The 41st NAACP IMAGE AWARDS nominates Xlibris author Beneca Ward as Outstanding Literary – Debut Author

Self-published book got nominated by the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization

The 41st NAACP Image Awards nominees were announced during a press conference at The SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills last January 6 of this year. Xlibris self-published author garned a spot under the Outstanding Literary – Debut author category. Her self-published book that highlights the practices that were once used to set the American standards on raising children to be kind, respectful and responsible adults is now part of the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Shedding light on the timely topic of how to instill great values into today’s children, this book focuses on GETTING BACK TO THE BASICS OF PARENTING utilizing the lessons that were used for at least three generations but for many reasons are no longer being taught. Subtle and informative, this book infuses humor and wit as readers reflect upon their own experiences and are tuned into the experiences of others. It also spotlights how much was once taught through the simplest lessons. With chapters like, “Hold My Hand”, “The Patience of a Pomegranate”, “The Makings of a Man” and Family Ties” readers are in for a memorable illuminating experience. As Ward states, it is never too late to mold America’s children into kind, respectful and responsible adults.

Winners will announced live at the 41st NAACP Image Awards Night on Friday, February 26 (8:00 – 10:00 PM ET/PT Tape-Delayed) on FOX.

About the Author
BeNeca Ward comes from a large blended family. Her mother owned and operated an in-home daycare center where she was able to learn first-hand how to instill great values into the lives of children.

This mother of two is an executive in the entertainment industry and lives in Los Angeles. 

About the NAACP IMAGE AWARDS

The NAACP Image Awards is an award presented annually by the American National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to honor outstanding people of color in film, television, music, and literature.

Similar to other awards, like the Oscars and the Grammys, the 35 categories of Image Awards are voted on by members of the NAACP.

The awards were first presented in 1970. The awards ceremony is aired by Fox Network. The ceremonies usually take place in or around the Los Angeles area in February or early March.

 About Xlibris
Xlibris was founded in 1997 and, as the leading publishing services provider for authors, has helped to publish more than 20,000 titles. Xlibris is based in Bloomington, IN and provides authors with direct and personal access to quality publication in hardcover, trade paperback, custom leather-bound, and full-color formats.

For more information, please visit www2.xlibris.com, e-mail pressrelease@xlibris.com or call at 1-888-795-4274, to receive a free publishing guide.

COMPANY ADDRESS:
Xlibris Corporation
1663. Liberty Drive
Suite 200
Bloomington, IN 47403
USA
1-888-795-4274 ext 7111

Publishing in The Next Decade of 2010

It’s been a week since the calendar changed the year date and so far, one major change in the publishing world is the addition of Xlibris Publishing into Author Solutions, Inc.’s, lineup of self-publishing companies. This move will herald ASI’s hold on the publishing market and cause traditional houses to shake their knees. Like how countries compete for the equilibrium of power, ASI happens to be a superpower that traditional houses may need to watch out for. As of the present, ASI happens to have major self-publishing names in its wings. Adding Xlibris as the third major self-publishing name could definitely be a big move.

Speaking of Xlibris, another best move is the publishing company’s expansion into the international market. As of today, Xlibris caters to self publishing in United Kingdom, self-publishing in New Zealand and publishing a book in Australia.

Last year, a whopping number of book titles have been published and there is a very likely chance that it will continue to grow its number this year. These powerful conglomerates such as ASI are producing the majority of manuscripts right now, therefore, the rise of self-published titles is becoming overwhelming.

The Most Used Books

Children’s books, for one, are sending publishers (and writers) scrambling for the next multi-awarded bestseller. The children’s book market has become Harry Potterized and even individual titles of other genre’s are also keeping up. Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight saga remained top last year and the need to turn a book into a movie has become parallel to the need to even finish writing an entire manuscript.

2009 as the Year of The Ox proved to be a very risky year when it comes to the economy and finances. Not that most years do not have excuses when their economy dropped but talks of a possible recession is very much present and whenever the economy is bad, the economy is really bad. Writers do not just say they do not have the resources to produce their book for nothing because as much as we would like to deny, they are actually speaking the truth.

What could this mean to the publishing industry’s future in the next 3 or 6 years from now?

Perhaps we could map out a very comprehensive and very innovative plan for this year and claim it gospel. We will decipher the tools of change for the publishing industry and help cull through the hype in order to achieve a more profitable publishing future.

The Advent of Kindle and Twitter

So many avenues already deciphers several tools of change for the publishing industry.

Even if the time comes when we are no longer going to be surprised to see people reading books from their watches, we will still long for the gratification we get from thumbing through pages of our favorites paperbacks.

Here are a few tips for staying solvent even if the economy crumbles:

• Penetrate yourself into marketing conversations at all levels.
  Don’t leave the contacts to the bookstores. Don’t leave bookstore contacts to the distributor. Find out who the category buyers are in the chains and independent bookstores. Converse with them! Know what’s working for them, what’s selling for them, and what they’d like to see more of from you.Get your readers! Use a Web site to get in touch with readers of your books. Get their contact information and use it often. Keep them in the loop about new projects. Get their opinions on cover designs. Offer them freebies, contests, sample chapters, and exclusive content. Make them feel like your imprint or author ‘belongs’ to them.
• Do what you do best and keep going at it.
  If you know how to sell to business people, treehuggers, vegetarians, motorbikers, treasure hunters or any other market niche, stick with it. Use your knowledge of the market, the consumers, and the store book buyers to expand in those areas you know how to service best.Breaking into a new niche during tough times might be harder than usual. Consumers will want to stick to what they know and trust, and if they don’t know you, you might want to tap into the name and reputation of someone they do know — an endorsement or foreword by a celebrity or guru of the niche, for example. Breaking new ground in a recession can be done, but don’t gamble more than you’re willing to lose.
• Don’t be afraid of going digital
  Digital piracy scares the bejeebers out of most publishers, but refusing to offer digital editions because someone might copy them is almost as crazy as not publishing in print because someone might scan it and put it online.The future of book publishing is digital. Paper isn’t going to disappear, but as devices get better and more abundant, ebook sales are going to make up a larger and larger percentage of total book sales. If you don’t believe me, take a bus in a major city for a few days, and you’ll see people reading from cellphones, ipods, PDAs and dedicated book readers. A few months ago when I last flew on a commercial airline, I saw three ebook readers, and two people reading from PDAs or ipod type devices on a plane with about 100 passengers. Even as little as a year ago, I was often the only person reading an electronic copy of anything on a typical flight.

  The Kindle platform is a great opportunity, and a wonderful place to start. But don’t forget about the Sony Reader, Bebook Reader, and other dedicated ebook hardware. The two things you absolutely know about Kindle and other ebook reader owners is that 1) they’re dedicated readers and 2) they’re frequent book buyers, because they wouldn’t buy a $300 piece of hardware if they weren’t really into reading.

• Use the internet and social networking sites.

This is the perfect time to be a publisher on the web. People are connecting in record numbers with tools like Twitter, LinkedIn, Ning.com, MySpace and Facebook. As authors and publishers, you have worthwhile things to say. As long as you work these sites conversationally and personally, the audience will love you.

Podcasts are becoming mainstream, blogs are becoming influential, book tours are going virtual, and a top 100 Amazon reviewer can make a huge difference in sales. Don’t stick your head in the sand when it comes to online marketing. It may not be ‘what you’ve always done’, but it’s cost effective, and the results can be measured much easier than an ad in the New York Times.

(to be concluded…)

Happy New Year!

Kevin Weiss of Author Solutions addresses how to adapt to new realities

Kevin Weiss, CEO and President of Author Solutions, the leading brand of independent book publishing worldwide, placed heavy emphasis on the publishing industry not dying but still alive and kicking.

“The publishing industry has been around for many, many years, and it will continue to be around for many years into the future, but what it looks like will be different,” Weiss said. “And that’s the thing that’s difficult for people today. Change is hard. You can either be impacted by change or you can embrace change.” Such statement paves way for all kinds of publishers out there to become more determined to serve would-be authors and help them realize their dreams of becoming published names in the industry.

How and who could ever think that just self-publishing is in the picture that the industry is already doomed? Perhaps they were the narrow-minded ones, the people who are afraid of competition and the people who are afraid of change.

These people are the ones who have went ahead and linked arms with the writer’s guild and protesters who think that Harlequin made a huge mistake in entering into the vanity publishing cave.

“There are plenty of books in traditional publishing today that just don’t make it; it’s a hits business,” Weiss said. “It’s why the publishing industry is going through a transformation today and the consumer has everything to say about what is good content and what isn’t good content. To say that in order for a book to make it in the marketplace it has to blessed by a traditional publisher doesn’t make any sense in 2009.”

Firstly, there are self-published books that proved to be successful and MORE successful. Secondly, we should be able to adjust to new technology and changing consumer patterns. Kevin Weiss made it clear that it is important to provide an expanded choice and opportunity in the book publishing industry.

Catch his video here.

Xlibris International Expands into the UK, Australia and New Zealand and Announces the Inclusion of eBook Publishing Feature

London, UK (PRWeb UK/PRWEB ) November 9, 2009 — Xlibris Publishing, the global leader in self publishing announced their expansion into the UK, Australian and New Zealand markets today with new, digital friendly publishing services.

Xlibris has nurtured relationships with worldwide leaders in the industry and has initiated the launch of alliances with industry-leading digital content portals giving its titles worldwide availability in both print and digital format. The addition of publishing in the ePub format to its entire line of Black & White Publishing Services will enable the independent publishing giant to dominate the online digital publishing market by producing digital versions of all new titles it publishes – and converting tens of thousands from its list of already published titles.

By utilizing its established relationships, these titles will be available worldwide through several popular e-readers and e-channels as well as the traditional book printers and distributors. With the help of the Sony e-Book Store, Amazon’s Kindle eBook Store, and the possibility of distribution through the Apple iStore, thousands of Xlibris titles will be available in a myriad of formats to reach every reader around the world.  

“Xlibris leads the world in new titles brought to market. We will convert every new title and tens of thousands from our backlist into digital formats and make them available through the leading digital content portals. We believe as our self-publishing business continues to accelerate, we will become the world’s largest publisher of original digital content,” said Kevin Weiss, president and chief executive officer.

By being at the forefront of digital publishing, and combined with their expansion into the UK, Australian and New Zealand publishing markets, Xlibris has truly cemented their place as the global leader in the rapidly growing self-publishing industry.

In September, Xlibris launched the Podcast Marketing Service. This new and exciting marketing tool gives authors the opportunity to reach more readers through recorded interviews made accessible on podcast portals like iTunes.

For more information about Xlibris Publishing; log onto its US Website at www.xlibrispublishing.co.uk, Australia Website www.xlibris.com.au, New Zealand Website www.xlibris.co.nz or call  1-888-795-4274 (US);  0800-644-6988 (UK); 1-800-618-969(Au); 800-891-366 (NZ)

About Xlibris

Xlibris is one of the pioneers in the self-publishing industry, and still leads the way today. Based in Bloomington, IN, and with local offices around the world, Xlibris has helped more than 20,000 authors publish over 25,000 titles, and this number increases daily. Xlibris provides authors with direct and personal access to quality publication in hardcover, paperback, electronic, full-color and leather-bound formats.

For more information, visit www.xlibris.com, e-mail publishtoday(at)xlibris(dot)com or call at 1-888-795-4247 to receive your free publishing guide.

See the original story at: http://uk.prweb.com/releases/self/publishing/prweb3165194.htm

CP Caruso won PEN OAKLAND Award 09 for Sophia’s Exit Strategy

Xlibris self-published author CP Caruso received the 2009 Oakland PEN AWARD. Her book, Sophia’s Exit Strategy is already available in St. Mar’s Book (Physical Bookstore) in New York and as distinguished from the Ernest Hemingway PEN for outstanding achievement by first-time authors. The award ceremony will take place on December 6,at San Francisco.

About her book
As a child growing up in Palermo, Italy, Sophia Lucarno, was “different” from what is usually considered “normal” — and consequently suffered from the taunts of other children.

As a result, Sophia developed a survival mechanism that enabled her to go deep inside herself, sufficiently shutting out the outside world. This tendency to be silent with herself became a regular feature of her personality, and continued until adulthood. As an adult, Sophia continued to resort to this state of silence in order to fight back against the traumas of her life. Despite her extraordinary beauty, it was obvious to Sophia’s father, Salvatore Lucarno, that she would never be able to get a husband from among the local men, so he arranged to marry her off to an American named Sergio Borelli.

Borelli married the beautiful Sophia and brought her to live in New York’s “Little Italy”. Their union was not a “love marriage,” but an arranged marriage; one that involved a sufficiently large bride price. Once Borelli ran into Sophia’s brick wall of sile nce, however, he began to believe he had been duped — and that he had actually purchased an inferior human being. In his outrage at being stuck with an inferior wife, he begins to verbally and physically abuse Sophia. After some time, Sophia forms a relationship with a local Jewish laundry cleaner and a wealthy widow, a twosome who act as her support system against her husband Sergio. They help her plan her first escape.

Meanwhile, Sergio, a low-ranking member of the neighborhood Mafia, calls on the organization for help in locating and returning his escaped wife. The chase is about to begin . . .

In a novel that powerfully captures the zeitgeist of late 1930s America, novelist C. Paolo Caruso masterfully weaves a riveting tapestry; one richly infused with intrigue, comedy, pathos, and human drama.

Driven forward by brisk momentum, a cast of richly-drawn characters, and a twist-filled plot that will leave the reader guessing — and panting — until the last page, Sophia’s Exit Strategy is one exciting, rewarding reading experience.

About the author
C. P. Caruso , a B.A., Pace University, an MIA and an M.Phil,Columbia University, has taught Political Science at Pace University and Long Island University. The author has also lectured at William Paterson College and Columbia University; and has written and published several articles dealing with political and social issues.

The author has done extensive research in Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia; and currently serves as a staff trainer in the InterFuture cross-cultural understanding program for college students.

About Pen Oakland

This organization was created in order to “promote works of excellence by writers of all cultural and racial backgrounds and to educate both the public and the media as to the nature of multi-cultural work.” It affiliated with International PEN in 1990 and soon launched the PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Awards for multicultural U.S. literature. In 1997, the association inaugurated its Literary Censorship Awards to protest censorship practices within the U.S. Although PEN Oakland unsuccessfully attempted to become the USA’s third PEN center, the attempt did succeed in opening the doors for PEN Oakland to become a full chapter of the PEN Center USA. PEN Oakland also introduced a resolution for more equitable media coverage of minorities and ethnic groups. The group also sponsored the Oakland Literature Expo portion of the City of Oakland’s Art & Soul Festival from 2001 through 2004.

PEN- International, the worldwide association of writers, was founded in London in 1921to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere. PEN originally stood for “Poets, Essayists and Novelists”, but now includes writers of any form of literature, such as journalists and historians. Other goals included: to emphasise the role of literature in the development of mutual understanding and world culture; to fight for freedom of expression; and to act as a powerful voice on behalf of writers harassed, imprisoned and sometimes killed for their views. It is the world’s oldest human rights organization and the oldest international literary organization. Read excerpt here.