Interview with Heather Day Gilbert, Author of the Indie Publishing Handbook

(~from Heather Day Gilbert) This is an unusual post, because it's actually my last post for Novel Rocket as a member of Ground Control. I've LOVED my year at Novel Rocket, interviewing people and sharing indie information with readers. But as my own indie career lifted off (a little rocket humor there), I realized I had to pull back on blogging and focus on writing/publishing books.

Friend and follow indie author Ron Estrada agreed to ask me some final indie-oriented questions for this interview. I appreciate his willingness to do so and will share that with you below.

Here's a little bio on who I am so you can find me on the web, post-Novel Rocket. :)

Author Heather Day Gilbert

HEATHER DAY GILBERT has independently published four books. Her debut novel, God's Daughter, has remained on the Amazon Norse Bestseller list and Amazon Norse Top-Ranked list for over one year. Her contemporary mystery, Miranda Warning, is the successful start to the Murder in the Mountains series. Her Indie Publishing Handbook: Four Key Elements for the Self-Publisher shares focused advice on four key steps in the indie publication process. You can find Heather at her website, heatherdaygilbert.com. She is also active on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Indie Publishing Handbook: Four Key Elements for the Self-Publisher on Amazon

About Indie Publishing Handbook: Four Key Elements for the Self-Publisher: 

Are you dreaming of your own career as an independent author and self-publisher? 

This concise handbook covers the four key elements every self-publisher must oversee for successful book publication: (1) editing, (2) creating cover art and blurbs, (3) formatting and uploading books, and (4) marketing. Focused advice will help you maneuver these key elements, whether you outsource or learn to master them yourself. 

You'll also find a bonus section with practical tips from seasoned independent authors. 

Indie Publishing Handbook: Four Key Elements for the Self-Publisher is your one-stop for basics on everything you need to get started and excel as an independent publisher.

Indie Publishing Interview with 

Author Heather Day Gilbert

by: Ron Estrada

RE: What should an unpublished author consider before going indie?

HG: Great question. I would say costs could be a factor, but then again, it is possible to indie publish at a relatively low cost if you can do things yourself or exchange services. My debut novel was produced for...I would say under $200. Maybe more like $100. But I was blessed with a brother who designed my cover and agent edits. Not to mention a crit partner who helped me upload and showed me how to format.

My debut novel, God's Daughter

But the primary thing to consider is the time commitment. You need time to make sure your edits are in place; time to land on the perfect cover; time to upload your books and check proof copies of softcovers; and MOST of all, you need to have time to market.

Yes, you can streamline the process for sure. But for that debut novel, you want to take time to nail all the four key elements covered in my Indie Publishing Handbook (editing; cover art/blurb; formatting/uploading; and marketing) as best you can right out of the gate.

RE:  I always hear “You have to write a series!” But I prefer to write stand-alone books. Will I have trouble being successful as an indie?

HG: You know, just a couple of months ago, I would've said yes, series are the only way to go. It's true, series can boost sales, especially if you have several books to release in a short period of time. It's also true going permafree (permanently free, as Traci Hilton talked about in this excellent Novel Rocket post) with your first in series can drive sales to the rest in the series.

BUT. Lately I've seen fellow indies find success with standalone books. Sally Bradley's Kept, for example. What happens with a standalone is that you don't limit yourself to one genre, and you're not releasing only the first in series, which leaves readers hanging on the line waiting for the next. I should know--I've done that twice! I have two starts to vastly different series out (Viking historical and Contemporary Appalachian mystery). I have readers waiting for the next books in both, and I probably ticked some off when I announced I was following up on the mystery series this year and putting off the Viking sequel until 2016-ish. ;)

So short answer long, I would recommend doing a series if you have at least two books ready to roll in pretty short order. However, even if you don't have two books in the series, sometimes it's just about stepping into the pool and getting your feet wet. Any book out (whether the start to a series or standalone) is a book in your repertoire, able to garner readers, so just make sure it's a humdinger! 

RE: Where and how should I market my self-published books? The options are overwhelming and I have so little time.

HG: Oh, dude, I hear that. I'm telling you, I've been marketing my books non-stop for over a year now. I watch the sales and when the numbers dip, I (obsessively) start casting around for a new marketing angle, be it a new review site, taking out an ad, running a special or giveaway, etc. It's exhausting and I'm officially pulling back on that draining "technique."

I really think it's different for every book, every genre. (Click to Tweet!) For me, I was blessed by going with a Christian review site (The Book Club Network). Although there was expense involved, such as sending out softcovers, it was well worth it to latch onto new and enthusiastic readers.

One of my other most successful techniques was ye olde going free on Amazon. Many say it's becoming passe, because people already have too many free books loaded on their e-readers. However, if you advertise at free book sites such as ENT (E-Reader News Today), you can find many new readers and simultaneously garner a number of reviews.

However, you run the risk of getting low reviews from readers who load random e-books without reading blurbs or sample chapters. It was a risk I was willing to take, but now that I'm about three books into the process, I've decided freebies aren't going to be part of my marketing arsenal so often (though I'm not eliminating the possibility of permafree with a first in series). But for the debut author, freebies and giveaways (such as softcover giveaways on Goodreads or on a blog tour) can be invaluable and build your readership quickly. 

One final strategy: as much as possible, be everywhere. I know that's literally impossible, but when you share pinnables and quotes from your book, when you tweet about your book, when you do an extensive blog tour, you'd be surprised that people often find you instead of you having to go out and find them. This is how I was contacted by a Canadian museum and also by a park in Colorado. Indies can reach all over the world with our books, which is so amazing to me.

So, bottom line: it's a hit and miss process. I would just recommend not spending big bucks right off the bat, as you're building your initial pile of royalties from that debut novel. Then for your second book, you'll have more income to play with. Of course, this is assuming you're as strapped for cash as I tend to be. LOL.

RE: Should I self-publish print books as well? 

HG: I really think it depends on the intent of your book and the reader demographic. For example, with my fiction, I'd be a fool not to get softcovers, because I do book signings and they demand it. Also, my local readers tend to read softcovers. Finally, my readers are ready to purchase softcovers the minute I announce the book has released (I love this! But I was unprepared for it with my debut. It took me a few weeks to get my first softcover loaded/proofed and some of the buzz had dropped off by then).

However, for my Indie Publishing Handbook, I decided to go e-book only for launch. This is because I assumed authors considering indie publishing would have to have to know how to navigate e-readers anyway! LOL.

But on the other hand, if I ever take my Indie Publishing Handbook to a writer's conference, I might try to get a softcover version up for distribution. That's what I mean by discerning the intent of your book.

RE: How do I design a cover?

HG: Cover art is definitely so important. I talked in my Indie Publishing Handbook a bit about opportunities that came my way based on cover art alone. For your debut, I'm convinced you want to produce the strongest cover you can afford.

I know some indie authors who design their own covers and they are amazing. Authors like Jan Thompson (Jane Austen Upside Down); Krista Phillips (A Side of Faith); Becky Doughty (Elderberry Croft); and Joanne Bischof (This Quiet Sky), just to name a few. These authors have what I call "the eye." It's a gift for putting together a visually pleasing cover that will sell.

I, however, don't possess this talent. So outsourcing covers is a must for me. This can vary in cost, from $200-$1000 or even more.

When you work with a cover artist, I think it helps to have your book completed, so you can identify running themes, key characters, etc. A good cover artist can ask questions, send you appealing comps, then design a cover that fits the mood of your book and places it recognizably in its given genre.

Personally, I want a cover that would stop ME in my tracks, because I write what I want to read. (Click to Tweet!) And yet it's always great to get outside input on your cover, whether it's from your crit partner, your Facebook followers, or an objective group.

However, keep in mind, indie authors can change covers if they feel their cover isn't working for some reason or another. For instance, I recently re-did this original Miranda Warning cover:

Original Miranda Warning cover

I had detailed in this Novel Rocket post how my brother and I developed the first cover, above. But because it was the first in series with the same main character throughout, it was going to be difficult to replicate covers with the same model. I needed to go in a different direction, and my brother didn't have time to do a re-do. So I hired a cover designer to come up with a more nature-oriented cover template for the entire Murder in the Mountains series.

This was the finished cover, and I'm very happy with the flexibility it gives us for future covers in the series:

Final Miranda Warning cover, now on Amazon 

Thank you for the questions, Ron! I just want to say another huge thanks to the Novel Rocket crew for letting me jump on board for a year. I've followed this site since I started writing and I will continue following it for relevant info on all kinds of writerly subjects. A special thanks to Gina Holmes and Ane Mulligan for helping me any time I needed advice on a post!

***Finally, comment below by January 22 to be entered to win a free Kindle copy of the Indie Publishing Handbook: Four Key Elements for the Self-Publisher! (Click to Tweet!) Be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win!***

All the best to you Novel Rocketeers! Rockettes? Rock on! :)

--Heather

Ron Estrada has multiple published magazine articles, including a regular column in the bi-monthly Women2Women Michigan. He also freelances as a technical writer, specializing in white papers for manufacturing and consumer products. He writes spec fiction, hovering somewhere between post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction (he prefers the term pre-Last Days), but has also dabbled in Mystery and Suspense. He will be releasing his first YA novel, Now I Knew You, in February 2015. His real-writer’s blog can be found at RonEstradaBooks.com.  You can e-mail him at rmestrada@ameritech.net or catch him (at pretty much any time) on Facebook. Twitter handle is @RonEstrada. CB handle is God’s Gift. 

                                                                                                                                           

Read More

Indie Author and Audiobook Narrator, Becky Doughty, & a Christmas E-Book Giveaway!

This interviewee is so close to my heart! Becky Doughty is not only my critique partner, but my friend, my supporter, my sounding-board...and one of the few who encouraged me that I COULD go indie and succeed. I thank God upon every remembrance of her!

Today I wanted to chat with Becky, whose readers haven't ceased begging for more books with her Elderberry Croft protagonist, Willow Goodhope. Accordingly, Becky just released a holiday sequel, Elderberry Days: A Season of Joy.

Honestly, Becky is quite simply one of the most productive authors I know and a true Renaissance Woman. Not only does she have nine indie novels and novellas out, she has also narrated nineteen audiobooks through Audible (one of those is my God's Daughter). You can find her books here and BraveHeart audiobook samples here. ~Heather Day Gilbert

Becky Doughty, Author

Becky Doughty is the author of the best-selling Elderberry Croft series and the voice behind BraveHeart Audiobooks. 

Becky is married to her champion of more than 25 years, Kevin. They have three children, two of whom are grown and starting families of their own, and they all live within a few miles of each other in Southern California.

Author Website: BeckyDoughty.com

BraveHeart Audiobooks Website: BraveheartAudiobooks.com

Email: becky(at)beckydoughty(dot)com

Facebook: BeckyDoughtyAuthor

Twitter: @BeckySDoughty

Google Plus: +BeckyDoughty

Pinterest: BeckySDoughty

Interview with Becky Doughty, 

Indie Author & Audiobook Narrator

HG: Welcome, my friend! Let's go back in time...say, two years ago. What did your writing career look like then? What led you to go indie?

BD: Heather, thank you so much for inviting me here today! And thank you, Novel Rocket readers, for having me!

Actually, my indie journey began about 4 years ago, although I didn't quite realize that's what I was doing! Like so many authors I know, I've been writing stories, primarily for fun (and therapy!) since I was old enough to string sentences together. I've often considered “getting serious” about my writing, but put marriage and family and my day jobs first...so my writing was just a hobby, just “for me” projects. 

Well, one of the fun projects I took on was writing a series of Bible study stories for our church's women's monthly brunch. The series was well received, and the women requested I compile them into a collection so they could have a copy, and gift copies to friends and family. So I did a little research into the most efficient and cost-effective means to printing this collection, and discovered it was cheaper for me to publish it using a “print-on-demand” system than it would be for me to have a local print shop do them for me...and I wouldn't have to stock the books either! 

So I learned how to format, how to create a cover with the help of a friend who was proficient at PhotoShop, and how to set up my own publishing house (BraveHearts Press), and distributed the book, Life Letters: The Fruit of the Spirit, to the major online booksellers. It truly was the simplest way to create the product this group of women asked for. I had no real intention of doing more indie publishing, nor did I consider this a major milestone in my career.

However, the positive response I received to my writing encouraged me to pick up my pen more seriously, so over the next 18 months, I wrote like a maniac and landed a wonderful agent with my fiction. It was during this time that I met Heather, too!

As my books were being shopped around, I started paying close attention to what was going on in the indie publishing world. I decided to proactively pursue BOTH indie publishing and traditional publishing, and in January of 2013, I began self-publishing a serial novel, Elderberry Croft, first through my website in monthly episodes, then in volumes at the major online booksellers. I then compiled Elderberry Croft: The Complete Collection and published that in January 2014. Over the last two years, the response to Elderberry Croft has grown in leaps and bounds, and because of its success, I opted to indie publish some of my other fiction. As a result of that decision, my agent and I parted ways amicably, but I still consider traditional publishing as a viable option for me and hope to pursue that again in the near future.

HG: Why did you choose to publish your novel, Elderberry Croft, as a serial novel on your blog? How did you go about that? And what was the response to it?

BD: I started writing Elderberry Croft, a serial novel in monthly episodes, as a way to give readers a taste of my story voice. I posted it for free on my website the whole year of 2013, then pulled it in 2014 and published the series as a complete collection. The series is by far my best seller, and I think much of that is due to the steady production, the fact that I wasn't initially looking at this project as a book to SELL, but as a book on which to build a readership, (Click to Tweet!) and therefore, I basically gave it away for a full year. Volume 1, the first 3 episodes of the series, is still FREE. This has been a long term investment project, and I'm beginning to see long term results.

Elderberry Croft: The Complete Collection on Amazon

The response has been very positive and many have asked for more, so last month I published a holiday sequel novella, Elderberry Days:Season of Joy!

Elderberry Days: Season of Joy on Amazon

***And to say “Thank you” and “Merry Christmas” from me to you, I'm giving away digital copies of both Elderberry Croft: The Complete Collection and Elderberry Days: Season of Joy to ALL WHO COMMENT HERE from now until December 25^th! (Click to Tweet!) Please be sure to leave your email address and the format you prefer: pdf, mobi for Kindle, or epub.***

HG: Our critique process is crucial for me and I don't feel comfortable publishing a book without your input. You tell me when a story is unworkable and heading the wrong way, when I misspell words I was sure I knew how to spell, or when characters aren't coming across the right way. What do you think is the key thing to look for in a critique partner? I would recommend someone whose writing you respect; someone whose judgment you trust; and someone who brings elements to the table that balance your writing style.

BD: Oh goodness. I always know I can count on you, Heather. Having a critique partner, someone you can trust to read your story without trying to make it sound like their voice is paramount to producing a quality product. And that IS what we're doing. We're not just writing stories. As indie publishers, we're producing a product in its entirety. 

We want the story to be sound and relevant, the cover to be professional, the editing to be quality, the presentation as a whole to be stellar. This is not about comparing indie to traditional, but about creating the best product possible, period. A critique partner must be of the same mindset. I don't want someone who will let things slide because we're buds. I want someone who will hold me to the highest standard BECAUSE we're buds and because she wants the best for me, just as I want the best for her. That's why I feel so confident in this partnership, Heather.

HG: Thank you and I feel the same way! You have several novels out: Elderberry Croft; Elderberry Days: Season of Joy; Waters Fall; and Juliette and the Monday ManDates. I believe next on your publication agenda is Renata and the Fall from Grace (you know I'm anxiously waiting to read that one!). Can you tell us a little about the four sisters in The Gustafson Girls series and Renata in particular?

BD: Absolutely! The Gustafson Girls is a series about 4 sisters whose parents were killed fifteen years earlier by a drunk driver. Although raised by loving grandparents, it’s the G-FOURce—the Gustafson Four Sisters Club—that binds them together when their differences would tear them apart. All grown up now, Juliette has become the quintessential doormat, Renata, the self-appointed matriarchal figure. Phoebe is, at least according to Renata, borderline narcissistic, and Gia is on the verge of a major identity crisis.

Then there’s Angela Clinton, the senior class darling who drove her cherry black 1970 el Camino into the side of their parents’ car on the night of Juliette’s high school graduation. Angela’s prison sentence is winding down; soon she’ll be eligible for parole and moving back to town. Will the G-FOURce be strong enough to hold them together as they step into the eye of the storm that’s been brewing for the last fifteen years? Will they finally be able to let go of the past and embrace the future, no matter what it holds?

Cover Art for the Gustafson Girls Series

Juliette's story is already available on Amazon (Juliette and the Monday ManDates), and will go to other online booksellers the first of the year. Renata is the second sister, and the only one who is married. She feels responsible for “keeping the other girls in line,” much to everyone else's chagrin. But Renata's own life is about to spin out of her tight-fisted control and no amount of careful planning, pride, or will power is going to save her. Her faith in God, the bonds of her marriage, her role in the G-FOURce, even her black and white ideas of right and wrong, will all be tested.

Renata and the Fall from Grace is scheduled for release in early Spring, around the first of February. Books 3 and 4, Phoebe and the Rock of Ages and Gia the Blast from the Past, will  also be released later in 2015.

HG: How did you decide to go into audiobook narration? How laborious of a process was it to get everything set up for that?

Becky in her audiobook studio

BD: This was actually a huge part of my decision to venture fully into indie publishing last year. I realized that if I was going to be a full time author/publisher, I'd need to diversify and find other income streams within the industry. 

As much as I enjoy editing, after a really difficult experience, I realized it was not a service I could comfortably offer. Although I enjoy creating my own covers, I knew I didn't have the patience or know-how or programs to do them for others. I'm not a consistent blogger, so turning my blog into a source of income stream wasn't a good fit, either. 

But I've spent my whole life reading stories out loud – to my siblings, to the kids on the school bus (usually my own serial novels before I knew they were called that! I'd write a new chapter each night and read it on the way to school the next day), then to my children, and hopefully, one day soon, to my grandchildren. I'm also quite comfortable behind a microphone, being a member of a very musical family (we have a family band, aptly named “The Rowdy Doughtys), and we already had much of the equipment I'd need to narrate from my home.

So my husband and I converted a closet in my office into a sound booth, purchased a few pieces of equipment and software as we could afford it, and now, almost a year later, I just completed my 19^th audiobook. I've had some wonderfully patient authors who have ridden the learning curve with me, and I'm really beginning to find my groove with the audiobooks. It's a fairly simple thing to get into, but it requires a lot of work to make the business successful, and a willingness to constantly look for ways to produce better sound, better working relationships, better standards, better voices, better interpretations.

I'm also learning to be selective about material I narrate, not just based on content rating (I've labeled myself as a “Clean Reads” narrator, something that is remarkably subjective in this industry), but also based on the story itself, whether or not it's something I enjoy reading personally. My husband works alongside me in this business, and he can tell when my heart isn't in a project. He's a good filter for me.

As the proverbial shoemaker whose children go barefoot, I have yet to narrate one of my own books, but that's a project I'm looking forward to at the beginning of the year, starting with Elderberry Croft and Elderberry Days.

Thank you, again, Heather, and all the Novel Rocket gang, for having me here today. I've learned so much from what others share on this website. Don't forget! I'm gifting e-book copies of Elderberry Croft and Elderberry Days to all who comment here from now until December 25^th! Be sure and leave your email address and the format you prefer: pdf, mobi for Kindle, or epub. Merry Christmas, friends!

HG: Thank you so much, Becky, and your giveaway just shows your heart of giving to others. Thank you for all the time and encouragement you've given to me! And be sure to comment with your email to receive your e-book copies of Becky's books!

Read More

BOOK CLUB TALK WITH THE BOOK CLUB LADY

I usually interview authors in this spot about their book club experience. I thought today I’d let you get to know the woman behind those interviews, she's called The Book Club Lady. I work at a Christian book store (and have for 11 years). When customers are stuck about a title, author or latest release my co-workers call me for help. I’m known as The Book Club Lady (at my job and other places) because I run two face to face book clubs. I used to run them both in the Christian book store I work at until we down sized last year and lost the huge space we had for meetings. The church I attend was grateful to supply a space for the larger book club to meet.

My husband and I co-founded The Book Club Network were many book clubs, members and authors meet to talk about their latest great find in the Christian Fiction genre. TBCN is celebrating our 2nd Birthday Party starting from August 1st until the end of the month. Thanks to our sponsors Bethany House and Revell Publishers for this opportunity for so much book fun and also to Jeane with Wynn and Wynn Media for allowing us to giveaway 10 books a day all month long; we will be announcing winners once a week until the end of August. 


Thanks also goes to the authors that have given of their time and book giveaways to make this a very special time for everyone. BIG THANKS to all the BLOGGERS and AUTHORS who BLOGGED about this event. I'm very grateful for your help in spreading the word about our birthday party and all the fun we are having. You are precious to me~ 

I thought it would be appropriate that you get to know The Book Club Lady and The Book Club Network, on TBCN's Birthday Month. I'll also tell you how you can join the network and the party celebration(it’s free), win free books each month, promote your book and book club meetings and so much more!

Nora St.Laurent is The Book Club Lady – Nora’s Bio: Nora is the CEO of The Book Club Network Incorporated. Nora and her husband run The Book Club Network www.bookfun.org She runs two book clubs near Atlanta, Ga., Former ACFW On-Line Book Club. Nora currently writes a Book Club column for the Christian Fiction OnLine Magazine and is a Book Club Talk Columnist for Novel Rocket. You can read author interviews on her Finding Hope Through Fiction blog, located at http://www.psalm516.blogspot.com, and reviews around the web at The Christian Pulse Mag, Title Trakk, Novel Reviews, and Suspense Zone.

What inspired you start TBCN?

The Book Club Network was born out of a desire to share Christian Fiction authors with other book clubs, share book club ideas with other leaders and to encourage the authors who are writing such amazing books. The economy has been really tough for a few years and people are not parting with money like they used to. Through TBCN they can take their time and find the right book or win it. We have give away opportunities each month. ALL of our contests are from the 19th – 21st of the month.

I run two face to face book clubs one at the Christian Book Store I work at and the other at the church I attend. It’s a position I never imagined I’d be in since I didn’t read for pleasure much before I started working in a Christian book store 11 years ago.

But since I love talking with people and the main thing to talk about in a book store is books I started reading Christian Fiction (publishers sent ARC copies to our store and I started checking them out) The first book that rocked my world and got me hooked in Christian Fiction was a book by Linda Nichols called Not a Sparrow Falls her next book did me in and I couldn’t stop talking about it, At the Scent of Water was her next book that prompted me to contact the author and let her know how much her book touched my spirit.

After reading these two books and telling customers about these reads I had a reason to read.  These books spoke to me because I wasn’t expecting it. It reminded me of the stories in the bible. Jesus is the greatest story teller and He knew a story could change a life or prick our spirit and move us in a direction we never thought we’d be in.

I tell you all that to say I’m dyslexic and I have not been a fan of reading. Movies were more my thing. I could watch a movie of a book and have a lot more fun. Reading Christian Fiction changed my life in more ways than one.  I wanted to tell everyone about the greatest book I read, and I’d do that at the book store.  It was possible to talk about the new book I read and loved for about a month or more but when At the Scent of Water and Not a Sparrow Falls were not on the shelf anymore, I had to find some other books to talk about at work.  I’m not a very fast reader so; discovering the next new book was a challenge. Would I get the book read before it disappeared from the shelf?  How long do books live on a book shelf? The shelf life of a book was a mystery to me and still is.

I was whining to my husband Fred about my problem. How can I get the word out about great books for a very long period of time??? Being a man who likes to face challenges head we began to talk about how we could do this and the fact that I can’t read books fast enough to keep up with it’s shelf life at the store.
I also told him as a book club leader I wanted to promote great books and share them with other groups. Not everyone has the advantage of working at a book store and see what new books hit the shelves each week. Another struggle I had was if I had an author speaking at my book club I wanted to share them with other book clubs in the area. How could I do that? Where are book clubs meeting?

Our answer to many of these questions and more was the birth of The Book Club Network - TBCN. Connecting authors to book clubs and readers to their books; it’s also a network of book clubs as they post what they’ve read and how the meeting turned out.

It’s a place to find where a book club is located. We have a member map where you can find a book club near you. Message them and see if they are accepting new members. I envision it to be similar to be similar to the Weight Watchers program (don’t laugh Grin) you can go to a meeting anywhere in the country right? All you have to do is look on line and get connected. This is my hope for the future of TBCN.

Have there been any surprises for you @TBCN? What benefits have you seen by bringing readers and authors together?

I’ve been encouraged and fascinated by our growth. I can see there were other people out there like me wanting to connect with other book club members.

I’ll tell you what has surprised me is the author/reader interaction each month. This is something I didn’t foresee as I’ve watch the authors are having a blast interacting with the readers and visa/versa. The beauty of this discussion is it’s there forever for all to read no matter when you join TBCN.

The authors have done a great job coming up with questions for reader to answer that give them a peek into their book – create interest and then the discussion helps book club leaders connect with the author. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the amount of authors that want to be featured @The Book Club Network. It’s been a great thing.

The interaction with the authors is almost like having a book club meeting on line. It’s a huge benefit for both the authors who’ve wanted to ask clubs questions and readers who want to get to know authors. The authors are catching on. Our sponsors have loved the interaction as well. Members have told me that they love the author interaction from the 19th-21st as much as having a chance to win all these books. It’s hard to know if a book will be a fit for your group so these interaction times are helpful for that and so much more. Another thing I love about TBCN members is the fact they are not afraid to share what they think in a good way. I’ve learned so much and laughed out loud in some discussion where the questions lead to sharing funny moments.

My hope is that book club leaders and/or members participate in the discussions and make that book connection with the author and their book. I want TBCN to be a tool for them in picking out their books. Maybe invite the author to speak to their book club on the phone. It’s my hope. The discussion will be there forever. No worries about a books shelf live here @TBCN. So, everyone has time to get to know each other!! It’s a beautiful thing!

How can readers join in the anniversary celebrations?

It’s easy to sign up to be a member of TBCN.  We ask a few questions for you to answer and for other information that helps us keep spammers and other information seekers out of the network. It’s also FREE. You have opportunities to win lots of books. For our BIRTHDAY BASH we are giving away 10 books a day and announcing winners once a week. You’ll have all week to enter the daily featured contests.

Here’s the line up of our sponsored authors Bethany House’s featured author will be Don Hoesel with his new book Serpent of Moses. Revell’s Featured authors are as follows: The Haven by Suzanne Woods fisher, Lethal Legacy by Irene Hannon, Dying to Read by Lorena McCourtney, Perfectly Ridiculous by Kristin Billerbeck, Food Family Style Cook Book by Leigh Oliver Vickery, Story by Steven James and Love’s Reckoning by Laura Frantz. Sound Great!! There are a lot more!  Mark your calendars and Join in the book fun!

Do you have any other comments for my readers?

 If you are avid reader this is the place for you to learn about the latest in Christian Fiction and interact with the author each month.

Are you a book club leader? or a Book Club Leader Wannabe? Well this is the place for you to find your next book club pick. We’d also love for you to set up your Book club page at our site for others to see. It’s a place to share your latest featured book. Post pictures of your club and the field trips you’ve taken. The authors you’ve met and the book fun you’ve had. Learn from other book clubs that have already set up their pages.

Want to start a book club but felt it was too overwhelming? You can learn from other experienced book club leaders, and you can start right away making your book club list!

Do you like to win books? This is the place for you. You’ll have a chance to get to know the authors and their books and read genre’s you normally wouldn’t. We’ve been giving away about 100 books a month and for our birthday bash it’s going to be 10 books every day; starting August first. Winners are picked weekly and announced each weekly.

THANK YOU for your time and helping us highlight Christian Fiction for our members who love to read it, blog about it and have their book selections made easy for book club at The Book Club Network www.bookfun.org  . Looking forward to seeing you at our Birthday Bash!!


Nora :o)
The Book Club Lady @ TBCN

Read More

Book Giveaway

Linda is giving away a copy of her latest book in the pet-sitter series, Never Say Sty. For a chance to win this title, please leave a comment for our guest along with your email addie.

Read More

Book Giveaway by Jeff

Jeff has agreed to giveaway a book. Just leave a comment for him after his interview and he'll choose one person to receive an autographed copy of his holiday mystery.

Read More

Book Giveaway from E.J. Rand

Choose one of E.J. Rand's three mysteries, SAY GOODBYE, PERFECT COVER, and coming in June 2009, HIGHER CALLING, all published by Deadly Ink Press. Leave your email address in the comments section for a chance to win one of these mysteries from this award-winning author.

Read More