We have an extensive assortment of author successes to celebrate this October. Join us as we round up 5-star reviews, new chart-toppers, and award-winners!
Publicity
Parimalasri Docktor reached #1 on the Hot New Release charts in Children’s Reptile and Amphibian Books with Tortoise Goes to the Vet. In addition to soaring on the charts, Parimalasri Docktor and her book have been featured on CBS News!
Daniel McMillan was recently featured on the Inside Scoop Live! podcast discussing his book Badger and Turtle Face the Storm. His book follows a pair of friends who learn to work together under stress. This book is meant for not only children to enjoy, but as a tool for families to better understand a common, hurtful pattern that can occur, particularly between parents.
Brother Bo recently scored a #1 hit on two charts with his book on sacred masculinity, The Father’s Seeds. Learn more about this chart-topper.
Since our inception, it has always been a prevalent part of our mission to help cultivate a vibrant culture through the telling of powerful stories. To align with this mission, we are launching a new program called the Indigenous Voices Grant, earmarking $10,000 in in-kind book publishing services to amplify the voices of Indigenous Canadians.
The grant supports Tellwell’s commitment to contributing to the understanding of Indigenous communities, histories, and perspectives in Canada.
The guidelines for the Indigenous Voices Grant will be established in the coming months with the funding allocated and first book projects selected in 2024. The grant may support one or more book projects depending on the submissions received and their budgetary needs.
Stay tuned for additional information pertaining to eligibility criteria, application deadlines, and our official launch of this grant!
For the month of September, we are thrilled to introduce you to Mark, one of our team’s gifted book-marketing associates. In this interview you’ll learn what keeps Mark inspired creatively, what a typical day at Tellwell looks like for him, and how he enjoys spending his free time when he’s not bringing author visions to life!
Tell us a bit about yourself!
Hey there! My name is Mark and I’m one of the book-marketing associates here at Tellwell. I recently celebrated my first work anniversary with the company in July.
My journey in the marketing world began back in 2018. I kicked things off by working in digital marketing for a jewelry brand. After that, I took a detour and worked as a consultant in the government sector. Now, I’m thrilled to be a part of the amazing Tellwell team as a book-marketing associate.
What does a typical day look like for you?
My workday starts with my ritual cup of coffee. With my caffeine fix in hand, I dive into the day ahead. Firstly, I go through emails and over my to-do list, ensuring that no important tasks in my book-marketing projects are missed.
As a book-marketing associate, my role is all about collaboration. I work closely alongside our marketing consultants, offering a helping hand whenever they need it. Whether it’s creating book backgrounders, designing promotional materials, setting up ad campaigns, organizing book blog tours, or tackling various other marketing tasks, I’ve got my hand in the mix.
I also take care of our website section. It’s my responsibility to keep track of website renewals for our authors, providing them with prompt, helpful responses to any website-related queries, and keeping their websites updated.
In a nutshell, my days are a blend of coffee, collaboration/teamwork, and ensuring that our authors’ book-marketing journeys are as seamless as possible.
We cannot wait to celebrate our author achievements with you this month! From ranking high in the Amazon charts to being featured in prestigious online publications, our authors continue to share their literary works with the world.
Publicity
We’re excited to shine a spotlight on Barb Lockert’s mainstream media placement in The Edmonton Journal for Easy Baking in Barb’s Kitchen.
Next up we have Colleen Kanten Carbol’s debut romance novel, Find Me on 4th Street, which was featured on BroadwayWorld!
For July’s Meet the Team we are proud to introduce Trixie Raboy, one of Tellwell’s Book Marketing Associates! Read on to learn more about what Trixie enjoys most about working with our authors, as well as some of the adrenaline-inducing activities she enjoys outside of work!
Hello Trixie!Tell us a little bit about yourself!
Hi, I’m Trixie Raboy! I’m one of Tellwell’s Book Marketing Associates and recently just passed my one year anniversary with Tellwell. I have been working in the marketing industry for around five years now which has included working in the hospitality industry, logistics, and now book publishing.
What does a typical day look like for you at Tellwell?
I work a night shift at Tellwell to ensure my client availability for those located around the globe. I start my day at 11pm with my mandatory cup of coffee, and then review my to-do list and check my emails and messages. My responsibilities include book-marketing services along with creating content for Tellwell’s social media, so I typically alternate days between social media content creation and book-marketing deliverables for our authors.
What is your favourite part about working at Tellwell?
I actually have three favourite things about working at Tellwell!
For starters, the people I work with are simply amazing. It really is wonderful to work with people who are so supportive, collaborative, and easy to get along with. I of course have to make a special mention of my partner-in-crime, also an amazing Book Marketing Associate, Mark Mionda, who’s so enjoyable to work with.
My second favourite aspect is the ability to work from home. For someone who lives further from our office, it’s very convenient to complete most days from the comfort of my home office. Occasionally, our team meets up at the office to check in with each other which is a great opportunity to connect with everyone in person.
And lastly, the overall experience of working with Tellwell has been nothing short of enjoyable. In just one year of working as part of our marketing team, I have accumulated a wide range of experience and enhanced my pre-existing skillset. I love the fact that I get to work on different projects that allow me to continue to develop my skills and knowledge!
June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada, an opportunity to learn about the unique cultures, traditions, and experiences of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. It’s a time to honour the stories, achievements, and resilience of those who have lived on this land since time immemorial and whose presence continues to impact an evolving Canada. During National Indigenous History Month, we shine a spotlight on the incredible authors who have skillfully crafted literary masterpieces, weaving together narratives that have brought forth Indigenous voices and heritage, bridging the gap between past and present.
Elaine is from the Syilx (Okanagan) Nation and Secwépemc (Shuswap) Nation and is a member of the Penticton Indian Band.
Elaine was raised by her grandmother who spoke only the nsyilxcən language. It is this foundation that shaped her world view and the importance of connection and relationships.
She is an advocate for women and girls, facilitator of healing circles and mediator for highly sensitive issues that occur as a result of multigenerational trauma. Elaine has spent over 20 years in over 100 communities across Canada to promote healing and wellness. She is a partner of an Indigenous owned and operated planning company called Alderhill Planning Inc., along with Chris Derickson and Jessie Hemphill, who are all leading experts in Indigenous community planning.
To start, tell us a little bit about yourself and your role at Tellwell.
My name is Scott Friesen and I am big into almost all sports, as well as travelling. My current sports pursuits include padel tennis and disc golf, but I am pretty much down for any sport. I have travelled to over 50 countries in the past ten years, and have worked abroad in countries like France, Spain, Mexico, and Colombia.
I have been a digital marketer for the last eight years and am going on two years working with Tellwell. At Tellwell I manage and assist with all things digital marketing, from online advertising and automation to sales funnels and our newly launched referral program.
Unlike some of our other Meet the Team features, your role is predominantly behind the scenes. Can you tell us what a typical day looks like for you?
The cool thing about Tellwell is that no day is typical. We are always testing and working on new projects to improve our online presence. Most days I will be reviewing our current online initiatives, analyzing the results of current campaigns and optimizing their performance. We are also constantly running new online campaigns. Operating in multiple countries and having so many different services in the self-publishing space truly gives us a large range of possibilities. I also generally spend time helping improve our automation, tracking, and analytics and helping out members of our team with the various software we use to make their jobs easier.
The power of social media combined with the relentless devotion of a mother’s love has brought tremendous success to Heather Shtuka’s Missing From Me
Heather Shtuka penned her #1 bestseller, Missing From Me, after her son Ryan went missing. In this insightful interview, she opens up about her grief, her son’s legacy, the power of social media for community-building, and how her story has gone on to support other families who have missing loved ones through her organization, the Free Bird Project.
I will never understand the concept that there is a reason this has happened. There can be no reason that makes sense that my son is not here living the life of his choosing. But I believe strongly there can be a purpose.
To get started, tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Heather Shtuka. I was born in Comox, BC, where I lived with my father, mother, and older brother for the first six years of my life. My father was in the air force, and when I finished kindergarten, we made the first of many moves to Trenton, Ontario. A far cry from the ocean waters and rainy weather I was used to, but still, I loved living in small-town Ontario. Despite a brief move to Ottawa, it was in Trenton that I graduated high school. Soon after, my dad made his final move with the air force and chose Edmonton, AB, for his retirement. Feeling the need for a change and wanting to remain close to my parents, I followed soon after. Even the chilly winters here could not mask the warmth and genuineness that I felt from the people living in this province. One of them became my husband, Scott. We met, fell in love, and married in seven short months. Looking back now, I can only imagine the fear our parents felt at the rush in which we began our relationship. But I knew that in Scott I had found a kindred soul. Twenty-eight years later, I still marvel at my good fortune.
I have held many titles that describe me as daughter, sister, friend, and wife. But my favourite and perhaps most fulfilling has always been a mom. I have been blessed to have had three imperfectly perfect children, Ryan John Marcus, Jordyn Delaney, and Julianna Michelle. I was a stay-at-home mom for most of Ryan and Jordyn’s childhood. During that time, I did carpools, hot-lunch programs and countless volunteer hours at their schools. Then, three years after the birth of our third baby, I ventured back into the workforce, accepting a position with WestJet Airlines. I loved the hustle and bustle of the airport and the people I worked with. I honestly never thought I would leave. I did not anticipate the loss of my son would lead me to other less tangible yet still significant holes that would never be filled. But perhaps the adage that when one door closes, another opens is correct. I completed my degree in public relations in the years since Ryan’s disappearance and embarked on a career in communications and advocacy. I also wrote my book, Missing From Me.
Celebrating the works of some of our talented authors during Black History Month
This February, we are honouring some of our talented Black authors in their contributions to the literary world! Spanning genres that range from business to children’s and religious to memoir, our authors have stories they have carefully and courageously shared with the world.
Lamar Jackson
I Dream, You Dream, Let Us Dream! was written to inspire children of all ages to never give up on their dreams. When accompanied by hard work, dedication, consistency, and faith, your dream can turn into your reality. Do not allow others to tell you that your dreams are impossible and can’t be done. Even if it’s never been done before, you’re just the one chosen to do it. Dream big, work hard, and live your reality! You can do it!
If reading more or supporting independent authors is part of your resolutions for this new year, we’ve got some great options to get you started!
Three of our authors are offering their books for free for you to enjoy! These promotions won’t last forever, so make sure to get your copy while you can.
Searching for your next favourite story?
This book promo features a variety of great books to lose yourself in, including My Magical Gnome Story Book by Tellwell author Monika Anna Blichar.
Magic is everywhere. You just have to believe. Follow Edy on his magical adventures into the human world while he tries to save the last Golden Believer left on earth. A magical adventure for young and old alike!
Looking for the perfect warm and fuzzy story to get you through these winter months? The Forever Heart by Diana Bolianaz is the perfect read to grab!
Liza is a beautiful nineteen-year-old girl who comes from a strict Mennonite background. She lives at home with her mother, brother, and domineering father. When Liza meets Melvin, a handsome young Black journalist, they fall madly in love. She has to keep the relationship a secret from her family because she knows her father would never approve. When Liza becomes pregnant, her world is turned upside down.
