Sunday, September 13, 2026

Does Humanity Have An Expiration Date?



A few days ago, on September 11th, I read how 100 million adults in America have no personal memory of 9/11 and realize that my two children are part of that. To Olivia and Ben, 9/11 may sound as distant as World War II sounded to me in grade school.  It was another generation, another world.   

But 9/11 brings tears to me right now as I listen to the Star Spangled banner played on the radio from a Ground Zero ceremony. I didn’t lose anyone that I knew that day, though my mom worked across the street from it and a good friend that I would meet a few years later was in one of the towers.   

I lost the feeling of security. I lost the powerful landscape of the greatest city that I grew up in. I lost faith in humanity. I think that is what fills my tears, even now, 25 years later. 

A few weeks ago, a mentally ill mother of three stabbed two people on a crowded New York City street, killing one. You might not be surprised to hear such a story. It seems too common place, though the city luckily has had a record-low murder count this year.

The perpetrator, too fat to be incapacitated by taser, was shot dead by the police. It is one of those series of senseless events that one would think could be avoided if circumstances were different, but all of the mayhem just bares witness to what life really is — a series of random moments that are not often in our control.

We think that society has safeguards and laws to protect it from itself, but we really don’t. Little would stop someone from obtaining a rapid-fire gun and shooting dozens of innocent people. Not much stops someone from snatching a woman in a dark parking lot at night and raping her. Little stands in the way of one robbing a store. And nothing stopped a crazy person from getting a pair of knives to take another’s life on a crowded street in broad daylight.

The system is broken. The mentally ill population is large and growing. Meds can’t work if you don’t take them. People can’t get better if a lack of insurance or therapist availability exists. But even if everyone saw a doctor and doped up, it is human nature and a failure of the mental health professional community that will always allow for such horrible events to unravel.

Yes, you will say the chances of getting caught have increased. Cameras everywhere. DNA testing. Everything is digitized and recorded. But that is after the fact. Crazy people don’t let consequences get in the way.

You will say more police and smarter citizens can minimize vulnerability. Maybe. But opportunity exists somewhere. And criminals are getting smarter, using more high-tech methods, and they are more desperate. Where there is a will, there’s a way.

You will say capitalism and a good economy can save us from society’s criminality. Even in the best of times, there are violent and financial crimes committed. Not everything is about money. And someone is always without.

Mental illness, childhood victimization, low education, or one born violent can lead to newly minted criminals with unfortunately very reliable outcomes. We can try to mitigate the damages of human behavior, and seek to control and influence it, but we may always have wars, murders, rapes, abuse, robberies, and acts of insanity.

Ok, maybe that is too dark. There is also reason for optimism and hope. We may not be able to completely rid humanity of its penchant for violence, but luckily, things have been trending positively. Violent crimes in America are way down and the number of dead from war, globally, is minimal compared to most other decades over the years.

So how is it that we still feel unsafe at home, and are deeply troubled by the dead from terrorism, war, and civil unrest abroad? Because even statistically low levels of violence is too much to tolerate. Senseless deaths show that the globe’s social contract is broken, that our shared values are not enough to prevent murder and mayhem.

What will save us from ourselves? Even if we don’t kill each other or destroy the planet, will alien invasion kill us off? Maybe dinosaur-extincting asteroids? AI gone bonkers?

In some ways, it is amazing that we are all still here. Every day is a second chance for humanity. It is not too late. We can’t live perfectly nor will everyone be happy at the same time. But we can do better and strive to push back the date of inevitability that humanity will one day perish
— if not by the hand of humans, aliens, robots, or natural shortages, then by the death of the sun in a few billion years.


Marketing Help?

Brian Feinblum can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors like you to promote your story, sell your book, and grow your brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator! 

 

About Brian Feinblum

This award-winning blog has generated over 9, 750,000 page views. With over 5,700+ posts over the past 15 years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2026, 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.”  Copyright 2026.

 

For the past three decades, Brian Feinblum has helped thousands of authors. He formed his own book publicity firm in 2020. Prior to that, for 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and as the director of publicity at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler.

 

His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully) and (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/10-things-my-dog-taught-me-about-marketing-books). He was recently interviewed by the IBPA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0BhO9m8jbs

 

He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, three times at BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, five times at Morgan James Publishing Red Carpet, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. He served as a judge for the 2024 IBPA Book Awards.

 

His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

 

Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog.

 

You can connect with him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum/ or https://www.facebook.com/brian.feinblum

 

 

 

Friday, September 11, 2026

Authors Must Focus On, Not Obsess Over Marketing

 

1

 

Accidental or unintended success is not something you can work at, but you can intentionally not stress yourself out or obsessively focus on one narrow objective. It may feel counter-intuitive, to not zero in on the object of your desire, but the truth is, if all you do is laser in on a solo goal or task it can force you to be off your game.

I know some people are tasked with singular goals. Athletes want to win championships, military generals need a victory in war, and surgeons need to save their patients. But even in those cases, they don’t just succeed at something in one instance.

It is in a series of instances that they are tested, and it is an accumulation of winning smaller battles that positions them for a breakthrough. Each one really has to focus on getting their core fundamentals in line, so they can be put into a vantage point to succeed.

Think about it. An athlete’s success begins way before he competes. How he trains, how he stays fit, how he strategizes, and how he studies the competition is what will give him a better chance to win on the field.

Authors also must compete, every day in every way, to get the word out about their books. It takes a sustained, consistent, and persistent effort to market a book. One must focus on it to do well, but not obsess to the point they become blinded or fatigued by it. You want to care enough, even a lot, but not in a way that it impacts your judgment or ability to do what is needed.

One thing an author must be aware of is to avoid making marketing decisions based on ignorance, ego, or desperation. Simply determine what would make sense for you and your book by weighing your choice in the context of what the full menu of options available to you are. Don’t just latch on to what sounds good but is unrealistic, too costly, or merely shiny.

Know why you wrote your book and be aware of what your goals are. Then find marketing opportunities that are achievable and affordable that support your goals. Don’t worry about what other authors do — just customize your marketing to your book and goals.



Marketing Help?

Brian Feinblum can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors like you to promote your story, sell your book, and grow your brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator! 

 

About Brian Feinblum

This award-winning blog has generated over 8,600,000 page views. With nearly 5,700+ posts over the past 15 years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2026, 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.”  Copyright 2026.

 

For the past three decades, Brian Feinblum has helped thousands of authors. He formed his own book publicity firm in 2020. Prior to that, for 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and as the director of publicity at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler.

 

His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully) and (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/10-things-my-dog-taught-me-about-marketing-books). He was recently interviewed by the IBPA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0BhO9m8jbs

 

He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, three times at BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, five times at Morgan James Publishing Red Carpet, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. He served as a judge for the 2024 IBPA Book Awards.

 

His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

 

Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog.

 

You can connect with him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum/ or https://www.facebook.com/brian.feinblum

 

 

 

Wednesday, September 9, 2026

How Do Authors Get Attention?

 


“Go screw yourself, you lyin’ piece of dog shit!”

Could that be the opening line of a good novel?

It works for this blog post. I have your attention.
 

Full disclosure, I had a strong alternate: 

“At the very moment he plunged into her perfect body— a product of youth, daily workouts, and a natural beauty —he became fully aware that he had crossed into another dimension, a place where he would experience unfamiliar erotic pleasure beyond his fantasies, and as a direct result, a house emptied of his wife, three kids, two dogs, half his net worth, and all of his dignity.”

In today’s fast-paced, split-attention, no- patience world, great writing has to grab readers in or they just wander over to the next shiny toy. Don’t just say something; make a statement. Be descriptive. Make the reader instantly care or wonder what the hell is going on.

The same is true with your book marketing communications.

Look at some of the statements you are likely to make and think about how a powerful opening could serve you well in each of these areas:

* web site content
* press release
* blog post
* e-mail customer solicitation
* book jacket copy
* Amazon page description
* social media post
* media pitch by e-mail
* book awards application
* book review submission
* postcard copy
* a flier
* advertisement

Aside from your opening lines, you have headlines or subject lines to draw people in. You could have the power of a strong visual, too. The overall layout, font, colors, and typeface will also turn people on — or away. You don’t get a second chance to make a strong first impression, so make the most of your opportunities.

What gets people’s attention?

Challenging one’s values: Are you doing enough to help the poor?
 

News: Award-winning book announces 10-point plan to end world hunger by 2041.

Secrets revealed: A man confesses to sleeping with his son’s wife for money.

Facts uncovered: New evidence reveals Nixon had an affair

Emotional rollercoaster: First she hated him; then she feared him. How they became lovers.

A belief that no one dares say: Are transgender people simply mentally ill?

Language: curses, neologisms, slang, foreign words 

Challenge our assumptions: Is the net benefit of exercise overstated, given the time, cost, and number of injuries? 

Bold prediction: Biden could run in 2028 — and win.

Challenging the status quo: Do we really need so many layers of government — town, county, state, and federal?

Breaking grammar rules for effect: 

Sarcasm or a joke: Great weather for a picnic (when it is raining).

Strong political, sexual, or religious statement: Are you a bad Christian if you don’t forgive your mother’s killer?

Controversial ideas: It is time to jail the homeless! 

Provocative questions: Should we abolish all laws regarding the mandatory wearing of clothing in public?

Outrageous statements: Veterinarians should be allowed to treat people in a medical worker shortage or crisis

Information that people need: Here is what you need to know to get a tax refund

Contrarian statements: You can lose weight and still have six beers a night.

Ridicule of a known entity or individual: Kim Kardashian has the authenticity of a Barbie Doll. 

Promises of success, wealth, or health: How to make money with the right side hustle.

Fantasies: Can you live your dreams?

Nostalgia: Why these 6 songs from the 80’s are still amazing.

Deadlines: Here are 5 strategies for last-minute tax filers tomorrow.

Lure of exclusivity: Learn what pleases your spouse from a former escort.

Crazy talk: The aliens are here and not what you think they would be like. 

Start working on your powerful opening line. One good sentence can sell a book!


Marketing Help?

Brian Feinblum can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors like you to promote your story, sell your book, and grow your brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator! 

 

About Brian Feinblum

This award-winning blog has generated over 9,500,000 page views. With nearly 5,700+ posts over the past 15 years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2026, 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.”  Copyright 2026.

 

For the past three decades, Brian Feinblum has helped thousands of authors. He formed his own book publicity firm in 2020. Prior to that, for 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and as the director of publicity at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler.

 

His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully) and (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/10-things-my-dog-taught-me-about-marketing-books). He was recently interviewed by the IBPA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0BhO9m8jbs

 

He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, three times at BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, five times at Morgan James Publishing Red Carpet, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. He served as a judge for the 2024 IBPA Book Awards.

 

His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

 

Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog.

 

You can connect with him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum/ or https://www.facebook.com/brian.feinblum

 

 

 

Sunday, September 6, 2026

Do Authors Just Need A Different Perspective?

 

 

Though the Freedom Tower opened over 11 years ago, it wasn’t until recently that I visited the tallest building in North America, going to the observation deck on the 101st floor. It has changed my perspective of the city.

The building, measuring 1776 feet tall, stands near where the Twin Towers had watched over the city until 9/11. It is hard to believe we are approaching 25 years since the worst attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor took place. Nearly 3,000 died when terrorists crashed airliners into the buildings.

Being able to see the city from so high was amazing. I have been to the Empire State Building and I once did a helicopter ride over the city, but both had become faint memories. This viewing gave me a fresh perspective on not just Manhattan, but of all the surrounding geography, including four other boroughs, New Jersey, Ellis Island, Liberty Island, etc. It was like looking at a doll house or one of those Lego miniature city renditions, only this was live and real.

The city is cavernous, littered with so many skyscrapers that increasingly dwarf one’s surroundings. It is hard to see too much of the landscape from the ground, but being so high up gives you a comprehensive viewing perch.

You can feel like a bird in the sky when you look down 1000 feet from your vantage point. Everything seems small and proportionately insignificant. You can’t hear the traffic, see the homeless, or smell weed in the streets. No, this is a sanitized view of the biggest city in America, but it is also a wide lens view. It is overwhelming to be able to see a huge chunk of Manhattan from just a single spot.

The city is roughly 18 square miles and packed in any given day with 20 million people, daily commuters, and tourists. But when you are looking from so high up you feel like you are alone, so removed from the lives of others. The city can at times feel overcrowded and claustrophobic, but when you literally distance yourself from the streets you feel god-like and above the fray.

Authors need to get a fresh perspective on things in order to write and market effectively. Writers fall into routines, habits, and rhythms. Sometimes that reliable consistency comforts them and serves them well, but eventually it grows tiresome. Writers need infusions of new input, of fresh perspectives to fuel their splashes of creativity across a blank canvas.

Whereas people may appreciate the view from the sky of the city, writers desperately need a viewing point that extracts them from their heads. They live in dreams, visions of ideal worlds, and in reflections of an unrepeatable past.

The act of writing is a lonely art, one filed with emotions, needs, and desires. How does a writer detach from themselves to see life from another perspective?

Some take to drugs and alcohol. Others get lost in risky or dangerous behaviors. But most authors cannot escape themselves, certainly not their pasts, thoughts, or fears.

Can they just take an elevator to the clouds and look out to see the world differently — or will their baggage weigh them down and only permit them to see through a distorted prism? One may be a thousand feet above the streets, but for some their soul remains in the gutter, chained to viewing the world the same no matter what they see or do.

How can writers gain a new perspective? They must do new things, do familiar things differently, and do anything with in-the-moment intentionality. They need surprises and shocks. They need to be challenged and thrust into new circumstances. They need to get out of their head.

Usually this only happens when writers are thrust into unhealthy situations of excess. Black -out alcoholics and those who violated their marriages have made for some of the greatest writers. It seems only the reckless, abusive, self-hurting, or victimized have the insights and capacities to pen great stories.

But for the rest of us who don’t bang someone else’s wife, who choose not to get high on drugs, and who do not feel haunted by their childhood, how are we, as writers, to get a new perspective?

Maybe we need to simply do the opposite of our norm. If we usually go to bed at 10, stretch it to 2 am tonight. Force yourself to get up early to see the sun rise. Foster a dog. Watch a movie out of your usual genre circle. Eat something you have never had. Visit a house of worship different from yours, if you even have one. Say yes when instincts say no. Take on that which you fear.

Gain a new perspective — on life and on your book marketing.

 

Marketing Help?

Brian Feinblum can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors like you to promote your story, sell your book, and grow your brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator! 

 

About Brian Feinblum

This award-winning blog has generated over 8,200,000 page views. With nearly 5,700+ posts over the past 15 years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2026, 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.”  Copyright 2026.

 

For the past three decades, Brian Feinblum has helped thousands of authors. He formed his own book publicity firm in 2020. Prior to that, for 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and as the director of publicity at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler.

 

His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully) and (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/10-things-my-dog-taught-me-about-marketing-books). He was recently interviewed by the IBPA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0BhO9m8jbs

 

He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, three times at BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, five times at Morgan James Publishing Red Carpet, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. He served as a judge for the 2024 IBPA Book Awards.

 

His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

 

Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog.

 

You can connect with him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum/ or https://www.facebook.com/brian.feinblum