OMNI Book Publishing

2010-08-13T17:52:00.002-04:00

This is wise advice given by Phil Davis, book promoter extraordinaire, and I though I'd share it with you. He says... "When I published my first book, Fast & Furious Book Promotion, I was against giving it away for free. As a business person, giving away free things just didn't seem to make sense. But when one of my customers, Dr. Bill Guillory, and I teamed up to write How To Become a Total Failure: The Ten Rules of Highly Unsuccessful People, (http://www.tenwaystofail.com) Bill insisted we give away 500 hard copy books and 5,000 ebooks. Needless to say, Bill was right. Within a month of self-publishing How To Fail, we had a publisher in Germany who bought the rights to the book and we were in discussions with a US publisher. What happens when you give away copies of your book is you jump-start the conversation about your book. And when people start talking about it, you never know who might hear about it. Remember the term market influencer from an earlier tip? The result you want when you give away free copies is to get market influencers to start talking about your book. (or buying the rights to it) To get noticed in this over-crowded marketplace you need to be aggressive. I have no rule-of-thumb regarding the number of books to give away, but the numbers Bill and I used worked for us and might work for you as well."

OK, I posted that because it's sound advice from someone who knows, but the reality of it is... how many authors out there want to give away so many books? This is a decision that each author needs to think twice and three times. there are many authors that have the funds available to purchase extra books to be given away, but let's face it... those are not the majority.
I believe that if an author can afford to give away between 50 and 75 books to those he believes will be able to spread the word, he should. Among those people that will receive free books are reviewers from different newspapers and magazines because their word carry and, as Phil says in his article, who knows who will be reading the reviews?
At any rate, I wanted you to hear from someone who has been giving advice to authors for many moons and see how HE does it.
Good luck!, and remember to place your comments here so we can pass them on to other authors.

DOING YOUR OWN PROMOTION

2010-08-05T13:52:00.004-04:00

As an author, and one that thinks all the time about the best way to promote your book, you now know we are a tribe of authors who love to promote on the Internet and with Social Media. Online book promotion is the fastest, cheapest way to grow a really big audience. But once you get that audience, what do you do with it? Today's tip is all about getting into your local bookstore, starting with your local chain stores:
1. With a big online following, you improve your chances of getting into bookstores, even if you have to do it one store at a time.
2. The key is local events. Send out press releases to local daily and weekly papers. Contact local radio and TV stations. Offer to do readings at local libraries, and then hit the bookstores.
3. The average author brings in 5 people to a book signing. Show your local bookstore owner you can bring in 50. Get creative. Offer free food.
4. Show the local bookstore owner how you promote your book and that you will be telling your audience your book is available at this particular bookstore.
5. Once you are in the store, track all receipts. The more you sell, the more likely it is that someone at head office will see a 'trend' and give you a call, as the publisher of record, to find out what the appeal is, and get your books throughout the region, or even the country. Online promotion is great, but it is really the foundation of all your book selling activities. At some point, you have to hit the streets, but when you do, everything you do offline will feed back into your online promotion. The key word is synergy.

SHARING THE LIMELIGHT

2010-07-15T08:40:00.003-04:00

Another great way to connect with books that rank higher than yours and are in your genre is by writing "So you'd like to . . . Guides." A "So you'd like to . . . Guide" is an article about a subject you are an expert in. For example, I might write an article titled, "So you'd like to be a published author guide." When I write my article, I link to my book so the cover appears prompting anyone who reads my article to buy my book. But I also have to add another title as per Amazon's requirement. So I will select some books that rank higher than mine and are in the same genre. I try not to select too many so my book will still stand out. A key philosophy of social networking is to be social. We must collaborate with others - even competing books - to sell our own books.

This is not asking the enemy how to win the war, it's plain common sense; unfortunately not many people see it that way. In fact, I bet you that 80% of those who read this blog will be thinking "no way I am going to share my page with someone else..." but networking is alive and well and it works.

Maybe another example that I should post here is about three very well known female writers, Nora Roberts, Lisa Gardner, and Julie Garwood, who got together during a large book signing in the East Coast and shared a table signing their books and speaking to the crowds about their work. Now THAT is called networking! Would you dare to do that with tho other people that write about the same genre that you do? Those three well-known writers who have become household names in this country were not afraid to share three hours with the public. they got where they are now because they write extremely well and have the intelligence to recognize that they are not the only ones who do, and are not afraid to share the limelight.

Would you like to send me your thoughts about this theme? Please do. I'll be waiting to hear from you.

From HOFFMAN LION DEN - A reading group.

2010-07-09T11:38:00.003-04:00

People who read at least seven business books a year earn a reported 2.3 times more than people who read only one. That stat, floating around the Internet, has been attributed jointly (and separately) to the U.S. Department of Labor and a survey conducted by Yahoo!
Whether that information is strictly reliable or not, executives and avid readers everywhere will attest to the value of professional reading—for personal development, leadership training, continuous learning and company innovation. This value can be increased exponentially if businesses get groups of employees on board with the idea of professional reading and facilitate and encourage discussions in reading groups. Reading groups go beyond boosting knowledge, too, to offer improved morale and productivity.
For small businesses, internal company reading groups may be difficult to facilitate due to smaller staff sizes. But that shouldn’t stop you. Consider instead community-based discussions, focused on business issues. Partner with other local businesses or professional associations, perhaps through the library or your local chamber of commerce, to host a book club. Sounds intriguing?

I am the owner of a smallish business (have 6 employees in site and 3 home-workers), and we have created a group in our hometown that get together once a month and discuss different issues. As a consultant for small businesses, I bring up the themes and we talk about them.

I am using a booklet that OMNI Book Publishing printed On Demand for my company, and we use it as our guide. Having a book (or, as in my case, a Booklet) helps the group and also sells it - and that is the end result I wanted.

I appreciate my associates and friends who took this idea so easily, and suggest it to others that have something to say regarding an X theme or discussion.

I have nearly ran out of copies and am printing more, but the new version will have ideas gathered from those meetings. This will show my readers and clients that the ideas given are good and that they work when we put our brains together in gear. The original booklet was 66 pages... the new version I am preparing will have 90, and I figure that in six more months I will be able to expand it to a full book.

Thank you OMNI Book Publishing for allowing me to add to your blog! One hand washes the other, and both wash our face.

Deb Sutton, hoffmanbooks@hotmail.com

READERS OPINIONS

2010-06-26T09:57:00.003-04:00

We have received a comment in one of our blogs (Internet Fraud) in which the writer... 'Anonymous'... states that "I see Omni hides their readers opinions. Her tactics stink as much as her editing does".
Well, first of all... he is not as Anonymous as he wants to believe he is. I know exactly who he is... and I hereby want to say to him that is he wants to diminish me or my company to be man enough to do it in person or in a court of law.
Trashy creatures, those who know deep inside that they are the ones in the wrong, put down others in order to feel better themselves, and this is exactly what this person is doing.

RECOGNITION TO ONE OF OMNI'S AUTHORS

2010-06-13T10:21:00.005-04:00

We are always proud of those authors that achieve recognition because of their work as writers - after they pour their hearts into a story that in many cases has taken many months or years, public acknowledgment is food for their souls.

In this case, such recognition has gone to a well-deserved author and the president and founder of AIPEH (Asociación Internacional de Poetas y Escritores Hispanos) based in Orlando, FL., Palmira S. Ubiñas, for her first novel Los Angeles de Poder (in Spanish).

La Prensa has given her an award for "Women That Make a Difference", not only for her literary talent but also for her past work as promoter of the Arts in her Puerto Rico and in Florida.

Palmira is a writer, poet, reporter, magazine editor, publicist, television, radio and theatre producer, and a highly regarded community leader.

Her book, "Los Angeles de Poder" is a science-fiction / fantasy story of a highly developed breed of people from another galaxy who come back in time to visit Earth and save it from the planetary changes that are predicted for 2012. It is a gripping story filled with action, adventure, humor, and the power of love.

We congratulate Palmira S. Ubiñas not only for this award but also for her past performance in the world of Art!

Internet Fraud

2010-05-18T10:11:00.003-04:00

This past weekend we at OMNI lived through a hellish time when we found out that someone... one of those low life individuals who have nothing better to do than to create problems and havoc for others... had hacked into our email system (omnibookpublishing@att.net), stole all the names from our contact list (and left it empty), plus all our emails from April 12, 2010 until May 15th, 2010.
Then... he/she sent an email to all those people in the contact list as if it had been sent by me, Christina Coirolo, saying that I was in Wales on a short vacation and had been mugged. The muggers had taken money and credit cards and I had mo money to pay the hotel.
The request for money was not blatantly there, but it was implied.
Those concerned with "my fate" who wrote back offering me money, received another email telling them to send $2200 (one of them), or $2450 (the other) via Western Union. the kicker is... one of them was told to send the money to a fake address in "Wiltshire, Wales" (Wiltshire is not in Wales but in England), and the other to an address in London.
By then I had called the police, and when the money part was found out it became a federal crime and the police here contacted the FBI.
I received many telephone calls during the weekend, some of them were thinking of just leaving a messsage thinking that I was indeed in the UK, and others smelled a skunk and called or emailed me advising of what was going on.
The police has an idea of who the person is... someone with a criminal record for larceny, false pretenses, conspiracy, and larceny by conversion (this is what his rap sheet says), and as soon as Yahoo and AT&T come through with the name of the person who opened an account and had my emails and contact list forwarded to it, then we will act upon.
This blog is just to advise those who read "my" email not to worry and to be aware that there are many of these SKUNKS out there who will think nothing about hurting others. Karma exists and they will get what's coming to them.

EXPLANATION to OMNI'S AUTHORS.

2010-04-18T10:08:00.004-04:00

I wrote in my Spanish blog yesterday because something happened that upset and worried me at the same time, and I want to put it here as well tp clarify the air.
One of my authors complained and became insulting when I gave him the price of 250 books that he wanted to order, plus the shipping charges from the printing plant to his home. Those charges are set up by the printers, not OMNI, and because his book is 410 pages, and 7x9 in size, each copy weights a bit over a pound. Besides that, he wanted the books immediately (less than the 4 days that would have taken via UPS Standard)... and the price was $348. He is in Topeka, Kansas. This is when he became rude. I asked him to call UPS, FedEx, and the regular post office and check on shipping rates giving weight of package and all the pertinent information... and an hour later he called me and apologized for his rudeness.
The cheapest rate he received from those three carriers was $410. I had told him that my printers use UPS for the hundred of packages that they send daily and therefore get a better rate... and that OMNI has nothing to do or say about that. What hurts me more is the fact that he accused me of "getting a kick back" from the printing plant, something that is absolutely NOT TRUE.
I use vendors and have to abide by their rules as well as my authors have to abide by OMNI's rules.
This is a business, and as such I have to cover my expenses but I don't overcharge anyone. I believe that OMNI's charges are lower than many small publishers out there, and authors can shop around and compare rates.
My printers can print books in two days and the shipping time may be up to 4 days using their Standard rates and depending where in the country the author lives. Rush and Super Rush can be overnight, therefore an author - if he pays those rush rates - can have his books in THREE days after placing the order.
I'd like to hear of ANY publisher that gives that service.
Place your comments below, please.
Thank you!

WE ALSO PUBLISH IN SPANISH

2010-03-04T09:51:00.004-05:00

For your information, we also publish books in Spanish, and this month we have an excellent Science-Fiction / Fantasy story written by Palmira S. Ubiñas, a Puerto Rican author who has many published works under her name, plus a CD with her own poetry and in her own voice.

"Los Angeles de Poder" is the unusual story of two people who were created in the future (year 2420) to travel back in time and save Earth from the happenings in 2012. The story is fascinating, written with good taste and imagination, and it took the writer almost fifteen years to create and develop.

It can be purchased through the Internet distributors starting March 15th., or though our website http://www.omnibookpublishing.com/

Mrs. Ubiñas has worked in many venues related to publication and television, and this is her first novel; we hope that she will develop its sequel soon because after the extensive book signing tour in Florida and Puerto Rico that she has starting in April, readers would want to know more about these two characters - these Angels of Power!

OMNI'S YOUNGEST AUTHOR STRIKES AGAIN!

2010-02-18T11:42:00.004-05:00

Reyna Hurand is only 14 years old but her imagination has no boundaries.
Last month she surprised us by sending us two new manuscripts for us to publish: "Misfortune in Manhattan", and a sequel with the subtitle 'Kiley and Stella's Encounter'. The first one is ready to be published and out in the Internet for the world to see.

It's the nicely told story of a newly orphaned 14-yr. old girl from Wisconsin who goes to Manhattan to live with her aunt Julianne, and how her life changes completely not only because of the different way of life, but also because she discovers her hidden talents as a writer.

Kiley Fisher is bright, funny, pretty, and totally cool. She knows all about designers and what to wear when and how, and her views of the new world she has been thrown into will teach her a thing or two about friendship and the love of those closest to us.

This is a book for teenagers written by a teenager whose viewpoint sometimes makes you believe she is older than her aunt.

Beware Manhattan! Kiley Fisher is here to stay!

THE BUSINESS OF BEING DEVIOUS

2010-02-09T13:37:00.002-05:00

This week’s blog will be regarding unscrupulous people who see nothing wrong about pilfering ideas from others in order to get what they want. When I say this I mean sneaking questions here and there in a nonchalant way and then using the ideas obtained for their own use.
There are many of those around; some of them have pretended to be friends or at least have shown an interest in what we have to say and later used that information for their own purposes. These underhanded, devious, two-timing, cunning people that use slyness in front of a façade of camaraderie should have no place in our lives.
In the publishing business that is something that could happen more often than what we’d like to hear. I’d dare to compare this behavior with plagiarizing someone else’s writing.
This case happened in the publishing business, but it could also happen in our daily lives. There is a saying, “With friends like those, who needs enemies?”… That it is oh! so true. Byzantine behavior has no room to operate among those who have put their heart and soul towards a goal just to see it shot down by someone else’s greed and the false idea that ‘bigger is better”.

Placing big names on the back cover of a book, or well-known logos showing well-known names doesn’t mean anything really, just that the author is paying big bucks towards the subscription on that particular well-known company. A fine silk scarf adorned with Italian designs draws big dollars at Fifth Avenue boutiques, but stitch a “Made in Taiwan” label into the hem, and it suddenly has all the cachet of a K-Mart blue-light special.
It could easily happen among authors. Suppose you are in a writers’ group, and they start talking about ideas, so you, not even thinking that Benedict Arnold is present, tell everybody about this grand idea you have for a story. Lo and behold, sometime later your idea becomes a finished story – one that was not written by you! You wonder how in the world that happened and probably would never think about one of those people in your friendly writers’ group.

Open your eyes wide, friend, and don’t give away information that may hurt you later. Protect your writing and your ideas and don’t allow underhanded people use them as their own.
It’s a Bad Day at Black Rock, but the shootout isn’t over.

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS?

2010-01-05T11:51:00.001-05:00

I wish I had a dime for every time I have written down resolutions for the New Year; I’m sure I could get new toner for my printer with my booty.
Seriously, how many people do you know that actually follow up on them? I’m sure I don’t! But when you think about it, it makes sense to have goals written down, and as an author it’s even better. If you keep an agenda or a desk calendar, go to the last day of the month and write something like… FINISH CHAPTER AND DO RE-WRITES. It’s not a lot and it may be easier for you to start with something small enough that it won’t turn you off for the remaining of the year.

I have a book about Agatha Christie trivia and one of the stories tells about her compulsion to set goals for herself, and after she died her grandson found one of her agendas in which she had written under the month of May: “Kill someone before page 30”. It’s funny in many ways, but also tells about her methodical mind and how carefully she planned her stories. This also brings us to the detail that Dame Agatha always “killed” someone at the beginning of her stories and the rest of the book revolved about solving that murder. This is also just a bit of trivia for those of us who write whodunits.

Earlier this morning I was writing down family birthdays in my 2010 agenda and thought about goals, so I went to the 30th. of each month and wrote something that I have wanted to accomplish this year. Let’s see how that works…

Is setting goals compulsive or maniacal? Not at all. It’s common sense and it may teach us some very good life rules.
The problem for many is to follow up on those goals. Sigh.

Here’s to you, dear author, with OMNI Book Publishing’s best wishes for a Happy and Prolific year 2010. Cheers!

LEAVE THE DISHES IN THE SINK

2010-01-03T12:10:00.004-05:00

Taking time to sit quietly and write is very difficult, unless you live alone, and you are strong enough to ignore the telephone and that loud “bing” that computers do when a new email comes in.
I have been working with an author – married and mother of three – who emails me every month and tells me that “she’s getting there” and would have the manuscript sent to me sooner if she had just two extra hours per day to write. What shall I do?, she asks, just leave the dishes in the sink? I could say many things, but it would all be horse feathers on my part. Who am I, who don’t know my own name before my first cup of coffee, to advise anyone about at what time to write? We are all different and we must do whatever works better for us – not what we read about Mary Higgins Clark, who used to start writing at 5 AM before her children and husband were up – or about Isaac Asimov who apparently had three word processors, each with a story in different stages of completion, and moved from one machine to the next and wrote from a page to ten pages whenever his Muse hit him.
Some people get the writing fever and write, write, write for an entire week or until their fingernails fall off; others are lucky enough to be able to follow schedules and write from 1 – 3 PM when it’s time to start getting cookies and milk out for their kids; others are able to sit down whenever they have a new idea for the book and finish chapters without a billion interruptions. The latter are the ones I envy.
Dean Koonz, an author that I don’t read because I don’t follow his genre but nevertheless recognize his greatness, said in a talk show once that a long time ago he made a rule for himself: he’d write three pages daily no matter what. Those three pages, he explained, will soon become five and then seven because his mind would be already geared towards his theme. I have tried that and it works for me too. It may be more difficult the first few days because all you have in mind is those three pages that you are supposed to be working on, but soon you find out that time indeed flies when you are having fun, and those three pages start multiplying. When you reach the six-pages-per-day goal don’t talk yourself into taking a day off because you are ahead of yourself – just keep typing.
How many times have you heard that “writing is a lonely profession”? It could be, I agree, but we don’t write 24/7, and those hours not used for your writing can be filled with friends, spouses, kids, pets, and you won’t have to leave the dishes in the sink until tomorrow’s breakfast. Just find the time and write. If it’s in you, if you have the nagging feeling that you can do better than the newest blockbuster promoted highly in People’s Magazine and the New York Times, then find the time and leave the dishes in the sink.
Alternatively, you can always get paper plates.

By the way, we at OMNI Book Publishing will be waiting for your phone call regarding the publishing of your book. Our phone is 517-541-2942, or send us an email at omnibookpublishing@att.net

THE TRUTH ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL

2009-12-18T12:55:00.003-05:00

This is truly a delightful book written by our youngest author, 13-year old Reyna Hurand, of Flint, Michigan. It's her second story published, and this young author captures the very essence of being a teenager facing Middle School for the first time. You don't have to be in that difficult age that we all go through to understand the heroine's fears and concerns when she enters Middle School for the first time.Will she be able to become part of the "in" crowd? Will other girls - and boys, of course! - like her? What about her teachers? Can she handle all those classes with different instructors and keep her sanity? Reyna writes using the language of today's girls and boys of that age - sometimes a foreign language to adults - and she does it with humor and great knowledge of that generation that just entered their teen years.Follow the school year with Isabel - "Is" for short - and walk with her the crowded halls of the Middle School. A book for kids 12 to 16... or older, why not?Reyna Hurand shows great talent at 13, and we look forward to her next story and... the next... and the next...

2009-12-17T17:20:00.000-05:00

The Truth About Middle School

2009-12-17T16:53:00.004-05:00

This is truly a delightful book written by our youngest author, 13-year old Reyna Hurand, of Flint, Michigan. It's her second story published, and this young author captures the very essence of being a teenager facing Middle School for the first time. You don't have to be in that difficult age that we all go through to understand the heroine's fears and concerns when she enters Middle School for the first time.
Will she be able to become part of the "in" crowd? Will other girls - and boys, of course! - like her? What about her teachers? Can she handle all those classes with different instructors and keep her sanity? Reyna writes using the language of today's girls and boys of that age - sometimes a foreign language to adults - and she does it with humor and great knowledge of that generation that just entered their teen years.
Follow the school year with Isabel - "Is" for short - and walk with her the crowded halls of the Middle School. A book for kids 12 to 16... or older, why not?
Reyna Hurand shows great talent at 13, and we look forward to her next story and the next and the next...

Pennies From Heaven

2009-12-09T13:06:00.004-05:00

The latest book published by OMNI Book Publishing is a tasteful work by Mr. Samuel J. Elliott, a complete artist from North Carolina.

"Pennies From Heaven" brings us Mr. Elliott's poems enhanced by his photographs and paintings, and together they form a beautiful book. This is a combination of the visual and sensitive expressions through poetry; these are poems that are easy to understand and that depict his life as a talented artist who is proud of his land and heritage. From his great-great grandfather in the early 1800s, a Presbyterian missionary who rescued the Dakota Indians and baptized and saved over 300 in one day to other members of his family who were the first founders of the famous Underground Railroad, we hear their stories told by Mr. Elliott with pride. This is a testimony to always endure and never give up. It is his message to be heard at this time of trials for many people.

A grant from the Arts Council oif Hendersonville, North Carolina, opened the door for Mr. Elliott to fulfill his dream of seeing his art and talent published for all of us to enjoy.

A beautiful book to own and to give to others.

2009-12-09T13:04:00.001-05:00

As a publisher, we do enjoy promoting our authors and their work. Check out our authors and their wonderful books here: OMNI Book Store.

PENNIES FROM HEAVEN

2009-12-09T12:34:00.002-05:00

Our latest book to be published is "PENNIES FROM HEAVEN' by Mr. Samuel J. Elliott. This is a tasteful combination of the visual along with sensitive expressions through poetry.
The author is a native of Western North Carolina who has written poems and articles for a long time, and has enhanced his art with his own photographs and paintings. A grant from the Art Council of Hendersonville, North Carolina, gave Mr. Elliott the chance to fulfill his dream of publishing his work and have it placed in the Internet and its distributors.
His poems are clear and concise and tell about his emotions, his sad and happy moments, and show his pride for family and their past. The Elliott family was part of the first founders of the famous Underground Railroad, and our author proudly tells us their story.
This is a book to buy for ourselves and to give to others as a gift of beauty and love.

Finding Fairyland by Barry Poupard

2009-10-30T12:18:00.003-04:00

As a publisher, we enjoy promoting our authors and their published work. Check out our authors and their wonderful books here: OMNI Book Store.

This week, we are promoting a lovely children's story by Barry Poupard, Finding Fairyland.

When Julia saw the first brownish-white mushroom near the far edge of the woods, she looked past it thinking it was only a curled leaf. Then she saw another a foot or so away and she stopped walking. She scanned between the two and then imagined a line connecting them. She looked in an arc from there and found a bunch of three mushrooms and then another and several more even further around in a circle.

“Stop!” she called to McKenna who had continued walking along the trail. Julia saw the definite outline of a ring.

McKenna ran back to her and Julia pointed to the ground. “See it? It’s a circle of mushrooms. We found a fairy ring!”

Barry Poupard was born and raised in Michigan and has lived, gone to school, worked, and wrote there for most of his life. He has two kids, a boy and a girl, now grown and on their own. Though he has worked a variety of jobs, he spent the longest time working in a bookstore. He never considered writing books for younger readers until his friend asked him to write a story about her daughters that she could read to them. Keep in touch with Barry on his blog/Web site: http://barrypoupard.com/

We welcome you to try our services. We know you will be pleased. Welcome to OMNI Book Publishing.

Dark Moon Over Berlin by Christina Brett

2009-09-25T21:48:00.000-04:00

As a publisher, we do enjoy promoting our authors and their work. Check out our authors and their wonderful books here: OMNI Book Store.

This week, we are promoting an incredible story by Christina Brett, Dark Moon Over Berlin.

Remember those unforgettable 1940s movies where the heroine is spunky and funny, more American than apple pie, and at the same time intelligent and gutsy? Margaret Stapff, a History teacher turned secretary, fits this description to a T.

Her change of jobs takes her closer to her dream of doing something useful and to become God’s thumb to squish Hitler flat, and before she can say “Heil-you-know-who” she’s put in the midst of war-torn Berlin with two missions: one to server her country, and the other to find out what happened to Paul - her lover, her boss, the only man she could love.

The story shows Maggie playing the role of a Baroness fallen into bad times, of a spy who is not afraid of spiders, of a woman whose golden heart will put her in danger if she’s not careful, of a woman in love who went to the very bowels of Hitler’s Berlin to find out what happened to Paul.

History and fiction are mixed in this story that will keep you turning pages until you reach the end.

Christina Brett has been writing for over twenty years. Starting with travel articles, she later graduated to short stories, then to full-size novels, and “Dark Moon Over Berlin” is her fifth one in print.

Originally from Uruguay, South America, Ms. Brett now lives in Michigan with part of her family and her sassy cat Nash. Look her up at www.christinabrett.com.

We recommend reading this wonderful story by Christina Brett.

We welcome you to try our services. We know you will be pleased. Welcome to OMNI Book Publishing.

Voices in Verse by Floriana Hall and The Poet's Nook

2009-09-18T20:56:00.018-04:00

As a publisher, we do enjoy promoting our authors and their work. Check out our authors and their wonderful books here: OMNI Book Store.

This week, we are promoting a wonderful poetry compilation by Floriana Hall and The Poet's Nook with Voices in Verse. These twenty talented poets from Akron and Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio as well as the surrounding areas comprise The Poet's Nook. Floriana Hall founded the group ten years ago as a means to promote the art of wholesome poetry, rhyme or free verse, to help further children's interest in poetry by holding a Children's Poetry Contest each spring. They also promote charitable organizations in the community.

This exceptional book is broken down by each poet and their specific works. Some poems are prize winners or have been published in other books or magazines. There are also the poems that have never been published prior to Voices in Verse. Each poet creates beautiful imagery and weaves words that allow the reader into each poet's world.

We recommend you read this incredible work of poetry by Floriana Hall and The Poet's Nook.

We welcome you to try our services. We know you will be pleased. Welcome to OMNI Book Publishing.

Street Smarts 101 by Mike Lantis

2009-05-22T22:55:00.009-04:00

As a publisher, we do like to promote our published authors. Check out our authors and their wonderful books here: http://www.omnibookpublishing.com/store/.

This week, we are promoting Mike Lantis who wrote Street Smarts 101. His book focuses on proper decision-making and learning how to figure out the reasons behind making a good decision. We all know what leads to a bad decision, but making that key decision at the right moment and figuring out how to get there are always harder to ascertain. Mike helps the reader determine these things logically as well as provides the different situations in order to think properly so when we actually come across these things, we are more prepared to handle them.

Mike Lantis grew up in Jackson, Michigan, and currently resides in that area. He received his BA from Spring Arbor University and majored in Management and Organizational Development. Throughout the course of his career, Mike has held several key sales positions in different arenas, and was Director of Operations at an employment firm located in the Midwest. Over the years, he has volunteered service to the Catholic Church and to the development of young men through the community recreation department. Mike is most proud of his two sons, Zachary and Jacob. Contact Mike through his official Web site here: http://www.streetsmarts101thebook.com/

We recommend you read Mike's pertinent book.

We welcome you to try our services. We know you will be pleased. Welcome to OMNI Book Publishing.

De-Stress Yourself before You Write

2009-05-15T13:42:00.003-04:00

Funny... I wrote the title of this week's blog and shook my head in disbelief. Look who's talking!. I write my stories and blogs at my desk while waiting for reply emails or for telephone calls, and I can assure you that it doesn't work well.

Then I look at my desk and groan. What do I see on it? Piles of papers, folders, pens (the same ones that I cannot find when I look for them), and many other items that form the clutter I hate. Sometimes I say that I must clean my desk so I remember the color of the wood it's made of...

First. If I lived in an ideal world, my desk would be completely clear of clutter, with my computer and my glass of water handy, and all the reference books would be neatly tucked in the bookcase at my back. I'd find the right picture and place right in front of me. That picture would be a photograph taken at some unforgettable place when I was visibly happy and relaxed. I'd want to trigger my memory of that experience on my subconscious mind, breaking the circle of stressful thoughts.

Second. I'd add a living thing to my desk. A flower in a cute little vase, a small plant, such as a miniature ivy, or a goldfish. Just looking at any of those living creations can be effective and subtly override a stressful mind.

Third. I'd have handy a meaningful souvenir. An item like a rock, a crystal, some small item purchased during a significant visit to some place that has remained in your mind, or an item given to you by someone wonderful.

Fourth. Try your best to clear your mind of other stressful thoughts and just concentrate on your writing. Try to BE there at the scene with the characters; try to picture in your mind their surroundings during the scene being written; focus on their dialogue so that it sounds realistic and not artificial; and most of all, re-read after you write. It may happen to you as well, but when I write what I'm thinking I sometimes skip a word if I'm going too fast therefore I have to go over and see that the idea is complete before I move to the next paragraph.

Of course, the above works for me and I cannot assume that it will work for you as well. Maybe I should add a fifth point... I need silence when I write. Sometimes I can't even have music playing (soft, 'elevator' music, never the noisy kind), but not every one is like me, obviously. Like those teenagers who need a blasting stereo to do their homework, some grown ups fit that category – but that's something that I cannot understand. Do whatever YOU feel to make yourself at home writing and creating... but DO IT! Don't wait for a miracle to see your novel finished because, trust me on this one... it ain't going to happen.

One more point: don't copy my English grammar either...

Practice Makes Perfect

2009-05-08T20:54:00.003-04:00

The most important aspect of publishing that aspiring authors fail to understand is that writing a publishable book takes practice. Lots of it. Yes, once in a while an author will sell a first novel to a print publisher. A vast majority of them, however, have been working on that book for years, revising and rewriting scenes, changing characters and story lines, learning from each change that they make.

A pianist doesn’t sit down and play a Beethoven sonata without lessons. A surgeon doesn’t operate on a patient’s heart without years of study. A lawyer doesn’t defend a client without attending law school. Writing for publication is no different. It’s a profession and has to be learned. It takes practice, practice and more practice.

A writer must know the basics of a good story - how to create goals, motivations, conflicts, character arcs and the ever important hook. How to handle transitions, point of view, dialogue, plot points, gray and black moments. Most important of all, a writer must develop a voice, for without that, the greatest story in the world will have trouble catching the eye of an agent or editor.

Solutions to Common Writing Mistakes

2009-04-03T21:56:00.004-04:00

Not Starting - If you don't start you can never finish. Completing any writing project, particularly a novel, is a daunting prospect. Many people become frozen by the prospect; others keep waiting for the right time. Some wait for the spark of inspiration. Even experienced writers find it easier to do anything other than actually write.

I wish I had a dime for every time I've heard people tell me “I've always wanted to write a novel / a how-to book / a short story / an article on...” They're called wannabes. Don't be a wannabe because you won't gain anything except thinking of excuses every time someone asks you “Hey, what happened to that novel you were going to write?” That gets old.

The Solution - Start anywhere. While the opening line, page, and chapter of a book is critical, remember you can always change the opening upon re-writing. So after doing the correct preparations, pick the best possible start point at the moment and just begin writing. The right time is now. This minute. The right time can be while sitting at the airport waiting for your flight, or waiting for the dryer to stop spinning.

If you study successful writers, you will find that many began writing at what appeared to be inopportune times – not when all the stars were lined up according to his personal horoscope. Often they began writing when the timing seemed the absolute worst. This might actually be the best time to write. If you wait for the perfect time, it may never come.

Not Finishing - Kind of obvious, isn't it? But starting a project is so much more interesting than slugging through the entire thing. The middle section of any piece of writing, whether it be a novel, nonfiction, article, is almost always kind of hard to work on. The excitement of generating the idea – the lure of the beginning, writing something new – isn't there, and the lure of the finishing line is as far away as the shiver of the beginning. I just re-read this and I can assure you that I used to be this person I just described. One day I looked in a file that I have with novels, short stories, and other writing and I found quite a few that were not finished. That, however, was the old me. Now I make sure that I finish what I started before I start another project. It wasn't easy. But I am doing it, and so far, succeeding... fingers crossed.

It's always easy to get sidetracked by a new idea, but when that happens

The Solution - Suck it up. I suggest that you start a file called: IDEAS TO BE DEVELOPED, and go from there. Just write down a few lines about the new idea, mark your calendar, and on that marked date go back to the file and take one of the ideas and start working on it until you see the end.

For the professional writer who is under a contract it's easy because he gets paid for the work he submits. If he keeps procrastinating and leaving things unfinished he gets no paycheck. The bottom line is simply forcing yourself to sit down and plug away at it. Knocking out words regardless of how you feel. Trust ME, it can be done!

These are just two cases, but we will keep adding more every week.

Come back and read us. Welcome to OMNI Book Publishing.

OMNI Interior Layout-We Never Use Templates

2009-03-20T20:32:00.002-04:00

At OMNI Book Publishing, we strive to make your book as individual as possible. We do not use templates for our interior layouts. If you wish us to use a particular font for your design or have certain things in mind, feel free to let us know. We will be sure all of your recommendations are incorporated into your book's interior. We typeset your book according to publishing standards, so you can be sure your book will be professional in every way.

OMNI Book Publishing will ensure your book will make you happy, so if you wish something to be changed in your interior layout just let us know. We want you to be completely satisfied with your published book and we will strive to achieve this for you.

We welcome you to try our services. We know you will be pleased. Welcome to OMNI Book Publishing.

Our Publishing Guide

2008-12-12T10:55:00.010-05:00

At OMNI Book Publishing, we offer a detailed publishing guide with our available services and options to enhance your publishing experience. Our Publishing Guide for Authors can be requested for free if you do not already have a copy. Simply contact us at omnibookpublishing@att.net or at (888) 541-2942. Just provide us with your mailing address and we will promptly mail a guide to your attention.

We want you to have all the available information in order to ensure you know what we offer for your book publication. We want your book to be perfect in every way. What better way to ensure you have what you want then to review our options and services detailed in our guide? We also encourage you to contact us with any questions you might have after reviewing the guide so we can go through everything with you. We are here to work with you every step of the way and want your entire experience to be a wonderful one. We look forward to seeing your dream fulfilled with your book publication. At OMNI Book Publishing, we are committed to your every detail.

Special Edition Books-Our New Option

2008-12-11T17:57:00.003-05:00

We are starting something new at OMNI Book Publishing; the printing of Special Editions. These are richly bound copies of your book made in elegant silk or pure leather, and gold lettering on the cover and spine.

We will print 26 copies of the book (one for each letter in the alphabet) and they will be marked from A to Z. Of course, all 26 copies must be ordered by the author at the same time; we cannot separate the order. Collectors seek special edition of books and some of them go to any length to obtain whatever letter they usually collect; other collectors will be happy to just get a copy, no matter what the letter is. The author's family will also be proud to have one of these special books that will enhance their bookcases because of the richness and elegance of their binding. Think what will happen if your book makes an entry into Hollywood's gold portals, or if it becomes a national best-seller!

Something else that we can do: even if your book was published by someone else we can still offer you a special edition of your work for an extra $100 to re-format your manuscript. You need to make sure that you own the rights to your book with the company that published it; give us a call at the number listed in the next paragraph and we'll discuss with you how we can publish your own special edition. OMNI Book Publishing is the only self-publishing company that offers special editions at this moment!

The full price of this program is $1795 per set of 26 books plus shipping costs when applicable. This must be prepaid before we place the order to the company that makes these beautiful books, but if you have problems and need to make two payments, we will accept the first payment of $1000 and a post-dated check in the amount of the balance and dated no more than 30 days from the first check. Both checks should arrive at the same time in our office.

These special edition books will not have an ISBN or EAN barcode so that you can place your chosen price to them. We can, however, print the price you wish in the back page of the book. OMNI Books has no input on the price you put on your own special edition book, but we can discuss it with you and keep you realistic.

Please call us at 888-541-2942 or email us at omnibookpublishing@att.net requesting more information regarding this new collection, or requesting a copy of the sales contract. We look forward to explaining more about the program and how your book can participate.

Welcome to OMNI Book Publishing

2008-12-09T15:05:00.002-05:00

Publishing a book is not exactly easy task. It takes quite a few people to turn a manuscript into a beautiful book that will make you proud. I know it makes US proud!

When your manuscript arrives we go over its contents to make sure that it meets with our policies - no pornography, no damaging or untrue statements made publicly. We don't edit or even proof read it at that moment unless it was requested by the author. If we find that the manuscript needs editing we will communicate with the author before we continue with our work.

After our perusal is finished we send it to our Interior Book Designer, that talented being who will turn typed pages into a BOOK. She will format the book using the fonts that will make it look readable and well presented, she will clean it up so that no inside markings will be visible when we print it, she will make sure that the title fonts match those used in the cover - and after a few days of hard labor, she will convert it into a PDF file that will be ready to be printed.

At that time, our Graphic Designer - another talented soul! - would have finished with the cover design and the two parts of the book will be ready to be put together. Before I go further, let me explain about the work done by the Graphic Designer: she will know what to design for your book cover after you explain to her what the book is all about. Some people would also have a design in mind already, or we can send them to a program that we subscribe to where he can browse around and see if he finds something for his cover. The Graphic Designer will take that image, add the book title and his name, and voilá... your book cover is ready.

Then the book interior and the cover are sent to our printers who will do their own magic and we'll have a proof book to be sent to the author to look over and to correct errors, and the other one to be sent to the Library of Congress to register your copyright (work that we do for you and is included in the publishing fee). When the author goes over the printed book and makes a list of errors or corrections he wants, the book goes back to the Interior Book Designer who will make the changes, send the PDF back to the printers, and the book is ready to be printed and published. We try to do all that work in eight weeks or less, but some unforseen delay may happen that will add a few days to that dateline therefore we ask you to be patient. You will always be kept informed of what is happening with your book via telephone or email.

We said at the beginning that publishing a book is not easy task - but it's a very enjoyable one! To give someone the gift of seeing his work in print is priceless, and to hear authors call us or email us saying how very happy they are with their new book and how many wonderful words they have heard about it, is absolutely precious!

We also do work in Spanish: editing, proof reading, and publishing, following the same rules than the books in English.

Be part of our OMNI family and send us your manuscript to be published by a company that has soul. We are not just a voice over the telephone lines or a message typed to your computer screen --- we believe in authors; we believe that there is an incredible amount of writing talent out there, but you'll never know unless you take that step towards being a published author. Your wonderful manuscript will remain anonymous if you keep it in your desk drawer, so send it to us today!

OUR PUBLISHING FEE

Our fee to publish your work and have it distributed by all the major distributors is only $550.00 and it includes the following:

One-time set up fee to enter your manuscript in our printing system.
An ISBN number , requested by booksellers.
An EAN bar code, requested by booksellers.
Library of Congress registration of your copyright.
Cover design if you need one (see below for extra options).
A printed copy of your book for you to correct errors and return to us.
Cost covered for the first FORTY errors found in the manuscript (more errors at $50 per block of 40)
Images that you have digitally inserted in the manuscript when it's sent to us.
The printing of your book in brilliant white paper (we do accept color images inside), covers in laminated 100-lb. paper, and perfect bound binding.
Choice of four book sizes: 5.5" x 8.5", 8.5" x 11", 6.5" x 9.5", and 8" x 8" - this last one being perfect for children's books.
Distribution through all the major distributors and wholesalers in the Internet (except Barnes & Noble, please see the "optional costs" below)
FREE storage of your digital file by OMNI Book Publishing ~ this means NO EXTRA ANNUAL FEES requested from you.
Placement of your book in Bowker's Books in Print to allow every bookseller in the country and abroad to order.

OPTIONAL COSTS

Editing ~ starting at $400 ~ please call us to discuss your particular fee, which varies according to page count.
Proof reading - $200
Translating to and from Spanish - starting at $3.50 per page
Placement in Ingram Books - $150 to have the Barnes & Noble distributorship as well
HARD COVER books - $210 and we offer them in two sizes: 5.5" x 8.5" and 8" x 8"
Especially designed book covers - $350
Images that we have to scan into your manuscript, color OR B&W - $8.00 each
Expedited Service ~ $750 If an author needs his finished books in less than eight weeks, we have an expedited service that will have your books in your hands in four weeks, PLUS we will send you TEN extra copies of your book. Please call our company to discuss this option (1-888-541-2942), as it requires an extra contract.

OMNI Book Publishing

DOING YOUR OWN PROMOTION

SHARING THE LIMELIGHT

From HOFFMAN LION DEN - A reading group.

READERS OPINIONS

RECOGNITION TO ONE OF OMNI'S AUTHORS

Internet Fraud

EXPLANATION to OMNI'S AUTHORS.

WE ALSO PUBLISH IN SPANISH

OMNI'S YOUNGEST AUTHOR STRIKES AGAIN!

THE BUSINESS OF BEING DEVIOUS

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS?

LEAVE THE DISHES IN THE SINK

THE TRUTH ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL

The Truth About Middle School

Pennies From Heaven

PENNIES FROM HEAVEN

Finding Fairyland by Barry Poupard

Dark Moon Over Berlin by Christina Brett

Voices in Verse by Floriana Hall and The Poet's Nook

Street Smarts 101 by Mike Lantis

De-Stress Yourself before You Write

Practice Makes Perfect

More About Solutions to Common Writing Mistakes

Solutions to Common Writing Mistakes

OMNI Interior Layout-We Never Use Templates

Our Publishing Guide

Special Edition Books-Our New Option

Welcome to OMNI Book Publishing