"Writing pushes us to the edge of extinction and pulls us back with a clever phrase." -Kaylin McFarren
Welcome to Creative Edge PublishingAs many of you are aware, book publishing is easy but it's unlike any other business. Although there is a lot to learn, fortunately, there is also a lot of help readily available. Unlike most industries, people in publishing are helpful, friendly and supportive. Since each book is unique, there is very little competition and publishers rarely feel threatened by another book. Consequently, we do not mind sharing what we have learned about this wonderful book publishing industry. In fact, we like to say, "The greatest challenge in book publishing is how to channel excitement over the next release."Many famous books got their start being published by the author; some still are. Self-publishing is, after all, an early-American tradition. In the early days of the New World, the person with the printing press was often the author, publisher, printer and bookshop. Some people think that most of those who self-publish do so because several publishers have turned them down. That is occasionally true. However, most people today weigh the advantages and disadvantages of selling out to a publisher and make an educated decision to publish themselves. Five years ago, after exploring the journey to large publishing houses and not fitting inside genre-specific boxes, Kaylin McFarren placed her printed dreams in the hands of a small publisher. Although the distribution was limited, with her enthusiastic and determined efforts, she managed to build momentum in sales. Yet all those marketing efforts paid very small dividends. What made it worse was the fact that small press p.o.d. authors were unacceptable in "certain circles" and even less so when the focus remained primarily on ebook sales. Although steadfast bookstore buyers preferred the smell and touch of a "genuine" book cover, technology and the need for instant gratification by young consumers made it popular to buy novels with the press of a button and a price tag one-third that of a shelved paperback novel. It has become an interesting dilemma between established writers and their mid to large size houses when the difference in profit for self-promoting, self-publishing authors is so significant. There seems to be very little advantage to remain tied to houses that depend on their authors to market and promote their work, using royalty advances they are expected to earn out. This is the logic behind Kaylin's decision to open her own publishing firm. Creative Edge Publishing represents the work of this author exclusively and is proud to join thousands of individuals who have chosen to drop the reins on their free-spirited horses and follow the winds to lush, creative grounds. SEVERED THREADS - The first installment in Kaylin's Romantic Suspense series
Believing herself responsible for her father's fatal diving accident, Rachel Lyons has withdrawn from the world and assumed a safe position at a foundation office.
When called upon by a museum director to assist her former love interest with the recovery of a cursed relic from a sunken Chinese merchant ship, she has no
intention of cooperating - until her brother is kidnapped by a drug-dealing gangster. In order to save him
and gain control over her life, Rachel must not only overcome her greatest fears, but also relive the circumstances that lead to her father's death.
Creative Edge Publishing ISBN 9781475186529 ASIN 1475186525 eBook ISBN 9781621117759 Available July 6, 2012 - Barnes and Noble Available July 15, 2012 - Amazon.com ($5.50 - eBook, $14.95 - paperback)
"Sizzling adventure awaits in this wonderfully fresh story from Kaylin McFarren."
-USA Today bestselling author Rhonda Pollero "Severed Threads by new author Kaylin McFarren definitely lives up to its romantic suspense genre listing...an intriguing tale of mystery, deception and murder." -Rebeccas Reads, Austin, Texas BACK COVER EXCERPT
God, Rachel. The worst was yet to come. He glanced at the ship's fantail, now vacant except for Ian. The mountainous man stood hunched over, face in his hands, sobbing.
"I'll speak to her," Chase said. He waited until the officer returned to his car. Until he was completely alone. Why had he agreed to do such a thing? Knock on Rachel's door. Tell her he was responsible for taking away the only parent she had left. Watch the love in her eyes turn to hate. Although he loathed his decision, he chose the coward's way out. He flipped open his phone and auto-dialed her number. Rachel's voice came on the line. Confident, captivating. Unaware. "So, don't tell me. Another fool's errand, right? I swear my father will never grow up." Chase remained silent for an eternal moment and in those seconds, he wished for the strength of Goliath - to rein in his quaking nerves, to give him the courage to spill the words that refused to form. "Chase?" Concern edged her tone. "Chase, are you there?" He forced another swallow. "Rachel, listen," he began, a rasp of a voice. Rusted from panic, from guilt. From disbelief. "Something happened. It...it's your dad." UPCOMING STORIESBook 2 - Buried Threads With news of their successful venture spreading, Rachel Lyons and her deep-sea diving crew accept an international contract involving a lost sacred
treasure in the Sea of Japan. Arriving in Tokyo, she and her partner Chase Cohen soon realize they've been misled and their salvage project is more
complex than they originally believed. In the midst of breaking their agreement, the Buddhist monk who hired them turns up missing. In order to
rescue him from certain death, Rachel must depend on her governed intuition, form an alliance with one of Japan's most feared mafia leaders
and convince her partner to dive into shark-infested waters to search for the Heart of Darkness.
Book 3 - Banished Threads While enjoying a much-earned vacation in England, Rachel Lyons and Chase Cohen are introduced to a secret mystical society by her jet-setting
uncle and shortly after, a collection of priceless Morris Graves' paintings turns up missing. Drawn into the mystery, the lovers and their salvage
crew members take up residence at the Lyons' stately manor. However, acquiring the cooperation of locals and the Fraternal Brotherhood seems
improvable, convincing Rachel to end their involvement - until she discovers the secret her uncle has been harboring for years
CHOOSING THE RIGHT COVER After an extensive on-line search and numerous referrals from fellow authors, it comes time to pick the best "book" graphic artist for the job - which means not only the most talented, but also the individual who understands your vision, grasps the importance of a relevant theme, and has the ability to translate both into an attractive, marketable package. Kaylin and her publishing team chose D. C. Charles and this is why:
eBook custom cover designs are available to established authors - fiction or non-fiction - interested in publishing back list books in electronic format or for self-published authors targeting the eBook market. The covers are formatted to suit Kindle and Nook and you will receive both an eBook file and a web file (appropriate to post on your website or blog). This process typically starts with an author questionnaire which is needed in order to provide him with your book's content, characters, genre and any personal preferences you may have. Print custom cover designs are offered for fiction and non-fiction books. This process also starts with an author questionnaire to help him become acquainted with your book's physical dimensions, content, characters, genre and any personal preferences you may have. Pre-made cover designs are showcased in half-size for both fiction and non-fiction books. These covers are formatted to suit Kindle and Nook. Your book title and author name will be inserted and you will receive both an eBook file and a web file (appropriate to post on your website or blog, etc...). For more information, visit: BookGraphics@gmail.com PROFESSIONAL EDITING IS ESSENTIAL
There's nothing worse than finding grammatical errors and discrepancies in a well-written novel. Proper editing can make all the difference between a book that makes a huge splash and one that drops like a lead balloon. With that being said, Kaylin began her editing process by exchanging manuscripts with critique partners who were writing in the same genre. They understood the pacing, compelling theme and character arch, which is essential in keeping the reader's attention. She entered her stories in national romance competitions. When she didn't win, the score sheets provide an excellent opportunity to utilize constructive criticism and turn her story into a polished manuscript. When she did happen to win, she knew she was on the right track. A lesson learned? Once your book becomes award-winning, your confidence and credibility increase considerably.
But how do you go about finding a qualified editor? How are you sure you've chosen the right one? Like many things in the self-publishing world, a little common sense and wariness can go a long ways, as there are all kinds of unscrupulous folks out there ready to take your money. Editing services can range from $400 for a complete manuscript to 3 cents per word. It's up to you to determine how thorough your editor should be before you make any decision. Minimal fees often entail punctuation and minor word choice errors, while detailed services evaluate consistency, story line, conflicts, motives, resolutions, arches and character dialogue. It simply depends on the amount of money you're willing to spend. But whomever you select, may sure they stay true to your story and don't end up turning it into their own. In Kaylin's case, she chose the assistance of two talented editors to prepare her work for publishing. Teri Thackston is an established story-teller in her own right and understands the importance of theme, voice, plot and character development. Sarah Aschenbach is a professional editor whose focus rests in grammar, punctuation, flow, consistencies and current writing trends. Contact information: Teri Thackston terithackston@yahoo.com; Sarah Aschenbach saasch@verizon.net BOOK TRAILERAccording to Wikipedia, a book trailer is a film or video advertisement for a book which employs techniques similar to those of movie trailers.
They have been used increasingly in recent years. Since 2002, the term has been a US-registered trademark of Circle of Seven Productions, who began
using it connection with their advertising campaigns starting with that for Mind Game, by Christine Feehan.
There is a very fine line between producing a trailer which allows the reader the freedom to create their own mental images of the characters and locations and one which goes too far and looks more like a trailer for a movie. This is a design issue unique to the book trailer genre. Like anything else, the skill consists of finding the right balance - the happy medium between cinematic over-production and an uninspiring series of stills and strap lines. According to some critics, another fatal mistake is to produce a cinematic book trailer which looks and sounds more like a music video interspersed with short pieces of text and no voice-over, providing very little impulse to read anything let alone read the book that is meant to be the main reason behind creating the trailer. With this in mind, Kaylin elected to try two approaches for marketing her new action/adventure story, Severed Threads. The first video she created using her MAC computer and an iMovie program. After developing a blurb or storyline for her book, she purchased royalty-free images from istock.com for a minimum fee and royalty-free music from an iTunes affiliate. After viewing an instruction video online, she spent three hours and $150 in production costs to assemble a 1 minute 35 second book trailer/video that would introduce her novel to audiences while directing them to marketing sites. The 47-second video beneath it was created by a professional marketing company for the cost of $900 and focuses on high-def images and video clips, and includes the work of a hired voice-over artist. Thus, this exercise demonstrates the range and cost an author might consider when producing a product for marketing their literary works. Now you have a book, but how do you publicize it?
The choices can be overwhelming. Book fair, event signings, media interviews, website, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube ...the list goes on and on. How do you figure out what to do - and when? Do you hire a publicist to organize your tour or do you orchestrate it yourself?
After spending endless hours on the internet, visiting various websites and blogs with strong followings, you might discover that many are not interested to promoting self-published, freelance authors at no cost. They prefer dealing with established authors, publishing houses and literary agents. You might also find yourself spending endless hours setting up the few interviews - radio, press and internet blogs - you're able to track down. But then how do you promote those? This cuts into your writing time and personal life. The solution is to take part in a Virtual Blog Tour. After working with Pump Up Your Book for promoting two books, one released by Champagne Books, I can honestly say the experience not only provided exposure, but also resulted in great book reviews from qualified reviewers who were more than happy to post their opinions on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and Goodreads - as well as other sites.  Now be sure to set realistic goals. You might feel like you're spinning your wheels at times, but exposure on as many sites as possible eventually pays off. And a very important rule. Don't drive your book down everyone's throat or become friends on various sites if you're single objective is to sell them a book. You have to develop relationships with your readers and other authors to gain their support and mutual respect.
Before you become heavily invested, develop a marketing plan. Consider how much you're willing to spend on advertising and be sure to check the readership on blog sites. If you elect to place an ad in a national magazine, be sure you're reaching the right audience and that you take advantage of any discounts or packages that might be offered. And how do you promote yourself to the media? Irene Watson of Reader Views is a great option. Her company provides affordable promotion packages to showcase your First Chapter and buy links to Book Buyers and Librarians. These packages include creating and circulating press releases, which reach major newspapers including the Chicago Sun Times. |