Category Archives: feature films – documentaries

A Fulfilling, Worthwhile Trek

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“I know the price of success: dedication, hardwork and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen.”~ Frank Lloyd Wright  

Saturday morning at 5:30 am, I began  the long trek over snowy Rabbit Ears pass from Steamboat Springs, Colorado to Denver, CO, three hours away, to attend the monthly Colorado Independent Publishers Association www.cipabooks.com gathering. Snow covered mountain passes were not going to stop me from fulfilling my need for more knowledge about the subject of  independent publishing vs. traditional publishing. Eric Boss, bookseller for the Penguin Group, would be an informative speaker, I was sure. 

As a person who has been involved in bookselling for many, many years, Eric had much to say about what books sell and what do not. He also addressed the issue of “what it takes to be successful” in the traditional publishing industry.  

So, what did I learn? From all that I heard, the chances of “making it” in independent publishing and traditional publishing are one in the same. It helps to have good business acumen, defer to professionals for assistance (especially important if you want to first and foremost be a writer) and be dedicated to the project at hand. 

Tomorrow, I will share some things Eric Boss, professional bookseller, had to say to the crowd about what books sell and what do not. I think you will be surprised!

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Fabulous Forces

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“One of our greatest gifts is our intuition. It is a sixth sense we all have – we just need to learn to tap into and trust it.”                             ~ Donna Karan 

On this blogsite, we often mention using and sharing all our God-given gifts and talents. Yesterday morning, Reverend Tim, of the Steamboat United Methodist Church http://bit.ly/c0d5H1   shared once again with those in the congregation, his deep understanding of the world around him. His ability to communicate directly, succinctly and briefly from the pulpit, is unlike any church leader I have ever been witness to before. Refreshing, bright and inspiring!

 We watched and listened as a very short segment of the  1970’s blockbuster film “Star Wars” was played. Reverend Tim related how the theme of the movie, applies to our lives, in his sermon “May the Force be With You.” 

Preceding the Doxology, was a beautiful composition that the choir sang called “I Can Do All Things.” In the bulletin, the only name given for the composer for the arrangement was Courtney. Later, I need to use the world wide web to find out the last name of the song writer.  

There is a lot more that could be said about Reverend Tim’s creative messages. Every Sunday morning, I regret not having pencil and paper in hand to record the most vital points of his sermons.  It would help me to accurately remember, and later ponder some of the things that interest me the most.

I have just broken a promise that I made on Saturday! I forgot to share the details of the  Colorado Independent Publishers Association www.cipabooks.com gathering I attended on Saturday. Tomorrow and possibly the next day too, I will do as I vowed. 

Would you agree that  sometimes it is hard to decide what comes first in our lives?

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Shhhh….Don’t Tell Anyone!

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“The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and let it come in.”  ~Morrie Schwartz 

Yesterday, we received a joyous e-mail from one of our 7 nieces. She was emailing us to announce she had gotten engaged the night before. For two architects who found one another and fell in love, the setting for the proposal was picture perfect!  

 Across the way from where my niece lives stands an old mill building. The building was the subject of discussion every time she and her boyfriend would walk by it. The two architects would discuss all they ways they would like to restore it and how this historic building with all it’s architectural details, would make a fulfilling place to live.  

Two days ago, my niece’s boyfriend was hard at work. Unbeknowst to her, he was laboring hard at creating a scene for a romantic proposal in this historic old mill building. That evening after dark, they walked by the familiar site of the mill building, as usual. My niece noticed and remarked that there appeared to be lights on inside the abandoned building. Her boyfriend suggested they go take a peak inside. She was hesitant for fear of getting caught trespassing but, with a little prompting, she swallowed her fears and in they went. At the top of the stairs, she saw the scene of two lone chairs and lit candles. She said “we better get out of here, someone is having a party.” Her boyfriend took her hand and said……            Ah, romance!  In the rest of the story are things many novels are made of. 

Congratulations, Kara and Joe! I know you two architects will design a beautiful life for yourselves and create inspiring homes for others.

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Creative Connectivity

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“Because things are the way they are, things will not stay the way they are.”   ~Bertold Brecht  

As I was raising a teenager, I heard parents commiserating that even after they had given their child curfews, “grounded them” and made requests to no longer have relationships with certain others, their child still found creative ways of  fulfilling  their need to connect with others. So it comes as no surprise that a trio of students – Zuckerberg, Hughes and Moskovitz created Facebook. Other young entrepreneurs are responsible for various other social media marketing channels, too.  Young folk think differently then those who came before them – all thirteen year olds will tell you that! 

What opportunity social media marketing has brought to our world! It has given us the ability to connect with communities of people that otherwise the odds of connecting to them, would have been slim to none! No matter how much money and effort is put into print advertising and direct mailing(even with the help of targeted lists) you can not beat the scope of  internet marketing.The  chances of reaching people that have similar interests is multiplied many times over through e-marketing. It is the best way of reaching large numbers of people for the lowest cost! 

Simply having a website is just not enough these days. If you do not have an e-marketing component to go with it, you are not maximizing your internet visibility. Now, there are many more ways, than one, to become visible over the internet. Need help with expanding your web presence? Use the worldwide web to find a company that specializes in both e-commerce and e-marketing. With the New Year approaching, rethink your business’s website presence – are you maximizing on your visibility? 

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

Harvest Home and Heart

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“All freezes again – among the pines, winds whispering a prayer” ~ Rieki, 18th Century Japanese Poet

Last  night I had a strong reminder that winter is not too far away. As I stepped into the chill of the evening air, I was all but overcome by the pungent smells of autumn – rotting leaves and woodstove smoke.  Our sense of smell is heightened in the darkness of the night.

At this time of year, with every drop of precipitation, I say a prayer that the gorgeous guest of winter will decide not to arrive too early and stay too long.  I appreciate her presence when she first appears. She is white, pristine and new. But as she over stays her welcome every spring, she turns brown, dingy and old. I grow tiresome! As I age, the gap between fall and spring seems to be extended and the glamourous guest of winter, snow, does not quite fulfill me the way it used to. Rather than bemoan the fact that winter will have her way with me again this year, I think I will savor the sublime provisions of autumn and have a grateful heart that remembers the gift of life in all seasons.

Mysteries, such as the routine changing of the seasons, are profound. Thirteenth century mystic,  Dame Julian of Norwich, must have been thinking of nature as he declared “all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all matter of things shall be well.”

During this autumn season, be thankful for all matters of the heart, health, home and harvest.

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Tap In! Tune In!

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“All the world is a laboratory to the inquiring mind” ~ Martin H Fisher 

At lunchtime yesterday, the monthly Brown Bag Lunch Series of seminars began at Colorado Mountain College. http://bit.ly/dpcfHy  I was pleased to present “On the Fast Track: The Independent Publishing Industry.” I mentioned current trends in the publishing industry, in general, and the robust growth of independent publishing. 

At the end of the presentation, I answered questions, and even handed out a little advice. “If you are considering independent publishing, begin to learn all you can about the industry.” I said. I suggested “tap into as much free information as possible by speaking with others who have independently published, attend writers groups, brush up on your writing skills by taking classes at Colorado Mountain College.” I also advised it would be wise to  join the Colorado Independent Publishers Association www.cipabooks.com and tune in and listen to “Cover to Cover” Radio Show.’ For those of you that are unaware, it is broadcast on Saturday mornings on www.wnzf.com over the internet and it provides free education and valuable information on the independent publishing industry each and every week. 

The old adage “Knowledge is Power” applies to the independent publishing industry. Writing and publishing are businesses. Start with a  business plan that includes a solid marketing approach. Before you put pen to paper, identify your market and map out a plan of action for reaching it. If you need help, there are freelance professionals that are available and can help you through every step of the independent publishing process. Don’t forget to tap into all available resources, there is no need to go it alone.

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

Right Here, Right Now!

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“Many fine things can be done in a day, if you don’t always make that day tomorrow” ~ Unknown 

Last week, perhaps I didn’t need to remind all independent publishers that the end of the year is approaching and the selling season will soon be upon us. That reminder was as much for me, as it was for you! I needed to fulfill my duties and tend to those nagging details of owning a business. On Friday, I decided that not one more day would pass without getting caught up on all those details that had piled up. I was going to balance that checkbook, write the letters I had been meaning to write, file those papers way and step by step, clean up my desk. A load has been lifted off my shoulders! Boy, do I feel good! Procrastination is an ugly word, and I am not prone to it. 

If you are an independent publisher, I bet you have been busy over the past year, too. Those that remember writing is a business have the best results for publishing success. Focusing only on writing the manuscript, can lead to a crucial part of the publishing process being overlooked. Failure to have a solid marketing plan of action can lead to struggle down the line, far after the book has been published.  

There are lots of details when it comes to independent publishing. Hopefully, long before you started your manuscript, you mapped out a plan for marketing it. If not, sooner is always much better than later! Remember, sales are a function of your marketing efforts, so do not leave that detail until the end. It is never too early to begin connecting with communities of people who may be interested in your publication.  

Having others evaluate your book and it’s marketing possibilities can be very valuable. If you are going to sell through e-commerce (over the internet), your plan, as an independent publisher, should include internet marketing because that is where your potential buyers will be searching for you. Make sure you are visible on the world wide web!

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Sisters in Spirit

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“Learning is the beginning of spirituality. Searching and learning is where the miracle process begins.” ~ Jim Rohn 

Women all over the world are sisters in spirit. This weekend I attended a most fulfilling weekend with a group of United Methodist Women, sisters in spirit, right here in Steamboat Springs, CO. The gathering included a range of women in different decades and seasons in their lives, but we all shared something in common. We were all women who were on a quest to understand more about our place and purpose in this world, and how our spirits guide us in our daily living. 

Life Coach, Mary Nelson of www.reclaimyourselfandmore.com led the women in our weekend retreat in considering what areas of spirituality we are interested in exploring further. The possibilities are many, and a few of them included: 

  • Life Purpose
  • Intuition
  • Connecting with God
  • Angels
  • Meditation
  • Yoga
  • Journaling
  • Prayer
  • Wisdom
  • Affirmations
  • Laws of Attraction
  • Miracles
  • Reading Spiritual books
  • Faith 

Although we were asked to identify just one area, it was difficult to make a choice for some women, including myself. There is no right or wrong in how we as women chose to incorporate spirituality into our everyday lives. Our personal definition of spirituality is different and unique to each of us based on our own life experiences and beliefs. 

If given the choice, what area of spirituality would you like to explore the most? We would love to hear from you! Do you have a spiritual journey that you could share with others through independent publishing?

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Weekend Indie Filmmaker News!

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There is a great opportunity coming up the last weekend of October for all of you independent filmmakers! The Directors Guild of America, 7920 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA will be the site of the Film Independents 2010 Filmmaker Forum on October 29 -31, 2010. This worthy event will help fulfill your need for information regarding how to become successful in the industry of  independent filmmaking. To give a brief overview of  just some of the weekend events:

  • Keynote Address – Joe Drake, Co-Chief Operating Director of Lionsgate Film Production Company
  • Workshop- Evaluating your film for the marketplace
  • Workshop-  Finding funding for your documentary project
  • Workshop – Realizing your vision on a budget
  • Workshop – Distribution strategies, tools and business models
  • Workshop – Packaging and financial and legal issues

“Film Independent is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization that champions independent film and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation, and uniqueness of vision. Film Independent helps filmmakers make their movies, builds an audience for their projects, and works to diversify the film industry.”

For the full story on this forum brought to you. by a non-profit dedicated to independent filmmakers, including ticket information, schedule, sponsors and more, please visit http://empower.filmindependent.org.

Seasonal Fulfillment

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“Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.” ~ Stanley Horowitz

Have you ever noticed that with seasonal changes, what is personally fulfilling to us takes a turn about, too? As summer fades into fall, I no longer thirst for frozen fruit smoothies, potato salad and all things grilled. A diet of chili, stews and soups that has been non-existent all summer long begins to creep back into my repertoire of evening menu fare. Basking in the mid-day sun becomes sitting by the warmth of the fireplace on nippy mornings. 

Our color choices of clothes we wear are a reflection of our moods and they can affect the way we feel. In fall, we often substitute brightly colored, summer clothes with a wardrobe of more earthy colors – golds, greens, tans, grey-blues. When I need to feel a burst of energy or want a zip in my step, I’ll return to wearing fuschia or bright, periwinkle blue whether it clashes with mother nature’s colors or not! There is no need to always submit to the color choices of autumn herself.

Each season has its own charm, and how we fulfill our idle time is different from season to season, too. In fall, out come the knitting needles and in come the piles of books to read and movies to watch. 

If you are an independent publisher, try to wrap up those projects and keep your eye on the calendar! Christmas is a mere few months away – a prime time for selling! Don’t miss out.  

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