Self Published Authors

"Self Published Authors" Bi-Monthly Newsletter
Helping self-published authors promote and market their books and share information and resources.

February 1, 2009 Volume 4: Issue 16
Dan Shaurette
editor@selfpublishedauthors.com
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com

By Subscription Only! You are receiving this newsletter because you requested a subscription. Unsubscribe instructions are at the end of this newsletter.

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IN THIS ISSUE
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1. Editor's Notebook
2. Newsletter Submission Guidelines
3. Feature Article by Judy Cullins
4. Resource Links
5. Promotion Article by Dan Poynter
6. Free Products, Services, and Downloads
7. Book Review by Kelly Wallace
8. Classes, Workshops, and Groups
9. Author Showcase
10. Announcements/Requests
11. Guest Article by Elizabeth Gates
12. Reciprocal Links
13. Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information

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1: EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK
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Happy New Year, and welcome to the February 2009 newsletter for SelfPublishedAuthors.com. For those of you who are new to the website and newsletter, I hope you will enjoy this issue. Thank you for visiting the website and subscribing to the list. To the regulars out there, I'm very glad to see you back for another issue.

I am debuting a NEW section in the newsletter starting this year called the Author Showcase. I have been procrastinating WAY too much lately on book reviews. I am hoping to make this up a bit by sharing with you all some great books and wonderful authors. These aren't reviews, rather they are spotlights, and you can send me your info anytime if you wish to be included. I will share one book and author per issue with you.

I have a favor to ask of you all. I still want to know what you think of the website at http://www.SelfPublishedAuthors.com/. It has the potential to be SO much more than just the place that you can subscribe to and read this newsletter online. What kind of resource do YOU want from an authors' website? Did you know you can host your blog there? Did you know you can share events like classes, festivals, and author signings there? There's a forum where you can share your articles, ask questions, and make friends. But I can do even more with the site, if you have ideas that need a home.

If you have questions, comments, suggestions, or if you'd like to contribute, be interviewed, add an event or have a request, please reply to this email, or drop a line to me at: editor@selfpublishedauthors.com

Thanks for reading and enjoy the issue!

Dan Shaurette
editor@selfpublishedauthors.com
http://www.DanShaurette.com

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2: NEWSLETTER SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
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The newsletter for SelfPublishedAuthors.com is here to provide a resource for all authors. Obviously, I want to help you succeed in your writing, self-publishing efforts, and self-promotion. I have received a few requests from fellow authors asking what they can do to promote their books in the newsletter.

I am always happy to help promote an author and their works in the newsletter. That's what we're here for. That being said, the best I can do is one of the following.

If you are interested in writing an article about your experiences as a self-published author, I would be more than happy to consider it for publication. If I publish the article, I will give you space for a signature box that you could use to promote yourself and your book.

If you would like me to review your book, or interview you for the newsletter, I would ask that you please query me first before sending an ARC copy of your book, eBook format preferred, or even better, an audio version. The last thing I want to do is build up a slush pile for reviews. If you have a press release or other details about yourself and your book, do feel free to forward them to me and I will happily publish them in our Author's Showcase.

If you have a book signing coming up, we do try to list those when they are timely. Remember our newsletter is published in February, April, June, August, October, and December. If you host a class or workshop, or have a website that promotes a writer's resource, please let us know about it. All links about such events are provided free of charge. Your name, location, dates, and contact info. will be presented.

Currently there are places for you to list your books, websites, and even join our banner ad exchange. You can also feel free to post in our forums and tell us about yourself and your books.

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3: FEATURE ARTICLE by Judy Cullins
Book Chapters - Organize and Outline With Mindmapping
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Book writing using mindmapping makes chapters easy to read, compelling, and consistent for readers.

Mindmapping is better than linear outlining because authors can use flexible thinking and relativity in writing their book. One can add and subtract a thought or phrase from a mindmap easily. This is an excellent way to start, organize, and finish your book.

What is Mindmapping?

Mindmapping is a color-coded outline of main ideas, sub topics and details, printed on different colored branches connected to the center. In the center in a circle, you will list your main idea, such as your book or chapter title.

For "The One-Minute Sales Person", Spencer's mindmap would have had seven different colored vertical branches coming from that center, so details can be put on connected horizontal branches--much easier to read.

What are the advantages of Mindmapping?

First, this is open-ended and open-minded. No more squeezing new "ahas" or ideas into the strict, tight form of the linear outline. You can make mistakes in your mindmaps. Imperfection leads to creativity. When you get an idea for chapter one, you can just add another branch off the main one. Mindmapping expands flexible thinking, making for better writing.

Second, mindmaps use only three to five concrete or color words on a branch. These key words help jog our memory. Under Chapter One "Attracting Passion," I added several horizontal lines that represented the format that follows. One line had "opening quote," the next one "introduction," the next one "Jerry's Story," the next "Food for Thought and Action," the next, "Passion Hot Line," the last line, "practice."

Third, mindmaps speed up your writing because you only write key phrases. When you sit down at the computer, from your color-coded map, the answers will flow naturally. If you need to fatten up your chapter, just go to your chapter file folders where
you keep your research.

Fourth, in mindmaps you see the whole related to the parts. Your thesis, chapter titles, and chapter contents all flow because you answered each question your readers had. This fast-forward technique allows me to write at least two or three books each year, and makes each book more organized, more focused and clear, easier to read, and finally brings more sales because people can understand the information quickly and easily.

How Do I Create My Mindmap?

Use a large sheet of paper, at least 8 1/2 by 11 inches, but I recommend a large square of butcher paper or poster board, so you can spread out and enjoy the process! Have at least six or seven colored felt-tip pens in primary and bright colors ready.

In the center, encircle your title. Arrange your chapter headings, each on a different colored vertical branch, around the center in any order (you can number them later). If you can't think of a title, put a few key words. Use only one color per branch. Off each main branch, put five or so other horizontal branches of particular chapter parts.

Even though you later change your mind about the contents, this initial mindmap gives you the overall picture of what your book is and what it will share with its readers. I made several mindmaps of my Passion book before I settled on the best information to include.

Practice: Create your book's mindmap on a separate piece of paper

Practice: Create one chapter's mindmap on a separate piece of paper now.

Wow! You are up to speed. You have your thesis--what challenge your book will solve, your chapter working titles, your rough draft evolving with a Table of Contents, and you have questions to answer in each chapter.

Mindmapping is an excellent way to start, organize, and finish your book.
___

Copyright © 2009 Judy Cullins. Reprinted with permission.
Book Coach Judy Cullins helps emerging and professional authors get started writing your book. Download the free ebook "20 High Octane Book Writing and Marketing Tips" available through The Book Coach Says at http://www.bookcoaching.com/.
Judy now enjoys networking on Linkedin, Facebook, & Twitter.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Judy_Cullins

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4: RESOURCE LINKS
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ADVANCED FICTION WRITING - E-zine and Blog
On this website, author Randy Ingermanson, Ph.D., shares lessons about his "snowflake method" for advanced fiction writing.
You will find articles on organizing and creating and marketing your fiction. Talks on organizing and creating and marketing your fiction. His blog, with tips on organizing and creating and marketing of your fiction. Archives of my Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine, a FREE monthly email newsletter on organizing and creating and marketing your fiction.
http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com/

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5: PROMOTION ARTICLE by Dan Poynter
Bookstores are a Lousy Place to Sell Books.
Making Special or Non-Traditional Sales.
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The book trade consists of book distributors, book wholesalers and bookstores. There are three types of bookstores: chain stores such as Borders, traditional independent stores and online stores such as Amazon.com.

Publishers call sales outside of the book trade "nontraditional sales" and they set up "special sales" departments to handle them. The regular sales department invoices a few copies of several titles. The special sales department invoices many copies of a single title. The two departments have different discount schedules.

For my first eight years, sales outside of the bookstores were virtually my only sales. I thought I was simply a supplier to the parachute and hang gliding industries. I attended my first book fair in 1977 in Los Angeles and discovered for the first time that it was a "book publisher."

Author-publishers should remember three guiding principles:
* Write what you love and sell to your colleagues.
-- Turn your passion center into your profit center.
* Bookstores are lousy place to sell books.
* Focus the marketing on your non-traditional markets.

Write what you love:
Do not write about a subject just because you know a lot about it.
Think: What do you want to be writing about? What do you want to be thinking about? What do you want to be speaking about? What do you want to be dreaming about? What will make you wake up at four o'clock in the morning so excited that you can't sleep? That is how to pick your subject.

I turned my avocation (skydiving) into my vocation by writing technical books on parachutes and popular books on skydiving.

Sell to your colleagues:
Focus on specialty stores not bookstores. For example, the largest dealer for my parachute books is a parachute catalog. Book are also sold to skydiving schools, parachute clubs and parachute dealers. These dealers purchase books by the carton, think a 40% discount is wonderful and pay within 30 days. They never return a book. Compare that experience with bookstores.

Today, I have a distributor to handle the book trade so that I may concentrate on my passion center: the user groups.

Focus your promoting on your market:
Pitch people interested in your message. Don't annoy the rest.

--Review copies and articles. Don't send review copies or articles to large newspapers. For a nonfiction book, The New York Times is not your audience. Very few of their readers are interested in your subject. Instead, send review copies to specialized magazines and newsletters. For periodicals targeted to your books and subject matter see http://parapublishing.com/sites/para/resources/maillist.cfm

For example, there are 68 parachute magazines and newsletters worldwide. When I sent them review copies of a new book, they all review it. Readers want to know about new informational products. Editors know this and want to share information on new products with them.

--Social networking using social media. Discuss your favorite issue (your book's subject matter) with your friends on social media such as Forums/listservs, blogs, Facebook and Linked-in. Social networks allow you to find people worldwide who are vitally interested in the subject matter of your book. Through these networks, buyers come to you.

Most nonfiction authors are experts in their field. (Joe Vitale reminds us that the word "authority" contains the word "author.") But the book industry is new and mysterious to them. While they should learn as much as possible about the book industry they should concentrate their promotional efforts and their marketing in the industry they know best. "Sell to your colleagues."
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Copyright © 2009 Dan Poynter. Reprinted with permission.
Dan Poynter does not want you to die with a book still inside you. You have the ingredients and he has your recipe. Dan has written more than 100 books since 1969 including WRITING NONFICTION and THE SELF-PUBLISHING MANUAL. For more help on book writing, see http://ParaPub.com/.

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6: FREE PRODUCTS, SERVICES, and DOWNLOADS
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FREE TELESEMINAR with Judy Cullins
February 19, 2009 From 5-6PM PST.
How to Write your eBook Fast to Gain Leads that Bring you Immediate Visibility, Credibility, and Sales

Just pick up your phone and discover
- Why eBooks can make you the new guru in your field.
- How eBooks are not all the same-and why the PDF version is the best one.
- How you can sell eBooks online and at the back of the room.
- How you can make almost passive income from eBooks.
- How eBooks will bring you 1000's of potential customers.
- How you can choose the right eBook to write.
- How you can outline and write an eBook chapter fast.
- What mistakes you can avoid to make your journey easier and faster.
http://www.bookcoaching.com/book-project-ideas.php

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7: BOOK REVIEW by Kelly Wallace
Two Books on Writing Fiction You MUST Have!
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I've been writing for well over 15 years and have read a lot of books on the craft. Some are lifesavers, other have a few pearls of wisdom, while a few aren't worth the time or money. There are even books on writing that leave you feeling defeated and wanting to throw your computer, along with your dreams of becoming a successful writer, out the window.

I won't talk about books that cover the basics, such as The Elements of Style. I will assume you know the essential mechanics of writing and know how to form cohesive sentences. The following books, my two absolute favorites, will give you the shot of adrenaline you may be in desperate need of to keep going, keep pursuing, and keep following your writing dreams!

ON WRITING by Stephen King - This has got to be my number one book on writing. The first half is an autobiography. I found his writing to be very real and from the heart. I laughed and even felt a bit saddened at times. You read about his childhood, his first attempts at publishing when he was in grade school, and all of the hard work, long hours and dedication he put into his writing career. This in itself gave me hope that I could someday be a successful author as well!

The second half of the book is a no bull, no fluff guide to writing. What I like most about it is that he doesn't bog you down with rule after rule, and strict organization. Forget outlines and note cards and character sketches! He recommends that you just sit down at your computer, go with your muse and see where he/she takes you. He tells you what you need to know from idea to sale, as well as a few simple considerations and rules. He uses examples of his own work and that of others to show what's good prose and what's not. He offers some exercises as well.

My writing has flourished because of this book. It's spontaneous and real. When I sit down at the computer I don't even know what the next scene will entail, but I'm always amazed to see what my inner self can come up with once I get out of my own way.

ZEN IN THE ART OF WRITING by Ray Bradbury - Be prepared! Ray Bradbury will take you by the hand and leave you breathless in this little book. I can honestly say that I've never felt more exhilarated or had more ideas popping into my mind than after reading this book. He advises you to stay drunk on writing because it saves us from reality, to write at least a thousand words a day every day, to write from real life, and much more. What I liked most about this book is the way I felt after reading it. Zen in the Art of Writing is like having Ray Bradbury right there with you, guiding you, cheering you on, and urging you to stop creeping and start flying!

Much in the same vein as Stephen King's book, this gem is not about rules that fence you in and leave you no room to breathe, but in letting loose the inner writer. It draws that fine line between genius and insanity. I loved it!

My creativity has soared because of these books. I highly recommend them.
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Copyright © 2008 Kelly Wallace. Reprinted with permission.
Kelly Wallace is a certified counselor, multi-published author, teacher, speaker, and radio show host. She's also self-proclaimed workaholic, single mother of five daughters, and a professional psychic who reads for over one thousand clients per year. You can visit her at: http://www.PsychicReadingsbyDrKelly.com - http://www.KellyWallace.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kelly_Wallace

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8: CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, and GROUPS
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AUTHOR BOOT CAMP - http://www.authorbootcamp.com/
When: Friday and Saturday, Feb 20-21, 2009. 9AM-4:30PM Both days
Where: The SF State Downtown Campus in the Westfield San Francisco Centre at 835 Market Street

Bestselling authors Scott Sigler and Seth Harwood generated large online audiences long before their books were in stores, and those audiences landed them multi-book deals with major publishers.

WHAT YOU'LL GET
In this class, Seth and Scott will show you how they did it in simple step-by-step format. You bring your laptop to the class and you'll leave fully up and ready to start recording and distributing your own audiobook podcast. You'll have your own RSS blog with distribution explained, an iTunes feed, an account with Libsyn set for hosting your episodes, and you'll have started your first recording--with an awareness of how to fully edit it! Add to this a series of profiles on today's most popular social networking sites and from there, the tools are clear, the goals are obvious, and the hard work ... is in your hands.

In this class you'll get all of the tools you need to do it, full instructions on how to use them, and an on-going forum of expertise to guide you and answer your questions as you go forward on your own. This class can show you how to elevate yourself to the top of the pile -- it's time for your Author Boot Camp!
http://www.authorbootcamp.com/

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9: AUTHOR SHOWCASE
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CATSCAPADES: Tales of Ordinary and Extraordinary Cats
By Patricia Fry

Genre: Nonfiction, Pets, Cats
Format: E-book and Comb-Bound Paperback
Publisher: Matilija Press, 2009
ISBN: 0-9773576-3-5, 80 pages.
Price: Ebook: $8.50 USD, Comb-Bound Book: $14.00 USD
http://www.matilijapress.com/catscapades.html

Patricia Fry's latest book, "Catscapades, Tales of Ordinary and Extraordinary Cats," features a collection of her own cat stories (yes, true) and those of others. Within the pages of this book, you'll meet curious, adventurous and calculating cats. In it, she introduces readers to traveling cats, working cats and cats with unusual names, habits, behavior and backgrounds. There's the story of Daisy, who responds to mindtalk and Maggie, who responds to a spiritual healing. There's Gus, the babysitting cat and Trinket, the cat who frequently needed a sitter for her kittens. Read the stories of Sammy, who changed a heart and Frigie Frypan who was dumped in a coyote infested wilderness. Just as he was about to settle down with a doting family, he was catnapped! And you won't forget Max, Cassidy, Alma and the other throw-away, abandoned and feral cats and kittens you'll read about in CATSCAPADES. Most of these stories even have happy endings.

About The Author
Patricia began writing part-time for publication in 1973, when her three daughters were teenagers. Patricia quit her job in 1990 and began devoting all of her time to her writing career. By then, Patricia had two books and hundreds of magazine articles to her credit. Since then, she has published 25 additional books and hundreds more articles.

Her articles have appeared in nearly 300 publications including Writer’s Digest, PMA Independent, Writer’s Journal, The World and I, Entrepreneur, Mature Outlook, Cat Fancy, The Toastmaster, Woman’s Own, Woman’s World, Reminisce, Catholic Digest, Executive Update, Quarter Horse Journal, Kiwanis Magazine, Your Health, Pages, The Artist’s Magazine and many others.

Her published books represent an eclectic mix of subjects -- from grandparenting and local history to youth mentoring and even how to present a Hawaiian luau. But her favorite topic remains writing and publishing. Having produced 10 books related to writing and publishing, Patricia’s hallmark title is, THE RIGHT WAY TO WRITE, PUBLISH AND SELL YOUR BOOK. This book, currently in its second printing, now features an accompanying workbook.

Patricia is also the president of SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network), a networking organization which she helped form in 1996. (http://www.spawn.org/.) Currently, she writes the monthly SPAWN Market Update for the member area of the SPAWN Web site and responds to the many questions they get each year from members and visitors to this site.

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10: ANNOUNCEMENTS/REQUESTS
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KEY WORD RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY - Judy Cullins

What you don't know about article key word optimization may cost you great clients and top web sales. Maybe you've already submitted to EzineArticles.com over the past years. Me too. What I didn't realize is that my articles that were older than 2008 didn't have the right key words to bring my audience to my site. Then, the search engines didn't pay attention and my Alexa ranking spiraled downward, and my Google page ranking slumped.

When I discovered this, I went back and redid a lot of my articles with long tailed low competition key words. I found out I only needed 2 or 3 of these, and these would go into my title and first lines of the article. My results were astounding! My site got 1000's of unique visitors, and 1000's of new opt-in subscribers to the free reports offered in my resource box, Then, I could promote to those with the new key words in the updated articles. Words like "Tips Writing a Book" -- "How to Write a Non Fiction Book" for my Write your eBook or Other Short Book --Fast! Then, for article marketing teleseminars or book packages, we used these low-competition long tails: "Build Your Article Marketing Network" -- "Increase Profits in Business" and if you visit my site, you'll see many more. We used similar key words in my articles.

So, what does this mean to you? Now, you can learn the steps to do this to update your articles to get even better results. With my guidance you'll get it in the special skills phone coaching session for only $75. I had planned to charge more, but knowing it's a low economy, you can get this service that takes about a half hour.

Read more about this service at http://www.bookcoaching.com/ranking-website-traffic.php

Your to do's: You'll need to send one article to Judy 3-4 days before the call with a few of your key word phrases that relate to it at the top. And, you'll get the link to Judy's coaching schedule to get going on this great update that will make your webpages climb in rank beyond your wildest dreams!

This is a one of a kind personal service that will move you up in the game again! If I can do it, so can you.

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11: GUEST ARTICLE by Elizabeth Gates
Road Map to Publication 2009
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However bad the Old Year - and for some of us 2008 was grim - New Year's Day dawns and the spirits lift because New Year holds infinite possibility. It's a time when we believe we can choose what we'll write on the blank page of the year before us. We dare to hope for better.

And, for writers, this could mean the Year of Publication. Why should this be important enough to feature? Well, we're not writing in a vacuum. We want someone, somewhere, to share what we put on the page and, as a result, to understand us better. That's why we put so much effort into ploughing what can, at times, seem a lonely furrow!

But how can we make 2009 your Year of Publication?

Some writers start the New Year bristling with diaries, 'road maps' and post-it notes - lending a writing project the air of a military offensive. If you favour this style - and many do - your writing goals may benefit from the strong-minded application of management principles.

The SMART formula is currently popular. Begin by asking yourself:

1) Is my writing goal Specific? (What form(s) of writing do I want to work on? A novel? A radio play? The ultimate letter of complaint? )

2) How will I Measure my success? (Will I, for example, hold my published book in my hand by the second August Bank Holiday?)

3) Am I Able to produce this piece of writing? (Or do I need more training?)

4) Is this piece of writing Relevant to what I am and what I want from my life in 2009? (And does writing mesh well with my other hopes and aspirations at this time?)

5) What is my Time-line for this goal? (Deadlines work wonders for some.)

And, once you've shaped your 2009 writing goal, you have then consciously to commit to the process. Here the GROW model can act as a facilitating pattern - perhaps for a coaching session.

In this, you discover:

What is your GOAL for 2009?

What is REALLY going on for you at the moment?

What OPTIONS have you?

Do you have the WILL to achieve your goal?
___

Copyright © 2009 Elizabeth Gates. Reprinted with permission.
Elizabeth Gates is an experienced published writer who also coaches others who write for professional advancement or personal development. She specialises in releasing clients' creativity and the maintenance of their well-being. For more information, please see her website, http://www.lonelyfurrowcompany.com and read her blog at http://lizziegates.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_Gates

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12: RECIPROCAL LINKS
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LISTINGS:

ADD YOUR BOOK LISTING & AUTHOR BIO:
This is a marketing feature you don't want to miss:
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com/books

THE POST-PUBLICATION BOOK PROPOSAL
If you didn't write a book proposal before writing your book, you missed a vital step in the process of successfully producing and marketing a book. Don't let sagging sales determine your grim future in publishing. Write a post-publication book proposal and get back on track. Order Patricia Fry's FREE report, The Post-Publication Book Proposal. PLFry620@yahoo.com.

SHAURETTE.NET: The Home Page of Dan Shaurette
- His Novel, LILITH'S LOVE - http://www.Liliths-Love.com
- The Lurkers' Domain (creative writing forum) - http://lurk.us
- Out Of The Coffin Podcast - http://www.OutOfTheCoffin.com
All of this and more at: http://www.DanShaurette.com

YOUR ADVERTISEMENT COULD BE HERE!
Contact Dan Shaurette for more information at editor@selfpublishedauthors.com

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13: Subscriber Management / Contact Information
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© 2002-2009 Self Published Authors All Rights Reserved
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