Category: Murder on Mokulua Drive

INTERVIEWS: Written and Audio

OPTIMIZE YOUR AUTHOR INTERVIEWS!

Written or audio, interviews are a wonderful opportunity authors to communicate with their readers, listeners, and the general public…

WRITTEN INTERVIEWS
We are fortunate when asked to give an interview without any effort on our part. Like several of my promotional opportunities, my first interview as an author was arranged by my publisher, Geoff Habiger of Artemesia Publishing. It was with Lorna Holland, The Writing Greyhound, a books and lifestyle blogger in Northamptonshire, England. “Interview: Jeanne Burrows-Johnson,” was a chronological look at my background and the beginning of the award-winning Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries. Like most interviewers, Lorna was interested in the process of my writing, the progression of my authorship, and the publishing process, as well as the essence of Prospect for Murder. You can read her current work at The Writing Greyhound.

Recently, I was delighted to have a written interview released the day before my 71st birthday. It was based on questions posed by Naomi Bolton of ManyBooks.net. This interview focused on Murders of Conveyance. Publication was scheduled to coincide with the special $.99 pricing on the eBook edition (valid until February 22, 2021), on several internet book retailers. “Jeanne Burrows-Johnson – Visions, False clues, Murder and Hints of a Priceless Treasure” is based on my responses to questions posed by Naomi Bolton, who was especially interested in the convergence of two murders separated by sixty years, a Honolulu scavenger hunt during Chinese New Year, and a hidden jade artifact.

The interview also explored my writing methodology, expansion of the series with Yen for Murder (the fourth completed book), and my current volume, A Spineless Murder. I was especially pleased to be able to discuss Conversations with Auntie Carol, Seven Oral History Interviews with Caroline Kuliaikanu’ukapu “Wilcox DeLima Farias—a project nearing completion after twenty-five years.

AUDIO INTERVIEWS
When I was a young adult working in the performing arts, I sometimes recorded promotional pieces for plays and other events. Today, audio books, podcasts, and even drive-time radio programming, have heightened the popularity of audio interviews in numerous forms. As an author, I began giving talks and audio interviews with the publication of Prospect for Murder in 2016. My initial author audio interview was hosted by Rob Wesson on “The Professionals’ Round Table,” (with the Empire Broadcasting Group). This program highlighted myriad business professionals and I was glad to discuss the essence of my work as a branding and marketing consultant and the transition to being an author of fiction. Click below to hear this interview…

Twice I have been invited to discuss my authorship with Traci Halesvass who hosts “Write on Four Corners” on KSJE. As a retired New Mexico college English instructor, she takes particular interest highlighting the works of authors in the Southwest. Her congenial pace and curiosity about her guests welcomed me to an in-depth conversation about my developing career in mystery fiction from Prospect to Murder to Murders of Conveyance. 

March 6, 2019:
https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-4efvz-a9b920

October 23, 2019:
https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-dwzci-c12784

ADVERTISING VIA INTERVIEWS
Sometimes it is expedient to pay to be interviewed on commercial programming. Such was the case in 2020, when I was preparing for the Tucson Festival of Books. At that time, I scheduled an interview on “Networking Arizona” (KFNX, Phoenix) hosted by Carol Blonder. I was especially pleased that a replay of the segment was scheduled for the middle of the Festival. Unfortunately, the Festival was cancelled, and I later learned that the program had not boosted sales of any of my books. If the Festival had occurred, it might have been a stimulus to potential attendees.

At this time, we are all anticipating that there will be a turn-around in the health of peoples around the world…and a greatly needed uptick in the economy. This will mean a widening of opportunities for in-person activity. Within a year, authors should be able to schedule public book signings and discussions of their work. That will make interviews beneficial, regardless of whether they are by invitation or paid advertisement. Also, it is important to remember that the benefits of advertising and other marketing are accumulative…you can never really know how an event impacts the reader, listener, or viewer over time. It used to be said that a potential customer had to have about six interactions before they would conclude a transaction. You now have to multiply that number at least twice!

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

To learn more about the award-winning Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries, including Murders of Conveyance [Winner, Fiction Adventure-Drama, 2019 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards] and other projects, please drop in at my author’s website JeanneBurrows-Johnson.com. You’ll even find Island Recipes that might inspire your culinary creativity.

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me:
Amazon, Arizona Authors Association, Apple Books
Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub
Cozy Mysteries-Unlimited, Facebook, Good Reads, Hometown Reads

Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave

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PROMOTION IN QUARANTINE

Cost-Effective Promotion to Advance Your Brand!

The year 2020 came, threatened to conquer the world, and departed. No one I know was left unaffected personally, or professionally. Fortunately, there are signs that conditions in American politics and economics are improving. Sadly, global health is not. For the time being, quarantine from the pandemic remains a necessity, at least for those of us who are older. And even if we venture forth, safety precautions must be observed that preclude much personal interaction. The following blog addresses promotion for authors, but the principles are applicable for marketing many products and services.

REFINING OUR BRANDS
As we move forward in this year, re-examining our status and brand as creative professionals is vital. One of my challenges as an author centers on labelling the genre in which I work. My informative books embrace elements of classic literary fiction. And although the genre of “mysteries” obviously defines the core of my Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries, the issue of selecting an appropriate sub-genre is difficult. Some, such as “police procedural” can be eliminated immediately, as my protagonist is a semi-retired journalist. Since my books do not feature profanity, sex, or overt violence, the term “cozy” is generally applied to my books.

Unfortunately, that sub-genre often connotes a simplistic tale with little substance. So, what sub-genre incorporates the protagonist’s breadth of visions, the emphasis on history, detailed multi-culturalism, depth in character relationships, and passages of stylistic prose? Suspense? Paranormal? Historical fiction? Romance? At this point, the general category of “mysteries” remains most appropriate. It’s nice to observe that in Hawai`i, my work is placed in the Hawaiiana section of libraries and bookstores.

MOVING YOUR BRAND FORWARD
Once you have examined and possibly refined the elements of your brand, it is time to determine how you can best promote it in the current and as well as prospective marketplace. You might begin by asking how you normally present yourself in marketing and promotional projects. Do you strongly feature yourself? Perhaps, if you are an author, your protagonist the key element. Like me, the environment in which your stories take place may be dominant.


EXAMINING OUR OPPORTUNITIES
When cost is not an issue, there are myriad advertising options. I’m lucky that much of the promotion of my books is taken care of by my publisher. However, in this tight literary market, I am expected to undertake many aspects of promotion. With three titles in the NS series, I sometimes team with Geoff Habiger of Artemesia Publishing in marketing projects.

As sales and promotion via brick-and-mortar stores and events have been reduced by the pandemic, opportunities afforded by the Internet are increasingly impactful! As I observed in my last blog in the summer of 2020, the success of this type of marketing can be amplified by entrepreneurs of every type. The primary challenge is selecting among the prospects that are appropriate for maximizing outreach to our target audience. The following are some of the cost-effective avenues from which I choose.

~ Book Reviews. Whenever a new book is published, I [or my publisher] submit it for reviews. Traditionally, some of the venues for doing so have more stature than others…either because of the longevity of their existence, their current popularity. For nearly 90 years, Kirkus Reviews have been the hallmark of respected review of published material. While the cost of their services may be considerable, they have remained the most respected in their field. In addition to providing reviews, they offer opportunities to promote publications highlighting text from their reviews of the material. The above ad will soon appear in the Kirkus eMail Newsletter which is directed at a substantial list of subscription recipients.

~ Professional Associations. There are many local, regional, national, and international groups that authors and other creative professionals may choose to join. Some are more appropriate due to the genre in which one works. Which are best for you? Those that are prestigious or least expensive? What opportunities do they provide to their members: educational programming to expand their members’ knowledge and proficiency; invitations for the public to examine member websites and social media pages; the ability for members to directly post links to their websites, social media, podcasts, or other On-line presence? Another important consideration is whether an organization participates in events to meet current and potential clientele?

~ Contests and Awards. National, regional, and state organizations abound with the chance to enter author and artist creations for evaluation and award. Unfortunately, I do not write short stories, which are often the basis for writers’ contests. I have learned that there are opportunities for submitting initial pages of my books. Not long ago, my publisher and I entered two of my books in a book-to-film contest. This meant that we were able to split the cost which benefitted both of us. While we did not win, we did receive useful evaluations. What I learned from the experience is that my work is unlikely to appear on the big screen, it may be appropriate for small screen stand-alone or serial presentation.

~ Websites for Authors and Readers. There are many websites in which both readers and authors can participate…free but often requiring becoming a member. In addition to providing space for book covers, descriptions, reviews, and links to facilitate sales, some websites [both public and via membership] invite authors to submit articles and blogs for the benefit of both authors and readers. I periodically offer commentary to Hometown Reads [Coloration for Authors and Public Speaking to Enhance Branding] and Authors Den [where you’ll find articles and poetry in addition to information on my books]. Such sites sometimes offer opportunities to sell books at a discounted rate during special promotions. They may also provide low-cost advertising events.

~ Book and Art Shows and Fairs. This may be the most expensive form of promotion in today’s suggestions…but far less than long-term advertising. A quick check on the Internet will yield lists of book fairs across the country…and the globe. Local and regional websites of media outlets offer event calendars for book and art shows. Depending on where you live, such events may have been suspended for the time being, but virtual events may still be open for your participation.

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

For further discussion of branding and marketing see:
Rainbows of Color, May 2015
Winning Logos & Slogans, October 2015
Harmonizing Branding Elements, August 2016
Book Promotion and Evolving Art, January 2017

To learn more about the award-winning Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries, including Murders of Conveyance [Winner, Fiction Adventure-Drama, 2019 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards] and other projects, please drop in at my author’s website JeanneBurrows-Johnson.com. You’ll even find Island Recipes that might inspire your culinary creativity.

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me:
Amazon, Arizona Authors Association, Apple Books
Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub
Cozy Mysteries-Unlimited, Facebook, Good Reads, Hometown Reads

Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave

 

DYNAMIC AUTHOR PORTRAITS

Jeanne Burrows-Johnson

ENGAGING AUTHOR IMAGES

This year has taken wholly unexpected turns for everyone in our world. For too many, this has greatly impacted professional as well as personal well-being. Despite challenges to health, commerce, and public safety, I believe this period of global transition may prove productive for creative individuals and organizations. The following is the first of several suggestions for maximizing this unsought opportunity for enhancing our daily living ,as well as our event planning.

MAXIMIZING OUR RE-EMERGENCE
Let’s begin today’s conversation by considering how the global environment has benefited from the absence of traffic on the road and the re-modelling of some segments of manufacturing. None of us can predict how this may influence decisions that global leaders will make, but we can endeavor to see that our own work reflects progress on many fronts. Like a butterfly emerging from a caterpillar’s cocoon, each of us can come out from this challenging period of global blight with a re-orientation of our lives. From our personal appearance to that of the products and services we offer our multi-cultural world, we can magnify a new dynamism that will benefit more than our individual avenues of activity.

THE AUTHOR’S VISUAL PRESENTATION
Regardless of changes that may occur in the evolving retail marketplace, it’s likely that my books will continue to be sold—at least via the Internet. Fortunately, this ensures the longevity of my visibility. Therefore, it behooves me to ensure that the images I project reflect my inner self, which I have endeavored to embed in my writing. Most of us have heard the adage that an author or artist, should create works that reflect personal knowledge and experience. I have always strived to do this despite a narrowing path of the latter days of my life. Hopefully, the breadth of my creations will continue to demonstrate both my personal and professional growth.

DYNAMIC IMAGES FOR AUTHORS
There are many ways in which our images are utilized for branding and promotion. These can include business cards and brochures, websites, blogs, and interviews with the media, as well as the book jackets and bookmarks used by those of us who are authors. Sometimes pictures taken during events offer an active view of projects in which we are currently or previously involved. But given the casualness with which such pictures are taken, it is often more effective to use studio produced images that can be shaped and re-shaped to ensure the impact one desires for multiple purposes.

IMAGES FROM THE PAST
The first photo in the above pair was taken during a public speaking event at a service club’s meeting. As you can see, there are extraneous items surrounding me. So while this picture is ideal for discussing the purpose and content of that particular talk, utilization of this picture for other purposes required the adjustments that I made in the edit.

MY AUTHOR PORTRAIT
As noted in my blog of March 2020, I initially viewed this year as an ideal time to introduce a fresh look in my marketing materials. In contrast, since my personal appearance has not changed greatly, I chose to retain the professional photograph shot during the publication of Prospect for Murder. A few refinements were required to render that image effective. You see, my preferred photos were taken at the end of the shoot in a space whose air was treated by evaporative cooling rather than air conditioning. The result was that my hair was somewhat flat. Fortunately, I have a friend who copied, pasted, and tweaked my hair.

Other aspects of arranging my portrait included an elegant jacket and necklace, books to my side and a colorful Asian fabric as a backdrop. These choices combine to project an intriguing representation of the trio of Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries which feature many pan-Pacific components. The one new element in my self-introduction is presenting my picture in a circle…I wonder if I could substitute the spines of my own books for the classic volumes beside me?

In considering images you will want to use, remember that your goal is to acquire a rich palette of images of yourself and your work. To achieve this, I suggest that you examine the many individual and group photos you may have already–in both hardcopy and electronic files. Even those from your youth may prove useful in discussing your personal and/or professional journey through life. And for each one, be prepared to shape multiple images that will prove effective for varying purposes.

FYI CAROL BLONDER, the lively host of NETWORKING ARIZONA interviewed me earlier this year. CLICK BELOW to catch the podcast. To learn more about Carol’s continuing connections with Arizona business professionals, visit her website https://networkingarizona.net/.

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

Another blog you may find of use for promoting creative projects is at https://blog.jeanneburrows-johnson.com/2017/01/book-promotion-and-evolving-art/

To learn more about the award-winning Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries, including Murders of Conveyance [Winner, Fiction Adventure-Drama, 2019 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards] and other projects, please drop in at my author’s website JeanneBurrows-Johnson.com. You’ll even find Island Recipes that might inspire your culinary creativity.

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me:
Amazon, Arizona Authors Association, Apple Books
Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub
Cozy Mysteries-Unlimited, Facebook, Good Reads, Hometown Reads

Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave

 

WEBSITE RENEWAL

Jeanne Burrows-Johnson BOOK LAUNCH TO WEBSITE RENEWAL…

IT’S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I HAVE UPLOADED A POST! I can’t believe that half of 2019 has passed! A lot of my work time was lost in experiencing two bouts of flu. The one thing I truly missed has been remaining in touch with those of you who periodically drop in at one of my sites or Facebook. But when I look at the following list, it appears my working in spurts did allow me to accomplish most of my other goals:

~  Murders of Conveyance, the third Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mystery, recently launched.  I hope you have enjoyed at least one of Natalie’s adventures in murder. This book is a romp across the island of O`ahu during a Chinese New Year scavenger hunt. Unfortunately, Natalie discovered that her dream of a film noire was actually another of her visions. It was a mid-twentieth century murder, that eerily parallels the crime that occurs in front of the hotel suite where she and PI Keoni Hewitt are staying. To learn more about this and the rest of the series, drop in at JeanneBurrows-Johnson.com.

~  Some of my down days included study in order to enhance aspects of the never-ending joys of Search Engine Optimization. This resulted in my adding art to my blogs…present and past. [Scanning the left side menu of past blogs may reveal topics worth exploring.]

~  I’ve also reshaped ImaginingsWordpower.com, a website with tips for branding, marketing, and development. While brightening its overall appearance, I decided to move articles I’ve written on historic Tucson to my author’s website. At this time, you’ll find the first third of “An Early History of Tucson and Her Cemeteries.“

~  Inspired by the upcoming British Isle holiday of my fabulous editor, Viki Gillespie, I have just completed Yen for Murder, the fourth Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mystery. While finishing the remodel of her Auntie Carrie’s cottage, Natalie and Keoni contemplate an antique auction’s catalogue. In it, they discover the image of a Shākyamuni Buddha statue stolen during the commitment of a murder in one of his last cases as a detective with the Honolulu Police Department.

~  Today I’ve completed the redesign my author website, JeanneBurrows-Johnson.com, which will launch later tonight. There you’ll find the first section of “The Growth of Tucson and her Cemeteries.”  I’m also inserting the following audio sample, “Yuletide in Tucson,” a lighthearted piece on historic Tucson. Wish me luck in embedding this for what I hope will be your listening pleasure!

Yuletide in Tucson

I guess that’s a fair amount of work, but I promise to remain in closer touch with you! This includes launching a business Facebook page.

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

To learn more about the award-winning Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries, including Murders of Conveyance [Winner, Fiction Adventure-Drama, 2019 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards] and other projects, please drop in at my author’s website JeanneBurrows-Johnson.com. You’ll even find Island Recipes that might inspire your culinary creativity.

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me:
Amazon, Arizona Authors Association, Apple Books
Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub
Cozy Mysteries-Unlimited, Facebook, Good Reads, Hometown Reads

Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave

REVIEWING 2018

 

Have you reviewed the highs and lows of 2018?

Every year brings a mix of high and low points. Hopefully, you have experienced positive outcomes in both your personal and professional lives. I’m delighted to say that that has been true for me in several ways. On the personal front, my husband John was declared free of cancer. This September was especially memorable. I was able to visit friends as well as readers of the Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries in a visit to the city of my youth, Portland, Oregon—after an absence of more than twenty years.

MERGING OF PAST AND FUTURE
When I used to travel from Honolulu to Portland, I often planned a gathering of friends, which allowed us to catch up on one another’s lives. This was not possible on my last trip. However, each day I was able to see people who mean a great deal to me. The first evening, I saw had supper with Jerry Lesch, one of my favorite directors at the Portland Civic Theatre. We briefly met with my editor, Viki Gillespie, who was delivering marketing materials that I had shipped in advance. Although he was not aware of it, he had met Viki many years earlier during my performance in the play A Shot in the Dark, which Jerry directed. Later, her daughter had taken drama classes with him in high school.

The following morning, Viki took me on a tour of the city. I found that the trees had grown phenomenally and the city seemed much hillier than when I lived there. Later, I enjoyed dinner with my former Highland Dancing teacher, Bonnie McKenzie and her husband Colin, a renowned bagpiper and composer of classical piebroct music. My next event was passing out Hawaiian candy at my 50th high school class reunion. The following week, I gave public addresses at my high school and a combined meeting of book clubs of the American Association of University Women. What a wonderful visit to the past, while gliding more firmly into my public life as an author!

Continue reading REVIEWING 2018

SUCCESSFUL COVER ART

SUCCESSFUL TEAMWORK YIELDS WINNING ART!

Successful cover art is the product of teamwork. In November 2018, Murder on Mokulua Drive [the second Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian mystery] won several awards. Notably, it won Second Place for Published Fiction in the 2018 Arizona Literary Excellence Contest. This was due in large part to the superb editing of Viki Gillespie, who has helped to refine each of the books in the series. Like Prospect for Murder, MOMD also won First Place for Cover Art Design in the New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards, where it was also a Finalist in the Cozy Mystery Category.

 Let’s examine how the winning cover art for this series has been achieved…

TEAMWORK
Regardless of what you do in life, one of the major keys to your success is teamwork. Even when you are the primary producer of a product, you will be relying on the merchandise, talents, and skills of others. If you are an artist, you utilize a variety of products to create your art, and usually employ a framer to present your finished work to the world. Authors, whether self-published or working with a publisher, are likewise dependent on the output of others to finalize their creations. First, capturing their thoughts depends on a variety of manual and electronic tools. Succinct editing services are also required. Then there is the issue of layout, fortunately provided to me (along with overall publishing skills) by Geoff Habiger of Artemesia Publishing. Of course, he cannot complete his work without the final art designs brought to fruition by fine and graphic artist Yasamine June.

MY APPROACH TO ARTISTIC PROJECTS
While I possess some skill as a design consultant and can produce certain graphic art elements for marketing materials and my websites, I lack the tactile skills to produce truly refined artistic images. So where do I begin art projects? First there is the overall concept, generally driven by text I have already composed. For a book cover, the first consideration is determining the images that will evoke the essence of the story I need to highlight.

Fortunately, when I began writing the series, I composed timelines, chapter synopses, and descriptions of settings and characters. Even a cursory review of these elements reveals a list of those that may be appropriate to a book cover and supportive marketing materials. While some authors create new art for each of their works, I chose to present certain images with consistency including Miss Una, Natalie’s silent but fleet-footed feline companion and images like palm trees and ocean waters reflecting Hawai`i. In addition, I have conceived a recurring gold frame based on Hawaiian heirloom jewelry. I also utilize pagination folio art that I designed, and a gold hibiscus flower that Yasamine has refined. At the point that I have a list of elements that might be good for book jacket art, I begin roughing out a tentative layout in a graphic art software program.

ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT
As I examine my list of suitable artistic elements, I manually draw a few pictures that fit the requisite portrait layout of a book cover—knowing that the final product can easily be converted to a square layout for an audio book. So where did the award-winning cover of Murder on Mokulua Drive begin?

First of all, Natalie’s life has shifted from a high rise in Waikīkī to a cottage in the beach community of Lanikai on the windward side of the island of O`ahu. Next was consideration of the fact that the murder in this story occurs at night. What does this add up to? A nighttime beach scene which includes the Mokulua islets, the moon, a palm tree, footprints in the sand, and Miss Una. Additionally, although I will not be completing the design, I try to allow space for the insertion of Titling in my signature Peignot font so that there will be no overlapping of images and text. Here is the initial layout I sent to Yasamine which was a rough copy and paste of elements I found evocative.

How did Yasamine’s magic polish this concept?

Since this is the second book in the NS mysteries, I had been through the publishing process for the series once. Additionally, I was able to draw on my experience as art director for the well-received multi-author anthology, Under Sonoran Skies, Prose and Poetry of the High Desert. For that project, I featured a picture I shot of the desert at sunset from my back lānai.

Whatever your artistic needs may be, I urge you to be involved in the process, even if you are unable to finalize the images yourself. The input you provide to a professional artist will ensure a product that reflects your own work and the goals you may be setting for future projects…Here’s a look at the before and after images for Murders of Conveyance, which was released in early 2019! As I edit this in April of 2021, I can happily report that this third book in the Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries was a finalist for art and WINNER FOR FICTION ADVENTURE-DRAMA IN THE 2019 NEW MEXICO ARIZONA BOOK AWARDS!

As noted, the award winning book covers for the Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries [as well as that for the forthcoming Conversations with Auntie Carol] were designed by Yasamine June. Her many talents include: Creative Direction; Fine art; Graphic Design; Illustration; Photography; Typography; and Videography. You can learn more about her at YasamineJune.com/about.


Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

Further discussion of art is available at the following blog posts:
Authors Design Dilemmas 1, April 2015
Confronted by a Fantasia of Fonts, May 2015
Rainbows of Color, May 2015
Winning Logos & Slogans, October 2015
Quality Book Production, February 2016
Harmonizing Branding Elements, August 2016
Book Promotion and Evolving Art, January 2017
Balancing Text and Space, February 2018
Successful Cover Art, December 2018

To learn more about the award-winning Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries, including Murders of Conveyance [Winner, Fiction Adventure-Drama, 2019 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards] and other projects, please drop in at my author’s website JeanneBurrows-Johnson.com. You’ll even find Island Recipes that might inspire your culinary creativity.

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me:
Amazon, Arizona Authors Association, Apple Books
Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub
Cozy Mysteries-Unlimited, Facebook, Good Reads, Hometown Reads

Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave

Travel…Book Award Nominations

MURDER ON MOKULUA DRIVE NOMINATED FINALIST!

I’m pleased to announce that on September 7, 2018, my third blog on the benefits of PUBLIC SPEAKING will be featured on the website of Hometown Reads, while I’m visiting my own hometown of Portland, Oregon. Once I’m home, the original, longer version of the piece will appear right here!

While I’m in Portland, I’ll be addressing a combined meeting of mystery book clubs, plus students at Woodrow Wilson High School, from which I graduated 50 years ago! I can’t believe five decades have passed since I was fortunate to attend the accelerated classes in English and Social Studies that inspired later studies as well as my writing.

I’m honored to announce that Murder on Mokulua Drive [the second book in the Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian mystery series] has been nominated as one of six finalists in the fiction category of the 2018 Arizona Literary Excellence Awards!

Thank you so much for your interest in the series and my other projects! And, don’t forget to drop in at my author website, where you’ll find some delightful recipes for your next adventure in sampling Island cuisine…

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

To learn more about the award-winning Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries, including Murders of Conveyance [Winner, Fiction Adventure-Drama, 2019 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards] and other projects, please drop in at my author’s website JeanneBurrows-Johnson.com. You’ll even find Island Recipes that might inspire your culinary creativity.

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me:
Amazon, Arizona Authors Association, Apple Books
Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub
Cozy Mysteries-Unlimited, Facebook, Good Reads, Hometown Reads

Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave

PUBLIC SPEAKING, 2


ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE…
…and it awaits the imprint of your brand!

The success of any branding program rests on harmonizing the look, sound,
and feel of all of its elements!  That includes the setting in which an author appears. And while you may not be able to control every aspect of the physical environment of your presentations, you can enhance the positive impact of some aspects to boost the effectiveness of your overall book marketing program.

THE VENUE
If you have never spoken at the venue, you’ll be relying on the event’s organizers to provide the correct information regarding lighting, voice amplification, and projection of materials you’ll utilize to highlight your speaking points. In addition, they’ll be scheduling the podium, table, and/or chair from which you’ll speak.

If possible, visit the venue in advance of the event. While this may be easy in your home town, it can be impossible when you’re working in another city [let alone country]. Therefore, it’s good to arrive a day in advance of your presentation. If you’re lucky, you will be delivering your remarks at the hotel in which you are staying.  As this is seldom the case, travel with the basics you require to be effective.

FROM A STAGE, OR…
Depending on your height and weight, and position in relation to the audience, you may need to modify your hair, clothing, shoes, and/or accessories to maximize your facial and overall visibility. Speaking engagements often occur in rooms with a stage that is at least a step above the floor on which the audience is seated. This enhances your visibility as a speaker, but it means you must look good from the top of your head to the bottoms of your shoes. And although many stages are carpeted, older wooden or tiled stages may have uneven surfaces, for which you will require sturdy and slip-resistant footwear.

SOLO PERFORMANCE
Sole presenters in a public venue usually have access to a podium. Free-standing or table top, it should offer sides that mask your script, notes, watch, and other items you may need to reference. Unless a free-standing podium is constructed of a tubular frame, it is probable that you’ll be visible only from your chest up. That gives you more flexibility in your stance and movement of your feet. If the podium is comprised of a hollow frame, or positioned on top of a table that has no tablecloth, you will not have that luxury.

WHISPERS TO SCREAMS
The quality of your natural speaking voice can be either an asset or detriment in public speaking. Depending on your audience, even the strongest of voices expressed in the wrong tonal range can be hard for some listeners to hear properly. Many podiums are set up with a microphone fixed in position. If you learn you’ll be using a hand-held mic, you may want to obtain a small stand in order to free your hands for gesturing, pointing to overhead projections, etc. Having said this, I must note some presenters like to speak off the cuff rather from written material and prefer a hand-held or wireless mic so they can roam freely—sometimes even moving within their audience.

Be aware that the effectiveness of the microphone you use [especially lavaliere or headsets] can depend on your neckline, arrangement of hair, and any chain or necklace you wear. Also consider that dangling earrings and loose watches or bracelets can interfere with sound projection.

Having a strong voice may lessen the need to provide your own electronic equipment. However, if you are embarking on a lengthy tour, you might consider acquiring sound equipment that can make you more independent of the facilities in which you appear—if it is compatible with the speakers to which your equipment will be connected. In making such a decision, you will want to seek the input of an electronics specialist.

INVITING DISPLAYS
Will you be able to set up a display that greets and enlivens your audience? At the minimum, you should be able to drape a banner over the front of a podium [using double sided tape, if nothing else]. I carry the banner from the release of Prospect for Murder, first of the Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian mysteries. I also travel with varied sizes of boxes on which I can place color-coordinated tablecloths to create heightened surfaces for displaying signage, products, and handouts. And I carry stands of varying proportions to maximize visibility across a room. Do be cautious about displaying valuable items which could disappear…

Enlargements of colorful book covers, pictures of previous appearances, and banners with both your image and the works you’re presenting make a wonderful background for highlighting sales sheets, future project descriptions, and business cards. Since Murder on Mokulua Drive has an embossed jacket front, I present it on a stand, as well as on the table top to invite people to pick it up.  If there is a theme to your work, you can add decorative items that reinforce that reference. As most of my work centers on Hawai`i, I display a shell lei or two, a golden fish business card holder, and tablecloths that harmonize with my book cover colors.

BE PREPARED
If you’re speaking in your home town and have checked out the venue, you’ll know what you need to carry with you. The one thing that may affect your preparations is a change in the size of your audience, thereby impacting the number of books and handouts required. When traveling to a long-distance destination, you may be able to send a box ahead to a friend, colleague, or the hotel in which you will be staying. Regardless of whether that is an option, strategize the items that you should carry personally, rather than check into a luggage compartment.

I recall my gratitude for arriving in Hilo (after flying back from the U.S. mainland) two days in advance of a performance of Scottish Highland Dancing, since my costumes remained in Honolulu by mistake. I now keep the following items with me personally when traveling to author appearances: memory sticks and a master copy of materials needed for display and distribution; one copy of pertinent books and project samples; one small tablecloth and a shell lei to personalize a display; one copy of a short biography; two 3 x 5 inch cards with an introduction of me and my presentation; a brass name badge and any pertinent professional badges; a beautiful artificial orchid for my hair; and, one elegant jacket to dress up even an emergency wardrobe purchase if my luggage does not arrive with me!

This is the second of three discussions of Public Speaking Engagements. My next blog will address the ways in which public speaking engagements can enhance your branding as an author, and will be featured at Hometown Reads .

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

Suggestions for Dynamic Public Appearances are available in the following blog posts:
Author Appearances, December 2015
Promo Materials for Public Speaking, July 2018
All the World’s a Stage, August 2018
Final Preparations for Public Speaking, September 2018

To learn more about the award-winning Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries, including Murders of Conveyance [Winner, Fiction Adventure-Drama, 2019 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards] and other projects, please drop in at my author’s website JeanneBurrows-Johnson.com. You’ll even find Island Recipes that might inspire your culinary creativity.

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me:
Amazon, Arizona Authors Association, Apple Books
Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub
Cozy Mysteries-Unlimited, Facebook, Good Reads, Hometown Reads

Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave

PUBLIC SPEAKING, 1

So lovely to have my editor Viki Gillespie join me at a speaking engagement!

PUT SOME ZING IN YOUR PUBLIC Appearances!

Today, I am using the phrase “Public speaking” to cover several means of communicating orally. First there are traditional public addresses, usually delivered from a podium. The Internet, radio, television, video, and other methods for presenting your image and words can also be included within this classification. Within a broader context, I believe it’s also appropriate to consider audio books and interviews.

In my blog on Author Appearances , I summarized some of the necessary preparation for successful public readings of an author’s work.  My comments encompassed a few basics for evaluating, seeking, scheduling, and marketing potential engagements.  I also skimmed over aspects for preparing yourself visually and vocally.

Today’s blog offers suggestions for preparing materials you’ll need prior to and during speaking engagements as an author. Some of these items may be useful in garnering opportunities for public addresses; others for shaping a rapidly-arranged display; and, some for quick reference during Question and Answer moments. All of them will be subject to constant redesign, as pertinent text and images evolve over your writing career.

Aside from the free-flow of dialogues with interviewers, you should be able to control most aspects of oral presentations—with the understanding that the mechanism by which your words are captured and projected can affect the tone and quality of your voice…

PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
There are several support items you should have available for general marketing, as well as for your public appearances and speaking engagements. Some of these may be appropriate to share with the event organizers in advance of your talk. Depending on the venue, you may be able to set up a display, which I will discuss in Part III of this series, Public Speaking to Enhance Branding, to be featured on Hometown Reads in September, 2018.

~ Business Cards. Consider double-sided, or even folded cards, to promote multiple facets of your work. As the author of the Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian mysteries, I now utilize  a folding card that allows me to mention my authorship and marketing consultancy on the outer sides, and two published books on the inside.

~ Biographies. To meet a variety of needs, the length may range from a sentence to multiple pages. See a discussion of the need for biographies at imaginingswordpower.com/bios-to-empower-you.html.

~ Résumés. Having résumés of varying lengths and types (sometimes on  letterhead stationery) is useful. As I periodically provide marketing advice to executives and their organizations, I have résumés that address that aspect of my work, as well as another offering information on my authorship. Go to imaginingswordpower.com/resume—career-tips.html to view résumé and career tips.

~ Handouts. Depending on your audience, these may range from key talking points to reference data. 

~ Fliers and Sales Sheets. These should feature specific books and other products you wish to promote. At this time, I am utilizing a double-sided flier. It features Prospect for Murder and Murder on Mokulua Drive. I also have one describing Conversations with Auntie Carol, an oral history project planned for publication as both an audio and print book.

~ Media Releases. I use a format highlighting the Ws of journalism–Who, What, When, and Where. View samples for both print and broadcast media outlets at imaginingswordpower.com/media-release-samples.html.

~ Photographs. Large and small, some should show you holding one of your books.

~ Posters and Banners. These can range from you and your current work to previous events.

TO SCRIPT OR NOT TO SCRIPT YOUR DELIVERY…
With regard to your actual presentation, let’s consider the text of your talk. Do you require a formally written speech in order to provide an effective performance? Before you answer, consider the environment in which you’ll be speaking and your audience, as well as your strengths and weaknesses as a speaker. Personally, I find that while I may wish to use a scripted opening and closing, I like to refer to a detailed outline during most of my talk. In addition, I prepare a list of key points and facts to reference during Question and Answer sessions.

I carefully prepare all text that must be read accurately. Knowing that electronic devices can fail during a performance, I always carry hardcopy of the material I will present. And, while some speakers choose to read directly from published materials, or manuscripts, I employ the following guidelines to maximize the flow of the reading from scripted text:

~ To minimize the number of pages, I use 1.5-line spacing and half-inch margins on 8.5 x 11-inch paper.

~ To maximize readability, I utilize 14-point fonts, with Underscore, Bold and All caps as needed, with Seraphed Fonts for general text [unless you have a vision problem] and Non-Seraphed for titles.

~ To enhance the flow of your reading, end pages with the completion of paragraphs and quotes.

~ Present character voices in colorized text. To facilitate pronunciation of regional accents and foreign words, insert ellipses, commas, hyphens between syllables, and/or other marks. For the Southern accented voice of Lieutenant John Dias in Prospect for Murder, I modified the text from which I read:

            Book:  Ariel will be coming to the apartment tomorrow.
            Script:  Ahr-iell will be com-n’ to the ap-ahrt-ment tom-mar-ah.

ORGANIZING SCRIPTED PAGES
If you are using a script for a public appearance, you will need to organize it for easy reference.

~ Insert single pages of your text in low-glare archival sleeves. This actually kills the rustling of paper.

~ Put sleeves within a solid colored three-ring binder. The front can feature one of your book jackets.

~ Position each sleeve uniformly on either the right or the left-hand side of the folder. This will minimize the movement of your head while turning pages. This will be less distracting to your audience and minimize variations in the sound quality at a podium microphone.  

~ Place clearly labeled dividers between sections. This will facilitate spur-of-the-moment shifts you may wish to make during your presentation and Q&A follow-up.

~ Convert softcover editions of your books to spiral binding for quick reference and reading in less formal settings. You can insert sticky notes or other markers for passages you wish to access.

In my next blog, we’ll consider aspects of space and equipment during your public appearance…

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

Suggestions for Dynamic Public Appearances are available in these blog posts:
Author Appearances, December 2015
Promo Materials for Public Speaking, July 2018
All the World’s a Stage, August 2018
Final Preparations for Public Speaking, September 2018

To learn more about the award-winning Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries, including Murders of Conveyance [Winner, Fiction Adventure-Drama, 2019 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards] and other projects, please drop in at my author’s website JeanneBurrows-Johnson.com. You’ll even find Island Recipes that might inspire your culinary creativity.

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me:
Amazon, Arizona Authors Association, Apple Books
Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub
Cozy Mysteries-Unlimited, Facebook, Good Reads, Hometown Reads

Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave

Drawing on Sense Memories

What visions dance in your dreams?

HAVE SENSE MEMORIES IMPACTED YOUR WRITING? 

What are your earliest and favorite sense memories? Most of us think of the five physical senses as we are experiencing them. The toast looks and tastes all right, but it has a slightly burnt smell… I wish the kids would stop screaming, my ears are starting to hurt… I love this faux fabric, it almost feels like my cat’s fur…

THE CREATOR’S SENSORY PERCEPTION
As a writer, or other creative person, sensory perception can be an important element in preparing a stimulating picture via words or graphic images. We may not be aware of it, but the way an image or scent impacts us personally can greatly impact or work. One of the most effective devices for creating believable images is by consciously drawing on our memories. This is because referencing something we’ve encountered personally provides a depth of authenticity in whatever work we are undertaking.

THE TRUTH OF ONE’S EXPERIENCE
This does not mean that we have to reveal our personal circumstances in order to truthfully share a sensory experience. Of course, that may not be true if we are presenting a work that is a memoir or similar personal expression, for which we are obligated to reveal this aspect of our lives. The truth of our sensory experiences can be shared without revelation of the circumstances in which they occur.  Isolating the experience from its original circumstances, can encourage us to revisit the specifics of what we saw, smelled, heard, touched, and/or tasted with greater accuracy.

For example, while we may wish to describe the beauty of a star-lit night from our honeymoon, we do not need to provide details of the circumstances in which we viewed it. Even when we need to describe something we have not experienced, it’s good to seek out the concrete memories of those who have. In describing Shanghai in the 1920’s for Prospect for Murder, I drew on images shared by people whose fascination with the city transcended the actual era in which they traveled. And despite their degree of positive or negative reactions, I was able to utilize their perspectives to provide images of the bustling streets and even the scents they encountered in their sojourns.

In Murders of Conveyance, the third book in the Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries [Winner for Fiction Adventure-Drama in the 2019 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards], my heroine overhears a conversation in Chinese from outside of the building in which she stands. I’m sure we can all think of times when we’ve  accidentally overheard a conversation, whether in a language we speak or not. When I moved to Honolulu at the beginning of the 1970s, there were many occasions in which I heard languages I couldn’t understand, nor even identify. Because I needed my heroine to feel connected to foreign dialogue, I inserted phonetic sounds that allowed Natalie to guess the speakers might be referencing someone she knew.

STIMULATING VOCABULARY
Sometimes we are fortunate to be able to utilize vocabulary or pictures that effectively mimics the images we wish to share.  I find the following words and phrases can bring clarity to a description, sometimes reaching beyond a single sense: wispy; screech; a snapping branch; wrinkled; razor’s edge; staccato; fragmented; shrunken; glassy; whispered; fiery.

The perception of other words often relies on those who read or hear them. Reference to an Upscale dining experience may arouse the taste and ambiance of a five-star restaurant to one person, and a fast-food joint to another. While the phrase Opulent jewelry signifies a strand of synthetic pearls with rhinestones to one reader, someone else may envision weighty crown jewels. Vintage clothing could generate a disco scene from the 1970s for a millennial, whereas someone my age may picture a flapper dress from the roaring twenties—the 1920’s that is. Similar variances can arise with an author or artist’s use of color and shape, as well as a composer’s insertion of pauses, changing rhythms, and escalating tones.

I’m fortunate that many of the images I wish to share in the O`ahu setting of the Natalie Seachrist mysteries practically write themselves: the sparkle and whooshing sound of incoming surf on a moonlit night; the stickiness of teriyaki sauce on a barbecued chicken thigh; the fresh fragrance of a flower lei, the stench of rotting plumeria blooms beneath an aging and neglected tree. But although I bring personal insight to such images, I must avoid cliché verbiage that will bore the veteran traveler. 

YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE
This brings us to a brief discussion of one’s audience…one’s target market. If you’re working within a recognized genre of literature, art, or music, there may be standards to which the majority of your audience will expect you to adhere. If you are striking out on your own to create a variant or wholly new artistic expression, you can move in any direction you wish…keeping in mind that you will need to attract some degree of a following in order to achieve any degree of success.

Accordingly, I sprinkle snippets of pan-Pacific and world history across my mystery plot-lines.  And while I present a fair number menu items within each book, I place actual recipes on my author website, rather than completely bogging down a story.  As to the cast of characters, folio art framing page numbers, chapter aphorisms, and linguistically and historically detailed glossaries, the reader can choose to appreciate or ignore them…

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

Tips to enhancing your writing may be found in:
Empowering Your Words, February 2015
Creating Fictional Characters, March 2015
Sidestepping Writer’s Block, April 2015
Communicating with Every Sense, May 2015
Energizing Narrative Passages, September 2015
The Author Recycles, July 2017
Balancing Text & Space, February 2017
Book Series Adventures, April 2018
Drawing on Sense Memories, July 2018

To learn more about the award-winning Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries, including Murders of Conveyance [Winner, Fiction Adventure-Drama, 2019 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards] and other projects, please drop in at my author’s website JeanneBurrows-Johnson.com. You’ll even find Island Recipes that might inspire your culinary creativity.

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me:
Amazon, Arizona Authors Association, Apple Books
Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub
Cozy Mysteries-Unlimited, Facebook, Good Reads, Hometown Reads

Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave

MEA CULPA

WHAT DO YOU REGRET IN PAST OR PRESENT WORK?

Your book series is doing well!  This truly is an accomplishment to cherish!  What must you do to ensure your writing career continues on an upward trajectory?  Regardless of whether you have a publisher or self-publish, there are problems that can arise during the complex process of production. Some we must live with and bypass with minimal discomfort. Others we can take steps to remedy in order to bring greater harmony to past as well as present tasks…

PUBLISHING ERRORS
I’ve previously discussed issues an author faces in publishing a series—regardless of genre.  Fortunately, the process of publication is seldom the responsibility of a single person.  Of course, as the author, the quality of the final product reflects on you—for it is you who will be facing the public.

As a reader, as well as an author, I have not heard of a book that arrives in a reader’s lap without flaws of one type or another.  They may be barely perceptible, and actually may be a matter of choice rather than outright error.

DISCOVERING FLAWS
The process of finding errors can be simple or complicated.  In writing a series, you probably have a written or mental list of flaws you’re prone to make.  As I awaited publication of Murders of Conveyance [Winner for Fiction Adventure-Drama in the 2019 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards] and the publishing of Yen for Murder, I’ve found that the following errors appear frequently:

~  Repeated Words and Phrases
My favorites, myriad and R & R.

~  Overuse of Prepositional Phrases
Mine frequent the beginning of sentences. 

~  Complicated Action
I’ve found scenes in which a character would need three hands to accomplish what I’ve described.  I’ve also struggled to explain how hidden compartments are accessed…

~  Character Flaws
Misspellings of names, and their pronunciation in audio books can easily occur, and did in the audio edition of Prospect for Murder.  Titles of officials and their organizations can be misstated or may change over time.  Evidently my love of British police procedurals produced my mixing of the word detective with the ranks of police officers.  In actuality, most police forces in the U.S. [including Hawai`i], do not do that.  A sergeant with the Honolulu Police Department who becomes a detective is simply referred to as detective, with higher ranking officers being referred to by their rank.

~ Major Errors
You might think that writing fiction means that few errors unrelated to grammar will materialize.  But issues of consistency still need to be addressed.  My own inconsistencies have included changing the floor on which protagonist Natalie has a condo and the color of the truck of her boyfriend and detecting partner Keoni.  While regretting even these minor mistakes, at least they do not interfere with the reader’s ability to follow the story.  I’m not sure the same can be said for the two lines of crossed-through text in Murder on Mokulua Drive.

One thing that cannot be ignored or casually dismissed is the erroneous reporting of a historical fact.  I was particularly embarrassed to discover that in copying and pasting text in the Glossary of Prospect for Murder, I mistakenly dropped a sentence relating to Hawaiian Princess Ka`iulani into the description of Queen Kapi`olani. This is an obvious mistake to readers who are familiar with the lineage of Hawaiian royals and a serious detraction from my desire to share Hawaiian history with a global readership.

VARIATIONS…NOT ERRORS
As a series unfolds, it is to be expected that improvements in writing style and changes in book layout may occur.  This doesn’t mean that earlier editions of books are necessarily flawed.  Happily, my publisher opted to offer embossing on the vibrant cover of Murder on Mokulua Drive.  And, as I like reference material to be readily accessible, we are enlarging the font that introduces Glossary sections.  Similarly, we are inserting spaces before and after the hyphens between author birth and death dates in chapter aphorisms.

WHOSE FAULT?
In truth, no matter how much effort [and sometimes treasure] you invest in maintaining the quality of your work, unexpected flaws can emerge.  They can arise from both overt errors, as well as from actions you failed to take.  Most of my errors come from copying and pasting text and repeating favorite words.  Unless one closely and repeatedly reads the edited text, words may end up out of sequence, or can be wholly missing.

MAKING CORRECTIONS
Having determined the cause of a problem, you face correcting it.  This can be fairly easy with the publication of a digital book, and other on-line pieces…That is, if you are capable of altering the text within the template that generated it. If you cannot do so yourself, you may have to return to the typographical artist who originally laid out the book. If you are not able to reconnect with them, you will have to find a new source of help.  Fortunately, my publisher is working to correct the MOMD Ebook error regarding Queen Kapi`olani.

Matters are more complex in correcting flaws in printed editions. Unfortunately, the error regarding the Queen can only be corrected when further batches of the books are printed.  I wish I could send out errata labels to everyone who has a copy of the book…The one thing I have done is to publish a message of Mea Culpa on Facebook!

AVOIDING REPETITIOIN OF THE CRIME
Once you’ve pinpointed the sources of flaws, you can seek appropriate ways to dodge their recurrence. This challenge is exacerbated in the production of a series.  To keep my projects separate but harmonious, I’ve prepared and continually update detailed reference notes listing aspects of appearance, voice, attire, movement and behavior. I also have spreadsheets that pinpoint chapter elements [such as when Natalie has which vision] and the family trees of major characters.

I’m glad that most of my readers enjoy references to daily life in the Hawaiian Islands—especially food.  There are, however, some who would prefer little discussion of food, beverages, relationships, history and cats.  At this point, I don’t foresee removing these elements from my tales—nor would I detract from plot lines by inserting actual recipes.  However, recipes  that reflect Natalie’s life, local restaurants and menu items one might expect at an Island gathering, do appear on my author website.  This has necessitated my keeping records of the food and beverages I write about for review during the writing of each book.

Fortunately, while outright flaws need to be addressed, developments in an author’s style of writing and the presentation of their work can be things of beauty!

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

To learn more about the award-winning Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries, including Murders of Conveyance [Winner, Fiction Adventure-Drama, 2019 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards] and other projects, please drop in at my author’s website JeanneBurrows-Johnson.com. You’ll even find Island Recipes that might inspire your culinary creativity.

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me:
Amazon, Arizona Authors Association, Apple Books
Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub
Cozy Mysteries-Unlimited, Facebook, Good Reads, Hometown Reads

Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave

BOOK SERIES ADVENTURES

ENJOYING YOUR ADVENTURES IN PUBLISHING…

This blog first appeared on https://HometownReads.com,  which I highly recommend to both readers and authors seeking to learn more about the art and business of publishing books! You can click on https://HometownAuthors.com to view a variety of articles from member authors…

As an author, you may have experienced both lows and highs if you have managed to publish a book series!  It’s a true accomplishment, regardless of whether you planned it or not.  But while you were promised great things would emerge at this point in your writing career, you are facing more than a few challenges.  Allow me to tell you about issues I’ve confronted during the publications of Murder on Mokulua Drive, the second Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian mystery…

ELEMENTAL CONSISTENCY
Beyond avoiding copyright violation in the chapter-opening quotes I use, I guard against repetition.  During pre-publication review of Murder on Mokulua Drive, I discovered I’d reused a quote from Prospect for Murder.  My records of aphorisms now indicate when and where a quote is used. Also, I discovered that I changed the color of  a primary character’s truck. I have since created an expanding document listing aspects of the series as well as individual characters, their work, their home, and even their pets.

CHARACTER AND LOCAL PARITY
~  Initially, I had a male protagonist.  Whoops…my writers’ salon found that “voice” more appropriate to a woman.

~  Names, their spellings, descriptions, and pronunciation must all be checked.  Imagine my chagrin in realizing I’d changed a name’s pronunciation mid-way through PFM’s audio edition!

~  While my protagonist thinks in whole words, she speaks with contractions.  I now begin each book by reviewing my chart of persons, places, and their characteristics. 

PLURALITY 
Promotional text highlighting aspects of a single book must encompass each title in a series.  Having multiple titles often means having different editions.  For PFM, I had hardcover, softcover, Ebook, and physical and digital audio editions. MOMD is currently available in only hardcover and Ebook. I have to remember to omit audio references (like “Audible.com”) when describing the second book.    

PRESENTING YOURSELF
If you have a publisher or literary agent, they may have guidelines for presenting yourself personally, online, and in traditional and social media. If you’ve never been in the public eye, you may be grateful for their suggestions about wardrobe, hair, accessories, and makeup [yes, men sometimes require makeup].

Beyond any grooming and/or behavioral adjustments you may need to make for public appearances, you will probably need to vary your public stance depending on the venue or type of media. I’m not suggesting that you become a shape-shifting chameleon, but envisioning each audience will help you view yourself as they will. For instance, wearing a suit may be ideal for some locales and audiences, but something less formal may be best for others.

MARKETING YOURSELF
Regardless of who directs your marketing, examine media kit samples to see what you should prepare.  This will include bios, photos, sample media releases, and relatable stories, covering:
~  Background [family, education, career]
~  Daily Life [home, work, writing locale, pets, hobbies]
~  Writing Methodology [research, writing, editing]
~  Influential People [affecting your work and life]
~  Author Experiences
~  Changes in Your Writing

ELASTIC PROMOTIONAL TEXT
Were you initially described as a debut author? That’s no longer relevant.  What other life changes will impact your self-description.  Are you in a new professional position?  Where do you live, or travel for research, sales, and presentations?  Periodically (and in varying length), you’ll need to restructure text for:
~  Media releases about books, awards, appearances
~  Bios for ads, event programs, introductions
~  Submission of your work for reviews and contests
~  Website discussions of your life and authorship
~  Social media posts, comments, and event announcements

WELCOMING IMAGES
Gather images to stimulate the interest of colleagues, readers, listeners, and the general public including:
~  You and your normal surroundings
~  Events in which you have participated
~  Images attracting your interest
~  Organizational and community events in which you have been involved
~  Images relevant to characters, scenery, and activity in your writing

DESIGNING AND REDESIGING INVITING WEBSITES AND BLOGS
I must confess that this is a recurring theme in this blog, because the process is never complete. Working alone or with a web master, there are many aspects to consider on a regular basis.  First, consider that you may have a website dating from before you became an author. Some of its elements may be recyclable…if you feel the appearance of the original site is compatible with your current work.  With bios, book synopses, and pertinent images being available, much of the material you need as an author should be ready to upload.  You just need to weave it all together to appropriately reveal aspects of yourself and your work.  Consider:

~  Styles appealing to your target market [realism, art deco, country kitch…]
~  Colors [you like and wear; those describing your work]
~  Shapes reflecting your style and work [linear or curved]
~  Textures, natural or man-made [wood, silk, metal, stone, plastic]

Final thoughts?  Well, there’s nothing final about the process of writing…or of marketing your work.  As with your compositions, keeping electronic and hardcopy samples of your promotional material, will help you shape attractive representations of your unfolding life’s work! 

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

Tips to enhancing your writing may be found in:
Empowering Your Words, February 2015
Creating Fictional Characters, March 2015
Sidestepping Writer’s Block, April 2015
Communicating with Every Sense, May 2015
Energizing Narrative Passages, September 2015
The Author Recycles, July 2017
Balancing Text & Space, February 2017
Book Series Adventures, April 2018
Drawing on Sense Memories, July 2018

To learn more about the award-winning Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries, including Murders of Conveyance [Winner, Fiction Adventure-Drama, 2019 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards] and other projects, please drop in at my author’s website JeanneBurrows-Johnson.com. You’ll even find Island Recipes that might inspire your culinary creativity.

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me:
Amazon, Arizona Authors Association, Apple Books
Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub
Cozy Mysteries-Unlimited, Facebook, Good Reads, Hometown Reads

Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave