Episodes

The Midwest Book Review is run by editor-in-chief Jim Cox. Established in 1976 to help promote literacy, library usage and small press publishing. Found online via the MidwestBookReview.com website with nine monthly book review publications: Bookwatch, California Bookwatch, Children's Bookwatch, Internet Bookwatch, Library Bookwatch, Small Press Bookwatch, MBR Bookwatch, Reviewer's Bookwatch, and Wisconsin Bookwatch. The magazines are curated by Cox's team of 81 volunteer book reviewers from acr...

It's time to discover the Midwest Book Review at MidwestBookReview.com. It has 9 monthly book review publications: Bookwatch, California Bookwatch, Children's Bookwatch, Internet Bookwatch, Library Bookwatch, Small Press Bookwatch, MBR Bookwatch, Reviewer's Bookwatch, and Wisconsin Bookwatch. The magazines are curated by Jim Cox's team of 81 volunteer book reviewers from across the country. The hour with Jim revealed how to: • Make the cut and get your book reviewed. • Get the Inside Skinny for ...

Hey authors ... got a book? Want to discover tips and tricks to market it frugally? Dr. Judith Briles brings back Carolyn Howard Johnson, the expert in how to strategies and tools to do all your book marketing without burning your bank account. The episode of the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast reveals: -How to create "forever book reviews; -How to post your reviews incognito; -How to spot book trolls and scammers; -Discover the power of the Author Central widget to redirect buyers...

In a fast hour, Kathy Meis, the founder of Bublish, shares a whirlwind of catchup strategies and tips for authors in moving forward this year with host, Dr. Judith Briles. Your takeaways include: • how to increase your marketing influence with Bublish tool • how to use a book bubble • how to optimize book product changes • how the pandemic changed how people buy books • how book marketing has changed • how to gain the power of early momentum • how to set up pre-launch marketing • how to maximize...

Audiobooks are leading the publishing industry in terms of growth and smart authors and publishers are getting into the game as quickly as they can. This episode is all about taking your audiobook presence to a higher level with marketing tips of another sort! Becky Parker Geist and her company, Pro Audio Voices, work on projects ranging from single narrator to full cast with music and sound effects to author-narrated, and all genres from children's to textbooks to memoirs. Plus, they’ve created...

Audiobooks are leading the publishing industry in terms of growth and smart authors and publishers are getting into the game as quickly as they can. Most find there is a lot more to producing and marketing audio than they thought before getting into it. Much of it is different from publishing other formats, and the learning curve is steep. Your takeaways include: -tips to use your existing audiobook files to build your author platform -tips on how to increase your royalty payments -tips on how t...

Discover the Power of RE ... reimagining; revisiting, redoing, rethinking, revising, even repurposing what you've done and taking whatever it is into another dimension. Creating a new life for you; your expertise; and your books. In this episode of the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast, Dr. Judith Briles, The Book Shepherd, guides you through the Power of Re. Your take-aways include: - how to repurpose content - how to retitle books - how to revise old material - how to bring a book ...

It's a new year and a look forward for authors and their book marketing. Over a dozen book marketing tips are revealed by the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing host Judith Briles as she reveals where authors should be focusing their energies and book marketing strategies during 2022. Get ready for Book Marketing tips all for your author and publishing success on the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast.

I’ve said it a zillion times: Speaking is the #1 way to sell books. But it’s just not in-person. It’s online presentations. It’s book clubs. It’s on a podcast. It’s the old-fashion buzz factor. Joining me for this week’s podcast is Jackie Lapin who has developed an extensive toolbox and system for getting booked and taking advantage of the significant number of ways to get featured and supported with your book marketing, sales, and speaking. Her system is called Speakertunity, and we do a deep-d...

In this episode of the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast, Dr. Judith Briles The Book Shepherd uses the tools from her book, How to Create a Crowdfunding Campaign for Authors and Writers (published in March 2022). Your take-aways include: - how to be in the 35% winner circle -the essentials of crowdfunding for authors - most current stats for crowdfunding - how to create a crowdfunding campaign - how to plan your campaign

When it comes to websites, it's time to ask critical questions. -Does your website stand out ... or is it limping along? -Does it represent your brand and branding ... or is it a hodgepodge of your past? -Is it vibrant and fresh ... or is it stale and tired in its look? -Does it match up with what is expected in the layout of websites ... or is it a treasure hunt? Answers to fixes and how to soar your website presence and much more in less than an hour. You will hear and understand the essential...

Get ready for an hour with two masters of book marketing and what you should be doing for 2022: John Kremer, author of 1001 Ways to Market Your Book and Dr. Judith Briles via the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast. Your takeaways include: • Hot tips for 2022 to do starting now. • Rediscover why superfans are your sweet marketing spot. • How to serialize your book via Amazon Vella. • New tips for cleating the “CliffNotes” version of your book. • Discover Substack. • Why authors should ...

Weekly, Dr. Judith Briles receives questions about how to get published by a traditional publisher, primarily based in New York. Of the 37 books, she’s published, 18 were with New York publishers. In 2000, she crossed over to become an independent publisher. If your goal is to publish traditionally, this episode of the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast has questions for you to address and steps to take. Takeaways include: • The #1 thing all publishers require authors to have. • Why a...

Every … EVERY … author makes mistakes when publishing. Joining Dr. Judith Briles is Author, Columnist, Book Reviewer Lisa Shultz for this edition of the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast. Takeaways include: • The #1 biggest mistake authors make. • Tips for what to do with an old book or when it goes limp. • How to avoid “wastes” of money. • What to do when a negative review hits. • When to turn your back on a previously published book. • 3 things authors—newbies and old-timers—forget...

In my decades as a human being, it has never ceased to amaze me the level of deception that can be parlayed. When I was young, words like rip-off, scam, con, and grifter weren’t in my vocabulary. I knew what a person who was a robber did, but that was it. It wasn’t until I started to work in the financial industry that my vocabulary and understanding of rip-offs, scams, cons, and grifters surfaced. As an author, you are vulnerable. Most don’t realized they’ve been scammed until it’s an after fac...

Did you know that over 80% of what people hear is what they see! What do your visuals say about you? What is your brand about? As an author, your marketing material, your social media platforms, your website, your book cover, EVERYTHING that is connected to you, needs clarity and consistency. Does yours? Branding … it’s personal and professional. What do potential readers hear when they see you and what you are connected with? -Discover the 5 essential elements of every brand that stick and neve...

Have you been stuck on AMazon with your publishing account? How about with Amazon's Seller portal? Or have you been sent to Amazon Jail and had your account suspended, blocked, or dumped? If YES to any of the above, this edition of the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast is a MUST listen to. Joining host Dr. Judith Briles is Chris McCabe, a former Amazonian who was on the "fix it - resolution" team at Amazon. Today, Chris consults with wounded sellers of products on Amazon to restore s...

All books must start from somewhere. Yours should start with four questions: 1. Why are you writing your book? 2. What is your book about? 3. Who is it for? 4. What’s your intentionality for it? Answer those four and you are reading to begin writing—not before you fully answer them. There’s always prep work. Start there—it’s the first step …what Judith goes through within her 13 Steps is a tried and true process that will get your across the finish line. Meaning, you are ready to publish. Whethe...

Are you able to “write hot”? How about with a “sizzle”? It’s all about allowing yourself to juice up your creativity .. creativity that gooses “fresh writing” and takes you to another level that you didn’t realize that you could deliver. -How to let your writing energy flow. -Why you should “check” your inner critic at the door. -Why it’s essential to keep your pen moving. -Why correct spelling and grammar can zap your writing flow. -How being outrageous expands your writing power. Joining the A...

When it comes to authoring and positioning an author as an expert, a speaker, and just create an opening introduction, this edition of the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast is a core part of author success. It’s starts for key questions: -Do you want to sell more books? -Do you want to create more speaking engagements? -Would you like to create “grabber” brag statements that gets any listener’s attention? -Would you like to learn how to create statements that make you shine? Would yo...

Are you, your expertise, and your book getting noticed? By readers? By the media? Would you like to be? … it’s a good idea. If you want to be the #1 influencer in your genre and industry, you need to step up your game by increasing your media visibility. In this week’s podcast, you will come away with strategies to help you go from the “unknown” to “newsworthy”. Your takeaways include: -How to get your message to the right people. -How to get quoted in the media. -How to know what the media outl...

Audiobooks increased another 35% in listenership … and were a factor in more print and eBook sales. Are you participating? Have you created an audiobook? And if you have a children’s book, have you added “videobook” to your offerings? Richard Rieman, the Audiobook Wizard will update you PLUS wave his magic wand, inviting you into the new world of Videobooks. Imagine creating a book that children who are visually impaired can "hear" and "read". If you are a children's author, it's time to discove...

There’s a new contact in town with the Tattered Cover Bookstore and it’s time to meet him. As an author himself, he gets the challenges that authors have with engaging a bookstore; and in partnering with bookstores going forward. What’s covered: - The reduction of the stigma of self-publishing. - Tips for approaching bookstores. - Tips to blow your book socks off in working with bookstores. - How to use the new Colorado submission program for authors. - Why all authors should approach bookstores...

Author, Speaker, and Broadcaster Dom Testa began his publishing career after years of school visits to help kids discover their creative spark. He’s a hybrid … starting as a self-published author; selling a book series to a major New York publisher; then reversing his path. Dom expanded his publishing empire, publishing all his books under his imprint, the Profound Impact Group. Get strategies and tips on: - How to deal with and lance the Imposter Syndrome. - The power of the author community. -...