Stargazer

By David Scott

1. Describe your book in one sentence.

My story is an honest account of having lived every moment to the fullest and never letting negatives stop my drive to be happy.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

2. How were you planning to promote and market your book before the COVID crisis?⠀

In much the same way, except I had presentations arranged at book stores, libraries, historical societies, and organizations like Apex and Rotary. 

Maintaining contact with all the sources that were postponed (not cancelled), making sure they retain all the posters and flyers for when I return immediately after the virus is contained.⠀⠀⠀

3. What are you doing now?

My greatest wish is that I die writing, as a day without having written something creative is time wasted. I am currently writing a fantasy trilogy set 69 million years ago. At the same time I am writing an article, a novela, about my road-trip south and my Paul Revere-like race home to avoid the Queensland border shut down because of the virus. 

That journey started at 8.30 p.m. at the Victorian border, a 2,000 kilometre journey through the night, dodging kangaroos and wallabies. Only when the greyness of trees edging the road became like canyon walls in my mind did I realize fatigue was setting in. I pulled over for a nap, Raven curled up in the passenger seat and me in a slightly reclined driver’s seat: the car was too packed to sleep in the back. It ended up being only a 20 minute sleep as my dog had a dream and kicked me in the backside as she slept. It was enough, however, to revive me for the rest of the journey. I would not recommend it to anyone else to try. Upon reaching the Queensland border town of Goodniwindi at 9.30 a.m., I sighed with relief, even though I still had over four hours driving ahead of me to arrive home.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

4. Do you have any advice for authors or is there anything else on your mind?

My advice to authors is not to be complacent. Writing is what they may be used to but, like all things in the world, you have to get out there and sell. Use every contact and source available, often one leads to another. Almost 40 years in the film industry, with the big companies like Village as my opposition, taught me to be clever with promotions – it was the only way to survive against the national theatre chains.

As for the road-trip, I’ll do it again, just as soon as the blasted virus is kicked to the curb. And my faithful dobermann will be by my side.

Presiding By Desire: Nova Scotia’s Popular Lieutenant Governor: Hon. MacCallum Grant

By Scott J. Burke

1. Describe your book in one sentence. 

A biography about an ambitious man who became Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. 

2. How were you planning to promote and market your book before the COVID crisis?

Hold a book launch, ask to speak to local history/genealogy groups and at public libraries.

3. What are you doing now? 

Social media – created a Facebook Page and Instagram account and posting daily.

Emails – generating press releases to libraries, media outlets including local publications, community organizations etc. 

4. Do you have any advice for authors or is there anything else on your mind? 

Set your goal for your manuscript – i.e. is your book a personal project that you want to just see completed or is it a commercial endeavour? Do you want to sell copies to make money or just have it appear on library shelves as a legacy project? Only the author can determine what they want to achieve with their book. The publisher can only offer advice, service and direction, not set your own goal. 

Seven Essentials to Transform Your Life

By Barun Gorain, Ph.D

1. Describe your book in one sentence.

My book “Seven Essentials to Transform Your Life” enables you to assess your current state of connectivity to life-enhancing elements and provides research based guidelines for a vibrant, healthy and a truly successful life.

2. How were you planning to promote and market your book before the COVID crisis?⠀

Firstly I engaged Tellwell’s marketing team to build a marketing plan, and slowly started to use Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Ads and participated in various podcasts and local media. 

3. What are you doing now?

I will keep on using various digital platforms for marketing and engage with local media including magazines, radio, TV and podcasts. ⠀⠀⠀⠀

4. Do you have any advice for authors or is there anything else on your mind?

Highly recommend that authors should also keep themselves motivated, and should never forget the fact that there are people out there who are interested in your message, you just have to reach them. And this will happen if you are persistent enough.