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Jim Cox Report: February 2009

Dear Publisher Folk, Friends & Family:

My apologies for being so tardy in getting this month's "Jim Cox Report" put together. I've just come off a week's worth of illness. For the past several days all I could manage was to answer the phone from my easy chair. I live on one side of a duplex and the Midwest Book Review occupies the other side. So with our cordless office phone I'm able to at least talk to people, even if I didn't have the energy to grind out the usual daily office tasks themselves. Fortunately I've got three able bodied and capable assistant editors who are experienced enough to hold down the fort when the Old Man has gone ailing.

The good news is that when this bug started I was weighing in at 231 -- as of this morning I'm now down to 223. A rough way to lose weight -- I mean to strive mightily on keeping to my diet because the dropping of these 8 pounds over seven days was truly a miserable way to go about such a thing. I've now lost a bit over 200 pounds over the past two years but I've got another 33 pounds to go before the doctors (and my wife) will let up on me. It's the old diabetes thing.

Another "perk" (if that's the right word for it) of my enforced idleness was the opportunity to watch a lot of talking heads on TV spouting off about the economy, the new administration, and the doings of congress. I was also able to see President Obama give some complete speeches instead of just the usual snippets on the evening news.

A word about it all from my personal perspective as an involved member of the publishing community:

All but 3 or 4 of the Republicans in the Senate, and every Republican in the Congress, seems intent on redefining themselves as the party of Herbert Hoover.

Most of the Democrats in the House and a great many Dems in the Senate seem to want to insert every "wish list" item they'd been stymied from getting enacted over the past 8 years.

Barack Obama is one of the most articulate, intelligent, thoughtful, dedicated, work-ethic oriented men to occupy the office of the presidency in my lifetime. And when I was born the president was Franklin Roosevelt.

Now what's my vaunted publishing perspective on the debates, speeches, and congressional food-fights I've been seeing over the course of this last housebound week?

When the economy is in free fall, when millions (literally) of people are out of work, and millions more (literally) are chronically under-employed, those folks don't have the disposable income to buy books for the simple fun and profit of reading them. So anyone who publishes fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or any of the other literary arts is going to see a vastly more difficult and increasingly grim marketplace in which to make a profit -- or to merely break even.

These publishers of fiction and non-fiction are going to see all of their traditional markets, including institutional markets (principally schools and libraries) shrink down further and further as the municipality taxes that support them diminish because the tax base of those municipalities is feeling the impact of an economic free fall with closing businesses, increased unemployment rates, and increasing demands for social service rescue services ranging from food stamps to medicaid to welfare, and more.

That's why I'm now declaring myself to having now become a member of a brand new classification of the American electorate. I am now something I'm calling an "Obama Republican".

As a small business owner (Midwest Book Review) who listened carefully to a week's worth of political debate (some of it intellectually engaging, some of it simple minded name-calling). It seems to me that the only hope the publishing community has of successfully coping with the economic free fall all segments of the American business community are caught up in is to give President Obama just what he says he needs to staunch the economic wounds that are bleeding this country into Third World Status and national bankruptcy.

Meanwhile, I sincerely hope he doesn't give up on trying to persuade the Hooveright Republicans to join in a common effort to cure our country's ills, rather than their continuing to rant, rave, and rail against ordinary people getting helped to gainful employment by governmental investment in a host of useful projects that will rebuilt so much of our country that is run down; mis-characterize and impede government financing of mid- and long-range policies so that we can make fundamental improvements in long-term projects such as upgraded replacements of our national electrical transmission system.

I speak as owning a small corporation that's been doing business in the State of Wisconsin for the past 33 years. Corporations don't need any more tax cuts. We corporations are still living large on the tax cuts and tax benefits enacted over the past decade.

What's needed is my employees getting tax cuts so that their paychecks are a little fatter.

As for the Democrats -- I so hope that they will learn that turning emergency legislation to deal cleanly with such a dire and rapidly worsening situation as the present economic crisis. That this is not the time for "business as usual" Christmas Tree bills where you insert your own little pet project whose primary purpose is to get you campaign money for your next re-election bid.

As for the rest of us -- all you authors, publishers, and publishing community vendors who read the "Jim Cox Report" (and at the last count there were just over 4,000 of you), I want you to copy down the following two web site addresses:

Barack Obama Email Contact: www.WhiteHouse.gov
The Library of Congress (legislation database) -- http://thomas.loc.gov

The first one is how you can write directly to President Obama with any ideas you might have about things to do with respect to improving our country in any of its aspects from a publisher's perspective-- including expanding literacy programs, developing better libraries, funding for the literary arts, etc.

The second one is a searchable database that has all of the Bills entered into the House and the Senate. You can do your own fact checking on whether the Hooverite Republican or the Free Spending Democrat is being accurate when they talk about a particular piece of proposed legislation -- or whether they are just continuing to run their respective political games at the expense of the rest of us.

Thank you for letting me get all this ranting and raving off of my chest. You can see what a week's worth of illness enforced watching of politicians and pundants can do to a fellow!

Now on to reviews of the latest batch of "how to" books on the subjects of writing and publishing to cross my desk this past month:

The Writing/Publishing Shelf

The I Love to Write Book
Mary Lane Kamberg
Crickhollow Books
3147 S. Pennslyvania Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53207
9781933987057, $16.95, www.lovetowritebook.org

A love for writing is something to be nurtured. "The I Love to Write Book: Ideas & Tips for Young Writes" is a collection of tips, tricks, and advice for young writers. Whether they want to make a career out of their craft or just better hone their hobby, Kamberg gives the knowledge and lessons needed to improve a young writer's craft for any purpose. Fiction, non-fiction, letters, poetry, or short stories are all covered, making "The I Love to Write Book" an ideal gift for the young potential author in one's life.

Children's Picture Books
Shari Faden Donahue
Arimax, Inc.
2865 South Eagle Road, Newton, PA 18940
9780963428752, $19.95, www.justselfpublish.com

Children's books are a substantial part of the publishing industry and children's picture books are a substantial part of children's books publishing. That's why the 'marketplace competition' for a children's picture book is so intense -- whether it's the joint collaboration of an author and an artist, or whether the author is also the artist. Often the only viable alternative for a picture book project is that of self-publishing. That's where Shari Faden Donahue's "Children's Picture Books: How to Self-Publish Your Way To Success" should be considered essential reading for anyone aspiring to become an author and/or illustrator of children's picture books. As a veteran picture book author, illustrator and publisher, Donahue draws upon her years of experience and expertise to provide a wealth of practical, 'user friendly' information, commentary and instruction on all aspects of self-publishing a picture book including the writing, illustration, design, printing, sales, distribution, promotion and publicity aspects of the process. In the interest of full disclosure it should be noted that the Midwest Book Review and its editor-in-chief James Cox are cited four times in the text. Providing 344-pages of solid information that carefully and succinctly walks the reader through every phase of the publishing process, "Children's Picture Books" is complete course of instruction under one cover and is enhanced with up-to-date information that includes publishing industry vendors, thematically appropriate websites, organizations, conferences and workshops, a self-publisher's glossary, a reading list, and direct contact information for more than fifty children's picture book reviewers (including the Midwest Book Review!). Of special note are the chapters dealing with marketing. If you are contemplating publishing (or have already self-published) a children's picture book, then you absolutely need to have your very own copy of "Children's Picture Books: How To Self-Publishing Your Way To Success" -- it will be the best publishing investment you'll ever make!

I'm not the only one here at the Midwest Book Review interested in the specialized subject of writing and publishing 'how to' books. For example:

Write It Right, The Ground Rules for Self-Editing Like the Pros
Dawn Josephson, Lauren Hidden
Cameo Publications
478 Brown's Cove Road Ridgeland SC 29936
9780974496627, $17.95, www.amazon.com

April 07 Dawn Josephson and Lauren Hidden - Write It Right: The Ground Rules For Self-editing Like The Pros: the edition is a volume having 127 text pages. The work is, separated into Acknowledgments, Introduction, Five steps to better writing/editing, Appendices, Epilogue and Index.

Write It Right, The Ground Rules for Self-Editing Like the Pros is the creation of women entrepreneurs Dawn Josephson and Lauren Hidden. The steps for writing and editing work are offered as five uncomplicated segments.

Packed with examples and frequently asked questions along with hints, handwritten marginal notes, and graphs the divisions are arranged so that readers can effortlessly read one particular section during a break, while waiting at the dentist or when working on a specific document at the office.

Step one is the Warm Up Search for the Occurrence of similar Writing challenges. One key point discussed is the fact that knowing what your problems are constitutes half the battle seems a bit obvious, however it is something that is often overlooked.

Step two Approach the Starting Line Prepare to Edit is especially helpful as it guides the reader toward thinking as would an editor and not like a writer. Ground rules for editing include proposals for construction of a personalized editing checklist, ideas for how to go about scheduling time for the editing phase, detaching from the work, as well as how to go about working on a hard copy. The writers suggest that if as a writer you're too attached to your work, you'll never edit it successfully.

Step three Run the Race The Editing Process Begins offers workable suggestions for setting the course for triumph including putting forth the view that the more you're able to center your thinking and your writing; the better your editing experience will be.

Step four Hand Off The Baton and Let the Relay Begin puts in place the awareness that an assortment of surveys document that 70 to 80% of professionals write their materials collaboratively; meaning as writers they get contribution from others to assure that their finished writing product comes across both competently and as it should be. Having a trusted colleague read the work in progress offers another slant and awareness for how the writing may be received by the public at large.

Step five A Picture Perfect Finish The Final Stretch guides the reader toward crossing the finish line of editing with a well edited manuscript ready for printing in hand.

What to do when you are pressed for time is addressed in Appendix A.

Appendix B lists How to Sabotage your Self Editing Efforts while Ground Rules of Grammar and Usage are found in Appendix C. Grammar is the oil that causes work to flow smoothly creating easy reading, and grammar does matter to editors and readers alike. Appendix D contains a number of useful Forms and Checklists.

Write It Right, The Ground Rules for Self-Editing Like the Pros is an effortlessly read volume certain to develop into a important tool for all writers who look forward to improving their writing whether it be articles, essays and books or letters, reports, or news articles. Above all I like the design with problems to solve and detailed answers telling how and why particular sentences needed correction.

The easily read, brisk method of presentation will hold appeal to those who are bored to tears with academia type grammar texts. The five chapters encompassing Write It Right, The Ground Rules for Self-Editing Like the Pros offer the authors' thoughts regarding successful self-editing.

'Questions for Self-Reflection' included at the end of chapters are added to aid writers toward realizing the areas in their writing which need more work. The focus of Write It Right, The Ground Rules for Self-Editing Like the Pros is self-editing…. Aspiring writers should not rely on publishers or others to do editing for them.

The work can be quickly read as a whole. Serious writers will want to keep the book on their desk for use when that novel or other manuscript is ready for rewrite. Write It Right, The Ground Rules for Self-Editing Like the Pros is a noteworthy addition to the writer library shelf, home library and home school library for students to use for improving writing skills. On the whole I found the work to include many useful tips and valuable writing information, happy to recommend.

Molly Martin
Reviewer

Now for some Q&A from the Midwest Book Review email box:

In a message dated 1/16/2009 9:52:48 A.M. Central Standard Time, christian1noll@gmail.com writes:

You're remarks on "Stamping Review Copies" was well received. Your remarks on this were different than Dan Poynter's. Dan says to aways stamp your book. I forgot what I sent you the first time but the second book had the "Review Copy" sticker on the inside title page instead of the front cover. I'm now torn between your recommendation (OR should I say) consideration on reviewers having a copy which isn't defaced and Poynter's Review Copy suggestions.

Thanks Jim.

Ryan

With respect to the issue of "stamp or not to stamp", it's my experience as a book review editor that unknown and self published authors need every edge they can possibly get in the competition to persuade a review to choose their title over the dozens and dozens of others that are also available for selection.

Given the choice of a stamped book or an un-stamped book, and given the limitations of time available for the reviewer necessitating being only able to choose one or the other -- an un-stamped, pristine copy will always have that edge in the competition for selection.

Jim Cox
Midwest Book Review

Dana Lynn Smith is a 'book marketing coach'. People hire her to teach them how to craft effective and profitable marketing programs for selling books. Including such fundamentally important issues as budgeting for a marketing plan, utilizing no-cost and low-cost publicity and promotion techniques and tactics, and a whole lot more. So I thought it very worth while to share her latest email correspondence with me. Especially since she's offering the publishing
community something of value -- for free. Here it is:

Subject: submission for Jim Cox Report
Date: 1/4/2009 7:47:02 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: dana@texanapublishing.com

Hello Jim,

As a special thank you to my blog readers and ezine subscribers, I've compiled an ebook, Top Book Marketing Tips of 2008, featuring a collection of 14 popular articles from the Book Marketing Maven blog and The Savvy Book Marketer newsletter. This complimentary ebook can be downloaded at http://snipr.com/bookmarketingtips.

It would be great if you could let your readers know about this free resource by mentioning it in your Jim Cox Report. Also, you are welcome to reprint any individual article in the ebook, as long as the resource box on page one is included.

In February, I'll be launching a series of ebooks on various book marketing topics. I'll send you more details next month on the new ebooks and the affiliate program.

My best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!

Dana
dana@texanapublishing.com

In a message dated 5/26/2008 6:19:29 P.M. Central Daylight Time, summertimebooks@charter.net writes:

I would be interested in hearing the group's thoughts about Post-Publication Reviewers.

I've tried to work with Midwest Book Review before. They accepted my title for review, but then decided they were too busy and never reviewed it.

I've also worked with BookReview.com - which I had to pay for. They gave my books excellent reviews, which they don't always do, but it was paid for.

Kirkus Discoveries (a subdivision of Kirkus Reviews) is also a post-publication reviewer, but they also charge for their reviews - $400 minimum.

Do you think it would be worth the money?

Or, does the name Kirkus Discoveries tell you it was a paid review, and therefore not to be taken seriously?

I've heard that Amazon does reviews as well, but I don't think I've ever seen one. So, I'm not sure if they tend to be hard on the books they review or not. And, being Amazon, the last thing you want is a negative review posted all over their web site.

Can anyone suggest any other post-publication reviewers? Someone with a good reputation and good exposure.

Maybe I should just be happy with the Amazon reviews we've received from readers, and call it a day.

Eddy Wood
Summertime Books

Dear Eddy:

Because the Midwest Book Review receives far more titles than we have the resources to review, I created a database of freelance book reviewers, book review publications, book review websites, etc. for the small press community -- including self-published authors. It's called "Other Reviewers" and you'll find it on the Midwest Book Review website at http://www.midwestbookreview.com

With respect to the pros and cons of both pre-publication and post-publication review resources (as well as the practical uses of reviews to sell books), I've written several articles relevant to the subject and they are archived on the Midwest Book Review website in the section I've titled "Advice for Writers & Publishers".

Amazon itself does not review books. What they've done is to create two forms of space on each book's web-page on the Amazon web site. The first is basically reader review comments section for commentary from the general public. The other is an editorial review section where the reviews from magazines or other recognized professional sources are posted.

Pay-for-Play reviews, even from legitimate review resources such as Foreword Magazine, have a built in handicap of being discounted by booksellers and librarians because of possible conflict of interest issues. Members of the general public may or may not realize a review is paid for on the basis of the cited source. If they do not, then no conflict of interest oriented handicap exists. If they are -- then the question of a lack of objectivity on the part of the reviewer will inevitably be present.

Jim Cox
Midwest Book Review

Finally, here's some instructional advice from the Midwest Book Review webmaster with respect to posting reviews on Amazon that she gave a self-published author in response to an inquiry:

To: inkspotsinc@yahoo.com
Sent: Saturday, May 31, 2008 12:31:06 AM
Subject: Re: Karyn's kids reviews -- did you get them

"I went on Amazon today to see how to post a review, and had trouble finding any clear directions. Could you give me the quick scoop on how to do that, or should I contact Amazon myself?"

Karyn's Kids Reviews

Dear Karyn:

To post a review on Amazon.com,

1) Sign in to your Amazon.com account.

2) Go to the product page for the item you want to review.

3) Scroll down the page and look for the "Create Your Own Review" button. It's usually at the top of the customer reviews section. Click on it. (Sometimes there is a "Be the first" hyperlink to click on if an item has no reviews yet).

4) Fill out the form, click on the indicated buttons, and you're good to go. It may take some time for Amazon.com to post your review after you submit it.

If you need to edit a review after it is posted, click on the little "[number] customer reviews" hyperlink near the product's title on the product page to get an edit button to appear by your review.

Some Amazon.com products cannot be reviewed, mostly items that are not released yet or only available for pre-order. You just have to wait until they're released before Amazon.com will let you review them.

B. Cox
Managing Editor
The Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com

Bethany is a veteran master of the art of online book review posting and a wizard class webmaster!

Well, I think that's about enough Q&A for now.

As usual, I'm going to conclude this issue of the "Jim Cox Report" with "The Midwest Book Review Postage Stamp Hall Of Fame & Appreciation" roster of well-wishers and supporters. These are the generous folk who decided to say 'thank you' and 'support the cause' that is the Midwest Book Review by donating postage stamps this past month:

Paula Klee Parish
Jay B. Winderman
Jalal Ghavami
Nyesia Mehta -- "I'm Saved, Now What?"
Monika Mayr -- "Everglades Betrayal"
R. J. Toftness -- "Unlock the Mystery to Math"
Maria L. Corkern -- "Doris TheSaurus"
Richard Alan Bunch -- "Hawking Moves"
Barbara Gardner Gruhl -- "A Mother's Book of Love"
Patrick Egan -- "The Travels of Annie T. Hastings"
Lola Bamigboye -- "Winds Against the Mind"
Stephen Mark -- "21 Days To Creating Your Dream Life"
Oceanview Publishing
Pilatus Publishing
Blue Steel Press
IBEX Publishers
Nightengale Press
Ardith Carratt -- Ketalex Publishing
Jami Lin -- Earth Design Inc.
Harold T. Sieloff -- Threedot LLC
Trudy Zeissler -- Delicti Press
Charlotte O'Brien -- Sandy Point Ink
Carol Teten -- Dancetime Publications
John J. Chapman -- Eagle View Publishing
Suzanne Deal Booth -- Orsini Press
John J. Fox III -- Angle Valley Press
Eileen Sheehan -- Raular Publishing
Ray Litrides -- Litrides & Associates
Margaret Black -- Spring Harbor Press
Patricia M. Langendorf -- Spruce Gulch Press
Kathryn C. Starke -- Creative Minds Publications
Marcela Bruno -- The Spirt That Moves Us Press
Edward Hunt -- Luminous Epinoia Press
Irene Brady -- Nature Works Press
Nancy Stampahar -- Silver Lining Publications
John Adams -- Feather Rock Books
Nance Rosen -- Pegasus Media World
Peg Booth -- Booth Media Group
Elizabeth Waldman Frazier -- Waldmania!

If you have postage to donate, or if you have a book you'd like considered for review, then send those stamps (always appreciated, never required), or a published copy of that book (no galleys or uncorrected proofs), accompanied by a cover letter and some form of publicity release to my attention at the address below.

All of the previous issues of the "Jim Cox Report" are archived on the Midwest Book Review website. If you'd like to receive the "Jim Cox Report" directly (and for free), just send me an email asking to be signed up for it.

So until next time, goodbye, good luck, and good reading!

Jim Cox
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive, Oregon, WI, 53575
http://www.midwestbookreview.com


James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com


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