Showing posts with label Melanie Dugan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Melanie Dugan. Show all posts

Friday, April 19, 2013

A nice problem to have

When I'm not micro-pressing, I'm teaching at St. Lawrence College, and like many teachers, I just can't read for pleasure during the school year. Maybe it's because I do so much reading when I mark. Maybe it's because I'm tired at the end of the day. Maybe it's because I'm lazy.

But the winter semester ENDS NEXT WEEK. I am a wee bit giddy at the thought of sitting in the pale spring sun and....wait for it...reading for pleasure.


But what to read?

I will start by re-reading Melanie Dugan's next book to be published by UpStart; Bee Summer will come out spring 2014. It's going to be an excellent summer read!

But seriously, what to read? Maybe it's time to figure out how Goodreads works so I can find some good recommendations.
                                                                                            
 
What are you doing tonight? Maybe you should listen to CFRC's Finding a Voice and hear some more readings from the Lake Effect 6 launch! Five to six pm, 101.9 FM on your dial.

Friday, April 5, 2013

Writers and workshops ... a romance

We do love workshops, don't we? Getting into your character workshops, how to get published workshops, developing your narrative workshops, get that novel finished! workshops.

We love them so much because we spend so much time all alone, writing writing writing. We need to talk to someone about the writing. We need to share the writing. We need some help with the writing. We need some perspective on the writing. We need to figure out how to publish the writing.

And sometimes we just need a break.



Kingston Writers Workshop will be offering a series of writers workshops starting in the fall of 2013. So far the line up includes a day-long session called "Mysteries of Publishing Revealed: What Writers Need to Know From Publishers, Marketers, Editors, and Designers."

Sounds fun, no?

Another workshop will be delivered by broadcaster and speech coach Carl Richards: public speaking for writers--interviewing, TV and radio skills, how to read at your launch, sound bites, and more.

Some of us adore the spotlight. Some of us would like some help, please. Carl helps!

Who *is* Kingston Writers Workshop? We are editor Carla Douglas and (UpStart Press) author Melanie Dugan and yours truly, the Christina Decarie half of UpStart Press. (Who did our cool logo? The other half of UpStart Press, Darryl Joel Berger.)

Drop us a line if you'd like to be contacted about Kingston Writers Workshops in the future.
 

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

adventures in epublishing

It was a wee bit shocking how easy it was to convert this to an ebook, especially after reading so much from the big houses about how difficult this all is.

It isn't.

Click here to learn how you can own Dead Beautiful for only $5.99. Kindle not included.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

the reluctant marketer

I have been described as weekend marketer. An amateur marketer. An armchair marketer. The Age of Persuasion is my favourite show on CBC radio. (And don't tell my husband, but meeting Terry O'Reilly was a fantasy come true.) I have was the Marketing Coordinator for the Kingston WritersFest last year. Many of my business communications students go on to great careers in marketing and advertising and I love hearing about all their adventures.

But sometimes I think I am a reluctant marketer.

Because actually doing this marketing thing is a LOT of work. Do not believe the line "If you build it, they will come." If you build it, and develop a massive online and in-person network of relationships, shared interests, and mutual support, and feed and support those relationships with energy, humour, and helpful information 24/7, you might get some buzz. (Buzz, by the way, is a term I almost never hear anymore.)

You can't just slap together a poster and put it on some telephone poles. You can't announce the launch of your book and expect everyone to rush to the store to buy it. You can't just build it and expect anyone to come.

It takes time. Energy. Brain space. Attention. Passion. Connections. Discipline. Repetition.

And a lot of generous help from writers and publishers who are paving the way. Thank you, Beverly Akerman! Her article will serve as the template for UpStart Press's foray into ebook publishing.

Which starts now...


Friday, March 2, 2012

Coming soon...


Pre-order today!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/94630872/dead-beautiful-a-novel-by-melanie-dugan

Genre: literary fiction/general fiction/fantasy /young adult
ISBN: 978-0-9783774-7-2
Publishing Date: May 2012
Price: CAD 19.95 (ebook CAD 5.99)
Trim: 5.5” x 8.5”
Page Count: 169 pages
Format: Paperback, perfect bound
Contact and Ordering Information:
Christina Decarie
upstartpress@kingston.net

http://www.etsy.com/listing/94630872/dead-beautiful-a-novel-by-melanie-dugan

About the Author: Melanie Dugan is the author of Sometime Daughter (“Stunning debut,” Kingston Whig-Standard) and Revising Romance (“heartwarming, amusing and … downright sexy,” Midwest Book Review). Her short stories have been shortlisted for several awards, including the CBC Literary Award.

Marketing Plans:

  • Readings, panels and workshops about publishing in the digital age, publisher/author relationships, writing and publishing in an age of “disappearing” publishing houses, marketing yourself as an author, how to balance a job and the writing life.
  • Literary festivals across Ontario
  • Reviews in local and national newspapers, magazines, and websites
  • Local (Kingston) book launch
  • Readings and interviews on local and national radio
  • Blog tour

For book clubs:

  • Author readings/discussions
  • Discounts (ten or more copies)
  • “Questions for book clubs”

Friday, May 27, 2011

When it rains...

The latest from UpStart Press...the ink is still wet on a contract with Melanie Dugan. Not much to report yet, but watch this space for covers, dates, and more!