Irene Watson - Targeting Your Website Marketing to Personas

May 15, 2009 by Victor Volkman.

On May 14th, 2009 Victor R. Volkman and Tyler Tichelaar spoke with Internet marketing entrepreneur Irene Watson on how to effectively engage the persona (or archetype) of the visitors to your website. She has been effective in online marketing since 2004, learning and implementing various techniques to promote her books and businesses. We talked about The importance of website presence, Making the site about your visitor (not you), Designing your site to fit a specific purpose and pattern of interaction, and Tailoring your site to improve response to specific Myers-Briggs typed personas.

Irene Watson is the managing editor of Reader Views, Reader Views Kids, and Inside Scoop Live. She also maintains BloggingAuthors.com. She is the author of The Sitting Swing: Finding Wisdom to Know the Difference, and co-editor of A Story That Must Be Told and Authors Access: 30 Success Secrets for Authors and Publishers. During this interview, we mentioned the following essential books: Call to Action: Secret Formulas to Improve Online Results - Bryan Eisenberg & Jeffrey Eisenberg Content Rich: Writing Your Way to Wealth on the Web - Jon Wuebben

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Posted in Irene Watson, Regional Books, Tyler Tichelaar, Marketing, Guests | Print | No Comments »

2009 Book Marketing Roundtable - Part II

April 1, 2009 by Victor Volkman.

On March 30th, 2009 we convened the 2009 Book Marketing Roundtable to talk about industry “best practices” with authors, marketing experts, and publishers Irene Watson of Reader Views, Tyler Tichelaar of Superior Book Promotions and Victor R. Volkman of Loving Healing Press, Inc. This is a free-for-all discussion on many critical book marketing aspects including: social networking, public events, book videos, professional appearances, co-op flyer mailouts, websites for authors, and marketing mistakes. Don’t forget to listen to Part I of our podcast too!

Irene Watson is author of The Sitting Swing: Finding the Wisdom to Know the Difference, the proprietor of Reader Views Inc., Blogging Authors dot com, Inside Scoop Live, and many other publicity and marketing related activities. Tyler Tichelaar is the owner of Marquette Fiction and author of the Marquette Trilogy, a saga of 150 years on the shores of Lake Superior, and is the proprietor of Superior Book Promotions, a full-service literary and editorial consulting firm. Victor R. Volkman is the publisher behind Loving Healing Press Inc. and Modern History Press and publishes a full line of books on trauma recovery, personal growth, and coping with disabilities as well as the editor of numerous anthologies including More Than A Memory: Reflections of Viet Nam

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Sites mentioned on today’s show (for your clicking pleasure) Tyler’s MySpace page MySpace’s “Self-Publishing” Group Tyler’s Facebook page LinkedIn AuthorsDen Shelfari LibraryThing Twitter Us! Florida Academic Press CAS Mailing List Service

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Posted in Irene Watson, Tyler Tichelaar, Victor Volkman, Nonfiction, Marketing | Print | No Comments »

2009 Book Marketing Roundtable - Part I

March 17, 2009 by Victor Volkman.

On March 16th, 2009 we convened the 2009 Book Marketing Roundtable to talk about industry “best practices” with authors, marketing experts, and publishers Irene Watson of Reader Views, Tyler Tichelaar of Superior Book Promotions and Victor R. Volkman of Loving Healing Press, Inc. This is a free-for-all discussion on many critical book marketing aspects including: Amazon launches, online author readings and podcasts, editing and proofing, awards programs, book giveaways, author and publisher associations, blog book tours

Irene Watson is author of The Sitting Swing: Finding the Wisdom to Know the Difference, the proprietor of Reader Views Inc., Blogging Authors dot com, Inside Scoop Live, and many other publicity and marketing related activities. Tyler Tichelaar is the owner of Marquette Fiction and author of the Marquette Trilogy, a saga of 150 years on the shores of Lake Superior, and is the proprietor of Superior Book Promotions, a full-service literary and editorial consulting firm. Victor R. Volkman is the publisher behind Loving Healing Press Inc. and Modern History Press and publishes a full line of books on trauma recovery, personal growth, and coping with disabilities as well as the editor of numerous anthologies including More Than A Memory: Reflections of Viet Nam

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Sites mentioned on today’s show (for your clicking pleasure) podiobooks.com plantronics headset (at right) Audacity (free audio editor) Goldwave (shareware audio editor) LibraryThing Asian American Literary Awards The Vibrational Universe (Ken MacLean) MeetUp.com ParentReviewers.com Small Publishers and Authors Network (SPAN) Independent Book Publishers and AUthors (IBPA) Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association (UPPAA) Motown Writer’s Network

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Posted in Tyler Tichelaar, Irene Watson, Victor Volkman, Self-Publishing, Marketing, podcasts | Print | 1 Comment »

Irene and Victor talk about new Authors Access book

January 2, 2009 by Victor Volkman.

Today Tyler R. Tichelaar is pleased to interview Irene Watson and Victor Volkman, his co-editors of the new book Authors Access: 30 Success Secrets for Authors and Publishers.

Irene Watson is an author, entrepreneur, and former therapist and educator. She currently is the owner and Managing Editor of Reader Views, Reader Views Kids, and Inside Scoop Live, and a co-host on Authors Access Internet Radio. Irene holds her Master’s Degree from Regis University in Denver, CO and a Bachelor’s Degree from St. Edward’s University in Austin, TX. She is the president of Higher Power Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to awarding scholarships to people seeking recovery. Irene’s expertise in the publishing industry comes from being an author herself as well as managing an online book review service. Reader Views offers book reviews, author publicity, and many other elements needed by authors and writers. Irene also coaches authors to write book proposals and is a literary agent. Irene lives with her husband in Austin, Texas. Her memoir “The Sitting Swing: Finding Wisdom to Know the Difference” is currently in its second edition.

Victor R. Volkman began his writing career in the late 1980s writing for computer programming journals such as “Windows Developer’s Journal” as well as original books on the programming. Loving Healing Press, founded in 2003, has published dozens of cutting-edge books that promote its mission of “redefining what is possible for healing mind and spirit.” As such, he has produced a series of books on Traumatic Incident Reduction as well as empowering other authors in a wide range of helping areas including trauma recovery, self-esteem, physical disabilities, sexual abuse recovery, and much more. He has produced and edited more than 200 podcasts for “Authors Access” and a variety of other author-related shows. In 2007, LHP spun off a new imprint Modern History Press dedicated to empowering authors to speak about surviving conflict and seeking identity in modern times. When not publishing, he enjoys spending time with his wife Marian K. Volkman, a formidable author in her own right.

Tyler: Welcome, Victor and Irene. I’m very excited to interview both of you today, and of course, I was honored to work with both of you since we are the three editors of “Authors Access: 30 Success Secrets for Authors and Publishers.” However, both the Internet Radio Show and the book based on the program were the brain-child of the two of you, so it’s fitting I sit back and listen to the two of you discuss what you initially envisioned for the program and why you chose to turn the radio interviews into a book on publishing and writing. So let’s get started. To begin, will you give us a little history of how the radio show Authors Access began and what were its initial goals?

Irene: Victor and I met nearly 3 years ago through Reader Views. He, being a publisher, submitted books to us for review. Through this connection we came up with the idea of interviewing experts in the field of publishing. Because of Reader Views, I already knew many experts and how to contact them. Victor’s expertise in mixing and publishing podcasts made us a great team. Our initial goal was to give an opportunity for experts to share their information with writers who wanted to self-publish their books. Over the past two years, Authors Access just kept evolving. As to where it goes from here, we don’t know. However, I do know we are picking up new listeners every week. We get about 1000 global listeners on a weekly basis.

Tyler: What led to the decision to produce a book based on the podcast interviews. How did the book develop and how did you choose which people would contribute? Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Irene Watson, Tyler Tichelaar, Victor Volkman, Authors Resources | Print | No Comments »

30 Success Secrets for Authors & Publishers - On Sale Now!

October 29, 2008 by Victor Volkman.

Authors Access proudly announces our first collaborative book:  Authors Access: 28 Success Secrets for Authors and Publishers, Ed. by Irene Watson, Tyler Tichelaar, and Victor R. Volkman.  This book contains the distilled wisdom of two dozen guests to the Authors Access show in an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand reference. Organized into chapters that reflect the lifecycle of your book, ”Authors Access: 28 Success Secrets for Authors and Publishers” lets you learn about best practices and avoid pitfalls in writing, editing, cover design, marketing, book reviews, online presence, genre and children’s books and other key topics.

Our new book will be officially launched at the 5th Annual Essence of Motown Literary Jam Weekend (Nov. 6-9, 2008) in Detroit, Michigan (http://essenceofmotown.com/) As a special thank-you to everyone who comes out for this event, we’ll include a FREE best-of-Authors Access CD-ROM jam-packed with MP3 files from all our shows for each person who buys a book at this event.

Includes free podcast CD-ROM only when purchased here! $21.95

Posted in Self-Publishing, Tyler Tichelaar, Genres, podcasts, Publishers Resources, Guests, Authors Resources | Print | No Comments »

Carol Denbow - What’s Killing Your Publishing Career?

October 15, 2008 by Victor Volkman.

On October 9th, 2008, Irene Watson and Tyler Tichelaar spoke with book industry expert Carol Denbow.  She educated on the intense competition in the book industry, book writing as a business, how to construct a book plan, researching and choosing the right publishing option, and marketing your book with creative sales avenues.
Carol Denbow is the author of three books including, “A Book Inside: How to Write, Publish, and Sell Your Story” released in Fall 2008. She is the founder of Plain & Simple books, LLC, has been interviewed numerous times on radio and television, and is the editor of nine Websites, including a very popular Web site amongst writers A Book Inside Blog

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Posted in Tyler Tichelaar, Marketing, Getting Published, Book Development | Print | No Comments »

Tyler Tichelaar - What Can an Author/Publishers Association do for You?

September 24, 2008 by Victor Volkman.

On Thursday, September 18th, 2008 Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman spoke with Tyler Tichelaar, author, entrepreneur, and current president of the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Assocation. Tyler R. Tichelaar holds a Ph.D. in Literature from Western Michigan University, and Bachelor and Master’s Degrees from Northern Michigan University. He has lectured on writing and literature at Clemson University, the University of Wisconsin, and the University of London as well as at several conferences across the country.  Tyler spoke to us about key aspects of author/publisher associations including:  how does an association get started, what are the differences between regional and national associations, what do people get out of being a member, how can a regional association leverage media and publicity opportunities, how to get involved, and how to host special events/conferences.

Tyler is a regular guest host of Authors Access Internet Radio and Associate Editor at Reader Views. He is the author of the regionally bestselling Marquette Trilogy, a family saga covering seven generations between 1849-1999 and centering on the pioneers who settled Upper Michigan. The trilogy consists of the novels: “Iron Pioneers,” “The Queen City,” and “Superior Heritage.” He also recently published his fourth novel, “Narrow Lives.”

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Posted in Tyler Tichelaar, Self-Publishing, Publishers Resources | Print | No Comments »

Alice B. Acheson - Publicity for Pennies

September 5, 2008 by Victor Volkman.

On September 4th, 2008 Tyler Tichelaar and Victor R. Volkman  spoke with publicist and industry veteran Alice B. Acheson about marketing on the cheap. Alice has been an independent marketing and publishing specialist working with large and small publishers since 1981. Alice answered some tough questions including, Is there really any publicity that costs pennies? How do I get started with publicity plans? What are some publicity ideas that truly cost nothing? How can I find organizations interested in hearing me speak? What about awards, postcards, bookmarks, tradeshows, and mailings?

Alice has worked as both editor and publicist, negotiating book contracts, and selling subsidiary rights. Four recipients of her publicity prowess have appeared simultaneously on the The New York Times bestseller list.She is particularly proud of her efforts for OLD TURTLE by Doug Wood, the author’s first book from a publisher who had never published a children’s book and never nationally marketed any of their books. It won the American Booksellers Association Book of the Year and sold 800,000 copies prior to its sale to Scholastic. For her efforts Alice was given the Literary Market Place Outside Services Award for Advertising, Promotion, and Publicity.

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Posted in Tyler Tichelaar, Nonfiction, Self-Publishing, Marketing | Print | 1 Comment »

Jim and Linda Salisbury - Smart Self-Publishing Ideas

July 19, 2008 by Victor Volkman.

On Thursday, July 17th 2008 Victor R. Volkman and Tyler Tichelaar spoke with Jim and Linda Salisbury of Tabby House press about smart self-publishing ideas: tips and techniques for becoming successful without spending a ton of money. We covered essential knowledge for self-publishers and a lot of specifics about Children’s Books, a particular area of expertise for Tabby House.  Specifically, how to make your book conform to industry standards (and hence be sell-able), how to understand your market, effective no-cost and low-cost marketing and promotion techniques, and making money outside of the bookstore arena.

Jim and Linda are authors of “Smart Self-Publishing: An author’s guide to producing a marketable book” now in its third edition. The book has been mentioned in both Newsweek and BottomLine Personal.  Listen up to this podcast and find out how to get a FREE copy of this $16.95 book for just the nominal charge of $6.00.Jim is the publisher at Tabby House now based in Central Virginia, and was president of the Florida Publishers Association for many years. He and Linda offer self-publishing seminars in libraries, bookstores and for writers’ groups. They are members of FPA, Publishers Association of the South, and Independent Book Publishers Association (formerly Publishers Marketing Association).Linda is the author of the juvenile fiction Bailey Fish Adventure series, which has won four national honors. The sixth book in the series will be out this fall, and she has another environmentally oriented children’s book to be released soon. She is a former journalist and a free-lance writer.

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Posted in Tyler Tichelaar, Self-Publishing, Childrens Books, Marketing, Guests | Print | No Comments »

Liz Carmack - Tips for Planning and Organizing Research for Your Nonfiction book

October 26, 2007 by Victor Volkman.

On Thursday, October 25th, 2007 Tyler Tichelaar and Victor Volkman spoke with writer, journalist, and researcher Liz Carmack. Her love for heritage travel and her desire to provide travelers with a practical reference to Texas’ historic hotels inspired her to write Historic Hotels of Texas: A Traveler’s Guide. Liz shared her hard-won experience and real-life stories of how to define your topic and its scope, identifying and exploiting research and information sources, how to work with an archival library, planning your time to be most effective, developing a useful information filing system, and how to maintain a sense of fun and curiousity about it all.

During her research, Liz traveled more than 20,000 miles across Texas to visit the 64 hotels featured in her book. Liz interviewed local historians, innkeepers and hotel guests, and uncovered historic hotel details in archives, libraries and museums.Liz is a freelance technical and business writer for the public and private sectors in Austin, Texas, and is principal of Liz Carmack Communications. Her travel articles have appeared in Texas Highways, Austin Woman, A, and Heritage magazines. A former newspaper journalist, she is the Austin City Expert for homeandabroad.com.

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Posted in Regional Books, Tyler Tichelaar, Nonfiction, Book Development, Guests | Print | No Comments »