Author Archives: Mark Mionda

Meet the Team

Introducing our in-house publishing consultant: Get to know Ryan Booc

Meet Ryan, a trusted book-publishing consultant at Tellwell, with one year of dedicated service to our team. He’s here to make your publishing journey a success!

Tell us a little about yourself.

Hi there! I’m 34 years old and I absolutely love medieval fantasy books. I’m also a big fan of movies, anime, and manga.

How did you end up in the world of book publishing?

A friend of mine encouraged me to dip my toes into the publishing industry, and I’m genuinely grateful that I took the leap. I find great satisfaction in my work, where I assist budding authors in their initial steps of the publishing journey. I guide them through the various options at their disposal and outline how we can support them through every phase of the process.

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Author Success - In the media, awards, reviews

September author celebrations

September is here, and it’s time to roll out our author celebrations! Let’s celebrate the remarkable authors this month of September and explore their literary achievements …

Awards

At the forefront of our list is author Lisa Bournelis. Her book Louie and the Dictator has achieved its third international honour, securing a silver medal in the middle-grade category from Reader’s Favorite.

Patroosh, the Cheeky Pelican by Renée James has been awarded second place in the Clara J. John’s Literary Award 2023 for Best Picture Book and Illustrations.

Get your own copy of Patroosh, the Cheeky Pelican here!

Reviews

Aldyth Irvine-Harrison, the talented author behind the enchanting book Kindness, Capers, and Conundrums, recently earned a glowing 4.5-star review from IndieReader.

Lovers of poetry who are looking for laughter, literary allusions, and a skeptical-but-not-jaded view of humanity will enjoy the lyrics of Aldyth Irvine-Harrison’s KINDNESS CAPERS AND CONUNDRUMS.

IndieReader

Don’t miss out and grab your own copy of Kindness, Capers, and Conundrums here.

Jerome Cranston has hit a literary home run with Half-Caste: Decidedly Brown in a Black or White World, as another prestigious 4.5-star review has just rolled in from Self-Publishing Review.

On the surface, the book may seem to be written for a mixed-ethnicity audience, but there are anecdotal gems of wisdom and experiential advice that will benefit any reader. With a unique voice and style, Cranston shows himself to be a skilled storyteller and a relentless observer of his own life, as well as encapsulating the experience of so many others.

Self-Publishing Review

Get your own copy of Half-Caste on Amazon!

Monique Britten’s literary prowess shines bright with a glowing 4-star review from Self-Publishing Review.

Thanks to Britten’s deeply moving and beautifully crafted prose, this richly emotional book manages to talk about death, grief, and hope across generations without ever being maudlin or heavy-handed, offering a finely tuned balance of insightful messaging and character-driven storytelling.

Self-Publishing Review

Grab your own copy of The Day Before Tomorrow here.

In Badger and Turtle Face the Storm by Daniel McMillan, you’ll embark on a delightful adventure alongside two charming animal friends. This enchanting story, reviewed by Reader View Kids, promises an engaging and heartwarming experience for readers young and old.

Get your own copy of Badger and Turtle Face the Storm here!

Events

Renée James recently graced a lively stage at the St Mary’s Primary Grafton Writers’ Festival. Her presence was a true delight for all attendees, weaving stories and captivating hearts with her charm.

Grab your own copy of Patroosh, the Hungry Pelican on Amazon!

Celebrating Larenzo Jensen’s unforgettable book launch for his Wines and Winters! Here are some great snapshots of the event, where literature and libations came together in perfect harmony.

Get your own copy of Wines and Winters here!

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Meet the Team

Meet the Team: Introducing Charlene, your dedicated book-project manager

At Tellwell, we’re proud of the teamwork that makes book publishing happen, and at the forefront is Charlene, one of our skilled book-project managers!

Let’s explore her drive and inspirations, and how she makes books come alive. Join us to uncover the person behind the role and feel her dedication in every project.

Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Charlene, but I’m used to being called by my nicknames: Yen or Charlie. And since I belong to a medical family, I hold a degree in nursing, but haven’t really practiced it.

I am both spontaneous and meticulous. I plan the small activities I need to do before starting a new day (what time to wake up, shower first or breakfast? Movie or reading?) Yet, so far I have never planned the huge things in my life (the major I took in college, my travel experiences, past jobs). Amazingly, things always turn out great!

My family and friends see me as the go-getter, but I feel otherwise. I just feel like I really do not show my full potential to people. And when I feel comfortable with something, I just stop there and make it a habit. But looking back, I think I had left my comfort zone a lot of times but never recognized it.

I am a dog lover! I am always happy to talk about the times I pet sit.

I’m a homebody, but not really. I can stay inside my box-like room for a week without complaining (as long as I have food, internet, music to listen to, movies to watch, books to read). But there are times that I crave traveling—I really want to explore places that are unfamiliar to me. Experience their culture. Taste their food. Have interesting chats with other travelers. It just feels so liberating!

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Author Success - In the media, awards, reviews

July author celebrations: Embracing another month of remarkable writers!

Welcome to yet another month of celebration as we honour talented Tellwell authors! Let’s come together to celebrate their remarkable achievements and delve into the magic of their literary works.

Awards

Welcome to the world of Mystical Force: Shadows and Darkness and meet talented Tellwell author Craig Weidhuner, whose remarkable work has recently been featured in Literary Titan. Prepare to be captivated by the fifth volume in a series filled with magical beings and extraordinary powers, as you embark on an exciting adventure through this fantastical world.

Grab a copy of Mystical Force: Shadows and Darkness here!

Let’s celebrate another achievement, this time from Tellwell author Arwinder Kaur. Her book, Living While Human, has recently received the Silver Winner title at the Nautilus Book Awards!

Don’t forget to grab your copy here, and find out for yourself why Living While Human is one of the best in its genre.

We’re proud to share that Indigo Johnson’s book, The Kindness Quilt, received an honourable mention in the Picture Books 6 & Older category at the 2023 Purple Dragonfly Awards. Check out the official winners and mention list here!

Don’t missed out on getting a copy of The Kindness Quilt. It’s available on Amazon!

A huge shoutout to author Krysten Guilbault! Her book, Rainbow of Glowing Hearts: The Tale of the Healing Tree, has been recently honoured with the 2023 Golden Wizard Book Prize.

Rainbow of Glowing Hearts is a wonderful, mindful read that will give children the same rejuvenated feeling and reset as meditation.

Book review by Louise Jane, CEO THE GOLDEN WIZARD BOOK PRIZE

Grab your copy of Rainbow of Glowing Hearts on Amazon.

Reviews

Author/coach Tim Burris was recently featured by IndieReader and received a glowing 5-star review for his book, Signed: Ironwill Football’s Recruiting Guide for Canadian High School Football Players.

A clear, concise, and well-organized book offering expert guidance, Signed by Coach Tim Burris should be on the reading list for any young Canadian student who wishes to continue playing football after high school.

IndieReader Book Review

You can purchase this interesting read by Coach Tim Burris here!

Check out this glowing review of Kelly Lang’s book, Who’s at the Door? Who’s at the Door? in KidlioMag!

This book is a great way to encourage conversation with children at home or even in a classroom. This book will help to spark wonderful imagination and learning through repetition and colors.

Kidliomag Book Review

Don’t missed out in getting your own copy of Who’s at the Door? Who’s at the Door? here!

Publicity

Author Zara Merzaei was recently featured in KidlioMag for her amazing book, ZeeZee the Bee: A Tale of a Magical Friendship. Learn more about Zara and her book here!

ZeeZee the Bee is an empowering tale of friendship that empowers children to love themselves and encourages them to be proud of their uniqueness and other physical differences.

Kidliomag Book Review

Join ZeeZee the Bee and her friends in an exciting adventure. Click here to get a copy of your own!

Events

Lisa Bournelis, the author of Louie and the Dictator, recently had her first school author visit, and it was a heartwarming success! She shared some photos on Instagram from her fun book event.

To all my fellow #author friends and #writingcommunity who published during the pandemic and had nowhere to go, how awesome is it to FINALLY meet your readers?! I could do this all day! Grateful to L’s school and the wonderful librarian and teachers for having me. Also to the kids for their awesome engagement and questions. I actually feel like a bonafide author now!

Lisa Bournelis (@makeoneshift)

Louie and the Dictator is available on Amazon!

Ginette Valiquette, the author of Eli Finds His Zen, recently had a delightful story time reading at the Bruce Mines and Plummer Additional Public Union Library with Central Algoma CAPC Early ON Child & Family Centre. Check out this adorable photo from her Instagram!

Join the joy of story time with Eli Finds His Zen and get your copy now on Amazon!

Sharon Bruce, the talented author of Shoebox Baby recently hosted a successful book signing event at the park and even made it into the local paper.

Explore the captivating journey of Sue and her family in Shoebox Baby, a creative non-fiction story filled with joy, sorrow, laughter, and courage. Grab your copy now on Amazon!

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Author of the Month

“Choosing Love Over Pride”: A spotlight on author Marielle de Vassoigne and her latest book!

We are excited to celebrate one of Tellwell’s talented authors, Marielle de Vassoigne for this Author of the Month feature. Join us as we explore the beautiful world of Choosing Love Over Pride and its unique themes of love, acceptance, and individuality.

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Author Success - In the media, awards, reviews

May Spotlight: Celebrating Tellwell’s talented authors

Welcome to another exciting month, where we gather to celebrate the incredible wins of our talented Tellwell authors!

This month of May, we’ll put the limelight on our Tellwell authors and celebrate their wins, including awards, media mentions, events, and great reviews.

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Meet the Team

Behind the scenes with Nelson Ty, our in-house book-publishing consultant

At Tellwell Publishing, we’re extremely proud of our team of experts who work tirelessly to help our authors succeed. One of these experts is our resident book-publishing consultant, Nelson Ty.

In this Meet the Team, we’ll be taking a closer look at Nelson’s role at Tellwell and learn more about the valuable contributions he makes to our team. So let’s dive in and get to know Nelson Ty a little better!

Tell us your background and how you came to work in book publishing.

I’ve mostly worked in sales all my life. I originally used to sell business and first-class airline tickets and due to the pandemic I had no choice but to switch options. Luckily book publishing is one of the better options here in Cebu to work with, so here I am 😀

What does a typical day working as a book-publishing consultant look like?

Mostly prospecting and keeping constant communication with authors.
Making sure you I always have a healthy pipeline of clients.

How do you approach building and maintaining relationships with authors?

I present them with my natural personality in a strategic way. With every author I get a chance to talk with I always approach them with a process that I’ve developed toward closing a deal.

What changes have you seen in the book-publishing industry over the past years, and how are you able to adapt to these changes?

The publishing industry experiences business seasonality. Some months of the year will be tougher because some authors aren’t really in the publishing mindset yet, and some months will be extra rewarding. You just have to keep an open mind about these things and do what you do best everyday.

Can you share any advice or tips for authors who are looking to work with a publishing consultant?

Make sure they have a proven track record as a publisher and that you trust them. Just start your book project, because it can end in only two ways. Best-case scenario you’ll be a published author, and worst-case scenario you put everything on the back burner, and all those hours, days, months, or years of effort in creating the manuscript will be gone.

How do you and your team collaborate with other departments, such as editorial and marketing, to ensure the success of a book?

Book publishing is always a team effort, and that’s why I always make it a point to explain everything in full detail and set the right expectations to make sure everything is smooth sailing. And I always go the extra mile to help my authors transition to the production stage of their book.

What’s something about your role or your team that people might be surprised to learn?

I’m a very simple guy and I like to keep complicated things plain and to the point.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work, and how do you balance your personal and professional life?

I like everything fun. I’m basically a jack of all trades when it comes to my leisure in life.

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Author Success - In the media, awards, reviews

Page-turning wins: Celebrating author success stories

Join us as we celebrate the incredible authors whose works have touched our hearts and minds. From page-turning suspense to poignant reflections on life, these writers have enriched our lives with their powerful stories and unique perspectives.

Let’s honour their contributions to the literary world and the joy they bring to readers everywhere!

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Meet the Team

The art of book marketing: An insider’s perspective with Lesley

As an author, you may already be aware that the hard work of writing a great book is just the beginning, and promoting it effectively can be quite a real challenge.

This is where Lesley Morrison, a book-marketing consultant for Tellwell, can help you! With years of experience working with authors, Lesley knows how to develop marketing strategies that work and can assist you in standing out in a competitive market. In this meet-the-team interview, we will chat with Lesley about the art of book marketing and how you can use her expertise to promote your book.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background? How did you become interested in book-marketing consulting?

As a published author, I realized the importance of knowing how to market a book in a saturated and competitive market. Having some insider knowledge prompted me to find ways I could help others on the same literary journey and overcome the same challenges I faced.

What does a typical day in the life of a book-marketing consultant look like? Can you walk us through your daily routine?

My day always starts with emails! I like to ensure no one is left hanging for answers. Typically I prioritize tasks that will have the greatest impact for authors in getting marketing underway. I keep close communication with my authors to let them know where things are at, and to get feedback on services I am working on if necessary. I save the most creative tasking (like promotional material design) for the evening when I do my best visual work.

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Meet the Team

Bringing stories to life: A look into the creative approach of Tellwell illustrator Zar on Canvas

Welcome to the world of Zar, one of Tellwell’s gifted in-house illustrators. As one of our newest team members, Zar has quickly become a top choice among authors looking to bring their stories to life. From his unique approach to working with authors to his expert insights on what to look for when selecting an illustrator for your book, this post is your chance to get to know Zar and discover how his talents can elevate your storytelling.

Tell us about yourself.

Hi, I am Eleazar Daligdig, also known as Zar and @zaroncanvas on IG, Twitter & Facebook. I am a visual artist & illustrator, the CEO of Zar on Canvas, an art director/illustrator of Dungeon Diaries, and a former art teacher at Artissimo Arthouse.

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