NEW AUTHOR

Excited to announce that Borderline has signed best-selling author John Selby. His book Conscious Capitalists will be coming out this year.

"Psychologist John Selby has spent over thirty years practicing and teaching meditation and its benefits and has studied medative techniques and traditions all over the world. Selby has sold over half-a-million copies of his books worldwide. His books have been translated into eight languages."

I'll definitely be keeping you posted on his work...

BIG OL' BORDERS BOOK-SIGNING

Come meet a group of Borderline authors at Borders on Saturday, April 24 from 1:00-3:00. Whether you are interested in buying a story set in Idaho or you want to ask the authors about their publishing experience, this is a great opportunity to do so. We will have all kinds of books available from middle-grade mysteries to non-fiction self-help to redneck humor. Please visit our website for more information on any of these titles:

1. Creative Writing for Counselors and their Clients by Steve Flick
2. Puzzle Bones and Mystery in Dark Island by T.A. Smith
3. The Last Confederate Battle by John J. Cline
4. The Little Black School House by Sylvia Griffin
5. A Father's Advice by Kelly Ready
6. Mystery at the Log House Restaurant by Brad Epperly
7. Poor Fishermen With Boats and others by Jim Schwartz

These are the kinds of events we are planning to offer our authors quarterly. Hope to see you there.

WEBSITE DESIGN

As an author, it's imperative to have a website. There are lots of options for doing this, but I'll just rave on my website designer Gabe Heter for a second. He's economical and creative. If you're not sure which way to go, he can help give you direction. He's been great to work with.

I'm in the middle of a site update right now, but you can visit me at www.angelameuser.com. Having your name as your web address is really the best way to go. It doesn't have to be anything fancy at first. Just start with your homepage along with a bio page and a page for your book. You can always add to it later. Things to add include a blog and a way to sign up for your mailing list. Then keep these pages current.

So that's your writing prompt for the day. Not exactly writing, but it still takes creative energy. And it will make you and your work more markteable.

AUTHOR TALK

Congratulations to Borderline author Michael Sessions who received the Judge's Choice Award for his short story "Chance" in this year's Idaho Magazine Fiction Contest. And good luck to him with his nomination for Stump in the Idaho Book of the Year Contest.


We are proud to be located in Idaho and to work with local authors. Because of this personal relationship we develop with them, they are even able to help print the first copy of their books. Here is author George Dickerson awaiting his first copy of Percy Flats.

ROCKIN' RESEARCH

I could never write a historical novel--too much research. Just check out the filing system my friend Deeanne Gist needs to create her award winning historical romances. Intenational suspense also takes a lot of research, but author/editor Jeanette Windle knows her subject so well that she was interrogated by the FBI because of all the classified information she had. I admire that. But I would never want to do it. Here's my kind of research...

I wrote a book about a white water rafting guide in Sun Valley, Idaho. So I found a rafting company in Sun Valley and sent them an email to see if they could help me out. They offered to let me interview their guides and tell me their history. Plus they invited me rafting!

This experience will make my story more authentic. I've rafted the Rogue and the Deschutes in Oregon and the Icicle in Washinton, but never the Salmon--which is supposed to be one of America's most sought after rafting locations.

So here is your challenge for the day: Find something new to research for your writing. Interview a cop, follow a doctor around for day, or try riding a mechanical bull. As for me, I think I'm going to set my next book in Hawaii.

BORDERLINE GLOSSARY

Publish America once published a book that only had the same sentence printed over and over. This is not what we do. We are here to work with you and make your book the best it can possibly be. I'll just define a few of the things that set us apart in case there is any confusion...

Short-run publishing: We print no less than 100. This is more cost efficient than print-on-demand and more practical than printing thousands with a vanity press.

Editing: We set authors up with a freelance editor if they so choose. If they have an editor of their own, this is not required. But all Borderline books must be edited.

Cover design: We offer freelance cover design, and we also have an in-house designer who can help enhance your own design. If we don't feel your cover meets our standards, we would print your book through Treasure Valley Digital Printing but not under the Borderline name.

Interior Design: We are very thorough in prepress--setting your book up with clean borders, flattering fonts, and an elegant layout.

Quality: Our covers have UV coating. Our pages are creamy instead of stark white so it's easier on the eyes. Our binding includes scoring the book cover so that the pages will not pull away from the glue.

Distribution: Barnes and Noble has picked up some of our titles to sell in their stores. Others are sold on the Borders website. This is better than even a lot of the small traditional publishers can offer.

Marketing: We help plan your book launch party, schedule book signings, send out press releases, arrange radio interviews, organize school visits, and secure endorsements.

Like I've said before, we are honestly not for everybody. But if you think we might be a good fit for your work, please visit the Borderline website for more information, and give us a call to set up an appointment.

SUCCESS BY ASSOCIATION

Just renewed my membership to American Christian Fiction Writers today. Joining them was one of the best things I've ever done for my writing. Probably the coolest thing about them is their Yahoo group where you can network with most of the big names in the industry. It's a great resource for anything from asking questions about research to finding out the latest news on publishers, conferences, and awards. There are also tons of book give-aways and marketing ideas. Plus, they have a newsletter that I actually got to be featured in when I sold my first novel. It's a wonderfully encouraging community.

Now not everybody writes Christinan fiction like I do. But I'm sure there's an association for your genre, as well. One other group I've joined was Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. They offer similar opportunities, including scholarships to their annual conferences in California and New York.

If you want to know where to start with your writing and publishing dreams, these are good kinds of memberships to have. Include them on a cover letter to agents and editors and they'll know you have actively pursued the improvement of your craft.

GET IN THEIR HEADS

Yesterday I got Borderline author T.A. Smith invited to speak and sign books at a national Christian skateboarding convention this September in Fort Lauderdale. His book series The Boardunders Club is action/adventure revolving around four fifth-graders who love skateboarding. It's a great hook--so great it snagged the attention of Random House. But until they take over, I get the honor of working on this project.

Tweens can't get enough of this series, and one of the reasons why is for the quirky characters. For example, you know what kind of person Aunt Jane is by the dinner she makes--she microwaves pancake mix on a paper plate. I love it. (The characterization, not the dinner, so don't worry kids.) Then there's the mentally handicapped guy who lives with his parents and works as a pizza delivery man. As well as a scrawny kid who would do anything to keep the title of Ninja Man.

How do you bring your characters to life? I like to do a character profile sheet--taking the questions way beyond height and hair color. You could even "interview" them. What kind of New Year's resolutions do they make? What would they say if they smacked their thumb with a hammer? What are they a sucker for? And once you get that all done, maybe even try a personality test. Take it as if you are the character. Get inside their heads so that they read as if they're real.

Update: Just got an email from skateboard evangelist Tim Byrne's agent. He's interested in endorsing PUZZLE BONES--Book 1 of The Boardunders Club.

MARKETING MATERIALS

The parent company to Borderline Publishing is Treasure Valley Digital Printing, which is an awesome relationship to have--especially when your job is marketing, like mine is. :-) Just this weekend my mom was asking me for promotional ideas for the tea house she's opening in Leavenworth, WA. I suggested she send out postcards with coupons on them, adding that we can print the postcards for her and beat the price of any company online. And that's just the beginning of what we offer.

The picture above is of a display that we printed for Lee Read. And as I'm typing this, Jeff came in with some more gorgeous signs hot off the press. Other materials include business cards, bookmarks, brochures, pamplets, flyers, and foam core mounted posters. These are items that any author can and should use to get the word out.

Basically, writing the book is only part of the job of an author. For more ideas on getting your work out there, read 1001 WAYS TO MARKET YOUR BOOK. And them give us a call.

NICHE MARKET

If an editor were to ask you who the audience is for your book, don't say, "It's a book for everybody." While this may be true in a case like Harry Potter, even that series was originally marketed to middle-grade boys. As Idaho author N.D. Wilson explained to me, you first have to be put into a box before you can find a way to break out of it. Here are three niche markets I'm currently working on with Borderline authors in hopes that word of mouth will spread to a broader audience.

1) Jonathan Craig's motivational memoir YOU ARE THE REASON. Jonathan is an intellectual and spiritual teacher who has been living with HIV for 27 years. And while his book would touch all who read it, there is definitely a specific community looking for a message like his. For his international book tour, I'm scheduling him to work with AIDS Walks, speak at Universities, tour research facilities, teach at spiritual centers, and do book readings at gay and lesbian bookstores.

2) Todd Bennett's self-help book 90% RIGHT CAN BE 100% WRONG. Again, a book that would benefit everyone, but because of his Christian background, his launch party/dessert will be held at a church, and I'm working on getting him booked for Christian radio interviews. Beyond that, he will start taking his marriage seminars nationally and is currently working on another book for marriage specifically. Having endorsements from well-known personalities in his field and a platform with iquestions doesn't hurt either.

3) John Cline's book THE LAST CONFEDERATE BATTLE. While a fascinating story that would make an amazing movie, Borderline is going to focus on marketing to history buffs for the moment. John wants to hit reenactments and write articles for historical journals. We are also going to get copies of his book into the giftshops at museums.

So where does your writing fit in? Could you speak at sci-fi conventions in costume like Lynn Hardy? Or do you have a connection with New Age boookstore buyers like Sherry Cotton? Consider all the possibilities. Then make it happen.

BREAKUP WITH WRITER'S BLOCK

Dear Writer's Block,

It's not you, it's me. I'm moving on. And it won't be easy to get over you, but actually there's another man in my life now. His name is Muse. And he understands my big dreams. He wants to take me places I've never been able to imagine before. He believes in me and helps me believe in myself. He makes me want to be a better person.

I don't blame you for anything. You offered so many distractions that felt really good. And you enabled me to make excuses. You were also easy to get along with. And somewhat addicting, to be honest. It was my choice entirely to stay with you for so long, and I have learned a lot through the experience. So thank you.

I'm sure you'll find someone else. You're very attractive. Which is why you shouldn't take it personally when I avoid you. There's more out there for both of us.

Best wishes,
Angela Meuser

Now it's time for you and Writer's Block to part ways. Write your own letter breaking up with Writer's Block, starting out with: "Dear Writer's Block, It's not you, it's me..."

A LOT ON PLOT

So at the workshop on Saturday we covered plot and structure. Here's a link to a lot of the information we covered, for those of you who couldn't scribble notes fast enough.

I also want to add some great advice I heard from author Donna Fletcher Crow later on that day. She said that a realistic way to structure your novel is by scene and sequel--also known as action and reaction. For example, you don't want to follow a car chase with another car chase. You need to give the characters and readers time to process what just happened.

One other point that Donna made was that the success of your novel is almost directly related to the success of your black moment. At the workshop we discussed how the black moment comes right before the climax. It's the point where all hope seems to be lost, where the character must rise above thier cirucumstances to achieve the impossible. This is what everything in your story should be building to. This is what will keep your reader thinking about the story long after they finish it.

So again, it was great meeting many of you at the workshop. Please let me know if you have any questions. I hope that I've encouraged your writing as much as I was encouraged in my writing this weekend.