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It’s a Tough Market for Authors

Geri Clouston
When it dawned on me last year that I was making less money but spending more time promoting and marketing my books than I did three years earlier when I had fewer to offer, I decided to take a break from writing and focus on what I was doing wrong. Since my marketing strategy hadn’t changed during these years, I was pretty sure it was the industry that had changed around me, and I had to understand this in order to turn things around. First, I looked at some statistics. According to Bowker (U.S. agent for issuing International Standard Book Numbers—ISBNs) and Amazon (who controls the retail book market and e-book publishing market), the number of new books published has risen in double digits each year for the past several years, meaning our competition keeps getting increasingly stiffer with time. The influx of self-published books in particular has driven these numbers up with an increase of more than 70% since 2013 (according to the Authors Guild 2018 Income Survey). Book promotion sites have changed too—many of them have gone to the wayside; new ones pop up all the time; and others have grown in size with the rest of the industry,…

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Authors' Chat, award winning books, Bloggers, Book Marketing, Editing, Graphic Design, Marketing an indie Book, The B.R.A.G.Medallion, The Self-publishing World

A Thriller & a Burger (Vegan) – Perfect!

Geri Clouston
Of Half a Mind                                                                                                                                                                                                                            by Bruce M. Perrin Stanley Milgrom’s famous studies on obedience, prodded by bullying and authority, comes to life in Bruce Perrin’s Of Half a Mind. While both are ostensibly about memory and learning, they are in fact about submission and subservience to authority. Milgrom’s studies, of course, were at Yale with students who went home, disturbed after what they thought they had done. [No one was actually electrically shocked or hurt in any way.] Bruce commented, “Stanley Milgram’s studies in the 1960’s and 1970’s revealed an unexpected dark…

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Authors' Chat, award winning books, Bloggers, Book Spotlight, Food for Thought, Foodie Lit, indieBRAG , ,

Author Janie Dempsey Watts- In Praise of indieBRAG!

Geri Clouston
Mama taught me not to brag, and when I first started trying to promote my books, I was haunted by her words. Now, the Indie B.R.A.G. Medallion does the bragging for me. I explain to potential readers that this award signifies a book is of high quality and is worth their time. While at book events, I often point to the gold seal and explain that a panel of readers from around the world recommends my book. Thank you Indie B.R.A.G.  Mama would be proud! Janie Dempsey Watts, author of three B.R.A.G. Medallion books, Return to Taylor’s Crossing; Mothers, Sons, Beloveds, and Other Strangers; and Pap Pap Goes to Paris, and so does Ricky Author Janie Dempsey Watts

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Authors' Chat, award winning books, In Praise of indieBRAG, Uncategorized ,

Author victoria Thurman – In Praise of indieBRAG!

Geri Clouston
“When I received my B.R.A.G. Medallion 7 years ago, I had no idea the depth and breadth of the organization. Nor did I know to what extent the honor afforded me. Geri Clouston is one of the best cheerleaders a self-published author could have. She and her team do the very best to rotate recognition and spotlight different books in different and unique ways. I am very proud to have my book included in this elite group.” Victoria Thurman                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Author of The Dating Dilemma of Delilah Dunnfield Find this award winning book here  

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Authors' Chat, award winning books, In Praise of indieBRAG, Uncategorized ,

A Wonderful Book, A Lovely Playground and a Snack- what could be more Fun!

Geri Clouston
Dana Deserves a Playground Too by Yael Manor Sometimes you just fall in love with a book, the illustrations, the characters and the story.  And that is what has happened here. Yael Manor has written a story for children that needs telling.  Dana is a young girl with a loving family and friends. She goes to the playground where her friends are playing happily. Dana is in a wheelchair and there is nothing there that she can do.  Not the swings, not the carousel, not the slide or the climbing equipment. Yael’s point is that Dana is not alone. Most community or school playgrounds simply do not welcome children who are physically challenged. Children like Dana are excluded from playing with friends. She told me how she was inspired to write this story.  “One day, I came across a story on Facebook about a woman who met a father and daughter at the playground. Due to a disability, the girl was confined to a wheelchair and unable to enjoy any of the playground facilities. All she could do was put her doll in the swing and push it, which caused great sorrow for her and her father. This story gave me the inspiration to write…

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Authors' Chat, award winning books, Bloggers, Food for Thought, Foodie Lit, indieBRAG, indieBRAG Kids, The B.R.A.G.Medallion, The Self-publishing World, The World of Reading

Make a Cosmo, put up your feet and enjoy Been Searching for You!

Geri Clouston
  Nicole Evelina's Been Searching for You One might subtitle this book, “Searching for Romance in the Cold, Single World.” Each of Nicole Evelina’s characters handles being a singleton in individual ways. Annabeth Coe, the main character is a romantic, searching for “the head-over-heels heart-melting love,” while still recovering from a years ago disastrous boyfriend, Nick. Mia, her sexy good friend has no loyalties to her boyfriend or anyone else, we find. Miles, Annabeth’s best friend and work colleague, is Mia’s beleaguered boyfriend. Laine, Annabeth’s boss, is a career woman. Victor, a painter on the way to being discovered, seems to be a good fit until his career proves to need a more “perfect” partner. Alex, a literature professor, is still mourning his last girlfriend. Annabeth has a birthday tradition: she writes to her dream man and refuses to accept anything but her vision of a romantic partner. She’s pushed by friends and family to open herself to dating. “Where’s your boyfriend?” “You aren’t getting any younger.” “Tick-tock.” Like her main character, Annabeth, the author is in public relations and an historic fiction writer. Annabeth would rather stay at home with a good book and glass of wine rather than…

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Authors' Chat, award winning books, Bloggers, Book Spotlight, Food for Thought, Foodie Lit, The B.R.A.G.Medallion, The Self-publishing World, The World of Reading , ,

Helen Hollick visits with Dr. Daniel M. Walker

Geri Clouston
NanoMorphosis by Marla L. Anderson In the year 2183, climate change ravages Earth, a man-made plague has forced millions into segregated camps, and the hope of expanding to a new world has withered from fear of another alien attack. At the age of ten, Daniel Walker witnessed first contact. The event left him orphaned, traumatized and reluctantly famous as the sole survivor. Driven to carry on the work of his parents, he puts his fame to use with the help of the woman he loves, and gains the financial and political support needed to colonize a new world. Unfortunately, in the process, he turns a potential ally, Cadmon Dhyre, into a determined foe. You can find Helen Hollicks interview with Daniel M. Walker at @ Novel Conversations Author Marla L. Anderson Learn more about author Marla Anderson at her website

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Authors' Chat, award winning books, Bloggers, Book Spotlight, In Praise of indieBRAG, indieBRAG, Novel Conversations with Helen Hollick

A Novel conversation with Gwenna – From Wales to New Zealand!

Geri Clouston
  A Novel Conversation with Vicky Adin's Gwenna Against all odds, the plucky sweet maker refuses to relinquish her dreams. Amid the bustling vibrancy of Auckland’s Karangahape Road, Gwenna Price’s passion is making sweets. Her pa had great plans for the family confectionery business when they emigrated from the valleys of Wales looking for a new life, but he died all too soon. Gwenna promised she would bring his dreams to life instead – and she would, if it wasn’t for her domineering stepbrother, Elias. With him in charge, it would be a matter of time before the business collapsed. Falling in love with the cheeky and charming Johnno opens up other opportunities, but every step of the way Gwenna is thwarted. If not by Elias, then by Johnno’s father and the restraints of a society with strict Victorian values, but Gwenna is irrepressible. Nothing will stand in her way. Throughout the twists and turns of love and tragedy, Gwenna is a young woman with uncommon courage, determination and ambition in an era when women were expected to stay at home. There are people who love her and those who are willing to help her achieve her goal but, blind…

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Authors' Chat, award winning books, Bloggers, In Praise of indieBRAG, indieBRAG, Novel Conversations with Helen Hollick, The B.R.A.G.Medallion, The Self-publishing World ,

Sit down with Helen and Gina and a cup of tea

Geri Clouston
- A Novel Conversation with Bronwyn Elsmore’s Gina Gina, if that is her real name, wakes to an autumn morning and, against her better judgment, selects a light dress to wear to work. Deliberately, she misses the bus and walks into the city, then turns and walks back home. This is not a day for work. Tomorrow, in her navy pantsuit, she will be there. Today she will spend with a white dog and a remarkable man. Every Five Minutes is also about the color cornflower blue, beaches, parks, city streets, exotic places, coffee, flowers, polished stones, a unicorn and a swan, words, theatre, movies, music, and love. But most of all it’s about Gina, the dog, and the man. You can find Helen Hollicks interview with Gina at @ Novel Conversations   Bronwyn Elsmore Learn more about Author Bronwyn Elsmore and her books on her website    

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Authors' Chat, award winning books, Bloggers, Book Spotlight, In Praise of indieBRAG, indieBRAG, Novel Conversations with Helen Hollick, The B.R.A.G.Medallion, The Self-publishing World , ,

An Irish Tale and Guinness Chili- ready for St. patrick’s Day!

Geri Clouston
Secrets of the Apple Tree Tavern: The Making of an Irish Godfather (Irish Fires Book 1) by Mary Ellen Gavin   In The Secrets of the Apple Tree Tavern, Mary Ellen Gavin writes movingly and deeply about the Irish in New York and in Dublin. Raised in an Irish family, she shared, “The joys and sorrows of family are taught to the Irish from birth. All good and all bad can only come from your Family. A brother who succeeds in life is your joy ... a sister who births a sickly baby is your sorrow. The Irish build strong family ties and know how to wield guilt. It is the way I was raised. I thrived from it and I cried from it ... more than some other families.” Life is seen through the eyes of Frances Fleming, an orphan of Irish immigrants during the Depression, then adopted by a tavern owner. Like the author, family becomes extremely important to him.  At a young age, he is put to work, gladly on his part for his new “family.”  His childhood is happy and his years filled with stories of Ireland and the “old ways.” So many of us are enchanted…

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Authors' Chat, award winning books, Bloggers, Book Marketing, Food for Thought, Foodie Lit, indieBRAG, Readers Thoughts!, The B.R.A.G.Medallion, The Self-publishing World, Uncategorized

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