Allbooks Review January 2011 Newsletter

May this be the best year of your life -so far

Visit: www.allbooksreviewint.com
We are embarking on our Eleventh year in business and we want to thank YOU.
WINNERS OF THE 2011 ALLBOOKS REVIEW EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARD
Shirley A. Roe, managing editor of Allbooks Reviews International is please to announce this year’s winners of the Allbooks Review Editor’s Choice Award. Congratulations to all of these talented authors. We would also like to congratulate the finalists in each category.

Inspirational
Beyond Doubt John J. Murphy

Health
Creating a Healthy Life and Marriage Judith Anne Desjardins

Fiction
Sardinian Silver A. Colin Wright

Young Adult/Children
Wyndano’s Cloak A. R. Silverberry

Mystery
Carnival of Lies Vernon L. Anley

Memoirs
The Most Revolutionary Act: Memoir of an American Refugee
Dr. Stuart Jeanne Bramhall

Non/fiction
Murderous Intellectuals Jonathan Maxwell

Visit the website today. www.allbooksreviewint.com Your book could be next year’s winner.


Reminder: Every author that purchases the promo package for $49.95 is automatically included in the Allbooks Editor’s Choice Award for 2012. Not only will you get an honest review, some great promotion and a twelve month listing but it is great value. If you simply want to enter the contest, the fee is $50. www.allbooksreviewint.com
FEATURE
Freebies: Clever Marketing or Foolish Folly?By Aaron Paul LazarI'll never forget the article I read on giveaways, written by a successful author who'd climbed his way to the top with sheer sweat and brains. Well, to be honest, I can't remember his name, but I'll never forget his advice. He recommended that every author give away tons of books to spread the word. Of course, this is if you haven't already landed a publisher with deep pockets who's promoting the hell out of your work.Some folks recoil with horror when they hear this. “After all I've gone through to GET here? After all that agony of rejection after rejection? After finally getting into a good publishing house? After the years I've spent perfecting this book? And the years beyond I waited for it to come to print? And ESPECIALLY since I only make a ridiculously tiny profit on each book? You want me to give them away? Doesn't that invalidate the whole thing?”No. It doesn't. It helps grow your readership.I've given away hundreds of books over the past five years. To friends who helped with the books, to the gals in the dentists office, to friends' grandmothers who had no money but loved mysteries, to the English teacher I met in Monroe Muffler who taught grammar for twenty years… I give many away on impulse and quite a few more with careful planning.But the author who wrote said article would encourage you to buy at least 350 copies and strategically give them all away.He suggested donating a book to every single person in your life who likes to read. And to those who don't, or who have spouses who do. To doctor's offices, to the local fire department, to hospitals, friends of friends… you name it.Of course, we're talking big bucks here. Three hundred copies of a typical $17.00 trade paperback could cost an author almost three grand, if he gets a good discount from his publisher. Three thousand dollars! That's more than many small press authors make on one release.Sadly, I never got to the point where I followed this fellow's advice, but I still impulsively give my books away all the time. The way he explained it, and the way I figure it, nobody ever bought a book by an author they don't know, or that wasn't written up with glowing of accolades in major publications. So let them read your stuff, fall for it, and maybe they'll buy your other books, too.I ran across another blog this week that touted the same principles, but using eBooks instead of print books. Much less outlay was required by the author and publisher, and a great deal of savvy marketing was involved in the whole process. You can read this brilliant article by J.A. Konrath, here http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2010/08/high-cost-of-self-promotion.html.I never expect anything back when I give away books. To be honest, I love sharing what's inside me with these people. Maybe it's a latent case of needing to feel loved and validated. But a tiny part of me hopes that maybe someday, the mother of the brother of the gal who works in the dentist might know the son of the Hollywood producer who hears about and then reads my stuff; then realizes the potential he holds in his hands for a blockbuster movie series. ;o)Okay, so we can all dream. Right?Next time you grow pale and shudder at the idea of giving away your books, think again. Or rather, if you have some on hand, don't think. Just do it. You never know what will come of it. And if nothing tangible comes your way, at least you had the joy of sharing with another human being. Right?Don't forget to take pleasure in the little things… and write like the wind!***Aaron Paul Lazar writes to soothe his soul. The author of LeGarde Mysteries and Moore Mysteries enjoys the Genesee Valley countryside in upstate New York. Find his books in our bookstore.

SUCCESS STORIES

We love to hear of your success stories, submit them to us at: allbookreviewsint@aol.com
Remember to post your book signing, guest speaker events on our Bookstore page. Simply send us an email with details of your events and we will be happy to post them. Just part of the Allbooks service to our authors.

Congratulations to Johnathan Harrison: I am pleased to let you know that NAKED BEING, which you reviewed in June this year, has been honoured as a finalist in the Spirituality category of the USA Best Books Awards 2010 - . Johnathan Harrison. Author
Please God, Not Two by Alberta Sequeira was selected by the Publisher's Weekly to be published in their newspaper.
Submissions Wanted:
Dark Discoveries Open to Submissions------------------------------------Dark Discoveries is looking for short stories from 500 to 6,500words. Stories must be in the horror/dark fantasy/dark sci-fi anddark mystery veins. They are looking for powerful, well-writtenoriginal ideas and new twists on old horror conventions. Payment is$0.05 per word and is paid 90 days after publication. For moreinformation visit: http://darkdiscoveries.com/blog/submission-guidelines/


Urgently need cartoonists, for South African cartoon strips. I’m struggling to find artists who portray black characters. What’s needed are black heroes.... There are loads of possibilities. Eg; Where the subscriber can fill in the bubble captions thus writing the story board."Urgently need artists/authors who already do something like this or who might be capable of it. If this sounds like you, contact richie@theebooksale.com.

Allbooks Reviews INTERVIEW:

Please state your name and location. (city and State or Province, Country)
Barry Corbett
Beverly, MA, USA

Tell us the title and publisher of your book:
The title is “Revenge of the Pun!”
It’s published by Corbett Features (Self-published).

Tell us about yourself:
I am a freelance Panel Cartoonist selling my material to national magazines and local newspapers. In addition to the magazine cartooning I produce webcomics, posting them to WebcomicsNation.com and my own site, CorbettFeatures.com.

I’ve self published 3 trade paperbacks and a couple of comic books. My panel cartoons have appeared in Barron’s Magazine, American Legion, Christianity Today, Lacrosse Magazine, Medical Economics, The Artist’s Magazine, True West Magazine, Kid Zones, Skipping Stones, Canadian Forces News Magazine, Outer Darkness, and FiftySomething Magazine.

I began my career as a Graphic Designer but have been transitioning towards Cartooning for the last ten years, since that is my passion.

I still work as a Designer and Illustrator and I also teach software (Adobe Creative Suite) for certificate programs at local colleges in the Boston area. On the weekends, I teach Cartooning courses for adults and children at these same colleges.

When was the book released?
September 2010

Give us an overview of your book.
The book is a 100 page collection of my pun-based panel cartoons. My single panel cartoon feature is called “Embrace the Pun!” Anybody who’s known me for any length of time is familiar with my penchant for wordplay. Everybody knows a chronic punster or two. (We just can’t help ourselves).

Oscar Levant called the pun “the lowest form of humor” and that’s certainly up for debate.

Finally I decided not to fight it any longer. I gathered all the best puns and put them in one volume which, of course, was called “Embrace the Pun!”. The first book was well received and after 4 years I decided to do the sequel.

“Revenge of the Pun!” follows in the same format, with a few added features. I’ve tried to offer the reader some insight into the world of the Cartoonist. There are sidebars analyzing my own jokes, explaining how we come up with ideas, and how the business works in general.

What inspired you to write this book?
Recent developments in the publishing industry show that the brick and mortar bookstores are quickly being supplanted by online booksellers. I thought it would be a great time to offer my cartoons directly to the marketplace, without going through a traditional publisher.

How is your book different from other books in this genre?
There are many other collections of panel cartoons put out by nationally syndicated cartoonists. Every one has the unique voice of it’s creator and no two cartoonists have the same style, both in writing and illustrating their jokes. Mine is the only one that I’m aware of that revolves around the pun.

Where can people buy your book?
Lulu.com is the distributor, but it’s available through the Amazon, Borders, and Barnes & Noble websites. It’s also been released as an e-book and is now offered through Apple’s iBookstore.

Are you working on another book? If so when do you expect it to be published?
Right now I’m working on a second collection of comic strips. In 2008 I had published “Kitty Nirvana”, the first volume of my webcomic, “Ginger & Shadow”. I think it will be a good year before this new one is completed. Nirvana won an IPPY award in 2008 for the humor category. The IPPY’s are presented annually by Independent Publisher Magazine. They have an awards banquet every year to coincide with BookEXpo


If you self published, what advice can you give to fellow writers?
I can only offer advice to Cartoonists. The most important thing is to keep on drawing and writing. You’ve got to be disciplined, constantly working on your creations in order develop your skills.

Keep submitting your work and don’t be afraid of rejection. In order to sell one cartoon to a major magazine you have to send out at least 200 ideas that will be shot down. Develop a thick skin and write what you believe is funny. It doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks. You may get ten different responses to the same joke, so listen to your own voice. You know what works and what doesn’t.

How did you find Allbooks Reviews and what are you hoping for in your relationship with us?
I found you through a Google search. Cartooning has been a niche market in the past. I’m hoping to further expand my base of readers and explore the exciting possibilities of e-publishing.

Was the low cost a surprise? What other things would you like Allbooks Reviews to offer writers?
Your rates are extremely reasonable for what you offer.

Thank you for this interview and best of luck with your book.
My pleasure. It’s nice to have the opportunity to promote my work.


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