BEST OF 2013: Favorite Book Trailers

Happy New Year! New Year's Day is traditionally the time for looking forward, but first we would like to  look back on the year that is past. Over the next few weeks, I will be posting about our favorite books of 2013. But before I identify our Best Books of 2013, we thought it might be nice to whet your appetite a bit!

So here are our favorite Book Trailers of 2013... Don't they make you want to read the book?!


Honorable Mentions


The Dark by Lemony Snicket & Jon Klassen (Illustrator)
I love seeing the use of lights and shadows from the book in full animation.



Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
Appropriately eerie and intriguing.



Steam Train, Dream Train by Sherri Duskey Rinker & Tom Lichtenheld (Illustrator)
An abbreviated version of the book, wonderfully brought to life with vivid animation. Is it bad that I enjoyed the trailer more than the book? I wonder if the e-book has enhanced animation...



Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by Dave Sedaris
I love that the trailer is built around the title itself. It's funny and a little bizarre, as we have come to expect from Mr. Sedaris :)



The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
Short, but powerful. And the sound editing is genius.



Pawn by Aimée Carter
Simple, but appealing. I'm getting a bit burned out on dystopian fiction, but this trailer does such a good job of quietly establishing the the world setting and creating a bit of mystery that I find myself intrigued.



Rump by Liesl Shurtliff
This trailer truly captures the book's tongue-in-cheek humor. Also, the narration and added sound effects are perfect.



Palace of Spies by Sarah Zettel
I really like the shadows and contrasts of this 3-color trailer..


 
Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle
I loved this wordless picture book, and adding music and animation almost perfectly replicates my experience of reading the book.


 
I Am Blop! by Hervé Tullet
An imaginative and colorful introduction to a fun concept book. I like that it goes beyond the book to show real-world applications. Its beginning reminds me somewhat of a PBS promo.


 
Journey by Aaron Becker
The magisterial wonder of the picture book is brought to life in this trailer. I love that the animation is only very slight, allowing the illustrations to shine, and the musical clip perfectly echoes the sense of magic and discovery the book brings.


 
Fortunately, The Milk by Neil Gaiman
I usually hate author intros in book trailers—but this is Neil Gaiman :) Like the book, this trailer takes itself none too seriously and kids will get as kick out of the silly humor.




Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
The simple narration is compelling, and the music, text, and imagery work together perfectly to instill a sense of eeriness and intrigue.


The Top 5

#5

More Than This by Patrick Ness
Intense, dramatic, and ultimately intriguing. It sets the stage for the mysteries of the book without giving anything away.


#4
 
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
Is it cheating to choose a series of trailers? If it is, then I guess I'm a cheater. I love how these trailers build on one another and let the characters' inner thoughts shine, giving equal time to each of the alternating narratives. I think the excerpts from Park's POV are particularly affecting. Oh, and the animation is great too.


#3

The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani
This highly polished trailer has it all: spooky narration, striking animation, and interest-inspiring testimonials. And it successfully conveys the basics of the plot (or the setting at least) without giving away any of the particulars. Probably because of the mood-setting music, it sort of makes me think of an animated version of a Harry Potter movie trailer. Which is a perfect reference for this Potter-like faiy tale.


#2

Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made by Stephan Pastis
The use of animated illustrations here is fantastic, as is the comedic timing. The music and sound effects (whistling, scribbling, etc.) are spot-on.


#1

The Farm by Tom Rob Smith
Creepy and completely captivating, atmospheric and oh so mysterious. It leaves me feeling as if I watched an entire short film and eager to see/read the expanded version. Unfortunately, according to Hatchette, the book won't be released until April 2014—and I can't wait. (Though the UK edition comes out two months earlier...)


So, those are our favorites from 2013. If you want more great Book Trailers, please check out our Book Trailers and Other Videos board on Pinterest!

5 Tips on Creating an Author Website As the First Step in Your Online Marketing Strategy

By Karen Cioffi

There is an abundance of website design and hosting services on the internet. You can get services that handle both the design and the hosting, or services that provide one or the other. Whatever your needs, there is a service out there for you. But... consumer beware.
Some design/ hosting website services prey on unsuspecting and naïve authors or individuals and charge to not only create a site, but they keep control of managing the site. The customer is only allowed to add or edit content on the site.
This means the author can't add links, change images, or tweak the site for SEO optimization, such as page title optimization. I get upset when I hear of occurrences like this. There is no reason why a design and hosting service needs to control website functions and features to the point that an author or individual needs to pay the service to add or delete a simple link.
Authors need to be aware. There is so much information online advising the basic dos and don'ts of creating a website, but you do need to do a bit of research to find it. There are plenty of legitimate and reasonable services out there. If you're confused or uncertain, ask around.
Here are 5 starting tips to create an author website:
1. Choose an effective domain name. Think about it carefully. You want a name that will be search engine effective, reflect what the site is about, and is able to grow with you (unless you are creating the site for a specific book). You can also use the subheading to elaborate on the domain name.
2. Decide if you have the skills, or want to learn them, to create a website of your own.
3. If you decide you need help with creating a website, look for someone who wants to establish themselves as a website creator, or someone who does it in her spare time, or a writing/marketing service that does it as more of a courtesy to clients, you will pay much less. And, try to make arrangements that will include the designer teach you how to manage your own site. This will make updates, changes, and posting much easier, and cost free.
4. If you feel you can create your own, you can choose a free hosting site, such as WordPress, Weebly, or Blogger. On the flip side, if the thought of having to create a website feels daunting, go for Blogger.com; it's very user friendly and good for beginners. And with its updates, it has a number of features much like a website.
5. Keep in mind that down the road you may want to have a website that can be effectively optimized and that's more SEO versatile, so you may want to have a paid WordPress site from the beginning. The prices range from around $7 to $12 per month - depending on how long you sign up for. And, they have occasional specials where you can sign up for as low as $3.95 per month.
While these five tips are the starting point for your author website, they will hopefully help you from being taken to the website hosting/design cleaners.

Book Touring-Living the Dream or Not?

By Gin Williams

As with any good singing tour, a book tour requires as much preparation prior to push off as do the dates themselves. Knowing appropriate venues, high traffic locations, and timing, timing, timing is just the beginning.
If the subject content of your book is more appropriate to a coastal venue, then a coastal book tour should be planned following days of grunt work finding locations which includes: (a) bookstores, (b) gift shops, (c) historical societies, (d) maritime museums, and (e) libraries.
Again, alluding to timing, consideration must be given to the pertinent season. Additionally, holidays should be excluded as these are either not included in "business as usual" or likewise booked with more grand affair.
Concurrently as the route is set and venues engaged, time and money should be invested in promotional materials such as:
1. postcards
2. bookmarks
3. business cards
4. host engagement letters
5. updates and corrections to flyers
Coinciding with the engagement of event locations has to be the formulation of press releases and research into where and who should receive the information as well as being cognizant of release deadlines along with pictures should the newspaper accept them with the press release article. (Proof carefully the press release as you did the manuscript for typos, grammar, or other edit problems.)
Of course, an honest assessment of inventory needed for the entire tour must be given serious deliberation. Books in sufficient quantity must be available or have been ordered and timely delivery promised so that these are available to load with all the promotional materials.
Can a book tour be considered "Living the Dream"? What could be better than the expected promotion and sales of your book on a beautiful trip in a gorgeous area of our country being paid for along the way?
It is amazing how book sales can began to escalate up the ladder when you provide the appropriate audience corroborating evidence of a successful target market. Besides the scheduled events, give equal time to "cold calling" book and gift stores; any venue that might have interest in your subject matter. And how much better it is to walk into an appropriate facility without an advance book signing commitment and simply sell sets of books and walk back out with cash in hand without any of the accompanying time commitments normally demanded of a scheduled event!
Experiment and think outside the box when contemplating event sites. Many times if an enthusiastic venue is discovered, they will be more than happy to refer you to additional establishments who would be happy to engage your publication for sale and many of these might not have been previously considered.
It is amazing how much easier book sales can go when you sell your site specific or topic specific book to the appropriate audience. So where is your target market? Has that idea been considered as carefully as the plot? Is the book appropriate to historical libraries? Are there university collections that would be interested? Consider how certain industry shows might be the best promotion--boat show, gun or doll show--what is the genre of your publication? (Been to a Star Trek convention lately?) Secure a table and peddle away as a by-product of the show's target traffic and focus toward your publication as an adjunct to the convention.
Have you done the research into who would most appreciate the genre or information you have published? Most of us don't have the support of an agent or the luxury of mega-bucks or corporate sponsors who will provide promotion. There are, however, endless resources for where and how your book's subject is best utilized and appreciated. You spent the time to write and publish--now develop a plan; research and promote your book with the same enthusiasm. Do not expect to sit back on your heels once the book is published whether through an agent or self-published. Don't think for a minute the work is done--let the agency handle the marketing. Now the real work begins--find and target your readership--then develop a marketing plan and stick to it. Monitor and keep track of the plan to develop a chart of where it is successful and where it isn't. If your best bet is a book tour where you can lay your publication into the hands of those who will work to sell it for you--great! (And isn't that what you want?) A successful book tour can definitely be considered "living the dream".

10 Ways to Become a Change Agent the Moment You Get the Idea for a Book That Inspires Change

By Nina Amir 
If you are a writer who wants to author books that inspire positive action in readers, you must see yourself as a change agent. You want to "author change." You can't wait until you hold the book in your hands, though, to start inspiring change.
Books that inspire change take different forms. They can be novels or nonfiction. They cover many topics: self-help, spirituality, human potential, ecology, the economy, metaphysics, health and wellness, consciousness, justice, equality, and more. And they inspire change in individuals, organizations, communities, and the world.
You might have what it takes to be an author of change. You might have wisdom, experiences, information, or a story. You might be able to write, to create a sound structure for a book and even to self-publish successfully or land a traditional publishing deal.
But the moment that the light bulb goes off and you have the idea for a change-inspiring book, you have to take action. You have to become a change agent immediately. It takes a while to write a book and get it published. It can take a year and a half if you traditionally publish--and that's after you finish writing the book and find an agent and publisher. Even if you self-publish, you have to write the book, have it edited and proofed and get a cover designed (and the interior of the book as well if you don't just produce an ebook); this can take 3-12 months.
Start doing what it takes to author change right away. Here are 10 ways to accomplish this goal:

1. Have a mission. Know why you feel compelled to write your book. Define your purpose. Combine your passion with a purpose. Passion + Purpose = Inspiration.
2. Know the benefits of your movement or cause. People will get on board and take up your cause-actually act on your proposed change-if they understand the benefit to themselves, to others or to the world. Figure out the value your message adds.
3. Broadcast your mission. Communicate about your cause. Let people know why you are doing what you are doing. Share your purpose and your passion and your message. When you feel inspired, your inspiration will become contagious. Use all the social networks-Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn (or choose two tow which you can really commit). Talk about it everywhere.
4. Set up a blog. You and your message need to be discoverable online. That's where people search for everything, so broadcast your message in cyberspace. A blog gives you a "home" on the Internet, and a way to get that website more easily found by readers.
5. Blog in a focused manner. Have a content plan or a focus for your blog that pertains to your book, your cause and your message. Better yet, blog your book. Stay on topic and blog often about the change you want to inspire.
6. Create online community. Develop a place where people who want to get on board with your message or cause can do so. Start a forum or a subscription site. Build more followers and fans with a Facebook page, LinkedIn group, Google+ hangout, Twitter Chat, etc.
7. Connect with like-minded online "influencers" and friends. Get other people with more reach than yours-to join your cause and to promote it. Ask those you know to help promote.
8. Build community offline. Promote your idea everywhere. Start MeetUps. Create masterminds. Go to conferences. Join organizations.
9. Use every possible tool. Try podcasting or free radio shows so your content is on iTunes. Create YouTube videos. Produce photos and post them to Instagram.
10. See yourself as more than just an author. See yourself as a change agent-an author of change.

Of course, then you need to write your book-a book that actually inspires readers to action. And you need to choose the publishing path that is right for you. If you do all of these things, the people who will have gathered around you will take your message out into the world; they'll be waiting to buy your book so they can use it to create the change you propose. You will have authored change and created a community of change agents ready to use your book to continue creating change in their lives and in the world.
You also need to transform yourself into the type of writer and person who can author change-someone who can write a change-inspiring book, create and lead a community of people ready to take up your cause or spread your message, produce a successful (marketable) book, and attract a publisher or become an indie publisher.
If you feel resistance about any of the 10 items above, you might first need to consider how you need to change to become an author of change. You might need to look at becoming an you need to change before you take on becoming an author of change in the world at large or becoming an author of a change-inspiring book.

How to write a book – the short honest truth

Every author I know gets asked the same question: How do you write a book?
It’s a simple question, but it causes unexpected problems. On the one hand, it’s nice to have people interested in something I do. If I told people I fixed toasters for a living, I doubt I’d get many inquires. People are curious about writing and that’s cool and flattering. Rock on.
But on the other hand, the hand involving people who ask because they have an inkling to do it themselves, is that writing books is a topic so old and so well trod by so many famous people that anyone who asks me, with the serious intent of discovering secret advice from my small brain and limited writing experience, is hard to take seriously.
Here’s the short honest truth: 20% of the people who ask me are hoping to hear this – Anyone can write a book. They want permission. The truth is you don’t need any. There is no license required. No test to take. Writing, as opposed to publishing, requires almost no financial or physical resources. A pen, paper and effort are all that has been required for hundreds of years. If Voltaire and Marquis de Sade could write in prison, then you can do it in suburbia, at lunch, at work, or after your kids go to sleep.
If you want to write, kill the magic: a book is just a bunch of writing. Anyone can write a book. It might suck or be incomprehensible, but so what: it’s still a book. Nothing is stopping you right now from collecting all of your elementary school book reports, or drunken napkin scribbles, binding them together at kinkos for $20, slapping a title on the cover, and qualifying as an author. Want to write a good book? Ok, but get in line since most pro authors are still trying to figure that out too.
Writing a good book, compared to a bad one, involves one thing. Work. No one wants to hear this, but if you take two books off any shelf, I’ll bet my pants the author of the better book worked harder than the author of the other one. Call it effort, study, practice, whatever. Sure there are tricks here and there, but really writing is a kind of work.
Getting published. 30% of the time the real thing people are asking is how do you find a publisher. As if there wasn’t a phone book or, say, an Internet-thingy where you can look this stuff up. Writers-market is literally begging to help writers find publishers. Many publishers, being positive on the whole idea of communication, put information on how to submit material on their website. And so do agents. The grand comedy of this is how few writers follow the instructions. That’s what pisses off all the editors: few writers do their homework.
The sticking point for most wanna-be published authors is, again, the work. They want to hear some secret that skips over the hard parts. Publishers are rightfully picky and they get pitched a zillion books a day. It takes effort to learn the ropes, send out smart queries, and do the research required to both craft the idea for a book, and then to propose it effectively. So while writing is a rejection prone occupation, even for the rock-stars, finding a publisher is not a mystery. In fact the whole game is self-selective: people who aren’t willing to do the leg-work of getting published are unlikely to be capable of the leg-work required to finish a decent manuscript.
But that said – it’s easier today to self-publish than ever. Really. But again, this requires work, so many prefer to keep asking writers how they got published instead of just doing it themselves. I self published my last book, and you can read what I learned from it here.
Being famous and wealthy: Now this is the kicker. About 50% of the time the real thing people want to know is how to become a famous millionaire rock-star author dude. As if a) I qualified, b) I could explain how it happened, or c) I’d be willing to tell.
First, this assumes writing is a good way to get rich. Not sure how this one started but writing, like most creative pursuits, has always been a less than lucrative lifestyle. Even if a book sells well, the $$$$ to hour ratio will be well below your average corporate job, without the health benefits, sick days, nor the months where you can coast by without your boss noticing. These days people write books after they’re famous, not before. And if the only books you read are bestsellers, well, you have a myopic view of the publishing world. Over 100k books are published in the US annually, and few sell more than a few thousand copies, and what causes books to sell may have little to do with how good a book is. Either way, to justify the effort you’ll need reasons other than cash.
Discouraged yet? Good. Here is the upside: I love writing books. I love reading books. I love the entire notion that people can make things up in their mind and then make them real on a page, for the pleasure or utility of someone else. That’s just awesome. If you like writing, if you enjoy the bittersweetness of chasing words into sentences, then you might love writing books too, despite, or even because of, everything I said above. If so, get to work – now :)
http://scottberkun.com/2007/how-to-write-a-book-the-short-honest-truth/

REVIEW: Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Genre: Historical Fiction
Audience: Adult
Format: Audiobook

Summary: Katey Kontent and her roommate meet Tinker Gray by chance on New Year's Eve 1937 at a jazz bar in Greenwich Village. Both girls are fascinated by the sophisticated yet boyish banker and the trio struck up an immediate if tenuous friendship. That meeting and the resulting friendship leads to far-reaching consequences for each of their lives. The novel focuses on Katey's life and choices of the following year, as she finds herself forming new relationships and mingling in the upper echelons of New York society.

First Line: "On the night of October 4th, 1966, Val and I, both in late middle age, attended the opening of Many Are Called at the Museum of Modern Art—the first exhibit of the portraits taken by Walker Evans in the 1930s on the New York subway with a hidden camera."

Tracy's Thoughts: First, let me say that I adored this book. Amor Towles's rich language and vivid description bring to life a fully realized world and nuanced characters I did not want to leave behind. I don't think the setting could have been any better depicted. The dialog, the real-life settings—everything comes together perfectly to recreate the golden ear of Manhattan, reminiscent of classic movies starring the likes of Carole Lombard, Clark Gable, Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda, or Katherine Hepburn. Towles creates a lush yet uneasy world of artifice and hidden agendas that intrigues and delights. For its emphasis on betrayals, disappointments, class tensions and iniquities, Rules of Civility has even been compared to works of F. Scott Fitzgerald.

But Katey is not your average socialite-wannabe. She is also a bit of an enigma herself, having recreated herself more than once, but she does not put on airs or deny her humble origins. She is a devoted reader (an interest which plays quietly but significantly into her story) and is determined to earn her own way. As a narrator, Katey is sharp-tongued, witty, and just a little vulnerable. As her choices throughout the year reveal their consequences, the reader can't help but feel her disappointment, uncertainty, and determination. As circumstances shift and new opportunities arise, Katey proves herself a worthy—though far from perfect—heroine.

Instead of huge events, this is a novel full of a series of small revelations and shifts in circumstance that simultaneously feel both startling and inevitable. Earlier clues and dropped threads reappear in a way that feels natural and realistic rather than manipulative. But ultimately, this is a book that will appeal to readers more interested in character development that plot-driven narratives.With its careful, subtle plotting, intriguing characters, and atmospheric setting, it was the perfect book for me. It is a superbly told story of random chance, everyday life-altering decisions, and reinvention. All in all, a perfect read as the New Year approaches.

Three classic fairytales by Oscar Wilde

Three classic fairytales by Oscar Wilde that sparkle with wit and enchantment. They have been beautifully reproduced with unabridged text and using the original illustrations from one of the 20th century's foremost and illustrious illustrators, Charles Robinson. His vibrant and evocative watercolour and line drawings together with Wilde's seamless prose make this a timeless treasure for the whole family to enjoy -- lovereading beautiful ... a gift edition to treasure -- Parentsintouch.co.uk a fantastic gift to be treasured by a new generation of children -- Dubray Books beautifully designed by Emma Byrne -- Irish Independent particularly welcome -- Irish Times timeless treasure -- Sunday Independent beautifully illustrated -- Connemara Journal a book that can be enjoyed by all ages -- Connemara Journal particularly welcome -- Irish Times stunning -- Inkandpaperhearts.wordpress.com perfect Christmas present for young readers and a wonderful addition to any collection -- Inkandpaperhearts.wordpress.com features some of the most beautiful illustrations I have ever seen in a children's book -- RaisingIreland.com I cannot recommend this book enough -- RaisingIreland.com Get it now; read it on your own, read it to your kids, read it to an old person in a home, just read it. It truly is wonderful -- RaisingIreland.com one of those wonderful children's hardback books that is a 'keeper' -- MyKidsTime.ie the colour illustrations are stunning -- MyKidsTime.ie would make a lovely Christmas present or even a present for a new baby as a classic book they will always have -- MyKidsTime.ie a nice way to introduce them to a classic author but in an easy way -- Mumstown.ie very nice, definitely one to keep on the bookshelves for years -- Mumstown.ie beautiful reproduction -- Kim Harte perfect Xmas gift for young and old -- Kim Harte dreamlike and beautiful -- Bookwitch no child's bookshelf should be without an Oscar Wilde collection - ideally, this beautiful new edition -- Irish Mail on Sunday a delightful publication -- The Primary Planet --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

P.J. Lynch was born in Belfast in 1962, the youngest of five children. He studied art at Brighton Art College (where one of the tutor's was Raymond Biggs) and is now a well-established and critically acclaimed artist. He has won the Irish Bisto Award, the Kate Greenaway Medal (twice) and the Mother Goose Award.