Margaret Fieland: Poetry and Prose

Ruthie and the Hippo's Fat
Behind

Tell us something about yourself?
Many years ago, I owned a pet store in Australia, and sold tropical fish and goldfish. My husband, Alan, an American from New York, had set up a wholesale fish hatchery in Queensland, the state where I lived. I was his first customer – and the rest is history!!
We married, had 3 kids, and after 7 years, we packed up and came to live in Oregon. We’ve been here almost 30 years, now. Alan had gone to college here, and always wanted to live in Oregon. I love it here – the mountains, the snow, the rivers, forests and waterfalls – even the rain!
Our kids are now grown , and have presented us with four grandchildren: the light(s) of my life I confess!
I didn’t begin serious writing until our son left for college – then, I ran out and bought my first computer. It had a HUGE 1 ½ gig hard drive: and I wondered why it always crashed!!!

How did you come to write “Ruthie and the Hippo’s Fat Behind?”
Ruthie was a story that just popped into my head, like many of my stories, one night when I couldn’t sleep. I knew many children often suffered deep emotional trauma due to sudden changes in their lives – whether due to a death, a move, or a divorce etc. I tiptoed into the bathroom, where I kept paper and pencil, crouched on the toilet seat, and scribbled the bare bones of it down, so I wouldn’t forget it by morning.
Gems that appear to me in the night often fade by morning, so my midnight bathroom writing happen often. I thought Ruthie’s plight would make a fun picture book on one level, yet on a deeper level, also offer comfort, support, and guidance to both needy children and their parents – a two-fer if you will. Hopefully, the kids who need help will identify with Ruthie and root for her. And the Parent-Teacher guide provides a Q & A kids can answer about Ruthie and her behavior, plus links parents or teachers might find helpful.

Why did you decide to write it in rhyme?
I didn’t choose to write “Ruthie” in rhyme. That’s just the way the story flowed onto the page. I must confess. . . rhyme comes easily to me, and many of my characters choose to face the world in rhyming mode. The big PLUS, when using rhyme, is that it’s FUN. Children seem to absorb rhyming facts and details faster and easier: think of those old nursery rhymes we all still remember.

Who is your favorite author? Favorite book?
A Broken Shard, Holes, The Sign of the Seahorse, Alice in Wonderland, The Lovely Bones

Gennifer Choldenk , Steve Young, Terry Prachett, Louis Sachar.
There are many more as well.

If you could be reincarnated as any writer you want, who would you pick?
Charles Dickens. I once went three stations beyond my own, and had to walk five miles home in the blazing sun, in high heels, because of him. “A Tale of Two Cities” has a lot to of blisters to answer for!!

How did you get started writing?
When we first arrived in Oregon, our kids were small. I didn’t want them to forget their Aussie heritage, so I put a National Geographic map of the Aussie animals on their bedroom wall. Each night, before they went to sleep, I would tell them a story about one of the animals, right off the top of my head.
After they went to school, I became a teacher’s-aid, and I often talked to classes about Australia, and it’s weird and wonderful critters. I told my animal stories to the classes as well. After a while, hands would shoot up, and kids would say, ” But Mrs Finke, the ending was different last time!!” My teacher friend said I should write them down, and I did. That was the beginning.
I bought a computer, joined the then fledgling Children’s Writer’s online list, and wrote some truly terrible stories. Like most beginners, I had no idea of pace, plot, or character enrichment. My stories waffled on for pages. But a small group of CW writers mentored me. They read and critiqued my pages, and helped me write tighter, with more focus and less waffles. Let’s face it, waffles go better with syrup – for breakfast – right? I wrote, wrote, wrote, joined SCBWI, and went to lots of their conferences.
I think one of the hardest things a writer can do is write a great children’s book – especially a picture book. A friend of mine has a mother-in-law who sniffs every time she has another of her picture books published. “That’s nice dear, but when are you going to write a REAL book” she always asks. I admire my friend’s restraint!

What are you working on now?
At the moment, I am giving a final once-over to my next book to be publishes – hopefully in July of this year. “Taconi and Claude – Double Trouble” is a mid-grade adventure for boys, and is set in the Australian outback, near where I grew up.
Taconi, a lone aboriginal boy on Coorparoo Cattle Station, and lives with his dad, the Station cookie. His only friend is Claude, a sulfur crested cockatoo, with a big mouth, and a fund of wacky one-liners. He hunts bush meat to save his dad’s job, and later, a disaster at the homestead, makes Taconi a hero of sorts.
Yet he is torn between helping his dad, plus a life on Coorparoo Cattle Station, or the call of the Dreamtime Spirits, and the magic of the elusive kingfisher feather. Will a visit from Dreamtime Spirits guide Taconi into making the right choice? And of course Claude is always on hand to offer advice, and poke his beak into everything.
This fun adventure includes danger, a crazed emu, Dreamtime Spirits, a midnight Corrorobee, and all the rattlesnake, yabbies, and witcetty grubs a boy can eat.

Do you have a set time for writing? A set place?
When the kids left home, I turned the old playroom off the kitchen into my work area. It has a large computer area set-up, a sofa, chairs, and a fireplace to keep me toasty in winter.
I work there every afternoon.
Of course this year, most of my days are spent doing the exercises that help my knee replacement surgery and eventual recovery. Unfortunately, complications have slowed this down, and I am still not able to get out and about. This puts a real kink in my ability to personally promote “Ruthie.” So far I am working the Internet and hoping for the best!!

What is the most helpful writing advice you’ve gotten?
Join a good critique group where you will get advice from advanced or published writers. Sometimes we work on something for so long, we completely lose focus. A set of fresh and knowledgeable eyes can pinpoint a weak plot area, a character that doesn’t ring true, or places where you waffle on unnecessarily. Critters can guide you into writing tight and terrific stories. “Secrets of Writing for Children,” on my website, offers helpful clues about crafting a great story: http://mysite.ncnetwork.net/restbcm8/Secrets.html#Sec

What is the least helpful advice?
I have never received bad advice.

Where can readers get your book?
“Ruthie and the Hippo’s Fat Behind”

Author: Margot E. Finke www.margotfinke.com
Illustrations: KC Snider www.KCSniderart.com
** Snider is a well known fine artist who regularly shows her work in galleries, as well as known for her book illustrations.

Print ISBN 13: 978-1-61633-059-0
eBook ISBN 13: 978-1-61633-060-6

SAMPLE VERSE:
“Young Ruthie’s mood changed overnight, her smiles slunk off in gloom.
She wouldn’t talk to Mom or Dad. She refused to leave her room.
Her parents scolded, begged and coaxed, but Ruthie paid no mind,
Her moods grew big and ugly – like some Hippo’s fat behind.”

When Ruthie moved, she left all her friends and family behind. She left her old happy self behind too. She sulked, was rude to her parents, and threw tantrums. What had happened to their darling girl? Then, something unexpected surprised her, and the happy Ruthie returned. Find out what made Ruthie feel her old self again?

**Parent-Teacher guide included

Where to buy:

Guardian Angel Publishing (GAP)
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/ruthie.htm

Margot Finke –
http://mysite.ncnetwork.net/restbcm8/Margot%27s%20Books.htm#other

OR – http://preview.tinyurl.com/GAP-Books
** A Personal Autograph comes with each hard copy bought from Margot’s website + a bookmark. Also view Trailer, sample verses and illustrations.
SOON – available from Amazon, B&N, Target and more.
It seems to take a while for them to put up new books + covers.

Any last words?
Just a sincere “thank you” for taking the time to interview me, and get out the word about “Ruthie”

Well, EJ and I have again exchanged chapters {claps self and worthy chapter buddy on back}, and I’ve started working on comments I received from my in-person critique group, too. Today I’d like to start on another chapter and finish up working through the comments I got.

Oh, yes, and I was able to pass on advice I’d received at a recent teleseminar to fellow WCC-er
Melissa Dean, who will be going to a conference soon.

I didn’t do much writing yesterday — instead I finished eading a nifty sci-fi novel, “Veracity” by Laura Bynum. I highly recommend starting it when you have all day to devote to it…

And here’s one that I plan to buy:
“A New Birth of Freedom,” by Robert G. Pielke

It’s an alternative history sci fi novel. Here’s the blurb:

The world shatters for University history professor, Edwin Blair, when his wife and daughter are killed by an invading force of alien monsters. Life no longer seems worth living and the eminent destruction of everything else he once held dear no longer matters. So when the scientific team tasked with repelling the invasion approaches Blair with a request, he agrees without a second thought.

His task?

Convince Abraham Lincoln and Robert E. Lee to bring their combined armies to bear on the invasion instead of attacking each other at Gettysburg on July 3, 1863.

The fact that they lived and fought 300 years before Blair was even born is the least of his worries.

I absolutely love alternative history sci fi {drool}. But I promise, really I do, to write my chapter and finish my edits before I run out to buy it…

1st Karen Cioffi Virginia Grenier Karen Cioffi is featuring Virginia Grenier
2nd Kathy Stemke Robert Medak Kathy Stemke is featuring Robert Medak
3rd Nancy Famolari Jane Sutton Nancy Famolari is featuring Jane Sutton
4th Margaret Fieland Marietta Taylor Margaret Fieland is featuring Marietta Taylor
5th Vivian Zabel Janet Ann Collins Vivian Zabel is featuring Janet Ann Collins
6th Elysabeth Eldering Debra Eckerling Elysabeth Eldering is hosting Debra Eckerling
7th Helena Harper Nancy Famolari Helena Harper is featuring Nancy Famolari
8th Carolyn Howard-Johnson Heidi Thomas Carolyn Howard-Johnson is featuring Heidi Thomas
9th Mayra Calvani Kari Wolfe Mayra Calvani is featuring Kari Wolfe
10th Marvin Wilson Steven Trent Marvin Wilson is featuring Steven Trent
11th Stephen Tremp Dallas Woodburn Stephen Tremp is featuring Dallas Woodburn
12th Darcia Helle Vivian Zabel Darcia Helle is featuring Vivian Zabel
13th Marth Swirzinski Maggie Ball Martha Swirzinski is featuring Maggie Ball
14th Heidi Thomas Helena Harper Heidi Thomas is featuring Helena Harper
15th Debra Eckerling Gary Murning Debra Eckerling is featuring Gary Murning
16th Dallas Woodburn Brigitte Thompson Dallas Woodburn is featuring Brigitte Thompson
17th Maggie Ball Mayra Calvani Maggie Ball is featuring Mayra Calvani
18th Kevin McNamee Margaret Fieland Kevin McNamee is featuring Margaret Fieland
19th Janet Ann Collins Martha Swirzinski Janet Ann Collins is featuring Martha Swirzinski
20th Katie Hines Kevin McNamee Katie Hines is featuring Kevin McNamee
21st Brigitte Thompson Darcia Helle Brigitte Thompson is featuring Darcia Helle
22nd Marietta Taylor Marvin Wilson Marietta Taylor is featuring Marvin Wilson
23rd Kari Wolfe Jessica Kennedy Kari Wolfe is featuring Jessica Kennedy
24th Jane Sutton Katie Hines Jane Sutton is Katie Hines
25th Gary Murning Elysabeth Eldering Gary Murning is featuring Eysabeth Eldering
26th Jessica Kennedy Carolyn Howard-Johnson Jessica Kennedy is featuring Carolyn Howard-Johnson
27th Robert Medak Karen Cioffi Robert Medak is featuring Karen Cioffi
28th Virginia S. Grenier Kathy Stemke Virginia S. Grenier is featuring Kathy Stemke

Cowgirl Dreams:Defying family and social pressure, Nettie Brady bucks 1920s convention with her dream of becoming a rodeo star. That means competing with men, and cowgirls who ride the rodeo circuit are considered “loose women.” Addicted to the thrill of pitting her strength and wits against a half-ton steer in a rodeo, Nettie exchanges skirts for pants, rides with her brothers on their Montana ranch, and competes in neighborhood rodeos.

Broken bones, killer influenza, flash floods, and family hardship team up to keep Nettie from her dreams. Then she meets a young neighbor cowboy who rides broncs and raises rodeo stock. Will this be Nettie’s ticket to freedom and happiness? Will her rodeo dreams come true?

Based on the life of the author’s grandmother, a real Montana cowgirl.
Cowgirl Dreams is available from the publisher, Treble Heart Books, Amazon.com or the author website. It is suitable for both adult and young adult readers.

Today, we’ve caught up with Ada Brady, Nettie’s mother. We’ve convinced her to take a little break from her many household chores, sit down with a cup of tea and answer a few questions.
In the book Cowgirl Dreams, Nettie has defied her mother by sneaking out to ride in a rodeo, wearing pants, no less. Mama grounds her to her room, without supper, to do the darning she’d forgotten. Here’s an excerpt:
Nettie groaned. Why couldn’t Mama understand that she’d rather be outside, working with the horses and cattle? With that look on her mother’s face, she’d be lucky to get outside again by this time next summer.
Maybe if she did a really bad job of darning, she wouldn’t have to do any more. She wove the needle over and under, under and over, deliberately missing some threads.
After about an hour, Mama stepped into the room. “How are you doing?”
“Okay.” Nettie kept her head down.
Her mother picked up a darned sock and inspected it closely. “No.”
Nettie looked up, keeping the smile from coming. This was it. Now Mama would let her quit rather than being embarrassed to give the socks to Mrs. Conners.
Mama picked up the scissors and cut the woven patch right out of the sock. Nettie gasped. Then her mother picked up another, looked at it, and cut the darn out, too. “This is
sloppy work. You’ll do it all over.” She flung the socks back into the basket.

HMT: Mrs. Brady, don’t you think you were a little hard on your daughter? After all, she had a successful ride on that steer?

Mama: Absolutely not. Nettie is a headstrong girl. She has to learn that she cannot just run wild, dress like a man in public, and ride off whenever she feels like it.

HMT: But ripping out her work and making her do it all over?

Mama: I know she hates this job. But it’s important to learn to take care of a family. This skill not only keeps her and her brothers in socks without holes, it earns us pin money, so we can buy something special when we go to town. She’ll need to know this when she has a family of her own.

HMT: I understand. But Nettie has a dream, to be a rodeo star. Isn’t it a good thing for a young woman to have a goal in life?

Mama (sighing): Yes. It is. I had a dream once—to become a musician. But you know what, it was not practical. Sure, I can play now for enjoyment, but it doesn’t put food on the table and clothes on my children’s backs.

HMT: And you do have a large family.

Mama (proudly): Yes, eight children living.

HMT: I gather Nettie doesn’t aspire to marriage and children.

Mama: I just don’t understand that girl. Her two older sisters took naturally to needlepoint and cooking and housekeeping. They couldn’t wait to set up their own households. But Nettie… (a shake of the head) All she wants to do is ride her horse. And now steers!

HMT: Why is Nettie wanting to ride in rodeos such a bad thing? She could probably win some money and help the family out that way.

Mama: That may be true, and we could use the extra income. But, it’s such a dangerous pastime. Why anyone—especially a girl—would subject her body to such a beating on top of a bucking animal, I’ll never understand.

HMT: I’ve heard there’s an adrenaline thrill in doing something like that.

Mama: It’s just not practical. And women who travel around the country with men, well, they have a (eyebrows raised) “certain reputation,” don’t you know?

HMT: I didn’t know that. What about Marie Gibson? She’s married and has a couple of children. She’s not that kind of woman.

Mama: Oh, Mrs. Gibson. Yes, she is a fine woman, and she has done her best to convince me that she can keep Nettie under her wing while taking her on the rodeo circuit. (sighs) My goodness, maybe I shouldn’t fight Nettie on this so much. She certainly is determined. And I’ve seen her ride. She really is quite good.

HMT: I’ll say she is. I admire what she does. I’ve never been brave enough to ride a bucking steer or bronc.

Mama: Yes, I suppose it does take courage. But, you know, I would be remiss in my role as a mother not to want to protect her and to teach her how to cook and mend and care for a house and children. (She stands, takes our cups to the dishpan, and turns back to me.) I’m very glad you’re writing about our dear Nettie, but please, try not to encourage her so much in her headstrong ways. (She sets a heavy flatiron on the cook stove.) Now, I really must get back to my chores. I have a huge pile of ironing to do.

Cowgirl Dreams in available at http://www.heidimthomas.com (autographed copies) or from Treble Heart Books http://www.trebleheartbooks.com/SDHeidiThomas.htm.
Heidi’s website: http://www.heidimthomas.com

Heidi’s blog: http://heidiwriter.wordpress.com

Helena Harper grew up in England, the daughter of a British father and a German mother. From an early age she loved to read and write, particularly fantasy stories, and later she enjoyed studying foreign languages.

Helena is a private tutor and translator. She continues write children’s stories, and illustrations for her first children’s picture book are now being done.

For new readers, what can they expect when they read your books? I hope they will find something to make them smile or cry or think. I hope they will be able to take something positive from what they’ve read.

What would you like your readers to know about you and your writing? My poetry books have been drawn from my professional and personal life, but my children’s stories are pure fantasy. The latter give me a wonderful chance to escape so-called ‘reality’.

What writer most inspires you – why? As far as fiction is concerned, I very much admire Jane Austen’s style of writing, it’s so clever, subtle and amusing, and she’s a wonderful storyteller. But there are non-fiction authors whom I also find inspirational, such as Neale Donald Walsch and Michael Talbot.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer? What was the first story or article you remember writing? I’ve always loved writing. Even before I went to school and could write, I sat at a desk and wrote line after squiggly line on blank sheets of paper. The first story I remember writing was a story about pots and pans and other kitchen appliances who were having a competition to see who could be the cleanest. I really enjoyed writing that story.

You have a degree in modern languages and are a qualified teacher. Has this helped your writing? And if so, in what way? Yes, definitely. My language studies have helped me appreciate the sound, rhythm and meaning of words and my teaching has taught me a great deal about what makes people tick.

What is your writing process like? Do you write every day? I fit my writing round my other commitments and write whenever I have the opportunity to write, which could be any time of the day or night.

What is your most precious memory? My most precious memory? That’s really difficult – I have so many. Any of the memories I have of my father, perhaps, who is no longer alive. He was a truly remarkable person.

What is your most embarrassing memory? When I was at primary school, holding onto a door handle to prevent my friends from coming into the classroom (this was a game we were playing during the lunch break), only to find out that it wasn’t any of my friends who were wanting to come into the classroom, but a teacher!

If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing with your life? Well, I still teach languages and give private tuition. If I weren’t doing that? Hard to say – something where I could be creative and that would be stimulating and challenging.

Is there anything else you’d like to add? Yes – if you want to write, just give it a go! You have to be willing to step into the unknown, but if you don’t try, you’ll never know and you may end up regretting that. All you need is an idea. It doesn’t have to be fully developed, just sit down and start writing something and it will develop as you go along. You never know, it may be the best thing you ever do!

Contact details/more info.

Email: webmaster@helenaharper.com

My author’s website: http://www.helenaharper.com

My authorsden website: http://www.authorsden.com/helenaharper

My blog: http://helenaharpersblog.blogspot.com

Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/helenaharper

Helena’s Books

‘It’s a Teacher’s Life…! A Collection of Poems Set in a Girls’ Private School’
No doubt you remember your life at school as a pupil – the long lessons, stringent rules and chaotic classrooms – but what was it like from the teacher’s perspective? Did they savour the experience of setting and marking our homework? Did they get a kick out of writing our reports? And, most intriguingly, what did they get up to in the staffroom?
If you’ve never been there yourself, you need to follow Helena Harper into this alternative world of coffee addiction, frantic marking, lesson-planning and inspections. She answers all of your questions and more, and her insightful, evocative and often sardonic descriptions leave you more appreciative of the trials and tribulations (and the occasional pleasures) of being the dragon in front of the whiteboard.

Available in paperback from all major online retailers. Can be ordered through any bookstore. Stocked by Haslemere Bookshop and Weybridge Books in the UK.

http://www.amazon.com/Teachers-Collection-Poems-Private-School/dp/1847481825/ref=dp_return_2?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Its-Teachers-Life-Collection-Private/dp/1847481825/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230149878&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.ca/Teachers-Collection-Poems-Private-School/dp/1847481825/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239391752&sr=8-2

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Its-a-Teachers-Life-a-Collection-of-Poems-Set-in-a-Girls-Private-School/Helena-Harper/e/9781847481825/?itm=1

Family and More is a poignant poetic memoir, in which the author examines the lives of family members and other people, who have touched her own life and taught her some valuable lessons. As the daughter of a German mother and English father, who were on opposite sides during the Second World War, Helena Harper’s poetic themes are informed by notions of national and emotional boundaries, the horrors of war, self-discovery, love, and the infinite power of the human spirit.

Available at present as an ebook from:
http://www.eloquentbooks.com/Familyandmore.html

Due to be published as a paperback by Pen Press Publishers in the first half of 2010.

I’d like to introduce author Janet Ann Collins. Janet Ann Collins is the author of two fiction books for children. The Peril of the Sinister Scientist is about a middle school boy who thinks he was cloned from the blood on the Shroud of Turin because a scientist who had worked on that experiment is stalking him. Secret Service Saint is a picture book about Nicholas, who discovers the fun of doing secret good deeds and eventually becomes known as Santa Claus.
Collins is a retired teacher, enjoys public speaking and often teaches workshops at conferences. With her husband she raised three deaf foster sons with special needs in addition to their birth daughter, and has one grandson. They live in the beautiful Sierra foothills of Northern California.

Can you tell us something about The Peril of the Sinister Scientist?
The Peril of the Sinister Scientist by Janet Ann Collins is a tweener, or middle grade, novel about a boy who thinks he was cloned from the blood on the Shroud of Turin because a scientist who had worked on that experiment is stalking him. It is available to local bookstores and on many online sites, including Amazon where it can be seen at http://tinyurl.com/yge7uke The U.S. price is $7.95.

What is going on with your writing these days?
I have a book for young readers and I’m working on several things, including a middle grade fantasy about a girl who can communicate with animals by thought language. She and her Deaf brother travel to a foreign land trying to find and rescue their kidnapped mother. I’m also spending lots of time learning how to do marketing and publicity for my published books, write a column for the Antique Auction Explorer, sometimes write articles for other periodicals, and have two blogs, http://onwordsblog.blogspot.com and //janetanncollins.blogspot.com.

What are your future goals for your writing?
I’d like to have more books published as well as more articles in periodicals.

Can you describe a typical writing day for you?
I reserve two days a week for writing and squeeze some in on other days if possible. After I check my e-mail I work on my current project for several hours. Often I’ll do the laundry the same day so when the drier buzzes I can get up and move around for a few minutes, then get back to work. If I’m on a roll I may write more in the afternoon. Otherwise I use that time for plotting, planning, sending out submissions, and working on publicity for my books.

Do you have any pets? If so, introduce us to them.
We have a poodle/Bichon mix named Suds. My grandson says she must also be part Teddy Bear because she loves to snuggle. We got her in the Fall of 2009 from an animal recue group and aren’t sure how old she is. Suds is smart and good at understanding our gestures and facial expressions and at communicating with us. For instance, sometimes she puts her paw on my shoe if she wants to be taken for a walk.

What is your most precious memory?
My grandmother, who died when I was just over two years old. I’ll never forget her beautiful white hair, soft face, and eyes that looked at me with completely unconditional love.

What is your most embarrassing memory?
The time I got locked out of the house and tried to crawl in through the dog door. I got stuck and when I finally managed to reach a broomstick, unhook the latch, and squeeze back out I turned around to see the people at the bus stop across the street laughing at me. Of course I was wearing bright red slacks so they got quite a view of my rear end.

If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing with your life?
Since I’m officially retired I could just sit around and read, but, much as I love books, that would get old fast. I’d probably do some part time teaching and maybe get involved in a drama group in addition to the volunteering I already do. But it’s hard to imagine a life without writing.

Where can readers find you?
On my blogs or on my website,

You can also check out my page on Amazon, http://www.amazon.com/Janet-Ann-Collins/e/B002LFHNFC/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1266608108&sr=1-2-ent

Article and E-book Reprint Strategy
By Karen Cioffi

While it seems most writers don’t allow their articles/posts to be reprinted by others, I have come across a couple of writers/marketers who generously do allow this practice. They allow their posts to be reprinted by other writers to be used on their blogs or in their FREE newsletter. Obviously, anything being offered to reprint should never be reprinted in something you are selling, such as an e-book or report.

I’m surprised that more writers don’t take advantage of this reprint strategy. The benefits seem obvious – let’s look at four of them.

Four Benefits of Allowing Reprints

1.You have written something that someone else views as valuable.
2.You increase your visibility.
3.You increase traffic back to your site.
4.You never know who will see that article/post or where it will end up.

What About Giving Your E-books Away?

I have also seen this reprint practice utilized with e-books, and it peaked my interest. These informational e-books plainly state, in the beginning of the content, that readers may freely pass it along. This technique generates additional visibility and is a great promotional tool and marketing opportunity.

In fact, I recently started taking advantage of this practice with one of my e-books. All the writer needs to do is request permission to offer my e-book as a freebie on their site.
Yes, at present I require permission, but that may change as I begin to write more e-books.

Word of Caution Here

Please remember, it’s essential, when taking advantage of a writer’s reprint offer, to always keep the article or e-book intact. Be sure to use the author’s byline and any other text and links that they have as part of the bargain. It’s a win-win situation: the author increases his visibility and you get an article to use on your blog or in your newsletter, or you get a free e-book to offer on your site.

Drawback to Using Reprints or Offering Them

Obviously, there are a couple of circumstances in which offering or using reprints isn’t advisable, such as: you wrote the article specifically for a magazine or ezine and publishing elsewhere is restricted, or you may not want to use an article with a byline that will send your reader to a site that offers the same services you do (a competitor’s site). But, all-in-all, this is a practical marketing plan.

Why not utilize this practice. It will be a supplemental tool to be used along with your ezine article marketing. These two strategies combined will certainly generate and increase visibility and traffic back to your site.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Karen is the co-author of Day’s End Lullaby, a children’s bedtime picture book that includes the sheet music to the original lullaby. Check out a great video review at: http://daysendlullaby.blogspot.com

Day’s End Lullaby:
http://www.amazon.com/Days-End-Lullaby-Karen-Cioffi/dp/1419691570/ref=sr_11_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1220900352&sr=11-1

Karen’s e-books:

The Self-Publisher’s Guide
http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/the-self-publishers-guide-2nd-edition/7893477

From Writing Your Book, to Self-Publishing Options, to Creating a Website, to Promotion – it’s all included in this handy guide. Topics include: learning to write, critique groups, being ready for publishing, choosing a publishing company, creating visibility through promotional strategies, bringing traffic to your site, resources, tools, and much more.

Writing, Publishing, and Marketing – You Can Do It!
http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/writing-publishing-and-marketing—you-can-do-it-2nd-edition/8218845

What are the steps needed to write a book, find a publisher, and market that book effectively?

Writing, Publishing, and Marketing – You Can Do It! answers that question. It provides a step-by-step guide to help you over the hurdles. You might say it’s a GPS system to help get writers where they want to be – published and selling books.

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Both sites offer a FREE e-book about writing and marketing along with a free monthly newsletter.

My chapter book, “The Angry Little Boy,” is going to be published by 4RV publishing. Here’s a link to their website:
http://www.4rvpublishingllc.com/

. I’m thrilled!! It’s my first book. I only started writing fiction in 2006, after I hooked up with Linda Barnett Johnson at the first Muse online writing conference.
Here’s a link to Linda’s website:
www.lindabarnett-johnson.com/
And here’s one to the Muse Online Conference. Do sign up for the 2010 conference, to take place in October. It’s fabulous, it’s online, and it’s free.
www.themuseonlinewritersconference.com/
At the time I had no intention of ever writing fiction, but Linda’s policy was that you joined both the fiction and poetry forums or you joined neither. And so I started writing fiction.

The first version of this story was about 5000 words and I wrote it in a weekend. The present version is just over 11,000 and is probably the third major revision.

Meet Elysabeth Elderling, the author of the Junior Geography Detective Squad series. The first two books in the series are available from a href=”http://4rvpublishingllc.com” target=”_new”>4RV Publishing. They are “State of Wilderness” and “State of Quarries.”

How did you get started writing this series?

I wrote a story, “Train of Clues,” that won a shared second place win in a contest in 2005. I wanted to expand the story into a series, with a clue for each state, and consulted with an editor with SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators). She sent me some great advice. After receiving her advice and the directions she suggested I could go, I started doing research to find info that could be used for the “clues.” I found some clues on the Educational World ® website and then I found a website, quite by accident, that had some trivia type of information for landmarks in every state. I gathered my information and let the idea brew, trying to figure out the best format for the series, that the reader’s wouldn’t get tired of and that would really be what I wanted from the series.

What gave you the idea to make the stories like a game where you guess the state?

It was an accidental finding. I had thought of writing the stories for a 5-minute mystery site and I played around with different ideas. I originally was going to do the series like a journal, where the kids would be in a year-round school and would have to keep track on a weekly basis of all in the info given to them to figure out which state was being described. When I saw a posting asking for submissions for the 5-Minute Mystery, I thought maybe my stories would work out for that. I tried to make it as the state being the character and giving each state a personality to give the trivia info to the kids, but that didn’t work. I tried making it like a game host asking the questions – kind of a Jeopardy!® type game, but that wasn’t turning out the way I wanted. And, then the produces of the 5-Minute Mystery site wanted the stories to be more “geographical” in the story and I was having to either give up story or plot or characters or something and so we weren’t meeting in the middle.

I understand you’re writing a teacher’s guide to go with your books. Can you tell us something about that?

Yes, I am writing the teacher’s guide as I finish the book. I had wanted to have varying puzzles in the books for the readers to have some fun after reading, so I kept that idea. I had never written a teacher’s guide nor really seen anything. The closest thing I could come up with was the Weekly Reader’s teacher guide given to me from one of the teachers who is a band parent. The research/discussion questions expand out a few of the more interesting clues in the book. I’m trying to have a science experiment in each guide or maybe I’ll switch to some math related problems in some that are related to a clue, and then to wrap it up, I have some end-of-book questions (multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank and T/F). The bibliography will be in both the books and the teacher’s guides so all readers will benefit from the plethora of information I have gathered for further reading or papers or whatever the need is.

Where can readers purchase your book?

Check out http://jgdsseries.blogspot.com to orders copies of the book. Books are also available through amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com as well but you can order directly from me and get signed copies. Direct contact can be made via email – eeldering@gmail.com.

It’s so exciting!

Next month, VBT – Writers on the Move is having its ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

To celebrate this accomplishment, we are having a STUPENDOUS Blogaversary Tour!

Daily postings and daily prizes! But, that’s not all, we’re still having our Mystery Site Giveaway: the Anniversary PRIZE is a $25 (US) GIFT CARD.

Visit the VBT – Writers on the Move blogsite for all the details.
http://vbt-writerso nthemove. blogspot. com