Podcasts about cardinal rule press

PANELISTS: Maria Dismondy (Facilitator)  Sarah Surgey Caroline Kerfoot Michelle Worthington Zoe Arena Alli Brydon About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. Cardinal Rule Press is a children's picture book company that produces quality books for the modern child. Our books create a mirror or window for children to see themselves in the book. We work with educators to come up with resources that align with their curriculum, making our books the perfect addition to the classroom as mentor texts. We also offer free programming for schools through live readings with picture book authors several times a year. In addition, we have speakers who travel to schools nationwide to spread the message of Bucket Filling in school assemblies. Our books come in multiple languages and focus on important topics for children's social-emotional learning. Find out more at https://cardinalrulepress.com/ Subscribe! Find out when we have more FREE content available for classrooms, homeschoolers and those of you who are looking to become writers! Follow us on https://www.instagram.com/cardinalrulepress/ to learn about upcoming events and to connect with our team personally (via DMs)

Hi Everyone! My special guest is Melquea Smith, an illustrator and world traveler. We tackle the subject of budgeting and travel in this episode. Here is more about Melquea: Melquea Smith is a Black award-winning illustrator pursuing a career in illustrating books for children and children's media. She is the illustrator of The Biggest Gift of All published by INCLUDAS Press and The Time Machine published by Cardinal Rule Press. Melquea's website: https://www.prettykittypaintings.com/ Email List. https://www.prettykittypaintings.com/lets-keep-in-touchInstagram https://www.instagram.com/prettykittypaintings/ Going.com  https://going.com/  Kouraku in Osaka 3 Chome-28-17 Tengachaya, Nishinari Ward, Osaka, 557-0014, Japan Thanks for listening!

PANELISTS: Adam Blackman (Facilitator)  Brooke Shannon Maria Dismondy Michelle Schaub About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. Cardinal Rule Press is a children's picture book company that produces quality books for the modern child. Our books create a mirror or window for children to see themselves in the book. We work with educators to come up with resources that align with their curriculum, making our books the perfect addition to the classroom as mentor texts. We also offer free programming for schools through live readings with picture book authors several times a year. In addition, we have speakers who travel to schools nationwide to spread the message of Bucket Filling in school assemblies. Our books come in multiple languages and focus on important topics for children's social-emotional learning. Find out more at https://cardinalrulepress.com/ Subscribe! Find out when we have more FREE content available for classrooms, homeschoolers and those of you who are looking to become writers! Follow us on https://www.instagram.com/cardinalrulepress/ to learn about upcoming events and to connect with our team personally (via DMs)

The one where Josh embarrasses himself. On purpose. We talk to Maria Dismondy and Adam Blackman of Cardinal Rule Press this week about how CRP came to be, AND why and how they came to choose and publish Brenna's debut, The Law of Birthdays, out in May 2024 (add it on Goodreads today!)! DON'T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here!   This episode's book reviews: RUDELY interrupted by an interloper. Our apologies.   The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our new quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com  Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes you can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com   Don't forget to get your Community Shout-Outs in for our next episode!   WE HAVE MERCH!! Check it out and support the show here!    And special thanks to our sponsor Justin Colon and his new venture The Kidlit Hive. Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur, and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

PANELISTS: Maria Dismondy (Facilitator) Trudy Ludwig Patrice Karst Dana Wyss Vanessa Green Allen Onjali Rauf About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. Cardinal Rule Press is a children's picture book company that produces quality books for the modern child. Our books create a mirror or window for children to see themselves in the book. We work with educators to come up with resources that align with their curriculum, making our books the perfect addition to the classroom as mentor texts. We also offer free programming for schools through live readings with picture book authors several times a year. In addition, we have speakers who travel to schools nationwide to spread the message of Bucket Filling in school assemblies. Our books come in multiple languages and focus on important topics for children's social-emotional learning. Find out more at https://cardinalrulepress.com/ Subscribe! Find out when we have more FREE content available for classrooms, homeschoolers and those of you who are looking to become writers! Follow us on https://www.instagram.com/cardinalrulepress/ to learn about upcoming events and to connect with our team personally (via DMs)

PANELISTS: Maria Dismondy (Facilitator) Pauline David-Sax Scott Campbell Pat Zietlow Miller About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. Cardinal Rule Press is a children's picture book company that produces quality books for the modern child. Our books create a mirror or window for children to see themselves in the book. We work with educators to come up with resources that align with their curriculum, making our books the perfect addition to the classroom as mentor texts. We also offer free programming for schools through live readings with picture book authors several times a year. In addition, we have speakers who travel to schools nationwide to spread the message of Bucket Filling in school assemblies. Our books come in multiple languages and focus on important topics for children's social-emotional learning. Find out more at https://cardinalrulepress.com/ Subscribe! Find out when we have more FREE content available for classrooms, homeschoolers and those of you who are looking to become writers! Follow us on https://www.instagram.com/cardinalrulepress/ to learn about upcoming events and to connect with our team personally (via DMs)

Maria Dismondy is on the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast because she is committed to helping the next generation of readers fall in love with reading. Maria Dismondy started out in the classroom years ago before writing ten #childrensbooks books. She loved getting powerful messages into the world through realistic fiction, so much so that she began Cardinal Rule Press in 2015. A million copies sold and counting, these books loved worldwide continue to share timeless messages with modern diversity. She shares some great ways we can help all kids gain access to books and learn to read. Click here to visit the Cardinal Rule Press website - https://cardinalrulepress.com/  Click here to visit our website - www.readingwithyourkids.com 

PANELISTS:  Maria Dismondy (Facilitator)  Claire Noland Lizzie Assa Dr. Laura Markham Kristen Nordstrom About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. Cardinal Rule Press is a children's picture book company that produces quality books for the modern child. Our books create a mirror or window for children to see themselves in the book. We work with educators to come up with resources that align with their curriculum, making our books the perfect addition to the classroom as mentor texts. We also offer free programming for schools through live readings with picture book authors several times a year. In addition, we have speakers that travel to schools nationwide to spread the message of Bucket Filling in school assemblies. Our books come in multiple languages and focus on topics that are important for social-emotional learning in children. Find out more at https://cardinalrulepress.com/ Subscribe! Find out when we have more FREE content available for classrooms, homeschoolers and those of you who are looking to become writers! Follow us on https://www.instagram.com/cardinalrulepress/ to learn about upcoming events and to connect with our team personally (via DMs)

Schools often emphasize teaching our kids hard skills like math and literacy, but how do we make sure our children are also picking up soft skills like character development and social-emotional skills that, according to my guest today, are what really matters at the end of the day?   I'm speaking to Maria Dismondy, a former teacher, children's book author, and founder of the Cardinal Rule Press. With over a decade of experience as a teacher, she understands the value of using literature to teach challenging subjects. She's sharing why soft skills like character development are important and how we, as busy parents, can incorporate character development into our daily routines.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://planningplaytime.com/29

PANELISTS:  Maria Dismondy (Facilitator)  Donn Swaby (donnswaby@yahoo.com) Dan Yaccarino (yaccarinostudio@gmail.com) Fiona McEntee (fiona@mcenteelaw.com) Selina Alko (selinaalko@gmail.com)  About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. Cardinal Rule Press is a children's picture book company that produces quality books for the modern child. Our books create a mirror or window for children to see themselves in the book. We work with educators to come up with resources that align with their curriculum, making our books the perfect addition to the classroom as mentor texts. We also offer free programming for schools through live readings with picture book authors several times a year. In addition, we have speakers that travel to schools nationwide to spread the message of Bucket Filling in school assemblies. Our books come in multiple languages and focus on topics that are important for social emotional learning in children. Find out more at https://cardinalrulepress.com/ Subscribe! Find out when we have more FREE content available for classrooms, homeschoolers and those of you who are looking to become writers! Follow us on https://www.instagram.com/cardinalrulepress/ to learn about upcoming events and to connect with our team personally (via DMs)

PANELISTS:  Maria Dismondy (Facilitator)  Dr. Shefali - admin@drshefali.com (Kris, admin for Dr. Shefali) Daniel den Hollander - danielhilbrand@gmail.com  Dr. Kristin J. Carothers, Ph.D. - Dr.kjcarothers@gmail.com Dr. Kelly Jameson - kelly@drkellyjameson.com About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. Cardinal Rule Press is a children's picture book company that produces quality books for the modern child. Our books create a mirror or window for children to see themselves in the book. We work with educators to come up with resources that align with their curriculum, making our books the perfect addition to the classroom as mentor texts. We also offer free programming for schools through live readings with picture book authors several times a year. In addition, we have speakers that travel to schools nationwide to spread the message of Bucket Filling in school assemblies. Our books come in multiple languages and focus on topics that are important for social emotional learning in children. Find out more at https://cardinalrulepress.com/ Subscribe! Find out when we have more FREE content available for classrooms, homeschoolers and those of you who are looking to become writers! Follow us on https://www.instagram.com/cardinalrulepress/ to learn about upcoming events and to connect with our team personally (via DMs)

PANELISTS:  Maria Dismondy (Facilitator)  Christina Dendy https://www.christinadendywrites.com/ CK Malone https://www.carlislemalonebooks.com/ Sally Pla https://sallyjpla.com/ Julia Finley Mosco www.amazingscientists.com Jenn Bailey www.jennbailey.com   About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. Cardinal Rule Press is a children's picture book company that produces quality books for the modern child. Our books create a mirror or window for children to see themselves in the book. We work with educators to come up with resources that align with their curriculum, making our books the perfect addition to the classroom as mentor texts. We also offer free programming for schools through live readings with picture book authors several times a year. In addition, we have speakers that travel to schools nationwide to spread the message of Bucket Filling in school assemblies. Our books come in multiple languages and focus on topics that are important for social emotional learning in children. Find out more at https://cardinalrulepress.com/ Subscribe! Find out when we have more FREE content available for classrooms, homeschoolers and those of you who are looking to become writers! Follow us on https://www.instagram.com/cardinalrulepress/ to learn about upcoming events and to connect with our team personally (via DMs)

In this interview, Tracy sits down with children's author, founder, and CEO of Cardinal Rule Press, Maria Dismondy. When Maria Dismondy was a little girl she was teased for her curly hair and favorite lunch-box fare, spaghetti in a hot dog bun. Many moons later, these and other real-life moments continue to fuel what is now her critically acclaimed career in the publishing world. In 2020, Maria was named as one of the Publisher Weekly Star Watch Nominees, leaders who were nominated by colleagues in the industry. As CEO of Cardinal Rule Press, Maria is dedicated to having her publishing company produce picture books that empower children with timeless messages of hope, courage, and the Golden Rule. She works diligently to have Cardinal Rule Press release children's literature that represents today's diversity while remaining dedicated to messages that make a difference. To learn more about Maria's work visit https://mariadismondy.com

In this interview, Tracy sits down with children's author, founder, and CEO of Cardinal Rule Press, Maria Dismondy. When Maria Dismondy was a little girl she was teased for her curly hair and favorite lunch-box fare, spaghetti in a hot dog bun. Many moons later, these and other real-life moments continue to fuel what is now her critically acclaimed career in the publishing world. In 2020, Maria was named as one of the Publisher Weekly Star Watch Nominees, leaders who were nominated by colleagues in the industry. As CEO of Cardinal Rule Press, Maria is dedicated to having her publishing company produce picture books that empower children with timeless messages of hope, courage, and the Golden Rule. She works diligently to have Cardinal Rule Press release children's literature that represents today's diversity while remaining dedicated to messages that make a difference. To learn more about Maria's work visit https://mariadismondy.com

Maria Dismondy is the founder of the publishing company Cardinal Rule Press. She inspires and educates others in the book industry. She shared insight on the Cleverly Changing Podcast, letting us know about her life as a publisher in Michigan after being in the classroom for many years.TODAY'S HISTORY LESSON What is Kenyan currency called?Listen to the episode for the answer.AFRICAN PROVERB“Talking to one another is loving one another.” - Kenyan Proverb.Remember to subscribe to our podcast so you will get the latest updates.LET'S CONNECT!Want to be a guest on an upcoming show? Just fill out this form, and we will send you an interview link when your request is approved.We're bringing back Cleverly Cultured Kids! We want to feature your kids on Cleverly Cultured Kids, so please complete this Interview form for kids, and we will send you an interview link once your request is approved.You can call us directly now. Please leave us a voicemail and let us know how you enjoy the show or share your questions.ORDER A CLEVER HOMESCHOOL KIT: Don't forget to order one of our exclusive Clever Homeschool Kits. The kits include t-shirts, stickers, a homeschool planner, books, and more.Order your Clever Homeschool Kit here. *Make sure you send your t-shirt size as a note once you pay, or email CleverlyChanging@gmail.com with your order number and size.GROWN FOLKS TALKING ABOUT HOW TO TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT BLACK HISTORYMaria Dismondy's background is in early education and research, which enables her to touch lives the world over while touring as a public speaker in schools, community forums, and national conferences. When Maria isn't working, she embarks on adventures throughout southeast Michigan and beyond, where she lives with her husband, three book-loving children, and two pups. Find out more at MariaDismondy.com  Follow Maria's journey on IG at @mariadismondybooks Learn more about her publishing company at CardinalRulePress.com  Follow Cardinal Rule Press Maria's publishing company on Instagram at @CardinalRulePress Follow Cardinal Rule Press at Facebook.com/CardinalRulePress Prefer to watch the episode? Check out the Cleverly Changing Youtube Channel!CHECK OUT OUR MERCHANDISEVisit https://CleverlyChanging.com/Shop to see what we sell.CONNECT WITH ELLE Website: CleverlyChanging.com Instagram: @CleverlyChanging Facebook: CleverlyChanging Youtube: CleverlyChanging Twitter: CleverlyChangin Tweetable quote: “Books can be a bridge between a caregiver and a child. It will help them to have a conversation around a tricky topic. They can be mirrors, so children can see themselves in the midst of the pages, and they can be windows, so children can look inside someone else experience." - Maria Dismondy author and mom.Please share this episode. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Episode # 78 Name of Episode: Know Your Niche with Erica Lyons Subscribe: iTunes I  Spotify I Google Play Music    In this episode, you will learn: About following your passion in life About finding your story Knowing your niche  The benefits of doing research and turning a narrow topic into a broad one Using social media to build your platform   Find out more about {Erica Lyons} here: Website: https://www.erica-lyons.com   Quote from show: “I think it comes down to really knowing what your niche is” “I believe everybody has one area where they are uniquely an expert in.”   About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. To get more episodes of All the WRITE Marketing podcast, sign up here.

Episode #77 Name of Episode: Children's books - how do you reach parents with Colter Jackson Subscribe: iTunes I  Spotify I Google Play Music    In this episode, you will learn: Colter's journey into writing and illustrating Colter's illustrating style How an advertising background can help market your books The advantage of using Bookstagram! Reaching out to influencers to help market your work Advice for aspiring writers Find out more about {Colter Jackson} here: Website: http://www.colterjackson.com/ Quote from show: “Invest what you can and think of it as a long-term investment in your career.” “Every no is closer to a yes.”   About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. To get more episodes of All the WRITE Marketing podcast, sign up here.

Episode # 76 Name of Episode: Picture book recommendations from a picture book author Subscribe: iTunes I  Spotify I Google Play Music  In this episode, you will learn: Utilizing the speaking circuit to connect with other people in the writing community A typical day for a writer who also has a day job Finding a balance with both the creative and business sides of writing Find out more about {Charlotte Offsay} here: Website: http://charlotteoffsay.com/ Quote from show: “I have this passion that I need to attend to.” About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. To get more episodes of All the WRITE Marketing podcast, sign up here. #marketing #picturebooks #author #writer #illustrator #bookseller #library #librarian #bookstore #publisher #publish #childrensbooks #socialmedia #visibility #readers #children

Episode # 75 Name of Episode: Embracing the power of play Subscribe: iTunes I  Spotify I Google Play Music  In this episode, you will learn: About using personal hobbies and experiences to write stories About highlights workshops The role of play in every story! Find out more about Sarah Aronson here: Website: http://www.saraharonson.com Quote from show: “Each book represents something that matters deeply to me.” “All kids should see themselves in stories.” About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. To get more episodes of All the WRITE Marketing podcast, sign up here.

Episode # 74   Name of Episode: The Business of Publishing & Mining the Past for Story Ideas Subscribe: iTunes I  Spotify I Google Play Music    Find out more about Helena Ku Rhee here: Website: helenakrhee.com   About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. To get more episodes of All the WRITE Marketing podcast, sign up here.

Episode # 73 Name of Episode: Writing Your Story with Carrie Lara Subscribe: iTunes I  Spotify I Google Play Music    In this episode, you will learn: The importance of marketing and developing an online presence as an author The benefits of reaching out to companies like bookstores to do author events Carrie's new book releases coming soon!   Find out more about Carrie Lara here: Website: www.carriealara.com   Quote from show: “We can still be resilient.”   About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. To get more episodes of All the WRITE Marketing podcast, sign up here.

Episode #71 Name of Episode: Our stories matter: Creating Space for Your Stories on the Global Bookshelf Subscribe: iTunes I  Spotify I Google Play Music  In this episode, you will learn: How teachers and professors can help make connections in the writing community Marketing your book when you don't want to be in marketing Using community to help market your work Find out more about Sophia Lee here: Website: www.sophialeewrites.com Purchase Links for Books : https://linktr.ee/sophianleewrites Quote from show: “A lot of Filipinos like to open the door so others can come through.”   About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. To get more episodes of All the WRITE Marketing podcast, sign up here. Keywords: marketing, picture books, author, writer, illustrator, bookseller, library, librarian, bookstore, publisher, publish, children's books, social media, visibility, readers, children

Episode #70 Name of Episode: Marketing For Rad Girls with Tootie Nienow Subscribe: iTunes I  Spotify I Google Play Music    In this episode, you will learn: How spending time with your intended audience group can help you figure out what to write about The benefit of being part of a writing community, especially when shifting from writer to published author Tootie's writing and publishing process   Find out more about Tootie Nienow here: Website: tootienienow.com   Quote from show:  “For a story to be interesting, you have to also find out the tough things that happen in it.”   About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. To get more episodes of All the WRITE Marketing podcast, sign up here. Keywords: marketing, picture books, author, writer, illustrator, bookseller, library, librarian, bookstore, publisher, publish, children's books, social media, visibility, readers, children

Episode #69 Name of Episode: From Books to Multimedia Content: The Creative Path in Children's Books Publishing with Helen H. Wu Subscribe: iTunes I  Spotify I Google Play Music  In this episode, you will learn: How to shift from self-publishing to traditional publishing How a background in economics can help run a business How developing merchandise can benefit marketing your work How social media is helpful for promoting your book Find out more about Helen H. Wu here: Website: yeehoopress.com, yeehoomedia.com, helenhwu.com   Quote from show: “Picture books have the potential to pass on joy from generation to generation.” About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. To get more episodes of All the WRITE Marketing podcast, sign up here. Keywords: marketing, picture books, author, writer, illustrator, bookseller, library, librarian, bookstore, publisher, publish, children's books, social media, visibility, readers, children

Episode #68 Name of Episode: Book Awards Galore! with Marcy Campbell Subscribe: iTunes I  Spotify I Google Play Music  In this episode, you will learn: How Marcy began writing How to pursue writing even when you grow up outside of a writing community The process of going from a writer to a published author  Find out more about Marcy Campbell here: Website: www.marcycampbell.com  Quote from show:  “I didn't know there was a person behind the books.” “Do not stop writing, you can do this!”   About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. To get more episodes of All the WRITE Marketing podcast, sign up here.  

Episode #67 Name of Episode: Sharing Joy in Less Traveled Places Subscribe: iTunes I  Spotify I Google Play Music  In this episode, you will learn: How to make connections in your writing community, even virtually! The importance of connecting with your community The ripple effect that making these connections can have  How children's books help deliver important messages to younger generations  Find out more about Alex and Angela here: Website: www.alexgiardino.com www.storytimefriendsread.com  Quote from show: “The writing community is a wonderful community of people.”   About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. To get more episodes of All the WRITE Marketing podcast, sign up here.

Episode #66 Name of Episode: Supporting Myself as a Writer - 10 Years and Going Strong Subscribe: iTunes I  Spotify I Google Play Music  In this episode, you will learn: How to support yourself as a writer  About Alice's writing camp About writing different genres  Find out more about Alice McGinty here: Website: www.alicebmcginty.com Quote from show:  “Writing is very solitary.” “I know how important my writer's organization was to me.” “I want to show kids that they have a creative community around them.”   About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. To get more episodes of All the WRITE Marketing podcast, sign up here.

Some of you might know I've decided to take a break from podcast interviews. But I guess today is an exception because we have a special guest! ----more---- Have you ever struggled to explain concepts like chronic illness, wars, mental health, and the like to your kids? I sure did and still do! ----more---- For today's episode, I am joined by Maria Dismondy, an author and owner of the Cardinal Rule Press, where she empowers kids through socially mindful books. ----more---- Maria shares her journey from being a teacher to starting her publishing company, being sick and successful, and tips if you want to get your book published too! ----more---- If you're sick and successful and wants to write a book, or maybe you just want to write a book for your kids, this episode is for you! ----more---- So, did this episode inspire you to write a book or get your book published? Send me a DM on Instagram (@for.the.success) or email me (info@sandscreative.ca)! ----more---- Watch this on Youtube: https://youtu.be/w8RtyqUWHs0  ----more---- Let's stay connected through these links: www.sandscreative.ca www.instagram.com/s.and.s.creative www.instagram.com/for.the.success ----more---- Connect with Maria: Website: https://www.mairadismondy.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariadismondybooks https://www.instagram.com/cardinalrulepress

Episode #65 Name of Episode: Rethinking the Promo Group Subscribe: iTunes I  Spotify I Google Play Music  In this episode, you will learn: How to branch into the world of publishing The power of community and connection when venturing into publishing The importance of continuing to submit work that you believe in How to market your books  Utilizing your community to support your books Find out more about Jamilah Thompkins- Bigelow here: Website: https://jamilahthewriter.com  Quote from show:  “It's nice to have built-in support that is promoting your work.” “This is heart work, it comes from our hearts.” About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. To get more episodes of All the WRITE Marketing podcast, sign up here.

Panelists include: Vanessa Garcia: http://www.vanessagarcia.org/ Ilima Loomis: https://ilimaloomis.com/books-by-ilima-loomis/ Surishtha Sehgal: https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Surishtha-Sehgal/403383630   About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. Keywords: marketing, picture books, author, writer, illustrator, bookseller, library, librarian, bookstore, publisher, publish, children's books, social media, visibility, readers, children

Episode #64 Name of Episode: Writing to Heal: Shelly Anand Shares Her Journey Into Picture Books Subscribe: iTunes I  Spotify I Google Play Music  In this episode, you will learn: How Shelly went from legal work to children's books How writer's groups can help your writing process How to use constructive criticism to your benefit when writing a book Find out more about Shelly Anand here: Website: shellyanand.com Quote from show: “How do you point out differences in a way that is not mean?” “I'm grateful for the feedback because in the end I am happier with the story.”   About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. To get more episodes of All the WRITE Marketing podcast, sign up here.

Episode # 63 Name of Episode: From Fish Brain Surgeon to Picture Book Author Subscribe: iTunes I  Spotify I Google Play Music    In this episode, you will learn: The connection between memory in both fish and humans The importance of telling stories to children about challenging topics  The evolution of her scientific career becoming a career with children and families The connection between tears and healing Experiencing and discussing grief at a young age Find out more about Nancy Bo Flood here: Website: https://nancyboflood.com/   Quote from show:  “My disability does not define me. I am first me.”   About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. To get more episodes of All the WRITE Marketing podcast, sign up here.

Episode #61 Name of Episode: Marketing Is Better Together  Subscribe: iTunes I  Spotify I Google Play Music  Kirsten started her career with journalism, specifically freelance working and left to pursue internships with NASA in hopes of a more regular schedule. Since then, she has taken on the role of a science communicator, which she says was great training for communicating complicated science topics to kids. Kirsten left NASA after having her children and their curiosity about nonfiction science inspired her to start writing children's nonfiction picture books of her own. In this episode, you will learn: What is a co-marketing group? Why marketing together is better! Where to start with a co-marketing group Find out more about Kirsten Larson here:  Website: https://kirsten-w-larson.com/ Quote from show: “There are a lot of other ways that you can work together.” “A lot of writers are introverts.” “Everybody hits speed bumps and obstacles.” “The easiest way to start is to just start with a couple of people.” About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. Keywords: marketing, picture books, author, writer, illustrator, bookseller, library, librarian, bookstore, publisher, publish, children's books, social media, visibility, readers, children

Panels include: Adam Blackman -- CRP Picture Book Editor Stephanie Hansen -- www.metamorphosisliteraryagency.com/ About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. Keywords: marketing, picture books, author, writer, illustrator, bookseller, library, librarian, bookstore, publisher, publish, children's books, social media, visibility, readers, children

Episode #60 Name of Episode: The Keys to Marketing When Marketing Isn't Kind With Kenneth Kraegel Subscribe: iTunes I  Spotify I Google Play Music  Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Kenneth Kraegel both writes and illustrates picture books as well as works part-time with children with dyslexia. His first picture book was released back in 2012 after a brief stint where he tried being a vegetable farmer, and since then, he has released four more books with one on the way, Mushroom Lullaby, releasing in October 2022! For Kenneth, marketing felt like something that was out-of-his-element– but that didn't stop him from trying to find ways to market his products. In this episode, you will learn: About methods to market your books when marketing is something uninteresting to you About finding support for your marketing as an author About finding the right social media platforms for your marketing Find out more about Kenneth here: Instagram: @kennethkraegel Facebook: Kennethkraegel Website: http://www.kennethkraegel.com/ Quote from show: “Whenever an opportunity arises, I say yes.” About Maria Dismondy Maria Dismondy is a former educator and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, located in Southeast Michigan. Maria is the host of the podcast All the Write Marketing, interviewing bibliophiles about marketing books and connecting with readers. Keywords: marketing, picture books, author, writer, illustrator, bookseller, library, librarian, bookstore, publisher, publish, children's books, social media, visibility, readers, children

Cindy L. Rodriguez returns to chat with Christy and Sharon about the value of hiring a book coach, whether you're just starting out, still aspiring, or a multi-published author. Cindy's debut picture book, Three Pockets Full, came out from Cardinal Rule Press on September 1. Jump to: [3:04] The Backstory of the Story [8:02] Critique Group vs. Coach  [11:08] The Manuscript Evaluation [13:16] On Feedback from Your Book Coach/Editor [19:29] The Story You Think You're Telling vs What's on the Page [24:36] Working with a Coach When You Already Have a Contract [26:58] Why We Love "Why?" [30:29] Book Coaching as an Investment in You [32:20] Actionable Items Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @CoachingKidLit For more information about Sharon Skinner, visit bookcoachingbysharon.com. For more information about Christy Yaros, visit christyyaros.com.

Every entrepreneur has their own story to tell—but not all of them are professional storytellers themselves! Maria Dismondy is the founder of Cardinal Rule Press, a traditional publishing company that specializes in realistic children's fiction, stories that children see themselves in and which help them be their best selves. Maria started out as a writer and author herself, writing ten books of her own before opting for a change of pace. Maria may be done being an author, but she's telling a new story, all her own—one that empowers a new generation of kids as well as creatives and entrepreneurs alike. No business is successful without a strong enough why, and we know Maria's journey is going to inspire you to find or remember yours. Brought to you by the https://www.theproductboss.com/shop1in5?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shop_1_in_5_pledge&utm_content=august_2_podcast (Shop 1 in 5™ Pledge)! Commit to making 1 in 5 of your purchases from a small business, whether online or offline. The https://www.theproductboss.com/shop1in5?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shop_1_in_5_pledge&utm_content=august_2_podcast (Shop 1 in 5™ Pledge) is a way to make an impact together when (and where) it matters most. Join us and take the pledge today! Resources: https://cardinalrulepress.com/ (cardinalrulepress.com) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cardinalrulepress (@cardinalrulepress) Read: https://cardinalrulepress.com/project/spaghetti-in-a-hot-dog-bun/ (Spaghetti in a Hotdog Bun) Read: https://cardinalrulepress.com/project/chocolate-milk-por-favor-en-espanol/ (Chocolate Milk, Por Favor!) Read: https://cardinalrulepress.com/project/16208/ (This Could be You!) Product Biz Owners at $250k+ yearly revenue: Are you a product business owner that has built your business to a multi-6 figure to multi-million dollar business? If so,https://theproductbossmastermind.com/ ( The Product Boss Mastermind) has limited spots available open for consideration to applicants $250k and above, applyhttps://theproductbossmastermind.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=tpb_mastermind&utm_content=podcast ( here). Want access to over 300 business tools and resources to help you effectively run your product-based business? https://theproductboss.com/resourceguide (Grab The Product Boss Resource Guide now!) Connect: Website: https://www.theproductboss.com/ (theproductboss.com) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theproductboss/ (@theproductbos)

Join Sharon and Christy as they welcome their first guest, KidLit author Cindy L. Rodriguez, to talk about her journey to KidLit through journalism and teaching middle school. Cindy's debut picture book, THREE POCKETS FULL: A Story of Love, Family, and Tradition, illustrated by Begoña Fernández Corbalán, comes out July 1 from Cardinal Rule Press.   Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @CoachingKidLit For more information about Sharon Skinner, visit bookcoachingbysharon.com. For more information about Christy Yaros, visit christyyaros.com.

Cindy Williams Schrauben lives in Michigan where she writes stories for kids that range from the truly serious to the seriously silly. Before embarking on this path, she held positions as a preschool administrator, teacher, and assistant director of a children's museum -- always striving to empower kids. When not writing or honing her craft, Cindy might be found dissecting her grandsons' shenanigans for story ideas, reading on the floor in the bookstore, or eating ice cream. Her first picture book, This Could be You (Cardinal Rule Press, 2022) was just published by Cardinal Rule Press and is the main subject of our engaging conversation. Mel Rosenberg is a professor of microbiology (Tel Aviv University, emeritus) who fell in love with children's books as a small child and now writes his own. He is also the founder of Ourboox, a web platform that allows anyone to create and share awesome flipbooks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Cindy Williams Schrauben lives in Michigan where she writes stories for kids that range from the truly serious to the seriously silly. Before embarking on this path, she held positions as a preschool administrator, teacher, and assistant director of a children's museum -- always striving to empower kids. When not writing or honing her craft, Cindy might be found dissecting her grandsons' shenanigans for story ideas, reading on the floor in the bookstore, or eating ice cream. Her first picture book, This Could be You (Cardinal Rule Press, 2022) was just published by Cardinal Rule Press and is the main subject of our engaging conversation. Mel Rosenberg is a professor of microbiology (Tel Aviv University, emeritus) who fell in love with children's books as a small child and now writes his own. He is also the founder of Ourboox, a web platform that allows anyone to create and share awesome flipbooks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether you have aspirations of being an author or helping authors achieve their book publishing dream, the path to publishing is never a straight line. In this episode of the Pub Date podcast, Dr. Jen Dorsey and Vanessa Campos talk with Maria Dismondy on her journey to becoming a publisher. Maria started out in the classroom years before writing ten books. She loved getting powerful messages into the world through realistic fiction and saw a need to have more diverse books for children. So much that she began Cardinal Rule Press in 2015. There Maria uses her experiences as an award-winning author to work with writers on getting their messages into the world. She takes pride in mentoring Cardinal Rule Press authors and offering a customized marketing campaign that her team coordinates and implements. Learn more about Cardinal Rule Press here: https://cardinalrulepress.com/ Follow them on social media: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz-Txy1Kgq4P_ZztrrQrqzg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cardinalrulepress/ _________________________________________________ Produced by OC Talk Radio at UCI Beall Applied Innovation Producer: Paul Roberts, founder of OC Talk Radio Executive Producer: Emily Carpenter-Pulskamp of Little Red Communications

Whether you have aspirations of being an author or helping authors achieve their book publishing dream, the path to publishing is never a straight line. In this episode of the Pub Date podcast, Dr. Jen Dorsey and Vanessa Campos talk with Maria Dismondy on her journey to becoming a publisher. Maria started out in the classroom years before writing ten books. She loved getting powerful messages into the world through realistic fiction and saw a need to have more diverse books for children. So much that she began Cardinal Rule Press in 2015. There Maria uses her experiences as an award-winning author to work with writers on getting their messages into the world. She takes pride in mentoring Cardinal Rule Press authors and offering a customized marketing campaign that her team coordinates and implements. Learn more about Cardinal Rule Press here: https://cardinalrulepress.com/ Follow them on social media: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz-Txy1Kgq4P_ZztrrQrqzg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cardinalrulepress/ _________________________________________________ Produced by OC Talk Radio at UCI Beall Applied Innovation Producer: Paul Roberts, founder of OC Talk Radio Executive Producer: Emily Carpenter-Pulskamp of Little Red Communications

 The self-publishing landscape has changed quite a bit since I self-published my first book in 2014. It was easy to sell your book using Amazon ads back then. These days, you've got to invest a lot more time and money and learn the basics of Amazon advertising. That's on top of learning how to commission a book cover, finding an editor, and the rest! But what if you don't want to do all of that? An alternative is to work with a small indie press. Maria Dismondy is the founder of Cardinal Rule Press. She's also an author and has published over ten children's books, and a podcaster who podcasts regularly on the topic of publishing. During our chat, she explained her writing journey, why she started writing children's books, and how she set up her publishing company. In this episode we discuss:Writing for childrenHow long it took Maria to set up a publishing companyFocusing on characters with disabilitiesThe process of working with a small pressA typical working day for MariaDeciding which books to publish each yearResources:Cardinal Rules PressMaria DismondyKindness is a Kite StringSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/becomeawritertoday)

Sarah Cavannaugh, Publicist at Cardinal Rule Press, shares some inside tips in this episode on how to better market your books whether you are a bookstore owner, librarian or author. These tips can translate into many book related fields.

Sarah Cavannaugh, Publicist at Cardinal Rule Press, shares some inside tips in this episode on how to better market your books whether you are a bookstore owner, librarian or author. These tips can translate into many book related fields.

Sarah Cavannaugh, Publicist at Cardinal Rule Press, shares some inside tips in this episode on how to better market your books whether you are a bookstore owner, librarian or author. These tips can translate into many book related fields.

Sarah Cavannaugh, Publicist at Cardinal Rule Press, shares some inside tips in this episode on how to better market your books whether you are a bookstore owner, librarian or author. These tips can translate into many book related fields.

Sarah Cavannaugh, Publicist at Cardinal Rule Press, shares some inside tips in this episode on how to better market your books whether you are a bookstore owner, librarian or author. These tips can translate into many book related fields.

Sarah Cavannaugh, Publicist at Cardinal Rule Press, shares some inside tips in this episode on how to better market your books whether you are a bookstore owner, librarian or author. These tips can translate into many book related fields.

Sarah Cavannaugh, Publicist at Cardinal Rule Press, shares some inside tips in this episode on how to better market your books whether you are a bookstore owner, librarian or author. These tips can translate into many book related fields.

Sarah Cavannaugh, Publicist at Cardinal Rule Press, shares some inside tips in this episode on how to better market your books whether you are a bookstore owner, librarian or author. These tips can translate into many book related fields.

Are you the type who thinks taking time away will be a death sentence for your business? Are all your processes for your business only in YOUR head? Let me tell you, if you're scared to give up the reins and allow others to do the work you hired them to do….your business will suffer. In today's episode, I speak with Maria Dismondy, Founder & CEO of Cardinal Rule Press, about how to get your business and its processes to a point that everything won't crumble if you have to take a step away! In this episode, you'll learn The importance of establishing your processes so that people can pick up and do things for you without needing you to be there Why having one core hub is crucial to the cohesiveness of your team's communication Sometimes things happen that take you away from your business with little warning and how to be prepared in the event that happens Narrowing down the notes you take into action items and acting on them in meaningful ways Maria Dismondy is an award-winning author and founder of the publishing company, Cardinal Rule Press. Maria inspires and educates others in the book industry! Her background in early education and research enables her to touch lives the world over while connecting as public speaker in schools, community forums, and at national conferences. When Maria isn't working, she can be found embarking on adventures throughout southeast Michigan and beyond, where she lives with her husband, three book-loving children and two Covid puppies! Check out Maria's website- Cardinal Rule Press • Children's Books That Make a Difference Shoot Maria an email at Maria@cardinalrulepress.com  Connect with Cardinal Rule Press on Facebook- Cardinal Rule Press - Home Follow Cardinal Rule Press on Instagram- Cardinal Rule Press (@cardinalrulepress) • Instagram photos and videos Connect with Maria on LinkedIn- Maria Dismondy - Owner - Cardinal Rule Press  Quote from the show- “You need to be the owner and knowing how to do it, so that one, you can pass it off. Two, if it gets back to you, you know how to do it. And three, you kind of can keep people accountable with what they're supposed to be doing because you know the process.” Interested in my 3 P's of Productivity? Check out Episode 04. Productivity Power Up: The 3 P's Of Productivity $7 for 7 Day Trial for Hustle to Flow - https://www.hustletoflow.co/join Thanks for Listening!-Brittany

Award-winning author and founder of the publishing company, Cardinal Rule Press, Maria Dismondy inspires and educates others in the book industry. Her background in early education and research enables her to touch lives the world over while touring as a public speaker in schools, community forums, and at national conferences. When Maria isn't working, she can be found embarking on adventures throughout southeast Michigan and beyond, where she lives with her husband and three book-loving children. Website: http://www.cardinalrulepress.com/ http://www.mariadismondy.com/   Instagram: www.instagram.com/cardinalrulepress New book out this fall: Lila Lou's Little Library by Nikki Bergstresser  

Episode #10 Name of Episode: How to Create Community and Engagement in your Facebook group or How to Create a Thriving Facebook Group   Subscribe: iTunes I  Spotify I Google Play Music   ---------------------------   This week CEO and Founder of Cardinal Rule Press interviewed Dana Malstaff from Boss Moms on All the Write Marketing. Join us every week on Tuesdays for a new episode where listeners will hear from experts offering advice, tips and tricks on how to market books in today's industry.   In this episode on All the WRITE Marketing, Maria Dismondy talks with Dana Malstaff,  founder and CEO of Boss Moms on how to build an engaged and thriving Facebook community.     Dana started her business back in 2015. As a mom and entrepreneur she noticed a need for a space where other moms like her could gather and have a sense of community, and so the Boss Mom movement was born. Dana grew her business and Facebook community to over 55,000 members organically and have about 1,000 new members each month.    Through Dana's very specific way of creating engagement in her Facebook community she has created an ecosystem where her community although not huge in numbers has very high engagement and provides a ton of value to its members. Dana dives into what kind of posts give you the most engagement and what posts to avoid. She also gives you some tips on how to monetize your group and how adding value gets you results!   In this episode, you will learn: What posts create the most engagement What posts to avoid  How to monetize your Facebook group How to utilize units in your Facebook group To learn more and connect with Dana Malstaff of Boss Moms go to Facebook group: www.boss-mom.com/facebook Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/BossMomDana/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DanaMalstaff   Resources:  Try Dana's Facebook course here  Start and Grow Your Facebook Group Course for just $47   If you enjoyed today's show don't forget to subscribe and join us every week on Tuesdays for a new episode where listeners will hear from experts offering advice, tips and tricks on how to market and grow your small business in today's industry. 

Today's guest is Maria Dismondy, of Cardinal Rule Press. Maria is dedicated to having her publishing company produce picture books that empower children with timeless messages of hope, courage and the Golden Rule. She works diligently to have Cardinal Rule Press release children’s literature that represents today’s diversity while remaining dedicated to messages that make a difference.  Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook   Links for Cardinal Rule Press: Site Twitter Facebook Instagram   Ad Links: Behind the Bits Podcast Military True Crime Vellum  

In this episode, Maria talks with Karly Caserza of Fuse Literary. Karly has a deep love for characters with a strong voice and seeks out stories she can get lost in. Diversity in genre fiction is a major bonus. She specializes in picture books (fiction and nonfiction), middle grade, and young adult genre fiction. Cardinal Rule Press offers a variety of support to authors, booksellers, librarians, and families. Find out more at CardinalRulePress.com

In this episode, Maria talks with Eva Scalzo of Speilburg Literary. Eva Scalzo was born in New Jersey, but lived in Houston, Buenos Aires, San Juan, and Boston before settling down outside of Binghamton, New York. She has been reading romance since the fifth grade when she discovered the Sweet Valley High series. On inheriting her grandmother's collection of vintage Harlequin Romances, she set a goal to someday finish reading them all on top of her already massive TBR. Eva has a B.A. in the Humanities from the University of Puerto Rico and a M.A. in Publishing and Writing from Emerson College. Since graduating in 2002, she has spent her career in scholarly publishing, working for Houghton Mifflin, Blackwell Publishing, John Wiley & Sons, and Cornell University in a variety of roles. She has been with Speilburg Literary since 2013 and started accepting clients in 2017. Eva is a member of RWA and SCBWI. Cardinal Rule Press offers a variety of support to authors, booksellers, librarians, and families. Find out more at CardinalRulePress.com

In this episode, Maria talks with Joyce Sweeney of The Seymour Agency. Young adult author, poet, developmental editor and writing coach for over 25 years, Joyce Sweeney has joined The Seymour Agency, representing picture books and middle-grade novels. She loves theater, illustration art and animals. Cardinal Rule Press offers a variety of support to authors, booksellers, librarians, and families. Find out more at CardinalRulePress.com

In this episode, Maria talks with Metamorphosis Literary Agency owner, senior agent, and subsidiary rights manager, Stephanie Hansen. Stephanie represents authors with their debut novels and New York Times-bestsellers and has brokered deals with small presses and major publishing houses. She holds a master's degree with a Creative Writing Specialization. She predominantly represents YA SF/F but has a secret addiction for romance. While these are her favorite, she handles everything fiction from children's books to adult thrillers. Previously an editor for Mind's Eye Literary Magazine, she joined Metamorphosis July 2016. Originally looking to help Midwest authors in "flyover states" to garner the attention of major publishing houses, she found camaraderie with multiple agents and editors. Stephanie is unilaterally deaf with 90 dB tinnitus. She's dedicated to elevating voices that often go unheard. Cardinal Rule Press offers a variety of support to authors, booksellers, librarians, and families. Find out more at CardinalRulePress.com

In this episode, Maria talks with Mark Gottlieb of Trident Media Group. Mark Gottlieb is a prominent literary agent working at book publishing's leading literary agency Trident Media Group in New York City. He has ranked highly among literary agents across the industry for overall number of deals and other individual categories. While at Trident Media Group, Mark Gottlieb has represented New York Times bestselling authors as well as major award-winning authors. He has optioned and sold numerous books to production companies and studios for film and TV adaptation. Mark Gottlieb greatly enjoys working with authors to help manage and grow their careers with the resources available at Trident Media Group. In addition to having worked at the company's Foreign Rights Department, he also ran the company's Audiobook Department. Utilizing his drive and intuition for discovering talented writers, he is currently expanding his client list of authors. As a literary agent he looks forward to bringing authors to the largest possible audience. Cardinal Rule Press offers a variety of support to authors, booksellers, librarians, and families. Find out more at CardinalRulePress.com

In this episode, Maria talks with Alyssa Jennette of Stonesong Literary Agency. Alyssa Jennette joined Stonesong in June 2015 after interning at the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency. She grew up in Pittsburgh, PA and graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art with a BFA in Illustration in 2010. As a result, she has unique insight and expertise when it comes to design-heavy or illustrated works. Alyssa is a very editorial agent; she finds a lot of joy in shaping stories alongside the author and delights in building long-term partnerships. In her spare time, she's the co-founder of a four-year-old book club called #readmorewomen, and a snuggler of cats. Cardinal Rule Press offers a variety of support to authors, booksellers, librarians, and families. Find out more at CardinalRulePress.com

In this episode, Maria talks with Jessica Reino, Senior Agent at Metamorphosis Literary Agency. Working for many years as a freelance substantive editor and being a multi-genre author herself, it is no surprise that Jessica has a wide variety of tastes when it comes to storytelling. She's a member of SCBWI New England, The Women's Fiction Writers Association where she was a Webinar Program Leader. She has also been a contributor for The Children's Writer's Guild Online Magazine as well as a reviewer for Story Monsters Ink. She has experience as an author coach and freelance editor with Pandamoon Publishing. She also runs a monthly Twitter chat #thewriterszen. Whether the story is tackling tough topics, or serves solely to entertain, Jessica is looking for manuscripts that are well-written with a strong voice in order to make that emotional connection. Cardinal Rule Press offers a variety of support to authors, booksellers, librarians, and families. Find out more at CardinalRulePress.com

In this episode, Maria talks with Kaitlyn Sanchez, Associate Literary Agent at Olswanger Literary. Kaitlyn Leann Sanchez is a mom, wife, associate agent at Olswanger Literary, middle school math teacher, and picture book author. She's also the proud co-creator and co-host of the Spring Fling Kidlit Contest, creator and co-host of the Kidlit Fall Writing Frenzy Contest, and co-creator co-host of Kidlit Zombie Week. In her free time, she loves to play soccer, binge-watch TV shows, and, of course, read, especially when she's all cozied up with her husband and daughter reading together. Cardinal Rule Press offers a variety of support to authors, booksellers, librarians, and families. Find out more at CardinalRulePress.com

Maria Dismondy is the author of inspirational and award-winning children's books such as Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun, she is also the CEO of Cardinal Rule Press, a publisher dedicated to diversity and inclusiveness in children's publishing. Maria tells us what inspired her to write, why she started her own publishing house, how she […] The post EP302: Deep Dive — Maria Dismondy – The Business of Inspiring Children appeared first on The Bestseller Experiment.

Maria Dismondy is the author of inspirational and award-winning children's books such as Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun, she is also the CEO of Cardinal Rule Press, a publisher dedicated to diversity and inclusiveness in children's publishing. Maria tells us what inspired her to write, why she started her own publishing house, how she built her team and the first person she hired (and fired!), and the challenges she has faced during lockdown.

What you need to know if you want to publish a children's books with children's book author and publisher at Cardinal Rule Press, Maria Dismondy.

Have a winter holiday idea but think that market is too crowded?  Have a holiday story manuscript but don't know when the best time to shop it is? Have a new holiday books, but don't know how to get started marketing during such a crazy time.  In this Episode 49 of the My Messy Muse #kidlit podcast Michele McAvoy will help answer many of your holiday book questions.  She sits down for a Coffee & Craft Roundtable Chat with kidlit authors Patricia Toht, Karen Rostoker-Gruber, and Nancy Churnin to discuss all things holiday books.   Advice from the experts! You don't want to miss this Episode. Be sure to join the My Messy Muse community on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/mymessymuse Find out more about Author + Host Michele McAvoy at www.michelemcavoy.com Michele's books include BUCKINGHAM GETS A NEW SHELL (2021 Pigman Books); COOKIE & MILK (2019 Cardinal Rule Press); THE GORILLA PICKED ME! (2018 The Little Press); and MY SUPERHERO GRANDPA (2016 The Little Press). If you are interested in booking a FREE school visit with Michele visit her website at www.michelemcavoy.com/workwithme or add your information to THIS LIST.  Follow host Michele McAvoyTwitter: @michele_mcavoyInstagram: @michelemcavoy    

Listen as I talk to award-winning author and founder of the publishing company, Cardinal Rule Press, Maria Dismondy. Maria has a system that makes it so she can run a business, be there for her children, and stick to their family values with ease. Her background in early education and research enables her to touch lives the world over while touring as a public speaker in schools, community forums, and at national conferences. When Maria isn't working, she can be found embarking on adventures throughout southeast Michigan and beyond, where she lives with her husband and three book-loving children. Find out more about Maria at MariaDismondy.com or CardinalRulePress.com Also be sure to join the Moms Get it Done free Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/MomsGetitDoneTogether --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

The podcast is working from home and Chris was able to speak with Maria Dismondy, children's book author and founder of Cardinal Rule Press. Maria started her career as a teacher, and started writing children's picture books that focus on a child's self esteem, something she was not seeing in picture books. This concept became […]

What kind of virtual author events are successful in getting the word out, supporting booksellers, and developing enthusiastic online communities? Maria Dismondy of children’s book publisher Cardinal Rule Press has had recent success and discusses strategies and goals.Topics Coveredonline book launches and book “tours”partnering with bookstoressign-up events vs public streaming on Facebook and other platformsadvance sales before the eventsponsored and partnered events with giveaways as a way of developing and sharing contactshow to find partners for a virtual event: be sure to match the audience to the missionkeeping pitch letters effective and succincthow the pandemic crisis may be creating new and permanent opportunities for new kinds of book promotionadvice: pick 1 platform and be consistent with your message and timingbe sure to spend more time “giving” than “selling”; you may not have a direct ROI but you will be building communityhow far in advance should you contact sponsors? participants?the growing importance of bookshop.orgwhy traditional media are still importantgood advice: “do one thing every day!”LinksCardinalRulePress.comwww.cardinalrulepress.comMaria Dismondywww.mariadismondy.comSample a reader's guide: Evie's Field Day by Claire Nolandhttps://cardinalrulepress.com/uploads/pdf/Evies%20Field%20Day%20FINAL.%5B1%5D.pdfParticipantsAuthor and founder of the publishing company, Cardinal Rule Press, Maria Dismondy inspires and educates others in the book industry.Her background in early education and research enables her to touch lives the world over while touring as a public speaker in schools, community forums, and at national conferences. When Maria isn’t working, she can be found embarking on adventures throughout southeast Michigan and beyond, where she lives with her husband and three book-loving children. Peter Goodman (host) is publisher of Stone Bridge Press  in Berkeley, California. He began his publishing career in Tokyo, Japan, in 1976. A longtime member of IBPA, he has served on the IBPA board and as IBPA board chair.For more information, go to IBPA at https://www.ibpa-online.org/.

Maria Dismondy is an author, publisher, and speaker. She writes books that encourage and inspire people. She also publishes picture books and is the Founder and CEO of Cardinal Rule Press. Today, she talks about her writing process, publishing, and distribution process.    What We Discuss with Maria Dismondy: How she transitioned from teaching to writing children's books The first few steps she took to get her book done What got her to create her own publishing company Strategies for successfully launching your book What they do as a traditional publisher and their criteria for writers  The distribution process About her book Sunny Side Upbringing and her writing process The struggle of traditional publishers due to the rise of indie presses Timeline from pre-launch phase to the release of your book Things you also need to understand about traditional publishers Maria’s advice to reluctant authors Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

The term ‘Mastermind’ is used fairly often in the business world, but many entrepreneurs still aren’t sure what joining one of these groups entails. What is a Mastermind, and how can we use them to benefit our businesses? Why is it necessary for Mastermind members to challenge each other? How can we offer different viewpoints without offending other members in the process? On this episode, owner of the Speech and Language Kids website, Carrie Clark, and founder and CEO of Cardinal Rule Press, Maria Dismondy, discuss what makes Masterminds so beneficial to business owners.  A good Mastermind is a group that helps you whittle down options. -Dana Malstaff   3 Things We Learned From This Episode Use Masterminds to challenge ideas (10:48 - 11:49)Masterminds are the ideal space for ideas to be shared and challenged. We should be using our groups to help each other brainstorm our ideas in different ways. The benefit of this kind of input is ultimately creating a more thought-out product.  Take advantage of the different viewpoints in Masterminds (15:25 - 16:22)Having a tight-knit Mastermind with different views allows us to narrow down ideas and options more easily. This is an important step, because it stops us from becoming overwhelmed by all the suggestions we get from like-minded people outside our groups.  Maintain mutual respect for all Mastermind members (20:41 - 21:51)For Masterminds to be effective, we have to have a mutual respect for everyone in our groups. This respect makes it easier to challenge one another, without running the risk of offending anyone on a personal level.   Guest Bio-  Carrie Clark is a speech-language pathologist and the founder of the Speech and Language Kids website. She is passionate about helping children through speech-language pathology, and has extensive experience in the field, having worked at the Columbia Public Schools in Columbia, Missouri, and later opening a private practice.    To find out more about Carrie, visit  https://www.speechandlanguagekids.com/about-us/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-clark-74210054 https://www.instagram.com/slpsolution/ https://www.facebook.com/theslpsolution/ Maria Dismondy is the founder and CEO of Cardinal Rule Press. She is also an author and speaker. Maria is the creator of the Empowering Kids with Character mini-podcast, a movement that aims to nurture character development in children through education.   To find out more about Maria, visit https://mariadismondy.com/ https://www.instagram.com/mariadismondybooks/ https://www.facebook.com/mariadismondy https://www.youtube.com/user/mariadismondy https://twitter.com/mariadismondy https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariadismondy

I just love Maria Dismondy’s story of working as a full-time teacher to becoming a successful children’s book author to launching her own publishing company. In this podcast episode, she talks about traditional publishing vs. self-publishing. She started as a self publisher but has since turned traditional. Today, she runs Cardinal Rule Press producing children’s picture books. If you want to get your children’s book published by her company, she talks about how you can do it in this episode. Some resources mentioned in this episode: Publisher’s Weekly MariaDismondy.com CardinalRulePress.com PitchPublicityProfit.com Please subscribe to this podcast and leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. For more on the episode, click here to download it and listen!

Today I will be interviewing Michele McAvoy. Michele McAvoy is an inspirational speaker & award-winning children’s book author from New Jersey. She loves bringing joy to children through her own stories. Michele’s books are uplifting and colorful and are meant to help children navigate through the natural bumps and curves of life. She has written three children’s books which include My Superhero Grandpa and The Gorilla Picked me.   Her next picture book, Cookie & Milk with Cardinal Rule Press, releases October 1. Cookie & Milk was selected as a Top Shelf Title with IPG.   Check out her website at michelemcavoy.com. Don’t miss her podcast and educational activities free for download that accompany her children’s books.   To read my review, learn more about Michele and Cardinal Rule Press, check out my website here.

Wondering how to grow your business by connection and collaboration? Tune in to hear what Maria Dismondy has to share about working with influencers in your market. Award-winning author and founder of the publishing company, Cardinal Rule Press, Maria Dismondy inspires and educates others in the book industry. When Maria isn’t working, she can be found embarking on adventures throughout southeast Michigan and beyond, where she lives with her husband and three book-loving children. Today's show is sponsored by Audible.com and Gusto. Audible.com is a leading provider of spoken audio entertainment and information. Listen to audiobooks whenever and wherever you want. Get a free book when you sign up for a 30-day free trial at audibletrial.com/businessgrowth. Gusto offers modern, easy payroll to benefits to small businesses across the country. They were even named best online payroll by PCMag. As a listener, you’ll get three months free when you run your first payroll. Sign up and give it a try at Gusto.com/accelerate. That’s gusto.com/accelerate

Today I will be interviewing Maria Dismondy children’s book author, speaker and CEO of Cardinal Rule Press. I have had the pleasure of learning from Maria as my mentor when my children’s books were released last year. Maria has penned ten books featuring topics ranging from anti-bullying to overcoming adversity to handling friendship trials and tribulations and beyond. Her books are read in classrooms and homes around the world. Maria is dedicated to empowering children, educators and parents through public speaking engagements across the United States. Maria is the founder & CEO of Cardinal Rule Press, a traditional publishing house producing high-quality children’s literature that focuses on realistic fiction picture books that make a difference while reflecting modern-day diversity. Don’t forget to check out Maria’s website at mariadismondy.com

Please join us in the My Messy Muse private community on Facebook at facebook.com/groups/mymessymuse Are you a picture book writer interested in a critique? Michele is currently open for picture book critiques. Please visit her at www.michelemcavoy.com/workwithme. Are you a teacher, librarian or principal interested in a school visit? For information on school visits, please visit Michele at www.michelemcavoy.com/workwithme Hannah Carmona Dias is a children's book author. Her debut children's book "Beautiful Wonderful Strong Little Me" released in September 2018 with Eifrig Publishing. Her second picture book entitled "Dazzling Travis" with Cardinal Rule Press is slated for release on April 1, 2019. Hannah discusses her inspiration for her debut children's book and how the question "what are you?" can affect a child. She also talks about juggling work as an owner of a children's theater, writing and being a mom of two little one's. Hannah is excited for her upcoming picture book “Dazzling Travis” with Cardinal Rule Press that celebrates individuality and celebrating one's self. We celebrate Hannah books particularly on Multicultural Children’s Book Day! #readyourworld To find out more about Hannah and her children’s book titles please visit her at www.hannahcarmonadias.com The host Michele McAvoy would love to hear from you! You can follow her on: Twitter @michele_mcavoy Instagram @michelemcavoy Facebook facebook.com/michelemcavoyauthor www.michelemcavoy.com

Join Ric and his older brother Rece as they travel the world through a new children’s book every week! This week, Ric learns that it's okay to be jealous, but it's never okay to be a bully! Plus, sail the seven seas with a salty crew headed up by the enchanting Captain Weird Beard! Make sure you grab your copy of Pink Tiara Cookies for Three to be able to see the illustrations that go along with this week's book reading! In season one, Ric and Rece are joined by children’s author Maria Dismondy as they journey through six of her wildly popular books, published by Cardinal Rule Press.  Like the series? Help us out by rating the podcast and sharing with your friends! 

Join Ric and his older brother Rece as they travel the world through a new children’s book every week! This week, Ric learns that sometimes all it takes to make a friend is sharing a sandwich! Plus, meet an alien and space captain who take on just what kindness really means. Want to read alongside The Jelly Doughnut Difference? Order a copy on Amazon today to help discover the secret to kindness! In season one, Ric and Rece are joined by children’s author Maria Dismondy as they journey through six of her wildly popular books, published by Cardinal Rule Press.  Like the series? Help us out by rating the podcast and sharing with your friends! 

Join Ric and his older brother Rece as they travel the world through a new children’s book every week! This week, Ric puts on his spandex and becomes a super hero! Plus, with a copy of Spaghetti In A Hotdog Bun, you can explore what it means to be different and how that's good! In season one, Ric and Rece are joined by children’s author Maria Dismondy as they journey through six of her wildly popular books, published by Cardinal Rule Press.  Like the series? Help us out by rating the podcast and sharing with your friends! 

Don’t miss this interview with Stephanie Hansen, senior agent and owner of Metamorphosis Literary Agency as she answers all of your agent/publishing questions. Stephanie will open up for queries from December 17, 2018 through December 21, 2019 for My Messy Muse members ONLY. It’s free to join the My Messy Muse community. Please visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/mymessymuse/ 1. You must be a My Messy Muse member to submit (she will have a members list.) 2. You must put “My Messy Muse Member” in the subject line of your query. 3. submission emails infö@metamorphosisliteraryagency.com https://www.metamorphosisliteraryagency.com www.michelemcavoy.com Michele McAvoy’s picture book entitled “Cookie & Milk” is set to release with Cardinal Rule Press in Fall 2019!

Join Ric and his older brother Rece as they travel the world through a new children’s book every week! This week, the boys head to a baseball game and discover what it takes to it's like to see things from another person's place! Plus, read along as Ric explores The Potato Chip Champ, a book all about empathy and friendship.  In season one, Ric and Rece are joined by children’s author Maria Dismondy as they journey through six of her wildly popular books, published by Cardinal Rule Press.  Like the series? Help us out by rating the podcast and sharing with your friends! 

Join Ric and his older brother Rece as they travel the world through a new children’s book every week! This week, the boys learn what it takes to be a good friend, and read Fruit Salad Friend, a book all about learning to be the best friend you can be.  In season one, Ric and Rece are joined by children’s author Maria Dismondy as they journey through six of her wildly popular books, published by Cardinal Rule Press.  Like the series? Help us out by rating the podcast and sharing with your friends! 

Magic Moments, Odd Jobs, Writing Tools, and More Welcome to the Process Hacker News, your weekly roundup of useful news and updates from Process Hackers who have been guests on Hack the Process with M. David Green. This week we’ve got magic moments, odd jobs, writing tools, and more. For all the links, check out the show notes at http://www.hacktheprocess.com/2018-10-23-process-hacker-news-magic-moments-odd-jobs-writing-tools-and-more/ Enjoy! Listen to the podcast: Or watch the video: Enjoy! Events In a Liminal Space may be able to help you Find Your Calling through an all-day self-discovery workshop led by Jon de Waal on October 27 in Washington. Take control of your schedule and your life with Heather Chauvin’s very first Time and Energy Intensive online class, which will go live on November 9. Magic Moments: Amazing Customer Experiences is a conference that centers on customer experience. It’s happening from November 7 to 8 in San Francisco, and Tiffani Bova will be one of several speakers in the sales and customer support field. Media We’ve all had our fair share of working odd jobs, and Alex Cespedes shares his wide ranging experiences on The Odd Jobs Podcast. Paula Scatoloni is a psychotherapist who uses the Embodied Recovery training program to treat eating disorders. Learn more about her methods on the Groundless Ground Podcast with Lisa Dale Miller. Listen to Omar Zenhom discuss how to get a good return on investment through long-term Facebook marketing in the newest $100 MBA episode. Writing Thinking about creating a picture book in the children’s realistic fiction genre? Starting November 1, you can begin submitting them to Cardinal Rule Press, founded by Maria Dismondy. Check out their website for more details! Did you know you can actually use free Facebook groups to generate sales and leads? Luis Congdon reveals how in his article for Entrepreneur. Are you searching for the best novel-writing software? Tom Corson-Knowles has put together a list just for you! Recommended Resources From November 8 to 10, the Catalyst 88 team led by Steve Simonson, will be gathering entrepreneurs for a mastermind at the Motif Seattle hotel. Steve was recommended by Barth Getto. On November 7 at Stanford University in California, Cheri Huber, who was mentioned during Mike Massy‘s and Kate Swoboda‘s episodes of Hack the Process, will be leading a class in Recording and Listening: Focusing Attention to Live Authentically. Thanks for checking out this Process Hacker News update from Hack the Process. If you liked what you saw, please leave a comment to let us know what processes you’re hacking.

Nationally recognized author Maria Dismondy is dedicated to inspiring and empowering children. She has authored seven children's books, made more than 400 speaking appearances, and is a presenter and publisher. Maria holds an M.A. in education, and served as an elementary school teacher and reading interventionist for ten years before transitioning into her current role as author, blogger and professional speaker. Ryan and Maria explore the uniqueness of writing children's books, thinking like a publisher, and much more. Maria lives in southeast Michigan with her husband, Dave, and their three children. You can reach Maria at: maria@mariadismondy.com or www.mariadismondy.com. Mentioned Resources: Want to get published? RockHousePublishing.com. Cardinal Rule Press https://cardinalrulepress.com/ Sponsor: subculturecorsets.com Get 10% off "theprolificwriter"  Secrets of the Ambassadors by J.B. Ryan

Maria Dismondy is the author of THE FRUIT SALAD FRIEND and founder of Cardinal Rule Press, an independent publishing company. Maria's newest picture book addresses the notion that people are not always kind, but surrounding yourself with friends who are kind and trustworthy can go a long way. It's a story I'd guess Maria has lived a number of times throughout her life. I admire Maria for the work she's done to bring such positive and empowering stories to our young readers, and to do so over years of hard work, research, and assembling a noteworthy team. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast.

Maria Dismondy is a self-published children’s book author who has sold close to 300,000 books….and she’s done this while working at home with 3 kids. Maria has grown her business by finding unique ways to market her books, so I can’t wait to learn from her. I know a lot of you want to self-publish or market your books better, and I know Maria has tons of wisdom to share. Welcome to the show Maria! On the Show 1:05 - Getting Into Writing3:40 - Selling a LOT of Books5:49 - Parents and Teachers As Customers6:34 - Partnering With School Systems9:57 - Getting Found Online & Making Sales12:05 - Opening A Publishing Company14:20 - A Unique Business Model18:35 - Busting the Self-Publishing Stigma21:13 - A Day In The Life24:58 - Funny AND Adorable Mom Moment Listen Now   Getting Into Writing Right after college, Maria became a teacher and taught for over a decade. She used children's literature to teach indirect lessons to her students. For example, if she noticed a lot of teasing or a lack of community in her room, she tried to find a children’s book that would talk about community and begin that conversation in their class. Maria knew that teaching young children a lesson could be difficult. (And we Mamas know exactly what she’s talking about, right?) But an effective way to teach principles is to show the children an example and talk about the topic indirectly. Maria had a hard time finding books about real life characters, especially kids, who had the courage to be themselves in tough situations. She found tons of books with bears or talking dinosaurs as the main character, but she wondered why there weren’t books about bullying, teasing, or self-esteem with characters of different cultures or disabilities that represent real kids in the United States. So she wrote that book! Maria’s start-up mindset was, “If it’s not out there, I’m going to write it.” And out of that thought came her first book, Spaghetti in a Hotdog Bun. At the time she was working full time as a teacher and was pregnant with her first child. After her baby was born, she went back to work part-time as a teacher, but noticed that her book sales and speaking engagements were increasing. Maria ended up leaving teaching altogether in 2011 and has been writing ever since. She works primarily from home but often speaks outside of the home. She brings up how we often get hung up on titles. Is she a Work From Home Mom? Or a Work Out of the Home Part-time Mom? Maria says it’s hard in her case because for so many years she was defined as a First Grade Teacher and Reading Specialist, but then all of the sudden she doesn’t have a tidy title to wrap-up her work. It’s certainly a funny challenge for mamapreneurs. (Here at Brilliant Business Moms, we are all about growing a business that works with you and your family - regardless of the term you put on it!) Selling a LOT of Books The amazing sales didn’t come about immediately after her book published. It took a few years, and lots of hard work, but, as of this podcast recording, Maria has sold over 300,000. Congrats! Maria says she primarily used grassroots marketing and lots of free social media marketing. She focuses not on selling books but giving valuable information and content to her target market. Maria smartly recognizes that, although she writes picture books for kids, her market isn’t children. It’s the caregivers, teachers, and parents who will be purchasing books for children. Her goal is to build a community around her books and a network of people who believe in empowering children with tools to navigate tough situations. Her marketing message isn’t, “I have a book for sale. It’s $10.95 and you can buy it on Amazon.” But rather, “Did you know these 7 lessons are really important to teach children before age 7? Let me show you the research.” That hook is much more powerful, isn’t it!? It’s much more compelling to explain the problem you solve or the benefit you offer. In her case, it's providing easily accessible information for families and teachers to help raise children in today’s society. Parents and Teachers As Customers It’s hard for Maria to look back and see where her sales came from on the consumer side. She knows how many books she sold via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers, but not who her individual customers are. But what Maria does know is the majority of her followers on social media are teachers. Her books are part of the curricula in several school districts, which means there are lesson plans written around her books.  Partnering With School Systems It’s incredibly cool that Maria’s books have been incorporated into schools! How did Maria make that happen? With her background as a teacher, Maria knew the going rates for author speaking engagements - and she knew what teachers wanted in those presentations. At first, she offered her school visit services for free. And once she had a few under her belt, she charged a small fee. Word-of-mouth has been her biggest form of marketing since teachers knew she was good with the children, and age appropriate. In the last 5 years, she has focused on her relationship with people at a school who are responsible for booking speakers, like principals and media specialists. Following her speaking engagement, she would send a personal note and a small gift to thank the school for having her. In the note, she would ask two things: what else she could do to help the school, and (if they had been happy with her presentation) to please share the word with 3 colleagues. That strategy has really helped her business! Other than these personal connections, she doesn’t do advertising. (And this shows how word-of-mouth is a WONDERFUL way for business moms on a budget to make an impact!) A year ago she produced a video where she invited 5 contacts from her prior speaking engagements (educators and staff) to come to Barnes & Noble and record their thoughts. She made this request really easy - the date and time were set and she threw in a gift card to sweeten the deal. This video got tons of hits and was very helpful for booking future engagements.  Maria says that her speaking engagements are usually local to her. She has 3 young children and acknowledges that she has limits on her time. Maria isn’t willing to travel for work, so she’s limited to mostly local schools. Recently she did take 2 speaking engagements in Florida because they were within driving distance to Disney World, so that worked out well for her family! A creative solution Maria came up with is to offer virtual school visits. These have been gaining popularity and she has done many virtual visits to schools in California and New York. There’s a handy video program she uses to ‘visit’ the school online. We think that’s an absolutely brilliant strategy! Getting Found Online & Making Sales Maria has never paid for ads. She started blogging after the birth of her second child and was really passionate about writing at the time. She blogged 5 days a week! Her target market was parents and teachers and she made sure her content was excellent, despite the exhaustion of having a 2nd baby! Since then, she posts 2 times a week. She has remained consistent with blogging, even as other social media platforms have ebbed and flowed. Since then, she posts 2 times a week. Maria has remained consistent with blogging, even as other social media platforms have ebbed and flowed. In her posts, she doesn’t force her use of keywords. But she writes organically and due to the volume of her posts, she pops up on Google often. (We think Maria gets a major high-five for all that consistency!) Even though blogging isn’t as popular these days, Maria still recommends it for the traction you get in the internet space. Opening A Publishing Company About two years ago, after a television interview, Maria was approached by a publicist for an NFL player. Her client wanted to write a children’s book - and the rest is history! Stephen Tulloch (linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles) co-wrote The Little Linebacker, which is a story about having a growth mindset and a little boy who is so determined to be in the NFL despite the odds against him. The year prior Maria had hired a business coach. And though it was a bit out of her character to make heavy investments, she thinks her business coach was very worthwhile! Her coach actually predicted that Maria could start a boutique publishing company with high profile clients. At the time, Maria thought a project like that may be a little too big for a work from home mom. So she tucked the idea in the back of her head, but soon enough the idea resurfaced. Since she couldn't self-publish The Little Linebacker (since she wasn't the only author), she needed another option. Maria worked with her graphic designer and web designer to create a platform for Cardinal Rule Press. She says this project happened very quickly and wasn’t super strategic at the time. But it has paid off! (And don’t some of the best business ventures begin with a lightbulb moment?) A Unique Business Model After publishing her own books and experiencing success, Maria began to get requests for coaching and consulting. And Maria noticed that she got requests from traditionally published authors who wanted to go to the "other side" and self-publish. At first, Maria was confused. Why would these traditionally published authors want to self-publish?  But actually, it’s something that most authors aspire to. Maria heard over and over again that publishing was a big industry, and unless you have a big name it’s hard to make money. She also heard about difficulties people had communicating with their publicists, and frustrations over doing lots of hard work for little revenue. So as Maria set up her business model, she knew she wanted to work with two kinds of authors. She wanted to, first of all, work with authors who had established a platform. And second,  Maria wanted to work with authors who had stories that empower children. In her publishing company, she has a team of editors and copywriters who review manuscripts (and authors) that are aligned with their company values. Her publishing company is a hybrid model, which means the author may put forward $10K to $20K in creating their project, but they make back that investment much faster. Her authors get around 90% of each book sale, which is far more impressive than the 8% to 12% they could expect from a traditional publisher. Busting the Self-Publishing Stigma Self-publishing does seem to have a stigma in the public eye. We’ve heard naysayers say things like, "Self-publishing isn’t as legitimate as traditional," or, "People won’t take you seriously as an author," and so on. How does Maria combat the naysayers? Not surprisingly, Maria gave us some helpful insight! She believes the bias against self-publishing has improved over the last 7 years. About 7 years ago, more people began self-publishing and the industry has gained credibility since then. She doesn’t see the stigma as much as it was then. In Maria’s mind, her book sales prove that mode of publishing truly doesn’t matter. If you’re comparing apples to apples, she sees herself as an author whose book has sold over 300,000 copies. “[My writing] brings an income to our family that is more than I made with a college master’s degree. I worked long hours as a teacher, and I only work about 3 hours a day now. I have 8 children's books that make a difference. The way my books get into the hands of children may be different, but I’m proud of the difference it’s making.” The sales really do speak for themselves in Maria’s case. (I can relate to others casting doubt on the legitimacy of your business model! I can still remember last year when Holden’s pre-k teacher made the comment, “Now that he’s in school maybe you can get a real job.” I was an online business owner and used to be a nurse, but I was thinking, "I worked way more hours and made way less!" Smile and nod, and be confident about how you can help people make a difference.) A Day In The Life Maria goes to bed around 9:00 or 10:00 and reads a book to relax. She’s awake by 5:30 or 6:00, makes a cup of coffee, and gets right to work. This morning, she was up at 5:30 am and her crew didn’t wake up until 7:30 am. So she got 2 full hours of uninterrupted work done! Maria makes a point to be very focused during this early morning work session. She’s not checking Facebook or getting sucked into her email. She’s attacking her to-do list from the night before. These hours are highly focused for her. Once her 3 kids - ages 3, 5, and 7 - wake up, they’re her focus. She makes them breakfast and gets them off to school. She has one in school full-time, one part-time, and one home full-time. Her two littles go down for naps or quiet time about 1:00 pm. Maria then checks her email or will do something like an interview or a virtual visit. After her older daughter gets home from school, they do after-school playtime and dinner. Her husband sells commercial real estate, so a few nights a month he will work late entertaining clients. On those nights, she puts her kids to bed at 8:00 and will work another 2 - 3 hours until he gets home. On the days she needs to work outside the home, she works from about 8:00 am - 1:00 pm. Maria’s mother lives close and will come watch her children during these workdays -- she’s very grateful for that option! Believe it or not, Maria even finds time to work out! Usually 2 mornings a week she makes time for exercise, and usually with her kids. She enjoys long bike rides or runs. Her son, who’s 3, loves to visit the train tracks, which for Maria adds up to a 4-mile run! She incorporates exercise as part of her day with her children, and we love that. On weeks when her workload is light, she wakes up at 6:00 am and might get an hour workout and an hour of work. Funny AND Adorable Mom Moment Around Christmas, Maria ordered about 100 super cute calendars to send to her corporate clients. She had to package the calendars separately, and ship them out in time for Christmas. So, imagine Maria in a busy, Christmas-time post-office with about 60 packages. Her son kept putting his hands on her face, hugging her, and telling her he loves her. She thought her son’s sweetness was a stark contrast to the cold mood of the post office. There was a sad feeling in the post office, with everyone looking so sad, grumpy, and impatient. Her 3-year-old looked at the line of people on the way out and said loud enough for all of them to hear, “Happy Halloween, everyone!” The mood instantly lightened as everyone laughed and smiled. Isn’t that exactly what people need? A bit of laughter during the stressful holiday season when we *should* be enjoying ourselves. I just loved chatting with Maria, and I hope you came away inspired and excited to make a difference with your business. Stay in Touch with Maria Site: MariaDismondy.comInstagram: @mariadismondybooks Now It’s Your Turn To Head Out There And Be Brilliant!

I think I subconsciously created this Mompreneur Series because of Maria Dismondy.  She’s been a dear friend of mine ever since we were in a mastermind together in 2015.  We’re currently accountability partners, so I have the advantage of having an intimate view of how Maria manages her business and her kids and I always stand in awe.  Of course she has tough times, times when things don’t go according to plan - which we definitely discuss in this interview - but she has created an incredible mompreneur life that I greatly respect!  Maria is a children’s book author, having written 8 books that teach kids character and she’s also owns Cardinal Rule Press, her publishing company.  She speaks to schools both live and in person and overall, runs an incredibly impressive empire “part time” and from her house!   Maria is the mother of 3 kids, Ruby, Leah and Dexter and during this incredible conversation, Maria shares incredible tips on how she manages her time so she can be a full time mom (read: does not have regular childcare) and grow her business in the mornings, during nap times and at night!  Because I know Maria to be a super creative person with a teaching background, she also shares AMAZING ideas on how to plan the time she spends with her kids!  She shares about how she has a “Crafts Closet,” full of goodies that she can take out and use on a whim, how she relies heavily on Pinterest to come up with ideas on fun projects to do and, after the interview, Maria shared with me that she creates seasonal bucket lists with her kids so she doesn’t get into a run or ever run out of fun things to do!  This interview is full of great strategies and ideas on how to get the most out of your mompreneur journey!   Here’s a pic of her Crafts Closet :)   (Jody - add pic here)   Check out more about Maria here → http://MariaDismondy.com   And check out the free gift I have for you!  My Mompreneur Mission Statement - a quick guide to help you state your values are as a mom and an entrepreneur so you can rock your biz! → http://bizwomenrock.com/mms Resources Mentioned:   Homeschool: Crafts for at homehttps://www.pinterest.com/mariadismondy/homeschool/ Spring Board:https://www.pinterest.com/mariadismondy/easter/ Summer Board:https://www.pinterest.com/mariadismondy/summer/