Quickie Post: A Lesson in Vendor Sales

Did I mention that it is not easy to publish a book? The hardest part about publishing your book is the marketing aspect - and perhaps the most expensive. I have been selling my books through various events where I had to spend a nominal fee for a “vendors table.” It was great in that I was able to sell a couple books to cover my costs, and I was also able to connect with people. 

Recently when mother’s day came along, I had two events and the prospects looked high. Two events for ‘mothers’ how could I lose? I was even able to bring my own mom to the first event. Nearing up to these events, I ran around getting supplies for my display table, and I even had this idea to buy carnations for each mother who bought my book as a nice personal touch.

Everything was ready and prepared, except for one thing: SALES. Sales do not just come to you, you have to earn them. You have to engage people and hope that they will be interested in buying your product. 

I went from one event to another, and at both I was unable to pull a lot of sales. I admit I had a few books sold (which is better than nothing), but there weren't a lot of people visiting the vendor tables. I remember immediately after the events feeling a bit disappointed. Especially because I have had past success in doing these events.

In creating this blog, I vowed to show you my experiences in publishing my first book, which includes the good, the bad and the very ugly.

I guess that is why I tweeted this:

'Setbacks' and 'surprises' are all apart of the business, and it’s all a part of life. Everyone has experienced them, but it is how you recover from it. The immediate reaction was disappointment, but the long term outlook was that I gained not only valuable experience, but I was able to continue to network and meet new people.

The positive side of it was that I was able to get new Facebook and Twitter contacts, and just because they didn’t buy it that day, does not mean that they will never buy.

Going forward, generally speaking, I need to be conscious of the events that I go to. Some of the things I would like to know are will I have direct access to the attendees during the event? Will the sales only be after the event? How many mentions will I receive during the event to encourage people to visit my table? These are all things that I feel will help me to prepare properly for the events that I attend.

I have already thought about some other ideas that I think will work well for me in the future. The recent situation was a learning experience for me, and one that I feel has helped me grow.

Until next time~

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One on One with Karan Sivalingam

I had a chance to sit down with author Karan Sivalingam and talk about his experience with his first book, It is What it is.

Your debut book is called, It is What it is. What inspired you to write this?

One day I was driving to work and nearly hit a whole family of geese crossing the street. I stopped to let them cross the street, but the car from the next lane didn’t even see the family of geese and ran them over. This incident gave me the idea to write my first short story. From that point on my passion for writing short stories grew.

What inspired the title of your book, and the theme of your stories?

In life there are times when things happen that was never planned. During these moments, I was always told, “It is what it is.” I never planned to write a book but now that I did, It Is What It Is.


Your book It is What it is is an anthology of short stories. Some people say that short stories are a dying art - what made you go 'against the grain’ in terms of publishing short stories?

I live [my] life believing [and having] faith, that all will work out in the end and I knew I had to start somewhere. Especially for all those people that don’t have time to read novels, It Is What It Is is an easy to read, on-the-go type of book.

A lot of people write things, but what gave you the confidence to go out and get it published?

I wrote many stories and I knew there was no point to keep my talent a secret. So I took the risk and got my stories published.

Which route did you use to publish and why?

I took the self publishing route for my first book because I needed people to see my talent first. I also felt that it was the more affordable route to take.


Who came up with the cover art of your book and do you have any advice on choosing the cover for a book?

I searched the internet for an image with the right theme. Once I found the picture, I gave it to the [self] publishing company to give them an idea of the image I wanted to go for and they produced several images for my cover book. I worked with the [self] publishing company and together we came up with [the] perfect cover.  

Any advice for those who are also trying to publish their work?

Never give up hope on getting your story published, it just takes time to get to where you want to be. Don’t lose hope. Research all the different companies out there before you chose to pay for one. Ask as many questions as you can, even if it sounds silly. Be well informed [in order to] make the right decision.

What’s been the hardest thing about publishing your book?

I would say editing was the hardest part of getting a book published. No matter how many times you fixed up the grammar or punctuation, there was always something that just didn’t seem right.  

What has been the most rewarding?

The support from all my friends and fans was rewarding. There were many fans I didn’t even know I had until they approached me and said they loved the book. It was great to hear that people couldn’t put the book down.

How can people get a copy of your book?

You can get the book at www.karansivalingam.com, www.amazon.com or you can email me at bb_karan@hotmail.com to arrange something. They are available in soft cover, hardcover and e-reader. 

Quickie Post: My Past 10 Days

It could be that the weather is getting better. Or it could be something else; me making a conscious effort to get out more! Over the past week and a half I have been busy going from event to event. It started Tuesday when I had a photo shoot with +Maria U. The following day I attended the Women's Business to Business Networking Event organized by +Dwania Peele (Canadian Small Business Women). Not only was I able to network and sell a few copies of my book, I also was given an amazing opportunity to speak briefly at the event. 

This takes me to the following Monday where I attended an art exhibit in Toronto called ALIVE by Camille Lauren. I had no intention of selling my books, but since I always carry copies with me, I was able to sell a few there as well. I was also given a free (and unexpected) shout out by the MC, Jordon Veira ‏(twitter: @JVDaPoet). Again, at this event I was able to network. 

On Wednesday I had another event which was catered to entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs. There we had the pleasure of listening to guest speaker Nikki Clarke of The Nikki Clarke Show. She was a great a speaker, giving a wealth of information. I was also able to network at this event. 

I have a few events this weekend as well, but I have to say I am happy with the progress that I have been making. 

Note to self, and note to you, attend as many (relevant) events as possible, and always have a copy of your book. Imagine me telling someone, “Oh, I wrote this booked called, What If the World Had No Colour?” and when they ask to see it I respond with, “Oh, umm I did not bring a copy with me...” I do not want to end up in that situation, because then it becomes a missed opportunity. 

I will continue to keep you posted on my progress and other GREAT opportunities coming up.

Until next time!


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Upon A Star Books Inc.

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Something is different, isn't it?

If you have frequented my blog before you may have noticed something a bit different...I changed the template! My previous template was a bit dark, but I admit there was something about it that I liked: 

Every now and then, it is time for change. I guess you can call this "spring cleaning." I like the new look, it is bright and fresh. With that being said, it is not just about what it looks like visually, it is about the content. Not only will I continue to show you my journey as a writer and publisher, but I will also look to highlight the journey of others as well.

I am really excited about the new direction my blog is going, and continuing to promote my book, "What If the World Had No Colour?"

I'll check back in within the next few days with some more updates!


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Upon A Star Books Inc.

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Have your say, do you like the updates?

Book Trailer and Updates

Book Trailer: What If the World Had No Colour?

So I am pleased to share with you what I came up with for the book trailer. It's a large file so I have attached a link to my website here, so you can watch it!

I thought this would be a cool way for people to get a glimpse at what my book is about.

The Month of April (so far)

The month of April has slowed for me a bit, but it has given me time to network and do more research. I constantly have to be researching, improving upon my brand and my business. 

Here is a video I found today (from YouTube; I do not own the rights to this video), that in a way sums up the different things I have been researching for some time now.

The company who sponsored the video, Infinity Publishing, promoted their company by putting together a video that gave free advice to aspiring writers looking to go the way of self-publishing.

Eventbrite (Events website)

I am falling in love with this site. They have so many events (including free ones!) advertised on here. It is like a networkers dream! An interesting event coming up this week is offered by Mediabistro. They are putting together a free event for publishers, writers, photographers etc. to come together and network. Not only do I feel as though I can find great events on here, but I can also promote any of my future events on here as well. 


At the end of this week I will update you with some more news! Stay tuned!

Getting Social

I hate to sound like a broken record, but here it is...it is very hard to promote your product these days without social media. As I have become more acclimated with social media I am learning new ways to engage with others. Even by watching how other businesses utilize social media to engage clients, fans, and followers with discussions and giveaways has really inspired me to take my social media ventures to another level.

Although I had already created a Facebook page for my publishing company (Upon A Star Books Inc.) back in January, today I have created a new Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/authorJessicaAlex

Here I will have updates about events I'm attending, and every Wednesday I will host an active discussion on my page (starting next week)!

Beyond getting social via the internet, I have also been getting social at various events. I have chosen events that allow me to network with others, but also sell my children's book, What If the World Had No Colour? This has turned out to be very successful for me, both in selling my books and meeting new contacts such as Dwania, founder of Canadian Small Business Women. What has also been gratifying at those events, was that I was able to donate proceeds from those sales to important causes such as JCA's Saturday Tutoring Program. 

I am also excited about the trailer I am working on. Yes, you heard read correctly. I am working on a trailer, a book trailer, so that you can get a preview of what my book is about. That will be up before the end of this month!

In the meantime I am continuing to brainstorm and connect with others, finding ways to make my book a success!


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Upon A Star Books Inc.

I'm Back for More

I have not forgotten about you, or my promise to keep you in the loop of my self-publishing journey.

It has been a while since I have posted something about my self-publishing journey. So many things have happened since my last blog post. Starting from the end of February things really began to pick up in a whole new way. Since Feb 28th I have attended four different events to promote my book. Each event has been successful, not only in promoting my book, but making contacts with a lot of wonderful people. With all that being said, I have decided to dedicate this post to book marketing.

If I have not already said this, book publishing is not easy. Although there has been a shift in publishing, one that allows flexibility for an everyday person to self-publish, it does not mean that it is for everyone. That might sound surprising to hear that coming from me, but I have gained a new respect for major publishers during my experience. I stand by my decision to self-publish 100% because I am business and entrepreneurial-minded, however, a lot more groundwork goes along with self-publishing. You have got to pound the pavement constantly and cannot drop the ball (ever).

Seeing that I also hold a full-time job, it is not always easy to do that, but because of my passion and dedication I have found a way to make it happen. 

So how does this all tie in with marketing? The easiest part of publishing (in my opinion) is the writing of the book, putting it together, getting the copyright, getting the ISBN, getting it printed etc. The hardest part, especially if you are new to the scene is to MARKET the book. If people do not know about your book who is going to buy it? 
Furthermore, selling it to only friends and family will only get you so far. If you want to break-even and then some, you have to get your book out to the public. They have to know about your book, and more importantly, CARE about your book. Care enough that they at least want to buy it. 

So far I have had one article published about me in a previous issue of Community Contact (Montreal). That was a pretty big deal for me because Community Contact is a pretty well-known and successful newspaper in Montreal. Now, if I cannot get into the big papers here in Toronto, that is okay. Remember that saying, ‘start small.’ As my cousin Simon says, “All promotion is good promotion.” Local papers, neighbourhood papers are my next target. A little blurb about me in one given neighbourhood paper, in a city like this, can hit up to 5000 people. I will also be targeting community radio shows, which is a great way to get people to hear more about my book.

© Photo taken by +Maria U in a local restaurant at my website launch party, Jan 2013

From there I will have built a portfolio, one that I can post on my website, but also show larger newspapers and TV stations, “Look I’ve been featured before.” When calling in to one of our TV stations here, one of the first questions they asked me was, have I ever been featured in the media before? I have to be able to show that my book, my company etc. is newsworthy. When I approached a major bookstore about putting my book in one of their stores via consignment, they wanted to know, have I marketed my book, and have I had media coverage? They asked this because of course, they do not want my book sitting there collecting dust. 

Marketing does take a lot of time and research. Not everything that glitters is gold, and not everywhere that you can put your book means you should go there either. You have to think about the message behind your book, and who your target audience is. My book, “What If the World Had No Colour?” ($12.99 CAD, plus GST, available through www.uponastarbooks.ca) is a children’s book, so for instance if I am putting it in the media, I cannot have it in a “hot babe” magazine. Obviously that is an extreme example, but hopefully you get the idea.

It is important not to forget about my favourite, social media. As I had mentioned in one of my very first posts, “Social Mediaaaaaa" you would be hard-pressed to promote ANYTHING without having at least one social media outlet to promote from. 

For future I will not wait so long to post, no matter how busy things get. Look out for a follow-up on this marketing article, and I will also be sure to post some links on what will help you further to successfully promote your book, or whatever product it may be!

Best of luck.



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