So many books, so little time!

Unfortunately, my husband and I got a late start on our garden cleanup projects (after lunch). Although we braved a light rain, we finally surrendered to a downpour within the hour. That’s when I decided to touch base with my blogging buddies.

What I’d really like to do is to curl up and finish my current book: And the Dark Sacred Night, by Julia Glass, or even start my book club selection: Why I Left the Amish, by Saloma Miller Furlong. However, there are indoor chores that have fallen a bit behind during our recent push to tidy up our gardens, so I must be brief today.

A Doxie bookmark I made for my husband

I’m also reading Appearances, A Journey of Self-Discovery, which is a memoir by Renee Alter, whom I “met” in my online book-marketing challenge. We swapped files in exchange for reviews. That reminds me: I am looking for additional reviews of my memoir–even though it’s published already as a hardcover. For the simple price of your honest review, I can send you a .pdf file of Water's Edge: Growing Up in the Heart of a New England Village. Please email: VickieNewmanBooks.com.

 On my reading table

At the same online course, I discovered another memoir: Souled Out, by Viet Nam veteran Michael Orban. In fact, I’m trying to connect him with the right people at the Minneapolis Veteran’s Hospital, through my brother-in-law (a Physical Therapist there), to see if they are interested in buying Michael’s story. I hope you’ll offer up a little prayer with me that Michael increases his readership, with this lead! I can’t think of a more deserving author.

My tea is done and I must run….but only after I ask:

What’s on your reading table or wish list? 

One Author's Eye Opener: How D’vorah’s Book Marketing Challenge Changed my Vision

Welcome bloggers. Grab a cup of tea (or other beverage of choice) to enjoy with today’s topic, though I promise to keep it succinct.

I'll start with a question:  Have you ever accomplished something important only to learn you could have reached the same results by following a more direct path? That’s quite how I felt after writing my memoir last year and publishing it independently.

When I read D’vorah Lansky’s email in April inviting me to join her 30-day Book-Marketing Challenge, I felt certain I’d missed the boat: that is, I’d published without a clue as to what I would do next—not to mention that it’s an e-jungle out there. How could anyone claim to have a direct path for writers to reach their zenith, never mind their next rung on the book-marketing ladder?

Could D’vorah’s course help me? With the phrase “learning the hard way” looming large in my psyche, I signed up for her challenge.

Probably the single most unexpected outcome has been this marvelous lesson:  D’vorah creates a judgment-free zone where information is helpful regardless of where a participant falls on the learning continuum. Her forums are fun and informative even for less gregarious types.

Another impressive aspect of this course is that day after day D’vorah offered articles by subject-matter experts, and augmented these with live calls, audio presentations, checklists and other handy materials, making this a substantial learning experience. In particular, I will be applying two key strategies: collecting honest book reviews and guest blogging. Perhaps my loudest call to action will be to publish my book online (I hope within the month), as I now feel equipped to do. Did I mention this was all FREE (though for under $100 you can upgrade for even more features)?

So, how did D’vorah change my vision in her 30-day challenge? She and her team of experts catapulted me from a seemingly gormless spot by equipping me with knowledge, an action plan, a road map, AND many interesting acquaintances; for these gifts I am grateful!

About my memoir 

Water’s Edge: Growing Up in the Heart of a New England Village is set in pastoral Western Massachusetts and the Adirondacks during the 1950s and ’60s. 

It is a daughter’s introspective answer to the question of what happens when a woman gives up her dream of becoming a nun and marries a self-proclaimed Bohemian. In this poignant memoir of a young, inquisitive girl’s coming of age, we peer through a compassionate lens at pivotal events and conflicts fueled by her mother’s peculiar strictness and her family's legacy of secrets.

To visit my author page, go to: https://facebook.com/VickieNewmanBooks

For details on how to get a .pdf file of my memoir, in exchange for your honest review, or to buy a beautifully-bound book, send your email to me: VickieNewmanBooks@gmail.com.