Excerpt from Open A Window - Alzheimer's Caregiver Handbook
Windows In The Brain
This is my description of what happens to a person's brain when they have Alzheimer's disease.
When we are born, our brain is full of well lit, airy, vacant rooms with an open window in each one. Knowledge and experiences flow through the open windows to fill the rooms as we grow, and flow back out as we mentally call on them to create the type of human being we become. Imagine if by the time you are in your sixties, you was to find yourself searching for a thought in the memory room. You find that the room had become dark, the drapes are drawn. You strain to see the familiar object you are searching for in your mind, trying to remember what it looked like the last time you saw it, but you can't find that object in the dark.
That's what happens to a person who is afflicted with Alzheimer's disease. One such person was a large framed, boisterous farmer who spoke with a loud voiced, salty vocabulary. First, the memory room in his brain became dark, then other rooms darkened as they were covered with a black shroud called plaque that continued slowly to spread from room to room.
As it entered the open windows, the plaque closed them, and the drapes drew shut to put out the light. As this happened to the farmer, he became a shell of the man his family and friends once knew and was admitted to a care center. In time, he forgot how to feed himself, had trouble swallowing, couldn't do his activities of daily living skills, and could barely stand long enough to transfer from the bed to the wheelchair. The only vocabulary he had left was loud, frustrated profanity unless he chose to parrot short sentences he heard from the aides such as "It's time to eat.", or "It's bedtime.".
There came a time when the farmer quit repeating what he heard. His face became expressionless, and his eyes stared vacantly. I was sure that most of the windows in his brain had shut, became locked, and would never reopen again. I was wrong!
Since the farmer was in his room most of the day, I had taken to sitting him in the living room with the other residents after the evening meal. I hoped people talking, and Vanna White flashing across the television screen would stimulate his mind. As time went by, I gave up hope that what I was doing would trigger anything in the farmer that I would see outwardly, but I consoled myself with the idea that I didn't know what was happening inside those dark rooms in his brain. You know how the window frames in an old house doesn't fit quite tight, and a small amount of air seeps between the sills and the frames? I thought maybe that might be how the windows in the farmer's mind were working so I felt I shouldn't give up trying to stimulate him even if I couldn't see I was helping him.
One evening at bedtime, I pushed the farmer's wheelchair across the living room. As we neared a visitor, sitting by his wife, the visitor reached out his hand and patted the farmer's knee.
"Hello," the visitor greeted.
"Hello," the farmer returned in his booming voice, and he called the man by name. The blank expression on the farmer's face changed to one of joy at seeing an old friend.
"He knows you!" I exclaimed in surprise as I realized the farmer recognized the visitor, and he actually spoke without repeating another person's sentence. The farmer's eyes remained focused on the visitor.
"He should," the visitor replied. "We've been friends for years, and we were both on the board of a business in town for a long time, weren't we?"
"Yes," the farmer answered with gusto.
I could see a calm look of contentment on his face as the memory room's window crept open to let out the memories I had been so sure were trapped forever in darkness.
"We went to a lot of those board meetings together," the visitor continued. He patted the farmer's knee again as he said, "This is the man who made a lot of the important decision at the meetings, didn't you?"
Tears welled up in the farmer's eyes as he struggled to grasp memories long forgotten. I hated to see him so sad, and I didn't want this to be an uncomfortable situation for him or the visitor so I tried to add a little humor to the conversation.
"Oh, sure! Were those important decisions what time to go get the beer after the meetings were over?"
Both men laughed at my teasing as the farmer slowly boomed out, "Yes!"
Then I explained to the visitor that it was the farmer's bedtime so he had to leave. By the time I had wheeled the farmer the short distance down the hall into his room and closed the door, hiss face was expressionless again. His eyes stared vacantly, focused on the drapes behind his bed which were closed across the window just like the pair that darkened the window that had shut again in his mind.
For all my trying, I hadn't been the one to open a window for the farmer, but that's all right because I was there to see it happen, and that was enough incentive to make me keep trying.
Published in Open A Window - Alzheimer's Caregiver Handbook by Fay Risner CNA ISBN 1438244991
And in Jolene Brackey's book Creating Moments Of Joy -third edition ISBN 1557533660
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Open A Window
I'd say out of all my books Open A Window (Alzheimer's Caregiver Handbook) ISBN 1438244991 is the one I am most proud to have written. At the nursing home, I'd been approached by resident families with questions. Not realizing the awful twists and turns Alzheimer's takes, family members were caught off guard. They needed education.
Mom tells me you haven't fed her all day.
Dad keeps asking me the same question over and over.
Aunt Mable wants me to take her to her parents house. Her parents passed away years ago.
The thought came to me that I should write an Alzheimer's Caregiver Handbook to help educate people who have loved ones in the nursing home. I made a list of all the symptoms and behaviors that went with Alzheimer's disease. While I was working, I watched for examples to use in this book. Each example, I wrote down right away when I got home so I wouldn't forget any of the details. Eventually, I had enough information to make a book.
The program - Lotus - came with my IBM computer in 1999. I know that program has been outdated for a long time, but I like using it for documents. I'm used to it. The program has a booklet maker which came in handy back in the day when I had to make hard copy. The book pages are printed from the middle of the book back to the front on even pages. Turn the pages over and print the odd pages. This wasn't a perfect system. I had to start over several times, because of printer errors.
Finally, I had a completed manuscript. After some consumer shopping, I found a Print shop to make my books. I wanted two staples to hold the book together on 100 books. That must have been a time consuming job that the workers weren't crazy about doing. The woman at the counter tried to talk me into using the spiral plastic or perfect binding. I didn't want my book to look like a telephone book, and perfect binding was expensive. This special book should look as much like any other book as possible so I was determined to use staples.
I designed the cover myself. A simple window with tie back curtains in purple, because that is the Alzheimer's Association color. That cover didn't suit the printer. They had to use one of their clip art windows. It's been awhile, but I think the reasoning was I had too many shades of purple in my curtain plus the brown window. Thinking back on that explanation, it seems to me that no matter what the cover colors, the printer should have been able to print them. Anyway, I paid the extra $25.00 for the cover. The discussion about the staples and the cover kept up over a couple of weeks while they held up my printing job. By that time I was anxious to get my books done before the Printer found some other problem. The window turned out to be a good choice for the cover after all.
The nursing home administrator helped with book sales since many prospective book buyers that needed educating went through her office. People read the book and sent me complimentary comments. They were relieved to at last understand in layman terms what happens to a person who has Alzheimer's disease.
In 2000, I started an Alzheimer's support group at the nursing home. Open A Window came in handy as an ice breaker. I read a chapter. That was enough to get people started talking about what has happened with their loved ones. You would think that the many people in this support group over the eight years I facilitated it would be book buyers. In some cases, that was true. More times than not, someone would get me aside, with tears in their eyes, to whisper about a particularly hard situation they had at home. Always, I could say I knew how these people felt, because I had been there while taking care of my father. I offered advise from my experiences but I wanted to do more. I gave them a copy of my book. At the December meeting, I always came up with some small gift for the members. One year, it was a copy of my book. Since I hadn't meant for this to be a profit making adventure, all I wanted was enough money to cover the printing cost.
Most of the books I sold went to audiences I spoke to on behalf of the Alzheimer's Association. I was asked to speak at a training session for new employees at a Cedar Rapids Nursing Home. I left one of my books and mentioned reading from the book worked well for a support group. Soon after that, the social worker asked me to come to her support group meeting to speak. I sold several of my books as a result of that meeting.
The nursing home gives a inservice each month to educate the staff on various topics. One time, Jolene Brackey, a well known Alzheimer's speaker and author, was invited to talk. At that time she lived at Polk City, Iowa. Since then she has moved to Montana. To find out more about her, her website is http://www.enhancedmoments.com This young woman gives a very dynamic speech that has her audiences laughing one minute and close to tears the next. Jolene asked if we had a support group she could talk to after the inservice. My group met at night, but I put out the word and had an afternoon meeting.
What I didn't know was the administrator had sent Jolene my Open A Window book. After she read Jolene's Creating Moments Of Joy book, she told her there was an author at our nursing home. She sent me a note to let me know how much she liked what I had written. One day, I received a call from Jolene. She was writing her latest book Creating Moments Of Joy the third revised edition. ISBN 1557533660 Jolene asked me if she could use some of my stories in her book. I was thrilled. That was the first of my writing to get published. Jolene said I was more descriptive than she was. That was quite a compliment from a woman who writes as well as she does.
When my supply of books ran out, I wanted to order another 100. By then I had come up with more examples so I had to do a new hard copy. Then I set to work on the cover. I didn't want to pay another $25.00 so I scanned the window on the cover. For the new cover, I enlarged the window and the title. I bought stock paper and printed my covers to be stapled on the books. The old question of did I really want staples came up again. I held my ground and got what I wanted.
Under the window on the cover, I put By Fay Risner CNA. The idea of using CNA was to give my book some credence as help in a complicated disease. I got the idea while I attended an Alzheimer's annual conference in Cedar Rapids. A speaker was listing who would be talking that day. One topic was about therapy dogs. The speaker said the dog used in the session was so well trained, he had more alphabet soup behind his name than she did. It occurred to me that I had alphabet soup behind my name. Granted I was way down on the health care totem pole, but still I should use what I have.
In 2002, I had mentioned to the Alzheimer's Association director that CNAs aren't getting enough training about Alzheimer's before they start work. An evening session was started that year for CNAs to coincide with the evening session for family members. I was asked to be the first speaker. One woman in the audience is a social worker. She bought a book. Months later, I received a call from her. She was taking books to a social worker conference in Ames. Would I like to give her a box of my books to put out for sale? I was thrilled. She sold them all. The next year, the social worker took another box. A social worker at the conference took her book back to Grinnell. Loaned it to an nurse training CNAs and that nurse ordered three more to use for her training sessions.
Now I have Open A Window published. This is one of the books sold at the Lemstone Christian Bookstore in Cedar Rapids at Collins Road Plaza across from Linndale Mall. On the back cover of my book is a review from Jolene Brackey. Below that is as many of the reader reviews that I could fit on the page. I'll talk more about the importance of reviews one of these days.
Mom tells me you haven't fed her all day.
Dad keeps asking me the same question over and over.
Aunt Mable wants me to take her to her parents house. Her parents passed away years ago.
The thought came to me that I should write an Alzheimer's Caregiver Handbook to help educate people who have loved ones in the nursing home. I made a list of all the symptoms and behaviors that went with Alzheimer's disease. While I was working, I watched for examples to use in this book. Each example, I wrote down right away when I got home so I wouldn't forget any of the details. Eventually, I had enough information to make a book.
The program - Lotus - came with my IBM computer in 1999. I know that program has been outdated for a long time, but I like using it for documents. I'm used to it. The program has a booklet maker which came in handy back in the day when I had to make hard copy. The book pages are printed from the middle of the book back to the front on even pages. Turn the pages over and print the odd pages. This wasn't a perfect system. I had to start over several times, because of printer errors.
Finally, I had a completed manuscript. After some consumer shopping, I found a Print shop to make my books. I wanted two staples to hold the book together on 100 books. That must have been a time consuming job that the workers weren't crazy about doing. The woman at the counter tried to talk me into using the spiral plastic or perfect binding. I didn't want my book to look like a telephone book, and perfect binding was expensive. This special book should look as much like any other book as possible so I was determined to use staples.
I designed the cover myself. A simple window with tie back curtains in purple, because that is the Alzheimer's Association color. That cover didn't suit the printer. They had to use one of their clip art windows. It's been awhile, but I think the reasoning was I had too many shades of purple in my curtain plus the brown window. Thinking back on that explanation, it seems to me that no matter what the cover colors, the printer should have been able to print them. Anyway, I paid the extra $25.00 for the cover. The discussion about the staples and the cover kept up over a couple of weeks while they held up my printing job. By that time I was anxious to get my books done before the Printer found some other problem. The window turned out to be a good choice for the cover after all.
The nursing home administrator helped with book sales since many prospective book buyers that needed educating went through her office. People read the book and sent me complimentary comments. They were relieved to at last understand in layman terms what happens to a person who has Alzheimer's disease.
In 2000, I started an Alzheimer's support group at the nursing home. Open A Window came in handy as an ice breaker. I read a chapter. That was enough to get people started talking about what has happened with their loved ones. You would think that the many people in this support group over the eight years I facilitated it would be book buyers. In some cases, that was true. More times than not, someone would get me aside, with tears in their eyes, to whisper about a particularly hard situation they had at home. Always, I could say I knew how these people felt, because I had been there while taking care of my father. I offered advise from my experiences but I wanted to do more. I gave them a copy of my book. At the December meeting, I always came up with some small gift for the members. One year, it was a copy of my book. Since I hadn't meant for this to be a profit making adventure, all I wanted was enough money to cover the printing cost.
Most of the books I sold went to audiences I spoke to on behalf of the Alzheimer's Association. I was asked to speak at a training session for new employees at a Cedar Rapids Nursing Home. I left one of my books and mentioned reading from the book worked well for a support group. Soon after that, the social worker asked me to come to her support group meeting to speak. I sold several of my books as a result of that meeting.
The nursing home gives a inservice each month to educate the staff on various topics. One time, Jolene Brackey, a well known Alzheimer's speaker and author, was invited to talk. At that time she lived at Polk City, Iowa. Since then she has moved to Montana. To find out more about her, her website is http://www.enhancedmoments.com This young woman gives a very dynamic speech that has her audiences laughing one minute and close to tears the next. Jolene asked if we had a support group she could talk to after the inservice. My group met at night, but I put out the word and had an afternoon meeting.
What I didn't know was the administrator had sent Jolene my Open A Window book. After she read Jolene's Creating Moments Of Joy book, she told her there was an author at our nursing home. She sent me a note to let me know how much she liked what I had written. One day, I received a call from Jolene. She was writing her latest book Creating Moments Of Joy the third revised edition. ISBN 1557533660 Jolene asked me if she could use some of my stories in her book. I was thrilled. That was the first of my writing to get published. Jolene said I was more descriptive than she was. That was quite a compliment from a woman who writes as well as she does.
When my supply of books ran out, I wanted to order another 100. By then I had come up with more examples so I had to do a new hard copy. Then I set to work on the cover. I didn't want to pay another $25.00 so I scanned the window on the cover. For the new cover, I enlarged the window and the title. I bought stock paper and printed my covers to be stapled on the books. The old question of did I really want staples came up again. I held my ground and got what I wanted.
Under the window on the cover, I put By Fay Risner CNA. The idea of using CNA was to give my book some credence as help in a complicated disease. I got the idea while I attended an Alzheimer's annual conference in Cedar Rapids. A speaker was listing who would be talking that day. One topic was about therapy dogs. The speaker said the dog used in the session was so well trained, he had more alphabet soup behind his name than she did. It occurred to me that I had alphabet soup behind my name. Granted I was way down on the health care totem pole, but still I should use what I have.
In 2002, I had mentioned to the Alzheimer's Association director that CNAs aren't getting enough training about Alzheimer's before they start work. An evening session was started that year for CNAs to coincide with the evening session for family members. I was asked to be the first speaker. One woman in the audience is a social worker. She bought a book. Months later, I received a call from her. She was taking books to a social worker conference in Ames. Would I like to give her a box of my books to put out for sale? I was thrilled. She sold them all. The next year, the social worker took another box. A social worker at the conference took her book back to Grinnell. Loaned it to an nurse training CNAs and that nurse ordered three more to use for her training sessions.
Now I have Open A Window published. This is one of the books sold at the Lemstone Christian Bookstore in Cedar Rapids at Collins Road Plaza across from Linndale Mall. On the back cover of my book is a review from Jolene Brackey. Below that is as many of the reader reviews that I could fit on the page. I'll talk more about the importance of reviews one of these days.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Learn To Sell Yourself As An Author
On Saturday, I went to a niece's bridal shower in Cedar Rapids. Along with the rest of the family I now eagerly await the wedding November 14th. This couple, after five years of making sure this commitment is for them, have decided to tie the knot. We are so excited for them. We are looking forward to having the welcomed edition of this new nephew to the family. To sanction this union, the couple did what we in-laws have had to do for many years. They made a trip to Arkansas to get the approval of the rest of the Risner Clan. That consists of the groom being able to hold his own in bragging rites about hunting and fishing. For the bride, this test means being appreciative of the women kin's southern cooking. Truthfully, I almost failed that test. I'm not a fan of white gravy but I do occasionally make it because my husband and I were raised eating gravy and biscuits. Where I had a problem was hiding my breakfast egg under bacon grease gravy. My refusal to dip into the gravy bowl the first morning was cause for concern that was only alleviated by my husband's aunt passing the blackberry jelly for my homemade biscuit. I'll never turn down any food flavored with blackberries. We're proud to say the groom to be passed the Arkansas scrutiny test with flying colors. Now we can relax and enjoy this couple as they grow old together.
A book selling instinct kicks in when I least expect it. A couple weeks ago, I was talking to the bride to be's mother who hosted the shower. She told me 20 women were coming. Many of them friends of the couple and groom's relatives that I don't know. So at the bottom of my gift bag under the shower presents I placed my latest book - A Promise Is A Promise. (ISBN 0982459505 sold on Amazon and by author) My niece already owns three of my books. I thought she might like one more. When my niece held up the book, she proudly announced that Aunt Fay wrote it. Fay who? "That woman over there. She's an author," my niece told them. As the book went along for gift inspection, the guests passed on other items the bride had opened up (barely looking at them) and held onto the book to read the back cover. Questions came fast for a moment. What genre do you write? How do we get your books? Then the attention was turned back to the bride where it should be. This was her moment.
Did it end there? No. I happened to have a stack of business cards with me just in case. Now I didn't feel comfortable pushing the cards on the women at the shower, but the niece sees these ladies all the time. I had no problem handing the cards to my niece when I went to her house after the shower. I ask her if any of her friends or the groom's family wanted to contact me about a book could she give them one of my card. She was delighted to help me out. She informed me these same women all belong to a book club. She grinned mischievously as she watched an eager glow light up my eyes at the mention of a book club.
The hardest thing in the world for a self published author of a new book is to sell themselves as an author. Putting the spotlight on ourselves is hard. I came from long line of women too bashful to keep on nightclothes after they got out of bed each morning just in case company showed up early. I live in the country, hidden by seven feet tall corn stalks on all sides for months. Still I find the thought of stepping outside in my nightgown difficult. To my amazement as I drove through town one early morning, I noticed a woman in her pajamas setting her trash on the curb. Her family tree surely had women the total opposite of mine.
Public speaking has been a big help for easing my bashful streak. Knowing my subject (my books) helps me have the confidence to stand in front of an audience. Last June when I was invited to Anamosa for the library's author day, the other authors and I had fifteen minutes to talk about our books in front of a video camera as well as an audience. I was at a slight disadvantage since I had 13 or 14 more books to discuss than the rest of the authors. Talking about that many books in that length of time took some doing. My husband sat in the back of the room. He told me later while I was speaking he heard one woman remark that I was a good speaker. It must be that my public speaking training was something the other six authors didn't have. I have no idea what purpose the video was used for, but I can hope that it will be to my advantage as an author.
I went to Author Day convinced that I wouldn't sell many books. New to the area, unknown author and this is a small town. So I took a basket and a small note pad to use for a book drawing. My three smaller books of short stories, inexpensive to publish, were made to use for giving readers a taste of how I write if they don't want to pay for the larger books. The audience could pick the book they would like to win. After the day was over, I drew a name and mailed the book to the winner. I sent the library a thank you note for inviting me and being so gracious. Whether I had sold any books or not, I felt the librarian deserved to know how much I appreciated the invitation. The audience was around forty strong. I sold a variety of my 16 books and gave out many bookmarkers for their future reference. From the way the day ended, I am fairly sure I will get an invitation to Author Day next year.
In August for my high school class reunion, I gave away 21 copies of my latest book. For me that was quite a sizable amount of money, but I put an inventory list in each book along with contact information. These former classmates live all around the country. Hopefully, my gift of a book will lead to other sales. Giving each of them a book wasn't easy to do. Their critiques of my book might be quite critical. (So far I've only heard from readers who were pleased.) They have known me for years and never once thought of me as a prospective author at the other reunions. They do now. Since that night, I've sold classmates 11 other books which helped me to break even on the give away.
I signed in on Classmate.com awhile back. I spent most of my childhood in southern Missouri so besides signing in for Keystone High School in Iowa, I signed in for Schell City High School in Missouri. Recently, I heard from a former classmate and emailed another one. Now do I expect to make books sales from those contacts. Not really but by word of mouth, one former classmate might say to another, "I heard from Fay the other day. She has become an author. Sells her books on Amazon. Isn't that something?" The curiosity to see what my books are about might lead these former classmates to check out my books on Amazon and eventually to a sale. After all, one of my books is about a family from that area in Missouri during the Civil War.
During a book sale, one of the hardest things for me to remember is to ask if the buyer would like to have me sign the book. At the start of the Civil War Days book sale in September, I didn't think of asking until the buyer started away. She liked that about me that I was a novice yet about the workings (pushing myself as the author) of a book sale. However, I did try to remember to ask to sign the books after that. Once in awhile, someone would have to remind me to do it. In one instance, I asked if I should sign the book. The woman said yes because she only buys signed books. My first thought was lucky her. If I waited for a signed copy of books, I wouldn't have very many on my book shelf. Then it occurred to me I should feel honored that I would be in this lady's collection of signed books.
Of course, speaking one on one to a buyer is easier than a whole room full of people. Knowing the books I want to sell by heart because I wrote them does help my sales pitch. I talk nonstop about the book a prospective buyer is interested in until that buyer shows me the cash. One man listened to me start a detailed account of my Civil War book and he stopped me. (I try very hard not to give away too much, but I want to make the buyer curious enough to buy the book to get the rest of the story.) That buyer told me not to tell him too much. He wanted to buy the book and read it. I'm so enthusiastic about my stories and eager to share them that I don't see how that can be all bad.
When I've been asked to sell my books, my first thought always is I probably won't do very well with sales. Each time it has been my experience that I have done very well indeed. I feel it has something to do with that personal one on one contact with my buyers. You see by selling myself, I sell books.
A book selling instinct kicks in when I least expect it. A couple weeks ago, I was talking to the bride to be's mother who hosted the shower. She told me 20 women were coming. Many of them friends of the couple and groom's relatives that I don't know. So at the bottom of my gift bag under the shower presents I placed my latest book - A Promise Is A Promise. (ISBN 0982459505 sold on Amazon and by author) My niece already owns three of my books. I thought she might like one more. When my niece held up the book, she proudly announced that Aunt Fay wrote it. Fay who? "That woman over there. She's an author," my niece told them. As the book went along for gift inspection, the guests passed on other items the bride had opened up (barely looking at them) and held onto the book to read the back cover. Questions came fast for a moment. What genre do you write? How do we get your books? Then the attention was turned back to the bride where it should be. This was her moment.
Did it end there? No. I happened to have a stack of business cards with me just in case. Now I didn't feel comfortable pushing the cards on the women at the shower, but the niece sees these ladies all the time. I had no problem handing the cards to my niece when I went to her house after the shower. I ask her if any of her friends or the groom's family wanted to contact me about a book could she give them one of my card. She was delighted to help me out. She informed me these same women all belong to a book club. She grinned mischievously as she watched an eager glow light up my eyes at the mention of a book club.
The hardest thing in the world for a self published author of a new book is to sell themselves as an author. Putting the spotlight on ourselves is hard. I came from long line of women too bashful to keep on nightclothes after they got out of bed each morning just in case company showed up early. I live in the country, hidden by seven feet tall corn stalks on all sides for months. Still I find the thought of stepping outside in my nightgown difficult. To my amazement as I drove through town one early morning, I noticed a woman in her pajamas setting her trash on the curb. Her family tree surely had women the total opposite of mine.
Public speaking has been a big help for easing my bashful streak. Knowing my subject (my books) helps me have the confidence to stand in front of an audience. Last June when I was invited to Anamosa for the library's author day, the other authors and I had fifteen minutes to talk about our books in front of a video camera as well as an audience. I was at a slight disadvantage since I had 13 or 14 more books to discuss than the rest of the authors. Talking about that many books in that length of time took some doing. My husband sat in the back of the room. He told me later while I was speaking he heard one woman remark that I was a good speaker. It must be that my public speaking training was something the other six authors didn't have. I have no idea what purpose the video was used for, but I can hope that it will be to my advantage as an author.
I went to Author Day convinced that I wouldn't sell many books. New to the area, unknown author and this is a small town. So I took a basket and a small note pad to use for a book drawing. My three smaller books of short stories, inexpensive to publish, were made to use for giving readers a taste of how I write if they don't want to pay for the larger books. The audience could pick the book they would like to win. After the day was over, I drew a name and mailed the book to the winner. I sent the library a thank you note for inviting me and being so gracious. Whether I had sold any books or not, I felt the librarian deserved to know how much I appreciated the invitation. The audience was around forty strong. I sold a variety of my 16 books and gave out many bookmarkers for their future reference. From the way the day ended, I am fairly sure I will get an invitation to Author Day next year.
In August for my high school class reunion, I gave away 21 copies of my latest book. For me that was quite a sizable amount of money, but I put an inventory list in each book along with contact information. These former classmates live all around the country. Hopefully, my gift of a book will lead to other sales. Giving each of them a book wasn't easy to do. Their critiques of my book might be quite critical. (So far I've only heard from readers who were pleased.) They have known me for years and never once thought of me as a prospective author at the other reunions. They do now. Since that night, I've sold classmates 11 other books which helped me to break even on the give away.
I signed in on Classmate.com awhile back. I spent most of my childhood in southern Missouri so besides signing in for Keystone High School in Iowa, I signed in for Schell City High School in Missouri. Recently, I heard from a former classmate and emailed another one. Now do I expect to make books sales from those contacts. Not really but by word of mouth, one former classmate might say to another, "I heard from Fay the other day. She has become an author. Sells her books on Amazon. Isn't that something?" The curiosity to see what my books are about might lead these former classmates to check out my books on Amazon and eventually to a sale. After all, one of my books is about a family from that area in Missouri during the Civil War.
During a book sale, one of the hardest things for me to remember is to ask if the buyer would like to have me sign the book. At the start of the Civil War Days book sale in September, I didn't think of asking until the buyer started away. She liked that about me that I was a novice yet about the workings (pushing myself as the author) of a book sale. However, I did try to remember to ask to sign the books after that. Once in awhile, someone would have to remind me to do it. In one instance, I asked if I should sign the book. The woman said yes because she only buys signed books. My first thought was lucky her. If I waited for a signed copy of books, I wouldn't have very many on my book shelf. Then it occurred to me I should feel honored that I would be in this lady's collection of signed books.
Of course, speaking one on one to a buyer is easier than a whole room full of people. Knowing the books I want to sell by heart because I wrote them does help my sales pitch. I talk nonstop about the book a prospective buyer is interested in until that buyer shows me the cash. One man listened to me start a detailed account of my Civil War book and he stopped me. (I try very hard not to give away too much, but I want to make the buyer curious enough to buy the book to get the rest of the story.) That buyer told me not to tell him too much. He wanted to buy the book and read it. I'm so enthusiastic about my stories and eager to share them that I don't see how that can be all bad.
When I've been asked to sell my books, my first thought always is I probably won't do very well with sales. Each time it has been my experience that I have done very well indeed. I feel it has something to do with that personal one on one contact with my buyers. You see by selling myself, I sell books.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Building On The Momentum
The next book I wrote after "Hello Alzheimer's Good Bye Dad", about caring for my father, was "Open A Window" - ISBN 1438244991. A caregiver's handbook that is used to train CNAs in long term care and as an ice breaker at Alzheimer's support group meetings. This book I actually had printed at a print shop. I'm very proud of the book for the help it has been.
In 2000, residents family members would stop to ask me questions about why their loved one said things like they hadn't been fed all day. Sometimes, the family couldn't understand the behavior problems or the sudden declines. I remembered the days when I wanted so much to know about Alzheimer's disease in order to help my father. By 2000, the Alzheimer's Association was well known and very helpful if families contacted them. In some cases that didn't happen. Not realizing how devastating the disease would become, the relatives didn't bother to become educated until they were surprised by devastating events. I decided I need to write a book that would educate the families that I came in contact with at the nursing home. Little did I know that the book would go much farther than that.
Over the years, I had 100 copies printed, sold those and had another 100 books printed before I self published the book last summer. To go along with publishing the book, I asked Jolene Brackey a well known author and speaker about Alzheimer's if she would give me a review to put on the back of the book. Now how did I get the nerve to ask for that review? The administrator at the nursing home had sent one my book to Jolene. She liked it so much she called to ask me if I would let her use some of my stories in her next book "Creating Moments Of Joy". What an honor. Of course, I said yes. About three years ago, Jolene was in the area doing her presentations. I went. Jolene waved her book around as she told the audience if we wanted one we would have to buy it from her website. She only packed one for the plane trip. As I was leaving that day, she stopped me and handed me that signed book. She had brought it for me. So when I published my book "Open A Window" I thought I'd ask her for the review, and I got it.
Jolene's review - "This book shares what is possible if we allow a person with Alzheimer's to "be" who they are right now. Thank You for "opening" a window."
For more about Jolene Brackey visit her website http://www.enhancedmoments.com
In August of 2002, I was asked to be the first speaker for an evening session for CNAs at the Alzheimer's Association's annual conference. Due to the fact that I mentioned CNAs don't get enough education about Alzheimer's. They learn most of what they know by on the job experience. My presentation was "Many Hats" taken from the social worker's call to me about my father in 1999. That presentation was a workout that signified how hectic our life becomes when we deal with sick parents, our family needs and work. I confiscated some of the better looking of my husband's many farm caps. On each, I sewed a pink ribbon band with the words, wife, daughter, mother and CNA. ( Which I had to remove before my husband would wear the hats again.) As I told about my concerns and experiences, I took off one hat and slapped another on my head for emphasis. At the end of the speech, I showed the audience my book. The CNAs flocked to buy them. One woman was a social worker. For two years in a row, she took a box of my books to the social workers conference in Ames, Iowa and sold them. That is how my book wound up at the first CNA training. A social worker gave her book to an RN who trains the CNAs. The RN sent for more books.
Promoting doesn't and shouldn't end with the book sale. I live in the middle of farming country where book sale events are hard to find. Harvest is about ready to start. Winter is coming soon. The internet is my best and handiest method for promoting. I've just had a successful book sale. Now I can build on that and find ways to promote the fact that I am an author with books for sale.
I took my camera to the book sale and snapped a lot of pictures. The first pictures, my son took of me in my pioneer dress and bonnet and of my table after it was set up with stacks of books and the two posters. With these pictures I made an album on Facebook and other web sites complete with captions.
On twitter, I submitted messages about my book sale and later wrote to take a look at my album on Facebook. By the way, I am developing a following. I have at least two authors following me now - Stephanie Cowell and Steve Weber the author of Plug Your Book - online book marketing for authors: a book I have and use.
Every time I find a website for writer/authors I've signed up. In fact, I am on so many that I had to log them in a notebook with login name and password. I picked booksbyfay as a login name to show what I do. Having a list helps me keep track so I don't forget to make entries on one of those web sites about a new book, a book sale or press release. Several of these websites have links to other websites where I happened to be registered so I can link what I do to be announced on those sites.
I've put a link to Publetariat where I could. Hopefully, internet surfers will come across my blog post on the front page. On Biblioscribe, I wrote two news articles. One article was about the success of my book sale. The other article was about my blog post "Preparing For A Book Sale" posted on the front page of Publetariat. That should get people to take a look at Publetariat and perhaps become interested in my blog. I keep readers of my blogs on myentre.net and blogger informed.
So don't stop promoting after a book sale event. Keep finding ways to get your name out there until the next event. Then begin all over again.
Gotta Go
booksbyfay
booksbyfay@yahoo
http://www.buysellcommunity.com
In 2000, residents family members would stop to ask me questions about why their loved one said things like they hadn't been fed all day. Sometimes, the family couldn't understand the behavior problems or the sudden declines. I remembered the days when I wanted so much to know about Alzheimer's disease in order to help my father. By 2000, the Alzheimer's Association was well known and very helpful if families contacted them. In some cases that didn't happen. Not realizing how devastating the disease would become, the relatives didn't bother to become educated until they were surprised by devastating events. I decided I need to write a book that would educate the families that I came in contact with at the nursing home. Little did I know that the book would go much farther than that.
Over the years, I had 100 copies printed, sold those and had another 100 books printed before I self published the book last summer. To go along with publishing the book, I asked Jolene Brackey a well known author and speaker about Alzheimer's if she would give me a review to put on the back of the book. Now how did I get the nerve to ask for that review? The administrator at the nursing home had sent one my book to Jolene. She liked it so much she called to ask me if I would let her use some of my stories in her next book "Creating Moments Of Joy". What an honor. Of course, I said yes. About three years ago, Jolene was in the area doing her presentations. I went. Jolene waved her book around as she told the audience if we wanted one we would have to buy it from her website. She only packed one for the plane trip. As I was leaving that day, she stopped me and handed me that signed book. She had brought it for me. So when I published my book "Open A Window" I thought I'd ask her for the review, and I got it.
Jolene's review - "This book shares what is possible if we allow a person with Alzheimer's to "be" who they are right now. Thank You for "opening" a window."
For more about Jolene Brackey visit her website http://www.enhancedmoments.com
In August of 2002, I was asked to be the first speaker for an evening session for CNAs at the Alzheimer's Association's annual conference. Due to the fact that I mentioned CNAs don't get enough education about Alzheimer's. They learn most of what they know by on the job experience. My presentation was "Many Hats" taken from the social worker's call to me about my father in 1999. That presentation was a workout that signified how hectic our life becomes when we deal with sick parents, our family needs and work. I confiscated some of the better looking of my husband's many farm caps. On each, I sewed a pink ribbon band with the words, wife, daughter, mother and CNA. ( Which I had to remove before my husband would wear the hats again.) As I told about my concerns and experiences, I took off one hat and slapped another on my head for emphasis. At the end of the speech, I showed the audience my book. The CNAs flocked to buy them. One woman was a social worker. For two years in a row, she took a box of my books to the social workers conference in Ames, Iowa and sold them. That is how my book wound up at the first CNA training. A social worker gave her book to an RN who trains the CNAs. The RN sent for more books.
Promoting doesn't and shouldn't end with the book sale. I live in the middle of farming country where book sale events are hard to find. Harvest is about ready to start. Winter is coming soon. The internet is my best and handiest method for promoting. I've just had a successful book sale. Now I can build on that and find ways to promote the fact that I am an author with books for sale.
I took my camera to the book sale and snapped a lot of pictures. The first pictures, my son took of me in my pioneer dress and bonnet and of my table after it was set up with stacks of books and the two posters. With these pictures I made an album on Facebook and other web sites complete with captions.
On twitter, I submitted messages about my book sale and later wrote to take a look at my album on Facebook. By the way, I am developing a following. I have at least two authors following me now - Stephanie Cowell and Steve Weber the author of Plug Your Book - online book marketing for authors: a book I have and use.
Every time I find a website for writer/authors I've signed up. In fact, I am on so many that I had to log them in a notebook with login name and password. I picked booksbyfay as a login name to show what I do. Having a list helps me keep track so I don't forget to make entries on one of those web sites about a new book, a book sale or press release. Several of these websites have links to other websites where I happened to be registered so I can link what I do to be announced on those sites.
I've put a link to Publetariat where I could. Hopefully, internet surfers will come across my blog post on the front page. On Biblioscribe, I wrote two news articles. One article was about the success of my book sale. The other article was about my blog post "Preparing For A Book Sale" posted on the front page of Publetariat. That should get people to take a look at Publetariat and perhaps become interested in my blog. I keep readers of my blogs on myentre.net and blogger informed.
So don't stop promoting after a book sale event. Keep finding ways to get your name out there until the next event. Then begin all over again.
Gotta Go
booksbyfay
booksbyfay@yahoo
http://www.buysellcommunity.com
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
One Thing Leads To Another
My book sale at Civil War Days in Belle Plaine, Iowa was very successful. Not only because I sold more books than I thought I would but received exposure that will lead to other book sales. I have an invitation to speak at a church group about my books. I've been invited to be a guest blogger on another blog. A local reporter stopped to chat. Perhaps I will get a brief mention in the newspaper. My Civil War book was a hit with reenactors from other states. Word of mouth may lead to more sales when those people get home. This was one event I will be very glad to repeat.
Pub. Sept 24
Sept 29 myentre
One thing leads to another
Last Thursday, I baked a raw apple cake to take to my mother in law's 89th birthday party. (We have two apple trees. My husband hunted and I gathered.) The birthday girl, Minnie, is a great example of the few of us left that are hunter/gatherers. Back in the days when people had to raise enough food in the summer to have enough to eat in the winter, they raised large gardens and canned or in later years froze the excess. Men hunted game to put meat on the table. My parents were newlyweds during the Great Depression and so was my husband's parents. Being a hunter/gatherer wasn't just a way of life, it was a matter of survival. I inherited the gene. (There has to be one, because my two brothers don't hunt or gather.)
Besides my parents, my role model is my mother-in-law. We have so much in common that we enjoy doing. Both of us are past the time when we need to be gatherers, but we do it because we like to. Minnie's front and back yard looks like a botanical garden. (Mine is rapidly becoming that way. My husband says some day my flowers will be taking over his hayfields. He goes out and pulls the black eyed susans before he makes hay.) Minnie has more flowers than grass - perennials, annuals and houseplants. When family visit, they have to take a tour down paths between flower beds. My flowers never look as lush and bloom a hardy as hers does, but she would be a good spokeswoman for Miracle Grow. Since we have chickens, sheep and goats, I do recycling. We feed the animals, and they provide fertilizer.
Three weeks before fall officially arrived, Minnie took in cuttings from her flowers and dug bulbs. Her garden that is larger than ours is almost cleaned off and in her compost pile. Minnie follows the signs and not the calendar. Tree leaves turned and fell. Birds flocked together to leave Iowa. She noted that and began her fall preparations. I take her lead seriously so in the last couple weeks I have potted the flowers I bring in for the winter. This is the time when flowers are their prettiest so I left the small pots inside the planters, hating to give in to cooler weather. When I hear the word frost, I'll carry the flowers upstairs to a spare bedroom with a southern exposure. In the next few days, I'll dig my flower bulbs, dry them and wait for that killing frost that will turn my colorful flowers brown. After the flowers dry, I harvest the seeds, put them in the freezer (Minnie's idea) and wait for spring.
That's one example in my life where one thing leads to another as the seasons change. Here's an example of one thing leads to another with my writing. When I signed up for the internet a few years ago, I researched about author promotions on the internet. I still search for new ideas. One thing I learned right away was that authors need a website. This was before I had a book published but dreamed that it might happen some day. So I hunted for a free website. (You'll find the word free appears in my vocabulary quite often. I'm not a gambler, and I haven't considered myself a sure thing yet.) I tried several and couldn't figure out how to submit to them. Finally, I found tripod and understood the easy instructions. I haven't had problems submitting to my website, but I hear that people have trouble finding it. Perhaps that's because it's free. http://www.booksbyfay.tripod.com
Every site I've registered on, I use booksbyfay to log in. I wanted a name that clued people into what I do. Now thanks to google search, I get about four pages when I put my name Fay Risner in the search box because of all the author/writer websites I've advertised my books on. Google uses a small portion of a submission from the websites announcing my books or events. I receive a Google alert by email that shows what has been posted.
I searched for a printer and found Create Space. That's why I sell my books on Amazon.
Publetariat.com a website for authors allows blogs about writing. After my blog about a book sale at Civil War Days, I received an email from publetariat. If I would email a paragraph about how successful the sale was they would put my Sept. 17 post on their front page. Title "reporting back after the sale". I could add a website I sell my books on. Friday I received an email that the blog entry is indeed up and running on the front page after I wrote about my successful weekend at Civil War Days as a teaching experience for other Independent book sellers. Here is the website - http://www.publetariat.com
Publetariat Editor's Note: This blog post, from Fay Risner, originally appeared on her Publetariat blog on 9/17/09. It's such a salient topic for indie authors, I asked Fay if we could reprint it as an article for the site and she graciously agreed. (Posted at the end of blog entry) Fay did so many things right, from being very well-practiced and prepared, to hitting her target demographic square in the middle, to highlighting her local community connections, and more. Read Fay's next blog post to see how well she did with her book sale event. Fay's books are available on Amazon. (Note this is the same post that I entered on Myentre.net site Sept. 17.)
I have four blogs. I copy and paste the same entry on each one. Hopefully, I attract the attention of many different readers. Awhile back a woman emailed me she had linked one of my blogs to a website she belongs to because she likes what she read and wanted others to read my blog. That means more readers that might get interested about my books. Good Reads website put the bookshelf containing my books next to my blog on blogger. Amazon decided to give each author a page and blog, hoping that buyers would want to read about their favorite authors.
A woman approached me at Civil War Days to invite me to be a guest blogger on her blog. She asks people who are writers or illustrators. I told her I'd be delighted. Another woman asked me to be a guest speaker for her church group "Golden Girls" to talk about my books. That should lead to book sales.
This year I changed companies to publish my latest book. With this company, I am the publisher and the company is the printer. I had to send for a sales tax form so Lightning Source Publishing will sell my books through Ingram. Now I am a business Booksbyfay Bookstore. To my delight, this has led to my introduction to My Entre.net where I've joined other small businesses and have been allowed to start a blog. Now my business logo is on their Businesses & Organizations board as someone to meet. That comes up in every members home page.
Sometimes I hear things and think I should remember that for future reference. About five years ago I was told a successful business man from Texas came back for a high school reunion in Belle Plaine. A former classmate said he brought each of them a signed copy of his new book. The 8th of August I had a high school reunion. I gave out 21 copies of my latest book "A Promise Is A Promise". Since then I've sold 11 other books to the classmates and one teacher which makes me break even with the cost of the books I gave away. I impressed my former classmates more than I could have imagined. One has a daughter he thinks has potential and from what I read on her website I believe he is right. At the reunion, he approached me for advice to give the daughter. She has been reluctant to try writing a book. I emailed him a very detailed long email which he forwarded to the daughter. She has been convinced to enroll in a writing and illustration class. I am thrilled.
Speaking of being a hunter/gather, I have apples to can today if I am to enjoy the fruits of my labor this winter. Have a good day.
Gotta Go,
booksbyfay
Fay Risner
http:buysellcommunity/booksbyfay.com
amazon/books
http://www.booksbyfay.tripod.com
Pub. Sept 24
Sept 29 myentre
One thing leads to another
Last Thursday, I baked a raw apple cake to take to my mother in law's 89th birthday party. (We have two apple trees. My husband hunted and I gathered.) The birthday girl, Minnie, is a great example of the few of us left that are hunter/gatherers. Back in the days when people had to raise enough food in the summer to have enough to eat in the winter, they raised large gardens and canned or in later years froze the excess. Men hunted game to put meat on the table. My parents were newlyweds during the Great Depression and so was my husband's parents. Being a hunter/gatherer wasn't just a way of life, it was a matter of survival. I inherited the gene. (There has to be one, because my two brothers don't hunt or gather.)
Besides my parents, my role model is my mother-in-law. We have so much in common that we enjoy doing. Both of us are past the time when we need to be gatherers, but we do it because we like to. Minnie's front and back yard looks like a botanical garden. (Mine is rapidly becoming that way. My husband says some day my flowers will be taking over his hayfields. He goes out and pulls the black eyed susans before he makes hay.) Minnie has more flowers than grass - perennials, annuals and houseplants. When family visit, they have to take a tour down paths between flower beds. My flowers never look as lush and bloom a hardy as hers does, but she would be a good spokeswoman for Miracle Grow. Since we have chickens, sheep and goats, I do recycling. We feed the animals, and they provide fertilizer.
Three weeks before fall officially arrived, Minnie took in cuttings from her flowers and dug bulbs. Her garden that is larger than ours is almost cleaned off and in her compost pile. Minnie follows the signs and not the calendar. Tree leaves turned and fell. Birds flocked together to leave Iowa. She noted that and began her fall preparations. I take her lead seriously so in the last couple weeks I have potted the flowers I bring in for the winter. This is the time when flowers are their prettiest so I left the small pots inside the planters, hating to give in to cooler weather. When I hear the word frost, I'll carry the flowers upstairs to a spare bedroom with a southern exposure. In the next few days, I'll dig my flower bulbs, dry them and wait for that killing frost that will turn my colorful flowers brown. After the flowers dry, I harvest the seeds, put them in the freezer (Minnie's idea) and wait for spring.
That's one example in my life where one thing leads to another as the seasons change. Here's an example of one thing leads to another with my writing. When I signed up for the internet a few years ago, I researched about author promotions on the internet. I still search for new ideas. One thing I learned right away was that authors need a website. This was before I had a book published but dreamed that it might happen some day. So I hunted for a free website. (You'll find the word free appears in my vocabulary quite often. I'm not a gambler, and I haven't considered myself a sure thing yet.) I tried several and couldn't figure out how to submit to them. Finally, I found tripod and understood the easy instructions. I haven't had problems submitting to my website, but I hear that people have trouble finding it. Perhaps that's because it's free. http://www.booksbyfay.tripod.com
Every site I've registered on, I use booksbyfay to log in. I wanted a name that clued people into what I do. Now thanks to google search, I get about four pages when I put my name Fay Risner in the search box because of all the author/writer websites I've advertised my books on. Google uses a small portion of a submission from the websites announcing my books or events. I receive a Google alert by email that shows what has been posted.
I searched for a printer and found Create Space. That's why I sell my books on Amazon.
Publetariat.com a website for authors allows blogs about writing. After my blog about a book sale at Civil War Days, I received an email from publetariat. If I would email a paragraph about how successful the sale was they would put my Sept. 17 post on their front page. Title "reporting back after the sale". I could add a website I sell my books on. Friday I received an email that the blog entry is indeed up and running on the front page after I wrote about my successful weekend at Civil War Days as a teaching experience for other Independent book sellers. Here is the website - http://www.publetariat.com
Publetariat Editor's Note: This blog post, from Fay Risner, originally appeared on her Publetariat blog on 9/17/09. It's such a salient topic for indie authors, I asked Fay if we could reprint it as an article for the site and she graciously agreed. (Posted at the end of blog entry) Fay did so many things right, from being very well-practiced and prepared, to hitting her target demographic square in the middle, to highlighting her local community connections, and more. Read Fay's next blog post to see how well she did with her book sale event. Fay's books are available on Amazon. (Note this is the same post that I entered on Myentre.net site Sept. 17.)
I have four blogs. I copy and paste the same entry on each one. Hopefully, I attract the attention of many different readers. Awhile back a woman emailed me she had linked one of my blogs to a website she belongs to because she likes what she read and wanted others to read my blog. That means more readers that might get interested about my books. Good Reads website put the bookshelf containing my books next to my blog on blogger. Amazon decided to give each author a page and blog, hoping that buyers would want to read about their favorite authors.
A woman approached me at Civil War Days to invite me to be a guest blogger on her blog. She asks people who are writers or illustrators. I told her I'd be delighted. Another woman asked me to be a guest speaker for her church group "Golden Girls" to talk about my books. That should lead to book sales.
This year I changed companies to publish my latest book. With this company, I am the publisher and the company is the printer. I had to send for a sales tax form so Lightning Source Publishing will sell my books through Ingram. Now I am a business Booksbyfay Bookstore. To my delight, this has led to my introduction to My Entre.net where I've joined other small businesses and have been allowed to start a blog. Now my business logo is on their Businesses & Organizations board as someone to meet. That comes up in every members home page.
Sometimes I hear things and think I should remember that for future reference. About five years ago I was told a successful business man from Texas came back for a high school reunion in Belle Plaine. A former classmate said he brought each of them a signed copy of his new book. The 8th of August I had a high school reunion. I gave out 21 copies of my latest book "A Promise Is A Promise". Since then I've sold 11 other books to the classmates and one teacher which makes me break even with the cost of the books I gave away. I impressed my former classmates more than I could have imagined. One has a daughter he thinks has potential and from what I read on her website I believe he is right. At the reunion, he approached me for advice to give the daughter. She has been reluctant to try writing a book. I emailed him a very detailed long email which he forwarded to the daughter. She has been convinced to enroll in a writing and illustration class. I am thrilled.
Speaking of being a hunter/gather, I have apples to can today if I am to enjoy the fruits of my labor this winter. Have a good day.
Gotta Go,
booksbyfay
Fay Risner
http:buysellcommunity/booksbyfay.com
amazon/books
http://www.booksbyfay.tripod.com
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Civil War Days A Success
Friday, I sold two books to a reenactor. My thought might have been I should have skipped being there that day. My answer is no. First, I needed the practice, speaking on Ella Mayfield's behalf. The reenactors speak in first person. and the person had to be a real person during the Civil War. That was perfect since Ella Mayfield was living person during the war, and her story was true. (Ella Mayfield's Pawpaw Militia - A Civil War Saga In Vernon County Missouri) I didn't go into first person when I gave my presentation over and over, but I certainly had each prospective buyer's attention. Right away, I asked the man in charge if there were any other bushwhackers in the park. He yelled over to a group of Union soldiers, "Are there any bushwhackers here?" A soldier's reply was, "What's a bushwhacker?" My response to the man in charge was, "You have one here now. These reenactors are in serious need of an education, and I'm here to give them one."
Second, I developed a following of students that came back over the weekend to talk to me again. One girl brought her mother over to buy a book. If there is one thing I'm proud of, it's that my books can be read by any age. The story lines are wholesome, because that is the type of book I like to read myself.
I suspect on Friday it took the reenactors some time to get used to me. When they stopped to talk, I was in period dress, but I made it clear I wasn't just trying to sell books. I had a story of my own to tell and was well versed about my potion of the Civil War between Missouri and Kansas. What this story needed was a human aspect to it. They should hear about the hardships and killings that befell homesteaders in that area that had no control over a war that was happening around them.
Saturday and Sunday, the public came. I had a good location at the beginning of their tour, sandwiched between a photographer's tent full of 1800's costumes and the consession stand. The public had to walk by me, eat near me and get their pictures taken next to me. They couldn't miss my posters which made them curious enough to stop. Once they did, I gave a brief synopsis of each of my books and ended with the Civil War story.
Saturday at the end of the day, I and my son walked through the reenactors camp sites and talked to people. I wanted a feel for the passion these people have that makes them do the reenactments all summer. They shared so many stories with me over the weekend. I loved hearing their tales.
This was one of those one things that leads to another event. I was approached by a woman who is writing a book. She has a blog which she asks other people who write to guest blog on. Now I have an invitation to be a guest blogger. A woman from a small town nearby asked me to come speak and sell books at her church group "The Golden Girls" meeting. A newspaper reporter came to take pictures of the school children Friday. She stopped to talk to me. So I'm hopeful I might have a brief mention in her article.
At the end of Sunday, the reenactors had a First Person skit or contest. Someone told me about it at the time the event was happening. Afterward, a reenactor came by and told me he would like to see me enter next year. I was flattered to have been accepted as part of their group. That offer told me I must have done something right. The catch was the man said he wanted me to play Mary. I said Mary who? Mary Lincoln of course. But I would have to have a hoop skirt and fancy dress to be the first lady. I replied, "I thought Mary was crazy. Are you trying to tell me something?" He laughed as he said only that I would be good at the part. Since I'm already set up with my pioneer dress I told him I would rather stick to being a homesteader. I'm thinking an insightful look at Ella in front of a crowd might get me more sales. I can't wait to go back next year to be Ella all over again and see if the invatation goes even if I don't play Mary Lincoln.
To sum it up, I had a very successful book sale at the Civil War Days in Belle Plaine, Iowa. The preparations I made to catch prospective buyers attention as they walked by my table paid off. From posters to period dress and my knowledge of the Civil War, I sparked attention and interest. The fact that I was the author of the books and signed them impressed the buyers. My Civil War book helped give me an introduction for being there and lead to people buying my other books. I was well pleased with this event and am looking forward to a repeat performance. My Civil War book turned out to be a hit with the reenactors as well. Word of mouth from one reenactor to another brought me many sales. Now those books will go back to Minnesota, Wisconsin and around Iowa. Hopefully, I should get more sales from the reenactors as well as other buyers I gave bookmarkers.
Now I have to bake a cake. This is my mother-in-law's 89 birthday. Tonight we're going to Belle Plaine and help her celebrate. Next entry I make, I'm going to do some bragging on her. She's the perfect mother-in-law. Every wife should be as lucky as I have been.
Gotta go,
booksbyfay
Fay Risner
http:www.buysellcommunity/booksbyfaystore.com
Second, I developed a following of students that came back over the weekend to talk to me again. One girl brought her mother over to buy a book. If there is one thing I'm proud of, it's that my books can be read by any age. The story lines are wholesome, because that is the type of book I like to read myself.
I suspect on Friday it took the reenactors some time to get used to me. When they stopped to talk, I was in period dress, but I made it clear I wasn't just trying to sell books. I had a story of my own to tell and was well versed about my potion of the Civil War between Missouri and Kansas. What this story needed was a human aspect to it. They should hear about the hardships and killings that befell homesteaders in that area that had no control over a war that was happening around them.
Saturday and Sunday, the public came. I had a good location at the beginning of their tour, sandwiched between a photographer's tent full of 1800's costumes and the consession stand. The public had to walk by me, eat near me and get their pictures taken next to me. They couldn't miss my posters which made them curious enough to stop. Once they did, I gave a brief synopsis of each of my books and ended with the Civil War story.
Saturday at the end of the day, I and my son walked through the reenactors camp sites and talked to people. I wanted a feel for the passion these people have that makes them do the reenactments all summer. They shared so many stories with me over the weekend. I loved hearing their tales.
This was one of those one things that leads to another event. I was approached by a woman who is writing a book. She has a blog which she asks other people who write to guest blog on. Now I have an invitation to be a guest blogger. A woman from a small town nearby asked me to come speak and sell books at her church group "The Golden Girls" meeting. A newspaper reporter came to take pictures of the school children Friday. She stopped to talk to me. So I'm hopeful I might have a brief mention in her article.
At the end of Sunday, the reenactors had a First Person skit or contest. Someone told me about it at the time the event was happening. Afterward, a reenactor came by and told me he would like to see me enter next year. I was flattered to have been accepted as part of their group. That offer told me I must have done something right. The catch was the man said he wanted me to play Mary. I said Mary who? Mary Lincoln of course. But I would have to have a hoop skirt and fancy dress to be the first lady. I replied, "I thought Mary was crazy. Are you trying to tell me something?" He laughed as he said only that I would be good at the part. Since I'm already set up with my pioneer dress I told him I would rather stick to being a homesteader. I'm thinking an insightful look at Ella in front of a crowd might get me more sales. I can't wait to go back next year to be Ella all over again and see if the invatation goes even if I don't play Mary Lincoln.
To sum it up, I had a very successful book sale at the Civil War Days in Belle Plaine, Iowa. The preparations I made to catch prospective buyers attention as they walked by my table paid off. From posters to period dress and my knowledge of the Civil War, I sparked attention and interest. The fact that I was the author of the books and signed them impressed the buyers. My Civil War book helped give me an introduction for being there and lead to people buying my other books. I was well pleased with this event and am looking forward to a repeat performance. My Civil War book turned out to be a hit with the reenactors as well. Word of mouth from one reenactor to another brought me many sales. Now those books will go back to Minnesota, Wisconsin and around Iowa. Hopefully, I should get more sales from the reenactors as well as other buyers I gave bookmarkers.
Now I have to bake a cake. This is my mother-in-law's 89 birthday. Tonight we're going to Belle Plaine and help her celebrate. Next entry I make, I'm going to do some bragging on her. She's the perfect mother-in-law. Every wife should be as lucky as I have been.
Gotta go,
booksbyfay
Fay Risner
http:www.buysellcommunity/booksbyfaystore.com
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