Sunday, August 25, 2013

Should you self-publish your book?

How to get the book that’s “in you” out to the world
You’ve got a book in you—you’re sure of it. Whether it’s an amazing story, or solid expert advice, you know others would benefit from the book you’re already writing in your head.
So, what is the best way for you to go about getting this book out to the masses? You’ve got a few options; we’ll walk you through them here.
Traditional PublishingGetting your book published has never been tougher—if you go the traditional royalty publisher route. Traditional, or “royalty” publishing, works like this: you (or more accurately, your literary agent) queries a publishing company with a book proposal. If the publisher “buys” your book, they’ll offer you an advance (sometimes) and a small cut of the book sales proceeds. In return, they’ll edit the book, cover the costs of production (including the cover), printing, and so forth. But this also gives them editorial control and more sway in your brand management. The publisher handles distribution—getting your book into stores and online sellers—and book promotion, handling some marketing, but leaving a larger chunk to you than you might expect.
Self-PublishingSelf-publishing is a risk you, the author, take on in full. You can expect to pay all publishing costs: editing, design, printing, marketing, advertising and distribution. Because of this, you also have control of the product: you have final say on the cover, the content, and marketing plan. Once the expenses are paid, the author receives the profits from sales. The risk to you is greater, but so is the reward.
Self-publishing, as the name implies, can be a lonely job—you are on your own, often being funneled through a cookie-cutter type system. You’re doing it all by yourself. You’ll learn by making mistakes, and some of those “lessons” can be expensive. You may just want to write, but a self-published author also serves as business manager, brand manager, and more.
Self-Publishing with an Experienced TeamThere is a third option in the new world of publishing: you can self-publish with a team.
Hiring a team of publishing professionals can make the self-publishing process much easier, less lonely, and increase the quality of your end product greatly.
You’ll also avoid costly mistakes by relying on the book professionals’ expertise. And you’ll be able to hand off much of the “book business” tasks so that you can focus on being an author—while still retaining control of content and the overall process.
Working with a self-publishing team like Kickstand Books is like hiring a personal concierge when exploring a new area. Having traveled this way before, this team can steer you in the right direction, help you make good choices, and take care of details that you, the author, might prefer not to handle. The team at Kickstand prides itself on the white glove service offered to each author, creating quality products every time including top design, printer negotiations, and more behind-the-scenes tasks most authors would prefer to leave to someone else.
Self-publishing can be a challenging yet gratifying option for authors, especially when they have a team of professionals working with them.

Leave a comment: If you've published a book, tell us about your experience. What worked, what didn't  What did you learn? If you’re thinking of writing a book, do you plan to self-publish it? Why or why not?

Friday, August 9, 2013

Little Blessings Bedtime Stories and Prayers

  • Hardcover: 128 pages
  • Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers (April 19, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1414381115
  • ISBN-13: 978-1414381114

~::From the back of the book::~
Make bedtime memorable and meaningful with this special collection of four favorite Little Blessings stories. All the stories and prayers tell of God's love and help kids learn to thank God each day. As they drift off to sleep, they will be assured of God's protection and comforted by his love.


~::My Thoughts::~
We have always been a fan of Little Blessings. I grew up with Little Blessings as a child, and I am so happy and proud that my children enjoy Little Blessings as much as I did (and still do).
This book turned out to be no exception and is quickly a family favorite for bedtime reading.
This charming children's book is filled with four bedtime stories that are sure to make bedtime special for your little one. The stories include:

  • Bedtime Blessings
  • Thank You, God!
  • Blessings Everywhere
  • God Loves You
Each story rhymes which makes the story more engaging and easier for children to remember. The stories all include a lesson in blessings, thankfulness, seeing blessings everywhere, and teaching God's love. They are all just the right type of stories to read to your young one before bedtime. Each story is short enough so that it isn't too long to hold your child's attention but long enough to captivate your child in the stories and illustrations.
All of the illustrations are on glossy paper and are drawn vividly, colorful, and chock full of detail that you and your child can enjoy together.
I highly recommend this book, and in our case made bedtime so fun and easy. Our children often request this book as their bedtime story and want all the stories read before bedtime. They greatly enjoy pointing out details in some of the pictures and the words are put in a way that they can easily understand.
I would say this book is perfect for ages 2-7, and enjoyable for parents as well. :)

To purchase this book for your child please click HERE

Books in the Little Blessings line
  • Prayers for Little Hearts
  • Questions from Little Hearts
  • Bedtime Stories and Prayers
  • What Is God Like?
  • Who Is Jesus?
  • What about Heaven?
  • Are Angels Real?
  • What Is Prayer?
  • Is God Always with Me?
  • Why Is There a Cross?
  • What Is the Bible?
  • Who Made the World?
  • The One Year Devotions for Preschoolers
  • The One Year Devotions for Preschoolers 2
  • God Loves You
  • Thank You, God!
  • Many-Colored Blessings
  • Bed Time Blessings
  • God Created Me! (a memory book of baby's first year)


Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my unbiased review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

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