Wednesday, October 2, 2013

The Forbidden Secrets Of The Goody Box: October Author Showcase

Valerie J. Lewis-Coleman
 This month on 'The Self-Published Life',  I am honored to feature Author Valerie J. Lewis-Coleman. Every month I will be showcasing self-published authors who are making their dreams of being a published author come true. Now sit back, relax, and enjoy this insightful post, featuring author and entrepreneur, Mrs. Valerie J. Lewis-Coleman.

BIO


Valerie J. Lewis Coleman has helped thousands of women find relational fulfillment. With over twenty years of experience in family and relationships, this expert explains how to identify the four types of male hunters, avoid seventy percent of men who only want the goody box and win the heart of Mr. Right-For-You. She shares how she overcame personal struggles and offers proven techniques to help you get off the crazy cycle of relational demise in her novel The Forbidden Secrets of the Goody Box!

Excerpt:

The Forbidden Secrets of the Goody Box

What your father didn’t tell you and your mother didn’t know

 Chapter 1

 For the Love of Vincent

 Sunday-morning service stirred Debra Hampton’s heart. The poignant message convinced her to resolve a matter that had her torn for almost a year. She had been undecided about whether to marry her live-in boyfriend, Vincent. He didn’t share her religious beliefs and refused to go with her to church, but she knew that he was the best man for her. He laughed at her silly antics, talked with her about her ambitions and encouraged her to greatness. He made her the focal point of his life and involved her in every decision no matter how minute. But it was his touch that held her hostage, kept her toying with God’s love by giving herself to a man who was not her husband.
With her head bowed to hide the free-flowing tears, she exited the church without speaking to anyone. She sat in her Mercedes S550, took a moment to freshen her makeup, expelled a sigh of relief. She looked to Heaven through the panorama sunroof, smiled, closed her eyes, gave thanks. The decision to accept Vincent’s proposal resonated; filled her with peace as she trusted the Lord with her soul mate.
The thirty-minute drive from the inner-city church to her suburban home gave her ample time to reflect upon the life they would build together: three children, business partnership and unlimited mind-blowing sex. The rush of blood to her southern bell—the name her mother called her vagina when she was a child—gave her pause. Fortunately, she was stopped at a red light. She clicked through the Sirius Satellite stations and then opted to enjoy tunes Vincent had downloaded to her iPod a few nights prior.
As she turned into Creekwood Estates—a lavish community north of Dayton—she admired the mansion-sized homes set hundreds of feet from the street. Manicured lawns featured rows of exotic trees, shrubbery and blooming flowers. Cobblestone driveways boasted luxury cars and backyards had customized gym sets or in-ground pools.
Her stucco and brick palatial home was small in comparison to those of her neighbors, but it was big enough for her family-to-be. She loved the side-entry, three-car garage because it camouflaged the unpacked moving boxes from passersby. She parked in the usual spot—closest to the mudroom door—and then she smiled wide. “He’s home.”
Debra grabbed her purse and Bible and then jaunted into the house. She placed her belongings on the granite countertop, careful not to make noise. Since the television wasn’t locked on a sporting event, Vincent had to be resting in the master suite. A 3,500-square-foot home and he preferred the family room and bedroom.
She slipped off her stilettos, tiptoed up the stairs. Her heart beat faster with each step. She wiped her palms together to dry the sweaty moisture, pressed her ear to the door. His subtle snores seeped through. She giggled and then covered her mouth to halt the escape of more laughter.
She opened the door, peeked in, swung it wide. “Vincent! What the devil?”
“Debra, what are you doing here?” After a quick dismount, he rummaged the floor for his Fruit of the Looms. “When’d you get home?”
“Who is this woman and why is she in my bed?” She ran to the side of the bed, towered over her betrayer. Breath stalled in her throat, eyes widened. “Catherine!”
Catherine—the first person to welcome Debra to the neighborhood—reached for her clothes, scurried to dress.
Debra lunged at her, snatched her by the ponytail, drew back her fist. Just as she connected with Catherine’s right jaw, Vincent grabbed Debra around the waist, pulled her away. She flailed her arms, kicked at his shins, head-butted him in the mouth. When he released her, she pursued Catherine who was halfway down the stairs, underwear in tow.
Debra leapt from the top stair, using Catherine as a landing pad. Spewing expletives, she pummeled her in the back of the head, until Vincent pulled her off.
He tightened his grip on Debra’s arms, spun her around to look him in the eyes. “Stop it!” A trickle of blood oozed from the corner of his mouth.
“I cannot believe you had that female up in my house.” The same channels that had released tears of joy now flooded her face in sadness. “Vincent, how could you?” She watched Catherine sprint through the backyard; battered, bruised and butt-naked.
“I tried to tell you, but—”
“You tried to tell me what? The last thing I knew, you were looking for an engagement ring.”
“I was…for Catherine.”
Debra’s head danced like a bobble-head doll, her vision blurred. Her body quivered and then went slack as she collapsed in Vincent’s arms.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A few minutes later, Debra awoke on the family-room couch. She picked up the note that set on the table.
Debra,
I’m sorry you had to find out like this. I’ll be back to get my things. I love you, but not enough to make you my wife.
Vincent
As she let the note float to the floor, the back door opened and then closed. The man whom she was willing to love forever had tiptoed out of the house and driven out of her life.
The agony of unreciprocated love left Debra in despair. Virtual restrainers confined her to the bedroom—the viaduct of deceit. She cried until her body heaved and the reservoir of tears was empty.


Where you can purchase the book:


http://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Secrets-Goody-Box-ebook/dp/B004ZS90KY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1312430841&sr=1-1

 Contacting Valerie:


 


Also by Valerie:

Valerie J. Lewis Coleman, changing the world one author at a time!
  • Self-Publishing Made Easy - Master self-publishing to make money!
  • The Forbidden Secrets of the Goody Box - What your father didn't tell you and your mother didn't know. Click here to read the first chapter. For Kindle, click here; for Nook and other formats, click here.
  • Blended Families An Anthology - A real account of life in a stepfamily because we are not the Brady Bunch! There's a blessing in the blending! Click here to read stories.  For Kindle, click here; for Nook and other formats, click here.

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Until next time,


 

Friday, September 27, 2013

Stop Being Stingy

Fear Of Advertising Will Kill Your Sales

I see it all too often.

A good business idea never makes it past the infant stage because the business owner was scared of one thing: the 'a' word.

What is this word that kills so viciously?

This word that causes people to cringe?

It is a word that should make those with something to sell very happy.

Instead, this 'a' word, makes people tingle with fear.

This dreaded word I speak of, is advertising.

Why are so many so called entrepreneurs afraid of spending money in effort to promote their products and service?

 

I will tell you why.

There are mainly one of three reasons.

They are either broke, stingy or lazy.

It may be harsh, but it is true.

Many entrepreneurs start their businesses on a wing and a prayer, hoping that they will make enough money from the people who find them through word of mouth.

Don't get me wrong, word of mouth is great for advertising, but how are the words of your business going to get into anyone's mouth if they know nothing about you to begin with?

The same goes for authors.

With so many free platforms available for authors to publish their books on, many tend to think that they don't have to advertise; that people will just so happen to stumble upon their books and make them a bestseller.

Uh-uh, nope, not gonna happen captain.

Even if your advertising costs nothing but investing in a domain name that you will use to promote your work, you need to advertise some sort of way.

Stop being so darn stingy, yet expecting people to spend their money with you.

That is not the way the world works.

Even the bible tells us to give and it shall be given unto us.

Now, you're probably reading this and saying, 'Sandra, this is NOT your normal stuff'.

And you're right. Today's a little different.

I am trying to get you to see that if you invest in someone else's business, people will in turn invest in yours.

Whether it's to buy books, purchase a personal training session, whatever.

The rules don't change.

So, here's my challenge to you.

Stop being stingy and start being more supportive.

If someone offers a service you need and it won't break your bank (yes, you must use wisdom), then support them and buy their service. And in exchange, ask them to support you.

I have sold many books this way, as well as other products and services.

So, don't be mad. Be happy that I care enough about you to tell you to step up your game and start doing what the big kids do: advertise and support.

Until next time,

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Want To Sell More Books? Be More Social.

 To Succeed As An Author, You Must Connect With Readers.

There is a sad misconception in the publishing industry. Many authors tend to think that just because they wrote a book, success is going to magically find them.

In order to become the success you want to be, you have to learn how to connect with your readers.

The best way to do that is through the use of social media.

Your readers are hanging out on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube and other places online.

Not connecting with them there could prove to not only be detrimental to your book sales, but it could also have the same bearing on your career as an author in general.

People buy from those they know, like and trust.


This is true in the business world as well as in the real world.

If your readers can't find a connection with you, they will not buy your book.

I like to read books of the authors that I have built relationships with.

I have many author friends whose books I have purchase simply because I knew them and wanted to support them. Many of these people I managed to build relationships with via a social media outlet.

As an author, you need to use the power of social media to your advantage.


These outlets should be play a major role in the overall marketing plan of your book.

So how do you use these outlets to foster relationships with potential readers, fans and followers.

Be real. Be unique. Be yourself.

Don't set up a Facebook page just to get likes.


You want to use your Facebook page to actually engage with the people you want to buy your books.

Introduce yourself to people. Answer their questions and let them have a little sneak peak inside your life.

Don't spend all day just tweeting about your book. Nobody wants you selling to them all day.

Remember, the key word in social media is social.


Spend more time talking to your tribe and you will see an increase in both your book sales and profits.

Until next time,

Saturday, September 21, 2013

7 Reasons To Self-Publish

Your Book Deserves A Fighting Chance



If you are one the thousands of aspiring authors contemplating self-publishing, here are seven good reasons why you should stop putting it off and put yourself in the running to become 'best-selling author'.

1. Save Time. Most traditional publishers work on an 18 month cycle. By working with Sandra, your book can be completed in as little as 2 months!

2. Control. Self-Publishing gives you the final say on the direction of your book.

3. Bigger Profits. A large publisher may finance the project but may only offer a 5 to 15% royalty. Since all authors must do their own promoting anyway, why not self-publish and earn a 40-400% margin? If your book becomes a hit, publishers will come calling. This will give you the upper hand in negotiations.

4. Sole Owner. As a self-publisher, you own all rights to your book. A traditional publisher owns the rights. If they lose interest in your book, you cannot print additional copies unless you purchase those rights back.

5. Filling a Niche. Traditional Publishers may not take interest in your book, especially if it deals with a very specific topic. They may feel the demand is not great enough to warrant a large press run. Your book may fill a niche that has not been met, and you can test the waters with short run printing. If you are an expert in the field, who better to publish and sell?

6. Local Advantage. Books about local or regional topics are generally produced by local authors in short run quantities. Large publishers will decline publishing these books because of their limited sales potential.

7. Be In Print. Making money is not the only reason to publish. Sharing what you have learned or leaving a legacy to your family are other admirable motives.

If you are considering whether or not self-publishing is for you, I have put together manual to help make the entire process go a lot smoother. It's called 'The Self-Publishing Blueprint: the easy way to publish, promote and sell your own book.' Read more about it and purchase your copy here.

Until next time,


Thursday, September 19, 2013

Experiment in Self-Publishing Leads to Ebook Success

 Find A Need And Fill It...With Your Book


Eric Goldman and Rebecca Tushnet self-published a legal casebook on advertising and marketing law as an ebook.

The reasoning behind self-publishing the book was due to the fact that there were no published casebooks covering advertising and advertising law and professors found themselves having to compile their own materials to use in the courses.

Goldman and Tushnet saw this as an opportunity and published an 870 page, 400,000 word casebook to fill the need.

The two utilized self-publishing platforms such as Scribd and Gumroad to publish the book, seeing which medium was the better one to use.

Through their experience, Goldman and Tushnet were able to reflect on some of the pros and cons of self-publishing.

You can read about the pros and cons that they learned, as well as read the entire story on Forbes.com.

Until next time,

What If You Were The 400 Million Dollar Powerball Winner?

Many Dream Of Winning Big, But Few Ever Do

Who doesn't dream of winning the lottery?
On Wednesday, September 18, 2013, the nation's fifth largest jackpot ever was up for grabs. It's amazing how investing in a two dollar ticket could possibly make you a multi-millionaire.
Though millions of people dream of one day becoming an instant millionaire, the reality is, only a few ever get that opportunity.
Honestly, it would probably be better if you didn't win.



A special on ABC's 20/20 shared the story of one man whose streak of luck cost him his life.

Abraham Shakespeare was a truck driver's assistant who won a 30 million dollar lottery jackpot, receiving 17 million of that back in 2006. In 2009, Shakespeare was declared missing by his family and in January 2010, his body was found buried under a concrete slab in the backyard of an acquaintance.

On the fateful day of his winnings, Shakespeare had five dollars in cash on him. Of that five dollars, two were spent on lottery tickets.

Though he won 17 million dollars in 2006, by 2010, Abraham was broke.

Shakespeare was upset with all of the people who had come to him asking for money, pretending to be his friend, only to get a handout from him.

Enter Dorice Donegan "Dee-Dee" Moore, who launched a business with Abraham and gave herself control over the firm's funds.

She used a million dollars to purchase a Hummer, a Corvette, and a truck, claiming the purchases to be gifts from Shakespeare.

On November 9, 2009, Abraham was reported missing.

It would only be a few months before Shakespeare's body would be found buried under 5 feet (1.5 m) of dirt under a newly constructed concrete slab.

Abraham Shakespeare was 43.

It's a very scary thought, but with so many people hurting for money, would winning the lottery actually make you a winner, or would you end up losing something far more valuable; like your life.

Here's my advice. If you do happen to be one of those who experience a lucky streak and end up winning millions in the lottery, make your first investment a bodyguard.

You should also have someone to manage your finances who has actually managed millions of dollars.

And know who your REAL friends and family are so that you don't get  bombarded with bums wanting a piece of your winnings.

 Until next time,







Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Shakespearehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Shakespeare

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Oh To Be Hated On Twitter

Twitter Is A Powerful Marketing Tool



Twitter has the power to make or break a person. Millions of people take to the microblogging site to post quick updates of their opinions or their 'what I'm doing right now' moments.

I was checking my email this morning and came across a very interesting article for the BET Daily News about how some people are using Twitter to bash their 'favorite' celebrities.

I say favorite loosely because by favorite I mean 'favorite person people love to hate'.

I understand that everyone is entitled to their opinion, but should we really be allowed to abuse that entitlement to bash people, even celebrities?

Case in point, if you watched this year's VMA's (Video Music Awards), you probably saw the Miley Cyrus performance that has everyone still talking. (And if you didn't, you can watch it here). Her shocking performance garnered over 300,000 tweets per minute.

Aww, the power of Twitter.

If only authors could realize magical power Twitter holds for them when it comes to book promotion.

Imagine having your raving fans running to post their opinions about you and your book, every minute.

It would spell more books sold and more clout for the author in general.

Yet, so many authors have no idea of just how to tap into the brilliance of Twitter.

So, here is an assignment for you.

  • If you haven't registered for a Twitter account yet, you need to do so.
  • Second, think of the hashtags you want to use in relation to your book.
  • Third, start to tweet, using your hashtags, and reaching out to your fans and followers. Be sure to tell them to follow you on Twitter if they are not already and think of something exclusive that only your Twitter followers can receive.
Twitter is a powerful marketing tool and if used correctly, could propel your writing career to astronomical heights.

Until next time,