Thursday, April 21, 2016

Around the Publishing World (April 21)

At Chicago Author Solutions (a division of Eckhartz Press), we stay on top of happenings/trends in the publishing world to help out busy writers who are spending their time doing what they should be doing: writing.


1. Tips from author Jennifer Brown
Who is Jennifer Brown? She's the author of the book "Modern Girls", a novel set in 1935. This is a great Q&A with her. We especially recommend you read the portion about researching.

2. How to promote your book politely
There are some very good Dos in this piece, but even better Don'ts. Take this advice seriously. As soon as you become a pain in the butt to people, they won't pay attention to a thing you say.

3. Writing Tips from Famous Authors
As a non-famous author, I'm always interested in what those who made it big have to say. I especially like this quote from Kurt Vonnegut: “The most damning revelation you can make about yourself is that you do not know what is interesting and what is not. Don’t you yourself like or dislike writers mainly for what they choose to show or make you think about? Did you ever admire an empty-headed writer for his or her mastery of the language? No.”

4. Kurt Vonnegut's Writing Tip
Speaking of Kurt Vonnegut...

5. 20 tips for writing a captivating short story
Well thought out and presented. We present it for you in two parts...
Part 1
Part 2

6. The newest book from Eckhartz Press: Ranting of a Bitter Childless Woman
This book is available for pre-order now. Here's the description: Kids sucking on restaurant salt shakers—and parents nonchalantly putting them back on the table. Pregnant women driving alone in the carpool lane. Overtly sexy Halloween costumes for third-graders. Random strangers making unsolicited judgements about her reproductive status. These are just a handful of the situations Chicago native Jeanne Bellezzo comically explores in Rantings of a Bitter Childless Woman. Written from the witty, unapologetic perspective of a childless (and far from bitter) woman in a fiercely child-centric society, this collection of entertaining essays will have readers with and without children laughing, nodding, cringing — or throwing a tantrum.

Jeanne Bellezzo began writing Rantings of a Bitter Childless Woman as a blog and was surprised to find many like-minded fans across the country, including numerous parents. A Chicago native who relocated to Southern California because she was cold, Jeanne is a successful writer and editor who has co-authored several non-fiction books. She lives in northern San Diego County with her significant other, Joe, and two cats, Jake and Elwood. When she is not writing, Jeanne can be found in or near the ocean with friends (and sometimes even with their children).

And please keep your kids off her lawn.