Self-Published Author Interview Series – Tina Alwood

Today, we talk to Tina Alwood, self-published author of “Isabella Learns to Be Thankful.”

Tell us about your self-published book.

My first book, “Isabella Learns To Be Thankful was released at the end of May. The second book, “Isabella Learns To Share” will be available soon, and the others will follow later this year.

Isabella is five years old, and she is learning all these lessons with the help of her family.

Why did you decide to self-publish?

I self-published because I didn’t want to go through the steps needed to have someone publish for me. I wanted the books out now. I do have 22 more titles and would like to have them published. Publishing is expensive, and I would not be able to afford to publish and market that many titles.

What was your biggest challenge to overcome in self-publishing your book and why?

I did not have any challenges in self publishing. I am working with a company, authorhouse, and they have been outstanding.

What has been the best part about self-publishing your book and why?

The best part of self-publishing my book is learning the book business first hand. I know the ins and outs of what it takes to publish and market a book. It’s a lot of hard work and effort but certainly worth the satisfaction of seeing your work in print and able to share it with others.

What advice do you have for other writers who are self-publishing their book?

My advice to other authors that want to self-publish is to find a company that will offer you marketing. Most brick and mortar stores will not put self-published books on their shelves. You will have to do the marketing yourself and get your book out there. If the publishing company offers a good marketing kit or marketing advice, this is a very important tool in the process.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

If you want to make money on your books, you have to consider marketing your book as a job, not a hobby. Every day, I make contacts with bookstores, magazines, TV, newspapers, etc. to market my book. The more people see it out there, the more intrigued they will be to buy it.

Thanks for your insights Tina, and all the best with your books!



How about you? Do need assistance marketing and selling your self-published book online? Check out the free marketing we offer self-published authors at www.jexbo.com or send me a note here. Thanks.

Self-Published Author Interview Series – Corinne Frontiero

As part of today’s self-published-author interview series, we talk to Corinne Frontiero, author, presenter and facilitator.

Corinne is the author of three relationship recovery e-books: "Moving Forward," "Project Teen Intervene" and the "Children’s Divorce Support Group," www.booksonrelationships.net. Corrine has a new book coming out and tells us about her experience with it here.

Tell us about your self-published book and where it is available.

I have a new release coming out which is soon to be added to my website and Amazon.com. I hope to have it on jexbo, as well. It is an Anthology of Divorce, Dating and Parenting Wisdoms. It is a collection of 180 articles written as a National Divorce Support Examiner for Examiner.com.

My relationship recovery book, “Moving Forward - A Handbook designed for the Divorced Individual” may be purchased on Amazon.com, online at Barnes and Noble, CreateSpace, and of course, on my website www.booksonrelationships.net

Why did you decide to self-publish?

I wanted to be involved in my own business.

What was your biggest challenge to overcome in self-publishing your book and why?

For the Anthology, in particular, it was difficult transferring the articles over to my hard drive from my column because there were so many. But, I believe it was all worth it in the end.

What has been the best part about self-publishing your book and why?

Through writing the Divorce, dating and parenting articles, it has brought me an opportunity to help the general-public in a difficult economy by bringing resources to the public.

What advice do you have for other writers who are self-publishing their book?

Make sure to research different sites where you may sell your books. Get out and about too. Local bookstores may invest and take some of your books to sell. That’s a start, at the very least.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Always be consciously aware of new networking possibilities. Brainstorm with other people about writing. Do a workshop on your topic once in a while just because you can. Attend workshops and spend some time on the computer to advance your knowledge of how to share your work(s).

Believe in yourself and keep writing.

Thanks again for your great motivation and advice Corinne! We wish you all the best with your books and future engagements!

How about you? Do need assistance marketing and selling your self-published book online? Check out the free marketing we offer self-published authors at www.jexbo.com or send me a note. I can help!

jexbo Self-Published Author Interview Series – Gabriel Schechter

Today, I had the pleasure of interviewing self-published author Gabriel Schechter. After publishing three books, here’s what Gabriel had to say…

Tell us about your self-published book.

I've published three books of baseball history, all available at www.charlesapril.com. The first two are available at Amazon.com, and other stray sites and stores. The books are: 1) VICTORY FAUST: The Rube Who Saved McGraw's Giants (2000), 2) UNHITTABLE! Baseball's Greatest Pitching Seasons (2002) and 3) THIS BAD DAY IN YANKEES HISTORY (2009)

Why did you decide to self-publish?

My first book was about a fairly obscure player, and I couldn't get a mainstream publisher interested in it. I also had a nibble about a possible film deal and preferred owning the rights to the book if that materialized, which it did (the deal, not yet the film). I had enough savings to finance it, so I did it.

What was your biggest challenge to overcome in self-publishing your book and why?

The biggest challenge was, and continues to be, marketing – finding the time and energy to promote the book and seek markets for it, finding the motivation after running into roadblocks and disinterest, and being persistent at exploring possibilities for selling copies.

What has been the best part about self-publishing your book and why?

By far, the best part was that I was able to create and produce all three books exactly the way I wanted them to read and look. With the help of good typesetters and cover designers, I produced three books I'm very proud of and which are my, not another publisher's, version of what they thought my books should be.

What advice do you have for other writers who are self-publishing their book?

It echoes what I said earlier. Be prepared to devote as least as much time and energy to marketing and selling the book (and filling orders) as you did to putting the book together. There are so many little business details that have to be attended to that it can be all-consuming.

If you can afford it, hire professionals in specialized fields (distribution, publicity, accounting, etc.) to take up some of the workload. But the bottom-line responsibility is yours, and you can't overlook things that are a nuisance but still important.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Dan Poynter's books are very helpful, though as with all advice some of it will apply to your venture and some won't. First and foremost, produce a book that you would want to read and are proud to have your name on. Then be prepared to do everything you can to sell those copies!

Excellent advice Gabriel! Thank you!

And how about you? Do you need help getting the word out about your self-published book? Send your questions to me, and check out the free information at http://www.jexbo.com/.

The Goddess Biker, Jennifer Bair, Tells Us About Her Self-Published Book

Have you ever talked to a Goddess Biker before?

Well, as part of our self-published interview series, today I’m talking to Jennifer Bair. Jennifer is an author, musician/vocalist, and spiritual consultant.

Tell us about your self-published book and where it is available.

“Open Road: A Goddess- Biker Guidebook” gives you a touchstone for your own journey inside. This book will provide a set of tools for choosing the right bike, getting on the road on your own terms and helping others do the same. It’s a metaphor. Even if you don't intend to ever ride a motorcycle, it gives you a simple process for navigating your life's purpose and inner road toward happiness.

Why did you decide to self-publish?

After a long year of queries to potential literary agents and small, Indie publishers, a multitude of workshops given and taken, college-level writing courses and many sleepless nights worrying over whether this message would ever have a voice, I decided to bite the bullet and self-publish.

It was with a jaded sense of failure and was overwhelmed at the disheveled literary community and publishing industry as a whole that prompted me to buck the system and do it myself. I felt like an outlaw, on the fringe; a mole rat toward the goal of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel someone else had dug eons ago. And it felt good to let go of the old paradigm and forge something from the new well.

What was your biggest challenge to overcome in self-publishing your book and why?

I am going through the process just to get the book out there and then I’ll try to find a foothold in the publishing world by reaching as many people as possible with the message and passion of my work. It is all a mirror for the evolution of humanity. We will survive with conscious, communal commitment or well all go down to the pavement.

How did you overcome that challenge?

Challenges are just debris in the road. You have to get into the lean and divert around it before it brings you down. I mean all the way to the pavement. This book publishing experience has been like the ultimate slide on a curve. The challenge of staying on top of another systematized, automated machine of the self-publishing companies making; no personal contact, a lot of automated step-by-step emails that promise and don’t deliver. You have to let go of any deadlines. The process is achingly slow.

What has been the best part about self-publishing your book and why?

The sunny side of all this is the fact that I can recognize my own growth as I navigate through this maze. It’s been a steep learning curve. One that I have not honored perhaps as well as I could have. However, it makes me think in new ways, which translates to higher consciousness around the business of writing for the masses.

Of course, if you ask me what I’m trying to accomplish with this book/CD, it would have to be validation for the ideas that have had an impact on so many people already. It is a compilation of my skills, talents and shared dreams. It is the silver lining to an otherwise string of chaotic, feral, mindful ideas that I live and breathe. I am grateful for the passage on this rocky journey. It’s (self-publishing) gonna get me where I need to go.

What advice do you have for other writers who are self-publishing their book?

My advice to other writers on this path is to take a giant breath and relax into the jaws of the monster as your precious gift is being churned into printed/digitized matter.

Thanks for your insights Jennifer. This is quite interesting!

And for those of you who would like to find out more about Jennifer’s book, it is available at all major retailers such as Borders Books, Barnes & Noble, Indie booksellers, online retailers such as Amazon and through Authorhouse.com and jenniferbairpresents.com.

There is a also a companion audio-workbook and an original music CD available through these venues titled, “The Goddess Sings - An Audio Workbook and Music.”

How about you?

Do you need help getting the word out about your self-published book? Send your questions to me, and check out the free information at http://www.jexbo.com/. Thanks, and check back for another interview soon!

Meet Self-Published Author, Captain Karen Kahn

For today’s blog, we interview a very interesting, self-published author, Captain Karen Kahn, author of “Flight Guide for Success.” Check out what she has to say about providing guidance for pilots via her writing:

Tell us about your self-published book.

Having spent the last 30+ years at 30,000 feet with other people’s lives in my hands, I like to think I have mastered the art of confidence, determination, communication and professional and personal growth.

However, I have recently realized that the best use of experience is to provide guidance and advice for those entering the professional world. As a result, while counseling aspiring and employed pilots, I wrote "Flight Guide for Success: Tips and Tactics for the Aspiring Pilot" (available online at http://www.captainkarenkahn.com/) to help pilots synthesize their aspirations and skills into a manageable action plan that will empower them to secure ideal employment or climb the corporate ranks.

Today, I have broadened my message to share with everyone (not just aspiring pilots) how they too can become more confident and succeed in any professional or personal pursuit. Anyone who is interested can find my book available online.

Why did you decide to self-publish?

For authors like me, having a small, specific market is the reason for writing, not an obstacle to overcome in being published. That is why for me, self-publishing was the only option that made sense. I didn’t have a big enough audience to pitch to general publishers, and I didn’t want to compromise my writing for the sake of possibly attracting a book deal.

What was your biggest challenge to overcome in self-publishing your book and why?

Ironically, the down side of self-publishing is also the independence required. In my case, this included overseeing artwork development, printing and, of course, marketing. Still, I take comfort in how far I had come already at the time of publishing.

How did you overcome that challenge?

I joined the Independent Book Publishers Association (formerly Publishers Marketing Association) to enlist the help and experience of other, independently published authors in my quest. Luckily, I was able to rely on a network of connections to assist me in the publishing process. I ended up calling on my neighbor (who is an editor for “Reader’s Digest”) and another friend who helped with the layout of the book cover.

What has been the best part about self-publishing your book and why?

The content of my writing is very specific, so the best part about publishing my book was the freedom of writing on my own terms. When you publish yourself, no one tells you what to do. Not afraid to be specific, I wrote about what I knew best. After all, authors who know their audience write for them and not for a chance to be on a best-seller list.

What advice do you have for other writers who are self-publishing their book?

I found the inspiration to prepare a formal book after reading Dan Poynter’s The Self-Publishing Manual, and I encourage others who are interested in self-publishing to do the same.

I also recommend joining associations, such as the Independent Book Publishers Association, that can supply invaluable advice and experience from other independently published authors. In addition, don’t forget about family and friends; their opinions can provide powerful insight.


Fantastic advice Captain Kahn! Thanks for sharing your insights with the jexbo audience.

How about you? Do you need help marketing your self-published book? Send your questions to me, and check out the free information at http://www.jexbo.com/.