This is one of my favorite self-publishing sites, and a must-follow for anyone who’s interested in writing, publishing, and marketing thier own books and/or ebooks.

Here’s a peek:

If the bookstore sells them – the publishing house get paid money. If the bookstore doesn’t sell them – they can return all the books. It is ok to hold the books for several months and then send them back.

Archaic? You bet. And still, the vast majority of New York houses embrace the model; and authors scramble to enter into these medieval contracts for the “prestige” of being “under contract.”

Ouch! Read the rest here.

For a more in-depth look at the publishing industry, see my post, “The Naked Truth about Book Publishing“.

Burnin’ Love BBQ is excited to announce that we’re now taking pre-orders for our soon-to-be-released cookbook, “MEAT • FIRE • GOOD” and all pre-orders are guaranteed to arrive in time for Christmas!

MEAT • FIRE • GOOD

ISBN: 1453657258
Page Count: 150
Binding Type: US Trade Paper
Trim Size: 7″ x 10″
Language: English
US$19.95

A collection of mouth-watering barbeque and grilling recipes by the boys at Burnin’ Love BBQ.

Back cover:

Shortly after man discovered fire, he discovered that if you threw a chunk of meat on the coals, let it blacken, and then dug it out of the ashes…it tasted freakin’ awesome!

Since that evolutionary milestone, man has taken barbeque (or grilling, or smoking, or whatever you want to call it,) to the four corners of the world, and adapted it to the local ingredients he found there.

If it walked, swam, slithered, or flew, early man found a way to cook it over fire…and God bless him for it!

“MEAT FIRE GOOD” takes you on a gastronomic tour of the globe, from classic Cuban and Indonesian dishes, to traditional Texas and Carolina BBQ, to the crisp, fresh flavors of the Pacific Northwest.

Burnin’ Love BBQ’s pitmasters, Perry Perkins, Terry Ramsey, and Christopher Renner, include their most popular grill-top recipes, slow-smoked pit favorites, amazing side dishes; and dozens of step-by-step crowd-pleasers with full-color photographs.

Favorites like:

~ True Texas Brisket
~ Pacific Northwest Salmon
~ Southern Roast Turkey
~ Carolina Pork Ribs
~ Memphis Whole Pickin’ Pig

“Barbeque – it’s not a skill…it’s our superpower.” – Burnin’ Love BBQ

Click on this thumbnail for a sample recipe:

We’ve set up a PayPal link for credit card orders. (You do not have to be a PayPal member to use this link.)

If you would rather pay by check, please print this page, include your name and shipping address, and remit with $19.95 + $2.50 shipping for the first copy (for additional copies shipping = $1.00 each) to the address below.

Thank you!

-Perry

—————————————————————————————

Title: MEAT FIRE GOOD

Name………………………………………………… Copies @ $19.95 = ………

Street…………………………………………………

City…………………………………………………… S&H: + 2.50*

State………………………………. Zip………………….

Total Enclosed ………………

Please make checks payable to Perry P. Perkins, and mail to:

Elk Mountain Books
PO Box 21
Wilsonville, OR 97070

Paperback, 7″ x 10″. 150 pp., retail $19.95. Please add the following for shipping: USA US $2.50 for the first book*, US$1.00 per each additional copy. Canada US$5.00 for the first book, US$2.00 per each additional copy. For all other countries please add US$8.00 for the first book, US$3.00 per each additional copy. For orders outside the U.S.A., credit card payments only.

Freelance journalism is one of the more hectic forms of freelance writing. If you want to become a successful freelance journalist, you’ll need to be comfortable with spending much time hunting down stories, traveling from place to place, and writing under short deadlines. If you enjoy all of that, and if you’re interested in some of the best opportunities for personal creativity, then freelance journalism may be for you.

When we talk about freelance journalism, we need to distinguish between two types: newspaper journalism and  magazine journalism. As a rule, newspaper journalism involves a much narrower range of subject matter than  magazine journalism, significantly shorter articles, and a greater focus on form. Typical newspaper articles follow a  hierarchical format: the most pertinent information first, the least pertinent last. For example, an article about a local parade would start with “The X Parade will travel down Main Street at 10:00 Saturday in support of Y,” while it might  end with “Onlookers are advised to bring umbrellas.”

Additionally, writing as a newspaper journalist means that you need the ability to find out about the news. Often, a journalist’s day looks like this: the editor assigns the journalist an article topic at 6 AM. By 8 AM, the journalist is  making phone calls to various parties related to the topic. For a story on rising gas prices, this may include CEOs of oil companies, local gas station owners, car owners (interviewed on the street or at gas stations), car manufacturers, and local policymakers. Journalists usually interview anyone with a meaningful connection to the topic, and who can provide some good, succinct quotes and information.

Information-gathering goes on for most of the day, usually ending around evening. The journalist then works on the  article, fact-checking where appropriate, before submitting it for publication sometime that night, with the deadline  depending on the individual paper. Then the journalist is able to go to sleep–until 6 AM rolls around again, and the next article topic comes in.

More leeway is available with the larger “feature” articles. These appear in film sections, lifestyle sections, health  sections or other less breaking-news-focused parts of the daily paper. Often newspapers publish these sections  weekly, rather than daily, to save on printing costs.

For example, the film section may only appear on Fridays, the food section on Tuesdays, etc. The upshot of this is the  freelance journalist has more time to research and to work on an excellent, well-rounded article. Using the same  research methods (calling everyone connected to the topic, scheduling interviews, synthesizing succinct points from a large information pool), a feature writer constructs a more in-depth look at a given topic than a news writer can  achieve in a short column of text.

Additionally, there’s occasionally more freedom in the choice of subject matter. Perhaps you know about an excellent local band in need of a profile? Maybe you volunteer in a community organization that does interesting work and  deserves a write-up? How about writing an article on the health benefits of soybeans? A newspaper’s “features” section can be an excellent venue and a personal one, which can be rare in freelance writing. Additionally, feature articles  don’t depend heavily on the hierarchical “news” format, making your job much easier (or harder, if you find it difficult  to structure an article without set guidelines.)

Magazine journalism is similar to the “feature” style of newspaper journalism, albeit with much more generous word  limits (and often more generous pay rates.) The downside is that a magazine may not have as many opportunities for publishing your work. The broader subject matter of a magazine may also result in topics that require more legwork  and potential travel expenses (hopefully paid for by the magazine) than just a profile of a local policymaker. To be an effective magazine writer, you’ll need to look much harder for article ideas, but the payoff can be well worth it.

How do you scout out freelance journalism jobs? For newspapers, have some sample articles written, a good working  knowledge of style guides (especially Associated Press style), and a willingness to work on whatever is available until  the editor or publisher promotes you to working on more enjoyable assignments. For magazines, it’s best to research your articles and write them in advance; afterwards you can send query letters to the appropriate editors in hopes of  becoming published. In either case, submission information is printed on the staff page of magazines and newspapers. You can also find submission information online at the publications’ web sites.

The career of a journalist isn’t for everyone. Whereas many freelance writing projects are about a predictable routine of research and writing, the variety and novelty of writing news and feature articles eschews all routine in favor of a  constant flurry of ad hoc interviews, phone calls and general information-gathering. But to some people, this is far  from a drawback. If you’re one of those people, start developing your portfolio now, get in touch with some editors  (either by appointment or by query), and prepare yourself for a successful career in freelance journalism.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brian Konradt is the author of the book, “Freelance Poker Writing: How to Make Money Writing for the Gaming Industry,” available at www.FreelancePokerWriting.com. Learn more about different writing careers at http://www.WritingCareer.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Starting Your Own Business?
10 Questions to Consider Before Investing a Dime.

Portland, Ore. – Elk Mountain announces the release of P. Griffith Lindell’s newest book written for those considering the move from being employed-by-others to being self-employed.

172 pages
ISBN: 1451547110
Perfect bound

“Starting Your own Business,” marketed in cooperation with Amazon.com (www.griffs10.com), provides the reader with a unique set of assessment tools and a process for considering the critical issues each person must address if they are to become a successful business person.

Each of the ten chapters also include sections for documenting progress toward particular business and personal goals, and a methodology for documenting what is learned.

A final assessment tool for each chapter follows at the end of the book, and weighs each issue by an “importance factor.”

“As a small businessman, I know that it is easy to put off answering the questions that Griff asks readers to consider to help them protect their savings, their lifestyle and their relationships in the pursuit of their business dream,” says Elk Mountain Editor-in-chief, Perry Perkins.

“A masterful book that combines unique self-assessment tools with personal wisdom and entrepreneurial knowledge that goes far beyond the traditional entrepreneurial text. Lindell’s

sound advice and practical know-how, built on theoretically sound entrepreneurial principles, is a must read for anyone starting or operating a new business.”

- Dr. Deborah V. Brazeal, Cal Poly University Professor, Entrepreneur and Author

If you would like to order a copy of “Starting Your Own Business?” for yourself, or to share this book with friends and family – please help us build our Amazon.com campaign and order TODAY June 16, 2010 – our book’s official release date.

Books may then be purchased at http://www.griffs10.com (My author’s page on Amazon.com.)

You were thinking of ordering a copy or two, right?

As a special THANK YOU for your friendship and support, go to http://www.griffsreports.com today for your free download of Six Tips on Public Speaking – use this code: AD27N. You probably know someone who has a fear of public speaking and could use this resource.

ADDITIONAL OFFER

If you decide to buy two or more copies, please send me (perry@perryperkinsbooks.com) a confirmation copy of your order from Amazon.com, and as an additional THANK YOU, I will send you any 3 of Griff’s eReports FREE (a $14.85 value). http://www.griffsreports.com

Thank you each for your support with this book project.

Four From Left Field

a short story collection

Authored by Perry P. Perkins

I dreamed the first chapters of a thousand not-so-great American novels, between the blue sky and the green grass of left field, waiting those interminable little-league innings. And, while I was never carried off the field on my teammate’s shoulders, and never trotted the bases for a homerun, I came away with something infinitely more valuable.

The dreams and visions I put to paper now may not be the same as the Technicolor odysseys that filled my younger eyes, but the seed from which these words come once fell to ground, rooted and grew tall in left field.

From a young wife’s revenge, to world killing comets, from an asexual future society, to man-eating grizzlies, FOUR FROM LEFT FIELD is a collection of my more bizarre flights of fancy, none of which has anything to do with baseball.

Available online at Burnin’ Love BBQ’s Amazon Store

Publication Date: May 06 2010
ISBN/EAN13: 1450571654 / 9781450571654
Page Count: 176
Binding Type: US Trade Paper
Trim Size: 5.25″ x 8″
Language: English
US$9.95

About the author:
Novelist, blogger, and award winning travel writer, Perry P. Perkins is a stay-at-home dad who lives with his wife Victoria and their two-year-old daughter Grace, in the Pacific Northwest. A student of Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writer’s Guild, his novels include Just Past Oysterville, Shoalwater Voices, and The Light at the End of the Tunnel.

Perry has written for hundreds of magazines and anthologies and his inspirational stories have been included in twelve Chicken Soup books. His first collection of outdoor humor, Elk Hunters Don’t Cry, released in 2009.

More of Perry’s work can be found at www.perryperkinsbooks.com

Just read a VERY interesting eBook, titled, “The Naked Truth about Book Publishing” by Linda Houle.

A quick read about how a book goes from manuscript to print and ebook form in the changing publishing world. You probably already know most of this information, but a lot of new authors are unaware of how tough it is to get a traditional book contract, or the latest options for self publishing.

From the author’s website:

Like the legendary Phoenix—with a cycle of death in flames, then rebirth—books, and publishing, are undergoing a major metamorphosis.

The Naked Truth about Book Publishing takes a quick and dirty peek at the realities of publishing. Whether you are an author, independent publisher, or just an avid reader, it’s critical to know what’s happening and how current changes affect you!

Ebooks are now widely accepted, displacing print book sales and transforming a multi-billion dollar industry.

Bookstores are fighting for survival. They’re either struggling to adapt, or going out of business. Publishing giants are developing new business models to stay afloat. For decades they’ve counted on a few top name authors’ best-selling hardcover titles to support the rest of their books.

Old wasteful printing methods are fading away, and nearly all paper books of the future will be made to order. Stores that still carry books will only stock the best-selling titles—the sales publishers still count on. Want to browse a bookstore and discover something new to read? In the future you’ll use an electronic catalog at a store kiosk—or search for interesting titles on-line.

If you’re a writer you must pay attention to what’s happening in the world of book publishing. The classic, though challenging method of finding an agent to shop a book to a top publisher is no longer the best choice for many authors. In a shrinking market, many agents are already looking for other jobs.

Small, independent presses are growing in popularity. Many use a traditional business model, then work hand in hand with authors to develop and promote their books. Other choices include DIY companies—to get a book into print for a fee. And a growing number of people do everything themselves. Setting up their own businesses and self-publishing their manuscripts. Some by-pass print altogether. Ebook publishing is fast and easy and now open to everyone! A few top-name authors are leaving their big publishers and bringing their ebooks directly to readers.

Read the Naked Truth about Book Publishing to help set goals and make the best choice for your manuscript. The resources and links provide nearly everything you’ll need to get your book into print or epublished, and into readers’ hands!

Chapters include:

Predictions
Evolution
Types of Publishing
Expectations
Goals and Promotion
Avoiding Scams and Bad Deals
Author Publishing
Ebook Publishing

The eBook “The Naked Truth about Book Publishing” is available on many sites including Fictionwise, and as a print book on Amazon.com

————————————————————–

Novelist, blogger, and award winning travel writer, Perry P. Perkins is a stay-at-home dad who lives with his wife Victoria and their two-year-old daughter Grace, in the Pacific Northwest. Perry has written for hundreds of magazines including Writer’s Digest and Guideposts.  His inspirational stories have been included in twelve Chicken Soup anthologies, as well.

His books include the novels Just Past Oysterville, and Shoalwater Voices, and his new humor collection, Elk Hunters Don’t Cry. Perry is the Portland Writing Examiner, and you can read more of his work at ElkMountainBook, and on twitter at: http://twitter.com/PerksBooks

He also write’s as the Portland Fatherhood Examiner at: www.pdxdads.com

Perry’s books are available at Amazon.com

I wanted to let you know that we’re wrapping up pre-orders for my upcoming short story collection, “Four From Left Field” this Friday, April 9th.

This will be the only opportunity to order personally autographed copies. All subsequent orders will be through Amazon.com, etc. I’m very excited about the release of this collection, which includes some of my favorite stories that just didn’t quite fit anywhere else.

From the back cover:

Four From Left Field

A short story collection

It was not the great atomic bombs of the nineteen-fifties, or the horror
of nuclear conflagration. No, the end of the world came with celebration,
and stargazing, and the pop of countless champagne corks.

Somewhere along the Pacific Crest Trail, Horatio Nolan Smith,
trail-name Rat, missed the whole thing.

*

In The Light at the End of the Tunnel, Cal Taylor’s hunting trip becomes
a fight for survival, as he battles the shadowy demons of his past, and the
all-too-real predator that stalks him through the wilderness.

*

Endeavor to Eden offers a terrifying glimpse of Earth’s near future, where
a last handful of men and women make a desperate attempt to escape the
“new order” that would hunt them to extinction.

*

What do you call three dead lawyers at the bottom of the ocean? A good start.
In With This Ring, Allana Jenkins had no desire to be a penniless ex-wife,
a rich widow was, of course, something altogether different.

From adulterous lawyers to world killing comets, from a genderless future society, to man-eating grizzlies, Four From Left Field is a collection of my more bizarre flights of fancy…none of which have anything to do with baseball.

These stories are a little edgier than my novels, have less fur than my hunting stories, and offer a little something for everyone.

I’ve set up a PayPal link for Paypal Members or credit card orders. (You do not have to be a PayPal member to use this link.) If you would rather pay by check, please print this page, include your name and shipping address, and remit with $9.95 + $2.50 shipping for the first copy (for additional copies shipping = $1.00 each) to the address below.

Estimated release date is March 12^th.

Thanks everyone!

-Perry

———————————————————————————————————-

Book Title: Four From Left Field

Name………………………………………………………………….          Copies @ $9.95 = ……………..

Street………………………………………………………………….

City…………………………………………………………………….          S&H:                 +    2.50*

State……………………………….        Zip………………….

Total Enclosed     ………………

Please make checks payable to PerryPerkinsBooks, and mail to:

PerryPerkinsBooks

PO Box 21

Wilsonville, OR 97070

Paperback, 5.25″ x 8″. 180 pp., retail $9.95. Please add the following for shipping: USA US $2.50 for the first book*, US$1.00 per each additional copy.  Canada US$5.00 for the first book, US$2.00 per each additional copy. For all other countries please add US$8.00 for the first book, US$3.00 per each additional copy. For orders outside the U.S.A., credit card payments only.

Hey all,

A number of folks have emailed asking if I can re-post my recent series, “Using Twitter to build a readership” as a single post, with links to all four parts.

Here you go:

In Using Twitter to build a readership – Part One, we talk about the importance of using Twitter as part of an author’s social marketing plan.

In Part Two, we discuss the importance of having a blog or website to link to, and the 80/20 Plan of tweeting, to insure that you are a value to your readers.

In Part Three, I offer some tips and tricks to finding targeted followers, getting them to follow you, and keeping them long-term.

In my final post on using Twitter to build a readership, we look at what is probably the most important element in developing a long-term following, and turning those followers into customers: Being an expert!

Also, here’s a great related article, “Creating a readership list” by Dwight Clough.

Happy to answer any questions, just post them below!

-Perry

————————-

Novelist, blogger, and award winning travel writer, Perry P. Perkins is a stay-at-home dad who lives with his wife Victoria and their two-year-old daughter Grace, in the Pacific Northwest. Perry has written for hundreds of magazines including Writer’s Digest and Guideposts.  His inspirational stories have been included in twelve Chicken Soup anthologies, as well.

His books include the novels Just Past Oysterville, and Shoalwater Voices, and his new humor collection, Elk Hunters Don’t Cry. Perry is the Portland Writing Examiner, and you can read more of his work at www.pdxwrite.com, and on twitter at: http://twitter.com/PerksBooks

He also writes as the Portland Fatherhood Examiner at: www.pdxdads.com

Perry’s books are available at Amazon.com

We’re now taking pre-orders for my upcoming short story collection, “Four From Left Field.”

I’m very excited about the release of this collection, which includes some of my favorite stories that just didn’t quite fit anywhere else.

Four From Left Field

A short story collection

It was not the great atomic bombs of the nineteen-fifties, or the horror
of nuclear conflagration. No, the end of the world came with celebration,
and stargazing, and the pop of countless champagne corks.

Somewhere along the Pacific Crest Trail, Horatio Nolan Smith,
trail-name Rat, missed the whole thing.

*

In The Light at the End of the Tunnel, Cal Taylor’s hunting trip becomes
a fight for survival, as he battles the shadowy demons of his past, and the
all-too-real predator that stalks him through the wilderness.

*

Endeavor to Eden offers a terrifying glimpse of Earth’s near future, where
a last handful of men and women make a desperate attempt to escape the
“new order” that would hunt them to extinction.

*

Allana Jenkins sacrificed her career to see that her once-loving husband
realize his dream of becoming a lawyer, but now that he’s successful, she
finds herself trapped as the wife-done-wrong.  In her desperation, she’s
approached by an old woman whose power is both compelling and
mysterious, who suggests a solution she’s never considered before.

From adulterous lawyers to world killing comets, from an genderless future society, to man-eating grizzlies, Four From Left Field is a collection of my more bizarre flights of fancy…none of which have anything to do with baseball.

These stories are a little edgier than my novels, have less fur than my hunting stories, and offer a little something for everyone.

I’ve set up a PayPal link for Paypal Members or credit card orders. (You do not have to be a PayPal member to use this link.) If you would rather pay by check, please print this page, include your name and shipping address, and remit with $9.95 + $2.50 shipping for the first copy (for additional copies shipping = $1.00 each) to the address below.

Estimated release date is February 24^th.

Thank you!

-Perry

—————————————————————————————

Book Title: Four From Left Field

Name…………………………………………………       Copies @ $9.95 = ………

Street…………………………………………………

City……………………………………………………          S&H:                 +    2.50*

State……………………………….        Zip………………….

Total Enclosed     ………………

Please make checks payable to PerryPerkinsBooks, and mail to:

PerryPerkinsBooks
PO Box 21
Wilsonville, OR 97070

Paperback, 5.25″ x 8″. 180 pp., retail $9.95. Please add the following for shipping: USA US $2.50 for the first book*, US$1.00 per each additional copy.  Canada US$5.00 for the first book, US$2.00 per each additional copy. For all other countries please add US$8.00 for the first book, US$3.00 per each additional copy. For orders outside the U.S.A., credit card payments only.

The winning cover, but nearly 30 votes is…#1!

The drawing winners are…

Glen Harman
Jemima Geisert
Jeff Musgrove
Wendy Caplan

Please send me an email with you shipping address, and I will send you a free, autographed copy of “Elk Hunter’s Don’t Cry.” Estimated release date is February 24th. Congrats!

Now, since I received so much great feedback on the first round, I’m going to offer one more free copy for round two.

We had a number of comments in regards to:

1. Background color
2. Font
3. Subtitle (and I wholeheartedly agree…)

So, here are several options of Cover #1.  Feel free to mix and match…

I’ll draw another winner from the new comments on Monday.

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Option 4

Option 5

Thanks guys, you’re the best!

-Perry

AAAAAAAAAnnnnnnnd…by popular demand, here are a couple of “mixed cap, sepia tone, cool color” options, lol:

Option 6

Option 7

Don’t hate me, but I really like this one…