THE HOUR OF PARADE-ALAN BRAY
SHAMAN’S BLUES -AMBER FOXX
The indieBRAG Survey Results
AUTHOR SURVEY: PART TWO Thanks for joining us for the second part of our Friday Blog on the indieBRAG Survey- Robert In this Blog I will conclude my summary of key findings from the indieBRAG 2014 Author Survey. Type of Social Media Used. Observations: • As in 2013, virtually all of our authors use social media to promote their SP books and this is done across a broad range of social media types. • Having a website, Facebook page and being on Goodreads continue to be the most commonly used types of social media. • The usage of Twitter while still strong at 72%, dropped from 79% a year ago. • The percentage of authors having a Pinterest page jumped dramatically to 49% versus 36% last year. • Conversely, the number of authors who write a blog dropped markedly from 86% last year to 68% this year. Types of Reviews Read Observations: • All respondents say they read book reviews on amazon.com and over 60% say these reviews can Always or Usually be trusted. • Almost as many authors read reviews on Goodreads but the percentage who trust them is a…
The indieBRAG Survey Results
Author Survey - Part One Each year we submit a survey to our Readers and Authors to find out what they like and don't like about books, about what works for authors and how they might spend their time and money more wisely. Robert has prepared the following for you which will appear in 4 blogs and posted on Fridays. As many of you are aware, last October we conducted the indieBRAG Second Annual Survey among our Readers and Authors of a B.R.A.G Medallion book. As promised, I would now like to share with you the key findings from those two surveys, and compare the results versus the 2013 Survey where relevant. I will present the key findings from both surveys in two parts beginning today with the Author Survey: Part One. Overview Participation in the survey by authors of Medallion books dropped this year to roughly 20% of our total number of authors, which compares to 33% last year. While we were disappointed by this lower participation rate, the sample was still large enough to provide some useful, albeit directional, findings. Self- Versus Traditional Publishing • As was the case last year, approximately 80% of survey respondents have…
An Interview with the author of Veggie’s Bully
Our indieBRAG Kids chat with author C JoVan Williams A drawing by our indieBRAG Kids! Mrs. D and Class!I'm always happy to hear from readers! Thank you so much for reaching out to me and here are the answers to your questions. 1. I like it because it rhymes. Why did you make it funny?Devin, I wanted to keep young readers like you entertained while still telling an important story. As long as you stay positive, remember to always be true to yourself. 2. Why is Piggy so mean?Ewan, I don't even think Piggy know why he's so mean. Hopefully, he'll get better! 3. When was the story written?William, I wrote the story in December of 2013. 4. Why did you write about Veggie?Sophie, Veggie reminds me a little bit of me and how I deal with people who don't always have kind words to say. 5. Why do the characters have food names?Gideon, I love food just as much as I love writing, so I wanted to combine the two! 6. Why did you write this story?Julissa, I wanted to share with others that you don't have to let the words of others ruin your day...or your life! 7.…
Girl with the Crooked Smile-Darah Zeledon
Don’t Tell Anyone-Laurie Boris
Cookies Sell Books!
A lovely idea for Promotion from Lorraine Devon Wilke -author of the B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree After The Sucker Punch “If cookies be the food of love…munch on.” -Dame Judi Dench There are three things about the above quote that I adore: Dame Judi Dench, love and… cookies. If one combines cookies with love, well, that’s an explosion of wonderfulness that could only be topped by adding Dame Judi. Barring that option (and one assumes that’s a given), the combination of cookies and love is a mighty potent mix in itself. And today I had occasion to be the receipient of that marvelous brew: This is a cookie… a very delicious (yes, I ate one) shortbread cookie designed with the cover of my book as the frosting top. I ask you: WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN THAT??! Not much. The cookie came in a box of identical cookies, all of which were designed, made, and sent by my cousin in Chicago, Vicky Sarris Blanas, who, with her husband, Larry Blanas, owns the Lawrence Deans Bake Shop in Wilmette, Illinois, a close neighborhood of Chicago. (A little history about them and their bakery can be found in…
So, How Do You Wrap an E-Book
Truly wonderful thoughts from Bruce Feiler as written for the New York Times Sunday, December 14, 2014 Like everything else in contemporary families, holiday gift buying for children divides people into camps. The first camp can be categorized as "give them what they want" — the video game, the skateboard, the umpteenth Harry Potter or Elsa product extension. The second camp can be categorized as "give them what they need" or, alternately, "give them what you want them to like" — the mittens, the new sleeping bag, the penny collecting kit like the one your grandfather gave you that you just know they're going to love someday. One gift seems to straddle both camps, depending on the child, and taps into a nagging anxiety of many parents I know: the gift of reading. I recently had lunch with the father of two boys, one of whom was a reader; the other was not. My friend was struggling with how to encourage his screen-obsessed son to spend more time with the page. Should he offer incentives, force him, tuck comic books and joke collections under the tree? My daughters, meanwhile, enjoy reading, but even our situation comes with questions. Should we…
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Most Discussed Posts
- A Foodie Lit Thanksgiving
- A Novel Conversations with King Ludwig of Bavaria!
- indieBRAG @ IAC
- Independent Authors Conference (IAC18)
- A Ghost Story & Pumpkin Soup for Halloween!
- Marketing Strategy!
- Imperial Passions and Olives, Nuts & Bread!
- FACT TO FICTION: The Writing of The Call
- Authors, there is no such thing as a Free Lunch!
- Fact to Fiction: Khamsin, the Devil Wind of the Nile
- The Importance of Reading to Kids
- indieBRAG'S Foodie Lit Blogger share a recipe for Yom Kippor
- Join us for "Novel Conversations" with Helen Hollick
- Australia, Apple Pie & The Only Blue Door
- A Swashbuckling Journey!
- Enjoying Comforting Chicken Noodle Soup "In the Comfort of Shadows"
- Misadventures in self-publishing
- Launching your new book!
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