Podcast appearances and mentions of elizabeth spann craig

On today's episode, we selected libraries and librarians for our WWAR subject for this month. Misty reported on the book “Librarians and Larceny” (Book One in the Rebel Librarian Crime Fighter Mystery series by Cyndy Cypress LARCENY! KIDNAPPING! MURDER! OH MY!In the cozy college town of Kootenai Hills, Montana, a beloved librarian goes missing … right under the noses of Rebecca Fulton, the university's newest library coordinator, and Jenn Acosta, a mature grad student and aspiring librarian!And it happened in broad daylight … during homecoming weekend, no less!But that's not the only thing that's disappeared. An important historical manuscript tied to the missing librarian's past, leaves the women wondering just what Rebecca's boss and beloved mentor got himself into.What happened to Professor Clifford Smith?Rebecca and Jenn are determined to find out, but they have a few of their own challenges to work through first - a grumpy police captain being one of them.Do these two polar opposites have what it takes to break away from their quiet, campus-librarian lifestyles and make it as amateur sleuths? Can they save the professor, find the manuscript, and stop those responsible from getting away with the perfect crime? Or will their naivety and inexperience put their lives in danger and land Rebecca behind bars?There's only one way to find out.Welcome to Cascade University, where you'll meet the latest budding female detectives, along with Jenn's uncommonly intelligent canine sidekick, and an eccentric old man who lives in his motorhome.What could possibly go wrong?Enjoy this totally addictive cozy mystery. Tracey then reported on “The Librarian of Crooked Lane” (Book one in the Glass Library series) by C.J. Archer. Librarian Sylvia Ashe knows nothing about her past, having grown up without a father and a mother who refused to discuss him. When she stumbles upon a diary that suggests she's descended from magicians, she's skeptical. After all, magicians are special, and she's just an ordinary girl who loves books. She seeks the truth from a member of the most prominent family of magicians, but she quickly learns that finding the truth won't be easy, especially when he turns out to be as artless as her, and more compelling and dangerous than books.War hero Gabe is gifted with wealth, a loving family, and an incredible amount of luck that saw him survive four harrowing years of a brutal war without injury. But not all injuries are visible. Burying himself in his work as a consultant for Scotland Yard, Gabe is going through the motions as he investigates the theft of a magician-made painting. But his life changes when he unwittingly gets Sylvia dismissed from her job and places her in danger.After securing her new employment in a library housing the world's greatest collection of books about magic, Gabe and Sylvia's lives become intwined as they work together to find both the painting and the truth about Sylvia's past before powerful people can stop them.But sometimes the past is better left buried… Ann then reported on “Checked Out” (Number one in the Village Library Mystery Series) by Elizabeth Spann Craig. There are no renewals when you're permanently checked out. When librarian Ann Beckett finally reluctantly agrees to being set-up on a blind date by one of her over-eager patrons, she figures the worst that could happen would be the two of them wouldn't hit it off. Little did she know that she'd be stood up...because her date was murdered. With help from her patrons, Ann tries to find out who might be responsible in the small town of Whitby before more residents are permanently checked out.

Join me Live for a Coffee Break of One-Word Writer Podcast… hosted by Tish Bouvier, featuring Elizabeth Spann Craig. #onewordwriterpodcast #elizabethspanncraig #cozymystery Elizabeth Spann Craig is the bestselling cozy mystery author of the Southern Quilting mysteries, the Myrtle Clover Cozy Mysteries, the upcoming Village Library Mysteries, and Memphis Barbeque mysteries for Penguin Random House, Midnight Ink, and independently. She lives in Matthews, North Carolina with her husband and is the mother of two. _____________________ Music Provided by Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com Video Available on my Youtube channel https://youtu.be/iHVbSCf31Gg --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/onewordwriterpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/onewordwriterpodcast/support

In our first episode of season six, we bring back past guests Elizabeth Spann Craig, Alexa Whitewolf, Matty Dalrymple, and Daniel Willcocks to ask them what they wish they'd known before they published their first book.

It's no easy feat becoming a best selling author, but in today's episode, Elizabeth Spann Craig proves that with determination anything is possible. We discuss her new book - "A Notion to Murder", part of her Southern Quilting Mystery series (available now on Amazon) along with some of her other novels including "A Dash of Murder" (from the Myrtle Clover Mystery series) and "Frictional Characters" from the Village Library series. A lifelong fan of mystery books (yup, think Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys!) this South Carolina native read just about every mystery novel she could get her hands on from a very early age, and soon realized becoming a writer was the career for her. Over 40 books later, the Penguin-Random House and Midnight Ink author (who has also published many of her books independently) discusses the truth about marketing a book, new writer challenges, dealing with rejection and learning how to 'stick with it' in a highly competitive industry. Bring along a cuppa and join us! 

To kick off season four—and 2022—we've got a juicy one for you! We invited back previous interviewees and asked them what their top launch tip for the year ahead is.Featuring:Sacha BlackDaniel WillcocksTim LewisTerra KellyMatty DalrympleElizabeth Spann CraigShow notes:00.00 – Introductions01.25 – Daniel Willcocks and the perils of putting all your eggs into your first book.05.30 – Tim Lewis and building a community for your book.07.40 – Terra Kelly and creating a conversation.09.25 – Elizabeth Spann Craig and getting into ads.10.30 – Matty Dalrymple and accommodating your own needs.13.30 – Sacha Black and doing your launch your way.16.40 – Kristina's top secret top tip. 

Elizabeth Spann Craig has written more than 40 books. We talk about how she writes two books at the same time (!) and why she gave up traditional publishing to become an indie author. Listen in to this episode of the Indie Book Talk podcast to hear all about it. Then go check out her website for tons of writer resources. Website: ElisabethSpannCraig.com

Cosy mystery author Elizabeth Spann Craig is a library-loving, avid mystery reader. A pet-owning Southerner, her four series are full of cats, corgis, and cheese grits. The mother of two, she lives with her husband, a fun-loving corgi, and a shy fluffball of a cat.We spoke with Elizabeth about her history as a traditionally published author with Penguin, her transition to indie publishing, and her writing process.You'll learn:The differences (and similarities) between traditional and independent publishingAbout traditional publishing marketing modelsHow much traditionally published authors makeThe reasons Elizabeth switched to indie publishingWhy it's important to work with the right team, regardless of how you publishWhat it's like to write multiple long-running seriesJoin our free Facebook groupSupport us on PatreonShow notes:00.24 - Introductions03.30 - Personal Updates12.40 - Interview with Elizabeth Spann Craig13.31 - Why go from traditional publishing to indie publishing?18.30 - What would you say to someone who can't decide whether to go indie or trad?21.45 - What are the biggest changes when moving to indie publishing?25.15 - How does the marketing process differ between traditional publishing compared to indie publishing?29.35 - What are the pros and cons of traditional publishing?34.22 - How has Elizabeth's writing changed over time?41.15 - What's it like writing a really long series?47.55 - Why publish some books under a pen name?56.00 - Is it worth creating an author blog?1.00.40 - Which book changed Elizabeth's life?1.02.45 - Where can we find out more about Elizabeth?Read Elizabeth's Myrtle Clover Mysteries:Amazon US *Amazon UK *Apple Books *Read the Memphis Barbecue series:Amazon US *Amazon UK *Apple Books *Read Elizabeth's zombie book, Race to Refuge:Amazon US *Amazon UK *Apple Books *Download What Happens in New York:Amazon US *Amazon UK *Apple Books *Read Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None:Amazon US *Amazon UK *About Agatha Christie's disappearance on BuzzFeed Unsolved.*Affiliate link. It won't cost you any extra to purchase through one of our links, but we will get a small commission for every purchase.

In this episode, I discuss: 1:00 Announcements: Thanks to everyone who attended the Writing Power Hour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqXovG9feBY Next Writing Power Hour is Saturday, February 6 at 10AM Central Time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EVG6JApUDo 1:50 Wins for the Week: My newest novel is officially in post-production. 3:00 Lesson Learned This Week: Clever dictation hack. 7:10 Idea of the Week: Intelligent curation of self-publishing news and events. 13:14 Topic(s) of the Week: What I've been focusing on after finishing my 30th novel, and how I find that I'm “addicted” to progress, which can sometimes be unhealthy. Check out the Writer's Knowledge Base by Elizabeth Spann Craig: https://hiveword.com/wkb/search You can listen to past episodes of the show at http://www.michaellaronn.com/podcast Listen to my other podcast, Writing Tip of the Day: http://www.authorlevelup.com Learn more about me and my books at http://www.michaellaronn.com My YouTube Channel for Writers: http://www.youtube.com/authorlevelup Also, join my (Fiction) Fan Club to get 3 free novels, early launch pricing, and notifications whenever I release a new book: http://www.michaellaronn.com/fanclub If you like the show, don't forget to rate and leave a review!

Synopsis My main goal here is to share with you how I create my book promo videos so that you can see the basic steps involved. With a little bit of research, some patience, some practice, and persistence, you should be able to make your own book promo video without too much hassle. Now get ready, because here is a quick run-down of the 4 main steps I follow in order to make my basic 1-minute book promo videos. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn the 4 basic steps to create a simple book promo video for your own book. 2. You will learn exactly how I do it for the books that my wife and I self-publish. 3. You will learn which software I use, and where I post the completed video. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of the BookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his website Carnival Of The Indies #115 Introduction My main goal here is to share with you how I create my book promo videos so that you can see the basic steps involved. For my own sanity, I try to keep the process as simple as possible. My goal is always to take a complicated process, make it as simple as possible, and still produce a quality product. And, with patience and practice, each time I produce one of these little videos, I'll get a little bit better at it. And hopefully, sell a few more books in the process. Thank you to best-selling author Elizabeth Spann Craig for sharing and linking to my post. Here is a quick run-down of the 4 main steps I follow in order to make my basic 1-minute book promo videos: Step # 1. Create a PowerPoint deck Step # 2. Export deck to .jpeg Step # 3. Import .jpeg's to iMovie Step # 4. Convert iMovie to mp4 Done. Here is a list of the software programs that I utilize to produce my promo videos: 1. Microsoft PowerPoint for Mac, ver. 16 2. Apple iMovie, ver. 10 3. Adobe Illustrator 2020 4. Adobe Photoshop 2020 Google Alerts for Joel Friedlander's Carnival of the Indies #115 Software Notes: a. Microsoft PowerPoint I bought as a package of an entire suite of Microsoft products called Microsoft Office 365 Home, which has an annual fee to use. b. Apple iMovie is a free download from the Mac App Store. c. The Adobe programs are part of Adobe Creative Cloud which I pay a monthly fee to use. I upload my videos to the following websites: (For this book, it's to my wife's pages) Website # 1. My YouTube page Website # 2. My book's webpage (on the book's main page, and on the Media Kit page for that book) Website # 3. My Twitter page Website # 4. My Facebook page Here is a more detailed look at the steps that I follow to create my promo videos: Step # 1. Create slide presentation in PowerPoint The general rule for making PowerPoint slides is to keep them simple, short, and to the point. ACLS QA book PowerPoint screen shot Step # 2. Add a .jpeg picture of your book's cover, and your headshot Make sure they are clear, easy to see and read, high quality photos. Step # 3. Add text to each slide Again, don't overdo it. Keep is simple, with lots of white space. Step # 4. Save as a PowerPoint presentation .pptx This will complete step 1. Step # 5. Export slides as .jpeg Save them in the same folder as the PowerPoint deck/presentation that you just made. “A successful and profitable non-fiction book promo video must be honest, sincere, short, simple, clean, easy to understand, see, and read, and not pushy or aggressive – a wise strategy to use in all of your book marketing.” (Tweet) Step # 6. Import/drag/drop all of those .jpeg slides into new iMovie Create a new movie, and drag and drop all of those .jpeg slides you just made into the movie timeline. Step # 7. Drag/drop music/audio onto the timeline iMovie has a small library of music already included. You simple choose which one you like, and drag and drop it onto the movie timeline. And then adjust the length of the music to fit the length of the video.

Solo episode where Etta ponders resources for staying cozy. Take care during the crisis everyone-- Thinking of you!Blogs:Chicks on the Case: https://chicksonthecase.com/Jungle Red Writers: http://www.jungleredwriters.com/Searching for a cozy? Try Cozy-Mystery.com Lisa K Book Reviews: http://lisaksbookthoughts.blogspot.com/Author Websites:Ellen Jacobson: https://ellenjacobsonauthor.com/Elizabeth Spann Craig: https://elizabethspanncraig.com/Joanne Fluke: https://joannefluke.com/Podcasts:The Cozy Sleuth: https://anchor.fm/leanna-shieldsAll things cozy: http://allthingscozy.libsyn.com/website See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

HOW TO MAKE TIME TO WRITE Write Your Best Book, Episode 10   Maybe you’re lucky, and you’re retired with tons of free time on your hands to write. But if you’re like most writers, that’s not the case. You have young kids or a job or both...

HOW TO MAKE TIME TO WRITE Write Your Best Book, Episode 10   Maybe you’re lucky, and you’re retired with tons of free time on your hands to write. But if you’re like most writers, that’s not the case. You have young kids or a job or both and you struggle with juggling all the things AND finding time to write. That’s exactly why I thought up this episode topic and brought on this week’s guest host, Elizabeth Spann Craig (a prolific best-selling cozy mystery writer), to talk about how to make time to write in your super busy life.   In this episode, we will: Learn tips and tricks on how to make time for writing Learn the excuses we give ourselves for not making time to write Learn how you can still find time to write, even with a full-time job and kids Learn how to make you and your writing a priority   Hosts & Guests Host – Christina Kaye Guest Host – Elizabeth Spann Craig   To Connect with Elizabeth Spann Craig http://elizabethspanncraig.com/blog   Jane’s Twitter: @elizabethscraig   Book Plug of the Week – SOFTLY AND TENDERLY by Lisa Binion https://amzn.to/2O2oUyK   To Contact Christina Kaye: www.topshelfedits.com info@topshelfedits.com   For a Consultation with Christina Kaye https://calendly.com/topshelfediting/author-consultation   To Follow Christina Kaye https://www.facebook.com/topshelfeditingllc https://twitter.com/topshelfedits https://www.instagram.com/topshelfediting/   To Join Creative Authors Network https://www.facebook.com/groups/creativeauthorsnetwork/  

HOW TO MAKE TIME TO WRITE Episode 9 – Show Notes   Have you just written a book? Or are you in the process of writing a book? Not sure whether you want to self-publish or go the traditional route? This is the episode for you! In Episode 5, I sit down with none other than THE Jane Friedman to discuss the different options available to authors when it comes to publishing their novel and what each option means.     In this episode, we will: Learn all about Jane Friedman and all she has to offer authors Learn the different ways to publish your novel Learn how self-publishing is a booming industry Learn how to decide which is the best route for you to take   Hosts & Guests Host – Christina Kaye Guest Host – Elizabeth Spann Craig   To Connect with Elizabeth Spann Craig http://elizabethspanncraig.com/blog   Jane’s Twitter: @elizabethscraig   Book Plug of the Week – HEY, SUNSHINE by Tia Giacaolone https://amzn.to/37nUZc0   To Contact Christina Kaye: www.topshelfedits.com info@topshelfedits.com   For a Consultation with Christina Kaye https://calendly.com/topshelfediting/author-consultation   To Follow Christina Kaye https://www.facebook.com/topshelfeditingllc https://twitter.com/topshelfedits https://www.instagram.com/topshelfediting/   To Join Creative Authors Network https://www.facebook.com/groups/creativeauthorsnetwork/  

Synopsis Sincerity is extremely important to all of us because it helps to build trust with each other. And trust is one of the fundamental building blocks to developing a lasting and rewarding relationship. It's especially important for non-fiction writers to display sincerity with their words. Readers can sense this, and will reward writers that they trust by following them, reading their articles, and buying their books. Here is a short discussion on the importance of writing with sincerity. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You'll learn why sincerity is important to non-fiction writing. 2. You'll learn how to define and understand sincerity. 3. You'll learn about the important connection between sincerity and tone in your writing. Introduction Sincerity is extremely important to all of us because it helps to build trust with each other. And trust is one of the fundamental building blocks to developing a lasting and rewarding relationship. It's especially important for non-fiction writers to display sincerity with their words. Sincerity, honesty, and respect for the subject matter and for the reader are essential in order to build up a tribe of followers, readers, and buyers. Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to TheBusinessOfSelfPublishing.com with this graphic. One of the main ways non-fiction writers display sincerity is by being transparent, straightforward, and honest with their readers. Readers can very quickly sense this and will reward writers that they trust by following them, reading their articles, and buying their books. Your writing voice, and the connection you make with your reader, is heavily influenced by your sincerity for the subject matter, your sincerity in your desire to help the reader, and the tone that you use when you write. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to my blog post from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #113 Here are three terms that you must understand in order to write with sincerity: Term # 1. Writing voice: this refers to when your writing reflects your personality - your individual characteristics - your readers start to understand and connect with you on an emotional level. The tone that you use in your writing helps to reveal to your readers how you feel about the topic you are writing about. Thank you to best-selling author Elizabeth Spann Craig for sharing and linking to my post. Term # 2. Sincerity: this means having no pretense, deceit, or hypocrisy. Being honest, genuine, truthful, open, transparent, and candid, for example. Sincerity should never be faked or feigned because, in order for your readers to believe what you're writing about, they must truly believe that you're being honest with them. “Sincerity is one of the fundamental building blocks to developing trust between you the writer, and your readers.” (Tweet) In order to write with sincerity, you must first have respect for yourself, then respect for the subject matter, and more importantly, the reader. Readers, especially today, can detect phony-baloney (aka hypocrisy – sorry I couldn't resist - I've never written that word in a sentence, and it's such a fun word) a mile away. Once you lose the reader's respect, they'll never come back to you to read your articles, or buy your books, ever again. Term # 3. Tone: this refers to your attitude, such as formal, informal, ironic, serious, sophisticated, comedic, sarcastic, sad, dark, or cheerful, for example. The tone reflects your attitude toward your subject matter, AND your attitude toward the reader, and will greatly influence how your readers interpret your message. Conclusion Sincerity is one of the fundamental building blocks to developing trust between you the writer, and your readers. One of the main ways non-fiction writers display sincerity is by being transparent, straightforward, and honest with their readers.

Welcome to Write Through The Roof, the podcast for writers who want to improve their craft. Episode 45 with Elizabeth Spann Craig – cosy mystery writer & writing tip gatherer “Don’t discount the elderly.” Episode 45 – Elizabeth Spann Craig – Show Notes Started off as a pantser Understanding your genre’s patterns Muscle memory after […] The post #45 – Elizabeth Spann Craig – Write Through The Roof appeared first on .

Ask Win is a podcast where you are a VIP. Win wants to focus and teach people more and Cerebral Palsy. You’re welcome to ask questions about anything that you want. CP questions but mainly life questions on how to deal with CP or not. Win can ask you base questions if you want. Please let us know or there will be no base questions. If you have any questions for Win please email her at askingwkelly@gmail.com. In 2018 let be open and honest on Ask Win. To learn more about Ask Win visit http://askwin.weebly.com.  Be sure to FOLLOW this program https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/wins-women-of-wisdom/id1060801905. To learn how Win walk and about Ekso go to http://www.bridgingbionics.org/, or email Amanda Boxtel at amanda@bridgingbionics.org.    On Ask Win today (Wednesday, March 28, 2018), Best-Selling Author, Win C welcomes Elizabeth Spann Craig. Elizabeth is the bestselling cozy mystery author of the Southern Quilting mysteries, Memphis Barbeque mysteries, and Myrtle Clover Cozy Mysteries for Penguin Random House, Midnight Ink, and independently.  Follow her on Twitter where she shares writing links @elizabethscraig or at her blog where she offers tips for writers: http://elizabethspanncraig.com/blog/ . To learn more about Win Kelly Charles visit http://wincharles.weebly.com/. To follow Win on Twitter go to @winkellycharles. To follow Win on Instagram go to winkcharles. To follow Win on Snapchat go to Wcharles422. To follow Win on Snapchat go to Wcharles422. To see Win's art go to https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/2-win-charles.html. Interview with Mel Marton: http://traffic.libsyn.com/winwisdom/LAF3494_08172017150526412_1189015.mp3. "Books for Books," you buy Win's books so she can purchase books for school. "Getting through school is a 'win' for her fans and a 'win' for her." Win is a professional writer and in 2018 she is going to get a new MacBook to write her books and do the podcast. With every book she sells and the donations from Ask Win will go to her new MacBook. Please support her in getting her new MacBook. Win Kelly Charles’ book “She is CP” will get to the New York Times somehow and to help her either by voting or send her good vibe. Please vote at https://soopllc.com/blog/book-ideas/cp-win-charles/. Please send feedback to Win by email her at winwwow@gmail.com, or go to http://survey.libsyn.com/winwisdom and http://survey.libsyn.com/thebutterfly. To be on the show please fill out the intake at https://goo.gl/forms/aS4L6FuHyDSUhvrj2. Ask Win is sponsor by The Teeki Ambassador Program: http://mbsy.co/teeki/35149532. Superwomen Secrets Revealed: Successful Women Talk About Fitting in Fitness and Dare You to Join Them on Amazon http://amzn.to/2gImve5. :) I have a Facebook page for the book http://facebook.com/SuperwomenSecretsRevealed Instagram http://instagram.com/SuperwomenSecretsRevealed and book page on the website: http://FitArmadillo.com/books. If you want to check out what Win’s friend, Dannidoll, is doing (a.k.a. Dannielle) go to https://www.facebook.com/dannidolltheragdollclown/?notif_t=page_invite_accepted¬if_id=1492366163404241. To learn more about Danielle visit http://www.dancanshred.com. For iOS 11 update: https://www.youtube.com/embed/HNupFUYqcRY. To learn about the magic of Siri go to https://www.udemy.com/writing-a-book-using-siri/?utm_campaign=email&utm_source=sendgrid.com&utm_medium=email. If you want to donate Ask Win, please send a PayPal donation to aspenrosearts@gmail.com or aspenwin@gmail.com. Please donate to the Bridging Bionics Foundation. Please send a check in the mail so 100% goes to Bridging Bionics Foundation.    In the Memo section have people write: In honor of Win Charles. Thank you in advance, Win.   Send to:   Bridging Bionics Foundation  PO Box 3767 Basalt, CO 81621   Thank you Win

Elizabeth Craig has the cozy mystery market almost cornered, with three different series and more books to come. On this podcast episode we talk about her Myrtle Clover cozy mysteries, her Southern Quilting cozy mysteries, and her Memphis Barbeque cozy mysteries. We even touch briefly on her post-apocolyptic zombie novel. ;-) Elizabeth is a prolific writer who has produced over 20 books in the last 7 years or so. I'm sure you'll find several great new books to read after you hear her talk about her writing inspiration and research, which included a trip to Memphis. Lucky her! In the introduction I mention that previous It's a Mystery Podcast guest, Matty Dalrymple, is celebrating the release of the audiobook for her mystery/suspense novel Rock Paper Scissors. (If you haven't already done so, you can hear Matty and I talk about this book on Episode 36.) Matty is sponsoring a giveaway for promo codes for the new audiobook. If you'd like an opportunity to win a promo code for a copy of the audiobook, send an email to info (at) alexandraamor (dot) com with the word 'Audiobook' in the subject line. I'll be making the draw on Thursday, January 11, 2018. Send your email in by midnight, January 10, Pacific time, and you'll be in the draw. I'll make an announcement on the show on Monday, January 15 about the winners. This episode of It's a Mystery Podcast is brought to you by the brand new Town Called Horse short mystery, A One Horse Open Sleigh. "With winter darkness and cold setting in, will schoolteacher Julia Thom, and her good friends, Constable Merrick and Walt Sheehan, be able to find a missing toddler before it's too late?" Readers who subscribe to my newsletter received this brand new mystery for free on Christmas Eve, and they'll receive a new Town Called Horse short mystery each month in 2018. If you're not on the newsletter list, what are you waiting for? Sign up here. You can find out more about today's guest, Elizabeth Craig, and all her books on her website ElizabethSpannCraig.com. You can also find her on Twitter @elizabethscraig. Links and resources mentioned in this episode Click on any of the book covers to go to Elizabeth's books on Amazon Interview with Elizabeth from 2011 on The Creative Penn podcast Elizabeth's article on Outlining a Cozy Mystery Press play (above) to listen to the show, or read the transcript below. Remember you can also subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts. And listen on Stitcher. You can also click here to watch the interview on YouTube. Transcription of Interview with Elizabeth Craig Alexandra: Hi, mystery readers. I'm Alexandra Amor. This is "It's a Mystery" podcast, and I'm here today with Elizabeth Spann Craig. Hi, Elizabeth. Elizabeth: Hi, how are you? Alexandra: Very well. How are you? Elizabeth: Great. Thank you. Alexandra: Good. Well, let me give our listeners a little introduction to you. Elizabeth Spann Craig is the best selling Cozy Mystery Author of the "Southern Quilting" mysteries, the "Memphis Barbeque" mysteries and the Myrtle "Clover Cozy" mysteries. Her blog has been recognized for several years by Writer's Digest as one of their 101 Best websites for writers. Elizabeth lives in North Carolina with her family, two cats and an energetic corgi puppy. And I wanna come back to the corgi puppy in a second. Elizabeth: He's a mess. Alexandra: Before we started recording, we talked about how what I'd like to do is sort of do an overview of all three of your series. So let's do that first. And let's start with Myrtle Clover. So she's in her 80s, she's a retired school teacher and I read in one of the descriptions that you described as having a venomous tongue. Elizabeth: Yes. Alexandra: Tell us a little bit more about Myrtle. Elizabeth: Myrtle I mean, she is...I love to write Myrtle. It's so much fun. It's a little tricky because I feel like she has some unlikabl...

Synopsis A sell sheet is a one-sheet flyer that gives some detailed information about a book and its author. Here is a short discussion of what a sell sheet is and is not, how to use it, and what information it should include. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. Learn how a sell sheet is defined, and how it compares to a press release. 2. Learn what the basic items are that must be included in a proper sell sheet. 3. Learn how to market your book with a sell sheet. Introduction What Is A Sell Sheet? A sell sheet (sometimes called a “one-sheet” or a “tip-sheet”) is a one-sheet flyer that gives some detailed information about a book and its author. The major point of a sell sheet is to convey your book's benefits in a short and concise manner. It's used to help you market your book directly to book buyers. It's typically used to promote and sell your book to retailers, wholesalers, and even consumers. The sell sheet should always be included in your book's media kit so that news outlets, book reviewers, and bookstores can have quick access to specific details about your book and your marketing plans. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #76How Does A Press Release Compare To A Sell Sheet? A press release and a sell sheet are two different marketing tools. A press release focuses on the news that you or your book is making. The press release is a way to share news-worthy information and is saying, “Hey, look at me, I have some news-worthy information to share with you.” Conversely, a sell sheet is more of an announcement that your book is out and available. The sell sheet is saying, “Hey, look at me, I have published a new book and I want you to buy it. Here is all the information that you need to know before buying my book.” Thank you to Elizabeth Spann Craig for sharing and linking to my post "Sell Sheets: A Guide For New Self-Publishers."What Must A Sell Sheet Include? • Picture/Image: A high-resolution picture or image of your book • Description: A short, but enticing, description about your book • Title: The full title, including the sub-title • Author Name: Your name here, as it appears on your cover, or website • Author Photograph: If you have enough room, include a photo • Co-Author Name: You guessed it, the co-author's name • Foreword Author: This person typically has a name bigger than your own, so if this is true, include it Sell Sheet Example• Category: List the shelving category (BISG category heading), or subject of your book • ISBN 13: The standard book number assigned to your book • Format: Trade paperback, hardcover, pdf, mobi • Publication Date: The date your book will be available for purchase • Pages: The number of pages of your book • Price: The cover price • Trim: The dimensions of your book (5.5”x8.5”, 8.5”x11”, 6”x9”) • Available from: Ingram, B&T, Amazon, for example • Marketing Plans: Targeted internet advertising; direct mail and email marketing; co-operative catalogs and trade show exhibits; social media marketing; video marketing • Quotes/Testimonials/Blurbs: This is important, especially if you have great ones to use • Call-To-Action: A statement such as “Visit MyBooksWebsiteDotCom for more info.” Thank you very much to book publishing expert and author Dr. Judith Briles, of TheBookShepherd.com, for sharing my blog post. Conclusion How Do You Market Your Book Using A Sell Sheet? When designed properly, the sell sheet will be like having a shortened version of your book's webpage. You must use your sell sheet to communicate as many useful and informative details as you can about your book – but without overdoing it. “Sell sheets should communicate as much useful and informative detail as possible – without overdoing it.” (Tweet) Be sure to put a call-to-action that asks the book buyer to call a phone number, or visit your website,

Synopsis An effective call-to-action is the linchpin of a successful sell sheet. If it's done right it can help generate greater book sales. The sell sheet's call-to-action will play a pivotal role in making this happen. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn four ways to create a better call-to-action that will improve your response rate. 2. You will learn how to strategically place your CTA for a better response rate. 3. You will learn how and why being aggressive and overselling can hurt your response rate. Introduction Any sell sheet without an effective call-to-action (CTAs) is missing out on a huge marketing opportunity. These simple yet targeted instructions to the reader are directly responsible for encouraging your audience to take the next step toward becoming a buyer of your book. Without an effective call-to-action, your sell sheet will amount to little more than an unprofitable writing exercise. Here are some tips that I have developed from my self-publishing experiences that will help you improve the response rate of your sell sheet: Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #74 Tip #1: Place it strategically Put your call-to-action statement in the appropriate place on your sell sheet. On a book's sell sheet, the CTA will typically be included within the section of the publisher's company information, and near the physical details of the book. It might be included in a list of items, or in a separate text box, or simply lined-up on the bottom of the page. It could be a short statement, or a button, or a graphic. Thank you to best-selling author Elizabeth Spann Craig for sharing and linking to my post. Tip #2: Keep it short, simple, and actionable It doesn't need to be long or complicated. And keep it as simple as possible. Your readers don't have time to be wasting trying to figure out what to do to get more information about your book. On the printed version of your sell sheet, make sure that the links are short and easy to follow, and not long or complicated. On the PDF version of your sell sheet, make sure that all of the links are live and clickable. Linkedin - 4 Tips To Writing Better Calls-To-Action Tip #3: Don't just send them to your webpage On my sell sheets, I simply tell them that my books are available from “B&T” and “Ingram”. Every book buyer at every library, university bookstore, and library, and every bookstore retailer knows exactly what this means, and within minutes can order my books. I also list “Amazon” so that the general public can get more information and buy my books within a few minutes. I also offer an email address for more information, as well as my publisher's website address. All very direct, simple, and effective. Meltwater.com - 4 Tips To Writing A Better Call To Action. Thank you to the team at Meltwater.com for posting and sharing my article. Tip #4: Don't oversell Don't appear too aggressive about asking for the sale. You don't want to scare them away. They already know you want to sell your book to them. Instead, your sell sheet should be trying to convince the book buyer that you have a great product that they can benefit from. “A sell sheet without an effective 'call-to-action' is missing out on a huge marketing opportunity.” (Tweet) You can accomplish this by making your sell sheet professional looking and polished, have a great book description, include specific details about your book, show a connection to major book distributors, and give an easy and simple way to get more information and buy your book. Thank you to best-selling author Elizabeth Spann Craig for sharing and linking to my post. Conclusion An effective call-to-action is the linchpin of a successful sell sheet. If it's done right it can help generate greater book sales. Getting the reader interested enough in your book,

Synopsis If your book's description does not grab the reader by the collar, and quickly convince them that you have the answers that they are looking for, you are going to lose them. This short list of tips can improve how you write your book's description - and increase your sales. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn nine ways to write a better book description that will improve your sales. 2. You will learn how important it is for your book's success to grab the reader and hold on. 3. You will learn how addressing the reader's needs, and making an emotional connection, and sincerity, all work together to make your book's description a powerful marketing tool. Introduction If your book's description doesn't grab the reader by the collar and quickly convince them that you have the answers that they're looking for, you're going to lose them. In a matter of seconds, they'll move on to the next book and continue searching for answers. I discovered this very early on in my quest to become a successful self-publisher. So, to deal with this, I have developed a shortlist of tips that can improve how you write your book's description - and hopefully help increase your sales: Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #73Tip #1. Develop an introduction that will grab the reader's attention You wrote your entire book for a particular audience in mind. You should already know exactly what you need to say to grab their attention. Try to grab them in the first sentence. This introduction is the hook. And once you hook them, they will be more willing to keep reading. Tip #2. Keep it on the short side If your book description is too long, you risk losing the reader. Get right to the point. As a general rule, you should easily be able to write a very good book description within 100 to 150 words. Linkedin - 9 Tips On Writing A Great Book DescriptionTip #3. Make an emotional connection Making an emotional connection with the reader is essential if you expect the reader to like you and want to read more of what you have to say. Tip #4. Don't oversell by using insincere superlatives All hyperbole that you use must be backed up with real proof. Without believable proof, your reader will very quickly lose all trust in you and your book. Readers can spot insincerity a mile away, and won't tolerate it. “If your BOOK'S DESCRIPTION doesn't quickly grab and hold the reader, you are going to lose them.” (Tweet) Tip #5. Write it in the third person, present tense Whether you are the book's author or publisher, you should write the book's description in the third person and in the present tense. This will make the book description much more believable. Tip #6. Use a quote or testimonial from a third party Testimonials are a very powerful marketing tool, especially if it's from a well-known or very accomplished person. Tip #7. Explain how the reader will benefit from your book What are the most important things the reader will learn from your book? How will the reader personally benefit from reading your book? They want specific and realistic details here. Thank you to Elizabeth Spann Craig for sharing and linking to two of my posts "4 Tips To Writing Better Calls-To-Action;" and "9 Tips On Writing A Great Description For A Non-Fiction Book"Tip #8. How will your book help them solve their problems? The answer to this question is crucial to getting the reader to buy your book. This answer is the main reason that the book buyer is looking at your book in the first place. You must explain in detail how your book will help them with their problems. Tip #9. Add a short call-to-action Subtly ask readers to buy your book, in a non-aggressive way. Ask them to visit your blog to download some free information, or ebook, or free chapter, for example, or your Amazon Author page for more information.

Synopsis Getting a “big-name” to write the foreword for your book is a great way to jump-start bigger sales and get positive publicity for your book. If you're an unknown author, getting a notable leader in your field to write your foreword is essential if you want to get readers to take a chance on you and buy your book. Having your name associated with a VIP will greatly enhance your credibility within your industry and with your readers. Here's a quick introduction to get you started. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn how and why getting a VIP to write your book's foreword will jump-start your sales. 2. You will learn how to explain to the VIP that writing your foreword is a win-win for you and the VIP. 3. You will learn how and why a foreword is similar to a recommendation about you and your book. A Quick Introduction To Getting A VIP To Write Your Foreword Introduction Getting a notable VIP, industry guru, or celebrity to write the foreword for your book is a great way to jump-start bigger sales and get positive publicity for your book. If you're an unknown author, getting a notable leader in your field to write your foreword is essential if you want to get readers to take a chance on you and buy your book. Having your name associated with a VIP will greatly enhance your credibility within your industry and with your readers. Thank you to author Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article. It's A Win-Win Forewords give the VIP another place to demonstrate their skills and knowledge and an opportunity to connect with your audience in a deeper way - a great selling point to consider when you ask someone to write your foreword. You get a foreword for your book that will help improve your sales, and the foreword author gets additional exposure and credibility for their own name. It's a win-win situation for the book's author and the foreword's author. In addition, you should discuss who the market is that your book is addressing so that the VIP that you have chosen to write your foreword can readily see that you are marketing your book to a similar audience that they serve. Doing this allows them to see the advantages of having their name visible to your network of readers. Also, your network, and your demographic, might not have had any previous exposure to this VIP. This could be a chance for them to pick up a new group of readers for them too. Thank you to Rochelle Stone for posting this article on her blog BarefootBasics.com/. It's A Glorified Recommendation The process of getting a foreword written is about the same as with endorsements, but instead of a few sentences like in a short endorsement or blurb, the VIP writes what amounts to a glorified recommendation letter to the reader – which becomes the foreword. It can be as short as several paragraphs or as long as a few pages, and gives, in greater detail, the reasons why the VIP recommends you and your book. Thank you to Elizabeth Spann Craig for sharing and linking to my two posts "10 Low-Cost Ways To Market Your Book"; and, "Getting A Big-Name To Write Your Book's Foreword." What's In It For Them? One thing to remember is that you should not be selling the VIP on the greatness of your book. You need to sell them on their own value as a potential endorser of your book. In other words, don't start off by saying how great your book is, start by saying why you admire their opinion and why it's important for you to have it. “Getting a “big-name” to write the foreword for your book is a great way to jump-start bigger sales and get positive publicity for your book.”(Tweet) Also share your reasons for writing the book, why you chose this topic, and who the market your book is benefiting from. And then they can readily see that you are marketing to a similar audience that they already serve, or want to serve. Doing this allows them to see the advantages of having their name visible ...

Synopsis There's a learning curve to successful blogging. And it'll take several months to fully learn most aspects of blogging and how to do it successfully. But the benefits that you and your business might gain can be enormous. Here are ten essential basic steps that you must heed in order to properly set up your blog. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn the most important and essential steps to setting up your blog. 2. You will learn very specific tips to make your blog look professional. 3. You will learn how and why these steps can help get your readers to appreciate and trust your blog. Introduction It's absolutely essential that you get your blog up and running as quickly as possible. As soon as you realize what specific topic, or niche, that you want to write about - start writing. This will help you build up a body of work that shows the world that you are an expert in your niche. But if you already have expertise in a particular topic, and have built up a body of work that you have previously written, you need to break that work down into a format that is blog-friendly. Here are ten essential basic steps that you must follow in order to properly set-up your blog and quickly get it running smoothly: Thank you to author Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article. Step # 1. Open A WordPress Blog As a beginner, you should go directly to WordPress. Do not waste your time on any of the other blogging websites. This one is by far considered the best and most user-friendly one that is available. It's very simple to use, and has many free add-ons, called widgets, are available. Most bloggers use this site, so there is plenty of help and advice available on the internet. But basically, WordPress.org gives you total control of your blog. WordPress.com is hosted by WordPress and you have less control. But do a search to learn more about the differences and the costs involved. Step # 2. Write Your Profile And Add A Headshot You must put a lot of thought into creating your profile. Start by using your LinkedIn profile to help you write this. Give some specific information about yourself, but DO NOT exaggerate. And DO NOT oversell yourself by being boastful or arrogant. Write several sentences giving the essential, but relevant, information that a reader might need to determine that you have the relevant experience to be writing about your blog's topic. Include a nice photograph of your face. B2C - Business 2 Community Website - 10 Basic Steps To Setting Up Your Blog Step # 3. Write Your Blog Posts Your blog posts can be written about anything that you want to write about. Some will be written like a formal essay. Some will be a one-paragraph quick tip. But always remember, that each post must support your niche. Any information that you post on your blog must benefit your readers and your followers. Write your posts in an appropriate and respectful style. Do not exaggerate, or talk down to the readers, or talk over their heads. Write to them in a way that shows you have respect for the subject matter, and for the readers. I don't care if you're a big-university intellectual or a wealthy big-shot celebrity. Your job as a blogger is to help the readers by sharing your expertise and experiences in a particular topic. They won't mind you tooting your own horn once in a while. But helping the readers should be the main reason you have a blog in the first place. Your personal need to show the world that you're an expert should come second. Remembering this is the key to producing a great blog. Thank you to Elizabeth Spann Craig for sharing and linking to my post "10 Basic Steps To Setting-Up Your Blog." Step # 4. Keep Your Posts Short A typical everyday post should generally be at least 400 words, and typically not more than 2,000 words. Each post should be about one specific topic. If your article is longer than this,

Click here to download this PDF ebook               Synopsis Whether you're about to self-publish your first book, or start a micro-niche publishing company, you need to have a business plan in place. A business plan will give you a basic roadmap for your new business. An easy and quick way to do this is to create a one-page business plan. So, here is a list of five questions that you must ask yourself before writing your one-page business plan. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn the basic questions that you must ask yourself before you write your plan. 2. You will learn how to determine exactly what micro-niche you should pursue, and why. 3. You will learn how and why these questions will help you create a successful book. Introduction Whether you're about to self-publish your first book or start a micro-niche publishing company, you need to have a business plan in place. A business plan will give you a basic roadmap for your new business. An easy and quick way to do this is to create a one-page business plan. This will let you quickly clarify your own thinking about your new business. This short, one-page plan, can also be used as an outline for a longer more in-depth plan. With some research, you should be able to complete this one-page plan in under one week. So, here is a list of five questions that you must ask yourself before writing your one-page business plan: Kindle Nation Daily - Writing A One-Page Business Plan Question 1. WHY do you want to self-publish? Your answer can't only be about the money. It needs something more than that. It also needs to be short, very specific, and very personal. Examples: a. “I want to write a book that will help new nurses be more productive, more effective, and more marketable in today's tight job market.” b. “I want to write small-business management books so that I can share my knowledge and expertise with others that would like to start their own small business. I gained this knowledge and experience over the last 35 years while starting and managing my own successful small business.” c. “I want to write and self-publish a book to give myself more credibility in the eyes of my peers.” Thank you to Elizabeth Spann Craig for sharing and linking to my post "Writing A One-Page Business Plan: 5 Questions A Self-Publisher Must Ask." Question 2. WHAT will you write about? Explain it in one sentence, in very specific detail. You must understand what your writing niche, or specialty, will be. Examples: a. “I will write and publish books about all aspects of self-publishing for people who have not written a book before.” b. “I'll write a how-to book for experienced nurses who want to advance to become part of nursing management in a hospital.” c. “I'll write a how-to guide for new parents who are raising a deaf child.” Good to know info! "Writing A One-Page Business Plan" https://t.co/mXbTXIs89O via @jckunzjr #marketing— Chris Kennedy (@ChrisKennedy110) August 7, 2016 Question 3. WHO is your market? You must narrow this down to a very specific group of people. Your answer cannot be “everybody and anybody”. You must know exactly who buys your type of book. You only have a limited amount of time and money for marketing and promotion. You must target your best efforts at those who are most likely to buy your book. Keep your answer down to a few tight sentences. Example: a. “The market for my book is American nursing students that are in nursing school, or have just graduated as RN's with an AS or BS degree in nursing and are searching for their first job. They are almost exclusively females between 20 and 26 years of age. Half of them like to read a paperback copy of a book; the other half like to read the ebook version. They are very worried about getting a job after graduation because the nursing shortage has ended.” B2C - Business 2 Community.com - Writing A One-Page Business Plan Question 4.

Elizabeth Spann Craig joins us to talk pre-orders in this episode of The Author Biz. (Please note – this episode is also available as a video. You can listen to the intro in the audio version and watch the interview by clicking the video play button.) Will readers respond if you offer your latest book […] The post TAB076 Pre-Orders: Are they Always A Good Idea? appeared first on .

Ep#21: Orna Ross chats with mystery writer Elizabeth Spann Craig to discover how she’s using Wattpad to expand her reader demographic. If you’re looking for an uncomplicated and free way of reaching more readers, Wattpad could be the option you’re looking for. This month’s ALLi Insights event was full of information and inspiration about why and how you can leverage your existing content to reach a broader audience. Here’s Wattpad Insights to whet your appetite: Wattpad users are very mobile savvy and skew towards a younger demographic. Authors don’t have to write serially, they just need to publish serially. The Wattpad mobile app for free, and a Wattpad account is also free. Set a consistent publishing schedule for your chapter releases. If you already have a free book, it makes sense to leverage it on Wattpad. Use it as a funnel to your other books. At the end of each Wattpad chapter you can add an author call to action (e.g. sign up to the author’s mailing list, or letting your readers know where to buy the book if they can’t wait for the next installment). A demographics tab gives you insights into the age demographics of your readers and their geographic location. Authors can add images or a video to each chapter to increase engagement. It’ll take about 4-6 chapters to get some audience traction. Wattpad increases your opportunity of reaching your share of the 40 Million global readers. Our weekly Self-Publishing Advice broadcast is brought to you by ALLi, the Alliance of Independent Authors. Find more author advice, tips and tools at our self-publishing advice center, www.selfpublishingadvice.org. And, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. You can do that at www.allianceindependentauthors.org. Now, go write and publish. About your host: Orna Ross launched the Alliance of Independent Authors at the London Book Fair in 2012. Her work for ALLi has seen her named as one of The Bookseller’s “100 top people in publishing”. She also publishes poetry, fiction and nonfiction, and is greatly excited by the democratising, empowering potential of author-publishing. Connect with Orna on Twitter @OrnaRoss

Author Elizabeth Spann Craig is the guest in Episode 23 of The  Author Biz Podcast It's December – a month filled with family, friends, food, shopping AND if you're an author/businessperson a great time for planning. In this episode author, Elizabeth Spann Craig takes us through her method of setting up a production plan. It's […] The post TAB023: Creating Your Production Plan for 2015 – With Elizabeth Spann Craig appeared first on .