Back on the Wagon

Revamping the Blog!

2012-01-02T20:31:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I have been absent for over a year now, and let me tell you--my life has certainly changed! I am no longer in the publishing industry but rather am in the mommy industry, raising the sweetest little boy God ever put on earth. I've decided to relaunch the blog with an entirely new focus. I am still working out my plans and will post again soon. But I wanted to give you a heads

Ch-Ch-Change....

2010-09-30T14:02:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon! Just a quick note: I have accepted an internal promotion to Acquisitions Editor with Tate Publishing, effective October 1. Please bear with me as I undergo training and, slowly but surely, update my blog. For those I've worked with in marketing, I have enjoyed every one of you! Best wishes as you continue your journey with a new marketing rep. For those I will start working

Becoming Newsworthy!

2010-09-16T07:48:00.000-07:00

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had the following conversation: Author: “Why hasn’t the media shown interest in my book?” Amanda: “Well, let’s start with the basics. Why should your book matter to them?” Author: “Well, I’m an author. This is a new book.” Amanda: “That’s great, and we are definitely proud of this book and believe it to be newsworthy. But the media doesn’t.”

If You Love a Writer

2010-08-25T07:16:00.000-07:00

Today's post is courtesy of Eileen Flanagan, award-winning author of numerous titles (the latest of which, The Wisdom to Know the Difference, is coming out in paperback September 2). If you are a writer, read this and send it to everyone you know! If you know someone who is a writer, read it and send to everyone you know! In today's publishing culture, the support of F-Cubed (Friends, Family, and

Royalty Day!

2010-07-30T07:19:00.000-07:00

How does time fly by so fast? Seems like we just did this... Today is Royalty Day at Tate Publishing. Our accounting & sales division has been preparing statements and checks all month for 2010 Quarter 2. Today we are reviewing them and mailing them! In addition to the royalties we are sending out, we are also sending out returned investments for our authors who have reached their initial sales

The Freelance Author

2010-07-18T20:44:00.000-07:00

Ask any writer out there: being published marks your success. It's a third-party endorsement of your writing, ideas, beliefs, and opinions. Many writers have one goal, and one goal only. Becoming Published. For the writer with a full-length manuscript and dreams of seeing their work in book form, they believe all the publishing they will ever need is achieved once the publishing contract is

Why PRINCE Lost His Crown...

2010-07-05T14:00:00.000-07:00

Dear readers: While browsing the internet and reading some of my favorite blogs (two things I need to do more of on a regular basis!), I came across this quote from Prince posted on thedailywh.at: The internet’s completely over. I don’t see why I should give my new music to iTunes or anyone else. They won’t pay me an advance for it and then they get angry when they can’t get it. The internet’s

We Got a Dollar, Hey Hey Hey Hey!

2010-07-02T07:39:00.000-07:00

Ever see the Little Rascals 1990s movie? Here's my favorite clip: Hey Hey Hey Hey! I love the innocence in their voices and faces; not to mention the savvy 90's fashion. And they are so HAPPY about their dollar. They poured a lot of hard work into getting it (I think it involved chasing a dog?), and they saw their hard work pay off. Just a short but sweet reminder that EVERY book sale counts.

Blogging Resources

2010-05-18T11:41:00.000-07:00

Nearly every day, I'm asked for info on blogging. I've compiled my favorite links/articles/resources on blogging. Rather than sending it out multiple times a day, I'm posting it here. Here they are in no particular order: http://www.problogger.net/ http://www.problogger.net/archives/2009/12/15/my-real-secret-to-growing-traffic-to-a-blog/ http://theadventurouswriter.com/blogwriting/

Lord Gaga: sometimes imitation pays off

2010-05-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

While I was on my way to work this morning, my radio station of choice played a clip of Ellen's interview with Oklahoma singing sensation Greyson Michael Chance. Here's a link to the clip: Ellen & Greyson Michael Chance The news/internet is all abuzz with "Lord Gaga", as he's been christened, playing off of his talented vocalization of Lady Gaga's song "Paparazzi." I must admit that I am very

Voir Dire the Author

2010-05-12T09:03:00.000-07:00

Long, long ago, in a world not so different from our own, a blond high school student learned the inner workings of the court room through the great program of High School Mock Trial. Said blond high school student and her team made it to the state championship. Though they lost, the blond received the award for best witness. And while all of that brings back fun memories, one other lesson

In Honor of David K. Nelson

2010-05-07T09:54:00.000-07:00

I was about to write my post today when I received a call informing me that author David K. Nelson unexpectedly passed away this past week. I've worked with David for about 7 months, and he was a sweetheart of a man. He was so excited about his book, TRUCKING WITH NOAH. To say I'm shocked is an understatement. So I'm dedicating this week's post to this sweet sweet man and his family. We will

Royalty Day!

2010-04-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

This is just to say hi as I take a quick break from stuffing envelopes with checks and statements, stamping and sealing, and mailing out our 2010 Q1 Royalties! I'll be back to normal workdays next week.

The Ugly Nature of Peer Reviews

2010-04-28T12:42:00.000-07:00

Eons ago, before I embraced my inner poet and pursued a career in publishing, both my husband and I were immersed in the world of musical theater. As it so happens, we were members of the same vocal master class, which is actually how we met. (This is a long story that I'll shed light on another day.) Everything--from pitch, tone, carriage, projection, selection, and even appearance--was

A Producer Weighs In

2010-04-27T08:42:00.000-07:00

Recently, one of our authors contacted a Christian show producer about featuring his devotional on their nationally syndicated show. If I were to tell you the show, 99.9% of you all would know what is is. Even though we advised a different approach (and offered to facilitate that approach), he was determined to land an interview on the show purely about his devotional. Here's the blunt response

An Antiquated Arena

2010-04-19T12:06:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon, all. Sorry for the recent hiatus. Things have been so busy I haven't had a chance to read any blog posts, much less write one! Where to start!?! This morning I had a great mini-meeting with some of our editors to discuss the marketing process and what expectations our company has for authors. During lunch I got caught up on my industry reading, where I read this article at PW.

The RRCS Equation: Research, Relationships, Connections and Sales

2010-04-09T10:08:00.001-07:00

Consumers buy products because they perceive a need for the product in their lives. Successful manufacturers/retailers are continually looking for new ways to answer this question: How can we create a perceived need in consumers’ lives for this product? An Example Have you ever looked at a box of baking soda? (If not, run to the kitchen and get it real quick) The box indicates multiple other

No Post Today!

2010-04-07T10:57:00.001-07:00

I'm taking a break from posting today and instead spending my time playing with GIST (http://www.gist.com/). I'll let you know how it goes...

I Fought the Vampires, and the Vampires Won

2010-04-05T10:51:00.000-07:00

It's a beautiful Monday, over 70 degrees when I got in my car to head to work today. A little overcast, but still brighter than it was a few weeks ago. All I could see as I drove, though, was the agony of Bella, Edward and Jacob. Yes, dear reader. I'm ashamed to admit that I have at last become a TWILIGHT junkie. I must preface my following statements by letting you know that for personal

The Sun is Finally Shining, and Other Musings from an Oklahoman ready for Summer

2010-03-31T10:55:00.000-07:00

Part of publishing is networking. I recall one "UGLY BETTY" episode where Betty is part of an elite group of young professionals being mentored by professionals in the magazine publishing business. One whole episode (really, the only episode I've ever seen) was devoted to the group's study on networking, and how VITAL it is to one's success in any branch of the publishing industry. It's sooooo

"Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" (by Daft Punk )

2010-03-29T11:28:00.000-07:00

One of my most favorite songs is "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" by Daft Punk. Kanye West recently did a remix that is okay, but I like the original better. Here's a youtube with some choreography to the song by fellow listeners: daft hands The original video accompanies an Anime film clip where aliens become humanized rock stars. Weird, I know. I think I really like this song because of

The Underpriced Latte, Renee Zellweger's Book Savvy, and How Kevin Coster Ruined a Generation

2010-03-24T10:14:00.000-07:00

For some of you, this email will seem familiar. I've sent variances of this to many authors as we brainstorm the best strategy for their books. An opening fact: over 8,000 books release a week. In my earlier posts (and future ones) I've written on niche marketing, which is the future of the book industry. However, bookstores still play an important role, as there are still readers out there

Wounded Animals

2010-03-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

I don't know how it works for everyone else, but when God has a lesson he wants me to learn, I see the same principle play out day after day after day until I inform him that I got his message. Then I have to deal with the message and implement it in my own life. In the last few episodes of BIG LOVE (one of my favorite HBO shows...), Sissy Spacek played a powerful woman with a vindictive agenda.

Short but Sweet!

2010-03-19T10:03:00.000-07:00

Hope you are having a great day! I work very hard every day to make sure each author I work with is getting the best from me. In that attitude, I sent out a quarterly "update" to my authors, hoping to motivate some, inspire others, and build a better working relationship with all. Let me say...I've never seen so much response from my authors! Most is good, a few are not, but for many I work

Words with Friends, and Other Signs of the Times

2010-03-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday late afternoon, my husband and I had the rare chance to be in the same place at the same time without anything urgent to do. For a couple as busy as we are, that's a feat in and of itself. We settled comfortably on the couches in the living room, looking forward to quality time together. Evening found us sitting in those exact same spots. Were we having dazzling conversation,

Writing Career Treatment

2010-03-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to the Author Emergency Room. This post is a follow up to my Expectation Triage post last week (Expectation Triage). Once you have identified the problem and are resolved to treating, healing, and succeeding in spite of it, you are ready for treatment. Let's look at this from a writer's standpoint. I meet people EVERY DAY outside of work who have a story to tell, a book to write

How Can We DIB?

2010-03-12T06:16:00.000-08:00

Good morning! Short post today; we've got a DIB (Do It Better!) conference within our department. In addition to our weekly brainstorming sessions, we like to gather the troops (quarterly, if possible) to evaluate what we are doing. We look at what works, what doesn't, what changes are happening "out there" (that is, out of our control, such as the industry), what changes are happening

Expectation Triage

2010-03-10T12:03:00.000-08:00

One day in the recent past, I got a phonecall from an author. Her book had not yet released (meaning, not yet available to the public). She was calling to ask why her first royalty check hadn’t arrived. Her mortgage was due the next week, and she had planned to use a portion of her first royalty check for the mortgage. ???? surprised? So was I! [note: if you aren’t surprised, you need to do

So I Wrote This Book....Now What?

2010-03-08T09:40:00.000-08:00

Congratulations! You finished writing a book. Some of you reading this have already gone through the publication process; some of you haven't. Either way, these are what I believe to be the most important steps you can take now that will serve you well long term. 1) Smile. Pat yourself on the back…you’ve come a long way…and there is still a long road ahead. 2) Take a deep breath. Treat

A Day in the Life of a Tate Marketing Rep

2010-03-03T13:10:00.000-08:00

Really not trying to monopolize the “conversation” here, but I think in order for you to understand some of my future posts, you need to understand where I’m coming from. I’m just like everyone else: the laundry is piling up at home, dinner doesn’t cook itself, my husband’s golf shoes scratch our hardwood floors, and my little boys like to track in mud and everything else that should stay outside

This Blog

2010-02-26T10:11:00.000-08:00

This Blog Every day I come across new information. As a researcher, I never stop learning. Gaining the knowledge isn’t the problem. Communicating it to my authors, however, is. I’ve tried sending info via email. While some respond positively, others turn a blind eye to what I’m trying to inform them of and instead ask when they will be on the NYT bestsellers list. Kind of like preaching to

My Resume

2010-02-24T06:31:00.000-08:00

My professional life has taken many unexpected twists and turns.For a few years I was the personal assistant of a senior pastor/evangelist (which involved event booking, publicity, etc.). With an anticipated future in ministry, these were crucial years for me, both spiritually and professionally. I learned a LOT during that time period. Then God used a change of heart to direct me down a

a little background information

2010-02-23T10:52:00.000-08:00

Some of you have known me for years. Some of you have yet to even speak with me (hey—let’s chat soon. Give me a call).I want each of you to know who I am and where I’m coming from.