Interview With Toy-Maker-Turned-Children’s-Book-Author Mike Ernst

 

Wicked Breaks Box Office Records As Film Classix  

The Wizard of Oz Turns 85.

 

Now -- The Only YA Book Series Authorized By An

Original Cast Member, Jerry Maren.

 

Toy Inventor Mike Ernst Brings The Lovable

Munchkins Back To Life With His Books!

 

1. What is your book, The Untold Story: From Lollipop Kid to Munchkin King, about?

The Untold Story: From Lollipop Kid to Munchkin King is about the little Munchkins from the movie Wizard of Oz. The story takes place 75 years after the ending of the original tale. In this tale, there is an Evil Warlock that is the brother of the Evil Witches of the East and West. The Warlock has decided that it is time to exact revenge on the peaceful Munchkin’s for their part in the killing of his sisters. There are twists and turns, and new characters introduced into the story line. It is quite an adventure.

 

2. What inspired its writing?  What inspired me to write this was circumstances that at the time were unknown to me. It led me on this journey to a Toy Fair in New York City where I happened to meet Jerry Maren and his wife Elizabeth while I was walking through the crowd looking at the exhibits. I was picked out of the crowd from behind by some small lady tugging on my shirt asking me if I would like to meet the Lollipop Kid from the movie Wizard of Oz.  This turned out to be Elizabeth the wife of the Lollipop Kid, Jerry Maren. I of course said yes, and we were than introduced. Jerry and I instantly hit if off and became friends. This was the beginning of the future Author. 

3. Wow, what was it like to get to know Jerry Maren, who played a Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz? Meeting Jerry Maren, The Lollipop Kid, was incredible. In my wildest dreams I never would have dreamt going to a toy fair in New York that I would have ended up meeting one of my favorite actors. The first time watching the Wizard of Oz, I fell in love with it! The story and all of the characters. Since I was small, growing up I could relate to the Munchkin’s. When Jerry shook my hand for the first time, I saw that my hand was twice his size, that had never happened to me before, my hand was usually smaller than everyone else’s. I sat with Jerry and his wife, Elizabeth, and listened to him tell his story of his life and being a Munchkin, it was so enjoyable and fascinating. Jerry was really interested in my life and me being an inventor. We talked about making a Munchkin board game, and Jerry said he would support the idea of a Munchkin board game. We met again a year later, and although he loved the idea of a board game representing the Munchkins, we also talked about the story that I had started to write. I shared with Jerry what I had written, and he really became excited about a story that was about the continuation of the Munchkin’s. 

4. Can you tell us more about your friendship with him and how he believed your book could actually be the one worthy of a spinoff or sequel to The Wizard of Oz? While Jerry and I were conversing, I asked Jerry, “Why was there never a sequel to the movie Wizard of Oz?”. Jerry looked at me and smiled, he said “No one ever came up with a story that could be equal to or out do the original movie.” Well, his words set a fire in me, I took it as a personal challenge. I said that the Munchkin’s should have their own movie! Jerry and his wife smile at my words. I continued by telling him that I invent toys and board games and asked him what if I design a board game? Would you support it? He said that he would support it and that he loved the idea. We agreed to meet again the following year, which is when I showed him a protype board game and a story that I wrote while designing the game. Jerry was so excited about both of the ideas that I had. 

5. Why do you think there is such a long-lasting fascination with The Wizard of Oz?

The Wizard of Oz was a movie that was that has fascinated people of all ages from all around the world. From the beginning of the movie, you are quickly drawn into it with every one getting ready because of a tornado coming, you see Dorothy who had ran away from home and people can relate to that, of Auntie Em yelling for Dorothy so they can all get in the cellar for safety. Then you get to the landing of the house on top of a witch and the Munchkins who come out to great her and the beautiful Glenda, The Good Witch of the North. Then you are taken on the journey to get Dorothy home. An adventure that is taking Dorothy to meet new characters and to have battle just to get home to her family She survives it and manages to find her way home with ruby shoes and the famous words “There is no place like home”.  I believe it was a movie made different than any other movie with its optics and techno work. I mean, you have witches, good and bad, you have flying monkeys, a talking scarecrow, tin man and lion. It is the greatest movie of all time.

 

6. How challenging was it to spin-off stories based off of a classic book and movie? During my designing of the board game, I started thinking more about the players in the game, about their personalities and a goal to win, along with obstacles, twists and turns. I was remembering the movie and wanting to combine into my board game, that is when the idea of a story that could be a spin-off of my favorite movie. So, I started writing the story that I imagined that would be a good tribute to Jerry. I discussed the story with Jerry, and he loved it and thought it would be a fantastic sequel to the Wizard of Oz movie. Jerry hoped he could star in the movie for the book. 

7. What do you say to some people who think there shouldn’t be any other Oz stories other than whatever was written and created by L. frank Baum? I don’t think that other people would think that way, because who doesn’t want to see what may have happened to the Munchkin’s or even Dorothy. I think that as long as you keep with Frank Baum way of thinking, that a story in a book or one on a movie screen is one that will bring families together, then I think people would be fine with it. I would tell any naysayers that this was written out of respect for Frank Baum and the love of a timeless classic. 

8. You describe your second book, Munchkin’s Tale of The Lollipop Club, as a story of good vs. evil. Why is that such a popular theme in children’s books? In my second book Munchkin Tale of the Lollipop Club, I wanted to teach young kids that there is evil or bad things that will happen in life but also good people that will be on their side in life and hopefully teach them the difference. A lot of stories teach of magic and spells to help make life easy and we all know that that won’t help anyone. I use very little magic in my stories, I feel like people can defeat or avoid evil with good and positive ways of thinking and acting. 

9. What do evil witches symbolize – and why do people fear them? The evil witches symbolize the threats that we face in this world, the evil that is presented all around us. The witches put fear into people by the way they look, the cackling that they do, the spells that they can case on anyone and turn them into anything they like or make a person helpless while they do the witches bidding. 

10. Could the world today use some of the comforting lessons shared in the original Wizard of Oz? I absolutely believe that the world could use comforting lessons from the Wizard of Oz. I also believe that my stories could also help with teaching good moral and comforting lessons to our youth and even adults today. We live in a chaotic world, where everything seems upside down and I believe that anything that teaches kids lessons like what is taught in the Wizard of Oz and my stories would be a blessing for everyone. 

Do You Need Book Marketing & PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over four million page views, 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 four million pageviews. With 5,000+ posts over the past dozen 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.” 

 

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 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

Interview With Mountain Mystery Author Kit Karson

                                 

1.      Kit, what inspired you to write your series of mysteries, The Anderson Chronicles?

I had the desire to write a novel and leaned toward thrillers but struggled with exactly what I wanted to do. People say, ‘write what you know’ and I would think ‘I really don’t know much, at least anything interesting enough for a novel.’ An addendum to that advice should be ‘write what you love.’ While reading through the Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin series by author M.C. Beaton, I had my epiphany. I love reading mysteries, especially series where we get to know and love the characters. Hamish Macbeth is based in the Scottish Highlands and Agatha Raisin in based in the English Cotswolds because those are the areas where MC Beaton lived and knew well. I have spent my life in small-town Montana. It made sense to base my novels here.

 

2.      Take us through the four books. What was the first one, Land Grab, about?

All four books are based in a small western Montana town called Anderson. Land Grab opens with the body of the local dairy man found in a grisly murder scene in the bakery and the baker is missing. Later that day, a beloved town patriarch and sapphire dealer is found hanging from his balcony. Eventually, valuable sapphires are found missing from his inventory. In the middle of all that, the Russian mob is in town trying to gain control of prime real estate with a plan of building a high-end resort. The dairy man had been receiving threatening notes and was being harassed by a neighboring rancher in a land dispute. Sheriff Elliott and his deputies struggle to solve both cases as well as find a connection between them.

 2.      The latest installment, Nefarious Intent, is about what?

In Nefarious Intent, an older couple, Frank and Alice, are found tied to kitchen chairs in their home on the mountain and left to freeze to death. Later, their son and his wife are found missing from their home with nothing but a pool of blood left as a clue. There are several possible motives for the murders. Frank was a bus driver blamed for an accident that resulted in the death of three young boys. Alice was accused of embezzling money from the church coffers. Their son Tony seems to be an innocent, but his wife is a greedy social climber. Would she have killed her in-laws for money?

 

3. All of your titles consist of two words. How do you manage to find just the right combo of so few words to declare your title?

It’s tough. I don’t title the book until after it’s finished, then I brainstorm the main theme of the book and narrow it down to two words. I look on Amazon for books with that name, because I don’t want to use something that is already over-used, and the first title idea usually is. Then, I get out the thesaurus and look for alternatives to the original words. I keep mixing up words, looking for combinations that sound good together and then checking them against titles on Amazon. Sometimes I have to go back and rethink the original word choices. Eventually something clicks.

 

4. Your stories have been referred to as “mountain mysteries,” taking place in western Montana. You are a fifth-generation Montanan. What is it about that setting that makes for a good story?

There’s such an aura of romance and mystery surrounding the west, especially in the mountains. So many secrets of days gone by can lay hidden in abandoned mines, and under the ruins of mountain cabins. Outlaws and lawmen, cowboys and Indians, even the women of the west were tough and resourceful. I’ve personally been told stories of bodies that were never found, and murderers who are never caught. In my own family, there’s a true story of multiple murders committed by family members. My great-great grandmother and her sons were arrested but eventually set free. They got away with murder. In one case the body was never found. The only proof to the murder was that my great-great uncle admitted to it while drinking heavily in a local bar.

 

5. You show small town life through the eyes of one who lives it. How do your stories differ from ones that may take place in big cities, like LA, NYC, or Chicago?

Life in a small town is so much more intimate than in a city. If you’re one person in a 1,000 people versus one person in 200,000 or even 2 million, it’s harder to stay under the radar. There’s a country song with a line that says, “Everyone dies famous in a small town.” It could say “Everyone lives famous in a small town.” Our paparazzi is everyone in town. Law enforcement is also handled differently in a small town. The local sheriff will often know a criminal personally and be able to deal with a situation before it escalates.

 

6. You seem to balance a good pace of action combined with authentic dialogue and a number of plot twists. Where did your storytelling ability evolve from?

I’ve been an avid reader for as far back as I can remember so, in a sense, have been in training studying other author storytellers most of my life. I’ve also been writing real-life short stories for family and friends for years, so it was a natural progression into fiction. Writing short stories taught me to pace the narrative and lead to the surprise ending. For fiction, I have an active imagination. I’m able to play out scenes in my head and sometimes act out physical action so I know the scenes are realistic. I read the dialog out loud to make sure it sounds legitimate.

 

7. You are very meticulous about the research that you do for your books. Is it true that you once spent several hours researching the accuracy of just one line in one of your books?

More than once. I often spend hours researching subjects that only have a small part in the book. For example, I spent quite a bit of time researching antiques, including antique forks while writing Justice Rendered to make sure I described the murder weapon accurately. I have multiple books on forensics and Police procedure that I refer to for crime scene investigation, and The Handbook of Montana Criminal and Traffic Laws for citing statutes. I spend time looking into both modern and period clothing to describe a vest, dress, or hat someone is wearing. Sometimes I do get sucked into tangents, but it’s all interesting.

 

8. Another theme that pops across some of your books is that of abuse. Why does that seem to make it into your stories?

Abuse is so much a part of real life, physical, emotional, financial. Not to generalize, because not everyone is evil, but people treat each other horribly. Elder abuse is rampant in families and usually has to do with money. Grandpa needs to be in a nursing home, but the kids, or even grandkids, don’t want to sell the house or ranch or dip into their inheritance to pay the cost, so grandpa isn’t cared for properly. I’ve witnessed too many times woman who are physically and emotionally abused by a husband and yet don’t press charges and go right back into the situation. If they do leave one abuser, they’ll hook up with another one just like him. Parents abuse children, children abuse other children. It’s an endless cycle.

 

9. You say that everyone has secrets, and even in a small town, where everyone knows each other, they really don’t know each other. This plays out in your books. So, what are some examples of these secrets?

People play a part in society, but no one really knows what goes on behind closed doors. A well-respected leader in a community may go home every night and beat his wife. Children are sexually abused. I knew a woman once who was a closet alcoholic. She was so ashamed of her addiction; she would hide in her basement to drink. Not even her closest friends knew until one day she fell down the stairs and someone eventually found her.

Secrets can also be positive. People may live as paupers and when they die, you find out they have millions in the bank. Or others may do endless charity work, but only behind the scenes and don’t take credit for it.

 

10. Midwest Book Reviews said you “mastered the craft of writing” and that you have “the talent for weaving will keep you on the edge of your seat.” Does that surprise you, considering you didn’t take to writing novels until just a year ago, -- with no formal training?  Yes, although people close to me have been telling me for decades that I should write a book, so there must have been clues of a not-so-hidden talent. In my home as a child, there was a plaque on the wall that said, ‘A singer can always find a song.’ In the same sense, a writer can always find a story to tell, and the words just naturally flow. I love to write and feel the words coming together and falling into place. I don’t think that is something that can be taught and trained so much as a natural inclination. I’ve had to learn some of the rules of writing, but those fill-in as I go along

 

Do You Need Book Marketing & PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over four million page views, 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 four million pageviews. With 5,000+ posts over the past dozen 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.” 

 

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 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

Shouldn’t This Be Every Writer’s Resolution?

 

Authors, for the new year, make yourselves a resolution: To honestly assess your book and its chances of success. Then, figure out what is needed — and do it!

That’s right, I want you to drift out of your dreamy haze of lofty expectations, and start to ascend up the ladder of reality. Have hope, but ground yourself in facts. Unwrap the fiction of your life.

Please answer each of these questions and then look at the results. Take action. No whimpering, whining, or whacking the messenger. Discover your truth and do something about it. Now is the time to close the gap of disconnection between reality and fantasy.

Is your book unpublished because no one recognizes your genius — or is it because something on your end is lacking? Fix it.

Is your published book not selling because consumers are stupid — or is it because your marketing is weak? Fix it.

Sure, life may not be fair, and some have to work a lot harder or longer than most, but success is possible.

Ok, time to quiz yourself:

1. You think you wrote something great, but is the font, typeface, and layout of your book readable and inviting?

2. You believe your book is truly great, but is it? What informs your assessment?

3. You believe your book is as good as most others. But is it any better than many of them?

4. Let’s say your book is written well, but is it any or all of these: informative, entertaining, enlightening, inspiring?

5. Your book may be very good but is the cover reflective of that?

6. Your book and its cover can be quite good, but is the title memorable or even easy to say?

7. Your book can be well-written, with a terrific cover, and a catchy title, but is it priced to sell?

8. Your content, cover, packaging, and price sparkle, but is it offered in the preferred formats of all readers, available from as many choice formats as possible: trade paperback, e-book, hard cover, audio, and gift edition?

9. Perhaps your book is a treasure, well-packaged, and retailing at a low price, but is it easy to purchase and available where people prefer to do their shopping?

10. Let’s say you mastered one through nine above, do you have a good marketing plan?

11. If you own a strategic book marketing plan, are you executing it? If not you, have you hired others to help?

12. If you and/or your hired help fall short in generating book sales, have you stepped back to re-asses and change tactics, expand activities, increase efforts, and/or change personnel?

Now, if you went through all dozen steps and still fall far short of what you hoped for your book, it either means you got a raw deal or that the public has spoken. In either case, move on to the next book and repeat the process. Never give up, but never dream without taking action, and never forget your book is only as good as others say it is – if they even know it exists.

 

Do You Need Book Marketing & PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over four million page views, 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 four million pageviews. With 5,000+ posts over the past dozen 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.” 

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 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 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

What Is The Reading Experience Today?

  

If books give your life a measure of meaning, knowledge, and satisfaction, do you believe the books chose you or that you chose them? Did the book give you all that you feel you received - or was it your perception and interpretation of what you gained by the reading experience?  

When you reread a book, after a long time between readings, does it make a completely different impression on you than it did when you first consumed it? The book has not changed, but you have, and so has your power to interpret, feel, think, and see. You may love it even more -- or you may decide it no longer rings as true to you as it once did.   

Are the days over where people read the classics, however, a classic is defined? Are so many people reading different books that few books can bring us together in thought, feeling, or deed? I mean, if the new generation is not reading Dickens, Poe, Plato, or Orwell, then what is binding our readers? How do we ensure we all get to read about all that life and death offers, from love and nature, to family and friendships, to ethics and the meaning of life?  

The reading experience of books today may be a fragmented and scattered one. There are simply too many choices and options available. Think about it. In one year, several million new books are put out in America. Only 35 years ago it was not even a fiftieth of that. Yes, you have 50 times the choice of books from what came out this year vs 1989’s offerings. And you have tens of millions of books that were published in just the past few decades, many of which are forever available thanks to digital books and print-on-demand technology.   

If books present ideas, truths, and experiences, and if every reader of a book is exposed to what that book offers, how do we account for so many readers choosing to read so many different books?  

There are many genres and sub-genres as well. If one reads erotica but not thrillers, or one enjoys poetry but not graphic novels, are we on the same page at all? Or, if you read business but not history, or self-help but not political books, are we on the same page? If we don’t have identical experiences (same book) or even identical genre experiences, can we even fully see life the same or understand one another? Is this even necessary?  

We do have a wide diversity of life experiences, as well as book reading choices, and that’s fine. But, we need a core of some books to be digested by everyone so that, at a minimum, we share a foundation of information that can inform the rest of what we do.   

Some might say we all need to read the Bible, or the Bill of Rights, and U.S. Constitution. This may also extend into classics, from Romeo and Juliet to 1984 to Lord of The Flies, and to others. Diversity of experience is wonderful, including one’s reading experiences, but we must find common ground and overlap in some experiences and books in order to agree upon the values we should live by and some to expect from others.   

I would be for the creation of a recommended national book reading list that all citizens and school-age children get to read. It can have flexibility of choice built into it -- and it can be altered over time - but we need to start somewhere.  

To have a less fractured nation, reading the same books and reading more books seems like a good place to start. Nothing bad will happen if we read Hamlet, A Tale of Two Cities, Frankenstein, and Invisible Man. In fact, only something good will come of this.

 

Do You Need Book Marketing & PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over 3.9 million page views, 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

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Brian Feinblum now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. 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).  This award-winning blog has generated over four million pageviews. With 5,000+ posts over the past dozen 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.” For the past three decades, he 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 director of publicity positions 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. 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. 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.

 

Are You a Good Literary Citizen?

  

A good literary citizen is one who deeply cares about books and their future. They appreciate the history of books and admire authors who invest, time, money, heart, and soul to create something special. Good literary citizens become guardians of the written word, language, and literacy, and free speech. They are special people with good hearts, here to enjoy books and also to ensure the rest of the world does too. You can be a guest literary citizen, and maybe you already are.   

As a good literary citizen, you might do any of the following:

 

• Donate books.

• Mentor or advise other writers.

• Treat books fairly and respectfully when reviewing them.

• Write about meaningful things in a sincere way. 

• Support the book ecosystem of publishers, authors, libraries, bookstores, and those who work in the industry, from printers, marketing companies, literary agencies, etc. 

• Encourage others to read books.

• Lobby local, state, and federal governments to financially support the literary arts.

• Raise funds for the book world.

• Speak up for free speech.

• Protest book bans and censorship.

• Attend book signings, book fairs, publishing conferences, and writer workshops, in order to stay informed and involved.

• Be a literary mentor and donate to the cause.

• Write books that need to be published and serve a need or a community. 

• Be an authentic writer who lives to make your craft better and for your craft to better the world. 

• Where possible, buy printed books from bookstores, and not just order them online. Seek out print over digital or audio, more often than not.

• Just as you discuss shows that are streaming or what’s in the news, discuss the books you have read 

• Let people know what books mean to you - and how they can enhance or change another’s life. 

• Read the books that you buy or get as a gift -- don’t just display them on your shelf of shame. 

• Don’t give birth (write) to a book unless you truly feel it’s better than or different from what’s already out there. Set a standard or litmus test that you need to meet before you saturate the market.

• Re-read books to see if your appreciation for, and understanding of it, has changed.

• Encourage others to form or join a book club.

• Give books as gifts to others.

 

Do You Need Book Marketing & PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over 3.9 million page views, 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

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Brian Feinblum now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. 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).  This award-winning blog has generated over four million pageviews. With 5,000+ posts over the past dozen 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.” For the past three decades, he 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 director of publicity positions 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. 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. 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.