Tag Archives: independent publishers

Stepping into the Light after 9-11

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“..the whole healing process – art, colors and design – all that makes a difference.” ~  Barbara Weaver

I was never more cognizant of art fulfilling it’s purpose than during the days following September 11, 2001. As much as I wanted to do all that I could to shield my eyes from the ugly images of destruction, rubble and death, I found myself glued to the television watching images I never expected to see in the United States of America.

Going to work each morning, following the horrific events of 9-11 gave me the opportunity to escape from a world of ugliness into a environment  filled with beauty and light. I had begun my employment at West Wind Fine Art, where my introduction into a career of order fulfillment for independent publishers began.

Not only was I surrounded by inspiring art books and videos, I was also amidst magnificent paintings by master artists. Each morning after 9-11, as I stepped into the art gallery, my place of work, I lingered a little longer in front of each painting so I could forget the images of the destruction of the Twin Towers, and into an environment of beautiful landscapes, floral images and portrait paintings that exquisitely captured faces without pain, fear and horror. At the end of the work day, I would do the same, stand and be drawn into worlds far different than what the media was charged with covering.

Art fulfilled it’s purpose by changing my perspective, it connected me with peace and set me free from my emotions of sadness and doom. It allowed me to replenish and nuture the seasons of my soul.

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Keeping Us Safe

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“Sometimes it takes risking that friendship to find a love that will endure all things.” ~  Unknown

The events of 9-11 are all so fresh in my mind. Early Saturday morning, I reached page 197 in former First Lady Laura Bush’s memoir “Speaking from the Heart.” Here begins Mrs. Bush’s recounting of all the tragic events of that horrific, fateful day.

On this 9th anniversary of  the senseless loss of thousands of Americans, I helped my fellow Kiwanians as they rescued, with nets and buckets, the majority of 2500 rubber ducks that were released and floated down the Yampa River in Steamboat Springs, CO. The Rubber Duckie Race is an annual fundraising event for the Yampa Valley Medical Center, which Kiwanis has been involved with for over twenty years now. www.kiwanis.org. This year’s proceeds will go toward purchasing a medical instrument which will detect infections, such as staph, of new patients prior to being admitted to the hospital. An important, pro-active medical device.

As I helped with this fundraiser from the sidelines, I began to think how taking pro-active steps saves lives. Had our country known just how vulnerable, we were to attack, it would have done all that it could to be pro-active on that fateful day. If  all the safety nets had been in place, perhaps several thousand lives could have been spared.

I opted to stay safely out of the waters , as I helped with this fundraising event on Saturday. I did not want to risk the chances of petite, little ole me, being carried down the rapidly rushing waters of the Yampa River. I wanted to stay safe to enjoy today. It is a day of celebration of two people who have survived the challenges  and risks of marriage for 30 years! My husband has been my safety through each and every day of it.  I am truly grateful for all that I have and feel sad for those that no longer can share anniversaries, holidays and daily living with their mates that were lost in the Twin Towers.

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Saved by the Book

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“We need to be pro-children and pro-literacy of all kinds.” ~ David Booth

Saved! By former First Lady, Laura Bush! All was not lost when my wishes for a weekend full of literary enjoyment began with a bomb of a book that did nothing to fulfill my expectations. Determined to immerse myself in some good reading, I switched gears and delved into a wonderful  journey that was entitled “Spoken from the Heart.”

From the time Laura Bush was a little girl, literature has been an all encompassing part of her life. As an only child, she found a treasure trove of good times with characters and places to escape to all by herself.  Later on in her life, her positions as a mother, teacher, librarian and First Lady allowed her to share her passion of reading with her twin daughters, students and  others, around the globe. She made stories come alive for children in disadvantaged areas so they could also escape into worlds beyond their own environments,.  She taught students how to make handmade books and  former students became subjects of her own first published book “Read All About It.”

As first lady of the United States, she traveled to many countries, like Zanzabar to spread the good news that private and American funds would place 20,000 books in 16 schools for underserved children.

Laura Bush has always been at the top of my list for favorite First Ladies.  Her book “Spoken from the Heart” gave me even more insight into the wholesome Texas values she was raised with, the fact that she is deeply aware of how blessed we are to have children in our lives and our responsibility to do all that we can to spread the value of literacy around the world.

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

Limited Only by Initiative

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“Initiative is key. Anybody who wants to be somebody is going to work as hard as they can to fulfill that dream.” ~ Unknown 

It is no secret that the publishing industry has undergone dramatic change over the past ten years. As cited by Bowker, non-traditional publishing grew a robust 181% between 2008 and 2009. In a few more months, we will be able to determine whether these growth percentages have been sustained for yet another year. From where I stand, this would be fulfilling news! 

Although many in the traditional publishing industry would like to tell you that these numbers are all a result of the downturn in the economy, I am not convinced of that!  

Agreed, the downturn of the economy has been a catalyst for change in business. It has given businesses a good reason to take a look at outmoded ways of thinking and to restructure. For businesses who believe that change is good – they have done things to work in positive new directions which include developing creative vision, gaining new momentum and starting fresh initiatives! Non-traditional publishers and businesses alike are putting technology at the center of the company and are learning how to reach large numbers of people at the least cost. Not a bad deal , now, is it?  

Are you an independent publisher whose marketing tactics are no longer relevant for the times? Wasting time, energy and money preserving old ways of doing business is never a good idea. Don’t have the comfort level or the time to explore what your next steps should entail?  That is okay.  There are those that can help! But do not tarry – invest in the future of your business and move forward. Go to your favorite search engine and look for  e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers.

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

You are Worth it!

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“The best thing you can do is be a teacher to young people” ~ Rick Pitino 

Have you ever asked any kind of volunteer “if it is worth it?” In my experience, many will respond “YES,  that volunteer work is both fulfilling and satisfying, and that is payment enough.” 

Last week at our Kiwanis meeting, www.kiwanis.org, three mentors from the Partners in Routt County Program, a program associated with AmeriCorp., visited and spoke with the Kiwanians about the admirable work they do in mentoring children at risk.

The program pairs mentors with children, at local schools, who have been identified as being “at risk” for a number of reasons – perhaps poor family dynamics, drug or alcohol addiction problems, low self -esteem or kids who struggle socially or educationally. The mentors develop comfortable relationships with the at-risk children and they become someone the kids will confide in when things get rough. 

Did you ever wonder what your time is worth, as a volunteer? On average $20.58 per hour! However, it does to vary from State to State. To see what value your state of residence puts on volunteering, please visit http://bit.ly/cxvboF. 

I was glad to hear that these valuable volunteers from Partners in Routt County are compensated by way of a small stipend and the benefits include being able to “pay back” educational debt. It makes volunteering even more worthwhile. However, what the volunteers are paid does not fully compensate for what these volunteers are worth according to the statistics given by the www.volunteeringinamerica.gov  chart. 

By donating their time, volunteers from Partners in Routt County are saying to each and every child they mentor “YOU ARE WORTH  IT!”  And that is like music to children’s ears!! 

Thank you, Volunteers – you are worth it, too!

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Penny Here, Penny There

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 “Literature is an investment of genius which has dividends to all subsequent times.”  ~ John Burroughs 

Believe it or not, it is getting time to pull out the fall jackets, pants and coats here in Colorado – I love that time of year! Invariably I come across a little pocket change that I didn’t know existed. Finding a few crumpled dollars, or handfuls of coins left in my clothing from the season before is such a fulfilling feeling – it is like finding an extra paycheck – no matter how big or small. 

We all work hard for our money, and we should work hard at keeping it too! Are you an independent publisher guilty of overspending on postage and delivery each year? Well – you are not alone! It is no wonder though – keeping current with changes in postal and delivery service rates and fees is a never ending job.

Independent publishing means being smart, making wise decisions and not spending money needlessly, so you can retain a higher profit margin on your product. Isn’t that one of the reasons why you decided to independently publish in the first place? Adding an extra stamp here and extra stamp there “just in case” and “for good measure” can really add up! And it will affect your bottom line too.

As an order fulfillment company, we must be guardians for our clients to make sure they retain the highest profit margin on their sale. We strive to stay “in the know,” so we can ship the quickest, most economical, and reliable way possible, all over the globe. It is all part of getting the job done!

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

A Strong Foundation

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“The reward of one duty done is the power to fulfill another” ~ George Eliot 

Last week, the kids started back to school after summer break.  On the first morning of school, I walked by groups of children standing at the bus stops, all up and down the road. I began to think back on the fulfilling and glorious days of raising my child…. 

The days were filled with trying to figure out what made my child tick and what set off temper tantrums, what he was passionate about and how to channel the energy he had. My one child has the energy of 20. Moms with two or three kids would shake their heads and say to me “I don’t know how you do it!” He has always been hard to keep up with, I will admit! 

My daily “to-do” list, was no different than every parent’s list – fixing meals, snacks, monitoring and helping with homework, fetching other kids for play dates, doing laundry, soothing skinned knees, reading at bedtime, picking up socks, shoes and toys. 

 The early years went by, and then our life and was consumed with soccer, soccer, soccer and yes, you guessed it, soccer…..  and on and on it went. Fortunately, I had a willing and devoted husband who did it all too – we tried to work as a team. 

One day I woke up and hardly knew who I was. I had been fulfilling my life for 18 years with the activities of raising a child. Would I go back and do it all over again? You bet, if I had the energy now that I had then! 

The point of this blog is to remind all parents that children are a gift from God. They come with tremendous responsibility. Children emulate what they see. Teach them love, compassion, the value of faith, how to share, a spirit of cooperation, encourage them to follow their dreams, the importance of family and what it means to be a real friend. 

There will be nothing more fulfilling then knowing that you were there when your kids needed you the most. Put your child’s emotional needs first. There will be plenty of time to figure out even more about who you are, after the kids leave home!

 

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

Weekend Indie Publisher News

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ATTENTION INDIE FILMMAKERS!!! There is an all new film festival on the calendar beginning, February 2011. The New Mexico International Film Festival being held in Jemez Springs, NM in the Land of Enchantment! Read the mission statement of this festival to find out how they strive to be the best film festival you have ever experienced! http://newmexicointernationalfilmfestival.com/mission/

Submission Catagories:

  • Short Films: Documentaries (15 minutes or less)
  • Short Films: Narrative (15 minutes or less)
  • Feature Films: Documentaries (80 min or longer)
  • Feature Films: Narratives (80 min or longer)
  • Screenplays (90 to 120 pages  .pdf only)

Enter Early! Beginning October 29, 2010 submissions will be accepted. The earlier you submit, the more you will save.

The best part we have saved till the last – if your film is accepted, you will become a partner, and receive a portion of the box office take!  Assistance with travel expenses will be available and your submission fee will be returned! New concept, new attitudes and an exciting group of people to showcase your film with.  Submit now!

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

An Adjustment

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“The winds of grace are always blowing; all we need to do is raise our sails” ~ Unknown  

Ok, so I couldn’t post the blog that I really wanted to post today. I had written a blog that I really wanted to share with all our readers. It was important and it needed to be said! But the image I wanted to post came to me in a format that does not want to cooperate. 

So, rather than pout, and fuss and stew, I decided to move on and I will share what I have to say, in due time. Hopefully tomorrow I can share it, but if not, we have until August 31st to share the news. 

I have been caught a little off-guard today, since what I had planned needs to be postponed. I will follow the words of a friend who has been a mentor to me for 10 years or more. As she says, “There are no problems, only solutions.” She has set a great example in finding grace during the most trying times, and has taught me to turn to Art for fulfillment and enjoyment! 

So, that is what we will do. Join me in a moment of sharing and caring.

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

Plotting the Course

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“We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate”                                           ~  Ralph Waldo Emerson 

The words of poet, philosopher, orator and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson have endured because of the wisdom and insight he had into the independent spirit. Transcendentalist and idealist that he was, he well understood how we are all fulfilled by different things in life. He also “got it” when it came to literature, too! His comprehension of how to eloquently use words to move us, worked well. 

One of the biggest advantages of independent publishing, is the ability to plot an individual and “private chart” for marketing a book or film. However, in order to be successful, one must have vision, understand capturing an audience, know how to market and how to tap into it. In this day and age of internet selling, the willingness to step into marketing tactics that are creative and non-traditional is important and necessary.  

If you are a person who enjoys the writing process, but do not consider yourself e-commerce (internet) savvy, there is no reason to be concerned. There are freelance consultants that can help design a course of sales and marketing action for your book. The aim will be to become more visible to your potential buyers so you can increase opportunities for sales.  

Wisdom dictates that it is never too early to begin plotting the course for your voyage for your independently published book or film. Be smart – start right now! Search the internet for companies who specialize in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers.

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