, including best selling titles from Stephen King, Mary Higgins Clark, Michael Crichton, Ann Rice, James Patterson, Harlequin Romance, and thousands of others.

Fictionwise believes that millions of consumers will prefer this platform over other recently introduced dedicated eBook reading devices. Many people will find the screen quality vastly superior on the iPhone and iPod touch: crisper, clearer, higher contrast, and with built-in backlight for easy reading in low light situations. The smaller form factor fits easily in your shirt pocket for on-the-go reading, and the Apple devices can be used for many purposes besides reading eBooks. The touch screen interface is far more natural and easier to use than many of the higher-priced dedicated reading devices.

"The value proposition for reading eBooks on the iPhone and iPod touch is far more compelling than the dedicated eBook reading devices," commented Scott Pendergrast, co-founder of Fictionwise, Inc. "With eReader, your purchased content is not locked in to a single vendor's hardware. We have customers who bought eReader books eight or even ten years ago for other devices who are today reading those same eBooks on their iPhone or iPod touch without having to repurchase them in a new format. Our system protects our customer's investment in eBook content."

ABOUT FICTIONWISE: Fictionwise, Inc., which owns and operates Fictionwise.com and eReader.com, is one of the oldest and largest eBook retailers in the world with tens of thousands of eBooks available on their websites and hundreds of thousands of customers. The Fictionwise.com eBook website supports many different electronic reading formats, including eReader and many unencrypted titles. The eReader.com website supports the eReader format, which many consider to be the safest, long-term eBook reader application for consumers because of the flexibility of its encryption technology. For more information check out their websites: www.ereader.com and www.fictionwise.com. (iPhone and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple, Inc.)

New Novel Addresses Domestic Abuse Based on Christian Religion Teachings

2008-07-08T12:43:00.000-07:00

Waneta Dawn new hit book, 'Behind the Hedge', follows a woman who turns to the Christian religion for guidance on how to deal with being a victim of domestic abuse.

(PRWEB) July 8, 2008 -- 'Behind the Hedge' is a powerful novel of a domestically abused, yet loving, woman who uses the Christian religion and her own strength to deal with her abusive husband. The woman, Yvette, begins to confront husband to not only free herself, but also her spirit and her children. Through the comfort of her friend Delores and her mother Clara, Yvette is able to find the path of peace and fulfillment that had eluded her for many years.

Running a dairy farm, caring for three children and a living with demanding, controlling husband was the day-to-day routine Yvette had faced alone for 15 years in the bucolic Midwest countryside. But behind the colorful garden and the front door of her farm, she began a journey for truth, one that terrified her and one she must face alone.

Author Wanetta Dawn has skillfully crafted and researched a novel, published by Xulon Press, that will resonate with millions of women -- from the Christian religion (www.wanetadawn.com) or not -- throughout the world as it is a novel that is long past due. Here, she traces the path of one woman who pursues the meaning of her faith and an ethical route to guide her through a landmine of scripture and bible teachings that have been used by her husband, Luke, as a hand grenade for domestic abuse.

"My aim in writing the book was to not only enlighten Christians, but also non-Christians about this seldom-mentioned side of domestic violence. It's amazing to discover how many men of all faiths believe that a woman is required, through various religious teachings, to submit to their demands," said Dawn.

Behind the Hedge, a 246-page book, is available online through Amazon.com and Target.com, and through local booksellers.

The Christian religion played an integral part of Waneta Dawn's childhood on a dairy farm in Kalona, Iowa. Soon after leaving the farm, she married and had one daughter. After experiencing domestic abuse in her own marriage, she spent several years researching the crime particularly dominance through verbal, emotional and spiritual abuse. She has facilitated a batterers education program through the Iowa Department of Corrections. More information can be obtained by visiting www.wanetadawn.com.

Successful Article Writing

2008-07-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

Article writing is an effective method to launch a successful online business. As an added benefit, it can be done for free. And there is no other advertising technique that can bring you traffic for years. Any other advertising campaigns that you initiate will stop bringing you traffic as soon as you stop sending them checks.

Many people ask me how article writing can be used to start a successful online business. One of the easiest ways to get started is to write list type articles. That is; 7 Tips To , 10 Ways to, or 5 Steps to. These types of articles are always in high demand. Following are 7 article writing tips for a successful online business:

1. Your article should include 250 to 500 words. This size article has been found to be most successful.

2. Write it as you would say it. Don't try to impress your audience with big fancy words. You are not going to be graded on your vocabulary skills. People appreciate an easy conversational tone to the articles they read. Keep it simple.

3. Break you article up into a number of different paragraphs and separate each one with a space. This makes it more pleasing visually and is easier on the reader's eyes.

4. In your first (or second) paragraph, tell your reader about a problem and how your article will solve it.

5. Include 5 to 10 facts in each article you write. Separate each fact into it's own paragraph.

6. In the final paragraph, synopsize the information and tell the reader how they will benefit by using the information in the article.

7. Write often! The more articles you write, the more successful you will become. Try writing 3 articles a day and you will be surprised at how quickly you can develop a successful online business.

Written by Jo Mark, a website marketing and eBook author. For more information on how you can write "Million Dollar Articles" check their website at: Million Dollar Articles.

New Book! Systematic Approach Eases Medical Practices’ EMR Transition

2008-06-25T14:21:00.000-07:00

Keys to EMR Success: Selecting and Implementing an Electronic Medical Record by Ronald Sterling

Phoenix, Maryland (PRWEB) June 24, 2008 -- Greenbranch Publishing announces a breakthrough book for medical practices eager to minimize the costs, confusion and outright risks of choosing and implementing an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system. Just released, Keys to EMR Success: Selecting and Implementing an Electronic Medical Record is written by Ronald Sterling, CPA, MBA (paperback, 253 pages, ISBN: 0-9814738-1-4, list price - $129.00 with pre-publication price -- before July 11, 2008, $99).

This book is an invaluable resource for practices facing the arduous task of choosing and implementing an EMR system. By following Sterling's methodical and detailed approach, the reader is transformed into a more intelligent buyer. The checklists are terrific!

As a nationally recognized expert on practice-based computer systems, Ron Sterling has helped many medical practices evaluate whether an EMR investment makes sense (and for some practices, it doesn’t!). From there, he helps them define requirements, choose the right system, get physician and staff buy-in, and take the system “live” as smoothly as possible. Now, in Keys to EMR Success, Sterling translates his experience into a step-by-step process any medical practice can follow with ease, from first considering an EMR, all the way through post-implementation training and updates.

“There is no question,” says Sterling that the selection and implementation of an EMR is a ‘bet-the-practice’ proposition. If you fail, you end up with more costs and greater frustration. On the other hand, few practices will be able to avoid implementing EMRs as these tools become necessary to meet patient expectations, payer quality requirements and pay-for-performance demands.” Keys to EMR Success provides a proven path medical practices can follow with ease – and the confidence they’re making the right decisions about features, vendors, integration with the practice management system, and other critical factors.

Nancy Collins, President of Greenbranch Publishing says Keys to EMR Success is particularly valuable because it explores more than just the technology considerations. “From common care standards and disease management initiatives, to the HIPAA Transaction Set and Continuity of Care Record, Sterling offers bottom-line perspective on how current industry issues affect EMR decisions. For example, in looking at Pay for Performance, he points out how an EMR can help practices answer Medicare/Medicaid pay-for-performance initiatives — and how payers like BlueCross/BlueShield in Pennsylvania awards pay-for-performance points to practices with an EMR.”

“Another thing that’s unique about this book,” adds Collins, “is that medical practices aren’t squeezed into a ‘one size fits all’ approach. The system works for every practice, but in working through the system, each practice will be able to identify the right EMR for their unique practice. This saves money – you don’t buy features you don’t need, but you don’t overlook features you’ll need down the road, either.”

Selected Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Should I Invest in an EMR? Who should — and shouldn’t —make the leap.

Chapter 2: Evaluating an EMR Investment How to compare the system’s cost to potential ROI in patient care, document management, compliance, and other key practice areas.

Chapter 3: Your Practice Management System and an EMR Best practices for getting these systems to work together — and with your practice management team.

Chapter 4: Compiling a Practice-Focused Evaluation List How to define requirements and anticipate features you’ll need in the future.

Chapter 5: Selecting Products to Review Narrowing the field of 400 EMR products to find the best candidates for your practice.

Chapter 6: Reviewing Products for Your Practice How to complete due diligence in two months, including what to look in demos.

Chapter 7: Making a Final Decision Using a weighted score system … and asking the right questions about server support, hardware specs, and other potential hidden costs.

Chapter 8: Negotiating a Contract How to avoid tricky situations with warranties, termination clauses, upfront fees, and more.

Chapter 9: Implementing an EMR. From clinical standards and policies, to data conversion and training: who does what, when.

Chapter 10: Activating an EMR How to keep personnel and logistics issues from sabotaging your success with the EMR system.

Chapter 11: Supporting an EMR Maintaining standards (e.g., clinical charting), motivating proficiency, training new employees, and regularly refreshing staff EMR skills.

BONUS!...an EMR glossary and a list of vendors including company names, contact information, certification status, and specialty orientation.

Stellar Reviews!

“As a healthcare consultant, I have worked with Ron Sterling for over 20 years. He has always been my "go to" person for advanced technology issues facing my clients. He has an amazing ability to comprehend complex IT and healthcare business issues, and then to communicate them to lay persons in a simple -- and often humorous -- manner.”

Barbara J. Grant, CPA, MST
Principal
Gates, Moore & Company
Atlanta, Georgia

“National initiatives to accelerate the adoption of health IT is directly linked to successful implementation of EHR-EMR systems. This book will guide you to a successful implementation.”

Vinson J. Hudson
President/POMIS,
Industry Analyst
Austin, Texas

“This book is an invaluable resource for practices facing the arduous task of choosing and implementing an EMR system. By following Sterling's methodical and detailed approach, the reader is transformed into a more intelligent buyer. The checklists are terrific!”

Karen Zupko
President, Karen Zupko & Associates,
Chicago, Illinois

About Ron Sterling
Ron Sterling, CPA, is President of Sterling Solutions, Ltd., Silver Spring, MD. A nationally recognized expert on practice-based computer tools, he has authored four books the topic, has reviewed electronic medical record and practice management systems from over 150 vendors, and has guided a variety of primary care and specialty practices in over 30 states in the selection and implementation of electronic medical record and practice management systems.

About Greenbranch Publishing, LLC: Headquartered in Phoenix, Maryland, Green branch Publishing, LLC, is a privately held firm founded in 1998. The company is a leading publisher of medical practice management titles, electronic media and audio conferences for physicians, practice administrators and office practice managers.

More information can be found at www.mpmnetwork.com, www.mpmjournal.com, www.mpmbuyersguide.com, www.soundpractice.net, and www.greenbranch.com.

'Hot' Idaho Author Mocks Menopause

2008-06-23T11:42:00.000-07:00

Idaho author Elaine Ambrose is one hot woman. After surfing the live volcano flow of menopause, she co-authored a sassy book titled Menopause Sucks to help women survive without hurting anyone or getting arrested. With humor and helpful hints, she provides savvy advice about how to deal with incontinence, hairy toes, memory loss, limp libido and buckets of sweat.

Eagle, ID (PRWEB) June 23, 2008 -- Idaho author Elaine Ambrose (www.elaineambrose.com) is one hot woman. After enduring the indignities and inconveniences of menopause, she decided to write about her experiences and offer suggestions to help other women cope with the ultimate body betrayal. She co-authored a sassy book titled Menopause Sucks -- What to Do When Hot Flashes Make You and Everyone Else Miserable. The 258-page book is published by Adams Media and will be released nationally in July. It sells for $12.95 and can be found at local book stores, on Amazon.com, or directly from the author.

Throughout the book, Ambrose offers amusing advice about how to surf the live volcano flow of menopause without hurting anyone or being arrested. She provides advice about how to discreetly squeegee the sweat from your forehead. She'll tell you how to endure incontinence, hairy toes, memory loss, and limp libido. She'll also describe how to jump off your mood swing. Finally, she'll warn everyone that 1,500 women a day enter menopause, so be careful because they could be driving next to you! Ambrose wrote the book with best-selling author Joanne Kimes. Find more information at www.elaineambrose.com.

Ambrose is known for her hilarious stories and tall tales. For most of her 56 years, the popular public speaker and author of 100 magazine articles and five books has encouraged audiences and readers to "live happy or die crabby." She grew up on an isolated potato farm near Wendell, Idaho and for entertainment she started writing short stories and poems. Her first national publication came at age 11.

Ambrose received Phi Beta Kappa scholastic honors from the University of Idaho with a degree in journalism. She was Idaho's first female television news reporter and talk show hostess at KMVT-TV in Twin Falls. She was a manager in the communications department at Boise Cascade, the associate editor of The Boise Magazine, and the first editor of The McCall Magazine. She currently owns Mill Park Publishing in Eagle which published three award-winning books that were written, illustrated, and printed in Idaho.

15 Tips To Make Your Articles Shine On The Web

2008-05-15T10:21:00.000-07:00

With millions of people reading news online, there is still no clear style to news writing on the web. While some traditional news writing tips work with online writing, some additional factors have emerged that can help make a story receive traffic and become popular.

Here is a list of some traditional tips and web-specific tips that currently work for successful online news writing:

Write short sentences and paragraphs and take out unnecessary words since newspaper writing is more about getting information to readers quickly.
Check and double-check your facts and spell names correctly since an inaccurate piece can ruin a writer's credibility.
Grab the reader's attention with a strong lead to make the reader want to continue.
Have one idea for each sentence.
Add images, audio, or video to complement your story.
Focus on the reader and figure out what questions he or she would like answered.
Talk to experts in a particular field for ideas on important aspects deserving discussion.
Try to speak with people on both sides of the issue and include them in the story.
Consider using bullets and lists since readers on the web tend to scan information.
Keep headlines clear since readers can lose respect if the article does not provide the expected information.
Read the story out loud to see if it flows and rewrite long or complicated sentences.
Link to related stories, which can help readers get additional information without you having to repeat past information.
Discuss the human side of the story by offering quotes or something personal of an affected individual
Use active voice and avoid passive verbs and run-on sentences.
Consider adding humor to the story (depending on the piece) since this can be more acceptable on the web. I hope these tips help you receive more traffic and readers!

Written by J. Doyle, who writes articles for for www.vixles.com where the user becomes the reporter and writes the news! Report anything including a barbecue, a lost dog, or any breaking news on your block. Visit our site today!

New Writing Contest!

2008-05-08T11:18:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let everyone know about my friend, Joyce Anthony's Rainbow Writing Contest!

Here is the deal... the story has be between 250 and 2000 words, and you have to use the scene, "It is almost night and there are several police cars with their lights flashing at a scene surrounded surrounded by yellow police tape. Off to the side of this scene, a shadow of someone watching can be seen on the grass."

It's open to all genres that are PG-13, PG, or G rated :)

There are some great prizes involved including a trailer for your book, a copy of Janet Elaine Smith's "Promo Paks", Caryolyn Howard-Johnson's "The Frugal Promoter," and a special rainbow package! Also, there will be several honorable mention prizes and awards for your website!

Additional rules can be found here: http://joyceanthony.tripod.com/id18.html

Hurry now!!! Entries must be in by May 31st!

Keep The Creative Thread Alive

2008-05-05T19:05:00.000-07:00

There are times when life takes over and we’re forced to put our creative projects on the shelf. Visitors, illness, big life moves and other disruptions can lead to frustration on the creative front. Artists of all media and writers deal with this challenge of life disrupting our creative work.

I’ve worked with many clients on this. The biggest thing is to not beat yourself up or spend too much energy on being frustrated or angry. A better practice is to develop ways to keep a thread alive that connects you to your creativity.

Here are a number of ‘threads’ that can keep your project alive when you can’t be as present with it as you want.
• Spend a few minutes with your project, just looking at it, reading it, being with it.
• Read relevant materials to stay inspired, but watch for ‘surfing’, where your attention wanders away from your focus. If you surf or read for longer than ten minutes, chances are you could be applying that time to your writing.
• Develop a new lens or antenna through which you see the world. Your project is the lens, and ideas and solutions will pop up when you keep your eyes open and filter life through your project. For instance, I was looking for ways to tighten up the drama and action in my novel. While watching the TV show LOST, I noticed that they ended every segment with a dramatic ‘bang.’ I went to each chapter’s end and trimmed away the last few sentences which were not adding to the drama of the book. With the lens of tightening up my writing, I was open to LOST as a teacher of good writing.
• Schedule time in your calendar to work on your project so you know when you will get to it. Just knowing you have a place for it can help ease anxiety over not being in your creative zone.
• Lean into your sense of trust in your own creative process. Remember times when you lost the connection and picked it back up. Use those memories to assure you that you will get back to your project this time.
• Make lists of things you are pondering or working on in your project. The bits and pieces that add up to the whole will help you stay connected and sort through issues you’re working on.
• Do a brief free write, sketch or mind map about your work. Sometimes stepping back and getting the big picture will help you connect to the project in new and useful ways.
• Connect with things that inspire you to create. Conversations with other artists, both in your medium and not, almost always spark your creativity.

Balancing life and art making takes effort for most of us. But don’t make yourself a victim of your circumstances. Instead, use these threads and develop your own ways of staying connected. Make space for the creative work you crave. If you find yourself avoiding or shirking your creative practice, that’s another story. Avoiding art making is more often due to fears rather than lack of time or life’s disruptions. You know the difference for yourself. Get clear on whether life is in your way or you are in your way. And then choose to do the art you love!

My favorite bumper sticker says Don’t Postpone Joy. I say Don’t Postpone Creativity. Keep the thread alive in whatever way you can.

About the author: Cynthia Morris of Original Impulse helps writers and visionaries make their brilliant ideas a reality. Speaker, coach and author of Create Your Writer’s Life and Cross the Finish Line! Five Steps to Leap Over the Hurdles to Completion, Cynthia is online at http://www.Originalimpulse.com and http://JourneyJuju.com

How To Get Your Articles Published

2008-03-21T10:03:00.000-07:00

Writing and getting articles published has been used to gain credibility (at times, even notoriety), attract attention and gain business for decades. Today, you can achieve that and more by getting your articles published online. By having your articles published on web sites across the Internet, you can develop a legion of devoted fans, generate traffic free to your web site and practically put your web site promotion efforts on autopilot. This strategy is often called internet marketing SEO and begins with knowing where to start.

Knowing Where To Start Your Article Marketing: There are literally hundreds of thousands of opportunities to have your articles published online. However, because there is so much opportunity, many people are confused about how and where to start. You should focus most of your effort on submitting your articles to the right article directories. There are large directories as well as smaller directories. Both types can offer benefits for your article marketing efforts. The key is knowing which article directories you should use and which ones should be avoided. As you learn which directories are valuable, take notes so you can easily find those directories for future article submissions.

The Pros And Cons Of Large Article Directories: Directories such as EzineArticles.com and GoArticles.com provide value in two ways. First, because they are two of the largest article directories, they receive a large amount of exposure on Google. So, if you publish your article on EzineArticles.com and somebody searches for your topic on Google, there is a good chance they will see and read your article. Second, backlinks to your web site from these larger directories are often more substantive than those from smaller directories. Unfortunately, these larger directories attract thousands of writers who submit their articles daily. As a result, your articles can easily be lost in the crowd. With thousands of articles about dog training, your article on dog training may never see the light of day.

The Pros And Cons Of Smaller Article Directories: There are plenty of smaller directories that offer benefits unavailable from large directories. First, these small directories aren't drowning with authors. So, your article about dog training may only compete with a few other articles about the same topic. This makes it much easier to get visitors' attention. Second, smaller directories often allow the writer more control. While EzineArticles.com doesn't allow direct affiliate links in their articles, smaller directories often do. Unfortunately, small article directories often lack exposure on Google. As a result, less people may find your article when searching for the topic on Google. Keep in mind, however, that small directories sometimes grow large. As they do, they gain exposure. Even EzineArticles.com was a very small directory once.

Article marketing continues to be a powerful way to get free traffic to your web site. You can build credibility, gain exposure and develop a legion of fans by including a link to your web site in your article resource bio. The key is to find the right directories for your article submissions. Both large and small directories offer unique benefits, so don't dismiss a directory merely because of its size. Learn to write quality articles and submit them to the right directories and you can enjoy free web site traffic over time.

Submitted by Steve Long. Learn how to promote any product, service or business opportunity using the most powerful Free Web Site Traffic method Article Marketing

Time Management For Authors

2008-03-10T06:01:00.000-07:00

Make the most of your time at home, at the office, and at the computer!

Are you tired of running around, trying to get all your work done as an author and still keep up with family, house, and a full-time job to support your writing habit? And then someone calls you to go out to eat or play golf… HA!

Now you can make more time by getting yourself organized! No, this is not a foolproof system, but it worked for me! I am a full time registered nurse with a family who finds time not only to write, but also publish e-books, and play golf

First you need to write down on a piece of paper all of your household chores that you do. Split the rooms up throughout the week! I have six areas that I have to clean in my house: the bedroom, the bathroom, the living room, kitchen, the yard, and the office area. By doing two “major” chores every day, I can have things done in only an hour or two (if things are really bad). Bedroom and bathroom are combined into one day, living room and kitchen in another day, and the yard and office on a third day. I can usually get this stuff done during my time before or after work. Clean one room before work, and the other when you come home. Of course, this is ALOT easier if you have a husband who helps!

The fourth day of the week becomes my office day. Yes, I have to answer email and take care of some online business everyday, but I only do my marketing and publishing once a week. I do my weekly marketing strategies on this day.

Fifth day of the week is set aside for playing golf and quilting. Well, it’s just a ME day. You have to have a ME day or you will quickly go insane. Take time out for yourself!

The sixth day of the week is what I consider my ketchup day! Anything that I haven’t done earlier that week, I do on this day. If you have nothing to ketchup on then you have another free day! This can also be used as a writing day. This day can also be used as a laundry day if needed. The optimal thing with laundry is to do some during your daily cleaning time, but sometimes this isn’t always feasible.

The seventh day is a day of rest. I get up on Sunday morning and mousy on over to Sunday school and church then spend the rest of the day with my family. Yes, sometimes we end up doing special family projects, but atleast we are together!

When does that leave me time to write? Well, this is my secret to writing. I have a notebook, which I carry with me at all times, and when I have the chance, I write. You just never know when that vision is going to come upon you!

I take my notebook computer with me on trips, and work on stuff while my husband is driving. Although, please remember that if you do this WHILE driving then you might end up in my emergency room!

The number one key to time management is organization!!! The best place online that I have found for home organization is found at http://www.organizedhome.com/ Organize, declutter, simplify and clean! Don’t forget to download and print your very own organized home notebook!

Another great resource for organizing your home is by reading the book, “Sidetracked Home Executives” by the Slob Sisters, Pam Young and Peggy Jones. You can check out their website at: http://www.shesintouch.com/

Along with those two resources, also check out my Weekly Plan For Website Marketing http://epsteinlarue.com/BookMarketing.htm Take your once-a-week office/computer day and make it worthwhile with your new book!

I wish to thank you, a valued reader, for taking time out of your busy schedule to read this article on time management for authors!

What good are short stories?

2008-03-05T12:19:00.000-08:00

Short stories can be used very effectively to create an interest in your longer works. By posting several of them on your website, you grab the readers attention, and they want to purchase your longer creations.

The mistake that so many authors make is that they don't put a concentrated effort into their short stories. Oh yeah, they tell a story, but anyone can tell a story. What you must do is invest time into producing a quality piece. Do your research and make it believable and exciting! Have compelling characters! Remember that true sometimes is stranger than fiction!

Another great marketing tool for you to think about!

Top Five Ways To Create Characters

2008-02-29T08:20:00.000-08:00

Creating characters can be done several ways here is my favorite five ways!

1. Follow your dreams. Do you dream of a studley pirate, tall dark and handsome on the beach, or a construction worker with a tool belt and bare chest? What do men dream of? Sexy blonde hair with blue eyes, red hair and green eyes, what about red hair and blue eyes?

2. Follow your fingers! Get out a piece of paper and just draw people. Doesn't matter if your drawings don't make the local art gallery, just get your images from your brain to your fingers to paper! Use words to describe those drawings.

3. Online Search! Do an online search on what type of person that you are looking, find someone close, then describe that person in words. You copy the picture onto your computer, but be careful about using it publically related to copyrighted material.

4. Real Life Characters! Read advice articles like Dr Abby and Ann Landers and get idea's for characters from real life people. Watch people at the mall. What personalities can you pick out?

5. Astrology characters! You don't have to believe in astrology to pick out characters that have characteristics of certain personalities. What about a Leo and a Taurus? An Aries and a Sagitarrius?

Which ever method you use, just remember to make them believable!

Write, Edit, and Re-Write...

2008-02-26T08:40:00.000-08:00

Recently I was asked about writing and rewriting... does everything have to be rewritten?

I personally to not rewrite everything! I'm a pen/pencil author for the most part; therefore, I guess that I do a rewrite when I type out the book, but as a general rule, write, edit, then rewrite. I write, type, edit, and then read again. THEN, have someone else read in fact, have a few friends read it over.

Proofreading and editing is a must! Depending on what I'm writing and where it is to be published, I proofread and/or edit. With my blogs, I type and then proofread and publish. With my eZine articles, I write, proofread, then my husband proofreads and edits. He may not be a "professional" editor, but it does a great job at editing for "readability." With my books, I write with pen/paper, type, proofread, hubby proofreads, then it is edited by my professional editor. If I have something that may be graded on quality of writing, then I also have my professional editor go over it.

Ask yourself, who is going to read this? Is it everyday writings or is it something that is going to be in print "forever"?

Is POD Really Publishing?

2008-02-23T14:31:00.000-08:00

Recently I was on this forum and one of the moderators kept on saying that just anyone can get published through POD (print-on-demand), and that only 1 out of 100 are decent "Authors." Who will only become substantiated when they are published by a traditional publisher.

I tend to disagree.

I have found statics that say that few authors sell over 500 copies, some might sell over 100, but most will sell only 30 copies. I personally think that it all has to do with what you write, how you write, and how you market.

Here are my Top Seven Things For POD Success...

1) Realize that non-fiction sells better than fiction. I don't know of anyone who sells more fiction than non-fiction. I know from my personal experiences, that my non-fiction titles have sold almost 4 times as much as my fiction novels.

2) Find your niche! You need to find some hot topic that not very many people have written about yet. Take Travel Nursing, there was only ONE other book out, by a traditional publisher (which is out of print now) out there when I wrote my first book about travel nursing. Maybe instead of writing just about book marketing, find some finer point about book marketing that isn't written about as much.

3) Marketing never ends. Remember to take your books with you at all times. Keep one in the trunk of your car at all times, you just never know when you'll need it.

4) Have a website and blog, and keep it current! I've been doing some link exchange emailing lately, and you wouldn't believe how many authors have non-working email addresses or who aren't publishing any longer.

5) Do research into what you are writing and make it authentic. For example, if you're writing a historical romance, don't have the guy put on his favorite CD in 1890. Show some intelligence in your writings!

6) Get an editor! Anything that you write needs to be looked over by an editor before it is published. Even if you are writing on a blog, proofread it yourself, then have a friend or spouse proof read it.

7) Take constructive criticism. Just because someone doesn't like it doesn't mean that it isn't good. Learn from what they don't like about it and go on. Learn from your mistakes, and if you find something good... tell others about it and network!

Write, write, write and then publish your best works. Have someone else besides your friends read what you are writing. Post it on a blog or ask for critiques online. If you seek out an honest opinion, I think you will greatly improve to a point to where you WILL BE successful in your writing!!!

I just hit #1 on Amazon, Nursing, Trends, Issues, and Roles with my POD book.... Now it's your turn to make it happen!!

Overlooked Little BIG Tips for SEO and Traffic

2008-02-22T07:35:00.000-08:00

1. Submit your main website to social book marking places and make your bookmarks public.

So many people with blogs over look this. I know of several websites that have every article on their website social bookmarked, but they forgot to bookmark the most important one, their main page.

These simple bookmark websites on the internet are insanely powerful for traffic. Each bookmark, that is public, will be indexed by search engines, so as a result you will get multiple search engine pages with your website. A very nice side effect of this is that most of the listings will be not be listed by search engines as other relevant listings; instead you can expect to get multiple listings on a search engine, instead of just one listing, or the indented listing which shows only two links to people searching the web. A good example, if you type in Howbits on google you will see multiple results for my website from other websites, and most are social bookmarking places.

So my recommendations are to come up with a good description about your website, your popular tags, and submit it to social book marking websites. Make sure your profile is shared via public, and not private, I have seen some people go through this process and forget to make their profile public.

On a side note, when you have these book marking websites linking to you, the search engines checks the tags from these websites that you have entered and conclude that since you have the same tags on your website AND on the bookmark to your website, that these tags must be important for your website, so it will give you a increase on keyword ranking in search engines. You can do this for each page on your website that you want traffic to get to.

At the bottom of this post I will put a list of common book marking websites; there are tens of hundreds of websites like these out there. Make sure to utilize them so they work in your favor, this means use good tags, and descriptions.

Authors Note: When I say Social Bookmarking websites, I do not mean websites like Digg, Propeller, Slashdot, etc, only submit articles to these places, submitting just a website will get you banned. Only submit / add your website once to bookmarking websites, not multiple times, there is no gain from this, except a ban. Do not make multiple accounts on these websites and promote and book mark your own stuff with these accounts.

2. Use h1 and h2 headers tag when possible in a page or post

I read a lot of blogs through out the day, and I see people using Bold and Font sizing, over the use of a Header Tag. It seems that so many people don't realize it, but search engines give more weight to what's in between header tags, then what is wrote on the page.

Search engines are getting smarter as the days pass, and how they figure out what content your website has and who they should show your link to, is based on the story you have painted for them. They believe that whatever you type in these tags must be pretty important and relevant to the page / post. So they read and interpret the information between these tags as best as possible and get a good story about what the page is about.

When you use bold and font sizing, although it may look well to people, but to search engines, this means nothing. Another piece of advice, stay away from using * ! ^ # in these tags, and other random characters. Try not to use empty ranking words like AND, THE, IS, ARE, A, etc, in these titles, they mean nothing to search engines.

3. When using forums, put your Website Address in the signature area and in your profile.

Several forums are searched on a daily basis by search engines and you will end up getting a link to your post, and depending on what you wrote about, people will find it and see a link to your website at the bottom of your post. Most forums do not utilize the nofollow script which prevents rank sharing and BOT searching, which means you will get another link to your website, fairly easy way of getting links.

Words of advice - Don't post spam and junk on these websites and your post will stay a long time, possibly until the website disappears on the internet. One nice benefit about forum use, if you change your website address, just go to your profile change your signature to reflect the new website, and all your old post signatures will automatically update. By the time the search engines come by again, everything is updated and back to getting you traffic and ranking.

If someone tells you to keyword stuff your page above a 8 - 12% keyword ratio, then this person has no idea about SEO. If you hide keywords and use white text on a white background you will get banned from search engines. It may not be today, or tomorrow but it will happen. Now a days keyword stuffing doesn't help, it comes down to the location of the keywords, Header tags, descriptions, Titles, anchor tags to your website, etc, like I said, paint a good picture to the search engines about your website.

I hope this helps people with their websites to get better search engine ranking and ultimately, to get traffic. There is no reason to submit / add your website multiple times, just do it once and thats all.

Some of the Bookmarking websites I use

del.icio.us

Diigo

Connectedy

Connotea

FeedMeLinks

Furl.net

Google Bookmarks

Yahoo Bookmark

Jumptags

netvouz

spurl

BibSonomy

Blogmarks

Mister-wong

These websites are search and indexed all the time, so don't be surprised if you see your website showing up all over the internet in a few minutes to a couple of hours.

This is a HUGE list of bookmarking websites if you follow this link. If you bookmark your website at only 25 - 30 of them, you will notice a boost to your website ranking and search engine results in a short amount of time.

Written by: Derek Zar, a free lance blogger. You can visit him at http://howbits.com/ "Education: that which reveals to the wise, and conceals from the stupid, the vast limits of their knowledge." --Mark Twain

Profits from Article Writing

2008-02-09T07:33:00.000-08:00

Internet marketers who have been around the block a time or two know that article marketing is one of the best, low-cost ways to drive traffic to your web site. And traffic can translate into buyers, right?

That, right there, is the main idea of article marketing. Let me give you a real-world example. Suppose you have written a book and offer it for sale on your web site. Web site traffic doesn't just appear, you have to drive it to your site in some way. Probably the easiest way is with pay-per-click traffic -- but the downside is that, as the name says, you will *pay* per click. Even if you're paying 10 or 20 cents per click, that can add up to real money in no time.

The other obvious way to get traffic to your site is through the search engines. But anyone who's looked into SEO, or search engine optimization, knows it's time-consuming and seems to need a healthy dose of voodoo in order to work.

So this brings up article marketing -- a way to promote your product or service by writing short articles about the subject.

If the book we're pretending you've written is about gardening, you need to find a way to get gardeners to your site -- so write an article about some aspect of gardening that will really excite those people with green thumbs.

At the end of that article you can put a resource, or bio (biography) box. Most people put in a blurb about the author, but since you're trying to drive traffic to your site, you'll want to give them a reason to visit. Offer them more of what they just received in the article and a lot of them will click the link and visit your site.

Once you've written your article you will distribute it to article directories online -- and then people who need articles on gardening (or every other subject) will see your article and, if it's written well, use it on their web sites, in the blogs, ezines, etc. And every time they use your article, the link to your web site is right there for the reader to click on!

That's the main way article marketing is used. There's another way that's similar, but it's done for a different reason.

If you don't have a product for sale yourself, you can still use article marketing to promote someone else's product. Find a product you believe in (it'll probably be one you've purchased yourself) from a company that offers an affiliate program, and sign up for it. As an affiliate you can promote the product with a special link and will receive a commission for each sale you make.

Now, you do the same thing as the person who's promoting their own product -- write articles about some aspect of the product you're promoting and drive people to the sales page with the link in your resource box.

Sidebar: Some article directories do not let you point directly to a product using an affiliate link. In that case, you'll lead the reader back to your site, and then to the product sales page. Be sure and check the terms of service for each article directory to whom you submit an article to make sure you follow the rules.

One of the biggest "secrets" in article marketing is in writing more than one article. A lot of people write one article and when they don't see an avalanche of traffic, they decide it doesn't work and give up on it.

But the people who continue to write articles and submit them to the directories will see their traffic build and build. Article marketing is a tried and true method of creating web site traffic -- and once you can get them to your web site, you have a chance to close the sale and make some money!

Big Things in 2008

2008-01-10T17:10:00.001-08:00

Big things are coming up...

Yesterday I was contacted by a friend who says that she is in the process of interviewing for a national television show and that they found HER website through MY website! Hey, it's kinda like when Dr. Phil found Travel Nurses Across America through http://www.highwayhypodermics.com/. Anyway, I can't share many details, but it's going to get exciting in 2008 with the elections and the concerns about healthcare!

Today, I was contacted by a national magazine related to an article to be written about the aspects of travel nursing. This is one of the biggest magazines in the field of nursing!

Anyway, wanted my fans to know all about the news that exciting things that are going on in 2008.

Did I mention that I have a new book out??? Crazy Thoughts Of An Online Romance is two books into one. In other words, you get two books for a great price! Check it out at http://www.epsteinlarue.com/

Protecting Your Privacy While Have An Online Business

2007-12-09T07:59:00.000-08:00

Working at home and starting a home-based internet business is the dream of many men and women from all walks of life. Across America and around the world countless numbers of these people are turning their dream into a reality. There are certain challenges however that often come back to haunt the would be e-entrepreneur that they never gave much thought to at the beginning of their venture. One of those is one of the most important potential problems of today and the future. That is the issue of identity theft.

When you are operating an online business, you spend many hours on your computer doing the things necessary to build your business. Quite frequently this requires you to do business with and/or contract with other companies for various reasons. This can sometimes open you up to exposing yourself to privacy issues. At the end of this article, I will reveal to you probably the best step you can take to securing your identity.

An identity thief takes your personal information and uses it without your
knowledge. The thief may run up debts or even commit crimes in your name.

These 10 tips can help you lower your risk of becoming a victim.

Protect your Social Security Number - Don’t carry your Social Security Card in your wallet. If a company you do business with wants to use your SS# as your account number or id number, ask them to use another number. Protecting your Social Security number is the key to controlling identity theft.
Don’t let your identity get trashed - Own a paper/document shredder as part of your business. Shred or tear up papers with your personal information on them before you throw them away. Shred credit card offers and other mail you receive that might have your personal private information on them.
Use caution when clicking around the Internet - Before entering credit card or other personal information on any web site(especially if you are new to it), read their privacy policy. See what your opportunities are to opt out of sharing your information. IF there is no privacy policy posted, BEWARE! Do business somewhere else. When you do enter personal information, enter it on secure Web pages with “https” in the address bar and a padlock symbol at the bottom of your browser. These signs indicated protection from hackers.
Don’t fall for “Phishing”! - Scam artists disguise themselves as legitimate businesses that you do business with like your bank stores, eBay, Paypal, government agencies and such. Tactics include phone calls, emails, regular mail, and others asking you to verify personal information like account numbers and passwords. Don’t respond unless you initiated the contact. Legit companies do not ask for this sort of information in these ways.
Control your personal financial information - Limit where you can, the sharing of your information between companies and/or their affiliates.
Opt-out of pre-approved credit card offers - Many pre-approved credit card offers are simply ploys to make your information an easy target to gather.
Check your bills and statements - Open these items when you receive them in the mail. Reconcile right away and look carefully for any unauthorized charges or withdrawals. If you don’t receive these in the mail, call to find out why in case anyone has changed your contact information.
Protect your computer - Computer viruses and spyware can compromise your privacy. Use the appropriate security software. Make your passwords difficult for others to guess. Don’t click on links in spam email.
Check your credit report - This is one of the best ways to protect yourself. Monitor your credit history. You can get a FREE credit report every year from each of the three national credit bureaus.
Ask Why - Whenever information is requested from you that seems
inappropriate for the transaction you are making, ask questions. Ask how the information is going to be used and if it will be shared. Move on if you feel the answers are unsatisfactory.

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America. It’s wise and prudent to take steps to protect yourself when you are an online business owner spending so much time online. A great way to protect your good name and your identity from being stolen is with a fantastic company called Lifelock. They’ll even give you a Million Dollar Service Guarantee.

Quite simply, using Lifelock is absolutely the best way to protect yourself from identity theft BEFORE it happens.

If you decide to take this important step toward protecting your identity and good name, here’s how you can save a little money on Lifelock’s already low service pricing. At the appropriate point when prompted for a “PROMO CODE”, enter the promo code LOCKSAFE. By entering “locksafe”, you’ll receive a 10% service discount from Lifelock that I have negotiated for all my readers.

Get all the details at http://www.Lifelock.com .Identity theft can happen to anyone, anytime and anywhere. It can happen online or offline. Take the logical steps to protect yourself and rest assured that you have properly protected your reputation and the reputation of your business online and off.

Working at home and starting a home-based internet business is the dream of many men and women from all walks of life. Across America and
around the world countless numbers of these people are turning their dream into a reality. There are certain challenges however that often come back to haunt the would be e-entrepreneur that they never gave much thought to at the beginning of their venture. One of those is one of the most important potential problems of today and the future...

Todd Thomas is the President of Work At Home For Dummies and writes business related articles ranging from internet business to network marketing and everything in between. Todd is also a baseball coach and hitting instructor. He owns http://www.HitItHere.net. Contact at support@workathomefordummies.com for info on articles for your website or visit his website at www.workathomefordummies.com

Amazon Short Program a Fit for Carolyn Howard-Johnson's Plans to Help Authors

2007-12-08T14:05:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles - Carolyn Howard-Johnson is partnering with Amazon Shorts, a program that brings short pieces from published authors for the amazing price of 49 cents. Shorts include nonfiction and how-tos, short stories, poetry collections and more.

Howard-Johnson, the author of five published books available on Amazon, says, "I have consulting clients who hate to learn the proposal and synopsis process. There are many good books out there on the subject but I needed to lead these authors through the process easily and fast. Thus The Great First Impression Book Proposal was born. Amazon's short program seemed made for it. Amazon is a true publisher. They put the work out their and publicize it to the reading public."

Daniel Slater, editor at Amazon, and his team put together a cover and shepherded The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything You Need to Know About Selling Your Book in 20 Minutes or Less through the process in less than six weeks. Howard-Johnson says, "They have been very responsive, excellent communicators."

Howard-Johnson is no stranger to publishing or to awards. Her novel, This is the Place, won eight awards. Her book of creative nonfiction, Harkening, won three and her chapbook of poetry (Finishing Line Press) won the award of excellence from the Military Writers Societyof America. The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success and The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't are both USA Book News Award winners in the publishing and writing category. Her marketing campaign for those books won the Book Publicists of Southern California's Irwin Award.

The author is an extension division instructor for UCLA’s renowned Writers’ Program and speaks at writers' conferences nationwide. She was named Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment by the California Legislature and American Business Women's Association (ABWA) named her Outstanding Woman.

Learn more about Howard-Johnson at http://carolynhoward-johnson.com/ or http://www.howtodoitfrugally.com/. She blogs at
http://www.thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com/,
http://www.sharingwithwriting.blogspot.com/,
http://www.authorscoalition.blogspot.com/,
http://www.thenewbookreview.blogspot.com/,
and http://www.warpeacetolerance.blogspot.com/.

Find The Great First Impression Book Proposal at http://www.amazon.com/Great-First-Impression-Book-Proposal/dp/B000YG6O5U/

Publishing Options For Freelance Book Authors

2007-12-01T06:34:00.000-08:00

It is difficult to break into the publishing industry as a new author, and even more difficult to get an acceptance letter from an editor at a large publishing house. As an author you will work hard to finish your book, and work even harder to find the right book publisher. The good news is you can tap into several types of publishers to publish your book. Here is a look at some common types of book publishing.

GROUP PUBLISHING: Group publishing is the process by which a large company publishes your work in the name of a larger company. For example, large publishing companies often operate smaller publishing companies. The larger publishing company serves as an umbrella over the smaller group publishing companies. Sometimes these companies operate several smaller companies and book imprints that produce different genres of writing and books. Sometimes this is referred to trade publishing. For example, a large publishing group may produce best-selling adult novels, but may also operate under a smaller name to produce certain non-fiction books, cookbooks, children's books, or niche titles. Group publishing is a popular way to publish a book.

EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING: Educational publishing shares some likeness to trade publishing. These companies deal specifically with educational material. They may deal with only college textbooks, or they might deal with textbooks and materials for grades K-12. Besides textbooks, these companies might also produce other forms of educational material, which include posters, workbooks, CD-ROMS, software, testing material and maps. There are several big name educational publishing companies.

UNIVERSITY PUBLISHING: Better known as the "University Press," this type of publishing is different from group publishing and it is not the same as scholarly publishing. These types of companies are usually non-profit. Universities, colleges and sometimes museums or other organizations operate these publishing imprints. These publishers usually publish books by scholars and other specialists. Besides distributing their books to bookstores, they also make their book titles available within the university system. Sometimes larger trade publishers publish these types of books.

INDEPENDENT PUBLISHING: Independent publishers are often the best way to publish your book with established distribution channels. Independent publishers are generally small, privately-owned companies. Many times, these companies only publish a handful of books each year and they specialize in certain subjects. They have the freedom to publish just about anything they wish.

SOFTWARE and other MEDIA: You might consider software and other types of media as a publishing option. Think about the many e-books, CD-ROMs and digital downloads, many published by large and small publishing companies. These types of publishing companies are often associated with larger trade publishers. In fact, many large publishing companies have their own in-house media publisher to spawn the traditional paperback book into other types of media. Digital and alternate media is a huge, profitable business, and these publishers are just as important and lucrative as the large trade publishers.

As you can see, you can tap into various publishers who might consider publishing your book. If you are unlucky with a large trade publisher or group publisher, then don't give up. Keep looking at the different types of publishing companies until you find one that wants to work with you and your book.

Learn how to become a published book author! Download Brian's free e-book, Book Writing for Fun and Profit, at www.BookCatcher.com.

Biography

2007-11-30T20:30:00.000-08:00

Wanted to start out this blog with letting all my fans know exactly who I am! This is My Biography!

The writing world calls me Epstein LaRue, but reality calls me "Kay." No matter what you know me by, I am a lady of many talents. I have been a nurse since 1992, and has worked on medical, surgical, emergency, telemetry, rehabilitation, and psychiatric units.In January 2001, My first book, “Love At First Type: An Online Romance Based On A True Story,” was published. This fictional novel is about how my husband and I met online. This book was requested in 2005 by an independent filmmaker for possible production.

In January 2003 my second book, “Crazy Thoughts Of Passion” was compiled as an attempt to put together my medical knowledge and romance writing. It is a traditional romance about a nurse who falls in love with a patient’s son.

In January 2005 my third book, “Highway Hypodermics: Your Road Map To Travel Nursing” was published. Although only on the road for two years, everything that I learned in those two years was put into the book. In September of 2005, this book was recognized by USA Book News as one of the top finalist for professional book of the year.

In January 2007 (...notice a pattern yet?), “Highway Hypodermics: Travel Nursing 2007” was released by Star Publish. The chapters of the first edition have been rewritten and a lot more information has been added. The previous 143-page non-fictional work grew to over 290 pages. Recently, this novel was also recognized by the USA Book News as one of the top finalist for professional book of the year and medical reference of the year. Twice this year, it has gained the ranked number one in the Nursing Trend, Issues, and Roles category on Amazon.

Travel nursing is a dream that has become a reality. I continue to travel the United States with my husband, while my son has successfully flew the nest and lives in the State of Washington. I keep myself busy during the month by publishing a monthly eZine on travel nursing, constantly updating my travel nursing website, and visiting travel nurse companies with program on retaining nurses. My travel nursing informational website is my way of keeping traveling nurses updated about travel nursing happenings between the two years of publishing the book series.

My plans for the future are to not only continue the Highway Hypodermics tradition, but to add books on internet marketing, successful publishing, and how to retain nurses.