Category Archives: desktop publishing

Good Foundations of Health Literacy

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It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. ~ Frederick Douglass 

nutrition-habitsEncouraging young students to learn more about healthy food choices is important to the Arthur W Perdue Foundation. A forty-thousand dollar grant towards health literacy has been awarded to the AtlanticGeneralHospital in Worcester County, Maryland. The AGH is creating after school programs to educate children about making better choices in their lives. http://bit.ly/18LrPSQ.

AGH will partner with the HerschelSHorowitzCenter for Health Literacy http://www.healthliteracy.umd.edu/   at the University of Maryland College Park to draft a set of health literacy standards for the K-8 public school curriculum. Health literacy is a relatively new term, and it is being integrated into core curriculum in schools in many states, such as Colorado.

Eat, Play, Learn Books, LLC of Steamboat Springs, Colorado http://eatplaylearnbooks.wordpress.com/  is pioneering the way in publishing e-books which incorporates the use of videos of “kids activities that use food as a learning tool.” Great resources for parents and educators.

Kudos to the Perdue Foundation and to Eat, Play, Learn Books, LLC for their commitment to educating children about the cornerstones of good health and the long term benefits of eating right!

Return tomorrow to www.AllThingsFulfilling, where independent thoughts, words and views are all part of the business.

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Fulfillment for the Royals

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“Of all the roles I’ve played, none has been as fulfilling as being a mother.” ~

Annette Funicello

It’s a high time for the Royal Family. Will Catherine, the Dutchess of Cambridge give birth to a Royal Princess or Prince?  I’ll bet the Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, can hardly wait to see whether his offspring, male or female, will be next in line to the throne to fulfill his duties, if he ever reaches the post. That still remains to be seen.

As a mom, I am not sure I’d wish a royal role on a son or a daughter. It would be a blessing and a burden. But then, ordinary folk have both blessings and burdens in their lives, too! A big perk would be living in a castle with every whim or whimsy tended to. Bounty and agony can come with that  -imagine the upkeep. I think I’ll stick to an ordinary life, and surround myself with beautiful things when I want to. Sounds like a balanced solution.

I am on Royal baby countdown, like every fan of the British monarchy. You can be sure the Brits and the Americans are gearing up for selling commemorative plates, mugs, banners and all kinds of products to demarcate the big event of the  baby’s arrival into the royal family!

Bells will toll and news of the royal birth will ring out loud and clear on media sites, in print and on-line everywhere.   Castles and Coffeehouses wants you to “Be the first on your block” to own a souvenir of the special birth day of the newest royal family member. Read it for yourself.  http://bit.ly/16ADMET.

Happy Royal Baby Watching everyone!

keep calm and be yourself

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Two Rules for On-Line Selling

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“The only limit to your impact is your imagination and commitment.” ~ Anthony Robbins

Let’s face it, many authors love the creative process and would rather write than self-promote. From consulting with independent publishing clients, I’ve concluded that the #l reason independent publishers do not succeed is lack of consistent marketing efforts – it takes real commitment.

  • Rule #1: If you are selling your book over the internet, you must be marketing over the internet consistently.
  • Rule #2:  A strong web presence is necessary so your product is visible to potential buyers.

strategy and implementationThere are writers and there are marketers, and not everyone is both. Be honest with yourself. Determine if you capable of both. If you are not sure, that’s where a company that specializes in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers comes in handy. They can educate you about what it really takes to successfully promote and market your book over the internet and whether your technology skills are up to it.

Remember, writing a book, or producing music or film, is just the beginning of the independent publishing business. Marketing strategy is as equally important to becoming a successful publisher of media content.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Bringing Fulfillment to Life

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“The greatest discoveries have come from people who have looked at a standard situation and seen it differently.” ~ Ira Erwin

What does fulfillment mean to you? Which medium of art do you like to explore the most to find a satisfying experience? Do  you like discovering the works of new musicians, a debut author or watching a new film release?

People who love books, LOVE books! Some individuals can not get enough music in their lives, and for others – there is nothing more personally fulfilling than watching an inspiring film, whether it is on the big silver screen or not.

What is your choice of entertainment? Take our quick survey, and we will let you know the result at a later date.

Take time this summer to explore whatever it is that floats your boat in your life!

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. A company specializing in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers.

Fulfilling Flashbacks

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“God has given us our memories that we might have roses.” ~ Unknown

Recollections bookThere is a book by Jim Chambers called,  Recollections: A Baby Boomers Memories of the Fabulous Fifties that is a fun read if you grew up in the 1950’s and 1960s and like to return temporarily to yesteryear. Although I believe in the importance of moving forward in my life, just thinking back to childhood days is fulfilling.

Click for info & ordering

The other day, I returned to my childhood, when I stopped by a snowball stand (also known as snow cones, in other parts of the country) for a treat down memory lane. Choosing a flavor has not become easier as an adult, I can assure you of that. Tutti-fruity, blood orange, thunderbird, lemon-lime, they all sounded good, but root beer eventually won out. The girl manning the stand rushed me to a quick decision when she looked at me with her beady eyes, as if to say “Hurry up lady, make up your mind, I’ve got along line of people waiting.”

As I sipped and crunched on the giant-sized cup of crushed ice with artificial flavoring, I thought back to all kinds of fulfilling thoughts of summer from the 1950s and 60s. Do you remember?

  • “Sea and Ski” suntan lotion? Back then, the thought of adding a sun block to the lotion would have been a travesty!
  • The drive-in movies? The audio box that hung from the window emitted sounds that crackled and broke up.
  • Lazy  days by the pool or laying on the bed reading The Bobbsey twin novels? One book after another?
  • Doing the twist or the “Freddie” with your friends? Loved the Beach Boys, the Mamas and the Pappas, the Temptations, the Righteous Brothers and the Supremes.
  • Walking between bolts of fabric at the sewing store? Dreaming about patterns, colors and materials you’d need to make a back to school dress for      September?
  • Waiting for the weekly airing of Candid Camera? That show always tickled me pink.
  • Screaming like a raving maniac when the Beatles appeared on Ed Sullivan? How I adored Ringo and also Topo Gigio!

608-worldsfair-postcardI was keenly aware that our family shared a special privilege, the summer of 1964. We went to the World’s Fair in NY. Oh, how I wish my youngest brother was old enough to remember it. He was just a baby. I marveled at seeing the huge globe on display, and colorful flags from all the nations represented, surrounding it. Our family sang “It’s a Small World After All” the entire way back to Baltimore.

Ahhhh…childhood. Beautiful childhood. I had all the time in the world just to be a kid and play. Unfortunate that today, kids get rushed through it, isn’t it?

This  blog brought to you by Sue B Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected Click for info & ordering Sue’s memoir and www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. A company specializing in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers.

Book Club Buzz

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“Reason, observation and experience; the holy trinity of science.” ~ Robert Green Ingersoll

book group insiderAs I conclude my blog series about book clubs, here is what I have ascertained from being a casual observer.

Conclusion:  “Bookies” have their own opinions of what they like in a story. They are spirited and fight respectfully to uphold their side of the debate of whether they think a book was a good read or not.

Conclusion: Journeys of the heart, that incorporate lessons or themes involving moral judgments make for good book discussions.

Conclusion: Avid readers usually make  decent writers. They know what makes for a fulfilling story, and have a vault full of their own wealth of experiences to write about.

Conclusion: Most members are as interested in the author, as the storyline. This leads to curiosity about learning more about the writing process and publishing.

Thus, the group asked me to explain what I do. I said “everything I do in my professional life involves writing and reading. I consult with independent publishers on how to market and sell their products over the internet.”

A discussion ensued about how the publishing industry has changed. No surprise to this group. Many have had the experience of reading e-books. We talked about how digital technology has changed the way books, films and music is being produced. I left them with the thought that people just like themselves who have stories to tell, can now do it and not fear having a warehouse full of books sitting waiting to be sold. Print on demand and e-books have eliminated that.

I’d like to say thank you to the women in the Dorchester County Maryland book club who allowed me to observe their group discussion of “The Postmistress,” and for the opportunity to share with them information about the independent publishing industry. I enjoyed it very much.

Please return to All Things Fulfilling tomorrow. The space where independent thoughts, words and views are all part of the business. This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Defending a Story

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The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.” ― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian

Today, on All Things Fulfilling, I’ll report my findings as a casual observer of a book club group from Dorchester County, Maryland.The New York the postmistressTimes bestselling book “The Postmistress” by Sarah Blake was discussed the day of the meeting.

In my experience, there are common things readers want to discuss about a book after reading it. The types of critique questions and discourse this East Coast book club had was not so different than any other groups I have witnessed. But, it was evident that each reader had a slightly different point of view about the story, which is why books are worth discussing. Here are some of  the ideas the members talked about:

Did the readers relate to the era of this story? Yes. Most in the book group lived through the times this story was set – World War II era.

Were the characters believable? The postmistress character, one reader said “was too ‘rigid’ to be realistic.” Others disagreed saying it was, “part of the  job.”

Did the author do a good job with character development? Some said yes. Others, no.

Was the storyline effective in evoking memories for the reader? In the case of this book, the answer was an overwhelming Yes!”

Did the readers like the ending? One “bookie” said admittedly, “it is the author’s prerogative to end the story however they see fit. But, she did not like it.”

Other points made in the discussion:
• More than one reader in the group said they “enjoyed her familiarity of the setting (small town Cape Cod),” but they were not fond of reading about war, they had already lived it vicariously through the stories of their fathers, brothers, friends and uncles.
• Another reader stated the meaning behind the narrative was much bigger than the immediate story. The book made a strong statement that “Life goes on despite war.” Note: I have found that universal lessons that go beyond the immediate story, are what makes for a very marketable book.
• One reader said “none of the stories within the book were finished.” Others defended the fact that the book left “things for the reader to figure out, in their own minds, and they like that in books.”
• The consensus seemed to be that a post office in a small town is still the center of community.

As I sat listening to the women’s discussion, I formed my own opinions about the ladies in the book group. Do return to All Things Fulfilling tomorrow as I share my general observances of the “bookies.”

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Bay to Ocean Writers Conference

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To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong. —Joseph Chilton Pearce

Winter is a good time to hold a Writers Conference. It’s the time of year when people spend more time indoors reading and writing! Mark your calendar! 

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What: The 17th annual Bay to Ocean Writers Conference

When: February 22, 2014

Where:KentHumanitiesBuilding, ChesapeakeCollege, Wye Mills, Maryland 

How do I know if this conference is for me?

The mission of the non-profit organization that sponsors this one day conference is “to inform, encourage and inspire writers of all levels from beginners to published authors.”

More details, please. To see the list of 2013 presenters and their offerings please visit the website for the Bay to Ocean Writers Conference.

Please visit this link. http://bit.ly/1ackcUn.

The line-up is jam-packed with fulfilling subjects for writers in every genre. Workshops range from the Craft of Writing, to Poetry, to Marketing and Using Social Media. You will have an opportunity for one on one manuscript review, there will be agents available. 

If independent publishing and e-book publishing (digital/electronic publishing) strikes your fancy, sign up now. There will be  independent publishing industry experts on hand to educate you on this growing trend of publishing, which now represents more than 50% of all publishing revenue.

Remember, there is no right or wrong way to publish. We all have our own preferences and ways of doing things. In this day and age, publishing can be whatever your heart desires!

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Cambridge, MD: Creating an Art Community

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 “Whenever we witness art in a building, we are award of an energy contained in it.” ~Arthur Erickson

Checking out the local art scene is something I find interesting to do when I am traveling. Last Friday, I stopped into the Dorchester Center for the Arts in Cambridge, Maryland.

Since my last visit about ten years ago, The Dorchester Center for the Arts http://bit.ly/12APkwy has relocated. Its art programs are growing, and they are fulfilling their mission of “creating community through the Arts.”  After a successful one million dollar capital campaign, the art center moved into a large old furniture store space, and they are renovating it, phase by phase, to accommodate for their plans for the future. Fully committed to providing a “vibrant performing and visual arts center,” the historic building is large enough to house a gift shop, exhibit space, several classrooms and administrative offices and more. There are plans to fill the substantial space on the second and third floors with a 250 person capacity reception area and 400 seat performance hall. The entire structure is dedicated to the arts in this town of 12,000 people.

The day I first stopped in, there was a knitting class and drawing class in progress. Each year visitors of all ages attend gallery shows, classes, workshops and special events at the DorchesterCenter for the Arts.  The staff member who greeted me and took me on a tour could not have been more hospitable.

Here are some pictures from my visit. Please return tomorrow so I can share with you information about this month’ s two featured artists  and their work.IMAG0647

Best of the Eastern Shore, Art Programs

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Drawing Class with Model in progress

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Gift shop with paintings, jewelry, pottery, prints, all kinds of artistic creations

including  books of regional interest  by local authors

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Below: My favorite thing in the gift shop – artistic pins by As Time Goes By. Baubles, creatively styled incorporating time and puzzles.

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Please return tomorrow to www.AllThingsFulfilling.com to learn something about the artists that were featured this month by the Dorchester Center for the Arts. This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected<a target=”_blank” href=”http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=sue%20batton%20leonard&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3Asue%20batton%20leonard&sprefix=sue%20batt%2Cstripbooks%2C305&tag=allthinfulf-20&url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&linkId=7UVM27KUVJZ3M67Z”>Click for info on the memoir</a><img src=”https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=allthinfulf-20&l=ur2&o=1&#8243; width=”1″ height=”1″ border=”0″ alt=”” style=”border:none !important; margin:0px !important;” />  and www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. A company specializing in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers.

Honoring Those Behind the Scenes

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successThe other day I posted several blogs about the 2013 EVVY book awards from the Colorado Independent Publishers Association. Service providers are also recognized for their outstanding work on the night of the award presentations They are the individuals and companies  who work behind the scenes to help independent publishers create and sell quality publications for the marketplace.

Today, I would like to acknowledge the  freelance professionals who provide services to the independent publishing industry, such as printing companies, editors, cover designers, layout designers, e-book formatters and designers, marketing , copyright experts and more. Here is a helpful link  for finding assistance with your publishing projects  for the future. http://bit.ly/ZOsPCr .

If you are an author in any state or region looking to hire high quality freelance professionals to help you with your publishing project, a great place to start is to contact a regional or statewide trade association for independent publishers. They may be able to steer you in the right direction by locating companies who support authors in all parts of the publishing process.

When you are in the planning stage of publishing a book, decide what part of the process you can handle yourself and what parts would be best left to the professionals. It will make for a smoother process and a quality end result.