1. What inspired you to write this book?   I wrote this book for my nephew, Neo. I wrote it during the pandemic when we were all stuck indoors. I wanted to be able to give my nephew the sense of adventure without leaving the house.  2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for?  The book is about the adventures you can have with just a cardboard box and your imagination. This is written for young children aged 2-5 year-olds.   3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book?  I hope that it will spark their imaginati ..read more

  1. What inspired you to write this book? My book is inspired by the celebration of kindness. I was sent to boarding school at age six, a long way from home. It soon became apparent that kindness was the best way to endure the environment I found myself in.  2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for? The book is written to equip young children with emotional insight. The story relates to the child's encounters with other personalities in daily life. Each character is unique. One is bossy, another is dedicated to family tradition, and the ..read more

    1. What inspired you to write this book? While volunteering with children in Mexico to learn English I found that I would make up stories and read to them.  This inspired me to write a children’s book.    2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for? Get ready for an intergalactic adventure as Walter, a shapeshifting pup travels through a Vortex to new worlds where he finds mysterious Wind Monsters twirling around and the local village being destroyed.  Did I mention that the elephants fly.  Will Walter and his new ..read more

  1. What inspired you to write this book? I never before thought about writing a book. This is an area completely new to me, but I felt inspired and almost compelled to record this chance encounter with a former bodyguard of Malcolm X. It was not planned. It can out of this encounter. I felt strongly that there was something to be shared with the general public that pertained to this American icon, but that was also linked to the Sufi Order to which I belong.   2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for? It is about ..read more

According to Bookscan, which is believed to capture 75-80 percent of all book sales, the number of printed books sold last year dipped to under 800 million. In 2021, a record 840 million were registered. However, when you factor in e=book and audiobook sales — or the fact that hundreds of millions of books are sold each year that Bookscan doesn’t register, such as from an event or direct sale from an author — the book world is quite healthy and conservatively moves about 1.5 billion book units annually. However, printed books purchased in physical stores is still the key to success for man ..read more

  It sounds simple enough, but ask yourself why you market. I am guessing it is for a number of reasons and benefits, and that is fine. All that I ask is that you set specific goals and targets. Once you know WHY you are marketing your book, you will be able to figure out WHO you are marketing to.   Is your marketing purpose based on getting sales? If so, how many books do you hope to sell this week, this month, this year? How many do you need to sell to break even? To make a certain profit size?   Is your marketing purpose based on building up your ego? If so, how ma ..read more

    Do writers get bullied? If so, how should they handle it?  Certainly, young writers in school may have to deal with traditional bullies, some of whom can taunt, tease, threaten, and abuse their victims unmercifully. Bullying can lead to violent encounters, verbal abuse, psychological torture, and force a victim into withdrawal, suicide, or dropping out of school.   Thanks to social media, bullying can continue beyond the school's walls, 24-7. In such cases, parents, teachers, and administrators, and law enforcement have to get involved and do what it takes to prot ..read more

  I was treated to seeing millions of dollars-worth of literary royalty on display earlier this month at the International Antiquarian Booksellers Association Book Fair.    The Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America was founded 75 years ago to encourage interest in rare books and manuscripts and to maintain the highest standards in the antiquarian book trade. The ABAA offers resources, vendors, authenticators, and information that helps encourage a vibrant marketplace to exist. The ABAA celebrated with a successful show in early April at an old Park Avenue armory in N ..read more

    What impresses a message upon another in a way that will get them interested in what you have to say — and to act upon your offer?    Yes, dear author, I am talking to you.    How and what will you say what will win another over to buy your book, a bookstore over to agree to have you speak, or a news media outlet to want to interview you?   Whatever you think should work, make sure it is something that you can say in 30 seconds or less — or that takes no more than 200 written words. Anything longer and people will tune you out or stop read ..read more

  The news media, particularly newspapers, is shrinking in size, influence, and capability. This is not only devastating for our democracy and safety, but it is detrimental to the process of authors seeking to promote their books. We need a stronger, more robust media in order for books to flourish. We readily acknowledge that a free society needs to remain informed, inspired, and protected from the lies, corruption, and secrets of our nation’s wealthy elites, corporate powers, government officials, and military forces. That means we need a vibrant, expansive, and honest news media to ..read more