Birthday Giveaways + Speculative Fiction, Publicity, & BookTok
Giveaway for book gift card, consult, & swag ; upcoming seminars; P&W publicity incubator; goodreads plugin; Native lit; book maps; PRH + BookTok; NBA finalists; Amazon returns; ginger syrup
Greetings readers & writers,
Books, Marketing, & More is turning 3!
It feels like hardly any time and also a million years. As many of you know, when the pandemic hit, this newsletter was a lifeline for me — a reason, despite everything that was happening, to sit down at my computer and write something, both for myself and in support of fellow readers and writers struggling in the COVID times.
I’ve also learned a lot about writing a newsletter: consistent release times, collaboration, the right balance of personal reflection and actionable advice. Sometimes it’s stressful, most of the time it’s fun. And you all have offered so many kind thoughts, support, recommendations, and engaged with this work over and over. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your continued readership.
And, since it has been far, far too long since I’ve done a proper giveaway and it’s birthday season, let’s talk presents:
I’m giving away two (2) Book, Marketing, & More Birthday Bundles!
One will be open just to legacy subscribers (aka, those who subscribed before 10/11/22); the other will be open to all subscribers, new and old! Each bundle includes:
A $10 gift card to an indie bookstore (Books!)
A FREE 30 minute marketing/writing consult with me (Marketing!)
Tea samples? A bookmark? A seed packet? A bonus awesome thing I love! (More!)
What does a 30-minute consult with me look like?
We’ll tackle your thorniest marketing, craft, or writing/life balance question via phone or Zoom. Planning for NaNoWriMo? Happy to brainstorm and prep. Have a launch coming up? Let’s talk events and preserving emotional energy! Wading into the querying trenches? Get feedback on your query. Struggling to tap into inspiration or your inner reader? We’ll talk books, exercises, and/or resources tailored to you.
In other words: you get thirty minutes of focused support and feedback, with an industry professional, on your creative and publishing needs. FOR FREE.
Plus books! And goodies!
So how do I get in on this giveaway?
If you’re already a subscriber, you don’t have to do anything! If you’re not yet a subscriber, hit that sweet, sweet subscribe button by November 1st!
Want to up your odds? Share this newsletter with others!
If 25 new subscribers sign up before Nov. 1st, I’m going to add another all-access Birthday Bundle giveaway to the mix!
The more you share, the more chances for fabulous freebies. So please share widely! I want to make this newsletter a resource for as many readers and writers as I can. And thanks as always, for being your generous, lovely, creative selves.
Upcoming Seminars
All events are virtual and require registration unless otherwise noted.
Oct. 22 (10:30AM): Where the Speculative & the Literary Meet (5 spots left!)
Oct. 26 (7:30 PM): Speculative Fiction Variety Hour* - FREE! (email for link) *actually 90 minutes of exploring topics in speculative fiction, genre, and writing
Nov. 5 (10:30 AM): Writing Like a Parent, Parenting Like a Writer
Writing/Marketing Resources
Poets & Writer’s Magazine is offering a publicity incubator, Get the Word Out, for debut authors, involving three months of virtual seminars and workshops with marketing professionals and a cohort of supportive writers. There is no cost to apply or participate. Fiction applications due 11/21; Poetry application opens January 2023.
Author Anna Kopp and her husband designed a free Chrome plugin for Goodreads called Goodreads Review Shield for Authors to screen out low ratings/reviews in an effort to preserve authors’ mental health.
Nick Martin, journalist and member of the Sappony Tribe of North Carolina, digs into how “Native Lit is more than a marketing term” {High Country News} and the ways in which Native writers are constructing community rather than fences.
I’ve had a lot of fun playing around with open source book networks. Check out 100 Years of Science Fiction and Ocean of Books to explore unexpected literary and genre connections. The first groups by similarities in book descriptions, the second in how often authors are referenced together online.
Industry News
Penguin Random House has brokered a deal with TikTok that allows users to link to PRH books directly in the app {DigiDay} allowing information and videos about a title to be accessed in a central location. The BookTok community is grappling with what this means for content creators. {RollingStone}
National Book Award Finalists have been announced! Winners will be announced on November 16th.
Amazon is changing their ebook return policy {The Author’s Guild} after facing major blowback from self-published authors back in June, as a “read and return” trend encouraged customers to abuse the 7 day return policy, rescinding royalties from authors. {NPR}
Here’s the scoop on the difference between science fiction and fantasy Twitter meme {Book Riot} you may have seen going around (tldr; Joyce Carol Oates makes yet another controversial tweet). My fave?
Ginger Syrup
Our local farm market had fresh ginger and I knew I had to make a batch of ginger syrup inspired by some I sampled at the late, great Blue Ginger restaurant. It’s the perfect balance of sweet to heat to stir into hot water with lemon, cold seltzer, or an autumnal cocktail. Or, you know, drizzle over pancakes.
Ginger Syrup
2 cups sugar
1 cup fresh ginger, cut into 1/8-inch slices
1 cup water
In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine sugar, ginger and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until syrupy and reduced by half, about 45 minutes. Strain out ginger and reserve syrup.
Make yourself something warm and sweet, curl up with a good book, and don’t forget to register to vote.
~Allison
Writer & Marketing Coach
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