I attended Houston Writers Guild’s first IndieFest Conference, “Indiepalooza” this past weekend. With Indie-Publishing becoming more and more popular, this event provided vital tools and information in phases throughout the self-publishing process. The two-day conference featured guest speakers, authors, and a panel of industry experts. I couldn’t take notes fast enough! I am happy to report that this will be an annual event.
One special moment for me was finally meeting Kathy L. Murphy, a licensed cosmetologist and avid reader, who opened a beauty and bookstore called Beauty and the Book in early 2000. Eventually, she started a book club for women who enjoy reading and have fun. Pulpwood Queens became the name of her club. Today, the Tiara-wearing Pulpwood Queen, Kathy, presides over nearly 600 book clubs, and she is now a published author. In 2008, Grand Central Publishing released her book, “The Pulpwood Queens’ Tiara-Wearing, Book-Sharing Guide to Life.” It not only sold well, but I hear there’s also a movie in the making from Dream Worlds!
As an author, whether you decide to publish the traditional route or the self-publishing route, here are some takeaways I jotted down from Kathy’s presentation Saturday night:
You have to know how to present yourself. Get a look! Be kind to everyone. Never burn a bridge. Never be so busy that you can’t autograph someone’s book.
Kathy’s recap (with permission) is as follows:
1) Finish your book before submitting it to anyone, and that means having a clean, well-written copy that has been edited and is free of mistakes. I don’t want anyone calling me to tell me about their book that they haven’t finished, or as an author, have anyone calling me to say that my publisher misspelled Ruston, Louisiana.
2) Create a look and brand yourself as a professional author. For me, it’s big hair, Tiaras, and leopard print, my Pulpwood Queen signature look. It’s hard to forget someone if they look the part. Dress for success. Men wear killer suits, and women create their own signature styles. No gift was ever as happily received as one that is magnificently wrapped. No matter how great the gift, if it comes in a Walmart bag, well, there is not much enthusiasm.
3) Gather your tribe. Friends, family, clients, and network people. Since I started my Pulpwood Queens Book Club, that’s a given, but I am also a member of The First United Methodist Church and Rotary International, so I let them know that I have a book and will speak. But don’t limit yourself there, area book clubs have the best word of mouth, (which is to me, STILL, the best advertising in the world. Free program = big book sales.
4) Think outside of the bookselling box. If you wrote a book on underwater basket weaving, well, for goodness’ sake, contact YMCA’s, swim clubs, basket weavers, and craft shops. Volunteer to give a demonstration, and then send out a press release announcing the event. If you don’t have a media list, take a day to contact every newspaper, radio station, and email blogger to gather their contact information for press releases. Hmm, that’s how I did it, and it worked. And if they don’t respond to your press release, follow up with a personal phone call. Be polite, and don’t burn bridges. They may not choose to feature you this time, but The Wall Street Journal calls me now periodically for quotes.
5) BONUS TIP! If you have a secret talent, share that talent. On my Beauty and the Book Show, you can watch all twelve on YouTube.com. I asked authors to share if they had a secret talent. A fire baton twirler can say all the President’s names in under a minute, you name it! The audience loved those moments, making you stand out from the million book authors published a year and having some big-time fun while you are doing it!
And there you have it, great tidbits from the queen herself! Overall, it was a great conference.
“Oh, hail Queen Kathy!”© M.A. Pérez 2015, All Rights Reserved
From Heart to Heritage
Reflections From the Heart 