A book cover is more than the pretty picture people see on the front of your book. If you've traditionally published, you may have a paper cover, over the actual printed book. This is where the pictures go; yours on the back, and a design on the front. If you're already wildly famous, if you're Taylor Swift, for instance, your picture would be on the front cover, not the back. In that case, it's the fame that sells the book, not the book content. Read more →

The world will judge your book by its cover. You have no control over that. People see a book and immediately form an opinion of it. If your cover is not professional, if it does not give the reader the right message about the book, right away, if the colors are off-putting, if they are confused by the title, subtitle, or design, they will look away. And then they will go away. Read more →

People read to be either entertained, educated, or inspired. It is possible to be all three, in one book. Talented people are able to write books that entertain, inspire, and educate, without much trouble at all. It’s all in the storytelling. Read more →

Vicki Wushe, author and thought leader, talks with me about retirement. It's rather like sleep walking into an uncertain future for some of us - something many of us are too familiar with in this time of corona. Here's a question: Why not use this time constructively? Why not get Vicki's book The Wealthy Retirement Plan: a revolutionary guide to living the rest of your life in style and find peace with your 'found time'. If it really is 'found time'. Read more →

Alexandra's story itself is full of introspection and wonder and exploration. I know her as the author of this book, but she is a prolific writer and weave tales in fiction as well as non-fiction. Soul Celebrations was written to guide us on a journey into to our inner being; to help us learn to "approach the wonders of the physical universe selectively," in order to, "experience a merging with chosen aspects of nature and come away with a glorious sense of having participated in eternity." Read more →

They are not alike, and the writing process for each is similar but not the same, though I might have thought so before this talk. Yes, I might have thought, in error, that a fiction book is writing and a non-fiction book is writing, and you just do them the same, by putting your butt in your seat and writing. But with non-fiction you're more tuned in to your research and your fact basted content, and your focus is on making sure you don't mislead your readers. Whereas, in fiction, anything goes. Of course, you still have to get readers on board, dispel that feeling of disbelief, and in some of Amy's books, she adds a "this is true and this I made up" section at the back. Read more →

I invited Deanna on the show precisely because she has more knowledge and experience than many other designers I know. I want to impress upon all of you that cover design, and inside design layout, and creating marketing materials to support the product (your book) is more than a thing of choosing a template in Canva. No offense to Canva, but your book is more important than that.  Read more →

Lisa never let the family problems hold her back. The third child in a family of four children, she has more stories of life growing up confused, than most. Weren't we all confused as kids? But this is different. This is confusion from being in a home torn by alcoholism. Perhaps something more. Whatever it was, the choice Lisa made was to get through it, get beyond it, and somehow, get over it.  Read more →

Before you laugh or bring your skeptical thinking to the conversation, understand that I believe her. I believe trees and plants of all manner communicate with each other. Why shouldn't they then communicate with us? Holly tells us her mission is "to help people experience expansive joy in their lives through connecting with nature." Read more →

But, Debbie's strategies, her tactics, her advice, and her stories (about herself and about her clients) bring the book to life in a positive way business books rarely achieve. It's less a book about building business success, as it is a guide to take you on a positive journey to success. Read more →