How to Publish a Book in Canada … and Sell Enough Copies to Make a Profit!

Name: How to Publish a Book in Canada … and Sell Enough Copies to Make a Profit!
Author: Kim Staflund
ISBN: 978-0986486968

by Kim Staflund ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 30, 2013

A good source for writers of all experience levels seeking to publish quality books in Canada.

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Self-publishing advice for Canadian writers.

Staflund has spent a number of years as an author and a publishing employee, so she has firsthand experience with the exasperating limitations of the various Canadian publishing systems. It’s nearly impossible, she writes, to be accepted by traditional trade publishers, who often rely heavily on government grants and may not have the finances to provide certain kinds of marketing support. This creates a difficult environment for would-be authors, leaving them little choice but to publish themselves. However, Staflund points out, the quality of so-called “vanity presses” are dismal, since they are little more than overzealous printing services. After one disappointment too many, she decided to start her own publishing company, Polished Publishing Group. Drawing on her past experiences, she was able to home in on providing services that would guide authors through the overwhelming process of writing and publishing a book and also produce a more professional product. She uses 10 qualifying questions to help authors determine which type of publishing is right for them (including “Who is my target audience?” and “Do I value recognition?”). For those looking to commercially sell and earn profits from their books, she says supported self-publishing is the answer—which also happens to be Polished Publishing Group’s business model. Although this how-to book quickly turns into a marketing pitch, it does effectively outline the nuts and bolts of publishing, offer helpful writing tips and advice, and provide sales and marketing ideas, such as selling online and having bookstore readings. Overall, the book manages to provide solid, useful information and guidance on its subject.

A good source for writers of all experience levels seeking to publish quality books in Canada.

Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2013

ISBN: 978-0986486968

Page Count: 178

Publisher: Polished Publishing Group

Review Posted Online: March 25, 2014

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

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NUTCRACKER

by E.T.A. Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28, 1996

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This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)

Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996

ISBN: 0-15-100227-4

Page Count: 136

Publisher: Harcourt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER AND THE MOUSE KING
by E.T.A. Hoffmann ; adapted by Natalie Andrewson ; illustrated by Natalie Andrewson

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER
by E.T.A. Hoffmann & illustrated by Julie Paschkis

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TO THE ONE I LOVE THE BEST

EPISODES FROM THE LIFE OF LADY MENDL (ELSIE DE WOLFE)

by Ludwig Bemelmans ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 23, 1955

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An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.