Category Archives: Technology
On April 6th 2012, Tyler R. Tichelaar and Victor R. Volkman spoke with Yvonne Rose, Associate Publisher and Senior Editor at Amber Communications Group, Inc. Ms. Rose began her stint at Amber Books in 1998 as the co-author of the Company’s flagship title, the national bestseller, Is Modeling for You? The Handbook and Guide for the Young Aspiring Black Model. Yvonne Rose was appointed to head Quality Press and has turned a few thousands of Self-Published authors manuscripts into completed books. She spoke with us a wide-range of issues relating to African-American authors specifically and publishing in general
- Writing for African American culture
- Publishing hurdles of African American books
- Target marketing to African American community
- Writing cross-culture book – mixed race books
- African American any different than other cultures?
- Getting the characters right for the culture
- Importance of covers depicting African American content
|
 Yvonne Rose |
| She recently published Ageless Beauty: The Ultimate Skincare and Makeup Book for Women and Teens of Color. (Amber Books). As the Director of Quality Press, Yvonne and her team of editors, designers and printers, oversee the editing, design/layout, registration and manufacturing of every self-published author’s books. She also consults with the authors regarding their marketing, production, promotional, distribution and publicity goals.Yvonne has ghost-written and co-written several top selling non-fiction titles, including: Natural Radiance: A Guide for Ethnic Skin Care (Global Skin Solutions Publishing) by Pamela Springer; Fighting for Your Life: The African American Criminal Justice Survival Guide (Amber Books) by John Elmore, Esq.; Led by the Spirit: A Sharecropper’s Son Tells His Story of Love, Happiness, Success and Survival (Strickland Books) by Robuster Strickland; Let Them Play…The Story of the MGAA (MGAA Books) by John David and A Journey that Matters: Your Personal Living Legacy (Lyceum Group Books) by Erline Belton. She is currently ghostwriting books for two high-profile personalities – retired Arizona Cardinal, Levvar Fisher, and WBLS New York Radio / Television host and personality Doctor Bob Lee. |
 Ageless Beauty: The Ultimate Skincare and Makeup Guide for Women and Teens of Color |
On March 14th, 2012 Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman spoke with singer, songwriter, restaurateur, and entrepreneur Ruby Dee Philippa. She is the lead singer of the Grammy-nominated high-octane roots and rockabilly act Ruby Dee and the Snakehandlers. Previously, Ruby owned three successful restaurants in Seattle, Washington, until she finally “settled down” as a musician in Austin, Texas, where she lives today. Her book, Ruby’s Juke Joint Americana Cookbook, is a veritable feast of down-home recipes meant to be enjoyed with family and friends. She shared delicious tidbits of hard-earned wisdom on self-publishing cookbooks from conception to sales and marketing:
- How far along was I when I began shopping the book around
- Where did I go first- agents? Publishers? What was the trail that I followed
- What sort of replies did I get?
- What sort of deal did I end up making?
- what was included in the deal (printing, distribution, publicity?)
- who owns the rights to the manuscript
- As a self published deal, did the publisher cover anything or was it all out of pocket?
what expenses can one expect to pay for this type of deal?
- What are the mechanics of integrating a bound-in music CD with a book?
- Am I happy with the outcome?
Raised in both the Northern California foothill ranches and the cotton and oil fields of the Texas panhandle, Ruby has worked on fishing boats in Alaska, lived in South America, and toured most of the United States as well as Europe. Her travels have inspired her devotion to Americana culture, which celebrates the melting pot heritage of the United States. |
 Ruby Dee Philippa  Ruby's Juke Joint Americana Cookbook |
On December 1st, 2011 Susan Violante and Tyler R. Tichelaar spoke with publisher and marketing guru Jacqueline Church (“JC”) Simonds. She is the co-owner of Beagle Bay, Inc, a book packaging and distribution company. Jacqueline is also the author of the historical novel Captain Mary, Buccaneer. We went back to basics for this episode and touched on all the fundamentals you need, including:
- Self-Publishing = Entrepreneurship. Can you handle the business or do you need a partner?
- Publishing is a $3 TRILLION a year, global business. Are you ready to compete?
- Most new publishers are woefully lacking in knowledge about the book business.
- Should you go for a “Doing Business As” (dba) or incorporate?
- How many ISBNs should you buy – 1? 10? 1000
- Understand the new business models of Print on Demand (POD) + distribution, eBooks, and offset printing.
- Marketing = Sales. How do you plan to reach your reader/buyer in the first few months, and from then on?
|
 Jacqueline Church Simonds |
| Jacqueline is a book shepherd, assisting self-publishers and start-up presses in launching their businesses. Much of her knowledge about publishing can be found at the Creative Minds Press site New Self-Publisher’s FAQIn Captain Mary, Buccaneer, Simonds has crafted an enduring tale that will satisfy readers with its swashbuckling action, dark intrigue, and torrid romance. The book is the result of Simonds’ extensive research into the pirate subculture of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth centuries. From the tales of real women pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read who were tried for piracy in Spanishtown, Jamaica in 1721, Simonds has created a character who would be as at home on Wall Street as she is on the heaving deck of an 18th century brigantine. If you enjoy curling up in your favorite chair with a great adventure story, then this book is for you!
|
 Captain Mary, Buccaneer |
On October 20th, 2011 Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman spoke with children’s author and publisher Karl Beckstrand. Since 2004 he has run his own publishing company Premio Publishing and a Spanish language imprint Gozo Books—producing captivating stories, ads, and scripts. Beckstrand has experience in high tech, TV/radio broadcasting, film, and public policy. Karl shared with us key points on writing and producing children’s activity books, including:
- How do you market activity books?
- How do you distribute them?
- Do parents/educators prefer physical books for kids?
- Why activity books/Why not just picture story books?
- What kinds of activities engage children?
- Are activities with adults more beneficial?
- Bilingual books
|
 Karl Beckstrand |
| Karl Beckstrand has written 5 books that have versions in English, Spanish, and Bi-lingual for a total of 21 editions. Raised in San Jose, California, USA, he is pursuing an MA in international relations from American Public University. He has lived abroad, been a Spanish/English interpreter, and he enjoys volleyball and kayaking (usually not at the same time). Beckstrand’s activity books, Spanish & bilingual books, ebook mysteries, and nonfiction stories feature minority characters and have been lauded by national reviews. His work has appeared in diverse places such as: Children’s Miracle Network, BioPhotonics Magazine, Papercrafts Magazine, LDS Film Festival and various broadcasts. He hope readers will get from his books–LAUGHS, learning and family fun |
 Bad Bananas: A Story Cookbook for Kids |
| On August 19th, 2011 Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman spoke with publishing and marketing guru Paul McNeese. Paul spent 27 years writing for radio, TV, newspapers, magazines and in corporate America before retiring to create his own organization. Paul’s new company, OPA Author Services, helps both first-time authors and seasoned professionals to self-publish their materials—in other words, to become their own publishers. In this session of Authors Access, Paul McNeese is with us to offer some thoughts – and perhaps a little advice – on a vital aspect of “branding” for writers and authors |
 Paul McNeese |
| In 2008 Paul McNeese re-focused his work and began guiding authors only through the development and production of books and E-books — and then turning his clients over to a consortium of trusted experts he gathered over the years specifically to handle marketing, promotion, publicity and distribution. Even though he limits his personal work to operations that end with the printing or electronic publication of a book, Paul knows that the marketing plan is a vital component of the consultant/client relationship and essential to the success of both books and authors, so he keeps up with all of the new approaches to book marketing and starts every new project by building a plan with each client that will make the transformation from concept to cash register a seamless one. |
 OPA Author Services |
