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Comment by Sharon Myrick on March 18, 2009 at 1:39pm

I went the route of having my book self-published, and found the marketing cost with the publishing house to be more than I had expected. I will have to do my own marketing, and any tips that my fellow authors can provide will be appreciated.

Comment by Ellin Dodge on March 18, 2009 at 11:26am

Anyone a member of ASJA (American Society of Journalists and Authors) ?

Comment by Brenda Nixon on March 18, 2009 at 11:12am

Hey momlogic authors, just an encouragement to keep promoting your book even in unlikely places. Think outside the box...or book, in this case. I recently asked Mount Vernon Nazarene University's library to acquire The Birth to Five Book: Confident Childrearing Right from the Start because of the many early childhood students who could use the wisdom in the book. The university purchased a copy and now it's on their shelves.

I realize it's more difficult to get fiction placed in some venues but I encourage you to go way beyond bookstores.

Comment by Ellin Dodge on March 4, 2009 at 1:22am

Hi Robbin...glad you checked in - is the book fiction or non-fiction? Is the ms finished? What do you think you want to do with it? I'm a professional writer - 7 books published by Simon & Schuster - major publishers are in bad shape presently...so, are you thinking about self-publishing? Check out "Books" section on my - www.ellindodge.com -

Comment by Robbin on March 3, 2009 at 1:30pm

Hello to all...I am new to this site and very excited to be in the company of writers. I have been writing all my life little pieces of this and that. My goal is to have a book published this year. Any advise?
Robbin

Comment by Ellin Dodge on February 28, 2009 at 10:33am

Have you tried self-publishing and made money?

Comment by Ellin Dodge on February 27, 2009 at 8:49am

...want to recommend, Stephen King's, ON WRITING - A MEMOIR OF THE CRAFT. Not scary at all! A very good mind-opener for writers.

Comment by Ellin Dodge on February 22, 2009 at 11:18am

If authors write then where are the writers on this page

Comment by Ellin Dodge on February 22, 2009 at 11:17am

Writing for me is a catharsis...I get my daily dose of questions and comments into my Blog.
In England, the 99 cent store beat out the Pound (that's a Brit's dollar) store...people crossed the street - closed 'um down for a savings of one cent. That's not funny "ha ha" - it sure is odd! Pinching pennies takes on a new meaning...

...until April 1, when according to a Barack Obama statement, we will feel the tax breaks and it's three months to an easier access to credit from the banks. I'm gonna' shop with cash and look for the store that saves my pennies.

Credit card shopping is too shaky with banks lending to each other and tightening credit more and more as the unemployment rate increases. Banks and unemployment are closely tied. Credit card companies used the same system of "securitizations" (that's bundling-credit card loans into-one mutual fund or bond with no risk disclosure, for us penny-pincher's) as was used by the mortgage lenders that created the present crisis. Today, credit card companies are gearing for defaults and no matter how much the government gives them, they are still lending to each other.

So, in a few weeks, we're gonna' see "Stress Tests" for major banks in order to separate the weak from the strong...which banks should get bigger chunks of government money in case we go into a deeper depression - oops, intended to say, "recession." Must be my frame of mind that slipped into the "D' word.

Depression aside...there are facts. Banks can't raise private capitol and nationalization of troubled big banks is possible....some say, "not probable" and some say, "inevitable". For now, there's only April's quick tax cuts to look forward to as we watch tonight's glitzed-down-Red-Carpet and dandier entertainment, 81st Academy Awards Ceremonies on our no-cost-to-us-for-the-show home TV.

During the 1930's, in 1932, when Roosevelt became president, it was a "recession= feels like depression" people flocked to the escapism and crowd warmth of movie theaters. Movies were priced for the times at 35 cents and "misery loves company." I wonder...to spite pinching-pennies by eating at home and competition from home TV, video games and internet-wandering escapist entertainment , will getting out of the house - to escape our disciplines, mundane choices and financial reality - bring a 2009 serious and spoiled-rotten-culture back to 1930's be-grateful-for-any-and every-little-laugh society?

While checking out the movie theater marquees for a comedy, a funny thing happened on my way to the bank to get cash: Passed a resale shop window, loved the sweater, pulled out my credit card, shopped and probably will laugh-at-my-all-too-human-self all the way to the poor house.

Comment by Ellin Dodge on February 21, 2009 at 10:22am

Writers have thoughts and they write...
Why do I wake up angry? Truths written in cement are ancient history. I'm disappointed as the news of the day reveals that everyday "dependables" - things I have believed to be true for over seventy-five years, are gone. Where are the reasons to smile at the dawn of the day?
Calcutta snake charmers are protest marching because their profession is now illegal. A visit to India without seeing a coiled cobra strike? That's disappointing. Diamonds...my best friend dropped 60% in demand and 25% in price - and, since diamonds have been demanded by me through the years...that's another lop off the value of my "God-forbid-something-terrible-happens-nest-egg. Yeah...that does make me angry.

Fortunoff Jewelers - my home away from home when I lived in NYC, filed for bankruptcy. Tiffany - my walk-through-once-a-week-affordable-treat - cut diamond prices due to lowered demand and things are so bad I can't even entertain the idea of investing in a perfect, reasonably-priced Tiffany diamond.

De Beers. South Africa's diamond miners held up the price and quality of diamonds forever and now, Russia, China - almost everywhere, diamonds are mined - losing their rarity and becoming plentiful - and their value decreases.

Personal treasures are losing their place as security blankets...engagement rings - the young bride's dowry - that become a keepsake that appreciated monetarily in time are ending up with...

...pawnbrokers who are in their heyday. Pawn Shop owners are "on a roll", seeing $50,000. jewels being offered for sale and $100. gold bracelets walking in the door right after. With gold reaching $1000. an ounce it's as precious as gems. Soon the engagement ring gold setting will have near value to the precious jewel it holds.

With 100 banks predicted to fail this year and 1000 predicted to fail within the next three to five years. another long-held belief gone. Increased bank failures may make CD investments less safe. Another forever belief...you can't get a safer investment than a CD! That's gone...

...so, diamonds are no longer forever security. Large amounts of bank failures that were "never going to happen again" are happening. 1950's $30. an ounce gold - always the cheaper commodity when buying a piece of jewelry - is now worth $1000. an ounce. Losing beliefs, particularly those related to finances, that I've held to be true for a lifetime, makes me angry.

There's no money involved - however, I found something that remains the same. Ah...a reason to smile: According to the Vatican sexes sin in different ways. Women are prideful. Men lust. I knew that! - and it's still true.

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