Affected by Target! Did Target Leave the Backdoor Open?

Can You Feel The Chill?

This week, one of America’s largest retailers, Target, announced that its payment system had been compromised, and that more than 40,000,000 customer’s credit and debit card information had been taken.

How, in an era when everything is suppose to be so safe, could this have happened?  What steps could Target could have taken to prevent this total disregard for privacy?  And what can you do to prevent something like this from happening to you?

Are We Truly Safe?

I personally know people whom have been affected from this security breach.  Most Americans view technology as “safe”, but if it is so safe why do similar problems keep arising?

The problem is that as Americans, we constantly let our guard down.  When a terrorist attack happens like 9/11, we quickly throw up the fences and keep everything and everyone that looks out of place out.  We become untrusting.  Then as those memories fade from time, we lower our fences, become trusting, and eventually lower our guards.

Target’s Folly

Could Target have done more to ensure that this breach could not happen?  This situation is a double-edged sword.  As companies continue to grow, it is harder for them to maintain such massive digital networks especially those that process payments.

Maybe if they devoted more manpower or used better software to keep out hackers, but these fall in the what if category.

On the other hand, if they knew that their system had been compromised, a month earlier, they could have alerted their customers ahead of time, of course, they would run the risk of loosing sales in the busy holiday season.

Fortunately, there are excellent financial protection products, such as Life Lock, that can protect and guard your financial accounts from malicious purchases and money withdrawals.

Prevention

So, how do you prevent identify theft from happening to you?  Below are some simple tips that can ensure that your information never gets in the wrong hands.

• Buy Online – Target’s online store was not breached.
• Purchase From Trusted Websites
• Only Purchase from sites that use ( ssl or https: as prefixs in the web address cart or check out page)
• When in doubt, sign up with a credit monitoring service
• Get a copy of your credit report to insure all is well
• Notify banks, credit card companies, and loan issuers if you believe your account has been compromised.
• Close accounts
• Make purchase on a disposable debit card, such as Green Dot®
• Use Cash

Closing

When in doubt, walk away!  There is no way the general public could have known about the security breech that affected Target stores for nearly a month.  Big box retailers are in the business to make money.  Target will have a long road ahead in trying to get back its customers.  Events like these can be devastating to any business big or small.

We have to make sure that our guard is up all of the time.  It’s your information and money; you have to stay vigilant if you don’t want your identity stolen!

Resources

• (US) Consumer Action Handbook 2013 – www.usa.gov/topics/consumer/consumer-action-handbook.pdf
• US Federal Trade Commission / Identify Theft – www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0014-identify-theft

Credit Card Monitoring Services 

• Credit Karma (100% Free) – www.creditkarma.com/credit-monitoring
• Experian Direct – www.triplealert.com ($8.95 mo.)
• Life Lock – www.lifelock.com ($10 up to $25 mo.)
• ID Theft Center – www.idtheft.org

Credit Reports

• Free Credit Report – www.annualcreditreport.com (free to US citizens)
• Experian – www.experian.com
• Transunion – www.transunion.com
• Equifax – www.equifax.com

Do Book Sales Work? -- An Inside Look!

A Marketing Stand-point Feature of Manus Publishing

During the holiday times, you always see everything on sale, and I mean everything.  The winter holiday season is the perfect time to showcase your books for sale, and any discounts you can offer will ensure that you get some customers.  In my opinion, books make the perfect holiday gift, especially for those who love to read.  As far as books go, do sales drive customers your way? 

As for myself, after my free sale last month, I decided to back up the free sale with a 99-cent holiday sale until the New Year.  As a writer, I want the things that I create and market to people to sell and make a profit.  Sometimes, many times, ideas can fall flat, resulting in few, if any sales.

Let me tell you, that this idea was genius, but it all starts with a solid marketing plan.  As I like to say, if you have to pay more than a few bucks to reach the masses in this technologically advanced age, then you are doing something wrong.

Winning Marketing ideas that I use are:

• To hand out business cards to nearly everyone I run into
• To advertise in unlikely places (as an eBay seller, I have access to a huge customer base that I send advertising emails to in order updates, and mail brochures and business cards in orders that I fill)
• Take full advantage of free classified ads (nationwide) such as www.craigslist.com and www.backpage.com
• Use my website and blog as an information hub
• Use Twitter and other social media sites
• Constantly update marketing materials

What I do to get book sales may or may not work for you.  It all depends on how creative you are.  Are you a sales person or a buyer?  You have to think like a buyer to know what a buyer is looking for, and then you have to create what the buyer wants.  Because without buyers you will not have any sales and without sales, you will not earn any royalties.

It is a glass half empty / half full type of situation, but as long as you try new things that are free to implement and keep going you should not have any problems getting and keeping customers.

So, do book sales work?  Yes!

Is Undercutting Your Competitors A Good Thing?

Cam Your Building Stand?

According to Wikipedia, Predatory pricing (also knows as undercutting) is a pricing strategy where a product or service is set at a very low price, intending to drive competitors out of the market, or create barriers to entry for potential new competitors.

Ever since the Apple iPhone 5s appeared on the market, I have been selling a unique two piece thin lightweight case on Ebay.  For weeks, I was the only seller of this type of case, then other sellers began to appear and they undercut my price by 0.25 to 0.50 cents.  This may not sound like a lot of money, but when you are in the business to make money for both you and your supplier it is a big deal!

Undercutting can upset the balance of your business or product and while you still get customers in the doors you have to ask yourself is it worth it in the end for you? 

My response to being undercut was to drastically drop the price of the case, but I ran into unforeseen problems with my supplier, who raised his prices, further tightening the noose.  But because I wanted sales, practically at any cost, including my bottom line, I have continued to keep my selling price a full $1.00 below my competitors.

In turn, I have had record sales on this item.  According to Ilya Leybovich of Thomasnet.com, many businesses sell products with only a narrow profit margin.  Even Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com sells his Kindle E-Readers at cost.  He makes no profit at all! (CBS 60 Minuets).

It is true that undercutting erodes the market for whatever item or service you are selling and that lower prices can cause a product to have a bad perception, but in the end, multiple factors will only allow you to keep your undercut price in effect for so long.

The retail industry as a whole will tell you to become the best in your particular niche or market to keep the customers you have while gaining new ones, especially those not worried about the price, but what do you do if you are already up against the best?  Some suggestions are for you to hold on and wait for the tide to turn or if possible undercut the lowest price.

I believe that I am the best when it comes to selling this particular product.  I prefer to stay in contact with my customers and I offer a unique guarantee that others just can’t beat.  I:

•  Send out two e-mails per order to inform my customers about its status,

• I offer a guarantee that if the product does not arrive by a certain date, they get their money back and they get to keep the product when it does arrive

• Behind the scenes I am in constant contact with my supplier to make sure that orders are being filled correctly.

So, is undercutting a good thing?  My answer is no, not especially if it is long term.

As for my unique product, I will only be able to keep it at the undercut price until Christmas then my supplier will raise the price far beyond my reach.  In business you win some and you lose some, but there are always products down the line just waiting to be discovered for you to sell them.

Personal Thank You for Making Our Thanksgiving Sale Great

I wanted to personally thank all who participated in making Our 2-Day Thanksgiving Sale great.  Over the last two days, we received over 1,400 ebook downloads.  I couldn't have done it without you all:

Backpage
Literary Cats Hate Kittens (blog)

Indie House Books (Tami & Staff)
Manus Publishing (Financial Backer & Marketing Staff)

Part Three – Creating A Perfect Book Proposal

The book proposal is what you use to sell your book to the publishers.    Every publisher will want a book proposal either on paper or by email, but not every publisher requires the same information in the proposal package.  With that said, below is the basic information that any publisher will require before considering publishing your book.

The basic book proposal package should include:

A Cover Letter
Gives the editor or publisher an overview of you, your work, and the items in your book proposal that you have submitted to them.

Jim Sanders
145 Elm Terrace
New York, NY 10002
1.212.538.1460

November 21, 2013

Henry Jones, Editor
One World Publishing Group
10024 Park West, Suite 500, Floor 5
New York, NY 10011

Dear Mr. Jones:

Thank you for allowing me to submit my book proposal to you.  I know that you will enjoy reading Red Blood in the Wild Woods.   I feel that I am a great fit for both you and your publisher.

I hired Williams, Reed, and Buie to conduct a focus group on the book.  95% of the people who read the book would both recommend it to a friend and purchase it when available.  I have included a copy of their report at the back of the book proposal.

Please allow me to reference some highlights from my writing career that may be of interest to you:

• My first novel, Don’t Fix the Door, It’s Broken, Blue Jay Press, 1998, sold 50,000 copies in the first month.

• The five novels I have written since have out preformed other books in the same category.

•  Lost in the Wild Woods, my first novel series, was featured on the New York’s Times Best Sellers List, number twenty, for one week.

In these examples, as well as throughout my career, I have met and exceeded expectations in writing objectives through an uncompromising focus on what my readers expect from me.  Now, I would like to do the same for your organization.

My proposal will provide additional details regarding my background and accomplishments. I would welcome the opportunity for you to choose me as your next writer to writer.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,


Jim Sanders

Enclosure
(Manuscript, synopsis, biography, other works list,
Williams, Reed, and Buie focus group report)

Sample Chapter(s)
If you submit sample chapters, be ready to submit at least two or more completed chapters.  This gives the editor at the publication a feel of where you book is headed and if your work is something that they would consider publishing.

Outline (if book is not yet written)
If you only have an idea for a book and have not started to write it yet, the outline will serve the same purpose of the sample chapter(s).  Outlines usually gives the highlights of your book, chapter by chapter.  If you don’t have a clue of the direction of your book, you may have to wait until you’ve written a few chapters to submit sample chapter(s).  Outlines can be very, very lengthy.

Synopsis
Is a short summary of your book and allows the reader to experience the feeling of your book, without reading the sample chapter(s) or outline.  Like Cliff’s Notes for the editor or the publisher.  It allows them to make the determination without wasting loads of time.

Author’s Biography
Even if you have never written anything, every author needs a biography, no matter how small.  Biographies allow the reader, publisher or editor into the life of the writer, and may help them determine why a book is written in a particular way.

List of Other Books Written and/or Published
List of other works written allows the reader, editor, or publisher to further determine if the work that you are submitting works for their company.

Putting It All Together
Like I stated before, before you submit any work to any publisher, proofread, proofread, proofread.  Simple spelling and punctuation mistakes can make you look like a writer just starting out.  Whether you are new to the game or an old pro, your writing skills are a direct reflection of you. 

Tips you can use:

Double-space everything that you write for submissions.  Blank spaces between typed word are easier to read.

If you are submitting your entire manuscript put pages numbers on every page, except the first one.  Also include your last name in the opposite corner.  Include a separate title page, and start every new chapter on a new page.

In the cover letter, include the total word count of your work.

Include a SASE or your email address, but before you do anything check with the publisher’s guidelines first.

Keep records of everyone you send a book proposal package to.  You do not want to make the mistake of sending the same proposal to an editor twice.

Closing Thought
It is not hard to find publishers that will accept proposal from writers with no literary agents; in fact it may be to your advantage.  If you don’t have a literary agent, you may not get as much in royalties, but you could very well get the whole kit and caboodle.  

Sure literary agents do have a place in the publishing world, but that place should not be in your back pocket.  When you polish your skills, you will find that you can get nearly the same deals as literary agents.

There are publishers out there who are looking for the works that you have written.  They are willing to work with you right out of the box and they will pay you a royalty and maybe even an advancement, if your work is exceptional.

If you use all of the information in these three reports, you too can submit your works to a major publisher and be published too. 

Part Two: How To Land the Ultimate Publishing Deal

To land any deal, especially the ultimate deal, you have to be prepared for any block of wood that may be hurled at you.  You have to be able to move out of the way, so you won’t get hit and know how to adjust your plan of action at any moments notice.

Is Your Work Good Enough

To find out if your work is good, you have to let other people read it, and then you can assess your work from their reaction.  The more people who read your work, the better and if you get positive reactions go ahead and go forward with your book publishing dreams.

If you get negative reactions, don’t get mad get proactive.  Take the criticism literally and fix what is wrong.  The more polished and professional your story is the better chance you have of it being picked up by a publisher.


Finding A Publisher

There are literally thousands of publishers all around the world.  So, what do you write fiction, sci-fi, children’s stories, biographies, or history?  First note that not every publisher publishes all written works. 

If you have favorite authors that you read, and the works are written in the same genre look and see whom there publishers are.  Online searches for publishers is also a great way to find a huge selection.

Once you have found a few publishers, check out their websites to find out if they are currently accepting submissions and to view there other guidelines.  You may also want to purchase a book from them written in your same genre to get and idea of what they are looking for.


Submitting Your Work

Whether you submit a complete work or just a sample, you have to follow their guidelines.  Since every publisher will have different guidelines, you will also need to keep track of your submissions. 

It may take a few months before you hear back from the publisher on if your work will be accepted or not. If your work is not accepted, don’t get discouraged, but use this lesson as a stepping stone to make you stronger.

Make all necessary corrections and resubmit your work, if possible.


Closing

It may take you only a few times to hundreds of submissions before a true publisher accepts your work.  Just remember, don’t let your guard down, don’t get comfortable, and don’t ever stop trying to get your works published.


This Week: Part Three – Creating A Perfect Book Proposal

How To Get Your Book Published by the Big Boys! - Part One

I think that it is everyone’s dream to have there book published by Simon and Shuster, Penguin, DK, and to receive a huge signing bonus and royalty check.  The simple fact is that we all can’t be Steven Kings’ or Dean Koontz, but if you play your cards right, you can get published by a big boy or at least an off spring or an independent and reap the royalties you truly deserve.

You want your book published, but you shouldn’t have to pay and the royalties’ amounts are too small through a free print-on-demand (pod) publisher, where do you turn?

Approaching Book publishers

In the publishing world, people use inquiry letters not only to pitch an idea for a book or to tell about a book already written, but also to check up on the status of a project submitted.  The inquiry letter should incite the editor to find out more about you, the project and the book.

After an editor makes contact with you, it is your job to keep attracting the editor to your project until you finally have a deal.

Inquiry letter (Pitch)

Mr. Blake Jones

4920 Blake Jones Road

Dallas, Texas 75643

November 1, 2013

Herman Russell, Editor

Avondale Publishing Group

PO Box 359, Houston, Texas 75100

Dear Mr. Russell

I am in the process of writing a new novel, ‘Thickets in the Wildwoods’, and I believe it is a great fit for your firm.    I have read the Lost Wind series by Beth Smith and my story is also science fiction.   I have included an excerpt below:

(excerpt)

Sincerly,

Your signature

Inquiry letter (Check-up)

Mr. Blake Jones

4920 Blake Jones Road

Dallas, Texas 75643

September 8, 2014

Herman Russell, Editor

Avondale Publishing Group

PO Box 359, Houston, Texas 75100

Dear Mr. Russell:

Ten months ago I submitted my manuscript ‘Thickets in the Wildwoods’ to you and I felt that I should check with you on its status.  I know that you are a very, very busy person, but I would be most appreciative if you could take a moment to check on its status for me.

I thank you for taking the time to check on this and look forward to your reply. An SASE is enclosed for your convenience. 

Sincerly,

Your signature

 

Book publishers & Other Resources

Below is a list of websites that you can visit to find out more about book publishers near you:

 

List over 700 book publishing companies - www.everywritersresource.com/bookpublishers/

Book Marketing & Promotion - www.bookmarket.com/newnovels.htm

Predators & Editors - http://pred-ed.com/pubinqry.htm

New Pages.com - www.newpages.com/book-publishers/

Independent Book Publishers Associations - www.ibpa-online.org/resources/affiliates/

Brandylane Publishers - www.brandylanepublishers.com/Authors/Publishing/

 

Next Week - Part Two: How To Land the Ultimate Deal

How to Use add-on Statements to Increase Your Email Marketing Efforts!

If you are not using every email that you send out as a Free Marketing platform, then you are missing out on thousands of people who could potentially benefit from your books or services.  To include marketing in an email, you do not have to write a few paragraphs that would be too long, and besides people don’t have that much time to read, only to glance.

I would suggest that you create a short phrase, five to ten words that completely describe what you are offering, how it can benefit them, and what it does.  Of course, you can create paragraphs if you want, but you may be wasting your time.  Now I know that this may sound difficult, but who better push your product than you, its inventor, creator, and spokes person.

Examples of simple add-on advertising:

·         Amazing book teaches anyone to make money from thin air!

(10 words)

·         Never pay rent/mortgage again, extraordinary book teaches you how!

(10 words)

 

Any statement should, create a buzz, make you more inserted, and make the reader want to act on what is being said.

Twitter is the perfect platform to learn how to write simple and effective add-on ads.  Because you are confined to creating a short, short statement, you are forced to include everything in one neat package.

Examples of paragraph add-on advertising:

Also known as a sales letter, advertising paragraphs allow you to go into further details, but you run the risk of losing the reader if you ramble and go off point.

·         (Give Name if Possible otherwise Hi!):

How would you learn how to get free airplane tickets to anywhere in the world.  This is not a trick or a gimmick.  My name is John Doe, and my company is offering free seminars in your area!  So if you have ever wanted walk on a Tahitian Beach, witness a Hawaii sunset, visit where the sun never sleeps, or just go on the vacation of your dreams, then attend the free seminar today!

(list event details)

++

 

The paragraph statement has the same effect as the add-on statement it just goes further to create an image in your mind.

Using add-on statements with any email is a great way to get your name out there and to be seen.  I hope that you can use some of these suggestions during your next advertising campaign, it’s free and is another way you can use to build your brand and increase your face time.

 

The Biggest Marketing Secrets for Selling Your Books

Today, anyone can write and publish their very own books, but not everyone can sell a book and make a profit.  No matter what you sell, if you don’t market it, you won’t have any customers.  Constantly giving away your books for free is good for your customers and bad for you.  If you think that there is more to marketing than meets the eye, then you are right.  In this post, I will feed you little known but powerful marketing secrets that can turn one customer into hundreds.

What is Hot Sells!
No matter who wrote it, if it is in the same genre as a best seller, your book is guaranteed to sell.  Currently Killing Jesus by Bill O’Reilly is on the best seller list, so if your book is any way connected to the killing of Jesus, you will receive customers.

Just comb the best seller’s list to see what titles are the closest to yours.  You can even mention the best seller title in your summary as a key word to ensure that your title will be seen with or close to the best selling title.

Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket!
Don’t trust in one marketing campaign to get the point across that you have books to sell.  You constantly see ads from Amazon, Wal-Mart, at&t, and Apple because they know that anybody is a potential customer, and they do not want you to forget that they have the products you want.

The same is true if you are marketing a book.  You can develop a multi-level platform-marketing program.  You can hand out business cards; pass out flyers; post pay per click ads on your own website, Twitter, Google Ad Sense, and Facebook; place advertising banners on the vehicle you drive; even flyers in the local convenient store.

The point is that one marketing source in today’s information filled world won’t do.  You have to act like the big boys and bombard the public twenty-four/seven with the fact that you have something to sell and that you want to public to purchase what you offer.

Make Your Customers Hungry for More!
You can post short summaries of the book you have or are planning to write, but the problem with people is as soon as they’ve read something, it’s gone from their minds.  Well may be it can possibly last an hour, it all depends on how good it is. 

But that is the problem, you have to literally post something interesting every single day to keep the hype up, and sometimes that is just impossible.  So how you do you get around this problem?

You write a short, ten to fifteen page teaser that will force their hands to purchase your book when it becomes available.  The teaser should be free so many people will download your work and in the back of the teaser, you can use this space as a marketing platform to list other works and projects that you have published.  The teaser should be given away free on as many websites as possible to help you get the word out that this great book is coming soon.

Write More than Three Summaries!
The more ways that you can describe the same exact thing, the more customers will fall into your trap.  Think of colors, ten words may be used to describe a similar color: (blue, sky blue, ocean blue, blue lake, cerulean, light blue, royal blue, dusk blue, dark blue, midnight blue).

Because people’s understandings of things are different, it is important that you write at least three different summaries and ads for your book.  Usually, as basic summary, a detailed summary, and a chapter excerpt is enough to get the point across to your customers that you mean business.

A basic summary briefly describes the premise of the book in a few paragraphs.

A detailed summary goes into further details and brings the characters to life, or an idea to reality, and it gives a sense to the reader that you are an authority on the subject and makes you more believable as a writer.

A chapter excerpt is the crowning touch on any summary or ad that you could ever create.  This gives the reader and potential customer a small glimpse into your work and what you can potentially offer to them.

Closing
These are the actual ideas that I have developed and use everyday to generate a buzz and to create and build customer awareness across several brands from books, computer software, and other products.

Only you know what you have written and you are the best town crier for your work.  Don’t let others market your work when you can do the job just as good as anyone else can.  Also don’t get discouraged when sales aren’t as good as you think they should be. 

You are one fish in a sea of millions.  The more you can do to get your work out there, the more money and recognition you will receive.  One final word: never stop writing and never stop marketing your books to the masses.

How To Get Thousands of Dollars In FREE Advertising

If you are like me, you are trying to sell or advertise books or other products and come up with creative ways where it will not cost you much, because you have a small advertising budget. 

National newspapers and magazines or trade publications can offer you millions of potential customers, but may people don’t realize that they offer free advertising too.  An exchange ad ‘old school’ is where they exchange a free ad for advertising by you in your book or product, on your vehicle, house, et. cetera.

While an advertisement placed in only one newspapers or magazines may bring astronomical results, it is important to use different pitches to various magazines and newspaper editors.  With so many hundreds and thousands trade publications from which to choose, the logical question is, where will an ad get the best results? There is no 100% accurate answer? It is a matter of testing various markets and to see which trade publications will go along with your request.

It is obvious that you will have a hard time getting your foot in the door with major trade publications such as Hearst, or New York Times, but many smaller or regional publications may have room for you.  Purchase a few of the magazines and or newspapers that you would like to see your ads in to see how much filler copy they use.

Filler copy is ads used to make the trade publication fuller.  Ads touting the trade publication are filler ads, so are multiple ads of the same business or organization.  If a trade publication has no ads, then it has no advertisers.

 

Developing Your Plan of Action

1.    Create the advertising pitch you want to use over the telephone and by email.  Any pitch you make should include sales figures (if possible), or potential sales figures, target market data so that they can insure that you are a good fit, and where you want your advertising to reach.

2.    In your pitch, include the following statement: ‘I will exchange advertising for my new (book, product) with an ad placed inside my (book, product) on the front cover, inside pages, cover box, etc. your choice.  I will also drive around with an ad on my vehicle if you wish to sweeten the deal.’

3.    Write letters and send emails to the editors of the trade publications you want your advertising in.  If you bombard them, you may get seen.

4.    Never, never take NO for an answer, keep fighting till you get a yes!

5.    Once you get in the door, stay inside and do not do things that will cause them to drop you.

6.    Enhance the deal by offer a percentage of your sales to the editor or charitable organization.

 

7.  Go online and find trade publication contacts in your area today.

 

 

Haunted Moon

Moon with Jupiter

Shakey Sunset

Free Old Fashion Grassroots Marketing

The Premise

Whether you have a print book or a digital book, you won’t have any sales if you don’t have any customers.  Sure, selling tools do work and so does social media, but a grassroots campaigning is what is missing from today’s marketing strategies.

Using grassroots techniques ensures that you only need a ‘small or not advertising budget, according to Startup Nation.  Grassroots campaigns also allow you to be flexible and offer rewards to your customers.  The best grassroots campaign is Word of Mouth.

Word of Mouth
Word of mouth is always free and it is very, very easy to slip your books into a conversation.  Since word of mouth is just like basically standing on a street corner and selling your goods, only classier, everyone can succeed using this technique, even if you are not a big talker.

Pass Out Flyers
If you stood outside, all day long and handed out flyers to passerby’s, this would be another form of grassroots marketing that is still very popular today.  For just the cost of paper and ink, you can create sales, get your name out there, and possibly meet people who can further your marketing techniques.

Public Relations
Neil Sission states that public relations is one of the oldest marketing tricks in the book.  He suggests that you spin your ‘product’ into a human-interest story.

It is the human connection that drives us or in some cases compels us to purchase this product over someone else’s.    If you can tie your product into a local event such as a fundraiser (the human interest angle).  You will not only get community support for your product, you will also get free media coverage and maybe you can get featured on a national news program, that is if you can create a large enough spin.

The Free Angle
Doesn’t the word free just make you want to run out of your home just to see what is being given away?  For it to be such a simple word free evokes visions of things from a free piece of gum to free money.  Offering your product for free will not only get you attention, and lots of it, it allows you to ‘stuff’ the free item with information about other books you may offer and thereby further to increase your bottom line.

Other Marketing Ideas
If I thought about it, I probably could list hundreds of Grassroots Marketing ideas, but I don’t have that much time to write and I am sure that you don’t have that much time to read.  Other ideas can include door to door conversations with the people in your town, but be aware that most cities now charge a small door to door fee.  Be interviewed on a talk radio station.  Talk radio is a great way to interact with the general public on a much larger scale.  Though talk radio segments work best with social media; it is still another great way to be seen.  Again, its about getting your books out there for the world to see and buy.

 

In Closing
If all you do is wake up with an idea, it may be the most successful free marketing campaigning that you’ve ever created.  When you have a marketing budget of zero, anything that you can do to create sales will help you get up to the curve and eventually pass it by.  If you wrote a cookbook on how to prepare eggs one hundred different ways, you could stand on the street corner dressed as an egg to promote your new book.  Not all-marketing ideas are flawless and some may be down right messy, but any idea is better than no idea at all.

“Grassroots Marketing is at the personal and local level which is where we market ourselves.” Lisa Bishop.


Books
PDF Grassroots Marketing for Leaders: Lisa Bishop
PDF Sustaining Grassroots Community-Based Programs:

Resources
www.pram-aam.org
www.startupnation.com

Live Rent Free At Any Age Has Taken Off!

Yes You Can!

There are hundreds of people all around the world learning how to Live Rent Free At Any Age, and you can too!  Most people will never know that there something better wait for them without a little push in the right direction.  Live Rent Free At Any Age not only gives you that nudge, it puts you and your family on the rail road tracks of independence and self reliance.

You, your friends and your family can get a piece of this independence with Live Rent Free At Any Age, which has continued to sell well after last months special promotion.  There will be another promotion in November, but if you can't wait, purchase a copy today!

Updated summary of Live Rent Free At Any Age!

For nothing more than your time, you can live in a Castle in Germany, a Chateau in the South of France, a Penthouse in New York City, in a Beach House on the California coast, a Mansion in England, or a Ranch in Montana?

Millions of people all around the world live in luxurious homes such as these and you can too!

Live Rent Free At Any Age is not a dream, but it is your passport to a better life anywhere around the world that you want to live.  It gives you the freedom to put your children in the best schools, to live in the finest neighborhoods, cities, and towns, and it allows you to create the life you’ve always wanted for you and your family.

Live Rent Free At Any Age gives you the freedom to spend your paychecks how you want, whether you decide to save for the future, purchase the finest sports car, gold and diamond jewelry, the best clothing or more; you will finally be able to spend your money on something other than the bills.

Never, pay a rent or mortgage, utility bills, satellite television, or the Internet where you live again and be treated to the best of everything someone else’s money can afford. In some cases, you will also never have to pay for the vehicle you drive, or the food you eat.

You may be asking what all of this is going to cost me?  Time.  That’s is it.  In exchange for your time, you can get all of the things that millionaires have and posses.  You and your family get to live in the lap of luxury.

You can’t afford to pass up on this valuable information, because it just may change you and your family’s lives, for the better.

ON SALE NOW
50% Off:
Live Rent Free At Any Age!

Only $0.99
41 Pages / eBook
ASIN: B00F499JYA

Exclusively available at: Amazon's Kindle Store
To Purchase, visit: www.amazon.com/ebook/dp/B00F499JYA

Vivir de Alquiler Gratis A Cualquier Edad!
En Espanol: www.amazon.com/ebook/dp/B00F4CY456
ASIN: B00F4CY456

The Art of Creating Stunning Book Covers – Part Two - Building Your Stunning Book Cover

The Art of Creating Stunning Book Covers – Part Two
Building Your Stunning Book Cover

Designing a book cover may seem like a challenging task, it truly is at first, as I have developed over 30 book covers.  But as time goes on, and you continue to build book covers, your skills improve and your covers, depending on the style, start to look like a professional designed them.

The purpose of this article is to help you design your perfect book cover.  With any design, it all starts on a sheet of paper and a pen.  Let’s review: did you complete your assignment from part one? 

• Did you come up with three words that can be used to describe what your entire book is about?  If you don’t already have a title, you can use these three words in place of an actual title that you may think up later.

• Did you find a digital image that can be used to visualize what your book is about?  Since some people create images from seeing (visual) and others create an image from reading, the three words you picked above must also correlate with the image you have chosen.

• Since type fonts vary greatly, you will want to select one that has the capabilities of being in bold.  You will find that a bold face font attracts more attention from a potential customer that a thin font types. 

Building Your 3-D Stunning Book Cover with Gimp

Below are step by step instructions for creating your 3-Dimensional Stunning Book Cover.  You may want to print out this article, so you can follow along in the Gimp program.  I used Gimp 2.6 to create the cover below.

Depending on the dimensions, your 3-D book cover can also be a Cover Box, DVD/CD Case, Notebook, et cetera.

* Denotes A New Step
>Denotes to click on a button

Creating a Book Cover, Spline and Top portion:

The Book Cover Screen
*Open Program
>File
>New (window)
Image Size Width 1600 px. by Height 2400 px.
>Ok

Digital Photographic Image Screen
*Using Selected Image
>File
>Open
Select where Image is
>Open Image

*Resize image to fit the width of the book (1600 px.)
>Image
>Scale image Width 1600 px. by Height 1200 px. / quality – Cubic
>Scale

*Insert Image into Book Cover Screen
>Select (opens menu)
>All (makes dashed border move)
>Edit
>Copy Visible

Book Cover Screen
*Open Blank Book Cover Screen
>Edit
>Past Into
Note: the photo will appear in the center of the book cover, but you may wish to move it up or down by clicking on the move took button in the tool box menu.  To move, just hover over the image and click and hold down the left mouse button to move.)

Close the Digital Photographic Image Screen

Save the Book Cover Screen
*Save As
>File
>Save As
>Select A Name (example: Book cover screen.jpeg)
Select Location
>Save
>Export File
>Export
>Save As
>Save
Note: you always want to save the files you are working on a (Jpeg).  It makes it easier to work on the file.

Open Saved Book Cover (.Jpeg)
*Open Saved File
>File
>Open Recent
>Book Cover Screen
Note: new screen will open smaller than the original screen.  Close the first screen (larger), and increase or maximize the smaller screen.)

Note: you should have a saved image in your Book Cover Screen, if you do not, please repeat the steps above.

Filling the  New Book Cover Screen with Color
*Filling the Space Above and Below the Photograph
In the Tool Box Bar, select the (square)/ click left

Draw a Rectangle in the White Space above the photo by holding the left mouse button as you move the cursor across the image.  Release the mouse button when the rectangle is where you want it.

>Bucket Fill (in the tool box bar)
>Top Black Color Square (Foreground)
-Select a color that matches with the dominate color in your photograph.  If the color is white, choose your next dominant color.  Book covers with white around the edges wash out when placed against white backgrounds.
>Move the cursor across the possible colors, when you have found one, left click on it.
>Ok (to choose a color)
>Left in the space above the photo to fill the color.

*Repeat the same task above for the bottom square.  You may wish to use the same color, a contrasting color, or the next dominant color.

>File
>Save As (if you wish to save it as something different)
>Save
>Replace (if you wish to save it under the same name)
>Save

Open Saved Book Cover (.Jpeg)
*Open Saved File
>File
>Open Recent
>Book Cover Screen
Note: new screen will open smaller than the original screen.  Close the first screen (larger), and increase or maximize the smaller screen.)

Creating the Side Spline
*How to Create the Spline for Your Book
>File
>New
Image Size: Width 250 px. by Height 2400 px.
>Ok
>Maximize side Spline screen
>Edit
>Paste Into (inserts photograph from earlier in the middle of the Spline)
>File
>Save As (example: side Spline.jpeg)
>Save
>Export
>Save

Open Saved Book Spline (.Jpeg)
*Open Saved File
>File
>Open Recent
>Book Spline Screen
Note: new screen will open smaller than the original screen.  Close the first screen (larger), and increase or maximize the smaller screen.)
- Draw

Adding Color to The Spline
*Filling the Space Above and Below the Photograph
In the Tool Box Bar, select the (square)/ click left

Draw a Rectangle in the White Space above the photo by holding the left mouse button as you move the cursor across the image.  Release the mouse button when the rectangle is where you want it.

>Bucket Fill (in the tool box bar)
>Top Black Color Square (Foreground)
-Select a color that matches with the dominate color in your photograph.  If the color is white, choose your next dominant color.  Book Splines with white around the edges wash out when placed against white backgrounds.
>Move the cursor across the possible colors, when you have found one, left click on it.
>Ok (to choose a color)
>Left in the space above the photo to fill the color.

*Repeat the same task above for the bottom square.  You may wish to use the same color, a contrasting color, or the next dominant color.

>File
>Save As (if you wish to save it as something different)
>Save
>Replace (if you wish to save it under the same name)
>Save

Creating A New Larger Blank Page
*Marrying the Images Together
>File
>New Width 2000 px by Height 2800 px.
>Open

Click on the Book Cover Screen ‘Tab’
>Select
>All
>Edit
>Copy Visible

Then Switch back to the Blank Screen Page
>Edit
>Paste Into
>Maximize Screen

Move Cursor to the Toolbox Bar
>Select – Move Tool Button
(Move Image to the Far Right, but not up or down in the white space.
>File
>Save as ‘the new’ BookCoverScreen.jpeg
>Save
>Export
>Save

Close Book Cover Screens One and Two
>Save Book Cover Screen One Changes
>Save

Next, Save the Open Spline Page by Clicking on the Tab
>File
>Save

Creating the 3-D Look
Open the New Book Cover Screen
(Note: During This Process, Do Not Save until you have completed each 45% Transformation. You cannot do these steps if you save the pages first, then reopen them.)
>File
>Save
>Open Recent (select Book Cover Screen from the top of the menu)

Draw a Small Rectangle on the Top of the Solid Blue Field, approximately two measure lines thick.

>Tool Bar (Bucket Fill Tool Button)
>Fill Type
>Pattern Fill
>Select Stripes

Select the Perspective Tool from the Tool Box Bar, hover over the newly created box and left click.  Hover cursor to the Top Left, and angle to the LEFT approximately 45 degrees.

Repeat the same on the on the Top Right of the box.

Then open the Spline Page
>File
>Open Recent (select Spline Screen from the menu)

Then Paste the Spline Screen into the Book Cover Screen Page
>Select
>All
>Edit
>Copy Visible

Close the Open Spline Screen Page

Select the Perspective Tool from the Tool Box Bar, hover over the Spline and left click.  Hover cursor to the Top Right, and angle to the RIGHT approximately 45 degrees.

Repeat the same on the Lower End of the Spline of the box.

Save 3-D Cover
>Save As (example: 3-DbookCover.jpeg)
>Save
>Export
>Save

Open 3-D Book Cover (.Jpeg)
*Open Saved File
>File
>Open Recent
>Book 3-D Book Cover

Open 3-D Book Cover Add words and other finishing touches.  To Get Rid of the Excess White Space Created in changing the dimension of the Book Cover:
>Image
>Auto Crop

Then Resave your completed Book Cover:
>Save As (example: 3-DbookCover.jpeg)
>Save
>Export
>Save

(Note: Finished Image Soon)

The Art of Creating Stunning Book Covers – Part One

The Art of Creating Stunning Book Covers – Part One
Defining What Makes A Great Book Cover

Wherever there are books, there are covers, some ugly, and some brilliant.  What makes a good cover is not in the eye of the beholder, it is in the eye of the artist and the writer who wrote the book.   Great book covers bring sales while poor book covers bring despair.

A book cover is what sells the book, it is its soul, especially when the books are boxed or wrapped up and the potential buyer is unable to peak inside.  If you have spent a year developing and writing a great cover, you do not want your sales to fall flat because you didn’t put thought into your cover.

Today, we will discover what makes other people’s covers great by examining what their cover’s looks like.  Then we will help you find the perfect cover for the book you are currently writing or developing.  In part two, we will teach you how to create that stunning cover from concept to an actual cover that you can print out and show to others for an opinion.

The Covers of Others

A great book cover is a short reflection on what the book is about.  I took five books, off my shelf to, at random to compare their covers, you can view these book covers on the right, and tell me if you agree or not with my statements below. Would you purchase this book because of the cover?

The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton – (old cover) His cover is basic black, but the potential reader is drawn in by the x-ray of a pad lock that makes up the front cover.  You can intricately see the tumbler pins and the springs, and you visualize in your mind what the book may be about.  The red typeface is also different with small round holes in many of the letters.  Cover was redesigned, not as unique as the original cover.

Beyond The 120 Year Diet – How to Double Your Vital Years by Roy Walford, M.D.  – The cover of this book is basic, very basic, a drab olive and cream with typeface in three different fonts and four colors and may different points.  The only way a person would be drawn to this book is because of the title and not the cover.

Fast Cash With Quick-Turn Real Estate by Ron LeGrand – What makes this cover interesting is that there is a photo of real US paper money on the cover, a great attractant.  You can also see a photo of the man that wrote the book.  The first two words ‘Fast Cash’ are in foiled red-raised lettering.  There are many different themes that make up this cover, but all of them work.

Guide To Proposal Writing by The Foundation Center – This covers is basic, a simple large dark blue boarder surrounded by a thin burgundy boarder encloses a main cream field.  The title of the book is written in three fonts.  If you were not specifically looking for this exact title, you would pass up this book on the shelf.  (note: the author's name is not on the cover but on the reverse.  Jane C. Geever)

Tunnels by R. Gordon and B. Williams – This is a unique artist rendering of what this book is about.  You are drawn into an old mining tunnel that is supported by massive wooden beams, and at the end of the tunnel, you see the shadows of a man with knives, a dog who’s looking at you, and the image of a great city underground.  This book makes you ask the questions where are they, who are they and what are they doing?

Defining What Your Cover Will Be

So, if the covers is an extension of the book, then what is your book about?  What do you want your cover to convey to the potential reader?  If you had three words to describe your entire book, what would they be?  It is these three words that you should use to design your cover with.

If you wrote a romance novel, you would not put two people who are fighting on the cover.  If you wrote a book on how to collect herbs, you would not put pictures of animals on the cover.  The simple fact is that many independent writers forget this important step and end up with a title that does not sell.  If you only sell ebooks, your potential customer is ___% more likely to make a purchase just based on the cover art.

Apart from the cover art, the font text and size are also important.  It is too small, people can’t read it, and if it is too large it becomes overpowering.  A title should simply frame the image not over take it.

On stunningly created book covers, the name of the writer and the title share the same font type and it can be at the same size or the authors name may be a bit smaller, but not so small where it appears hidden.

Covers that are too busy and have too many elements are often overlooked by something that is more simplified (think of your three words); but over simplified books, solid color covers, or two color covers are also passed up because they do not convey enough of what the story is.

Closing

You have been given a few tasks before the next part of this blog.  I want to think up your three words that describes the entire work of your book?  Then, I want you to find a simple, not busy photographic image online that you can use to create the cover.  Next, think about what type of font type you what to use and the size of the font. 

When you have all of these elements, put them aside and wait for part two of this blog, How To Create Your Stunning Book Cover where I will teach you step by step on how to use your elements to create an actual book cover from start to finish.

How Writing in the 'How To' Style Can Make You Successful!

What is the Definition of 

'How To'?

Any person, no matter his or her age, can write instructions in the ‘how to’ style.  That is basically what ‘how to’ is, a simple or difficult list of instructions telling you how to assemble, master, or do something.   

As I stated before, anyone can tell you how to do something, but is what they are feeding you the right way or their way?  Will it make you successful or just stuck deeper in the mud?

How to become an Authority!

To be an authority on the how to style, you not only have to know about something, you have to know it inside and out.  What its faults are, if it fails or not and how to get out of the situation if something goes wrong!

Yes, the how to style is very, very popular, because people don’t like to take chances, they don’t want to waste money, they want to know that they are doing it right the first and every time.

So, if you can become the authority on whatever you do whether it is:
Teaching, Writing, Photography, Computers, Playing computer games, Cooking, Child Care, Affiliate Marketing, or what you are good at, you can do it as an authority.  If you’ve been doing it for a while, and can tell others how to do it, and be successful as you have been, you can also become successful just by selling your secrets.

How to Write ‘How To’s’!

What you write has to make sense to others, as everyone will want your ‘How To’ secret so that they can try it for themselves.  If your idea is too far over some people’s heads, you run the risk of loosing sales and refunding monies.  On the other hand, if your ‘How To’ secret is written like everyone is only five years old, people will think you are talking down to them, and again you run the risk of loosing sales.

The best way to write or create your ‘How To’ secret is to write what you mean to say, and nothing more.  Think of your speech as a long and narrow railroad track.  You want to stay on topic all of the time, if you veer off, you run the risk of derailing the train and loosing customers at every turn and curve.

If you have not written anything in a while, making an outline, may help you gather your ‘How To’ thoughts to make the flow seamlessly on the written page. 

(Example:)

Idea:  I want to write a ‘how to’ on creating 3-D book covers with Gimp

Topics:
1.  How to get the Gimp Image Manipulation Program
2.  How to get a photograph that will be the bases of the book cover
3.  How to open the program, open the templates, and upload the photograph
4.  Steps to manipulate the image
5.  How to transform the image into 3-D
6.  How to add words to the image
7.  How to save the image as a photograph
8.  How to use the image, once created

Outlines, such as the one above, can help you by not allowing you to forget important facts or steps that would prevent someone from completing the task.  If I omitted step number five, my potential customers would not know how to take a 1-D image and change it into a 3-D image.  The reviews for my product would be horrible, and I would loose a lot of money.

Is Your ‘How To’s’ Based on Facts?
You also want to use proven and provable facts.  Most people don’t believe what is read just because it is printed.  Make sure you back up all of your statements with facts.  The more work that you put into creating your ‘how to’, the more believable you become in being an authority on your topic.

Double and triple check your facts.  There is nothing worse that reading something where the facts are off or just plain wrong.  Trust me, people will check the facts, even if you don’t.

Don’t just rely on the internet for your facts, look in newspapers, magazines, ask actual professionals, and reference your work with materials and cite your work.  The more facts you can stuff into your work, the more real you become, and the more real, the more believable, and they you become an authority.

Have You Edited Your ‘How To’?

Whatever you have written, developed, or created, please allow someone else, that has no ties to the project fact check your work or look for mistakes.  If it reads as if a second grader wrote it or it the program doesn’t work, you run the risk of loosing your authoritative status.

Poorly written things do not garner an authoritative status, they make you look like a fool for even attempting to get someone to purchase the product from you.

Closing Statement

If you look on Amazon, or any other bookseller’s website, you will find that ‘How To’ style of products have a much higher selling rate than other products in the same field.  It is your ultimate goal in making your ‘How To’ idea to flow easily and to make you and your customers, successful, rich, and or happy.

How to Make Extra Money for the Holidays or For Anytime

The Holidays are fast approaching and people love to have extra money to spend on presents, food, themselves, and their families.  I know you all love free things, so below are ideas that don’t cost anything to start earning money.  

You can easily advertise, for free, with a simple flyer at the library, college note-board, at the convenient store, or at the laundromat and word of mouth is all you need to start earning money today, so you can have some to spend during the holidays without getting further in debt.

Preparing Resumes For Profit

You don’t have to have a professional degree or belong to an association to draw up a simple one or two page resume for someone.  You can easily earn $50.00 an hour for simply sitting down with a customer, writing down the details, and printing ten copies and providing a cd of a resume for them to pass out to potential employers.

I personally know a woman who spent $150.00 for a resume that was typed so small and included so much information that it wouldn’t even print correctly.  For no charge, I fixed her resume.

A resume is nothing more than the biographical details, both personal and career related, of persons wishing to change jobs or seek advancement, training, and virtually any other change within their working lives.  This necessitates them giving interviewers, employers, and college heads, sufficient details to make a full and accurate assessment of the candidate.

At one time the humble application form was the order of the day requiring one to neatly present personal data in little boxes on the employer's individual forms, but no longer.  Companies seek more data from you so they can compare you to the  next candidate.

To create a resume business from your home all you need is a computer with a cd burner and a printer. 

Office supplies would include resume paper and envelopes, blank cd-r’s, notepads, and pens.

You can meet your clients at your home or at a local coffee bar down the street.  You’ll want to spend at least 30 minuets to get all of the biographical and employment history data. 

I would use the resume templates at www.microsoft.com

.

When Words Can Help Pay the Bills

Despite what we say to the contrary, most of us are sentimental at heart, and here we have an idea which when capitalized upon, has created highly successful businesses or those who have simply come up with a unique or sufficiently different way of pandering to our afflictions.

Baby's first shoes can be preserved for ever in a coating of gold, silver or bronze, shellac thereby sealing those cherished memories of the owner's first tottering steps for doting grandmothers and granddads.

Every Valentine's Day finds a rush of businesses offering heart-shaped things and flowers to woo the recipient of an overt and often eccentric means by which to convey undying love.

Dolls in the shape of an individually dressed bear, can be delivered almost anywhere, usually at very little notice.  The message printed on his sash will accomplish more than any gift card could ever dare to hope.

Champagne and baskets of goodies can be delivered to the recipient's door, and almost every service offered can be individually tailored to reflect the occasion.  Silver weddings, 21st birthdays and the birth of a baby are but a few.

Wedding cushions, on which the rings are proudly displayed for blessing and subsequent presentation, are neatly and lavishly embroidered in pastel silks and tassels.  The bride has a souvenir to cherish forever, and the skilled needle smith finds his or her bank balance suitable inflated.  I've seen to, the chance to have hand embroidered the wedding tablecloth upon which the guests have placed their signatures.

Any idea that you can think of, more than likely you can create it and make money from it.


List Selling Is Big Business

This is one big business proposition that requires an absolute minimum of capital but nevertheless offers extremely high rewards in the process.

'It's not what you know that counts, it's who you know' or so they say.  In the business world this is undoubtedly true.  Some businesses survive very nicely from dealings only with 'passing trade', or with customers drawn as a result of effective local advertising campaigns.  Many businesses though, and primarily those with no obvious premises for attracting the customer, depend heavily upon postal contacts to sustain an adequate level of trade.  In this category we find mail order traders and those dealing in specialized products for particular sections of the public.  There are also those businesses for whom business premises might by wholly unnecessary, perhaps because they operate in short-term undertakings, as would be the case for someone seeking to rent out sale and promotion spaces at once-off exhibition.  What these businesses need above all else are lists - lists of potential customers who might otherwise remain unaware of their existence.  Having acquired this list of potential customers they themselves contact the businesses and individuals concerned, in contrast to normal business procedures where it is usually the customer who arranges to approach the seller or service industry of his choice.

For businesses requiring these contacts, the task of compiling lists for themselves would no doubt be so arduous and time-consuming a task as to leave little or no time for normal business obligations.

The person involved in the Mailing List Business can compile lists from scratch, (a time consuming exercise), or else he or se can act as the middleman or woman for other people's lists, renting the list in at one price and subsequently renting it out at another, obviously higher price. Or you can use online residential white pages.

The middle man or broker often buys or rents many very large lists, then splits them for hiring or sale to businesses who would not be able to afford, or would simply not be interested in the larger list.

Ideally the names and addresses are offered on self-adhesive labels to facilitate easier usage by the ultimate user, and also to lessen the temptation to use a rented list more than once, thereby breaking the conditions upon which it is rented.

Lists should be kept free of people no longer living at the stated address, or perhaps no longer an interested member of that group the list represents.  This can be done by making frequent mailings yourself, or else by analyzing the results of someone else using the list, and removing from the list all letters returned as 'gone away' or whatever.

Since you can rent the same list(s) over and over again, the amount of money you can make is endless.

This is only a brief list of ideas that you can use to make money off of.  For 1,016 ways to make money, purchase my book, 1,016 Ways to Make Money When You Are Broke! from Amazon, on Sale Now for only $0.99 (half priced until October 7, 2013).

How To Write Your Next Money Making Book - Ideas

You want to write a book, but you don’t have a topic.  You would write about your life so far, but you don’t think it would sell, or you are tired of reading endless biographies already. 

Sometimes, just having the title of a book is all you need to get the ball rolling.   Below, are present several ‘ideas’ of possible books that are just waiting for you to write and profit off of.   It is possible for anyone to turn a title into a book that you can sell, market, and profit off of.

Knowledge is power and in this case, knowledge is also cold hard cash. A two of the ideas have been expanded to get your spark started.  Enjoy!

NOTE: These are Title Ideas Only

Antiques
Introduction to Antique Collecting    
Facts about Antique Auctions     
How to sell Antiques     
Let's go to an Antique Show     
How to become an Antique Dealer     
Directory of Antique publications     
How to detect Fake Antiques     
How to Restore Antiques

Art
How to paint Landscapes     
Make your own Picture Frames     
Oil Painting for Beginners     
Working with Acrylics     
Introduction to Water Colors     
How to Exhibit your Paintings     
How to buy Art Supplies     
How to Model for Art Classes     
How to sketch Portraits     
Working with Chalks

Astrology
How to chart your Horoscope     
Selecting a Career through Astrology     
Your Marriage Mate     
Apply astrology to your daily life     
Astrology made simple     
Your future is in the Stars     
How to read the Zodiac

Beauty
Glamor tips for Teenagers     
Beauty tips for Expectant Mothers     
Every Woman can be Beautiful     
Apply make up like a Professional     
Your personality makes the difference     
What color is best for You?     
How to achieve the Natural Look     
Choosing the Right hair style for you
Beauty Tips for Girls
Beauty Tips for Boys

Church
Sermon outlines for Busy Pastors     
Fund raising for your Church     
Twelve Ways to increase your Church attendance     
Projects for Holiday Bible School     
How to use Talks effectively     
How to prepare a Sermon     
Put some enthusiasm into your Church newsletter     
Choir practice can be Fun     
Keeping the Older Members Happy     
Teaching Tips for Sunday School Teachers     
Have you been called to the Priesthood? 
Religious Vocations for Women     
Plan a Prayer Breakfast.

Crafts
Working with Leather     
Pottery Making for Beginners     
Make your own Jewelry     
How to make Beautiful Dolls     
Introduction to metal enameling     
How to make Puppets     
Making a Potter's Wheel     
Craft Projects for Pre-School Children     
Profits in Indian Jewelry     
How to make Stained Glass Windows
     
How to Profit from Handmade Chandeliers!
We’ve all seen chandeliers, like hanging artwork only from the ceiling of a large home or grand hotel.  This book is about how to make chandeliers from crystal beads. 

I will present you with step-by-step photographs of how I made a chandelier for clear crystal beads….

Make your own Christmas Cards     
Directory of Wholesale Crafts Supplies     
How to Build Dolls Houses     
Christmas Decorations you can make     
Knitting and Crocheting ideas for Beginners     
Selling Handmade Crafts at Art Shows     
Candle Making for Beginners     
Weave your own Rugs     
The Art of Crafts with Shells 
Needlework for Beginners     
Decorating Glass     
An Introduction to Ceramics     
Conducting Crafts Classes     
Create your own Earrings     
New Quilt Patterns     
Making Gifts from Junk     
Christmas Crafts for Kids     
Bread Dough Art

Entertaining
How to throw a Cocktail Party     
24 Ideas for your next Birthday Party     
Make your next party a Real Success     
How to be a gracious Hostess     
The Office Party Guide     
Turn an ordinary meal into a Feast     
How to make Better Cocktails

Family And Children
So you're Expecting a Baby     
Does your Child take Drugs?
Don't Smack your Child     
Select the right name for your Baby     
Inspire your Child to Learn     
Can children defend themselves? 
How to Listen to your Child     
Teach your Child to Read     
Choosing a Baby Sitter     
Loving an Adopted Child     
Keep your Child Busy     
Understanding your Teenager     
Which School for your Child     
Teach your Son a Trade     
Facts about Childbirth for Husbands

Family Problems
A Parents Guide to Dangerous Drugs     
Save money on your Clothing Bills     
Mothers guide to Charity Shop Buying     
Where and How to apply for a Loan     
Better health through Better eating    
Families without Fathers     
Does your Child eat right?     
What Unwed Mothers should know?

Gambling
How to become a Blackjack Dealer     
Job Opportunities in Las Vegas     
Gambling Secrets Revealed     
Win at the Races     
How to play Poker     
Baccarat for Beginners     
Why Gambling should be legalized     
How Gambling Made Me Lose My Family

Gardening
Build your own Greenhouse     
Grow what you eat     
How to grow Gorgeous Roses     
The Easy Beginners guide to Landscaping     
How to grow food in an apartment

Health
Old-fashioned Cold Remedies     
Facts about Arthritis     
My life with Asthma    
Ways to Cure Insomnia     
Recipes for Sweets     
Fasting is Good for You     
Are you facing a Nervous Breakdown? 
How to Care for your Skin.

Hobbies
Collect Coins for Fun and Profit     
Chess Self Taught     
Boat building for Beginners     
Let's go to a Boat Show     
Bicycle your way to Better Health
200 Things you can Collect     
Collecting Paper Weights     
Gun Collecting as a Hobby     
Collecting Nazi Relics     
Guide to Antique Car Collecting     
How to Collect Gems and Minerals     
Become a Silent Film Buff     
Model Railroading: An Introduction

Home Decorating
Decorating Tips for your Bedroom     
Thirteen Ways to Beautify your Kitchen     
How to Decorate your Windows     
Decorate like a Professional     
Patios Can be Beautiful     
Beginners guide to Drapery     
Making Wallpaper makes the difference     
Makeover your Bathroom     

Marriage
Plan your Wedding now     
Plan your Honeymoon     
What to Wear at your Wedding     
Cooking Tips for Newlyweds     
Do you need a Marriage Counselor?
Living on a Budget     
How to Survive Divorce     
How to get a Divorce     
Teach your Husband to Cook     
Maintenance Laws made Easy     
How to be a Great Father     
How to win a Fight with your Husband     
How to Marry a Man with Money     
Broke make Better Husbands

Miscellaneous
You can be a TV Contestant     
Facts every Inventor should know     
How to enjoy the Opera     
Living in a Mobile Home     
How to read Blueprints     
How they make TV Commercials     
Are your Employees Stealing from You?
Facts about Franchises     
Twenty Ways to get your Name in the Paper     
How to meet Celebrities     
Guide to Radio Talk Shows     
How to adjust to a New Neighborhood
How to hold a Fashion Show     
Handbook for Street Musicians  

Ways to Make Money
How to run a Garage Sale     
Making money with Comic Books     
Start a Shopping service     
Investing in Property     
Twenty Ways to Get Rich Quick     
How to be your Own Boss     
Turn your Ideas into Pounds
How to start a Mobile Home Park     
Start a Book keeping service     
Pen pals are Big Business     
Cash in on the Nostalgia Craze     
Teach Children how to Dance     
Profits in Auctions     
Business Enterprises for College Students

Job Opportunities
How to ask for a Raise     
Write your own Resume    
Earn money Tutoring Dance     
Your way to Stardom     
Your future in Physics Careers in Astronomy     
Become a Professional Astrologer     
Raising Funds for Profit     
Gun Repairing as a Career     
Opportunities Unlimited for Commercial Artists     
Have Fun - be a Ski Instructor     
Job Opportunities in Law Enforcement     
Become a Book Finder     
Writing for Newspapers     
Opportunities in Advertising     
Become a Professional Librarian     
Are you a Born Mechanic?
Is there a Place in Television for you?
Show Business Opportunity Guide     
Your place in the Electronics Industry     
Environmental Careers     
Your Aptitude and your Job    
 A Career in Nursing for You
Is Freight in Your Future?
Summer Jobs in London   
Should you be a Social Worker? 

Personal Problems
Protect yourself from Thieves     
Protect your home from Burglary     
How to Handle Obscene Phone Calls     
How to Say "NO" to Salesmen     
Defend yourself from Rape     
How to File for Bankruptcy     
How to Sublet your Home     
How to Sell Your Home     
How to save on your Hospital Bills

Pets
How to raise your Kitten     
Tricks your Dog can Learn     
Build your own Aquarium     
Fashion Tips for your Poodle     
How to operate a Dog Kennel     
How to Start a Pet Shop     
Dog Grooming Opportunities     
How to Win at the next Dog Show     
Do snakes make Good Pets? 
The successful way to raise Rabbits

Sales Professionals
Ten ways to close the sale     
Sell it at the Flea Market     
Is selling for you? 
Ten Successful Selling Tips     
How to improve your Sales technique    
Why people buy?    
How to sell Sporting goods     
Positive thinking makes the difference

Sports
How to enter Professional Football     
Improve your Swimming Strokes     
Can you handle Racing Cars?
How to play better Baseball     
Wrestling Holds: An Introduction     
Guide to Ski Resorts     
Amateur Boxing Guide     
Know your Hunting Rifle     
Let's Go Trout Fishing     
Tennis for Beginners
Is your Child Ready for Sports?     
Keep in Shape Bowling!
Treasure Hunting can be Fun
Jog your Way to Health     
How to Lift Weights     
Build your own Gym
Ice Hockey - An Introduction     
Play Basketball     
Body Building Tips     

Travel
Overcoming your Fear of Flight     
How to obtain a Passport     
Holiday Planning Tips     
Travel Tips for Honeymooners     
Let's go Camping     
Haunted Towns you should see     
How to survive in the Country     
How to Plan a Holiday Camping for the Entire Family     
Planing a Hiking Trip

Writing
Writing Mystery Stories     
How to write Poetry     
Writing Gags for Television     
What they Never tell you in Writing School

How to Write A Moneymaking Blog!
Since blogs are basically online diaries about a person’s events throughout the day, many people are learning to cash in on this new enterprise.  It is a proven fact, that many ‘mommy’ bloggers earn $40,000 or more every year just writing about day to day events in their lives.

A blog can be written about anything.  The purpose of this book is to help you explore what you like to write about, and to help you successfully set up a moneymaking blog…

Vehicles
How to Tune your own Car     
Repairs you can do yourself on Modern, Computerized Vehicles
How to test a car before you buy     
Repair the brakes yourself!