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For a long time, I had a pet Banana Spider outside my office window. I watched her build a web. I watched her seduce and eat dude spiders. Her ass grew, as did my work TO DO list. She would watch me type, and I would watch her, watching me, through those eight million eyes. Then, one day, I thought she was dead. I felt terror and dismay at this realization, because Ms. Banana Spider had become a friend—a compatriot and an entertaining distraction at work. That day, though, she wasn’t dead. She was just resting.

Ms. Banana Spider is not resting anymore. Ms. Banana Spider is dead. I watched it happen. It was about a month ago, on one of those uncharacteristically cold Charleston afternoons. Again, I looked up, and I thought she was just taking a nap. Then, the wind blew. Ms. Banana Spider fell out of her web and into the bushes below my office window. I stood up and stared outside. After the initial shock had melted into mourning, I sat down in my chair and realized it was over. My little friend was dead, and for the rest of that day, I typed slower, walked with hunched shoulders, and frowned down at my TO DO list.

The feeling grew. The dead spider bothered me. I’m not superstitious. I don’t believe in “signs.” But maybe part of me had gone with Ms. Banana Spider. Maybe, as I watched her web fill with pieces of fallen leaves, I felt myself toppling—cold and lonely—into the bushes outside my office, too.

Yesterday was my last day at my full time job. I resigned two weeks ago, and now, I sit here, typing on my computer at home with no Banana Spider outside my window. And it’s okay. It’s winter, and the spiders are hibernating somewhere warm. The seasons are changing. Everything changes. I was at my full time job for a year and a half. I learned how to be a publicist. I learned how the publishing world works. I made great friends, and I will never EVER regret moving here, to Charleston, SC, for said job. I have been, and I am still, blessed. But it was time for a change. It was time to shake off the dead spiders and have a new adventure.

One of my favorite quotes: “Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘Holy shit…what a ride!’” And so the ride continues. A wide open unknown awaits. I am lucky to have the support of so many friends and family. I am lucky to have the opportunity to immerse myself in freelancing. Finally, I’m lucky to have made the acquaintance of a certain Ms. Banana Spider, who reminded me that sometimes, you just gotta move on to move up.

6 Comments on Dead Spiders, last added: 12/14/2009

We started a Sylvan Dell blog as a social media tactic. In other words, everyone else was doing it; why shouldn’t we? It turned into an ever-expanding project. Rapidly, we realized it wasn’t just about Sylvan Dell. Instead, it was about a blog community, and like any community, it had to be built. What did they say in Field of Dreams? “If you build it, they will come.” So we built a Sylvan Dell Blogroll, announced to the public today!

The Blogroll includes blogs we see as useful and informative to our customers. Most importantly, we’ve made it easy for our fans—whether they be teachers, media specialists, parents, or bookstore owners—to find these resources, all in one place: http://www.SylvanDellPublishing.com/Blogroll.htm. Amongst the categories are Children’s Library, Homeschoolers, Math/Science/English/ESL Specific Education, and more. We feature blogs from Booklist, Powell’s Books, Parent Teacher Association, Read Kiddo Read, School Library Journal…I could go on for awhile!

We are trying to do great things for the education community! So to you fellow bloggers out there, if you’d like to get personally involved, here’s how:
1) Would you be interested in doing a guest post for the Sylvan Dell blog?
2) Would you be interested in having a member of the Sylvan Dell staff write a guest post for your blog? (You can see our bios at http://sylvandellpublishing.wordpress.com/about/.)
3) Who did we miss? Do you have any additional blog suggestions for me?
4) Would you like to become a Sylvan Dell reviewer? We would be happy to include you on our Book Announcement List so that you can see our new releases and choose which review copies you would like to receive for blog consideration.
5) Would you be willing to include us on your personal blog roll/following list?
6) We would love for you to get to know us on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/SylvanDell) and Facebook.

If you’re IN for any of these options, leave us a comment here! We are so, so excited about this new webpage! It’s full of useful information, so we hope you enjoy it, too! And to everyone out there in the blogosphere, have a wonderful weekend!

Doing interviews is part of my job. As a publicist, I gotta spread the WORD of my company and all our cool, exciting, impressive accomplishments, and it’s not always as easy as just sending a press release. Sometimes, you have to be sneaky, and doing interviews is a fun, free way to get my name out there, while imparting experience and knowledge to readers who may not know about submission policies, writing children’s books, or say, James Howe’s Bunnicula. Hence, the interview.

Now, it’s even cooler when I get asked to do an interview by someone I work with and greatly respect for her additions to the world of publishing and, more importantly, the world of READING. When Tif Sweeney asked, I delivered. Here’s a teaser from my interview with Tif Talks Books. (To read the interview in its entirety, you’ll have to head to her website, but I thought I’d whet your appetite first!)

From Tif Talks Books…

I would like to welcome Sara Dobie, PR Extraordinaire for the ever-growing, popular Sylvan Dell Publishing!! Be sure to keep on reading to learn something new about the field, the company, or for some simply fun talk about books!! Enjoy!!

Tell me a little bit about yourself . . . who you are, what you do, etc.

My name is Sara Dobie, and I’m the Public Relations Coordinator for Sylvan Dell Publishing. Among other things, I spend my work days writing press releases, updating the SD website (http://www.SylvanDellPublishing.com), stalking social media sites (http://sylvandellpublishing.wordpress.com, http://www.twitter.com/SylvanDell, and Facebook), pitching our product to the media, and juggling 64 clients…all while retaining a semi-sane psychological persona.

When I’m not “at the office,” I tend to take the office home. After hours, I keep up with my personal blog and Twitter (http://saradobie.wordpress.com, http://www.twitter.com/SaraDobie), while editing my most recent novel, SNM, completed in January 2009 and now in the editing process. I also have a tendency to appear as lead vocalist at a couple Charleston, SC venues. On Sunday afternoons, I watch approximately eight hours of football, while screaming “Go STEELERS!” at the top of my lungs.

How did you get to be where you are today (career-wise)?

I wrote my first novel in seventh grade, and I once convinced a friend that the spiders in her basement were coming to get her. In other words, I was meant for press releases and media spin. After working as an independent contractor for sculptor and children’s book author George Carruth, I decided to start my own PR firm in Ohio, called Tree Town Promotions. After a year of going crazy repping Midwestern authors and illustrators in a tiny apartment in the Toledo suburbs, I sought the company of other book nerds. I sought Sylvan Dell, and after a split second decision move to Charleston, I took over as Public Relations Coordinator in June of 2008.

What do you believe is your favorite part of your job?

The VARIETY. I’ve had boring jobs. Who hasn’t? Those jobs where you sit around and search for something to fill the time until you feel like your brain is going to start leaking from your ears. I’ve also had repetitive jobs—mindless, and again, inspiring brain leakage. My job at Sylvan Dell is never dull, never mindless, and there is always something to do. The best part of this “always having something to do” is the VARIETY. One day, maybe I’ll organize new releases for award submissions. The following morning, I’ll write a self-promotion column for an author blog. In the afternoon, I’ll do research on the big names in the children’s lit media and brainstorm ways to get SD on their minds. The creative thought opportunities are endless! What is it they say? “Variety is the spice of life.” It certainly rings true around here.

For those who may be interested in pursuing a similar career, what would be one piece of advice that you would share with them?
 
To be a Public Relations Coordinator: Learn to be very sneaky. Don’t take this the wrong way. I throw it out there with the best intentions…

For the rest of the interview, head over to Tif Talks Books: http://www.tiftalksbooks.com/2009/10/meet-sara-dobie.html! And thank you, Tif, for all you do for me and Sylvan Dell. Your support is greatly appreciated!

For lack of current cleverness, I will feign creativity and witty banter with the following interview I did for BOLDFACE. It went live on the web yesterday (HERE), but I wrote my responses weeks ago, pre-ear-sinus-infection. Therefore, I sound halfway intelligent in the responses below. (Sigh.) I miss my health, but at least I no longer need to miss my Steelers, as they will be on television this evening.

Without further ado, The BOLDFACE Questionnaire for the Children’s Book Council Newsletter.

Questionee: Sara Dobie
Public Relations Coordinator, Sylvan Dell Publishing
 
What was your first job in children’s publishing?    
Funny, but I applied for a management position at an art studio in Waterville, Ohio, called Carruth Studio. The owner called and said, “You’re not qualified to be a store manager.” Okay. “HOWEVER, I see you have marketing experience. Wanna publicize my new children’s book?” Sure. When you’re a 23-year-old bartender, you’ll say “Sure” to anything. So I started publicizing a new picture book release from world-renowned sculptor George Carruth. I worked from my tiny apartment in chilly, gray Ohio, and I thought it was so dang awesome that I could arrange interviews and organize book reviews while wearing my pajamas.
 
What was the first children’s book you worked on?  
The Boy Who Loved Birds, by George Carruth
 
How long have you worked at Sylvan Dell? 
One year, three months.

What is your favorite industry-related website or blog? 
Um. Am I allowed to say the Sylvan Dell website? I mean, you can handle the truth, right? So. Uh. The Sylvan Dell website. There are resources for bookstores, parents, teachers, kids, and even media dorks (like me).
 
Can you describe your typical day?
Wake up. Consider the annoying beeping sound coming from my alarm at 6:30 AM. Coffee. Shower. Consider why I’m awake so early and concentrate on remembering my own name. Arrive at work after a two-block walk through South Carolina humidity. Hit the “Send/Receive” button on my Outlook and cringe as if this motion will reawaken a sewer-dwelling Pennywise from Stephen King’s It. Answer approximately forty emails, ranging from client questions on the topic of self-promotion, to media inquiries on the topic of author interviews and Sylvan Dell eBooks. Write a press release…or five hundred. Update website News Archive after reading through the approximately fifty Google Alerts I receive each day. Stalk Oprah. Follow up with the emails I sent at 9 AM. Look up. Notice it’s 5 PM and wonder how the heck it happened. Walk the two blocks back to my car. Update my blog. Listen to some blues tunes and chillax on my couch before curling up with my most recent ARC acquisition and then, night-night time.

What do you think is the most important aspect of your job? 
Follow up. No question about it. Anyone can send an email. Anyone can make a phone call. But how many phone calls/emails do YOU forget about by the next day? Shoot, if I’m really busy, it takes two emails just to get an initial response, let alone an action plan. So the most important part of public relations is follow up. Hands down. In fact, maybe my job title should be “Sara Dobie, Professional Follow-up-er.”
 
What is the most fun aspect of your job? What is the worst part of your job?
Most fun: Working with amazing people. I spend my days working with cool coworkers who make me laugh even when the website crashes. I email and chat with children’s book authors and illustrators, who are ridiculously talented and compassionate people, industry-wide. Finally, I work with bloggers, and I LOVE BLOGGERS. They are the most enthusiastic, supportive mass of people. They love what they do, and it shows. In fact, everyone I just listed loves what he or she does, and nothing can be bad when you’re capable of smiling through the worst.
 
Speaking of…the worst: The occasional silence. No matter how many press releases you send, emails you write, or phone calls you make, there are times when the media response is nothing more than silence. And this sucks. You’ve worked your butt off. You’ve developed your PR campaign. You’ve done your homework. And yet, silence. Sometimes, there’s nothing you can do. It’s just bad timing. Maybe some no-holds-barred JK Rowling biography hit shelves, and no one cares about your SUPER COOL eBook literacy campaign. Silence just happens. It’s the worst part of a publicist’s job.
 
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
“Never give up.”

What are you reading now? Or what was the last book you really enjoyed? 
David Sedaris, When You Are Engulfed in Flames. People say you can’t judge a book by its cover. Feel free to judge this one. It has a picture of a skull smoking a cigarette. Yep. That’s about how the book goes-in your face, clean yet crude, and you might end up smelling like cigarettes from mere proximity. It got me writing short stories again. And when a book inspires you enough to jump back on the writing wagon, it’s a good book.

Recent years have seen a rise in picture-book biographies. Were your life ever to be chronicled in such a way — and don’t be modest, now — who would you choose to illustrate it?   
If we consider death as no deterrent, Abe Birnbaum, New Yorker illustrator and artist for the picture book Supposing, by Alastair Reid. It’s not that his art makes me step back and go “WOW,” like something in the back gardens at Giverny. His art does remind me of being a kid, reading Supposing over and over, and then, supposing all by myself. I credit the Birnbaum/Reid narrator with much of my creative free-thought, and what is a writer without creative free-thought? (Plus, I think his narrator has a Stewie Griffin thing happening, and well, in my biography, maybe I’ll ask Birnbaum to give me a funny shaped head.)

You know I’m sick when I have other people write articles for me.

In all seriousness, I was lucky enough to “meet” Andrew Ng via email. For a young man, he is incredibly accomplished. He gives amazing advice. He is an expert in the field of marketing and PR. Hence the following essay, “I Wanna Be On Oprah!”

My original media query (via Blogger Link-Up. Thank you, Cathy Stucker) was tongue-in-cheek. I mean, personally, Oprah terrifies me. I wouldn’t want to meet her in a dark alley. (She’d end up shoving chick lit down my throat, and I’d wake up in the morning a fan of Dr. Phil. I digress…) Regardless of my personal phobia of the woman, no one can deny her sway on public opinion, especially where books are concerned. Since I work for a publishing house, it only makes sense that Oprah Winfrey would be on our list of media coverage we NEED.

So for me, Andrew wrote the following article. I love it. I think you will, too. Happy Labor Day!
 

 I Wanna Be On Oprah!

By Andrew Ng

Out of every request for marketing information, this title has got to be the single most eye-catching I have seen. It is also the one that has made me smile the most (and I like smiling)! So naturally I jumped at the opportunity to write an article around this topic.

To start with, let me clarify one minor point – I personally don’t want to be on Oprah. In fact, being that I live and work in the UK, I’ve never actually seen a full episode of Oprah. This question actually came from Sara Dobie, a children’s book publishing PR Coordinator in America.

Ok, this is a huge question, so let’s start by looking at some marketing and PR basics. I’ll also tell you a bit about who I am and what I do so you’ll have some idea about my expertise in answering this question. I am a serial entrepreneur with companies operating primarily in the media sectors. I also hold a role as an executive consultant at a communications and public relations agency that also runs corporate workshops aimed at igniting creativity and innovation called re:Markable.

With every client that we work with at re:Markable, I ask two very basic questions. These questions are used by us generally to create marketing and brand strategy, but they can and should be applied to all areas of communication – including with television executives! These two questions should define everything behind your approach to marketing, advertising, and PR.

1) What do you do?
2) Why the hell do I care?

Are those questions a bit blunt? Probably. Why? I want a blunt answer (without any frills).

Here is a bit more “no frills” stuff for you…

Too much marketing is unfocused.
Too much marketing is sending mixed messages.
Too much marketing is not designed with a specific target audience in mind.

The two questions that I’ve outlined must be answered before any attempt to gain media coverage. There is no point approaching the media if you can’t tell them what you do, and why they should be interested. Once you can answer those two questions, you can clarify your marketing and PR approaches. This will result in improved communications and media coverage.

So you wanna be on Oprah? Get a notepad and write down in a single, simple sentence what you do; then write down a maximum of two sentences about why Oprah should want you. If you can’t do that, you really need to examine your business and work out what you do and why you do it. Because chances are, unless you can work that out, your company is gonna go bust pretty soon.

Now let me tell you a big secret. The mass media wants your stories. More than that, the mass media needs your stories. Without your stories there will never be enough content to fill newspapers, websites, magazines, or even television schedules. So why aren’t you filling every second page of the paper and why do large companies spend so much on PR professionals?

How many businesses are operating in the world? I don’t think an exact figure exists, but it will be many more than there are column inches. Basically, a lot of people want to give the mass media their stories. You might be incredibly persistent, you might have something great to say, and you might deserve recognition for incredible achievements on a personal, national, or international level, but that doesn’t mean you’ll get any press coverage. There is usually one answer why – the approach is wrong.

The tricky thing about gaining big PR coverage is that humans control newspapers and television. (The Internet isn’t really controlled by anyone so we’ll come back to that one.) Humans are not robots and hence, make judgement calls. When it comes to PR, it really would be much easier if everything was controlled by a smiling, happy robot who, if fed the correct ingredients, always printed what you want it to. As it is, there is no single formula for gaining high exposure in the media.

Think back to those two questions that I posed for a minute. Think about what you do, and why I should care. Who will be interested in what you have to offer?

There is no point approaching a fashion magazine when you are trying to get exposure for educational children’s books, such as the books Sara represents. A better approach would be to speak to some television programmes relating to books or education, or to the editors of book columns in quality newspapers. There is one other option if you’re looking for more creative PR – find an interesting twist to your products / services. If in a children’s book there is a recipe for chocolate cake that the child reading the book can try out themselves, maybe you could consider approaching a food magazine for coverage? Creative thinking is a key ingredient in the PR mix and can usually be used to get your story where you want it to be.

Back to Oprah for a moment—

 

Or…..NOPE! Sara is cutting you OFF! That was segment ONE of Andrew’s column. Segment TWO will pop up Tuesday morning, but I think he’s given you enough to think about for the holiday weekend.

So I charge you with a mission. An assignment, thanks to Andrew: “Get a notepad and write down in a single, simple sentence what you do; then write down a maximum of two sentences about why Oprah should want you.” I want you to think on this. It’s important, whether you’re a writer, artist, musician…anything! If you want to make it big, you have to be able to answer this. So think of your answers this weekend. And I’d love to have you post here on the blog. If you come up with something good, share it with me. And maybe someday, I’ll be watching you sip lukewarm coffee on a swanky couch on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

(BY THE WAY! About Andrew Ng: Andrew Ng is a serial entrepreneur and leading media and innovation consultant in the UK. His businesses include media innovation company, Fat Mouse Productions Ltd; communications and public relations agency, re:Markable; and web development and online marketing business, Expanding Web. In September 2009 he is launching i-Showreel, an innovative video product designed for Internet and mobile marketing. Alongside his business activities, he is currently authoring two books and works as a freelance artist and illustrator.Visit Andrew’s website at: www.andrew-ng.com. Follow Andrew on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/Mr_Ng.)

Time to endorse a company that really deserves it. What follows is the contents of an email from Sylvan Dell Publishing co-founder and publisher Lee German. Read on, children’s book fans, and give the thumbs up to this small company, doing amazing things for children’s literature.

From Lee:
A good friend has just nominated Sylvan Dell for an opportunity to win $100,000 in grant and marketing support from American Express, and we would love to win. There are millions of small companies applying for this, and in order to win, or at least make the first cut, we need friends and family and people who believe in our company, to “Endorse” our nomination.

Here is the criteria:

a small business that you find inspiring

Has this business adopted an innovative approach to surviving tough times?

Does it believe in a customer-first mentality?

Does it give back to the community?

Here is the process:

We get nominated. Done.

We get as many Spotlight Endorsements as possible by September 13th. The top 150 endorsed stories will be evaluated by three independent judges (Diane Von Furstenberg, JJ Ramberg, and Ellen Degeneres).

The Judges widdle it down to three. Those three go on the final ballot.

Final voting will occur between the dates of 9/24/09 – 10/16/09. If we make it this far, we’ll need your help again to cast your vote for the Finalist.

The endorsing process is relatively easy but does take about 5 minutes. If you think us worthy, and could swing the time, we’d appreciate the endorsement and any help spreading the word.

If you want to help, here are the specific steps:

1. Go to the Sylvan Dell Story page: http://shinealight.ivillage.com/sbo-profile/?ProfileID=2373 and read our story.

2. Click “Register” in the upper right corner

3. Fill out the registration:

** It forces you to click the terms and conditions and do the character thing

4. Go back to the Sylvan Dell page: http://shinealight.ivillage.com/sbo-profile/?ProfileID=2373. It is a little confusing at this point… it doesn’t take you back to the Sylvan Dell Story page so you need to click Nominees button at the top and then type in Sylvan Dell and click go.

5. Once you get there, click the “Endorse this story now” button.

If we make the cut, we’ll be hollering and keep everyone posted.

Thank you for your support!

On the bidding of Sylvan Dell Publishing co-founder and publisher Lee German, the company has taken over the world of social media. In other words, Sylvan Dell Publishing now has a blog, a Twitter account, AND a Facebook page. And yes, I’m keeping up with all of them. (Pity and/or laughing and pointing is welcome.) I want YOU aware of all this good stuff, so here come the details…
Sylvan Dell’s blog: http://SylvanDellPublishing.WordPress.com
Sylvan Dell’s Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/SylvanDell
Sara Dobie’s Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/SaraDobie
Facebook: There’s an old, ancient inactive Sylvan Dell page. Ignore that one. There’s a live and exciting page you can become a FAN of HERE.
So check out the Sylvan Dell social media campaign. If you’re a blog fan, keep up with the company in a reader. If you’re on Twitter, be a Sylvan Dell/Sara Dobie follower. If you’re a Facebook friend, become a Sylvan Dell fan. They need your support, so tell everyone you know! Post this info on your website, if you’d like. Do anything you can to build the Sylvan Dell fan base. Keep on truckin’ on this fine Tuesday, and enjoy all these new fangled sites!

There’s a theory that all press is good press, and the debacle with Bloomsbury’s upcoming YA release “Liar” makes me a true believer. From Publishers Weekly Children’s Bookshelf: “Bloomsbury Children’s Books has told PW exclusively that it will change the controversial cover of Justine Larbalestier’s ‘Liar.’ Bloggers and the author herself had criticized the publisher’s choice of a white girl with long, straight tresses for a novel about an African-American girl with ‘nappy’ hair. ‘We regret that our original creative direction for “Liar” has been interpreted by some as a calculated decision to mask the character’s ethnicity,’ said Bloomsbury officials.”

Ha! HA! That’s me, laughing really, really hard at Bloomsbury’s regret. Regret? Bull POOP! They don’t regret a thing! In fact, this is me begging: “Oh, Bloomsbury publicity director Deb Shapiro, please teach me your ways!”

Does anyone else think this was the most ingenious way to get this book in the news? I mean, when the original cover for “Liar” hit the web, people were livid. Bloggers attacked Bloomsbury, and as the article states, even author Justine Larbalestier was ticked off. But I read about it, didn’t I? I clicked on the link and read the whole article (Publishers Weekly, July 23).

SEE! DID YOU JUST CLICK THAT LINK? It’s working! Deb Shapiro! Justine Larbalestier! Bloomsbury, it’s WORKING!

This goes along with a point my buddy made on my banned books post from a couple weeks back (http://saradobie.wordpress.com/2009/07/24/we%e2%80%99re-still-burning-books/). He basically said that, shoot, the people fighting the banning of books should just post the list of “bad” books online, and the sale of those “bad” books would go through the roof! A nice big go screw yourself to the censors. Back to the idea: all press is good press!

Which is why I must congratulate Bloomsbury and their PR chick Deb Shapiro on this whole “Liar” scandal. Because of the race question, this story hit the press. Because of bad publicity, you’ve received PUBLICITY, which is painfully difficult in this world of YA books, dime a dozen. Geniuses. I wonder…how am I going to make educational picture books scandalous? Hmm…I guess I could go the Disney, Lion King way and sneak “S-E-X” somewhere in the Library of Congress data. Hmm. Not a bad idea.

Read the most recent PW article on this ingenious PR campaign HERE.

Sylvan Dell Publishing announced something big this past weekend, and I count my public relations self LUCKY to be part of it. I don’t need my quippy commentary today. I just need you, ready for an eBook revolution AND a free trial of ALL 45 Sylvan Dell eBooks.

SYLVAN DELL PUBLISHING
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 29, 2009

MOVE OVER KINDLE
Sylvan Dell’s innovative eBook format promises to improve reading speeds, comprehension, and language learning skills

MT PLEASANT, SC – Sylvan Dell Publishing goes LIVE this week with its next generation eBook, proving the company represents “so much more than a picture book;” it represents a full-fledged campaign for literacy in America.

From Sylvan Dell publisher and co-founder Lee German: “These are the most technologically advanced eBooks in the world today, featuring Auto-Flip, Auto-Read, and Selectable Language. There is nothing even close to this on the market. Amazon/Kindle and Barnes & Noble eBooks are not even in the same category. I encourage parents and teachers to take a test-drive and see for themselves. Let the children play with these for a few weeks, and you’ll be amazed at their excitement and improved reading performance. For children wanting to learn a foreign language or ESOL families learning English, these are phenomenal tools.”

Below is a link to a 90-day trial of all 45 Sylvan Dell eBooks:
http://www.sylvandellpublishing.com/ebooktrials.php?e=MSBL9J
Code expiration date: 10/31/2009
For guided directions: http://www.sylvandellpublishing.com/documents/eBookOperatingInstructions.pdf

“Whether in Auto-Flip or Manual Mode, switch back and forth between English and Spanish text and audio (more language choices on the way) and remain on the same page,” said German. “With the addition of Auto-Flip and Auto-Read features, our Sylvan Dell eBooks are powerful literacy and language learning tools to complement our mission of teaching ‘Science and Math Through Literature.’”

Sylvan Dell is no newcomer to literacy education and no stranger to technological advances. Since the company’s founding in 2004, co-founders Lee and Donna German have been ahead of the picture book publishing curve. Last year, Sylvan Dell awarded free eBook site licenses to over 2600 elementary and Title I/III schools nationwide through their School Resource Grant Program.

What’s next? According to German, “We want moms, dads, and grandparents to be able to record a reading of our books and add that audio to the language selection list. This is especially important for military families with a parent overseas. We are also developing an iPhone, iPod, and iPod touch application so that our eBooks will be available on handhelds and an online data capture system to allow teachers to track student reading and quiz performance.”

Sylvan Dell eBooks are available on the company website, http://SylvanDellPublishing.com, as are an array of free educational resources, which include Teaching Activities and Interactive Math and Reading Comprehension Quizzes. For more information about the eBooks, visit http://www.sylvandellpublishing.com/ebooks.php. For more about the eBook Resource Grants: http://www.sylvandellpublishing.com/ResourceGrant.htm.

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One more thing! My last ForeWord Magazine Publishing Insider is UP and RUNNIN’ today at http://www.forewordmagazine.com/blogs/insider/default.aspx. This week is: “I’m A Good Listener, and DANG IT, People Like Me.” (At least, this is what I’ve been told.) Go over and wave farewell to a successful month of blog banter. BLOG ON.

Imagine entertaining a roomful of readers in Texas while sitting at the beach in the Bahamas. Or how about giving a writing workshop to teachers in Ohio while watching the gondolas in Venice? I’m not talking time-travel. I’m talking technology. Welcome to the world of virtual publicity tours.

Thanks to Cathy Stucker’s Blogger Link Up (sign up at http://bloggerlinkup.com/), I had the pleasure to meet publicist Bonnie Harris. In the self-promotion world, authors can’t necessarily afford expensive trips to Vegas for a star-studded book signing. Sometimes, authors need a cheap, effective way to reach fans. Skype is part of the answer.

Skype is a way to communicate via live feed with bookstores, schools, libraries, etc., nation- and world-wide without leaving your home. I asked Bonnie for some advice on this useful and CHEAP technology. Here’s what she had to say.

The Skype Effect by Publicist Bonnie Harris

Oprah started the inevitable buzz known as the “Oprah effect” by using Skype last year to conduct a chapter reading of Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth: Awakening Your Life’s Purpose. Since then independent authors and major publishers (including Random House and Wiley) have been using the platform to conduct virtual book signings and author visits with great success.

As an author, how can you use Skype to reach markets that might be inconvenient or expensive to visit in person? It’s actually quite easy so long as you don’t get spooked by technology. Booking the visits shouldn’t be any different from a regular speech or book signing, and there’s lots of information out there on how to do that. But using Skype adds a whole new twist – here are a few tips to help make your first “Virtual Tour” a success.

• Test your technology thoroughly. Download Skype and call other users to get used to the configuration you’re using. Some people will want to try different headsets and webcam angles to make sure that you get the best sound and video quality possible.
• Test the connection with the bookstore or classroom 15 minutes prior to the visit. This is no time to “wing it” or be late to the interview.
• Remember that it IS technology and will fail at times. I haven’t seen a major outage like the one Skype experienced in 2007, but dead spots and dropped calls are possible. Make sure you have a protocol in place if this happens…for example who will be calling back to re-connect? Audiences can get very impatient when they have to wait – even for New York Times bestselling authors.
• Send plenty of signed books ahead of time. This may sound like a no-brainer, but I’ve had a few authors whose publishers didn’t send books because it wasn’t a “real” signing.
• Make sure you are very expressive on camera. Remember that instead of seeing all of you (particularly your hands) you are only visible from the shoulders up. Watch your favorite talking heads on TV (Rachel Maddow or even Bill O’Reilly) to see how they express themselves.
• Be as crisp as possible in your speech. Although this is good advice at any time, on Skype it’s CRITICAL. Sound quality can be poor and sometimes so can the video. If you’re not speaking crisply and concisely you will lose your audience (and possibly a few fans, too).
• Make the Q&A section of your visit longer than you would in person. Watching you online is not as engaging as seeing you live. A highly interactive session will help you keep your audience’s interest much longer.

Having said that – keep these relatively short. We can only watch so much online – some people even get nauseous due to the delayed voice/video aspect of Skype so rather than an hour try for 30 or 40 minutes, depending on how many questions you get.

If you’ve only had limited success with blog tours, adding a virtual tour using Skype can be an excellent complement to your book promotion campaign. Publicists like me are finding the best results from a combination of broadcast and online promotion. If you can’t afford to pay someone big bucks to put you on a national radio tour or get you on Good Morning America, virtual tours can be a great addition to your promotional arsenal. Like anything else, though, it shouldn’t be your only weapon.

A final note – in order to be a successful author (translate – sell a lot of books) you can’t be a technophobe. Dive into technology and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Most people know that newer technology can be finicky, and they do tend to be more forgiving in these cases. It only takes a couple of virtual visits before you feel like a true pro!

More resources for information on Skype:
• http://bookmarketingbuzz.com/2009/05/27/how-to-combine-virtual-book-tours-and-live-book-tours-in-one-easy-sitting/
• http://tellmeskype.com/best-selling-author-takes-skype-virtual-book-tour-3/
• http://americanfiction.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_produce_a_book_tour
• http://www.absolutewrite.com

Bonnie Harris is the President and founder of Wax Marketing, Inc. For more information visit www.waxmarketing.com.

Thanks so much, Bonnie, for this outstanding guest post! If anyone has additional questions about Skype and virtual tours, leave comments. I’ll keep an eye on things and pass your comments/concerns on to Bonnie. Damn the robots, but YAY for Skype!

Oh, and Week 3 of ForeWord Magazine’s Publishing Insider is LIVE. Read how “The Questions Give You Answers, Grasshopper:” http://www.forewordmagazine.com/blogs/insider/default.aspx.

This is SUCH a cop out blog entry. But seriously, I’m trying to help my fellow bloggers today. I’ve been doing lots of writing lately. (Ask my friends. For the past couple weeks, by 5 PM, I’ve run out of words.) So here are quick links and some follow up info for all y’all. Chill. I’ll do some serious work later this week. Promise.

1) I’m still doing a “Self-Promotion or Die Tip of the Week” for Feathered Quill Book Reviews. A new tip goes up every Monday. Keep up with them. They’re GOOD. This week was about being both an author and a speaker and how it can save your career: http://featheredquill.blogspot.com/.

2) We’re coming to a quick close on the ForeWord Magazine Publishing Insider columns. (I can’t believe it’s almost August.) A new one goes up tomorrow: “We Be Bloggin’ with Sara Dobie, Week 3: The Questions Give You Answers, Grasshopper.” Head over and read about making your blog into something notorious. In a good way. http://www.forewordmagazine.com/blogs/insider/.

3) Since I rise early, I made it into an article about rising early. (That had to be the dumbest thing I’ve typed all day.) Regardless, read about getting up early and how it can benefit everything you do: http://www.thelifeuncommon.net/blog/2009/07/19/early/. (And the “express machine” in the article refers to “espresso machine.” Typos ROCK. Although I would actually like to own an “express machine.” Not sure what it is, but it sounds cool.)

4) In regards to the Esquire Magazine short story contest (see “Never, Ever Bring This Up Again”), I finished my entry over the weekend. And no, I’m not posting it on my blog. Yet. One of my clients (Bet-ti-na!-ahhemmm, just clearing my throat), told me I should wait and see what happens with the contest before I post the short story for the public. I just wanted you, the reader, to know I finished the story. And it’s funny. And totally inappropriate. I hope to share it with you someday. Until then, write some short stories of your own, would ya?!

5) Tomorrow, publicist Bonnie Harris with Wax Marketing will tackle the promotional magnate known as SKYPE. It’s an info-heavy article, so get your “express machines” ready.

6) In case you were wondering, the Banana Spider outside my office is even bigger this week than it was last week. I’m sending her to your house. Sleep tight.

Upon returning from a preposterous bachelorette party in Charlotte Sunday morning (and partaking in an equally preposterous pool party Sunday afternoon), I came upon a new short story contest that wouldn’t leave my head alone.

It’s sponsored by Esquire Magazine. (See full call for entries here: http://www.esquire.com/fiction/fiction-contest.) You have to keep your story under 4,000 words, and you must adhere to one of three themes: Twenty-Ten; An Insurrection; or Never, Ever Bring This Up Again. I like the sound of this third option, so I’ve decided to roll with it. I’ll post a bit of my work at a time, just like my May rage of writing that added up to “All the Crawling Beetles” (http://saradobie.wordpress.com/dobies-excerpts/). Did I mention the entries are due August 1? Shoot. What am I doing talking to you? I have a lot of work to do.

While you wait for “Never, Ever Bring This Up Again,” here’s the link to my ForeWord Magazine Publishing Insider column for this week: http://www.forewordmagazine.com/blogs/insider/.

This time around, we talk Plotting and/or Twirling My Invisible Moustache and Saying “Excellent.” So last week at Publishing Insider, I left you with a teaser: “We’ll discuss what David Sedaris, Band of Horses, and Peter Shankman have in common.” I’m sure you’ve been posturing. However, the answer is not “They’re all totally cool.” Instead, the answer is, they’re all people I want looking at my blog. This, in turn, equates to plotting. Read the entire article at ForeWord’s site!

Gotta go write some stuff. Deadline is August 1. Bring it on.

I discovered David Sedaris while feeling really bad for myself in an airport in Columbus, Ohio. I’d just attended my little brother’s college graduation, so I felt old. I’d just had a Bloody Mary at the Ohio State Buckeye café, and since I’m a Michigan fan, I felt guilty about it. I’d finished the newest edition of Cosmopolitan (don’t judge me) on the flight to Ohio two days prior, so I had nothing to do but sit around and wallow in my hang-over.

Then, I’d spotted the books in the back of the airport gift shop. Since I was feeling bad about myself, I browsed the James Patterson/Harlan Coben mystery thrillers first. I thought, well, at least I’m not being murdered…although that may have been better than the cheap beer headache. Next, I moved onto the biography section. There was that new one by Michael J. Fox. Something about being an optimist. Since I’m not an optimist, I thought buying this book would be almost as out of character as me (Michigan) and my Bloody Mary (Ohio State). Finally, there it was—a black and white cover of a skeleton smoking a cigarette. I pounced. Yes, this would be my book of choice. Yes, this felt like home.

For those of you who already know David Sedaris, you know I purchased his newest book that day in the airport—a collection of short essays, entitled When You Are Engulfed in Flames. I’m a big fan of short stories. I first fell in love with ‘em when I read Stephen King’s Everything’s Eventual what seems like a million years ago.

After reading King’s collection, I did one of my own, called “Come to Happyland.” I wrote that collection two years ago, but I never tried to get it published. It was twelve stories, written in three months, thanks to inspiration from a bad breakup and an even worse rebound. In this way, many of my short stories feel more like personal essays than fiction. My nearest and dearest know that eventually, everyone in my life ends up in something I write. (My ex-boyfriends have unfortunately learned this, as well.) Perhaps this is why I’ve started a love affair with David Sedaris. I’ve found the accomplished, adult, gay male version of myself, and I can’t wait to devour the rest of his work.

The way I feel about David Sedaris is the same way I feel about Chuck Palahniuk, only Sedaris is better with sentence structure and is not so much of a pompous a-hole. This isn’t to say I don’t like Palahniuk. I DO like Palahniuk. I just realize who he is and how he writes. Sedaris is the softer version. Sedaris is the version to which I can relate.

Over the course of Flames, you’ll come to know Sedaris—the somewhat reclusive, nice guy with a derisive devil on his back. You’ll come to know Hugh, his fast-walking, levelheaded companion. You’ll travel to Japan as Sedaris struggles to give up cigarettes, and then, you’ll go to France, where Sedaris befriends a hungry spider on his windowsill. Warning: You will laugh in public, so if you refrain from embarrassing public displays of giggles, do not read David Sedaris in public. Read him in the comfort of your own home, where squirting Bloody Mary out your nose will not make the foreigners behind you at the airport turn and stare.

It’s not just that he’s funny. It’s that he’s honest. He pulls no punches. His work is self-deprecating and cruel, but he doesn’t make you, the reader, feel bad about any of it. His prose feels like a shrug of the shoulders. Like he’s saying, “Hey, I’m just being HONEST. You can’t get mad.” And you don’t. You love him for it. If I could hypnotize you and make you go buy When You Are Engulfed in Flames, I would do it. It’s a well-organized, well-rounded collection of essays that make you want to write your own essays. So GO. GO BUY IT NOW! Or just go meet David Sedaris at his website: http://www.barclayagency.com/sedaris.html.

Speaking of websites, I just started a “Self-Promotion or Death” Tip of the Week for Feathered Quill Book Reviews. Go learn some stuff: http://featheredquill.blogspot.com/2009/07/self-promotion-or-death-pr-tips-from.html. If you have questions/concerns, leave me a note at Feathered Quill or send me an email: [email protected].

And a quick teaser: I’m doing a month-long series for ForeWord Magazine’s Publishing Insider: http://www.forewordmagazine.com/blogs/insider/. It’s all about blog tips this time, entitled “We Be Bloggin’ with Sara Dobie.” The first column goes live tomorrow, and I’ll throw up a link once it’s posted.

So. Why are you still sitting there? Go read some Sedaris.

Funny, but no matter how many publicity interviews I do, I still think it’s funny to see my FACE next to the honorable and exclusive title of “Sara Dobie, Public Relations Coordinator.” I can remember the days of bartending and sleeping all day in college, and back then, who would have expected I would someday have people asking for my advice?

Well, lucky me, I was recently invited to toss in my self-promotion two cents from Nicole Langan, owner of Tribute Books. Tribute Books is a five-year-old independent publisher for independent writers. They provide graphic design, quality printing, national distribution, and book promotion for writers with an entrepreneurial spirit.

Why did Nicole start the company? “Because I love the behind-the-scenes process of creating your book cover, formulating an attractive layout for your pages, faxing press releases to the media to announce your book launch – that’s what gives me a thrill. The best part of my job is when you see your book for the first time on Amazon.com or when you sign your name across the title page at a book signing. I love to see people realize a dream they thought to be impossible. Because even in these crazy times – isn’t that what America’s all about?”

Heck yeah, it is.

Now, I’m not going to post my interview HERE. You have to go visit the Tribute Books blog at: http://tributebooks.blogspot.com/2009/07/interview-with-sara-dobie-public.html. I tackle the following mind-benders:

1. How can an author best utilize his/her personal contacts?
2. What is the best way to prepare for a book signing?
3. How can an author get the most out of his/her blog?
4. How can an author best use Amazon to his/her advantage?
5. How can an author handle a spur of the moment phone interview by the press?

Go visit Tribute Books! And have a Happy Fourth of July! America RULES.

Well. So far so good. I have a BLOG. As a publicist, I was originally forced into it by the cruel, judgmental voices in my head, saying, “You don’t have a BLOG? Everyone has a BLOG!” I have continued to ignore Twitter (Twitter? What’s Twitter), but dang it, I have a BLOG.

So what have I learned? What advice do I have to give to the lost, bewildered bloggers out there? I suppose there are a few things I’ve picked up since February.

1) Make your bio and your contact info easy to find on your blog. The worst thing for you is to be mysterious. Tell readers about yourself so they can relate to you. Make yourself easy to contact for comments and interview opportunities, especially if you have a marketable area of expertise.

2) In the first few weeks, write about people you want to meet/interview/clone. Seriously, I wrote about HARO’s creator Peter Shankman within the first month of my blog, and he was nice enough to send me an email, thanking me for the shout out. In turn, you hope people like this will spread word of your blog. And that’s what it’s all about—forming a group of personal minions.

3) On the same token, if you write about someone (an entrepreneur, an artist, a band, a restaurant, etc.), TELL THEM ABOUT IT. Get in touch with them and say, “HEY! I wrote about you on my blog!” On the business side: Make it a networking opportunity. People like to see their name in print, so share the love. And just as I mentioned in item 2, maybe the person you network with will start networking for you. On the fun side: I did a review of Fish Restaurant here in Charleston, and the owner found the review, printed the review, and posted it in the kitchen. I then had my birthday dinner at the restaurant, and I was treated like royalty because I was “the girl who wrote that amazing review.”

4) Start an interview series. I have a series on my site called “An H and Five W’s.” I ask artists, musicians, and authors six questions. In each case, the questions are similar—basic but with highly individualized responses. Sure, this is easy for me, because I don’t have to actually write much of anything. But it’s more than that. It’s about reaching out and giving someone attention for what they do. Then, because of the attention given, the fans/friends of said artist/author/musician find my site. It’s good when people find your site! Example: I interviewed Charleston artist Nathan Durfee. Not only did I get hits from gallery owners who showcase Nathan’s work, but Nathan posted a link to my blog on his website. This equals blog traffic, and hey, isn’t that why I started the blog in the first place?

So there you go—four tips after four months. Thanks to you who have been paying attention. Thanks for the comments and the emails. I’ve been having so much fun! Hope you have, too!

Bettina Restrepo impresses me. I’m the publicist, working to get some buzz for her debut picture book. She’s the author, pounding the pavement, waving a book in the faces of strangers, getting event bookings, getting interviews, kicking A@$. She makes my job easy, and I hope she knows it. How does she do it? Read on.

Bettina is a professional writer who has appeared in Highlights for Children, Nature Friend, and Boy’s Life magazines. She achieved her dream and is now writing at home with her husband, son, and dog in Texas. Moose and Magpie (Sylvan Dell Publishing, 2009) is Bettina’s debut picture book. She is represented by Blair Hewes at Dunham Literary (http://www.dunhamlit.com), and she just recently sold a young adult novel to the Katherine Tegen Imprint at Harper Collins, called Illegal, to be released Winter 2011.

According to Bettina: “Illegal was a project I began in 2003. I was greatly influenced by an event here in Texas where immigrant smuggling is commonplace. A trucker who was smuggling immigrants abandoned his truck in the middle of a field in the scorching summer heat and left the people to die. It was horrific. Illegal follows 14-year-old Nora. She leaves Mexico to illegally cross over to Houston as she searches for her father. It is illegal immigration, murder, religion, race, gangs, and poverty, rolled into one novel to keep the readers suspended and the pages turning.”

Without further ado. An H and Five W’s with children’s book author Bettina Restrepo.

How did you get published?
Voodoo magic. This is the only way people get published nowadays.

Or…..I worked at it. You don’t show up at a business one day and announce you are going to be the CEO. You get hired, work the grunt job, learn the ropes, and figure out how to get promoted.

I worked hard. Read my books, wrote many horrible stories, then rewrote them hundreds of times, and went to a critique group and conferences. Then I took a few classes, rewrote, read some more, and then submitted. After I got some encouraging rejections, I rewrote, then got an acceptance from Highlights for Children. My first sale came in 2003. My first book sale came in December 2007.

Who is your biggest literary influence?
The Oxford English dictionary. That dictionary is huge. It comes with a magnifying glass. It has words I don’t even KNOW in it.

What do you dislike about being a writer?
My mother-in-law is constantly telling me about this book she is going to write about some Indian tribe, or why I should write about Norwegian trolls (no thank you). She is also one of my biggest fans – so I can’t complain too much.

Where did you find your literary agent?
I mailed in 200 box tops from All Bran Cereal.

Seriously, I met her boss at a very small conference that I almost didn’t go to. Kismet. I thought she hated me…. then she emailed me asking for a query. That NEVER happens.

When have you been most frustrated by the publishing process?
In retrospect, right after I signed my first book contract. I didn’t know how to enjoy the process (I still have trouble just enjoying the ride). I was constantly worried about what came next. There have been many a day when I wanted to crawl under my bed and stay there all day.

WHY are you a WRITER???
I have always loved telling stories. The more convoluted, the better. My husband, an engineer, says I never get to the point. I meander through the fields, describing each flower, the sunset, and the taste of the toast in the inn before I would ever tell you there was a murder in the basement. I like to observe and then explain.

For more about Bettina, visit her website: http://www.BettinaRestrepo.com. To order a copy of Moose and Magpie, head to the Sylvan Dell Publishing website: http://www.SylvanDellPublishing.com.

RIP Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett. It was a weird Thursday, right??