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The winner of the Book Give-Away Challenge is Manuel Palomas from Madrid, Spain! Congratulations to him. For a limited time only take advantage of the discount associated with the Challenge. Click here to go to the website to apply the 60% discount. (The book is just $3.99!) Follow the prompts for purchase. Enter discount code: W8H8QYK8. Please note that this discount code only applies to purchases on Createspace NOT on Amazon.
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Years ago, a close friend of mine gave me the gift of a book of poetry by Pablo Neruda. Veinte poemas de amor would become one of my favorite books and I would go on to read Cien sonetos de amor and other works by Neruda, a Chilean poet. He is best known for his love poems and, in them, he plays with language; he incorporates humor; and he takes up themes of human sexuality.
What compels me to continue reading Pablo Neruda and what I find particularly unique are his voice and his ease & comfort with language. He earned my loyalty not only because of his skill and because he is known as a famed romantic poet, but because his voice is so very distinctive. I would cite a favorite verse, but his voice gets lost in translation.
How important is an author's voice? It defines his or her brand. It's that thing that gets me up in the middle of the night to open that book just to read what the author has to say next. It keeps me coming back. As a reader, I think that I crave consistency of voice and style. I look for those elements which are emblematic of an author's ability and which leave an impression. These elements create an author's brand.
This brings us to brand awareness raising & marketing which put the brand in front of the reader. They also refer to the packaging and the tools that promote a product's finest attributes. Online, I use tools including email, websites, blogs and social media to endorse my book and myself as an author. Brand building is closely associated with the look, feel and overall experience a potential customer has on online platforms. Is it a customer experience that people want to talk about? If so, that's brand building.
As I build my brand, it is critical that I know my audience in order to effectively market my book. Some say that I should have one person in mind that typifies my ideal reader and for whom I am writing. Furthermore, they say that I should keep in mind what s/he reads, where s/he hangs out, who s/he is. If I've done my job as a writer and as a marketer, my book will find its place.
An important feature of lifting a brand is distinguishing oneself as capable of producing high-quality work. Pablo Neruda has won countless literary prizes. These have helped to establish his name. On the heels of earning a place as a semi-finalist in the New Millennium Writings 2010 poetry competition for my work, I plan to enter new work into poetry competitions in an effort to further demonstrate my marrow.
The most tangible evidence that my brand, though in its infancy, is emerging is the percentage of repeat buyers I have. Roughly 50% of customers who bought A Dawn Run Hot with Morning are returning customers. My "super fans" have returned! And there are a great number of new fans on board too!
In the spirit of my "super fans," I am posting some of their comments & reviews:
"Outstanding poetry! I couldn't put the book down." - Ruby (Retiree)
"Loved the book! Kudos. Keep writing. You have a gift!" - Shirley (Teacher)
"I love your scarcity of words. It’s provocative. It allows the reader to enter into the experience to make it his/her own...I had no idea about the art! It is wonderful. Your art may be as popular as your poetry...I am so pleased." -Toni (Administrator)
"I loved the combination of words and images." - Geraldine (Artist)
"Your book is great. Quite inspiring." - Laura (Retiree)
"I am fascinated by your book. I love the poetry, especially the sections on Grace & Spain...You're really talented! Keep it up!" - Kathy (Retiree)
"...You write with such simplicity and such power. Maybe that will be your thing. You'll be the next Maya Angelou!" - Georgia (Bookstore Owner)
"I think that I will read some of your poetry for my class." - Elva (Speech & Oral Presentation Teacher)
"Your poetry is off the chain!" - Lea (Entrepreneur)
