Beyond FICTION: My Book Among 2006 “Noble” Winners!

I’m indebted to book marketing expert Carolyn Howard-Johnson for so much, from the wise advice found in the pages of her book The Frugal Book Promoter to the many, many promotional tips and leads she lists in her terrific newsletters. A prolific author and contributor to various sites and publications as well as an instructor and busy speaker in the UCLA area, Carolyn recently published her annual list of Nobel (Not Nobel!) prize winners for 2006, and my novel One Sister’s Song is one of the winners. “How hard it is to live with others different from ourselves!” Carolyn writes. “Carter examines what might be the most difficult racial problem in today’s society and does it sensitively, poetically.” I’m so pleased to have my book included among those Carolyn believes “exhibit exceptional writing skills and explore the human condition.” To see a complete list of winners (which includes intriguing works of fiction, poetry, biography, and memoir), visit MyShelf.com. To learn more about Carolyn, check out her website, her AuthorsDen page, or her new blog. I’m telling you, she’s a busy lady!

I’ve also been listed as one of Patry Francis’s “5000 Coaches” in an insightful post she ran on her blog, Simply Wait, and included in a January 29 column for M.J. Rose’s stellar book marketing blog, Buzz Balls & Hype. I’ve learned so much from both these writers as well. While M.J. is a veteran author and book promoter, Patry has just entered the fray with the publication of her first novel, The Liar’s Diary. I consider myself so fortunate to have discovered so many talented people in the book industry via the internet. While reading can be a life-altering hobby and writing can lead to all sorts of new discoveries, blogging and participating in the blogosphere (even on a limited basis) can connect you to a world of professionals in your chosen field to whom you never otherwise would have had access. How nifty is that?