So, my facebook contest ended early because the rules are changing and I didn't want to get caught up in all that...I counted up the results and the winning schools are now listed on my facebook page.TD Michael in Big River Sask, Parkland Elementary in Farmington BC, Canalta Elementary in Dawson Creek BC, and Notre Dame in Dawson Creek BC. Congratulations! I will be sending out books later this week. Right now I have been busy busy busy with marketing and finishing up my next book. I designed my first full page magazine ad that will be out in April. I hope it turns out alright. I have never created an ad before that had to be "camera ready" and I'm still not even sure what that means. But, I put it in a pdf file and left lots of room in the margins and am hoping for the best. I could spend so much time on marketing...it could be a full time job. I think that is a big secret to success in the publishing industry. You could have the best books and if you don't find away for people to get their hands on them it doesn't matter. It's frustrating to see that books that are less imaginative than my own (that share the same title) are in big box stores, while I am turned away. Not that I think my books are the best out there, but I know that little kids have been connecting with them and choosing them over other books. Sometimes I want to whine...but it's not fair....why don't stores take my books...just because I self published them...that's not a good enough reason...MANY reviewers even turn down books that are self published without even looking at them. Whatever. Then I think to myself, well, it is my job to get my books into the hands of children and I need to find creative ways to do it. I don't have a publisher that automatically includes me in a catalogue...so it is all up to me. Today I contacted www.babyheist.com to see about getting my books in for a heist...greatly reduces the profit margin...but I think of it as a marketing expense and then it sounds like fun. I hope that we can work something out. The first amount they wanted to discount the books is lower than the actual cost, so I hope they are open to work out a fair price. The books were suggested to retail for $15.99 but I just thought that was WAY too much for a paperback...so I paid to have the price lowered to $12.99 which is the lowest I could get it. Funny how the company I published through makes you pay to lower the cost of the books. They are so good in other ways, I'm overlooking that fact. They are definitely making their money from the authors...but I plan to be an exception. I would like them to make money from selling my books. They get a cut of all the profits, which is why they can't lower the price of the books more than I have already. Right now I am also looking into getting an animated iphone app done of one of my books. I am pricing it out between the company I have been using and another business that does this. I don't even have an iphone, but am getting one so I can do more research into what makes an good iphone app for kids books. I like the idea of using it while kids are waiting for a doc/dentist appointment, etc. I love the books lit up on the iphone and my daughter loves them too. She comes running to see what I'm doing when I'm researching them. I will always love books, and continue to fill my house with them, but this will be a nice edition to my collection. Does anyone who has been so bored that you have read all this rambling have any favourite picture book apps?? I like Cat in the Hat, it's cute...What makes a great picture book app for kids? |
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CategoriesBarefoot Books!Contests iphone apps, marketing, frustration, etc... Post a Link Printing and Binding Profit Margins The Price the Stigma of Self Publishing Welcome |
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