For today’s self-published-author interview on jexbo, we talk to Bob Wolfe, author of several, self-published books.
Tell us about your self-published books.
I actually have three books self-published with jexbo under the pen name of “WOLF” at http://www.jexbo.com/items;search?query=wolf.
They are in order of publication:
The first book- “Pins and Tickles,” is a series of 18 short stories. The first 12 stories and the last two are pure fiction and take place in various countries that I have lived and worked in. Two of the stories are actual construction stories of two unusual projects in Thailand. One story is a documentation of life in Nigeria and another is a true case in court.
The second book- "…And I Approve This Message,” is narrated by a bottle opener (Me, I came back in my second life as a bottle opener). The bottle opener is bought, sold, stolen, loaned and finds its way around the world following the path of my real life (i.e.: Oklahoma, Indiana, New Jersey, Germany, Thailand, Viet Nam etc.). At each stop, the bottle opener rails against various, pet peeves that I had in my real life. The stops included my thoughts on lawyers, lobbyists, the media, cell phones, commissioners, the wars in Iraq, and other problems. Being dead, I have no fear in writing what I think. Actually, I cover lawyers a few times.
The third book- “Pins, Needles and Thorns,” is fiction and basically covers cheating wives and stupid husbands. The writer has a mental pain that becomes physical as he tries to find out why his life took the path it took. He covers about thirteen or fourteen cases of stupid husbands, and as he remembers his past, the thoughts become his “pins, needles and thorns.” As in the first two books, the end to this story has a twist.
Why did you decide to self publish?
This is easy to answer. Being a new writer, it was difficult to get a publisher to read my manuscripts. Sending an outline of my books did not help since my writing is a little “different”. Even though I had successfully sold a story years ago to “Penthouse, Europe,” it was not enough to consider me as a published author. Self-publishing was my answer.
What was your biggest challenge to overcome in self-publishing your book?
The cost of self-publishing, in my case, was difficult. I bought 100 copies of “Pinks and Tickles” and still have about 40 of them.
What has been the best part about self-publishing your book?
Being told by many people that they love the books, the humor in them. I try to write about almost everything with humor and love it when people call me names for tricking them at the end.
What advice do you have for other potential writers and self-published authors?
I believe that I am too new at it to give much advice and I just love to write. Local newspapers don’t like me too much because I write very often “Letters of the Day.” In fact, the fourth book is underway, and one story in it is copies of all of my “Letters…”
Interesting, Bob. Thanks for your insights and sharing your love for writing. To discover more about Bob’s books, visit http://www.jexbo.com/items;search?query=wolf.
Do you have questions on how to sell books online and self-publishing? Please write to me here or at www.jexbo.com. I’d love to hear from you! Thanks!
Self-Published Author Series – Interview with Cecile Garcia
For our self-published author series, today, we have a brief chat with Cecile Garcia, author of “In The Company of Elves.”
The book has light, adult humor, adventure, fantasy, and romance and can be found on www.jexbo.com at http://www.jexbo.com/items;search?query=Company+of+Elves. Here’s our interview:
Tell us about your self-published book.
My book is called “In the Company of Elves.” The story begins three months after Melissa’s grandmother has passed away and 25 year-old Melissa and her family inherit her grandmother’s old, English style home built in Silverado Canyon, California.
The house has magical properties, especially in the garden. One day, Melissa goes out into the garden to pick a few vegetables for a sandwich she is making when she comes across a hidden door obscured by vines that have grown over the cobblestone wall in the backyard.
Curiosity gets the best of her, and she begins to tear away some of the vines from the door. She discovers that the lock is unhinged so she opens the door. To her horror, she is sucked through the door and ends up on the other side, in a world unlike her own. A world full of elves, faeries, sorcerers, and a dark, menacing evil bent on destroying the innocent creatures that live in the land of Agartha.
Why did you decide to self-publish?
I have always wanted to self-publish since the early 1990’s. But at the time, I didn't have the funds to invest in publishing my book/books. I self-published with Instantpublisher.com, and they provided easy templates to work with and excellent book covers. I have no complaints or regrets about self-publishing my book. It works for me.
What was your biggest challenge to overcome in self-publishing your book?
Like many other self-published authors, I felt that promoting and selling can be a bit of a challenge.
What has been the best part about self-publishing your book?
The best part is the sense of accomplishment and fulfillment in doing what I have always wanted to do in life and that is to write and publish my book.
What advice do you have for other potential writers and self-published authors?
Be sure that you go over your work as many times as you can before publishing it. If you’re on your own editing your work like I was, then update your software and go over your work until you’re satisfied with what you’ve got. It never hurts to be absolutely sure that what you wrote is what you want everyone to read.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Yes, you can read excerpts from the book on my website at http://www.companyofelves.bravehost.com.
Thanks for your great insights Cecile, and your book sounds really interesting!
Do you have questions about marketing your self-published book and selling books online? Please contact us here or at www.jexbo.com. I’d love to hear from you!
The book has light, adult humor, adventure, fantasy, and romance and can be found on www.jexbo.com at http://www.jexbo.com/items;search?query=Company+of+Elves. Here’s our interview:
Tell us about your self-published book.
My book is called “In the Company of Elves.” The story begins three months after Melissa’s grandmother has passed away and 25 year-old Melissa and her family inherit her grandmother’s old, English style home built in Silverado Canyon, California.
The house has magical properties, especially in the garden. One day, Melissa goes out into the garden to pick a few vegetables for a sandwich she is making when she comes across a hidden door obscured by vines that have grown over the cobblestone wall in the backyard.
Curiosity gets the best of her, and she begins to tear away some of the vines from the door. She discovers that the lock is unhinged so she opens the door. To her horror, she is sucked through the door and ends up on the other side, in a world unlike her own. A world full of elves, faeries, sorcerers, and a dark, menacing evil bent on destroying the innocent creatures that live in the land of Agartha.
Why did you decide to self-publish?
I have always wanted to self-publish since the early 1990’s. But at the time, I didn't have the funds to invest in publishing my book/books. I self-published with Instantpublisher.com, and they provided easy templates to work with and excellent book covers. I have no complaints or regrets about self-publishing my book. It works for me.
What was your biggest challenge to overcome in self-publishing your book?
Like many other self-published authors, I felt that promoting and selling can be a bit of a challenge.
What has been the best part about self-publishing your book?
The best part is the sense of accomplishment and fulfillment in doing what I have always wanted to do in life and that is to write and publish my book.
What advice do you have for other potential writers and self-published authors?
Be sure that you go over your work as many times as you can before publishing it. If you’re on your own editing your work like I was, then update your software and go over your work until you’re satisfied with what you’ve got. It never hurts to be absolutely sure that what you wrote is what you want everyone to read.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Yes, you can read excerpts from the book on my website at http://www.companyofelves.bravehost.com.
Thanks for your great insights Cecile, and your book sounds really interesting!
Do you have questions about marketing your self-published book and selling books online? Please contact us here or at www.jexbo.com. I’d love to hear from you!
Self-Published Author Series – Interview with John Hinds
For our self-published author series, today, we have a brief chat with John Hinds, author of “What’s In Your Water?” Here’s what John had to say about self-publishing:
Tell us about your self-published book.
My book is called "What's In Your Water?" In the book, I talk about some of the challenges with bottled water and municipal tap water. I also discuss the pros and cons of the various water purification methods available to consumers. In addition, 10% of the royalties are being donated to WaterAid, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help poor countries in African and Asia secure safe drinking water and sanitation.
Why did I decide to self-publish?
I decided to self-publish my book because I wanted to retain creative control over my material, I wanted to establish my expertise in the water purification industry and I wanted to be able to dictate how soon the book would be available for sale. Also, my profit margins would be higher self-publishing a book as opposed to going to a traditional publishing house.
What was your biggest challenge in self-publishing your book?The biggest challenge for me was figuring out a cost effective way to implement an online distribution system that would allow me to focus my efforts on promoting the book.
What has been the best part about self-publishing your book?The best part about self-publishing my book is that it has opened up so many opportunities for me to receive paid speaking engagements, to spread consumer awareness about the importance of clean water and to help raise money to help WaterAid fulfill its mission. And it helped me generate more sales of water-filtration systems.
What advice would you give to other potential writers and self-published authors?The advice I would give to potential writers and self-published authors is:
• Block off time to write each day
• Start building relationships with key people using social media to promote your book BEFORE it comes out for sale
• Develop a comprehensive book marketing plan
Is there anything else you would like to add?Yes. I just partnered with Willie Crawford, who is also a self-published author, to create a home study course to assist aspiring authors in their dream of getting their book published in record time. The title of the course is “How to Become a Self-Published Author in 4 Months or Less on a Shoe String Budget.” I use myself as the case study, and we provide people with a comprehensive book marketing plan.
For more information on the course, visit http://www.WhyPublishYourBook.com
Great tips and information John. Thanks!
Do you have questions about marketing your self-published book and selling books online? Please contact us here or at www.jexbo.com. I’d love to hear from you!
Tell us about your self-published book.
My book is called "What's In Your Water?" In the book, I talk about some of the challenges with bottled water and municipal tap water. I also discuss the pros and cons of the various water purification methods available to consumers. In addition, 10% of the royalties are being donated to WaterAid, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help poor countries in African and Asia secure safe drinking water and sanitation.
Why did I decide to self-publish?
I decided to self-publish my book because I wanted to retain creative control over my material, I wanted to establish my expertise in the water purification industry and I wanted to be able to dictate how soon the book would be available for sale. Also, my profit margins would be higher self-publishing a book as opposed to going to a traditional publishing house.
What was your biggest challenge in self-publishing your book?The biggest challenge for me was figuring out a cost effective way to implement an online distribution system that would allow me to focus my efforts on promoting the book.
What has been the best part about self-publishing your book?The best part about self-publishing my book is that it has opened up so many opportunities for me to receive paid speaking engagements, to spread consumer awareness about the importance of clean water and to help raise money to help WaterAid fulfill its mission. And it helped me generate more sales of water-filtration systems.
What advice would you give to other potential writers and self-published authors?The advice I would give to potential writers and self-published authors is:
• Block off time to write each day
• Start building relationships with key people using social media to promote your book BEFORE it comes out for sale
• Develop a comprehensive book marketing plan
Is there anything else you would like to add?Yes. I just partnered with Willie Crawford, who is also a self-published author, to create a home study course to assist aspiring authors in their dream of getting their book published in record time. The title of the course is “How to Become a Self-Published Author in 4 Months or Less on a Shoe String Budget.” I use myself as the case study, and we provide people with a comprehensive book marketing plan.
For more information on the course, visit http://www.WhyPublishYourBook.com
Great tips and information John. Thanks!
Do you have questions about marketing your self-published book and selling books online? Please contact us here or at www.jexbo.com. I’d love to hear from you!
Self-Published Author Series – Interview with Nick Cavuto
Today, we talk to Nick Cavuto, author of the cookbook, “Conquering Healthier Recipes and Beyond,” available on jexbo at http://www.jexbo.com/items/98.
Here’s what Nick had to say as part of our self-published author interview-series:
Tell us about your self-published book and where we can find it on jexbo.
My wife and I self-published a cookbook in 2005 titled “Conquering Healthier Recipes and Beyond”.
There are over 300 quick, easy and delicious recipes on the light side. It has a spiral binding which makes it easy to use.
We didn’t want to just have pages of compiled recipes, so I wrote short stories about several food experiences introducing the twelve categories. Also included are inspirational quotes and a six-week menu cycle.
Why did you decide to self-publish?
We decided to self-publish because we thought the traditional ways were too costly and didn’t feel we would have the control needed for marketing.
What was your biggest challenge to overcome in self-publishing your book?
We feel the biggest challenge was and still is MARKETING. We have had several compliments about the recipes in our cookbook, which makes the two-year effort well invested time. But we are always looking for ways to market.
What has been the best part about self-publishing your book?
The best part about self-publishing is the rewarding feeling we have for creating something that is helping others.
What advice do you have for other potential writers and self-published authors?
If there is any advice we think is important, it would be taking the time to do your market research.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The only other thing I would like to say is, I did not and could not have completed this project without the endless encouragement from my loving wife Suzanne and during many early morning hours working on my book I knew God was with me.
Thanks for your tips Nick!
Do you have questions about marketing your self-published book and how to sell books online? Please contact us here or at www.jexbo.com. I’d love to hear from you!
Here’s what Nick had to say as part of our self-published author interview-series:
Tell us about your self-published book and where we can find it on jexbo.
My wife and I self-published a cookbook in 2005 titled “Conquering Healthier Recipes and Beyond”.
There are over 300 quick, easy and delicious recipes on the light side. It has a spiral binding which makes it easy to use.
We didn’t want to just have pages of compiled recipes, so I wrote short stories about several food experiences introducing the twelve categories. Also included are inspirational quotes and a six-week menu cycle.
Why did you decide to self-publish?
We decided to self-publish because we thought the traditional ways were too costly and didn’t feel we would have the control needed for marketing.
What was your biggest challenge to overcome in self-publishing your book?
We feel the biggest challenge was and still is MARKETING. We have had several compliments about the recipes in our cookbook, which makes the two-year effort well invested time. But we are always looking for ways to market.
What has been the best part about self-publishing your book?
The best part about self-publishing is the rewarding feeling we have for creating something that is helping others.
What advice do you have for other potential writers and self-published authors?
If there is any advice we think is important, it would be taking the time to do your market research.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The only other thing I would like to say is, I did not and could not have completed this project without the endless encouragement from my loving wife Suzanne and during many early morning hours working on my book I knew God was with me.
Thanks for your tips Nick!
Do you have questions about marketing your self-published book and how to sell books online? Please contact us here or at www.jexbo.com. I’d love to hear from you!
Self-Published Author Series – Interview with Paul Hughes
For today’s self-published author interview, we talk to Paul Hughes, author of the Spanish book, "Y Ahora..? Una dosis para tu alivio,” available on jexbo at http://www.jexbo.com/items/164.
Here are Paul’s responses:
Tell us about your self-published book.
My book is about the cycles in life. Life in itself is a cycle, and within that cycle, we have continuously new things happening, one after another, ones within others. Each cycle has twenty-two stages that inexorably are fulfilled.
Through the narration of a personal experience with alcohol, I am demonstrating how these stages are fulfilled to be able to prepare, anticipate and get benefit to the different situations and to live a life with joy, abundance, peace, love and tranquility.
Why did you decide to self-publish?
I decide to self publish because I wanted to personally take care of my book.
What was your biggest challenge to overcome in self-publishing your book?
My biggest challenge is the distribution and sales.
What has been the best part about self-publishing your book?
The best part of self-publishing my book is that the result I wanted Is what I have.
What advice do you have for other potential writers and self-published authors?
My advice for other, self-published authors is to think of exactly what you want and what you expect about your book, and then decide if you want to do it by yourself or with a publishing company.
Thanks for your insights Paul! Now, if you have questions like Paul about marketing your self-published book and selling books online, please write to us here or at www.jexbo.com. I’m here to help!
Here are Paul’s responses:
Tell us about your self-published book.
My book is about the cycles in life. Life in itself is a cycle, and within that cycle, we have continuously new things happening, one after another, ones within others. Each cycle has twenty-two stages that inexorably are fulfilled.
Through the narration of a personal experience with alcohol, I am demonstrating how these stages are fulfilled to be able to prepare, anticipate and get benefit to the different situations and to live a life with joy, abundance, peace, love and tranquility.
Why did you decide to self-publish?
I decide to self publish because I wanted to personally take care of my book.
What was your biggest challenge to overcome in self-publishing your book?
My biggest challenge is the distribution and sales.
What has been the best part about self-publishing your book?
The best part of self-publishing my book is that the result I wanted Is what I have.
What advice do you have for other potential writers and self-published authors?
My advice for other, self-published authors is to think of exactly what you want and what you expect about your book, and then decide if you want to do it by yourself or with a publishing company.
Thanks for your insights Paul! Now, if you have questions like Paul about marketing your self-published book and selling books online, please write to us here or at www.jexbo.com. I’m here to help!
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