You may know that my next book releases in October, 2018. I’ve been working on a publicity platform, discovering lots of neat ways to let folks know about the book and myself. However, I discovered that, though I’ve been very active in the children’s book industry for a decade (yikes)  and have promoted two other books, I know my newest book could use a fresh perspective.

​I was thrilled when my friend, colleague, and general smartypants gal Deb Gonzalez contacted me to be part of her new on-line publicity course suitable for published and prepublished authors and illustrators. Preparing for presenting my part of this course has helped me prepare my own publicity. That's a lot of 'p' sounds but still, win, win!

Here are the pieces I know my publicity campaign needs. I need to:

• utilize social media and digital resources in creative and authentic ways
• develop and/or expand my reader community 
• develop and/or expand my SCBWI and creator community and influencers I’ve come in contact with over the years
• increase my connection with the school/library market
  
  

While I’m blessed to have tremendous support from my publisher, I’m fully aware that they have other authors that deserve their attention, too.

I desire all these things, and yet I have limited funds and time to devote to developing this campaign.

Where should I start? Where should anyone start? We need a plan, Stan! Let’s set some practical, affordable, and achievable goals. Let’s devise a strategy by asking guidance from professionals who know what to do. Let’s take some action! That’s what Path to Promotion: A Six-Week Online Book Publicity Course is all about.

Together, we will navigate our way down the Path to Promotion.

Path to Promotion is an online collaborative program designed to share promotional information and techniques, to guide in the publicity preparation process, and to clarify steps required to create an affordable marketing platform that is personal, authentic, and professionally sound. In this session, we’ll explore topics such as podcasting, the school/library market, creating a digital footprint, and others.  At the end of the course, participants will receive a Path to Promotion Publicity Planner packed with graphics and guides to assist in the quest to make a splash in the world.

Here’s how the Path to Promotion 6-week course works:

• On Monday of each week participants will access an audio interview featuring one of the Path to Promotion faculty members focusing on their area of expertise. In addition, they’ll access a handout and (look out, now) a homework assignment due on Wednesday of that week.
• On Wednesday, participants will access a live webinar (affectionally known as The Debinar) during which they can connect with the featured faculty member by asking questions via live chat. The Debinar will be recorded for later viewing. Questions may be submitted in advance.
• At the end of the course participants receive a Path to Promotion Publicity Planner packed with graphics and guides to assist in the development of a practical, affordable, and effective promotional plan!

Some important registration and fee information:

• Session run from Monday, May 14 until Wednesday, June 18
• Early Bird Registration - $175 (opens March 1 – closes April 8)
• Full Registration Rate - $200 (opens April 9 – closes May 7)
• Spaces are limited

The Faculty list and their topics include:

• Deb Gonzales  on IDENTIFYING INFLUENCERS
• Carmen Oliver on MAKING A SPLASH IN THE SCHOOL/LIBRARY MARKET
• Me, Carrie Pearson on PREPAREDNESS: THE KEY TO MAKING CONNECTIONS
• Barbara Fisch and Sarah Shealy of Blue Slip Media present EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT PUBLICITY, BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK
• Jo Whittemore  on the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, AND WHY OF PODCASTING

I’m so excited about this course. For you and for me. I’m going to learn from each of the faculty members. The topics are timely. I love the fact that the Path to Promotion coursework is interactive, flexible, and versatile – perfect for authors and illustrators, at what ever stage they may be in the quest for publication.
Join us, won’t you?

For more information, contact Deb Gonzales at debbadee5@gmail.com.
 
 Deb’s Bio: Debbie Gonzales is a career educator, curriculum consultant, former school administrator and adjunct professor, and once served as a SCBWI RA for the Austin Chapter. Deb currently devotes her time to writing middle grade novels, crafting teacher guides and various other freelance projects. She's the author of six “transitional” readers for New Zealand publisher, Giltedge, and the forthcoming non-fiction picture book Play Like a Girl: The Road to Breaking Barriers and Bashing Records (Charlesbridge, 2019). A transplanted Texan, Debbie now calls beautiful Ann Arbor, Michigan home where she lives with her husband John and spunky pup, Missy. Deb earned her MFA in writing for children and young adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts.

​Submissions are now open for the March 2018 edition of the Happy Book Birthday program.

This new SCBWI program invites all members to celebrate and promote their newly published work in the same month the book is released.

​From SCBWI: On the first Monday of each month, we will display all of the books together on our beautiful Book Birthday page and advertise them through our social media channels.

Each Book Birthday announcement will remain up on our site for two weeks. We hope that all of our traditionally and independently published members will take advantage of this opportunity to celebrate their achievement and launch their work into the book-buying community.

The first Book Birthday will be for all books published in February 2018, launching February 1.

We are currently accepting submissions for the March 2018 Book Birthday.

Only authors and illustrators with books published in March will be able to participate this month, but we will have Book Birthdays for every following month.

On February 5th, members with March books can start submitting their information. The deadline is February 20th, no exceptions.

Please gather the following information:
1.) Title of book
2.) Name of author and/or illustrator
3.) Image of book cover (.jpg or .png). Name the file the full title of your book, for example “What_Girls_Are_Made_Of.jpg”
4.) Summary or statement about your book, 25 words or less

Send this information to bookbirthday@scbwi.org.

Want to see the January books? Click HERE!
​Happy (Book) Birthday!