Category Archives: online conferences

Goodreads Giveaway: OF SEA AND SAND

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Goodreads Paperback Giveaway Now Ended.

Many thanks to all who entered!

Congratulations to Winners!

 

The Kerrigan Chronicles, Book II: OF SEA AND SAND

Ghostly matriarch Kathleen Kerrigan resumes the compelling saga of her family, whose lives are  hurled into chaos when war uproots their Newfoundland community in 1940.

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Troubles with Tech? 3 Places to Get Help

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by @AnnieDaylon

shutterstock_127171886 I knew nothing about tech three years ago. (See former Technology Woes post.) I have learned a lot, but every now and then, tech woes build and I still long to put my computer out of its misery. Something I’ve noticed while attending online conferences is that I’m not alone: tech issues are common. Something I’ve learned from webinar presenters is that you (calmly) work through the problem.

Sometimes, however, you can’t fix the problems yourself. What follows is a list of three sites where you can get help. I have used only the first of the three but have heard good things about the others.

1) Odesk : “What Kind of Work Can I Get Done?”
“Anything you can do on a computer—from graphic design to software development—can be done on oDesk. Our freelancers can tackle a wide range of projects: Big or small, Short or ongoing,
Individual or team-based.”

I have used Odesk twice, both times successfully. Once you post your job, you will receive applicants and you communicate with them before hiring.  Fees of freelancers range from $4/hr to $50/hr. Note: Posting a Job is FREE.
 

2) Elance  “Hire a talented Freelancer” 
“We’ll help you find and hire the perfect Freelancer, making it easy to grow your business even faster.”

I signed up for Elance for the work I am having done currently, but found a suitable candidate on Odesk first. With Elance, as with Odesk, posting a job is FREE.

3) Fiverr    “What do you need done? Find it on Fiverr”

I am actually waiting for something to crop up to use this one. Apparently, the motto is “anything for five bucks.” Yes, they have a “programming and tech” section. I know  someone who had his email signature designed there (Yes, $5.) I also know someone who hired a violinist to accompany a vocal/ piano arrangement. (Can’t beat $5 for that!)

 

Caveat Emptor: Exercise caution in hiring for tech as in all things. The first time I hired from Odesk, I hit it out of the park. This time, I communicated with three freelancers before I found the right fit. (Thank you to Edward Unger for all his hard work!)

If you have any suggestions for tech help, please share in comments below. Many thanks!

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Author Marketing Virtual Conference: One-Stop Shopping

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by @AnnieDaylon

Author Marketing Conference

Last week (Jan. 26 -30, 2015) I participated in the Author Marketing Live! Virtual Book Summit.

What is that, you may ask?

To quote Jim Kukral, founder of the Author Marketing Institute and creator of this marketing summit,  it is a “learning and networking event for new and experienced authors who want learn the best strategic ways to sell more books through innovate and proven book marketing.”


What was included in this event? Here is a sampling of the workshops:

  • Building Amazing Author Websites: the Absolute Necessities by Deborah Carney

  • Hit the Bestseller Lists with E-Book Pre-orders by Mark Coker

  • Path to a Best-Selling Book Launch: Multiple Books and Multiple Promotions by Joel Comm

  • Zombie Loyalists: Using Great Service to Create Rabid Fans by Peter Shankman

  • How to Quickly Write, Publish and Profit from a Book That Will Grow Your Business by Adam Witty

  • Thirteen Reasons Are Not As Successful an Author As You Should Be by Jim F. Kukral

  • Building a Non-Fiction Platform by Steve Scott.

 

Was this conference of value? Yes. Here are the advantages:

  • ONE- STOP SHOPPING. In the past, I acquired marketing information sporadically, from tweets and blogs and webinars and books. To me, a veteran of garage sales, this event was like discovering a street on which fifteen houses were holding sales simultaneously. (Love those spring and summer Saturday mornings when I can just park and shop.)

  • CONTENT. Not all of the information in all fifteen workshops applied directly to me. However, there was a smorgasbord here; in an era that demands more from authors in terms of marketing, virtual summits such as this can benefit all authors–indie, traditional, and hybrid.

  • CONVENIENCE. I have attended many brick and mortar conferences, all of which require physical presence at events in real time. The Author Marketing Summit allowed me the option of attending in real time or watching at my own convenience; in fact, these workshops will be available to me for a period of one year.

  • COST. I discovered a link to this Author Marketing Summit on Twitter (Thank you, Joanna Penn, @thecreativepenn) When I followed the link, the price had been reduced from $399 to $149. I typed in the discount coupon code given by Joanna and the cost plummeted to $99 U.S. That was it, the total cost. I acquired tons of information without incurring a mountain of expense (e.g. travel, meals, and accommodation costs.)

Thank you to Jim Kukral and all speakers at the Author Marketing Live Summit. Indeed a one-stop shopping extravaganza!

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