Legacy - the Power Within: Book Review

by: C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot

Legacy - how does one define it? According to the American Heritage Dictionary®, Legacy is defined as money or property bequeathed by will. In Tony DeLiso's (Expanded Edition) Book, "Legacy - the Power Within;" we are immersed in the realization of all that was, is and has the possibility to be through ones' innate legacy of positive reaffirmation.

Legacy - the Power Within conveys a powerful life lesson on how to take life by the reigns, and how to manifest dreams into reality. Applying simple practices of thought retraining, affirmation and faith, Mr. DeLiso's book explains how to integrate his seven steps in goal setting, problem solving and decision making to bring forth positive end results in individual lives!

Legacy - the Power Within is a beneficial, mental tool that helps rediscover ones' personal power and how to use this power to reprogram thinking patterns into an overall, healthier state of mind. Renewed thought patterns can develop into progressive and positive life changes. Thus, Legacy - the Power Within is an effectual guide for those seeking positive and personally, fulfilling lifestyles. Are you looking for personal empowerment? Have you lost insight into how to succeed in life? Perhaps, Legacy - the Power Within is for you.

For more information about the author, Tony DeLiso, or his book, Legacy - the Power Within, visit Power Legacy.com today.

Living as God - the Divine Book Review

by: C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot

From an esoteric invitation, Namaste Publishing presented me with P. Raymond Stewart's "Living as God - Healing the Separation."

Unveiling the mysteries surrounding the great "I Am," Living as God is the quintessential resource for the soul searcher and curious minds alike. Opening the heart and mind, this metaphysical novel adds fresh dimension towards uncovering hidden knowledge to the ancient, illusive question: "Who is God?"

A divine comparison liken to the Tree of Life and its intricate and ever-expanding branches, Living as God redefines the sacred realm of spirituality and offers impromptu revelation of spellbinding enlightenment.

After meticulously reading Stewart's original book, I felt an overwhelming sense of philosophical awareness and total inner peace. Living as God is the culmination of divine intervention and candid, human introspect.

I recommend Living as God to those who have reached a spiritual plateau in their lives...and to those who seek clarity and compelling understanding of God's true essence. Living as God is certain in becoming a classic addition to any literary enthusiast's collection.

To find out more about P. Raymond Stewart, or how to obtain your copy of Living as God - Healing the Separation, visit P. Raymond Stewart Speaks today.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4 Questions to Answer Before Contacting a Book Agent

by: Roger C. Parker

Obtaining agency representation is your first step toward getting profitably published. Most publishers won’t even look at unsolicited manuscripts.

But, before approaching an agent to represent you, you should finalize the presentation of your book.

Agents don’t have time to waste dealing with publishing ‘wannabees’ who don’t have, and may never have, a concrete project to represent. To busy agents, dreams don’t make it.

If you approach an agent before you’re prepared, you may never be able to contact them again. They’ll consider you a ‘dreamer’ and disregard you emails and phone calls.

Elevator Speech

Before approaching an agent, prepare an ‘elevator speech’ describing your project in the less than thirty-seconds it takes for an average elevator ride. If you can’t, your project probably isn’t ready for prime time.

Your elevator speech must answer four major questions:

- What is your book about?

- Who is going to buy it?

- How does it differ from existing books on the subject?

- How are you going to promote it?

1. What is your book about?

Finalize your book’s title and contents before contacting an agent.

The title is crucial to your book’s success. It must attract the attention of acquisition editors, book reviewers, bookstore managers, web surfers and readers. The title is often your one – and only – chance to make a sale.

Finalize your book’s table of contents and prepare a brief description of the contents of each chapter. You should also know how long your book is going to be and the number of illustrations, graphics or worksheet

Prepare two – three, if you’re a first-time author – sample chapters and hire a professional editor to fine-tune them. It’s better to show three perfect chapters than a finished manuscript filled with spelling errors.

You don’t have to write your whole book before approaching agents. And your sample chapters don’t have to begin with the first chapter, nor do they have to be in sequence. But, they must represent your writing at its best.

2. Who’s going to buy your book?

Next, show that there is a reachable market for your book.

Strive for urgency. Describe the market intrigued by, or frustrated by, your book’s topic. What symptoms does your book help solve? How many people share the problem? What are the consequences of the problem your book addresses?

Quantify your book’s market in terms of buying power, willingness to buy books and ability to be reached through associations or publications.

3. How will your book be different?

Next, position your book relative to existing books on the topic. Existing books on the same topic are a plus, not a minus. They prove there is a market for books on the subject.

-What are the strengths and weaknesses of existing books?
-Why will readers choose your book over existing books?

This section offers you an opportunity to describe your background and how it contributes to your book.

4. How will you promote your book?

Promotion is your responsibility, not the publisher’s. Your ability to promote your book is as important as your ability to write your book.

Start by identifying book reviewers and editorial contacts who can help promote your book. List publications that might run an extract from your book. Research producers who book guests for radio and TV interviews.

Discuss your speaking experience and willingness to travel to support your book. Describe how you will promote your book on your web site.

List authorities in your field who have offered to write a foreword or provide you with cover testimonials.

Agents are busy. To the extent you can sell your book idea as a realistic possibility in thirty seconds and can support your answers with research and strong sample chapters, you are well on your way to success.

After you’ve been successfully published, you may be able to sell a book on just the basis of an email. But for now, you must be fully prepared.

About the Author

Roger C. Parker is the $32,000,000 author with over 1.6 million copies in print. Do you make these marketing and design mistakes? Find out at www.gmarketing-design.com

5 Strategies to Streeetch Your Good Press

by: Susan Harrow

In the following story Toronto Star columnist and lifelongCatholic, Kathy Shaidle, whose website tweaks confiningreligious and spiritual notions, talks about how she's beengathering steam to publicize her site. Shaidle's irreverentcommentary spares no one. She dispenses her thoughts oneverything from renting a married priest to buyingenlightenment. What better way to provoke controversy thanto challenge the sacred cow of people's spiritual andreligious beliefs? Visit Kathy's site http://www.relapsedcatholic.com and see for yourself whatmakes for good arguing.

Where the religious rubber meets the pop culture road

That's the motto at RelapsedCatholic.com, my daily weblog offaith & culture news. On March 27, 2001, my site was singledout for praise by the Site-A-Day newsletter.

1. Send out a press release about your good press to yourniche market

I IMMEDIATELY sent out a short, punchy email press release(quoting Site-A-Day's rave review) to my list of religioneditors (in print and online), book reviewers (I'm also anaward-winning author) and other Best of the Web sites.

The day the brief piece about RelapsedCatholic ran in theOttawa Citizen, I logged my busiest single day ever, withmore than 300 hits. I was recently interviewed by theCatholic Register, too, and expect a similar spike when thatpiece runs. RelapsedCatholic was also singled out forspecial mention in recent articles about blogging, in bothInternet Business Forum and E-Zine Tips.

MY NOTE: Notice Kathy sent her press release to a VERYtargeted market (religion editors) that she had previouslycontacted. Often times you must contact an editor a numberof times with different ideas before he/she will write aboutyou.

2. Email thank you notes and begin a correspondence withjournalists

I gained some valuable new relationships and helped cementestablished ones. I've been asked to write and speak onsubjects related to religion and pop culture. I feel thiskind of exposure increases my visibility and credibilitywith the press. Sending thank you emails after even a smallmention has sparked continuing correspondence with somewriters and editors. I may be better able to pitch otherstories to them in the future. I recently got a fan emailfrom the man who runs the ChristianityToday.com weblog,considered the best of its/our genre. He says he checks outRelapsedCatholic every day now.

MY NOTE: Thanking someone sincerely opens lines ofcommunication.

3. Write press releases that can be printed verbatim

Best of all, the Ottawa Citizen printed my press release,practically word-for-word, in their Sunday color section.RelapsedCatholic's hits that day were higher than they werefor the whole first month I was online!

MY NOTE: Write your press releases in the same formatjournalists use to write their pieces and you'll stand abetter chance they'll use your words instead of strugglingto capture your ideas by paraphrasing -- which can lead to adifferent interpretation than you intended.

4. Network with the press at your speaking engagements

I was asked to sit on a Periodical Association of Canadapanel, Writing about Religion for the Secular Press. I alsoheld a book signing during BookExpo Canada. Networking afterthe panel discussion led to new friendships with otherwriters/editors. And again, a spike in page views. Hits tothe webpage have remained fairly high, increasing four-foldsince the site's inception in November 2000. My logs show anincreasing number of regular return visitors since the pressrelease went out. Hits went from about 300/month in Novemberto more than 2000 in April, and have remained steady since.I anticipate May's hits will be about the same due toupcoming story in Catholic Register, and continued mentionin the by-line of my Toronto Star column.

MY NOTE: Writers and editors are more likely to listen toyou once you've spoken on a panel (or at a keynote orworkshop). You've established yourself as an expert --someone who has expertise and is worth speaking with.

5. Continue sharing your news with the right targeted media

MY NOTE: Once you get the publicity ball rolling, keep it inmotion by following any leads that could bring you morereaders, recognition and sales.

Kathy sent me her story and now has opened another avenue tomore publicity for her one mention. Excellent work, Kathy!

Learn more about getting good press and self-promotion togain publicity for your business, product or cause in *SellYourself Without Selling Your Soul*(HarperCollins). Go to http://www.prsecrets.com for your free excerpts today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Susan Harrow is a top media coach, marketing strategist and author of *Sell Yourself Without Selling Your Soul* (HarperCollins), *The Ultimate Guide to Getting Booked on Oprah*, and *How You Can Get a 6- Figure Book Advance.* Her clients include Fortune 500 CEOs, millionaires, best-selling authors and successful entrepreneurs who have appeared on Oprah, 60 Minutes, NPR, and in TIME, USA Today, Parade, People, O, NY Times and Wall Street Journal.