Received my Readers' Favorite Bronze Medal for "Magical Matthew"

I just returned from the Readers' Favorite Awards Ceremony and the Miami International Book Fair!  There I received my Bronze Medal for Magical Matthew and was also acknowledged for Magical Mea being a finalist, too!  It was very exciting to be there and meet other award winning writers who were also being honored.

We had the opportunity to hear some great talks on marketing:
1) Find the audience for your book and pursue it relentlessly.  Sell yourself, sell your stories.
2) Make your presentations fun and memorable.  Tell them something new.  Share.  Joke.  Sell.
3) Dress up in costume, if appropriate.  Have a memorable image, gimmick, showcase.
4) Volunteer as a speaker to community organizations (libraries, service clubs, churches, schools, book clubs, parent groups, etc ). 
5) Become well-known.  You = your product; brand yourself.  (T-shirts, stuffed animals, dolls, hats?)

How to pursue adapting your book for a movie or TV show:
1) When writing your book try to make it "cinematic," with 3 Act structure and castable characters.
2) Find out who wants/needs movies/TV shows with your theme/subject; communicate marketabilty.
3) Know your target audience and how to connect with them; have significant readership.
4) Write a great two page synopsis of your vision; be persistent, but not a pest; be passionate.
5) Set realistic goals.  One no just means it's not right for that producer/film company; be gracious.

And the future of the independent author and publisher.
1) Market to the right publisher for your genre and audience.
2) Investigate self-publishing as a viable alternative with growing interest, audience, and respect.
3) Be smart with marketing and PR; find your audience and market to them.
4) Know the business side of writing (budget, design, pricing, marketing/PR, outsourcing, website).

All were short presentations, but interesting, supportive, and inspiring.  It made me want to go back next year.  But then I'll have to enter another book by May 1st, 2014!

Here I am at the Miami International Book Fair where our award winning books were displayed.

 Here I am with Debra Gaynor, Founder of the Readers' Favorite Awards Program.

We'll get the official photo of the medal being awarded on December first and I'll post that, too.  And now it's back to work on the next book!