BookMarketingBuzzBlog

Thursday, March 19, 2026

Interview With Educator & Author Janet Flaugher About Her Book On Working In China

1. What is one of your most recent books, Two Bottles of Water, a multi-book-award winner, about? Two Bottles of Water is a memoir of my and my husband’s life as expat immigrants in Beijing, China. It tracks our adventures and struggles with language, daily activities, cultural differences. We dealt with grocery shopping mishaps, getting lost in an enormous city (no cell phone), isolation in an area of the city that had few westerners, and finally with the outbreak of the SARS epidemic.

2. What inspired you to write it? Living in China was eye-opening. I have immigrants in my family tree, with grandparents from Italy, Germany and Canada, an ex-mother-in-law from Mexico, and a sister-in-law from the Philippines In P-12 schools, have worked with and supported immigrant families in the US. Actually being an immigrant and learning first-hand about the experience inspired me to write Two Bottles of Water and provide readers with an honest picture of the experience.

3. How did you and your husband deal with the culture shock of being in China at the turn of the millennium? We lived in China before the Olympics took place there. Few people spoke English, so we adapted and hired a Chinese teacher. We “read” a lot of Chinese movies (subtitles). We jumped in and tried to function as normally as possible – shopping at the local grocery, engaging with taxi drivers, who were pretty nice to us. Our Chinese neighbors gave us a wide berth, as did light rail riders. We found some “Western” venues and Westerners that gave us a little breather and sense of home. We chaperoned many school activities that allowed us cultural learning experiences. We commiserated! We bought black market phone cards so we could call our family back home. We went on adventures – sometimes fun, sometimes scary. We hired a Chinese language tutor. We leaned on my international school staff for camaraderie.

4. What did you miss the most about America when you called a new place, 6000 miles away, home? It was hardest to be far away from family – our children and aging parents. We are very independent people, and it was difficult to lose that sense of having control over our lives. Everything had to be planned in advance – we lost spontaneity. Sometimes the weight of the extra time that had to be devoted to every activity was crushing. We couldn’t just jump in the car and go shopping, go for an outing, go to a restaurant, or just go for a ride. For example, if we went to a store that carried some western food items, we walked down to the taxi station. Then we had to engage a driver who could understand us and would take us to the venue. At the store, we filled our basket with available western items we thought we could use, and then Chinese items we thought we recognized. After checking out, we had to find another taxi to take us back to our apartment. The afternoon was spent checking to see whether our food guesses were actually usable. It took us three trips just to find tuna fish. First time was a concoction that contained red bean paste. Second time was weird looking and tasting. Third time was the charm. Exhausting.

5. What did you export from Beijing – not items but ideas, values, or experiences? 1. Red lights mean “Stop” if there are cameras or police in evidence. Otherwise, stop if you feel like it. 2. Stop standing in line: you will never get to the front! 3. What is said is not always what is meant. Learn to read between the lines (it’s much harder to do when you don’t speak a language or have a good grasp of the local body language) 4. Be courteous even in the worst of settings. People will try to help. 5. Chinese people are like people everywhere. They want to do well in life, and they work hard to achieve their goals. They love their kids and their families. They are interested in Americans and how we do things in America. They are mind-boggled that we are allowed to own guns.

6. How were you able to function as the Head of School at the New School of Collaborative Learning International School in China while acclimating to a diverse student body form Armenia, England, USA, Australia, Japan, France, Korea, New Guinea, and China? Having a strong background in school administration facilitated operations. The staff were an excellent and competent team that worked well together and with children and families. The students and parents were delightful to interact with. The Chinese government presented some barriers, but we were generally able to negotiate to a successful resolution of problems.

7. What did you learn from being immigrants in a foreign land? As I often tell my Filipina sister-in-law, she is my hero. It’s is hard to go to a strange country to live. It’s not all egg rolls and fortune cookies! The language is difficult to learn. The food is strange. Very little is done the way you are used to doing it. It’s hard to fit in, even when you are trying. You are so dependent on the time and kindness of others. Frustration and depression are very real issues that are rarely addressed.

8. You have traveled extensively – through the United States, Mexico. Asia, and Europe. Can you share some life lessons learned from your journeys? Everybody wants to be successful. Nobody wants to be a failure. We all want food, a table to eat it at, comfortable clothes on our backs, and a place to be safe from the weather for ourselves and our families. Everyone has a gift, a talent, something of value to enrich the world around them. Our reason for being in the world is to help one another fulfil our needs and give our talents the opportunity to bloom.

About The Author: Flaugher is an award-winning, published author of over a half-dozen books, including: Two Bottles Of Water; The Acreage: An Anthem; Ny Father’s Voice; What If We Had A Dinosaur?; a book of poetry, a cookbook, other memoirs, and many children's stories in English and Spanish. Flaugher has over 30 years of education experience, including more than 20 years in administering public and private educational organizations. As a Follow-up Lead for DLH Corp, she was responsible for oversight of monitoring, guidance, training, coaching, and team building for the Office of Head Start Regional Offices serving fourteen states and territories. Dr. Flaugher has broad experience in leadership, staff and program administration, program accreditation, financial management, systems analysis and restructuring to improve quality and effectiveness of program operations, grant development and project planning. For more information, please see: www.jtalespinner.com

Do You Need 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 5,800,000 page views. With 5,500+ posts over the past 14 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 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). 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, BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, 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, March 18, 2026

Should Authors Really Pursue Influencers?

Authors ask me all of the time about getting their books to online influencers. I tell them that most influencers get paid — and are not worth it when it comes to marketing books. But they still romance about the notion of having someone with supposedly tons of followers saying something positive about their book.

I never liked the word “influencer.” It implies something or someone to be powerful, but not necessarily with merit or justification. It sounds like a power grab: “He has influence.” To do what? Lie? Persuade? Get others to do something they don’t need or should not otherwise want to do?

Influence is merely a perception online, based on a numbers game that could be rigged and riddled with fakery and paid-for popularity.

Anyone famous — celebrities, major CEOs, actors, award-winning musicians, best-selling authors, politicians — has influence. They have fans, voters, subscribers, and customers who will listen to them because something about who they are, what they have accomplished, or what they say actually resonates with others and rings true. They are actually influencers.

Then you have the influencers out there who have manipulated the online world to not only bestow a title upon themselves, regardless of worthiness, and who then commoditize their alleged following into a business of “influencing” others.

Influencers are pay-to-say marketing escorts — these are commercials. They tell people what you want them to say, just like a guy would pay a prostitute to say he is a great lover while he does what he wants to her with no regard for how it makes her feel.

These endorsements are just commercials passed off as something real and pure. And to keep their brand secure, they will present any number of messages and images to desperately keep you hooked. It is little more than a staged persona.

Influencers are little more than whores who will screw the public for the highest bidder. They are the modern-day Big Tobacco Capitol Hill lobbyists and the pretty models who would traffic any product or service no matter how unproven or harmful it is to the public.

Why not just call online influencers lobbyists or muscle? Or escorts or hoaxers? All would be true.

Do You Need Book Marketing Help?

About Brian Feinblum

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

Tuesday, March 17, 2026

Interview With Children’s Book Author David L. Gillespie

1. What inspired you to write this book? In 2000, our youngest daughter, Hunter—just four years old at the time—slipped on an apron to help her mother make dinner. With a proud smile, she carried a plate over and declared, “Miss Floo Flocky Doo is here to serve YOU!” In that joyful moment, our family knew this delightful character had the heart of a children’s story. Inspired by Hunter’s imagination, Miss Floo Flocky Doo was born. Twenty-six years later, that spark has come to life in my debut picture book, Floo Flocky Doo to the Rescue!

2. What exactly is it about — and for whom is it written for? Floo Flocky Doo to the Rescue is a beautifully illustrated picture book that celebrates kindness, quick thinking, and the joy of caring for others. The book introduces young readers to Floo Flocky Doo, a spirited and imaginative girl whose motto—“Hootie Hoo, I know what to do!”—guides her through unexpected adventures. When Floo rescues a baby squirrel named Lucky Lou, she never expects him to escape inside a grocery store, launching a wild chase filled with laughter, flying wigs, and blueberry jelly footprints. With help from her hummingbird companion Peanut, Floo uses courage, creativity, and compassion to save the day. Ideal for children ages 2–8 and perfect for bedtime stories, classroom read-alouds, and early readers who love funny animal adventures. Families will enjoy the heartwarming themes of caring, problem-solving, and the magic of friendship.

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book? A joyful burst of fun, smiles, and giggles! Kids will delight in the book’s whimsical rhymes and love joining in on the catchy, confidence-boosting refrain—“Hootie Hoo, I know what to do!”—as the main character faces each new challenge with imagination and heart. It also combines the musicality of classic rhyming books with a personal, grounded storytelling foundation, which gives it a warm and authentic feel.

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design? The book was originally titled Floo Flocky Doo in Lucky Lou, Where Are You? But as we approached the finish line, it became clear that the story was about more than just a mischievous squirrel—it’s an adventure built around two heartwarming rescue moments. With that realization, we shifted to the title it carries today. For the cover, I wanted it to capture a glimpse of the playful chaos inside the story while showcasing Floo and her lovable animal friends. The goal was to visually convey a sense of fun, mischief, and energy—and thanks to the illustrator’s work, I believe the cover does exactly that.

5. What kind of girl is your protagonist, Floo Flocky Doo? First and foremost, we wanted Floo to be a young girl who radiates confidence. At the same time, it was important that she recognizes when her well-meaning choices don’t quite go as planned and understands the value of taking responsibility. We were careful to present this lesson in a way that encourages, rather than discourages, young readers to explore, imagine, and have fun. That’s why we gave the story a gentle, reassuring ending—a soft landing that balances accountability with warmth and joy.

6. What trends are you seeing in the children's book world? I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t consider myself an authority on that question. That said, it seems many children’s picture books today focus on hot social themes of the moment. We deliberately chose a different path: to create a simple, fun, and engaging book that would bring joy and put a smile on a child’s face.

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book? The structure of the story and its plot almost wrote themselves, as so many moments are rooted in our family’s real-life experiences. For example, the lead character, Floo Flocky Doo, was imagined by our daughter. Rescuing a baby squirrel truly happened in our family, as did the trip to the grocery store with it — not one of my finer moments in my youth. The elderly lady in the story is named after my mother, who always wore wigs. And “Hootie Hoo” has long been our family’s playful way of calling out to one another when we’re out and about. Still, nothing prepared me for the challenge of writing a rhyming picture book. Crafting consistent rhyme and rhythm proved far more difficult than expected. In fact, I’m certain I created at least 150 different versions before settling on what ultimately became the final 600-word manuscript.

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to?I found that my writing style for this book evolved over time alongside the manuscript itself. It began with a simple goal: to craft a fun story using playful, imaginative language while staying grounded in relatable experiences. Once I decided to incorporate the repetitive “Hootie Hoo” phrases, the story naturally developed a sing-song rhythm. By the end, this approach produced a rhyming and rhythmic manuscript with a lively, musical flow to it. As for other books with a similar style, I’d say Floo Flocky Doo to the Rescue is a blend of the warmth and gentle storytelling found in Karma Wilson’s The Bear Books series and the high-energy humor, mischief, and imaginative problem-solving of Andy Elkerton’s How to Catch the Easter Bunny. The result is a story that combines heart, rhythm, and playful fun.

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book? Aside from the fact that I had never written a children’s picture book — nor fully appreciated the artistry involved in doing so — one of the greatest challenges was brevity. No one in my family, me included, has ever mastered the art of saying something in just a few words. We tend to be expressive, both in conversation and in writing. So, when I set out to create a children’s book — which ultimately evolved into a rhyming picture book with its own unique challenges — I was faced with the task of telling a complete story within the space limitations of a traditional 32-page format. My first manuscript was close to 2,000 words, far too many for a typical picture book. Trimming it down required considerable effort, discipline, and multiple revisions, but the process ultimately strengthened the story and sharpened its focus.

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? If you’re going to choose just one book to share with a child this week, make it Floo Flocky Doo to the Rescue—because it delivers exactly what kids (and parents) are looking for in a read-aloud experience: laughter, rhythm, heart, and a character they’ll want to visit again and again. This isn’t just a story—it’s an interactive adventure. Kids quickly latch onto Floo’s playful catchphrase—“Hootie Hoo, I know what to do!”—and love jumping in to say it out loud. That kind of participation turns reading into a shared moment, not just a quiet activity. It’s also packed with high-energy, laugh-out-loud fun. A mischievous baby squirrel on the loose, a chaotic grocery store chase, and a hummingbird with a clue create the kind of delightful mayhem that keeps kids fully engaged from start to finish. But beneath the humor is something even more important: heart. The story gently weaves in themes of kindness, responsibility, problem-solving, and friendship—giving parents and educators something meaningful to feel good about and to discuss with their children / students. And finally, Floo herself is unforgettable. She’s bold, imaginative, and full of joy—the kind of character children connect with instantly and want to follow into the next adventure. If you want a book that makes kids laugh, invites them to participate, and leaves them smiling at the end…this is the one to bring home.

About The Author: Award-winning author, David L. Gillespie brings a captivating blend of imagination and real-world experience to children’s literature. Born and raised in Tallahassee, Florida, he began an adventurous global journey with his family after earning his commission in the United States Air Force. Over decades of leadership in military intelligence, public policy, and executive program development, David built a distinguished career before turning his storytelling passion into a highly acclaimed children’s picture book – “Floo Flocky Doo to the Rescue.” For more information, please see: https://www.FlooFlockyDoo.com.

Do You Need Book Marketing Help?

About Brian Feinblum

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

Monday, March 16, 2026

Who Do Authors Really Compete Against?

Are too many authors stooping to play unhealthy, petty mind games when it comes to competing with their fellow authors for the same resources — landing a literary agent, getting published, hitting a best-seller list, scoring big book reviews, getting book award recognition, making it into a major book club, or garnering a celebrity endorsement?

Competition makes us perform better, which in turn makes others play better, which then continues the cycle of improvement for everyone. Without it, growth happens at slower, uneven paces, and maybe never to the heights that could be reached when competing against others. Ultimately, we compete with ourselves, against our best past and in pursuit of our fantasy future.

Some competition is unhealthy, where it leads us to harmful behaviors, unbearable sacrifices, and maybe even breaking our values if not the law. We find a way to cheat, to bend if not shred rules, to take dangerous risks with our minds, bodies, wealth, or relationships. We threaten losing it all in hopes of gaining something extra.

We measure our bodies, cars, vacations, jobs, education, families and even our pets against others, from strangers to close friends.

The contests range far and come non-stop. Whatever can be measured is competed over, even if you didn’t realize you were participating in someone’s competition.

Does he make more than me? Are her breasts real? How much is their house worth? Can my kids get into elite schools? Is my pure-bred better than their dog? We are always competing and comparing.

The questions, comparisons, and assessments are nonstop, exhaustive, and at times, toxic.

Authors participate in these jealousy games all of the time. But it has to stop. It is not a healthy game to play — nor will it do you any good. Just strive to do your best and accomplish all that you can, regardless of whatever else other authors say or do. Your fate is in your hands — and you are not at the mercy of what others think or do.

Measure yourself against no one but yourself.

Do You Need Book Marketing Help?

About Brian Feinblum

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

Saturday, March 14, 2026

An Oscar Goes To…Books!

The Academy Awards are upon us again, and all kinds of movies and Hollywood practitioners will earn an Oscar. There will be buzz on social media and coverage by the news media. Everyone watches movies, right?

Well, apparently the movie theater business peaked nearly 80 years ago. I am not kidding. Back in 1947, when we did not even have 50 states and America’s population was 200 million less than today’s total, the most movie tickets were sold — 4.7 billion. This last year? 780 million — a drop of 84%!

The big difference between now and then? Television.

In 1947, talking movies were just a generation old, they were shot in black and white, and shown in large single-screen theaters. It was special to go to the theater. Teens and young lovers hid from large families to “make out” inside a dark theater. It was inexpensive entertainment. And the only game in town.

Then came network television and the convenience and miracle of having moving, talking images in the comfort of your own home. Then came cable TV, big-screen TV, and finally streaming on any device.

People still watch a ton of movies, maybe more than ever, but not so many go to the theater to consume them. New technologies and market choices alter what we consume — and how we acquire it. But the bottomline is that movie-viewing is forever popular and is still a profitable venture for the creators, actors, production staff, and the executives.

The book industry also has undergone revolutionary changes over how books are consumed and who publishes them. The main reason? The Internet.

The biggest changes in the book industry over the past two decades have been:

* The ability to buy books online
* The rise, fall, and rebirth of chain book stores
* Self-publishing platforms and costs
* Print-on-demand capacity
* The resurrection of bookstores
* Use of social media, blogs, podcasts, and websites to market books
* The rise of audiobooks due to streaming online
* The advent and growth of e-books
* The decline of traditional media book review space and the rise of legitimate paid reviews
* The changing population demographics — fewer English-speaking Americans
* The competition for readers vs. options posed by low-priced or free content providers

But through all of these massive changes, and despite the challenges or because of new opportunities, book buying and book reading is alive and well in America. The landscape has changed for who publishes, what books sell for, how they buy them, and in what format they gey consumed, but the bottom line overall is that lots of books are being written and read — and that is a wonderful thing.

Do You Need Book Marketing Help?

About Brian Feinblum

This award-winning blog has generated over 5,600,000 page views. With 5,500+ posts over the past 14 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 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.

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