Buzz on Book Biz

Did you know there is a Canadian hybrid publisher which is focused on publishing non-fiction books by business owners and thought leaders? My guest in this episode is Trena White, who with her colleague Jesse Finkelstein, co-founded Page Two Publishing in 2013. 

Page Two is located in Vancouver, British Columbia and it publishes books by thought leaders, subject matter experts and Organizations. It has distribution agreements in Canada and the United States and almost 50% of its authors are American.  Listen in as Trena talks about the books they publish and ones they will publish in 2021. We also discuss the process for how to get a book published with Page Two Publishing. 

Find out more about Page Two on their website: www.pagetwo.com

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Richelle Wiseman: website | linkedin | facebook

Our guest in this episode is Steven Spatz, President of Book Baby which is the largest Self-publishing company in the United States. 

Steven had a long career in retail marketing with Fortune 500 companies like Mattel and Hasbro. He joined AVL Digital in 2004 to lead the direct-to-consumer marketing teams for the music industry brands like Disc-Makers, Oasis and CD Baby.

He was tapped to lead the company’s new publishing division in 2014 and drove expansion of the company to the full service self-publishing giant that it is today. In our conversation, Steven talks about the roots and history of Book Baby, how it differs from other self-publishing companies, and how it provides greater revenues to authors by selling their books from its shopping page. Book Baby has a reputation for quality books and they do everything in house from graphic design to every aspect of the print process. 

When COVID-19 hit in March, Book Baby did a marvelous pivot to stay open and keep all its 150 staff employed. Tune in to find out what they did!   Plus you can find a ton of information about all aspects of publishing a book on their extensive website:  www.bookbaby.com

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Richelle Wiseman: website | linkedin | facebook

Douglas & McIntyre is one of the bright stars in the Canadian publishing constellation. Next year, D & M will celebrate its 50th Anniversary. My guest in this episode is Anna Comfort O’Keefe who is the publisher at D & M.

We talked about how the publishing world has had to change to adapt to the “discoverability” of books by readers. Social media has played a big role in that. We also talked about the process at D & M to get published. New writers can submit unsolicited manuscripts, and Anna has some great insights into how to make the decision between going with a traditional publisher or with a self-publishing company. D & M publishes a wide range of genres but is focused Canadian authors who write about topics or stories that are of interest to Canadians. Have a listen and learn about one of Canada’s publishers of major and minor Canadian award-winning authors.

https://douglas-mcintyre.com/

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Richelle Wiseman: website | linkedin | facebook

My guest on this episode of Buzz on Book Biz is Thomas Umstattd of Author Media which is based in Austin, Texas. Thomas was a literary agent and book marketer for a big traditional publishing house. He founded Umstattd Media in 2007 which was focused on building websites for authors and small businesses.

In 2009, he launched an award-winning blog called AuthorTechTips.com
and that blog enabled him to launch his company, Author Media in 2011. Author Media provides online training and marketing services for authors who want to learn how best to sell their books. Our conversation ranged over the pros and cons of traditional vs indie or self-publishing, and Thomas has some great insights and tips when it comes to marketing books. Listen and learn what you need to know about social media and mailing lists if you are an author.

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Richelle Wiseman: website | linkedin | facebook

In this podcast episode, my guest is Sharon Butala, a Canadian writer and novelist who has written many award-winning fiction and non-fiction books. We talk about her writing career of publishing over 20 books, her passion for the Saskatchewan prairies, and her advice to writers who are just starting out and trying to get published. She reads a passage from one of her books which is my favorite, The Perfection the Morning: An Apprenticeship in Nature (1994). Her most recent book is a short story collection called Season of Fury and Wonder. It was published last year and was shortlisted for the Rogers Writers Trust Fiction prize, and it won the City of Calgary W.O. Mitchell Book Prize.  Sharon has also received the Order of Canada and she is truly a national treasure.

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Richelle Wiseman: website | linkedin | facebook

On this episode of Buzz on Book Biz, we will be talking to Kelsey Attard, the managing editor of Freehand Books in Calgary. Freehand is a literary press which focuses on fiction as well as creative non—fiction and graphic memoirs. We will talk about how Freehand selects manuscripts, how writers can submit their books, and she offers some great tips and advice for writers looking for a publisher. Freehand Books boasts of a catalogue which contains some award-winning books, including some from first time authors. We also talk about the way COVID has affected publishers and the book world. Listen in to our chat about publishing in Canada.

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Richelle Wiseman: website | linkedin | facebook

For business owners, consultants, and coaches, writing a book for their business can open many doors and stages (remember those?).  Listen to Brent Barootes, President and CEO of Partnership Group, as he explains how writing a book titled “Reality Check – Straight Talk about Sponsorship Marketing” led to surprising opportunities for his company and for him personally. If you have toyed with the idea of writing a book for your business, you’ll be inspired when you hear Brent’s story.

www.partnershipgroup.ca

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Richelle Wiseman: website | linkedin | facebook

Kesley is the head of the Business Development department of Greenleaf Book Group, a hybrid publisher based in Austin, Texas.  We talk about the differences between traditional publishers, self-publishers, and hybrid publishers.  Kesley lays out a strong case for how and why Greenleaf’s hybrid model serves authors better than the other two options.  If you’re not quite sure what a “Hybrid Publisher” is, then listen in as Kesley explains.

Greenleaf Book Group Online Brochure 

Publishing Quizz (What kind of publisher is right for you?)

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Richelle Wiseman: website | linkedin | facebook

Because Buzz on Book Biz is about writing, publishing and marketing books, my guest for our first episode is Mitchell Levy who had done all three. Mitchell is an international bestselling author of over 60 books. He is the publisher at AHAthat (https://ahathat.com) and has created 20 businesses in Silicon Valley, including 4 publishing companies that  have published over 800 books. So, he knows a thing or two about marketing books too. Our conversation focuses on how business owners can create books which increase their credibility and authority in their field. To connect with Mitchell, go to his personal website and book time on his calendar at:  https://MitchellLevy360.com

Also, check out Mitchell’s show about thought leadership. Visit https://www.thoughtleaderlife.com/

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Richelle Wiseman: website | linkedin | facebook

Coming August 18, professional book coach & writer Richelle Wiseman will interview published authors, book publishers and book marketers to find out what works and what doesn't for publishing and marketing books successfully. We will also talk about tips and trends in book publishing and book marketing!

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Richelle Wiseman: website | linkedin | facebook