This month we’re showcasing Tellwell authors who have shared their unique journeys, each serving as an inspiration in the literary world!
Publicity
Peter Gribble, the Tellwell author behind the The City of the Magicians series, was recently featured in Reader Views!
Writing a story can be a strange experience and has parallels with what happens in reality. There’s an occasional sense of being lost but that’s good. Some ideas come fully formed from some underlayer of the creative process. Many times, I just won’t know until it writes itself.
-Peter Gribble in an exclusive interview with Reader Views
BL Ryan, the author of the book Greystone, also graced the pages of Reader Views Kids!
The work is writing the scenes using the best possible language and connecting the scenes to form a coherent story, usually with many plotlines because I find the back stories of the characters so interesting.
-BL Ryan in an exclusive interview with Reader Views Kids
We’re putting the spotlight on Tellwell authors who shared their unique literary journeys, each emerging as a beacon of inspiration in the literary world!
Awards
Joanne Kimm, Tellwell author of the book The Enforcer’s Tale, received the 2024 International Impact Book Awards under the Young Adult Fiction category!
Tellwell author Hunter Snow was recently featured on Find Your Sounds and Tinnitist with her novel Rock Crush and Roll.
This book, at its core, is about navigating relationships. Friends, families, partners, colleagues, and what truly makes you happy at the end of the day.
Hunter Snow, in an interview with Find Your Sounds and Tinnitis
A former North Vancouver RCMP officer, Tellwell author Russ Grabb, shares his story on Global News about his book Traces Of A Boy.
Traces of a Boy is creative nonfiction at its best. True and accurate down to the last detail, it pulsates like a stylized novel. Above all else, it’s the out-loud narration diary of an injured child in search of untroubled peace. As a story that exposes the barbarity of opposite-sex incest, bone-breaking violence, and the depraved indifference of mainstream society, it is by design a hair-raiser with an intensity reminiscent of A Clockwork Orange.
Events
Tellwell author Millian Lloyd Jones was in Florabel, Eden, New South Wales, to launch his book Milli and Max
A unique alphabet learning book and a treasury of fun facts about each sea creature that will delight children and their parents alike. Grab your copy of The Adventures of Milli and Max here.
Growing Pains author Sarah Taylor-Malo recently had her book signing at Indigo Kingston, Ontario.
It’s a story about the ups and downs of: life, love, anxiety, expectations, and self-acceptance. Grab your copy of Growing Painshere.
Author of the book The Heights, Shaelyn Gaskin, was in Mississauga, Ontario, for her book signing.
Delving into the complications of grief, this story examines the hardships of losing a loved one while showcasing the different ways grief presents itself. Ada’s journey, while difficult, seeks to provide the reader with a sense of hope that even the toughest obstacles in life can be overcome with the love and support of those around you. Grab your copy of The Heightshere.
Reviews
Susanne Clark’s book Dishing Love Daily received a glowing five-star review from Reader Views!
I love how the author shares mindful words and concepts in the beginning of the book, how food played a role in pivotal moments in her life. She also describes the book’s origin story. You’ll find space to write down your ideas and inspiration, and extra tips for that special flourish. The tempting images will motivate you to try some of the recipes right away.
-Reader Views Book Review
It’s a five-star review from Literary Titan for Tellwell Author Joanne Kim, for her book The Enforcer’s Tale!
Joanne Kimm’s The Enforcer’s Tale stands out for its captivating plot, richly drawn characters, and thoughtful use of language. It is an excellent choice for those who appreciate novels that blend suspenseful narratives with complex characters and themes, offering a rewarding literary journey.
Let’s embark on a literary journey that inspires and motivates, our Tellwell author continues to create waves in the literary world.
Join us in celebrating the milestones achieved by our authors as they generously share their stories of success and the remarkable paths they’ve traveled.
Publicity
Award-winning author Arwinder Kaur graciously shared with us about another chapter in her literary journey as the iconic billboards of New York City’s Times Square showcases her with her award-winning book, “Living while Human,” adding to the recognition of her exceptional storytelling.
Author of the book Rhapsody in a Minor Mode, Elaine Kozak takes us on a journey sharing her personal story and delving into the fascinating process of bringing her book to life in an exclusive interview with Reader Views!
As the holiday season fills the air with joy, we’re excited to share these journeys of inspiring authors and their success stories. Come along on an enchanting ride through our December highlights, where each story sparkles brightly with the magic of success and perseverance.
With a festive spirit, we raise a toast to the incredible accomplishments of our authors this December!
Awards
Tellwell author Keith Hamilton has recently received the Silver Literary Titan Award for his book, Desperation Island.
An incredible review from IndieReader was given to Monique Britten for her book, The Day Before Tomorrow.
A challenging and emotional read in terms of subject matter, Monique Britten’s THE DAY BEFORE TOMORROW is not for the faint of heart—a beautiful narrative that addresses real-world hopes and fears unflinchingly, albeit with a potentially divisive ending.
IndieReader Book Review
A page-turner you don’t want to miss. Get your copy of The Day Before Tomorrow by Monique Britten here!
Our Tellwell authors are so incredibly talented. We are always proud to highlight their many achievements. Keep reading to see a selection of recent author celebrations, including awards, media mentions, reviews and events.
Richmond Hill author Rishma Govani has been generating a lot of positive buzz for her world-travelling children’s book Sushi & Samosas: A Trip of Tasty Transformations! 🍣
Author of Immigration, Race and Survival Cecily Alexander was featured in The Caribbean Camera!
This memoir is a collection of many journals she has kept over the years. She uses journalling as a way of working through feelings and emotions and of learning from her experiences. She has had a career as a dietitian for over forty years. Her career has included academic writing, and she has one previous book publication: a book on nutrition and weight loss called “Just Eat Less: Easier said than done.” She has a master’s in business administration specializing in organizational behaviour in addition to her nutrition degree from the University of Guelph. She has taught at both the university and college levels. She lives in Southern Ontario.
Now that the world is opening up to a new normal, our authors are diving back into the world of author events. This past month, we’ve seen some fantastic meet-and-greets, readings, and even a cross-country launch! We’re so happy and proud to see our Tellwell authors getting themselves out there to promote their books!
Paula Gregory – Dream High As The Sky
Mississippi-based children’s author Paula McClellan Gregory finished off the month with an adorable book launch at the Gumtree Bookstore to promote her inspiring children’s book Dream High As the Sky. Paula’s book launch included a fun read-along, a discussion about the children’s dreams, colouring time, snacks, exclusive bookmarks to go with signed copies of the picture book, and even a giveaway for a Dream High As They Sky t-shirt!
Dream High As They Sky follows little Zach (based on Paula’s grandson) as he discovers life’s possibilities and ways of achieving his dream of flying like the birds high in the sky. This high-flying children’s book encourages your little ones to follow their dreams. After all, Zach can tell you, “I dreamed as high as the sky, and my dreams came true.”
Tellwell authors, do you ever rest? So many of you have accomplished so much over this last month! We’ve seen interviews, online book readings, reviews, awards, and book launches. You continue to impress and surprise us!
Take a minute to sit back and relax so we can celebrate each of you!
REVIEWS
We’re especially excited to celebrate this first review. Tellwell’s own Jennifer Chapin received a terrific 4-star rating from IndieReader for her book, The Poet and The Angel.
You may have connected with Jennifer when you started your self-publishing journey with Tellwell. She’s been with our team as a publishing consultant since nearly the beginning! We love seeing reviewers like IndieReader recognize her talent as a writer.
“THE POET AND THE ANGEL is a moving exploration of the life and death of Frederico Garcia Lorca that offers historical insight and cultural relevance. While the plot is spare, the author’s language is enchanting.
“Chapin’s lyrical language and talent for crafting evocative imagery consistently elevate this book beyond typical historical fantasy. For example, Angelina is introduced with a poetic description: She twirled round and round like a spinning top, her hair an aureole of red and gold. Her skirt swirled around her in fuchsia disarray, like the petals of a flower opening its arms to the sun on a warm summer day.” – Lisa Butts for IndieReader.
Click here to read the full review for The Poet and The Angel.
The Hollywood Book Review had nothing but great things to say about Monique Gliozzi’s new thrill-ride of a book, Facets of the Past.
“Facets of the Past: No Dark Deed Goes Unpunished is undoubtedly a successful work. Very quickly, the book puts you on your toes. It starts to become a real page-turner all without the standard cheap elements designed to move forward a plot. It truly does feel like a fully realized world that you can get lost in and the characters are memorable. I loved how the author thrust us into the life of the antagonist and how in the plot, he was slowly becoming a victim of the unknown. ” – Lily Amanda for Hollywood Book Review.
First time author Karen Bailey recently published Obsidian Mine. The Prairies Book Review had nothing but great things to say about the first book in Karen’s new urban fantasy trilogy, calling it, “Hypnotic, bold, and deeply seductive…“
Karen has made quite the literary debut! Here at Tellwell we already can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.
After months of preparation, you’ve reached the end of the self-publishing journey. You do a quick Google search and there it is – your book listing on Amazon, Chapters, and Barnes and Noble. Excitement turns to panic as you wonder, “What do I do now?! How am I going to launch my book?”
Launching your book doesn’t have to be a grand event, and it doesn’t have to happen the second your book is released. Many authors wait months to line up events or signings, and focus instead on spreading the word via social media. Others plan a book tour, involving readings and book signings at multiple venues over the course of several weeks.
Remember, the purpose of launching your book is getting the word out, whether that be online, over the phone, or through in-person engagements. Regardless of which approach you take, here are Tellwell’s top 10 tips to launch your book when it becomes available:
Have promotional materials prepared: While your book is being designed, you’ll want to start thinking about materials you can put together to give to people who ask about your book. Examples include a bookmark or business card to hand out in person, an email signature with links to your author website or social media profiles, or a poster of the book cover to take to in-person events.
Build an email/mailing list: When your book is available, you’ll want to have people to tell. So, while you’re working through the production process, start building a contacts list complete with names and email addresses. That way when the book is available, you can send out an email blast to all interested contacts with links to where they can buy the book.
Know your target market inside and out: While it may be tempting to say anyone would take interest in your book, it can be a lot easier to promote your book to smaller, niche markets. Ask yourself – “Who is the type of person most likely to buy my book?” Once you’ve figured that out, determine where you might find them, where they buy their books, and what they look for when adding a new book to their collection so you can tailor your content and keywords to their interests.
Get social: In a digital age, it’s nearly impossible to avoid social media when trying to get the word out. Whether you’re a social media guru, or you’re just getting started, try to engage with readers on at least one social media platform.
Keep your audience engaged as your book is nearing completion: Use your social media platforms, or your mailing list, to share updates with your audience before the book comes out. This creates some pre-launch buzz that will kickstart your promotion efforts.
Network, network network! As a one-person operation, it’s extremely difficult to generate buzz around your book. That’s why it’s critical to build valuable relationships with individuals and organizations who can help you get the word out about your book. Whether it be a local business who is willing to host you for events, or a charity you partner with and donate a portion of your book proceeds to, get networking!
Get Reviews: We know you feel passionately about your book, but having others praise it will help to attract new readers. Like any product, getting customer feedback will help others to decide whether they should buy your book.
Invest in book giveaways:Whether it be organized directly through your website, or through another source like Amazon or Goodreads, give away some free copies of your book to build momentum. Incentivize your audience to keep your book on their mind.
Use clear call to actions: When approaching people about the book, be very clear about what you want from them. Are you requesting a review for your book? Do you want people to subscribe to the blog on your website? Keep your prompts clear, concise and genuine.
Take it one step at a time: Marketing takes time and consistent engagement, so be sure to break down your goals into tangible steps, and don’t forget to celebrate all the small victories!
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