To Market, to Market....is self promotion beneath you?

To Market, to Market....is self promotion beneath you?

Holding on to old ideas about promotion and self promotion may be tempting, but not so helpful.

The key for me  is to sincerely investigate my intentions every step of the way.

If we cannot see our books as a service to others and our duty to ensure that  "some ones" out there at least have the option to receive our work, then why, oh why did we really write at all? 

With this attitude, we unconsciously imply that the book / story is 'ours', about 'me' alone, and all 'mine'.

There is in this, a subtler and greater ego attachment! This kind of  self denial is unnecessary. It is selfless in fact, to  simply let go and facilitate  movement of your work  in the world through you. It takes time, energy, sacrifice and love to do so.

Let me give you a little story (smiles):

When I was pregnant (9 years ago)  Father Thomas Keating, a Catholic monk (an author of many books and articles on fine topics such as Centering Prayer, Attention and Intention and spiritualizing the heart not the ego and so on) came to Trinidad.

I went to hear him the night he spoke at St. Theresa's Church, Woodbrook. He was introduced by then Archbishop Gilbert who said to the crowd, "My role in the Church is mostly as an administrator, I come to sit at the feet and learn from a man who has devoted his life to meditation and silence."

He literally opened the door for everyone present to open their minds and hearts to profound esoteric and even mystical teachings.

Keating, in his 70s at the time, spoke for over an hour, energetically and plainly about every metaphysical, Chopra quantum physics, crystal light beaming concept of spiritual truth I have ever encountered. He sometimes made direct mention of some of these other systems, teachers and authors, and he also contained and applied it all in relevant ways to  the Catholic faith for those who needed it clothed that way.

It was a profound experience for me, ( with no direct bearing on the issue of self promotion,  but which I find hard to extricate from this much loved and often told personal story:) - I remember the entire time a feeling a sense of fulfillment deep within me that arose from my childhood :

A time when I wanted to be a priest! I began to notice that there were no women priests and felt quite uncertain about ever being nun. This was a 7-year-old  time when I pressured

my non-religious family to take me to church, almost having to argue my case some weekends. One day during the celebration of Mass my mother saw me gazing intently at Father Nicholson as he served at the altar. For all the depth and breadth I was experiencing within myself, when she asked tentatively, "What are you thinking about?"

All my shy self could articulate was something trite like, "Father is putting on weight." 

It became a long standing joke for her to retell as a parent (sadly, at my expense).

But I digress, that night  in St Theresa's, something I knew then in childhood was surfacing within my consciousness. Way back then I realized that there was something ineffable lacking and which I could not  articulate as a child. Decades later,  that missing piece was fulfilled through Fr. Keating, and I come to it all in the fullness of my feeling without censorship, shyness or fear:

"I always knew I would finally hear the truth spoken in the Catholic Church, in my life time."

After he spoke,  Keating sat at the back of the church with stacks of his books for sale, and invited autographs. He interacted with his fawning fans, with such neutrality that I understood something more  as I observed him; deeper perhaps than all the words he had spoken that night.

He neither rejected his role as author/ teacher  nor claimed it.  I could detect that he was in no way  ego attached nor had he shied away from, or shirked this duty. 

I opted to witness him as he engaged in the present moment, rather than line up for a book.

I did not have then as much of  the theory and conscious direct experience of present moment awareness as I can access now, yet it was palpable.

In hindsight, I see that for those minutes, I was certainly tuned in to the Present  by tuning in to and with  him. In his reflection  of true self, a lesson of true humility, (very different from false modesty), was transmitted and received.

Such work we may term "marketing", can be understood quite simply without all the images and historical implications that the word itself invokes. Marketing the self now, via blogs and so on,  is simply a matter of employing internet and mobile technologies in a time when we no longer rely on any "Massa" broadcaster and publisher. Why not claim this freedom as a great leap in our evolution, and an opportunity to each follow our own bliss? 

Surely more bliss for any one of us, is a blessing for all!

Until we can say I AM... and know that we are not aggrandizing the ego, but simply stating the sincere intention of self expression from the heart of the matter, we will remain caught in a web of shyness, fits and starts and cramp our legitimate fulfillment with haunting worries of what others think.

The best antidote, is to observe with courage and self honesty what you yourself may think, and deal with that one moment at a time as you create a work and delcare, "It is good."

To write about your own work is simply a way of  including yourself in the ALL - May ALL be happy.

To exclude ourselves from All, is to place ourselves where?

If we are not contained in  All then we are separate, set apart, beyond or even  above others! Cool ego trick eh? And there is much cultural evidence to convince us that we are being selfless in such thinking. All  the while some subconscious destructiveness, is having its victory over us - the fear has had its way with us! Our creativity has been blocked and the flow of good,  that  may be freely given and received dries up.

Contemplating and understanding the ways in which we are productive and destructive to our creativity, is helpful for our  healing as writers/ artists/ performers etc. We are killing creativity all the time! and for what?

Unless you have a publicist doing the work for you, then in my opinion it is unwise to NOT support your creations in the world. Would you give birth to a child and abandon it? ( I guess some do.)

And all the 'successful' writers who appear to do work successfully, solely on the merit of their  work is illusory.  They are, through their work,  simply  paying a cut to their publishers, publicists, agents etc to do such menial work for them. 

Nice life? Maybe.

I don't mind cleaning meh own house and doing meh own laundry so long as it is necessary and helpful for myself and others.

Is that, or get a 8 to 4!

To each his/ her own.

Above All,

Happy Writing,

JJ

WHAT CAN YOUR BOOK TEACH?

 WHAT CAN YOUR BOOK TEACH?



Blog on at Meaningful Books for more.

http://meaningfulbooks.blogspot.com/2012/05/writing-wrongsteaching-activism.html

 Excerpt:
More than a cautionary tale, my intention has always been that IBIS STEW? Oh, No! would enliven an awareness of how each of us can creatively respond to the problems we encounter in the world. The book's epilogue attests to that goal. It is presented as Captain Bad's  log or scrapbook,  after he has been converted from pirate to watchman and guardian of the ibis. In these pages, readers will find a letter from Molly Gaskin and Karilyn Sheppard, (Pointe-a-Pierre Wild Fowl Trust, Trinidad) and real live champions of the scarlet ibis; and finally, tips on how to start a SAVE THE IBIS CLUB!

Consider this: Ways to keep the intellectual property of your published work alive...

The internet is all about quantity. The opportunity to get a hit increases every time you publish a new article on your blog(s) and that means a chance to earn the interest in your published work. It can appear daunting. "What will I write about?" you may feel stumped. But it can be really helpful to keep earning a loving (not a typo), where your book is concerned. We are simply sharing our love not only for our work, but through it. Most of us have very sincere intentions when we sit  to craft and share a story, and risk sharing it with others. A book synopsis doesn't have time for all of that, and yet most of us are keenly interested in what goes on in the writer's world.

1. You can maximize the potential of that book by blogging about it from different points of view. e.g. Connect it to current events, news and other relevant products or projects as I did in my blog post at Meaningful Books today inspired by a TIME World article on the illegally hunter scarlet ibis in Trinidad.

2. Your book has themes worth studying. Define and elaborate on each of those themes in separate blog posts. 

3. Highlight a paragraph or scene and reference other relevant work with a similar theme or scene.

4.  Working through schools and libraries is a great way to connect directly with the audience. Ask beforehand what the group is studying and find links to something in your book. Rather than just reading for entertainment and as a sales strategy, consider how your work can support the teaching and learning taking place in today's syllabus.

5. Reflect on WHY you wrote your story or created a certain character. There is sure to be a wealth of back story that can stimulate ongoing releases of information from you, the author. 

6. We are all interested in what inspires creativity. Share moments of inspiration so that you too can inspire others.

Parents and teachers are very supportive of writers. They appreciate when we do a little background work that helps theirs. Highlighting themes and suggesting ways your book can be used is always met with appreciation. Even, take a little time to find  or create relevant and supporting materials and teaching resources.

The keys are:

- Relevance - look for natural links, it should not feel forced, or like it's a stretch.

- Genuine -  come out from behind the writer's desk and dreams; really align with your audience the kids and their interested adults.

Above all,

Happy Writing! 

JJ

A Prequel to Papa Bois: ESCAPE FROM SILK COTTON FOREST

The author's animated readings score big with avid fans.

 ESCAPE FROM SILK COTTON FOREST - Francis Escayg
"Now that's what I call great writing; but don't take my word for it, read the book and see for yourself." Cherian Gordon, Caribbean Compass

Series Editor's Q & A with the author:

JJ: I call it a prequel to Papa Bois although its a bit of a "spolier" to what comes in the end, but I do this because I feel so strongly that it's a good thing for Caribbean people to make that  connection. Did you set out to write how Papa Bois came into existence or did it evolve into that?

FE: It certainly did evolve into that. And the “spoiler” I think piques the curiosity because many people never thought of this character as having to grow into or to earn the title Papa Bois. It was just accepted that He has always been there, one with everything from the beginning of time.

JJ: The Lorax, a Dr. Seuss creation, is making a comeback through an animated film. It is frustrating knowing that we have and can create West Indian content with similar themes. The Island Fiction series is intentionally cinematic in style and I know you are also writing screen plays, are there any plans to manifest the realm of Goans through  film/ animation?

FE: Actually, it was my first intention to go that route but the cost of producing a film with the epic scale of Lord of The Rings was and still is prohibitive. When I answered the call for submissions and my story was accepted, that was the first alternative step to positioning the work for a future production. So yes, I do have plans to manifest the Goans through film/animation.

JJ: The re-writing process after submission can be quite intensive. I know there were a couple parts of your story that in hindsight slipped through the cracks so to speak. Please take this opportunity to address the elements that didn't get sorted to your satisfaction or that were incorrect based on your original script.

FE: The Goans are my creation. They are half man, half goat and in the Kingdom of Ierie they are the ruling specie. They own the Monarchy that is the Kingdom of Ierie. They were not represented on the cover of the book and in the text they are portrayed as having one horn when it’s supposed to be two. Those are very important details. I also wanted to include illustrations of the various species and characters for two very important reasons. One is that for those of us being introduced to those names for the first time, there will be a reference in the book. The other reason is that our Caribbean people will be familiar with some of the species in a folklore context, but I was going to introduce these characters in a brand new way that I believed would have given new life and created new and more vibrant connections with the target audience. Essentially, it would have extended the experience through merchandising and branding.

JJ: Based on your experience of the re-writing / editing process we went through, were there any specific "Aha"s that improved your story or work as a writer? 

FE Answer:

I truly enjoyed the re-writing/editing process with you. I felt motivated to pursue excellence with every draft, based on your patient approach and informed critiques. The one that stuck in my mind and transformed my approach was when you sent me an email with an analysis of my personality type and how that influenced my approach to writing. It was bang on. My characters live inside my head and I am not always aware that they are not fully formed on paper, so my readers will have a hard time really understanding who they are. I still struggle with that, but now I am aware of it and every time I create a piece of work, you come to me, like Rhe, ( in the book).

JJ:  As an independent, cultural creative crafting work through music, words and film, what motivates you?

FE: I operated in the realm of music almost exclusively, for most of my life. When I ventured into screen writing and filmmaking I began to see the world with different eyes and that forever changed things. I didn’t think about writing a book. It always came to me as something I would do later in life. The thing is I love all of these mediums of expression and as they swirl around inside me like La Diablesse’s powerful magic, they bring me to my truth and part of that truth is that I want to matter in the scheme of things.

JJ:  The awesome thing about books in print, is that we will never know where they will end up. A single copy may survive centuries and pass from hand to hand, heart to heart, in the way that more disposable media, even e-books, cannot/ may not. What is the legacy of Silk Cotton Forest and the array of characters you have created?

FE : Change, and to dismantle the status quo.

Synopsis:

Under King Zar's sincere but timid rule, the Kingdom of Ierie is rife with corruption, on the brink of another war and in need of a true leader. Domino, a rebellious, young Goan who seeks to avenge his mother's death, stumbles into the role of Hero only to find an even greater destiny awaits him. With best friend Peenut, a sly mongoose, Domino must leave behind the fun and festive teen spirit of Market Square in the heart of the El Tuchuce Forest. But dodging Lagahoos, outwitting Soucouyants and slaying giant Moongazers in his quest for emancipation from the bewitching power of La Diablesse and her dark reign over The Silk Cotton Forest, leads Domino to love and his life's true purpose.

About the author
Francis Escayg is a songwriter, composer, music producer, screenwriter, filmmaker and now novelist. He has four #1 hits in to his credit: "Sweetest Thing" (Denyse Plummer), "Mornin’ Lovin’" and "White Horse" (Fireflight), and "Meet Me On Level 2" (RF-JAM).  His first feature film, "The Ghost of Hing King Estate", inspired by events in Trinidad in 1971, was released in Trinidad in 2007 and more recently his short film Radica as the finale in the Dark Tales from Paradise compilation. Francis writes from a desire to enrich lives; to right the world and make it better for other children than it was for him growing up in the Oilfields of Fyzabad in the South of Trinidad.

Celebrating Love: Gerald's & Lorry's; and Mine for TIME SWIMMER

BUY NOW AT AMAZON

http://www.amazon.com/Swimmer-Island-Fiction-Gerald-Hausman/dp/1405098988

Available in T&T at RIK Stores

Celebrating Love: Gerald's & Lorry's; and Mine for TIME SWIMMER

Gerald Hausman and his wife Lorry have been "Earning a Loving" (see my last post) for a lifetime. Together they are authors of more than 70 books, of which 35 have won awards. Their work includes adult novels, poetry and children's books. They celebrate their fruitful union annually, not only on their wedding anniversary but on Good Friday. It was the day they first met in the Gallinas Canyon outside of Las Vegas, New Mexico 46 years ago.

"Some friends had a campfire by the river but we chose to climb above to the bare rocks where the ancient flume wound around the cliff walls.......Devout, strained voices came and went on the wind. Moorish chants from another time, a world away. We sat quiet, listening, penitents ourselves. Holding hands, in love. In canyon time." BLOG ON FOR MORE:

http://geraldhausmanstoryteller.blogspot.com/2012/04/canyon-time-love-story.html

 

Gerald's TIME SWIMMER, I must confess, is one of my favorite ISLAND FICTION titles. 

 

Like a parent of six children, choosing favorites is never PC, I know, but in celebrating the gift of each one,  I extol the family group of the Island Fiction series. 

 

With Time Swimmer, Hausman has created a worthy, cinematic classic for the new genre of  Caribbean Young Adult fantasy-fiction.

 

Hausman gracefully balances the fine edge between turning on teens and respecting 'grown up' concerns; managing without any self-consciousness, to both color in the lines and break free of  conservative constraints. Through a kind of juicy, self-containment he has crafted an ageless, timeless fable. 

 

Hausman's poetic prose transcends gender, culture and target market. In-keeping with the oral tradition of West Indian storytelling, TIME SWIMMER is a read aloud that never stoops to gimmicks, nor employs dialect alone to prove itself worthy of a place in our culture. (Not that any other Island Fiction author ever did either - this is criteria for inclusion on the list.)

 

There is something about Jamaican, eleven-year-old Luke's triumphant  journey home to self that not only stays with me, but lives in me somehow. There is a universal sense of fragility here that is so emotionally compelling.

 

TIME SWIMMER begins with a noose and a juicy mango as the boy's supposed last meal, but the first chapter closes with Luke's heroic rescue of a turtle which is about to be butchered on the beach below. Spontaneously, and in desperation to escape his own axe, (he has failed the Common Entrance exam), he mounts its back and finds himself swimming through Time and timelessness, with an old soul, Odysseus. 

 

Our journey with Luke through myth, metaphor and marauding dark characters is unforgettable.  Hausman's most blood thirsty characters are not without mercy or frailty, and all are rooted in West Indian history and collective consciousness. There is a meaningful darkness in his tale that is skillfully crafted and never gratuitous; far from. The dark is the harmlessness of an author's broad stroke of night; an invitation to light. It is that which allows Luke to manifest the dawning of his namesake. It is the necessary dive into unconsciousness demanded by the character's circumstances and personal story.  Drawing on nothing outside himself and relying on no sense of Other, every twist and turn into the depths of past, present and future are his life blood, coagulating into story lines and descriptions so we can experience All with him. As he is pressed deeper into the recesses of time-self, we come up for air and cringe, duck for cover, or marvel.  

 

That Luke emerges free of dependencies, strengthened in the power of saving himself, the reader basks not only in  the light, talent and courage of Hasuman's hero, but in the promise of her very own.

 

From his blog:

 

Gerald Hausman calls himself a "native of the world" after living in so many places in the United States and the West Indies. He spent more than twenty years in New Mexico where many of his American Indian folktales were collected and published. Born in Baltimore, Maryland in

1945, Hausman has been a storyteller almost since birth. His more than 70 books attest to his love of folklore, a passion instilled by his mother who painted the portraits of Native American chiefs. During his thirty-five years as a storyteller, Gerald has entertained children of all ages at such places as The Kennedy Center, Harvard University, St John's College and in schools from one end of the country to the other. Five audio books have come out in recent years and two of Gerald's books have been made into animated and folkloric films. His books have also been translated into a dozen foreign languages.http://geraldhausmanstoryteller.blogspot.com/

Earning a Loving - (no typo)

Creating themed content can help build your book title(s)  into more of a brand.

In this You Tube clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D74IilngIkc

Island Fiction author of LEGEND OF THE SWAM CHILDREN, Maureen Marks-Mendonca creates  'mouse art' images and puts them to a tender, musical composition of her own.

Earning a loving has never been more accessible thanks to the internet, e-commerce and social media tools. More and more of us can cover our expenses or at least supplement our income working in the field which sparks our creative passions. 

Producing and publishing intellectual properties is a form of REAL ESTATE. Through passive earnings, (royalties), and spin off opportunities - speaking engagements, merchandising etc. more and more individuals are loving the ways they earn a living.

It is vital to keep tending your plot.

Creating a website is only like setting up a store front, but who wants to return to a store where there are no new items, not enough content or fresh stock to warrant a comeback? You can't afford to stay static on the internet. In terms of commercial opportunity, using the free social media tools online,  are now the best way to compete fairly and get yourself noticed.

Getting repeaters and increasing traffic can be your experience on the internet - marketing in such a broad, international scope is FREE -  for the first time in electronic media history. Well, it does require an investment of time and creativity. Producing and publishing free content that links to your products is the best way to support your works so they do not just sit waiting for readers to find them. 

Providing a lot of free content is like expanding the capacity of your net so that you may cast it broadly. Potential fans will have an opportunity to explore your world more deeply and are more likely to want to share it with you by purchasing your products. In this way  'free' content that is of meaningful value to your audience,  earns interest so that your book is not just a passive product. 

You, give it life. So loving what you do is the primary pre-requisite.

On creating additional, supporting content : 

1. Set up a  You Tube Channel under your own name or book title; produce a simple book trailer and short interview clips even if it is a 'mock' interview in your own living room. If you can swing something in the local media where ever you are based or create on in a classroom or library, this will obviously increase interest value. Make the content from the audience point of view and less biographical. Share something relevant  you have learned or know about the topic or interest area.

2. Set up a blog and Face Book page. Post relevant content and links and consider yourself a "Publisher" in this context - creating and publishing similarly themed, supporting content. Giving freely is the nature of online publishing and the spirit of the web. Broadcasting your interests has never been easier. Going for quantity over time builds your credibility and increases the opportunity for surfers who share an interest in your themes to find you.

3. Link your free "add-on"s to your umbrella web site but only if you already have one (costly web sites seldom offer a good return on investment and are useful only if  you intend to build e-commerce tools and have a corporate (less personal) vision for your work.

4. Make sure you provide a one-click option, whenever it is possible, to Amazon or where ever your book may be purchased online. The fewer number of clicks to find the purchase button, the better chance you stand to get interested surfers to click BUY NOW. It's like putting the cash register up front and center at the store for customers to enjoy an easy-purchase experience. Don't have them searching page after page and reading all about you first before you link to purchase. Those who want more will invest the time anyway, but those who want to purchase won't hang around and you'll lose the sale.

5. Whenever it is available offer a share tool for FB and Twitter so that fans can help you spread the word for FREE.

Social media tools are being used by everyone.  For just a few minutes per day, or per week you can keep your intellectual property alive by publishing additional, similarly themed content which your audience and potential readers will access freely.

This will keep your name and work in circulation and even build your direct mailing list. Actively marketing your work and growing sales yourself, will create a "track record" which is more likely to clear a path to your NEXT opportunity in publishing.

Above All,

Happy Writing

JJ

WIN A LAP TOP FOR YOUR SCHOOL!

Caribbean Book Blog Article

http://caribbeanbookblog.wordpress.com/

Delroy in the Marog Kingdom - Book Trailer

Got Fans? Delroy's are showing up everywhere!

Island Fiction fans are showing up everywhere! This fan of Billy Elm's Delroy is in search of the Marog Kingdom. She may find herself  sitting too close to the river when she meets the mysterious River Mumma on the pages of the popular  tween novella. Watch out!

Fan in search of Delroy by the river!

  DELROY IN THE MAROG KINGDOM - Billy Elm "Delroy in the Magic Kingdom is worth more than one read - it is exciting, captivating and dramatic." Cherian Gordon, Caribbean Compass

It's a great idea to link online activity with a fun and relevant marketing strategy like  getting  fans to send  photos of themselves reading the book. Or better yet, reading the book with a background that is a familiar location for your characters, as in photo above.

The key is to help your fans find you and harness their purchasing power by directing them with as few clicks as possible to the action you need. e.g. to shopping cart; to Amazon.com; to a subscription for your newsletter; fan your Face Book etc. Through online marketing 30 fans can easily become 300 fans (wanting  to recommend your current book(s) and buy your next) by the end of the year, or month if you're really crafty and creative about it!

What  IF?...you got some marketing  gold like Billy Elm did? Get your

as yet unpublished sequel awarded by entering local, regional or international literary competitions!

 

Delroy and the Marog Princess  won a bronze medal and Best Intermediate Novelist in the Creative Writing Awards Ceremony, 2011 in Jamaica. 

Regrettably, there is no telling  when this novel will be published. The author may explore  self-publishing with print and e-book.  

Getting fans to pre-purchase e-books is one model with which all levels of  content publishers are having success online internationally. To meet the financial requirements of self publishing it's vital that your online presence has the necessary e-commerce set up. In some Caribbean territories this is not yet available, but if you have a trust worthy partner in one of the approved regions that may be just the ticket to get you started.

Be sure to do the maths and measure your expectations reasonably. Publishing windfalls are rare, though just as possible with talking frogs, duppies, time traveling turtles and blue skinned androgynous beings as with wizards and vampires, I'm sure!

Keep the faith and Above All -

Happy Writing,
JJ

















Island Fiction e-books now available online

Island Fiction e-books available online!

St. Francois Girls, Belmont

We put everything on the menu for our children, except the treasures that  require at least a little effort, self respect and discipline.  Then we lambaste "Them" with the burden of every social ill. We hear ad nauseum about "The Youth Today" as though they are a separate specie, as though we adults and parents and leaders had nothing to do with who they are becoming.

With the exception of crime, we protect our kids from nothing these days. Well, another exception is suffering. We seem intent on protecting them from every good, ole healthy struggle, with the promise of building character, that comes along.

Teens want a legit stretch that's why there's so much mischief when they are not challenged. Island Fiction series was published with this in mind. Our heroes struggle with themselves and their circumstances and make the journey home, metaphorically and sometimes, literally.

It's true, the movies aren't out yet; not even in development actually. We've no merchandise to offer at fast food outlets, but kids who read IF usually light up with something like, "When is the movie coming out? I could just see it so clearly!"

Look, if you reading this blog, I preaching to the converted.

So I'll be direct and keep it simple - Buy books for kids - they love them! Read aloud with kids, even adult ones - they love it!

Share books, swap books - PUT THEM ON THE MENU.

Keep awake in learning to like books yuhself; cultivate and sustain a reading lifestyle  - teens can smell hypocrisy in Trinidad, from Tobago.

And yes, of course Island Fiction titles are great gifts for traveling, packing, downloading -  these unique, electrifying, fast paced adventures are suitable for mature readers, both boys and girls from 10+ and up and are great "first" chapter books for reluctant teen and young adult readers.

Caribbean people may be glad to know there is not a witch, warlock or vampire in sight. Yaaaaa! You will meet River Mumma, La D'iablesse, Alex a Waspachu of the Cougar Clan on the S. American continent who sees and hears the legendary pan man from a nearby island; there's a suicidal student who flunks Common Entrance exam and opts to  swim through time on the back of a turtle named Odysseus. You'll encounter Legba and the temptress Zulie and the androgynous blue skinned Loba and did I mention, an entirely new race of Goans? And much more...

This is a writers' blog yes, but remember we need readers - they are our oxygen. So spread the word!

Above All,
Happy Writing, JJ

It's Never Too Late for Anything!

I've always believed that it is never too late for anything.
If your ego rears up with resistance and complaints, and many a logical 'good reason to debunnk that concept - just meet George Dawson here....How can you NOT rethink such a self defeating stance after hearing his true story?

His bestseller "Life is Good" is available on Amazon.com

Above All,
Write On!
JJ

PROMOTE YOUR BOOK(S) : add user-valued content to your web site!

 

Maureen Marks-Mendonca, author of Island Fiction's Legend of the Swan Children is employing internet technology to full effect! 

Guyanese born, Ontario-based, Maureen's story is a coming of age adventure involving the fulfillment of a prophecy and a secret society to boot. Published author and Trinidadian journalist Debbie Jacob touts Legend as one of her favorite Island Fiction reads and reviewed it for Caribbean Beat:

"Mendonca has beautiful, elegant language reminiscent of good magical realism. The imagery is spectacular and the story very inviting."

Since publication, Maureen has developed a book trailer, and an active website www.swanislandhome.com. 

 Rich in relevant content, fans of the book can see video/ photos of Guyana's majestic landscapes, join the secret society Friends of the Flame and learn about animals in the book. Maureen ups the ante with each feature she adds. Not only does she offer interesting trivia about each animal, she created a quizz that connects the content to her book.

e.g. (In Legend of the Swan Children)

What made Alex think Cocoa the macaw was a spirit? Answer on pg. 102

Photo: http://www.swanislandhome.com/Animals.htm

In Words for Winners, one of the  games/ activities offered, fans click a word on the wheel that best describes themselves and they receive a secret message/ affirmation. Are you "Eagle-Eyed"? Then, "You will achieve greatness!" Do you believe in "Trust"? "You will always have everything you need!"

As a not-for-profit umbrella, Maureen  founded The Swan Light Organization http://www.swanlight.org/

 By creating this harmonious, interactive webscape  the author offers many points of access to her work. Her Island Fiction title (Macmillan) and Authentic Arawak hammocks are on offer for purchase, alongside free, meaningful content:  Articles on "How to Conquer Fear", and her new 6-week, online workshop, "Building a Life of Happiness". 

Adding this kind of content, that is purely from the readers point of view (i.e. not only promotional in slant), secures repeat visitors. When a site appears to be a static brochure of information then the interactive benefits are lost, and with them, chances to evolve and expand your work. A site with a "LIVE" feel, can create fans, not just one time visitors. And by 'fans' I mean people who want to  join your mailing lists and keep abreast of your work. Over time, this adds potential sales, not only for your current title but for its sequel and any new work or projects you launch.

 

What makes  Maureen's online presence all the more impressive is that she has been doing it herself -  including the site building and content creation. Through the process, she has developed a unique style of line drawing on the computer. This gives her pages 'a look' that is identifiable and can be 'branded'.

Those of us who may feel limited in our abilities can use any number of free templates and clip art albums, with some personal digital photography to create our own look. The key is to tie in everything thematically, while diversifying the points of access and interest; increasing the potential number of online 'hits'.

A free blog is a perfectly professional way to do business online these days, so don't waste money on a graphic designer up front (unless you want / can afford to). Setting up your blog or site, is a rent - free shop with international reach!

Link relevant photo/ video content you upload using Flickr, Picassa or You Tube to enhance the Blog visually. Once you have a store front with content, devote some time every week to free marketing and networking via any social media like Face Book and Twitter. It's all pretty fool proof these days. 

If you can, invest in as many domain names that apply and link them to your content. This is the name of your shop. But why have one name? Remember search engines are operating to find relevant content based on words searched. Better  to secure your name, any pseudonym, book title(s), important character/ hero names even. This increases the chance of someone not only finding you but stumbling upon your latest book! You can even purchase for a small fee lists that show you which words are most often searched. Use these in  your domain name choices and text links to maximize opportunity online.

The main message for internet presence  these days is - don't get stuck on the packaging. Don't invest time and money and energetic resources on any aspect that won't pay you back fairly whether in cash or kind. Everyone, everywhere can now access social media, production and  broadcast tools. This means audiences are tuning in, and making selections based on CONTENT that is meaningful to them/ adds value to their lives.

  

Take some time to beef up your site's/ blog's content in a way that intends 'giving' to your visitors.  Ask: What can I do or give that will improve or enhance the quality of my blog readers/ site visitors? Offering FREE content that is of significant quality, as Maureen is doing, will earn not only long term interest but trust. And that's the surefire way to cut through the clutter and get noticed by online explorers, of like interest.

Above all,

Happy Writing!

JJ

Promote Your Blog By Keeping Good Company

http://meaningfulbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/3-nudges-with-new-york-times.html

Keeping good company online is a great way to maximize your profile and marketing potential. Provide more useful content for your readers and you're likely to get more links, more hits and more exposure.

One surefire way to do this is to post a book review or  interview with an  author in your genre. Select someone whose work you genuinely admire.

On my Meaningful Books blog I've recently had the privilege of highlighting Warren Hason's The Next Place and Deborah Underwood's The Quiet Book. Two of my favorite,  "must-have" meaningful  books for young children.

While my work may be classified as "Caribbean",  I consider that we are each playing on a global stage and it is up to us to confidently claim that role. Promoting books by international authors I admire, I expand my potential audience base - not only for my blog but for my book sales as well.

There's no point I think, in being online if we are not working the primary  value of linking and interconnecting with people around the world wide web. There is far more benefit to the technology than just having a home page in cyberspace.

Keeping a Face Book account, joining like-minded communities,  and building up your mailing lists and number of online friends for networking purposes, means you can post a link to your  latest post and in one click everyone receives your news feed. After that, click to click who knows where it will go from there.

By posting something about a  new author, expert or relevant personality, you can renew interest in your topic, theme and genre, directing traffic back to your blog - a great reminder about your own book(s) every time!

Above All,

Happy Writing! JJ

See What Michael Holgate, author of Night of the Indigo is up to!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l24FuYVZ9E

My guest post on Peepal Tree Press author, Geoffrey Philip's Blog

http://geoffreyphilp.blogspot.com/search/label/In%20My%20Own%20Words

 In My Own Words...Joanne Gail Johnson

“Nuff Respeck!”

My Caribbean Children’s Books are “Self Organized Learning Environments”

excerpt:

"I heard it said that V.S. Naipaul, in a lecture at U.W.I. during his two million dollar, 2007 visit to Trinidad, responded to a question about Caribbean children’s literature by saying something to this effect: “There is no such thing. Children are in fact not capable of understanding any work which could qualify as literature.”

This amounts to hearsay, I know. But I will address the thought itself and will acknowledge first that the tone of the word “literature” spoken in the mouth of a Nobel Laureate dictates a very capital and intimidating “L.” Even so, I will risk a bit of adventure..."

Read more - click link to Geoffrey's blog, JJ

Bravo! Joey Clarke - My Tribute to Joey Clarke

 

BRAVO JC!

A CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF JOEY CLARKE

A moving tribute service took place in Trinidad  on Saturday January 22^nd 2011 at the Top of the Mount, Mount St. Benedict at from 4 to 7 p.m. 

Bio: Master Playwright, Director, Actor, Producer, Writer, Broadcaster and Copywriter Joey Clarke passed away in Belize on Monday 17^th January 2011 from a massive heart attack.  He was forty-seven years old.  For more than three decades his prolific talents graced both the Arts and Advertising Industries locally, regionally and internationally.  Born in the UK of Jamaican parentage, his early life and career blossomed in Jamaica where he wrote, produced and directed.  In 1995, Clarke came to Trinidad and joined the Sugar House Drama Company run by Patti-Anne Ali.   Between 1996 and 1999 Sugar House staged five original productions– Matrimoney(Clarke), Maubee (Ali&Clarke), Treasure(Clarke), More Maubee (Ali&Clarke) and Devilish (Clarke) amassing multiple Cacique nominations for best original script and best original music(Julie Harris).  Some highlights of his Trinidadian work include the TV program Joe Le Taxi with Sun TV, broadcasting with radio station FM 100, Raymond Choo Kong’s Cheaters, producing Sport TV features with All Sport promotions and appearances on Westwood Park.  He also created award winning advertising campaigns in Jamaica, Trinidad, St.Lucia and Belize building decades of regional advertising expertise.   In 2009 he married Senator Lisa Shoman and settled in Belize, adding published Author to his amazing accomplishments, bringing out Stories of Exordia, The Gospel of Rastafarai, Behold the Man, Devilish, Making a Killing, Treasure and The Best Medicine.  He also staged Devilish, Treasure, The Promise and Lesson for Lovers, the latter two being finalists in the Belize Theatre Company’s playwriting competition.  Clarke’s play "Best Medicine" was already being produced for television by Channel 5 Belize and will be aired in Belize in the coming weeks ahead.

He leaves his wife Lisa to cherish his memory and countless colleagues, friends and relatives whose lives were deepened and enlightened by his complete commitment to following his art.  His funeral took place in Belize on Saturday 22^nd January 2011.  Patti-Anne Ali, Director of Sugar House  staged a final farewell for Joey Clarke here in Trinidad, on the same day.  

I was honored to be included as a part of that:  

MY TRIBUTE TO JOEY CLARKE - (Nov 6 1963 - Jan 17 2011 R.I.P.)
                                                                            
Thanks to this inspiring children's book "The Next Place",  we now use  this  euphemism in our family.

I found it when my son  was just a toddler and included  it in his library not because we were in any specific situation, but as part of his life-wisdom education. It is where his ailing grandfather is expected to go to soon and where Bobbin our dog went and Fighty his fighter fish joined some time later.

This week I could say to him:

My friend Joey Clarke went to "The Next Place".

The Next Place is where Warren Hanson the author says,

"I will not be a boy or girl, a woman or a man, I'll simply be, just, simply me, No worse or better than..."

I heard a priest say once at a funeral service that he believed every person, every life without exception, perfects one aspect of Creation...

If this is true, I  would have to offer the idea that Joey Clarke,  perhaps more than anyone I have ever met was quite unforgettably just that - Joey Clarke being himself - no worse or better than.

 I have never met anyone who could do Joey Clarke, better than Joey Clarke. He is easily one of the most  instantly recognizable and memorable characters without props or costumes - and it is this selfhood that encompasses the details of my memories.

If the word "Friend" means everyday interaction, keeping up with each other's business then you may feel me unqualified to call Joey a friend. In fact, I did not know he was  remarried and NOT living in Trinidad or Jamaica, but in Belize. In truth, I  had not remembered him for quite some time...

But when I saw the name Joey Clarke in the subject line of Patti's email, his voice, his face, all his Joey Clarke-ness filled my mind.

When I emailed the SUN TV crew  about Joey's trip to The Next Place, Vanessa Soodeen wrote back:

"You know how some people are "easy on the eye" .. well for me, Joey was "easy on the energy" .. in the sense of having an easy-going energy. He could mingle easily with different groups and types of people... You could see him mixing with actors on the stage of a theatre the same way he would mix with people in the stage of life... He was always so committed to the interaction ... smoothe and easy!

In the 90s when SUN TV was pioneering an organic styled approach to production in Trinidad, what we now know as   "Reality TV" (because someone else, US cable, told us so) - Joey Clarke and Patti-Anne Ali as "Sugar House" were exploding into their  Renaissance of their own in theatre.

I will never forget Joey at the podium in The Little Carib Theatre bringing then Prime Minister, Basdeo Panday to full comedic effect for (the Sugar House production) Maubee, that bitter-sweet comedic portrayal of all things Trini. If we ever had the chance for a weekly television satire as slick, sassy and as witty as America's Saturday Night Live - THAT WAS IT!

During this time, Charlene Boodram's  remake of the French song, "Joe le Taxi" was burning up our back yard with regional radio play and one was of our most requested music videos on SUN TV's play loop. Much of what I intended to create with SUN TV was a sincere relevance to our contemporary Caribbean lives;  to make "we" kind of  TV that was true to here and now but with more of the sexy sizzle with which  American pop culture seduces the world - ( not meaning of course, the literal kind of sexy that so much of our  carnival/ bikini beach culture exudes).

Now we may differ about this, depending on our points of view and experience,  whether or not one could use the adjective "sexy" to describe Joey Clarke - smiles -

But our version of "Joey le Taxi" for SUN TV turned out to be one of our most successful small screen experiments during the two years of creating over 700 hours of 100% Caribbean programming. The timing and relevance of the idea was right and ripe. More than the hit song though,  it was Joey Clarke and Joey Clarke alone who made it what it was. In and out of taxis with camera man Science in tow, all over the country; No one else named "Joe" could have done what he did - spinning yarns from the everydayness of people on the streets; making hours of easy-to-watch TV from mundane maxi taxi travel experiences.

Because Joey was West Indian but not from Trinidad, he had everything needed to 'get us' and move freely among us...

...And because he was Jamaican there was enough separation and distance so that he could clearly witness and testify to our unique "Trini" ways of being and seeing,

His brilliant intellect and comedic sensibility were the talents that allowed him to think on his feet and produce television while in the field - exactly the qualities that made SUN TV producer-presenters excel and that made his "Joe le Taxi" program shine. I remember when  he brought back a montage of signs from about town that made him laugh: From the typically misspelled words to something obscure like a shot of an antique looking wooden sign which advertised in the most beautiful cursive:  fountain pens and lingerie!

When David Letterman or Jay Leno see the funny in U.S. life  on their Late Night Television shows, the New York Times  hails their genius in bold faced print the next day.

But, " this is Trini ", we say....

That is exactly why we needed the satire of someone like Joey Clarke - to help us undo some of that aloof kind of Trini-ness that is just not working for us.

I remember the weekend I was able to swing  from a 'no' budget to a 'low' budget in order to get Joey and Science over to Tobago. The exhilaration in Joey's entire being on their return was infectious and encouraging. They were so well received and had been pressed everywhere they went. "They want us to  do more Tobago content and come back soon!" he beamed.

Ten years later,  long after that incarnation of SUN TV went to The Next Place, I was on my way to Tobago on a newer, faster ferry T&T Spirit, when  a stranger came up to me pointing and smiling.

"SUN T V?"  he asked.

I smiled and nodded dumbstruck that anyone recognized me or remembered our local cable R&D project.

"Remember when SUN TV came Tobago?" he  stuck out his hand for a shake.

It was another time when all this Joey Clarke-ness flooded my mind.

Joey's fan did not ask another question, only stated, "Thank you. Thank you for SUN TV."

At a time when my visions for indigenous media were avant garde, Joey Clarke, my friend and colleague "got it" at every level. He engaged and committed creatively despite the fact that we were, (and I feel we still are), lacking enough self love to find and adventure fully and freely into the selfhood of our own individual West Indian-ness.

To me, Joey was funny and he was a genius.

Those of us who saw his light  were blessed by the perfection of his Joey Clarkeness and will never forget him; in this place or the next.

End

The 2011 Amazon (with Penguin Publishing) Breakthrough Novel Award is here!

Now here's a great way to end the self publishing debate - submit your new or self-published manuscript. Vindication at this level will certainly mean sales and an open door to your next work. JJ

https://www.createspace.com/abna

Do you have an unpublished or self-published novel you know Amazon.com readers will love? Enter your novel in the 2011 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award for a chance to win one of two $15,000 publishing contracts with Penguin USA and distribution of your novel on Amazon.com.

My post at FB page "Literary Society of T&T"

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_133378976726591&id=133575523373603

I too recently self published even though I had an offer to publish PINK CARNIVAL I wanted to have creative control and fulfill a longer term vision for Meaningful Books in addition to the work I get published with Macmillan ( I have several children's books, readers and stories published by them). I do strongly believe however that until Caribbean publishers are set up to publish writers OTHER than themselves or their friends and family members, we are not yet publishers or really publishing on our own terms.

Until book sellers are NOT linked to government contracted text book publishers....Writers published and unpublished would do well to volunteer time to read to kids at schools, hospitals, orphanages, libraries - we need to cultivate a market that reads, loves books and is willing to take part of their income to make the purchase. Our local (T&T) reading of Caribbean books for pleasure market is smaller than even some small islands in the Caribbean. Even well established regional publishers like Macmillan make their profits from educational text books and ministry contracts. That's our W.I. reality for now.

Our envy of the global market must include an awareness that it is made up of individual consumers who click on BUY NOW as a matter of a reading lifestyle. Writers of brilliance around the world have the same struggles as "Caribbean" writers. Struggle and failure are not bad experiences, there is always something helpful to learn. "NO" may mean ill timing, lack of consideration for the target audience, you dissed typical industry protocol because of lack of research when submitting (but didn't even know it), or this time there was just someone or some product better / more suited to that publisher than you/ yours - so tough luck and back to the drawing board. Masters in many fields are subject to rejection in a competitive market. Why are/ should we be different? Why the urge to confine the small pond, when the world awaits?

So many WI writers I meet who want to get published have good self esteem to lament the ways they believe their work is being mistreated. When I ask about specific research, query letters etc it turns out they have barely begun in relation to their counter parts in a small town in anywhere USA. If we are so talented then let's not mamby pamby ourselves out of the actual work required of good writers which, more than ever in today's tech-savvy world includes learning the industry.

In my belief and experience when we are doing the work that is ours to do and not attaching the ego to outcomes (because at a certain level in any marketplace it becomes subjective) then intuition guides us to the next step necessary for our creative evolution and fulfillment. This I see as a given, like gravity. The super stars like Rowling are the moments when gravity has been defied and something rare happens. Most of us will be plodding through step by step groping for the 'next' button and that too is a blessing. I'm not sure that success of the T&T writer (keeping in mind our market size) can or should be institutionalized, for want of a better word.

Those who sincerely feel they can establish better /new systems should be encouraged to follow the path along which they are called, of course. JJ

BOCAS LIT FEST - T&T 's first annual Literatry Festival with a major prize

http://www.bocaslitfest.com/index.html

 From their Home Page:

The Bocas Lit Fest, based in Trinidad and Tobago, is an annual celebration of books, writing, and writers. Launching in April 2011, the Bocas Lit Fest is an exciting new addition to the Caribbean’s literary calendar. The centrepiece of the festival will be the award ceremony for the OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, a major new award for Caribbean writers of poetry, fiction, and literary non-fiction.

Boca is the Spanish word for mouth — the organ of speech and song and storytelling. And the Bocas del Dragón — the Dragon’s Mouths — are the narrow straits off Trinidad’s northwest peninsula, which connect the sheltered Gulf of Paria to the open Caribbean Sea. For centuries, the Bocas were the gateways connecting Trinidad to the Caribbean and the Atlantic. The Bocas Lit Fest invites readers from around the world to enter through the Dragon’s Mouths and celebrate with us the rich literary heritage of Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean.