Authors Supporting Authors

The year 2008 is going to be an exciting year for ASA. We have new members, and must read book releases. Don't forget to stop by and say hello at our MySpace page: www.myspace.com/asaauthors. We also wish 2008 brings you much blessings and all you wish and hoped for.

Are you an author or a Book Club? Is so we are interested in you. Visit our website: www.freewebs.com/asanetwork and click on "Contact Us" to be added to our Author Links or our Book Club page for free. Authors we do ask for an exchange link. Don't forget to tell others about this newsletter and feel free to forward.

ASA would like to give Shout Outs to the following:

Real Divas of Literature email: Real_Divas_of_Literature@yahoo.com. Visit them at there MySpace: www.myspace.com/real_divas2007

AND 

Alisha Yvonne who is owner of the bookstore Imagine This! Books Etc.
You can visit Alisha's MySpace at www.myspace.com/imaginethisbooksetc

              Thank you ladies for supporting ASA!

Happy Reading and Writing
Tinisha, Editor

Book Promotion                                                        
11 Tips, Ideas and Creative Ideas on Promoting Your Book  
by Tinisha Johnson

1.         Make a Book Trailer. Don't know how? Contact author - Tinisha Johnson. She will create one for you. For details and to see samples. Email her at: tinisha12@hotmail.com. In the subject field put: BOOK TRAILERS

2.         Print promotional material such as bookmarks, postcards and business cards and give them out to everyone. Each time you check out books from the public library, don't forget to include a book mark or a business card inside the book before returning it.
Vista offers FREE business cards and cheap promotional items.
Visit:  http://www.vistaprint.com/frf?frf=679608484766

3.         Create your own monthly author newsletter

4.         Post your book and your events for free on www.craigslist.org

5.         Write an article about a topic, subject or scene in your book and post it on as many sites and blogs as you can, which allow free article postings. Doesn't have to be long - 1 page is sufficient.

6.         The Literary Times is offering FREE PROMOTION to authors. To learn more visit: http://www.tlt.com/docs/free_ads.htm

7.         Many colleges have free advertising boards around the campus. Why not visit local colleges in your area and post up information on your book(s).

8.         Have a book release party. Although this seems obvious some authors don't take advantage. You could do a private party of friends and family or a public book release party, where you make up flyers, rent a space and invite everyone you can  think of. You could even have a cover charge to cover the expenses.

9.         Collect email address from media and newspapers and email your press releases to them. A good resource to start with is: http://www.newslink.org/index.html

10.       View these helpful sites for more book promotions:
*  Expose the general public to reviews of books. This is a place for authors and  readers. http://www.bookreview.com
*  The Quintessential place for booklovers.  http://mosaicbooks.com
*  The largest online directory for locating black websites!         http://www.blackrefer.com
*  Post a free press release. http://www.i-newswire.com/submit.php
*  Radio Network is an independent, worldwide radio broadcaster for bands, authors, undiscovered talent and brilliant artists. http://www.artistfirst.com/

11.   Sign up for Claudia Brown-Mosley's Online Newspaper. She is an author, publisher and CEO of Big Time Publishing Magazine.

She truly represents authors in promoting them in various ways and getting there name out there.

BIG TIME PUBLISHING will get your book out there for a little bit of nothing.
            Visit Claudia's sites: http://www.claudiabrownmosley.com/  
                                           http://www.livetalkradio.blogspot.com/  
                                           http://www.myspace.com/claudiabtp, 
                                           http://www.myspace.com/bigtimepublishing

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News - Anthology Promotion
NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS!!!
We're looking for submissions amongst all. Authors, Péron F. Long and Tinisha Nicole Johnson have teamed up to put together an anthology for a release date in 2009. (exact date to be determined) We're looking for those who'd like to collaborate with us. New, old, just send your submissions.

The title of the anthology will be entitled: Success for Life: Personal and Uncensored. We're looking for non-fiction, articles, fiction and even poetry. Max: 3,500 words. We're looking for stories about struggling to obtain success, struggles you went through to get to where you are; still struggling in personal and family life. Are people or things, or even yourself holding you back from achieving your visions? Again, choose to submit a true story, write a fictional story, submit a poem. And the submission must be yours. We're considering various categories within the anthology- Love, Careers, Money, Personal Stories, Family Life, articles and etc.

All submissions should have something to do with Success/achievement or lack there of or seeking it, the struggles you or your characters face, etc. 

Receive 1 contributors copy, exposure, your bio and photo listed in our quarterly newsletter. More details to follow.

         Submissions will close May 31, 2008

Learn more about authors Péron F. Long and Tinisha Nicole Johnson at ASA's website: www.freewebs.com/asanetwork.  
Send your submissions to both Péron and Tinisha at the following email addresses:
tinisha12@hotmail.com and peron@peronflong.com


Feature Article                                                         
How To Write A Book, 7 Tips To Make Your Book A Best Seller  
Written by Bob Burnham

Writing a book will undoubtedly take you to new personal and professional heights. However, writing a best seller will multiply your satisfaction, monetary success, and notoriety tenfold. Here are 7 tips to make your book a best seller.

Tip #1 First and foremost , it is imperative to write on a topic you are passionate about. If you are not passionate and interested in your subject, no one else will be. When you are passionate about your topic you will choose words that demonstrate your enthusiasm. You will be able to organize your material in a manner that makes the most sense, and you will add your personality to your material - always a good thing.

Tip #2 Research demand for your topic . While writing on a subject you are passionate about is key, it is also important that there are enough people who are also passionate about your topic that it warrants a book. In the article 3 Critical Steps to Finding The Perfect Book Topic you will find just a few of the ways to gauge demand for your topic. For example, if you are an accountant and want to write a book about how to do your taxes yourself or how to set up a small business successfully, these two topics might fit under the category of saving/making money or how to save time - both something desired by most people, which means there may be a significant demand for your topic.

Tip #3 Specialize. Finding a niche is imperative to making sure your book is a bestseller. A niche is defined more loosely as a specialty. Your book must specialize. For example, if you want to write a cookbook, a generic everyday cookbook might sell a few copies if you work really hard to market it, however a cookbook on vegetarian 30 minute meals or 101 chocolate recipes you can make in less than 15 minutes, is a very specialized topic, not something everyone has on their bookshelf, and it meets a specific need. Your sales, as a result, will skyrocket.

Tip #4 Choose a catchy, benefit driven, book title. Your customer will make a decision about whether or not to buy your book in about 20 seconds. What do you think they see first? Your title, of course. Your title is the first and strongest deciding factor which makes it extremely important. The best way to format your title is to not only make it catch but to make sure the benefit of buying your book is evident in the title. For example, in tip #2 we used the example of an accountant writing a book on doing your own taxes. A typical title might be - Your Personal Tax Guide. Okay. That title is fine it might not sell tons of books but maybe it won't turn people away. 

However, what about this title - "Lower Your Taxes Big Time". I grabbed that title off of the Amazon best sellers list.

Tip#5 Fill a need. Do a little research and find out what information your audience needs or is looking for. For example, if you are an expert chef and want to write a cookbook, what need has not been filled? What questions do you get time and time again? Nothing comes to mind? Ask your friends and associates what questions they might have about your topic. Maybe they want to know how to create a five star gourmet meal for less than $50. Maybe they simply want to know easy to make sauces to make every meal a little extra special.

Tip #6 Who is your audience? It is imperative that you know who you are writing your book for before you write it. If you do not know this information, then how are you going to know what information they need, what benefits they are looking for or how to write your book just for them?

Tip #7 Send an email. Once your book is written and published, gather together a couple of incentives. Your incentives could be several other e-books for free, free audios, free videos, or a combination. These freebies can be created by you; you can purchase the rights to them, or grab a public domain item and offer it up. Now comes the fun part! Email everyone you know and also enlist some JV partners to reach as many people as possible. Tell them you want to
make your book an Amazon Bestseller and give them a day to make their purchase. Tell your email list if they help you out, by making a purchase, they will get a whole list of freebies. This method works quite well and it is fun for everyone involved.

For Your FREE MP3 (Value $97.00)
How To Make A 6 Figure Income Writing & Publishing Your Own Book
Go To: Book Marketing

Bob Burnham
Entrepreneur, Consultant and # 1 Amazon Best Selling Author of  "101 Reasons Why You Must Write A Book"

For Information on How to Write and Publish your Own Book go to Expert Author- http://www.expertauthorpublishing.com
Read More On: How To Write A Book

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBlast.com

About The Author:
Bob Burnham started his carpet cleaning business in 1976 and quickly built it to 26 locations across Canada .By the Time he was 30 years old he had�� full and part time employees and did over 6 million dollars in annual sales. Bob sold all the locations across Canada and retained only the British Columbia locations, which were expanded into Flood and Fire restoration and are still operating successfully today.  Through both the marketing of his fire and flood companies and franchising Bob has developed many marketing strategies that have propelled profits both for his own businesses and many other who have come to him for help. Bob spends tens of thousand each year on seminars, CD's and is a voracious reader to help both his companies and others achieve massive success. Many of the people he has worked with have had success on many levels due to Bob's keen sense of identifying the hidden opportunities in their businesses. *Permission was given to reprint this article.

2008 ASA Book Releases                                         

Pulpit Confessions  by Peron F. Long
ISBN: 0979975786
This is a story of family deceit that leads to corruption and murder, and one person's plot to take complete control. All Hell will definitely break loose, when Bishop Raymond Miller Jr.'s Pulpit Confessions are revealed.
Releases January 15, 2008  

Visit authors website: www.peronflong.com
Click Here to Purchase

Searchable Whereabouts  by Tinisha Nicole Johnson
ISBN: 0979975707
This is a story of Rahkel Williams who's trying to unravel the mysterious death of her beloved Uncle. However, after finding clues into his life, she wonders who really was this man. After requesting the services of private investigator, Darrin Williams, it's not long before things get intimate. But soon, strange things begin to happen, including people of interest showing up dead and Rahkel fears for her life. She knows that finding the truth about her uncle's murder may be the only thing that saves her.
Releases February 1, 2008

Visit the authors website: www.tinishanicolejohnson.com
Click Here To Purchase



Consequences: When Love Is Blind  by Linda R. Herman
ISBN: 0979975751
Life for Sade Peters is picture perfect. With a fabulous home in upscale Atlanta, Georgia , Sade is living the life most of society only read about in magazines. A successful novelist, Sade is married to the man of her dreams, Andre Peters, an equally successful sports agent. Couple that with a set of fraternal twins, and you have all the makings of the contemporary modern day Huxtables.

Life as Sade knows it changes within the blink of an eye when she soon discovers that both she and her husband are HIV positive. Imagine walking through life in Sade's shoes. What happens when the men we trust commit the ultimate betrayal? Who is to blame when faith and trust is tested tremendously?
Releases February 15, 2008

 Visit Linda's website: www.freewebs.com/lindarherman     
Click Here To Purchase




Let The Necessary Occur  by Gayle Jackson Sloan
ISBN: 0979975719
Just because you say 'I do,' doesn't mean you won't. Cheat that is. Especially when the devil is tap dancing on your doorstep! What happens when a famous trial attorney and his even more famous gospel singer wife face the biggest test of their lives?

Matthew and Gloriana McCrae have been dubbed by a famous magazine, as one of the most beautiful couples in the world. They have it all: wealth, fame, respect and an unshakeable love for one another. Or do they?

Pride. Greed. Envy. Wrath. Lust. With five of the seven deadly sins swirling around them, can love and the Word of God help this couple hold on to what matters most or will the devil, disguised as a beautiful woman, tear them apart?
Releases March 4, 2008

Visit the authors site: www.gaylejacksonsloan.com   
Click Here To Purchase



A Special Summer  by Victoria Wells
ISBN: 0979975778
Twenty-five year old Summer Jackson is young, naive, and inexperienced when it comes to men. Her life is dedicated to her career as a hospice nurse. The last thing on her mind is a man. When she unexpectedly, literally runs into handsome, Nick Stiles she immediately attempts to keep him at a distance. From the moment Summer entered the room Nick was completely captivated. All night he watched as she turned down would be suitors one after another. He is only too pleased when their worlds collide. Intrigue fully envelops him as Summer makes an attempt to flee his overwhelmingly, powerful presence.

Determined to make Summer his, Nick goes all out on a mission of hot pursuit. The more she refuses his advances, the more unrelenting he becomes. Wearing her down, Summer's resolve is broken. Her intention is to go out on one date and call it a day. However, after only one date she is helplessly drawn into Nick's sensual web.

When the two former lovers are finally face to face the meeting is beyond explosive. Nick is completely blindsided by Summer's deceit as she desperately attempts to explain her version of the truth. She is forced mentally and emotionally to prepare herself for the fight of her life as Nick becomes vengeful, vowing to make her life a living hell.
Releases March 4, 2008

Visit the authors website: www.victoria-wells.com    
Click Here To Purchase  



The First Chronicle of Zayashariya: OUT OF NIGHT   
by Violette L. Reid
ISBN: 097997576x
Zayashariya abandons her birthright and escapes the planet Night on a spaceship destined for freedom. Once she flees, she unexpectedly arrives in the town of Wilzasp where she is blamed for the sudden rising death rate.

The First Chronicle of Zayashariya: OUT OF NIGHT is a story of sorcery, slaughter, and struggle with self. "Out of Night" provides a spiritual twist that unites fantasy and science fiction with the battle with faith and the numinous world.
Releases March 6, 2008

Visit the authors website: www.violettereid.com   Click Here To Purchase



A Whisper to a Scream by Elissa Gabrielle
ISBN: 0979975735
A Whisper to a Scream is ground-breaking fiction, written in a fashion owned by Elissa Gabrielle, Best-selling author of Good to the Last Drop. Sexy, emotional, deliciously witty and inviting, A Whisper to a Scream will put you in a trance, pulling you deep into a socially eye-opening, erotic, emotionally-charged ride, full of twists and turns bold enough to leave wholly satisfied.
Releases May 2008.

Visit the authors website: www.elissagabrielle.com