Podcast Schedule December 2009

Listening to Writers in the Sky Podcast on a computer is easy. Just click this link: http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com/ and go to my blog. On the right sidebar there is a list of archived shows. Click on the interview you would like to hear and it will open a post that has a link to open the audio file. For information about being a guest on Writers in the Sky Podcast, see www.writersinthesky.com/writing-podcast.html

December 4

WITS author’s assistant Sarah Moore will sit down with Ed Benjamin to discuss his new book, Cash in on Obama’s $3 Trillion Spending Plan! The book details the many ways in which members of the general public can submit proposals for contracts and requests for grant money with the federal government. Mr. Benjamin has decades of proven success in writing contracts for the government and now shares his detailed advice with readers. In this interview, Ed Benjamin will be discussing his professional background, how he hopes readers will use the book, and the various possibilities for making money from the government.

December 11

Writers in the Sky welcomes back Dawn Menge to the podcast on December 11. She will be discussing her second children’s book, Queen Vernita Visits the Blue Ice Mountains. The first book, Queen Vernita’s Visitors, earned Dawn first place in the children’s category of the 2009 EVVY Awards. In the follow-up release, Queen Vernita takes her friends to various locations at which they learn about the beauty of nature while continuing to teach young readers important calendar skills. During the interview, Dawn will be sharing how she did the research for her book, what she hopes children will take away from the book, and what is in store next.

December 18

WITS owner Yvonne Perry has a conversation with Allison Maslan, a leading life and career coach to discuss Ms. Maslan’s new book, Blast Off! The Surefire Success Plan to Launch Your Dreams into Reality. In this book, readers will find the encouragement and skills they need to realize their professional and personal goals. Allison Maslan brings her twenty-five years of experience as an entrepreneur and a life coach to the plan she developed in Blast Off! Allison will be sharing how her own successes and failures contributed to the concepts in the book, how readers can use the material to improve their own lives, and how she is marketing her work. To get a launch reminder, learn more about Blast Off!, and enter Allison's contest, see http://www.myblastoff.com/booklaunch/.

December 25

Christmas Day brings the last podcast interview of 2009 when WITS welcomes Michael Thompson to discuss his new novel Blood Betrayal. This suspense novel focuses on the character, Dimitri Magnussen, and the possibility that he murdered his own young son during a hunting trip. During an investigation that involves Dimtri’s family and former commanding officer in the Special Forces, the psychology behind this man proves to be more complicated than it first appears. Michael Thompson brings his own background as a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and experienced hunter to his first novel. He will be discussing what sparked his interest in writing, how his military experience contributed to the development of the novel, and what is in store next for this series of books.

December Podcasts Offer Interviews to Take Listeners through the Holiday Season

Writers in the Sky December Podcasts to Feature New Works of Fiction as Well as Books that Offer Advice for Greater Professional Success

Nashville, TN, November 24, 2009—The Writers in the Sky podcast will close out 2009 with four author interviews that offer a variety of topics for the listening audience. The month begins with a discussion about how the public can take advantage of the government’s spending plan through submitting their own proposals and grant requests. The next week brings a return guest to the podcast series, as an award-winning children’s author shares details about her new release. The month continues with a conversation that focuses on a plan for personal transformation and professional success. Finally, Christmas Day brings an interview with an author who will discuss the release of his first novel in what will be a suspense series.

One December 4, WITS author’s assistant Sarah Moore will sit down with Ed Benjamin to discuss his new book, Cash in on Obama’s $3 Trillion Spending Plan! The book details the many ways in which members of the general public can submit proposals for contracts and requests for grant money with the federal government. Mr. Benjamin has decades of proven success in writing contracts for the government and now shares his detailed advice with readers. In this interview, Ed Benajmin will be discussing his professional background, how he hopes readers will use the book, and the various possibilities for making money from the government. Click here to purchase Cash in on Obama’s $3 Trillion Spending Plan!

Writers in the Sky welcomes back Dawn Menge to the podcast on December 11. She will be discussing her second children’s book, Queen Vernita Visits the Blue Ice Mountains. This new release is the second in a series that features Queen Vernita. The first book, Queen Vernita’s Visitors, earned Dawn Menge First Place in the Children’s category of the 2009 EVVY Awards. In the follow-up release, Queen Vernita takes her friends to various locations at which they learn about the beauty of nature while continuing to teach young readers important calendar skills. During the interview, Dawn will be sharing how she did the research for her book, what she hopes children will take away from the book, and what is in store for Queen Vernita next. Click here to purchase Queen Vernita Visits the Blue Ice Mountains.

The podcast series continues on December 18 when WITS owner Yvonne Perry has a conversation with Allison Maslan, a leading life and career coach. They will be discussing Ms. Maslan’s new book Blast Off! The Surefire Success Plan to Launch Your Dreams into Reality. In this book, readers will find the encouragement and skills they need to realize their professional and personal goals. Allison Maslan brings her twenty-five years of experience as an entrepreneur and a life coach to the plan she developed in Blast Off! Allison will be sharing how her own successes and failures contributed to the concepts in the book, how readers can use the material to improve their own lives, and how she is marketing her work. Click here to purchase Blast Off! The Surefire Success Plan to Launch Your Dreams into Reality.

Christmas Day, December 25, brings the last podcast interview of the year for our listeners, when Writers in the Sky welcomes Michael Thompson to discuss his new novel Blood Betrayal. This suspense novel focuses on the character Dimitri Magnussen and the possibility that he murdered his own young son during a hunting trip. During an investigation that involves Dimtri’s family and former commanding officer in the Special Forces, the psychology behind this man proves to be more complicated than it first appears. Michael Thompson brings his own background as a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and experienced hunter to his first novel. He will be discussing what sparked his interest in writing, how his military experience contributed to the development of the novel, and what is in store next for this series of books. Click here to purchase Blood Betrayal.

“I believe that we are bringing this year of podcasts to a close with a wonderful series of interviews,” shares Yvonne Perry, owner of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services, which produces the podcast. “All of the team members at Writers in the Sky wish our listeners a wonderful holiday season and we look forward to introducing you to even more great new writers in 2010.”

About Writers in the Sky: Writers in the Sky blog, podcast, and newsletter is a three-fold production filled with information about writing, publishing, and book publicity created by Yvonne Perry as part of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services (http://writersinthesky.com/).

Listening to Writers in the Sky Podcast on a computer is easy. Go to http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com/. On the right sidebar there is a list of archived shows. Click on the interview you would like to hear and it will open a post that has a link to the audio file.

Five Writing Tips for All Levels of Writers

By Robert Medak
Freelance Writer/Editor
http://www.stormywriter.com/

First, is that if the story is not believable to you, it will not be to the reader. It is fine to come up with plot, setting, characters, and such, but if it does not ring true, your audience will call you on it. If you are a new writer, you will most likely be rejected if you try to submit your manuscript.

Make sure you check your spelling, punctuation, and grammar. It cannot be stressed enough, DO NOT rely on spell check and grammar check in word processing programs. If you are week in this area, find a class and learn how to punctuate and learn your grammar.

Second is dialogue. If your characters are of a certain age and they use language that does not fit the age, your characters are not believable and the reader will put down the story and most likely not pick up anything else you might right. If you are writing for yourself and never want to be published, wrong dialogue is probably ok, NOT! If you are going to write something, make it the best you can every time you put words on paper.

Third is, make sure you use the right word. As Mark Twain said, “The difference between the almost right word & the right word is really a large matter--it's the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” I could not agree more. Spend the money and get a good dictionary and thesaurus. Do not let them sit on the shelf collecting dust; USE THEM!

Ray Bradbury mentioned in a lecture before Southwest Manuscriptors the fourth and possibly the most important tip is; “READ!” Read the classics, read everything you can get your hands on; read, read, read. Only by reading published books, can you get some idea of what works and what does not. Especially if you have say, Mysteries in mind, read various authors in the genre.

Fifth, if you decide to edit your own work, set it aside for a minimum of a week. When you come back to it, come with a blue pencil. Take that blue pencil and take out the irrelevant junk. Make sure the meaning of what you want to say is clear. Does what you read while editing move the story along? Are your characters believable? Are they fully fleshed out? There is more, but you get the idea.

25 Book Fairs Authors Should Attend

by Scott Lorenz

Are book fairs an effective way to promote books? As a book publicist and book marketing specialist, I am the first to impress on authors the new and powerful marketing avenues open to all authors on the Internet – from book websites to book trailers to social networks like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. While these are fantastic tools when used properly, authors should never overlook opportunities to meet the reading public face-to-face where they can easily be found – at book fairs, book festivals, trade shows, book conferences and conventions.

Any book event, regardless of size and name recognition, is worth attending by an author who is serious about promoting their book. This requires personal effort and time by the author in person. People don’t want to meet the author’s assistant or friend; no they want to talk to the author.

Book fairs provide an excellent chance to learn more about the publishing industry, about booksellers, publishers, distributors and marketers. The attending author will also learn a great deal about what readers want and how to reach readers. And while acquiring a vast amount of knowledge about the book industry, the author can also take advantage of the chance to expose their book and name to a new audience – leaders in the book industry who are interested in meeting new authors. While you may not walk away with a book deal you’ll make yourself known to the movers and shakers and that has long-lasting benefits. Remember, word of mouth is one of the strongest promotional tools available and authors need to be where the mouths are – the mouths of book publishers, distributors, promoters, agents and readers – at book fairs, conventions and conferences.

Book fairs provide an excellent opportunity to encounter media reps in search of a story. Producers of TV and radio programs, editors of newspapers, magazines, book reviewers and online media outlets attend these events in search of stories that otherwise would be under their radar. Never, never pass up on the opportunity to meet the media. Keep an eye out for small I-phone sized video cameras too as they shoot broadcast quality footage in natural light. If you see somebody using one, invite them over and give them a pitch. They could be shooting for C-SPAN, CNN, a book review blog or the local cable show; you won’t know unless you ask.

The major book conferences and conventions involve travel expenses such as airlines and hotel lodging, and a week’s investment of your time. But book fairs can be found close to home, easily accessed by car and often are only one or two days. A typical regional book fair will have 1,000 or more attendees and 100 or more exhibitors, providing a realistic exposure of 300 visitors a day. Why would an author not want to spend a Saturday and a Sunday within 100 miles of home to meet 600 readers or a reporter, editor or book reviewer?

At a book fair, just as at a book signing event, the author will want to bring promotional literature to pass out. Passing out promotional bookmarks or book covers is a great way to generate future sales for months and months after the book fair ends. The give-away should contain the author’s contact information, the book’s name, the front cover artwork, author’s website address, and where the book can be purchased online.

I also remind my author clients that book fairs often need speakers. By volunteering to speak, the author not only gains great exposure but can also add that appearance to their resume and press releases. But plan ahead; dates for panel participants, speakers and autograph sessions are arranged months in advance.

Book fairs are often attended by best-selling authors who will be willing to spend time with you sharing tips on writing, on how to be successful, and advice on where to find the help you need.

In summary, book fairs are wonderful places to interact with fellow authors, publishers, network with book industry leaders, locate the help you need such as a publicist or book editor, and learn what’s new in the marketplace. For more information about upcoming book events on C-SPAN2 visit http://www.BookTV.org

Here is a list of 25 book fairs and events that are worthy of your attendance (courtesy of Noel Griese, Editor of Southern Review of Books http://www.anvilpub.net/southern_review_of_books.htm)

• Litquake, San Francisco’s Literary http://www.litquake.org
  
• Frankfurt Book Fair, http://www.book-fair.com, biggest book show in the world, October 6-10, 2010 in Frankfurt, Germany
• Louisiana Book Festival, Baton Rouge, http://lbf.state.lib.la.us
• Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, http://www.latimes.com/extras/festivalofbooks a big festival attracting 150,000 readers, April 24-25, 2010
• BookExpo America, http://www.bookexpoamerica.com May 25-27, 2010, Jacob Javits Center, NYC, the premier North American publishing event of the year
• Ann Arbor Book Festival, http://www.aabookfestival.org/, Ann Arbor MI
• National Book Festival, http://www.loc.gov/bookfest sponsored by the Library of Congress on the Mall in Washington, DC,
• Self-Publishing Book Expo, http://www.selfpubbookexpo.com
• Miami Book Fair International, http://www.miamibookfair.com, draws hundreds of thousands of people, conducted by the Congress of Writers
• Vegas Valley Book Festival, Las Vegas, http://www.vegasvalleybookfest.org 
• London Book Fair, http://www.londonbookfair.co.uk, April 19-21, 2010, global marketplace for sale and distribution of content across print, audio, TV, film and digital channels
• American Library Association Annual Conference http://www.ala.org/ June 24-29, 2010, Washington, DC, some 2,000 seminars and events plus a huge trade show
• Christian Book Expo, http://www.ChristianBookExpo.com a great opportunity for authors of books on Christian topics, Dallas, TX.
• CAMEX/National Association of College Stores, http://www.nacs.org attracts more than 7,000 people, including booksellers from more than 1,000 stores
• Philadelphia Book Festival, http://libwww.freelibrary.org/bookfestival/, attended by 35,000 and more than 50 authors, performers. Third weekend in April 2010
• Printers Row Book Fair, http://www.chicagotribune.com/about/events/printersrow, a large book fair attended by more than 100,000 book lovers in 2009
• Southern Festival of Books: A Celebration of the Written Word, http://tn-humanities.org/festival/index.php, Nashville, TN, attracts more than 200 authors from throughout the U.S. Second full weekend in October, 2010
• Kentucky Book Fair, http://www.kybookfair.com. Frankfort Convention Center, attended by up to 5,000 people including 150 authors
• Texas Book Fair, http://www.texasbookfestival.org, established in 1995 by First Lady Laura Bush, a former librarian, more than 45,000 attend
• Delaware Book Fair & Authors Day, http://heritage.delaware.gov/book_fair.shtml
• Baltimore Book Festival, http://www.baltimorebookfestival.com/ attracts more than 100 authors, Sept. 24-26, 2010
• Book Island Festival, http://www.bookisland.org/ Feb. 12-13, 2010
• Harlem Book Festival http://www.qbr.com/, May 6-9, 2010, Bermuda
• Spring Book Show, http://www.springbookshow.com more than 50,000 book titles offered by vendors, Cobb Galleria Centre, Atlanta, GA, March 26-28, 2010
• South Carolina Book Festival, http://www.scbookfestival.org/, Feb. 26-28, 2010, Metropolitan Convention Center, Columbia, SC, more than 6000 attend 3-day festival

Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, http://www.westwindcos.com/ and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more.

Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it's their first book or their 15th book. He's handled publicity for books by CEOs, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC Nightly News, The New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Family Circle, Woman's World, & Howard Stern to name a few. Learn more about Westwind http://www.book-marketing-expert.com or contact Lorenz at scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or by phone at 734-667-2090

Poetry Corner November 2009

Boy’s Night Out

Spend the whole week waitin’
Just anticipatin’
One night a week that I can bust loose,
Where the rooster is a’crowin’
And testosterone is flowin’
And a guy can give the devil a goose.
It’s a ritual demand
That the girls don’t understand,
They can’t figure out what it’s all about.
It comes on like a fever
And there’s only one reliever
When it comes around to boy’s night out.

Ooohh, I got to get it goin’
Got to have a little fun.
Got a few seed left that still need sewin’
Put the devil on the run,
In a place that’s void of inhibitions
Where I won’t be afraid to shout.
Just keeps the beer flowin’,
Don’t care where I’m goin’,
Cruisin’ by on boy’s night out.

I’ve been workin’ for a dollar
Til it makes me wanna holler
And give the boss a piece of my mind,
But I try to hold it in until Friday night and then
I’m able to relax and unwind. We play a hand or two,
Maybe shoot a round of pool
And complain out loud til there’s no doubt.
Every challenge that we air,
Every problem, every dare,
We solve it all on boy’s night out.

Dennis S Martin
Website: http://www.iwritesome.com/
Blog: http://www.iwritesome.blogspot.com/
Storefront: www.lulu.com/dsmartin

---

Finding Myself in a Sugar Bowl

My Wedgwood sugar bowl
burgeons with scraps, crumpled,
stuffed with promises. Sad,
limp fragments, unused,
phrases forgotten
or pencil-faded. A recycler
at heart, I think I must use
them, know a lifetime
not enough to make poems
of them all. The future of cold
is infinite. Poetry an uneven
equation, one shredded
idea not another's equivalent.
One only. One hope. One that pops
itself from the pot, makes me
retrieve it,
unfold it

maybe you'll be like your dad
maybe you'll be better than your . . .

Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Award-winning author of the HowToDoItFrugally Series of Books for writers http://www.blogger.com/”http://www.HowToDoItFrugally.com”

---

Full Moon

One Moon Leaps From A Jar
Filled With Honey
Now Covered In Bees
It Becomes A Center

I Spin Like A Spoke
To See My Self
As Another Moon
Wanders Through
Yesterday

Caught In A Milky Way
Another Moon Drips In Carmel
Licking Its Lips In Silence
As Energy Splits A Hair
With Independence

Filtered Dreams Bake
A Moonlit Shadow
While Oceans
Make Waves
Of Themselves

Conscious Fragments Protrude
From Sun Spots
While Numbers Crack
Meaning On Half Moon’s
Other Half

Full Moon Drifts Alone
With Nothing
But Threads
Of Consciousness
To Smile About

http://www.shortsleeves.net/
http://halmanogue.blogspot.comsurvive/

---

SURVIVE ALIVE

They ‘jacked her from the fast food drive-through.
Car-jacked the Lexus from the drive-through.
Then the ATM; they needed cash, too.
You know, the ATM; they needed cash, too.

They drove through a parking lot full of kids.
Parking lot full of screaming, shouting kids.
Showed her off; that’s what they did.
Showed off her and the Lexus; that’s what they did.

Quiet little voice inside her head,
Quiet little voice inside her said,
“Make them like you or you’re dead.”
“Better make them like you or you’re dead.”

“Guess that waltz sounds funny to you.”
“Probably the opera would sound funny to you.”
“Just let me out; keep the car and money, too.”
“Please let me out; keep the car and money, too.”

They drove to the lake in the bright moonlight.
Down to the boat ramp, moon was shining bright.
They pushed her out, drove away; she was alive.
They pushed her out, drove away; she had survived.

A screaming, laughing voice inside her head,
Screaming, laughing voice inside her said,
“They must have liked you a little, you’re alive.”
“They must have liked you enough, you survived.”

I know that woman; her name is Julie.
She’s smart and strong, and sweet.
Because she’s smart and strong and sweet – she survived.
She’s smart and strong and sweet, and she’s alive.

Jan Bossing © 2007; Joelton, Tennessee

---

Ode to Autumn

Trees show off a new wardrobe
of red, yellow and orange leaves.
Pumpkin pies beckon to you
to take one home on Thanksgiving Day.
And a turkey filled with apple & cranberry stuffing
is waiting to be carved.

It's that time of year
To say thanks for all we have
To remember those who have less
To tell someone "I love you"
To live life to the very fullest
To be the very best you can be!
Most of all, on that lovely Autumn day,
remember to pray!

Irene Brodsky, Author of Poetry Unplugged

The Publisher as Promoter: Small Book Big Payoffs

BACKGROUND

In a contest between well-laid plans and Fate, put your money on Fate. Here’s my example of the surprises Fate has up her voluminous sleeve. In 1984, I held a day job in Los Angeles and worked nights teaching courses at National University. Unbeknownst to me, the Department of Defense (DOD) called the university one day and asked them to recommend someone to teach business writing to federal employees. The university gave them my name, and not long after, I was asked to submit a proposal. Thus began a corporate training/publishing career—one I’d never intended to pursue but one that instead, has pursued me for the last quarter of a century.

The Los Angeles area, of course, is at the epicenter of aerospace industries and it wasn’t long before my university students were recommending me to their employers, companies such as Lockheed-Martin, Northrop-Grumman, Allied-Signal, and TRW Aerospace. It was time for me to start my one-woman firm--the Center for Professional Development.

Intent on succeeding in the professional big leagues—my background was high school English teacher, after all--I soon realized that if I could convert my course material into small books, I’d have several advantages. And so, CPD Press was born. The process of turning my curricula into books for my students was a relatively easy one; it has paid off handsomely.

I found an excellent printer, Bookmasters, whose fees are very reasonable (approximately $2 per 64-page book for a run of 1000). My very first book, PowerWriting, set me apart from my competitors. Although essentially a work book for use in class situations, it was also a stand-alone purchase: quiz answers in the back of the book made it an excellent resource for any business person interested in improving his or her writing skills—inside or outside a classroom situation.

Assuming the content of the book is impeccable and the design, impressive, it doesn’t really matter if a books says CPD Press or McGraw-Hill. After all, if a client is considering using my services, seeing my Fortune 100 clients listed on the back cover carries more weight, I believe, than seeing the logo from a major publisher. (I also list the table of contents on the back as further evidence of my experiential “gravitas.”)

THE BOOK AS BUSINESS-GETTER

Whenever I respond to a request for a proposal, I include the book with my submission, knowing the recipient will immediately realize the extent of my qualifications to teach this program. Also, the book is the curriculum---I don’t have to prepare anew each time I have a teaching assignment.

Another use: When doing keynotes, I like to engage the audience. I often pose a challenging question, relevant to the topic. The first audience member to share an insightful reply is given the book, my admiration, and the audience’s applause. This small gesture is another way of getting my books “out there.”

And, because the small book is so inexpensive to print, I include it in my marketing materials or use it as a business card when networking. (It’s also easy to include in carry-on luggage.)

THE URGENCY OF TRENDS

I’ve found the small-book format is the most advantageous for the work I do. Not only do printers offer a reduced price because of the number of pages, but mailing costs are minimized. Too, if the book does well, the limited number of pages means a sequel is very easy, very possible.

Finally, the small book allows for rapid response to emerging trends. To illustrate, I wound up doing temp work when I first arrived in California. Working as a secretary was interesting and led to numerous other opportunities. But, as a result of that year, I had enough fodder to offer secretarial seminars.

A professional perfect storm was brewing for me in the mid-80’s—TQM was emerging as a dominant force in the business world. That trend, coupled with my secretarial experience, led to a small book titled The Quality Secretary. It caught the fancy of numerous organizations, including Professional Secretaries International (since renamed IAAP). I was invited to speak to an audience of 6000 at their international convention. Of course, the organization had the books available for back-of-the-room sales. And, because the audience was international, it wasn’t long before I was speaking in Singapore, Brazil, and Canada. In fact, I sold the book’s rights to a training organization in Brazil just a few months after the conference.

THE SMALL BOOK AS RAINMAKER FOR ANY SMALL PRESS

The explosion of technology has created thousands of subject-matter experts (SME) or, at the very least, bloggers with opinions to share. For many e-writers, the continuous stream of wisdom-bites can be assembled into a seminar or program for delivery to a large audience. That seminar information can then easily be converted to self-published books.

Independent publishers will find these SME’s and bloggers a lucrative source of new titles and enhanced revenues from would-be authors.

Small specialized-knowledge books don’t belong to consultants or corporate trainers alone. Any idea-disseminator can use these small books as business-getters. The stigma of self-published content has been eclipsed by the marketability and profitability such books offer the small presses of our industry.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Dr. Marlene Caroselli is the author of 60 business books, many of them self-published, including Principled Persuasion, named a Director’s Choice by Doubleday Book Club.She can be reached at ”mailto:mccpd@frontiernet.net”.

Join My Blog Tour and Learn to Do Your Own

Author teaches other authors as she tours the Internet from November 20 to December 20.

Nashville, TN—Yvonne Perry is doing more than promote her new book as she travels from blog to blog during her virtual book tour for The Sid Series. She is taking along 2,650 Twitter followers and those who are subscribed to her RSS feed (http://feeds.feedburner.com/OnlinePromotionMadeEasy) for her blog, Online Promotion Made Easy, in order to demonstrate how a virtual book tour works.

She began by posting an article to her blog and inviting her Twitter followers to come and see what her new book is all about. Each book in her children’s book of holistic (body, mind, spirit) stories teaches skills such as following inner guidance, being true to one’s self, or overcoming fear. Modeled after the lessons Yvonne's grandson, Sidney, is teaching her, these stories are great for the classroom, young readers, or toddlers being nurtured at home. But they are also great for kids who are showing spiritual intellect and psychic gifts. http://thesidseries.com.

Then, she began posting information about what a blog tour is and asking people to participate as host “homes” for her progressive “dinner-type” book tour where she would be providing the meal: an article, interview, video clip, or other free content-rich material for readers to enjoy.

“I began the tour thinking I would only ride the virtual circuit for two weeks,” says Ms. Perry, “but the response I got was so positive that I extended it two more weeks to accommodate all the people who were offering their blogs as stops for my tour.”

There are twenty blogs, three radio show interviews, and two stops on Youtube to see audio/video presentations about stories in The Sid Series. Each of the bloggers participating in Yvonne’s book tour from November 20 to December 20, will post unique material they received from the author. Articles will deal with children and past lives, the death of a pet, spirit channeling, imaginary friends, fairies, crystal kids, grand-parenting, and how the author shifted from her staunch Christian views to a metaphysical path. The tour will also share information about the teenage artist who illustrated parts of The Sid Series, and include discussions about how Yvonne wrote and published her book while maintaining her free-lance writing business.

The tour is also being used to teach authors how to conduct a successful virtual book tour. Perry keeps her blog updated with information to help authors learn how to use the Internet and social marketing to create a credible online presence and reach their reader markets.

“Authors are sometimes clueless as to how to promote their books once they’ve published them. I started my book marketing blog in 2008 when I published my e-book Book Marketing in the Digital Age, Online Promotion Made Easy,” says Perry, the owner of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services based in Nashville, Tennessee. “Rather than doing an in-person tour at bookstores where only your friends and a few other people show up, authors are taking to the virtual road to let others know about their work.”

Perry has found a way to incorporate her love for teaching. She has six blogs on various topics such as writing, publishing, book marketing, death and dying, stem cell research, and spirituality. Many of the blogs showcase the books she has written; therefore, all of them cross-promote one another. Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services offers many types of book promotional services for authors http://writersinthesky.com.

Yvonne invites you to join in the fun, learn about her book, and learn how to do your own online blog tour. If you need assistance to set up your own blog tour, please contact Sarah Moore, the author's assistant for Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services.