Mandy Eve-Barnett's Blog for Readers & Writers

My Book News & Advocate for the Writing Community ©

A Busy Weekend of Event Planning …

September 15, 2014
mandyevebarnett


This week has my writing group hosting their AGM and my publishing company attending a book fair. This entails my time in planning for both.

As secretary of the Writers Foundation of Strathcona County, I am responsible for the minutes at the meeting but also to ensure notification and reminders have been sent to the membership, that we have copies of last year’s AGM minutes and an agenda. As well as ensuring the Bylaws and Policies binder is up to date and present for viewing. On Saturday, I spent time with the Treasurer, Linda J Pedley, creating the agenda and a President’s report. This was after I had driven to Leduc to record the inventory of Dream Write books in the Leduc Artisan Market and to pick up a Ockleberries to the Rescue promotional item. (See below). We will hold the AGM on Tuesday 16th September and begin another year – our 10th anniversary – with new vigor and plans for a writing conference on 2nd May 2015.

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Sprite door 4

Sprite door 3

Once the writer’s group business was completed, we began planning for the upcoming weekend’s book fair. This event – Words on the Street – is Canada wide and well worth visiting in your location. You have the opportunity to meet authors and hear them read from their current book, purchase and have books signed, receive advice from publishers and find a writing group in your area.Dream Write Publishing will be in stall #17 – opposite the library entrance – so come along and say Hi and also meet the members of the Lethbridge writing group, The River Bottom Writers, who will be next to us.

All of Dream Write’s books will be available for sale and some for pre-order, such as my Ockleberries to the Rescue children’s chapter book. Immerse yourself in literary endeavors for the day. Hope to see you there.

Book cover

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How To Prepare For An Author Signing…

June 2, 2014
mandyevebarnett


articlesWith any new experience on our writing journey, it is always best to prepare and gather assistance from more experienced authors and writers. Although, I have attended several author readings, this coming Saturday 7th June, will be a new venture for me. A book signing!

While my publisher, Dream Write Publishing, will be present and has organized the promotional element as well as the initial contact with the venue’s owner’s, there are still several things I can do too.

The first is to ensure I have my own ‘book signing kit’. This will comprise of several pens, book marks, visual representations of the book, which in this instance is my Rumble soft toy for Rumble’s First Scare, a mailing list sign up sheet, a pre-order sheet for my next children’s book, a copy of a child’s review of Rumble, business cards, a notepad to write down the spelling of people’s names – this ensures the book has a nice signature and not a scribbled correction!

Other tips I have found include:

Not sitting behind the table but standing and engaging with visitors by introducing yourself.

Handing your book to people/children so they can take a look.

Get someone to take photos of you signing the book. This is great for future promotion. You can even send copies to purchasers via their email address, if they so wish.

Take into consideration, where you will sign in the book – the most common is on the title page. Ensure illustrations or text are not covered.

Ask whose name you should inscribe (ask for spelling) and also personalize the message, either in regards to the venue or have a few phrases you can alternate.

Have you attended a book signing?

Do you have any tips to share?

Rumble display

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

book signing

Details of the book signing: 

Venue:  Leduc Artisan Market,  Bay 2, 5110 – 50th Street, Leduc, AB, T9E 6Z6

Saturday June 7th 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Check out our event on Facebook

 

 

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/events/752053214816971/

The Market promotes local artisans including some Dream Write authors – come by and say hi – get your book signed and enjoy 10% off your purchase!

There will be other author’s represented by DWP attending with their own books. Karen Probert – Fragments of Lives and Beth Rowe – Bird of Barjag are confirmed along with yours truly. Other authors are expected to confirm this week. Check the facebook event page.

FragmentsBird of Barjag

 

 

 

 

Summer Reading – Get Your Books Ordered & Receive A Special Offer…

May 30, 2014
mandyevebarnett


 

So summer is dawning and our thoughts turn to relaxation with a great book, or if you are like me books! I thought this special offer would appeal to many of you. You will find a wide range of books in various genres available at http://www.dreamwritepublishing.ca/catalog/books

 Buy a book (any book, any order) on line in June and July from the Dream Write Publishing catalog >> Read them. Enjoy them at home, at the beach, at the cabin, on the bus… or wherever you might be this summer. >> Review them. Write up a short “how you feel” about the book and send it back via the contact us form on the web site. We will post them on the book’s page so others can read your review (we will only put your first name). Buy 2 books – one in June and one in July – and get the August book 50% off >> Request your 3rd book from Dream Write Publishing via email and we will send it out to you at a discount! To be fair to the third author, please, send us a review for that book, too. 

Why not join in the fun?

Quotes:

A good, sympathetic review is always a wonderful surprise.  Joyce Carol Oates

As writers go, I have a skin of average thickness. I am pleased by a good review, disappointed by a bad. None of it penetrates far enough to influence the thing I write next. Rachel Cusk

leduc

In other news – I will be signing books at Leduc Artisan Market on 7th June between 10 am – 2 pm. For more details see their facebook event page – https://www.facebook.com/events/752053214816971/?ref_notif_type=like&source=1

Rumble will be accompanying me – he just loves lots of cuddles! Rumble display

Now let’s think of a prompt for today. How about a short review of your favorite book? It will give you some practice before your first book order arrives from Dream Write Publishing!

 

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