Believe in Me

In the late ‘70s/early-‘80s, Kenny Rogers had a major hit with the song “The Gambler”. I remember that song well, even though I was very young when it first came out. The lines to the chorus are running through my head right now as I type this: “You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, and know when to run…”

The cover for BELIEVE IN ME was the first one that I ever tried to create for myself. It was good, I thought. Other people said it was nice… But when I compared it to the covers of the bestsellers out there, there was something that was missing. I finally put my finger on what it was – the professional edge.

I’d taken a gamble in developing my own cover, and after a year or so, it became clear that BELIEVE IN ME needed a professional face lift; that is, this became clearer to me once I started working with professional artist Barbara Ivie Green on a cover for another one of my books (my upcoming historical novel, THE FADING SUN).

It was instant, love at first sight. Barbara took my story ideas, and she made my characters come to life right before my eyes. I was amazed and so excited. I couldn’t wait to share this amazing cover with the rest of the world. So, without further ado, here it is.

Book Exhibits, A Potential Source of Sales by A. R. Silverberry

Book fairs are a potentially lucrative source of sales that are neglected by many indie authors. They don’t have to be! If you’ve got a physical book, book exhibits are a huge source of potential book sales. Book exhibits serve libraries and booksellers, and are regional, national, and international. Let’s start with libraries. With over 117,000 public, school, and college libraries in the United States, libraries are estimated to be a five-billion-dollar market. But you can tap the international market, too. You’re probably asking, “How do I do that? I can’t possibly visit all of them.” Right, you can’t. But what you can do is show your books at library shows.

These shows take place at regional, State, and national conventions. The national conventions have huge foot traffic, affording your book visibility. Libraries specializing in a specific niche are likely to send representatives seeking books in that niche, a boon to you if your book fits the bill. The regional and State shows have less attendees, but those who do attend are usually the acquisition librarians, who have the authority to make purchases. Regional and State shows include the California Library Association, Michigan Reading Association, and the Pennsylvania School Library Association, to name a few. National shows are the American Association of School Librarians, the American Library Association, the Public Library Association, and the National Education Association.

Simple Simon

Now available on Smashwords for FREE!  Flash fiction horror, the second in a series.  Look for the trilogy to be released soon.

Book two in the TGFF (Toy Garden Flash Fiction) horror series.

Haven't read the first story, Toy Garden, yet?  You can find it for FREE also, on Smashwords.