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December 3rd, 2008


VIP Author Talks with Marsha Friedman: Celebritize Yourself

March 9th, 2010

marsha-friedmanwebDo you think the only way to become  a celebrity is to be a rock star, TV personality or have a Hollywood mega box-office hit? Think again!

Over the last decade, a new kind of celebrity has emerged—the expert celebrity. These are people who are absolutely at the top of their professions, and they find a way to use the media to offer their expertise to their audiences.

Join us when VIP Author Talks hosts guest Marsha Friedman, owner of EMSI, a public relations firm, and author of Celebritize Yourself. Marsha will reveal how authors can follow in the footsteps of celebrity experts such as Martha Stewart, Bob Vila, Suze Orman and Rachel Ray.

During this teleclass, you will learn:

  • Why becoming an expert celebrity is an effective strategy for authors
  • The qualifications or background necessary to become an expert celebrity
  • The first step to gaining expert celebrity
  • The 5 questions you must ask yourself before putting pen to paper

Have a question on a topic not listed? Write it down now for the live Q&A at the end of the call.

Mark your calendar right now to join us for this informative teleclass!

Topic: Celebritize Yourself!

When: Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Time: 8:00pm Eastern Time (7pm Central, 6pm Mountain, 5pm Pacific).

How to Register:

VIP Authors Inner Circle Members: You are already registered. Log on to the Members-Only page for call-in details. The audio recording of the class will be posted to the members page within 24 hours after the event.

Non-Members: Not a member yet, but want to hear the class? The monthly VIP Author Talks teleclass is free to members, but you can pay for the class only and sample the membership benefits before joining.

Tuition for non-members: $14.95 (includes mp3 recording download). Call-in details for the class will be sent after purchase is made. You will also receive the mp3 audio recording after the class, in case you miss the call or want to review the material again. Click Pay Now button below and receive your call-in details for the class by email:


Speaker Bio:

Marsha Friedman doesn’t like sitting still. As a prominent business woman, she has run her pay for performance public relations firm successfully through prosperity and adversity, ironically having one of her best revenue years in the midst of the 2009 recession. As a publicity expert, she recently debuted her new book, Celebritize Yourself, and began a national media tour.

How Many Experts Does It Take to Create a Winning Book Cover?

February 19th, 2010

VIP Author Talks with Shelley Lieber

shelley_2010aYour mother may have told that “You can’t judge a book by its cover,” but people do it all the time. And, you don’t have to be an publishing industry expert to spot a poorly done, unprofessional cover that screams “self-published.” Most people can tell immediately if the book looks like it is worth picking up in a bookstore, or clicking the “Buy” button on a web page.

Join Shelley Lieber as she shares the experts’ secrets and tips about how to:

  • Get endorsements for your front and back cover
  • Write copy that will invite interest and sell the book
  • Decide whether to use a graphic, illustration or photo on your front cover
  • Hire the professionals you need to get the job done right
  • Combine all the elements (design, copy, graphics) for a winning look

Have a question on a topic not listed? Write it down now for the live Q&A at the end of the call.

Mark your calendar right now to join us for this informative teleclass!

Topic: How Many Experts Does It Take to Create a Winning Book Cover?

When: Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Time: 8:00pm Eastern Time (7pm Central, 6pm Mountain, 5pm Pacific).

How to Register:

VIP Authors Inner Circle Members: You are already registered. Log on to the Members-Only page for call-in details. The audio recording of the class will be posted to the members page within 24 hours after the event.

Non-Members: Not a member yet, but want to hear the class? The monthly VIP Author Talks teleclass is free to members, but you can pay for the class only and sample the membership benefits before joining.

Tuition for non-members: $14.99 (includes mp3 recording download). Call-in details for the class will be sent after purchase is made. You will also receive the mp3 audio recording after the class, in case you miss the call or want to review the material again. Click Pay Now button below and receive your call-in details for the class by email:


Pre-Publication Marketing: Free Webinar

February 10th, 2010

Many new authors wait until their books come out to begin or even think about marketing. Big Mistake! It is never too early to start marketing yourself and your book. Done correctly, pre-publication marketing can help you build a waiting audience for your work and possibly even attract an agent or publisher.

For the skinny on exactly what steps you should be taking, please join me, Dana Lynn Smith (The Savvy Book Marketer) and Tony Eldridge (Marketing Tips for Authors blog) for a special free webinar on Tuesday, February 23 from 3:00pm to 4:30pm Eastern Time. The Pre-Publication Marketing webinar is part of the Spirit Authors Grand Opening Week activities.

Register and get all the details here>>

VIP Author Talks with Stephanie Gunning: Get a Book Deal

January 19th, 2010

Stephanie GunningVIP Authors who want to write a book in 2010 will be off to a great start after our first VIP Author Talks of the year! Our guest is Stephanie Gunning, a publishing strategist and former senior editor at Bantam Doubleday Dell. She’s mastered the art of transforming powerful ideas into marketable books and her Get a Book Deal™ program is designed to help writers get started on the road to success in as little as 60 to 90 days.

During this class, you will learn:

  • How to set a powerful intention for your book
  • The stages to get from idea to bookstore shelf
  • Why you absolutely must draft a book proposal
  • Tools from brain science to support your creativity
  • Spiritual techniques to support your creativity
  • Where & how coaching can be an assistance

Have a question on a topic not listed? Write it down now for the live Q&A at the end of the call.

Mark your calendar right now to join us for the VIP Author Talks with Stephanie Gunning. Here are the details:

Class*: VIP Author Talks with Stephanie Gunning

Topic: How to Get a Book Deal

When: Wednesday, January 27 at 8:00pm Eastern Time (7pm Central, 6pm Mountain, 5pm Pacific).

Registration for this event is closed. The audio recording of the teleclass is available for download on the VIP Authors Members-Only page. To review all member benefits or join now, click here>>>

Speaker Bio:

Stephanie Gunning is one of the most sought-after nonfiction writers in the publishing industry and a well-regarded book proposal coach. She is the coauthor or ghostwriter of (at last count) 22 published books. Her essays have been featured in well-known anthologies compiled by Arielle Ford and Doreen Virtue.

She has worked with numerous bestselling authors, including Hale Dwoskin, Gregg Braden, Ruby Payne, Thomas Moore, Stephen Mitchell, Marlo Morgan, and Ruth Montgomery, to name a few.

* If you are not yet a member and would like a recording of this call, find out more about all the benefits of VIP Author Inner Circle membership here>>

2010: A Publishing Odyssey Part III

December 4th, 2009
Publishing has changed more in the past year than it has in the previous 50. And the rate of change is getting faster and faster. The rules that seemed to be written in stone have begun to erode and are disappearing entirely.

Change is exciting and confusing at the same time. There are more opportunities to get published than ever before—if you know what you’re doing. Now, with all the changes, it’s harder than ever to know what to do. And, wrong decisions can be costly errors. But what if you had a mentor to guide you to the next step—no matter where you are right now?

Join publisher and author Shelley Lieber in the last of the three-part tele-series that will help you make informed decisions about how to:
  • Choose between traditional publishing and self-publishing
  • Avoid scams
  • Choose the right POD publisher
  • Publish your work as an ebook, audio book or print book
  • Find print and digital markets for your work
  • Build a community–and waiting audience–for your book
  • Use social networking sites effectively (and not waste your time)
  • Create a buzz with free publicity

Free Class*: 2010: A Publishing Odyssey, Part III

Date: Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Time: 2:00-3:00 pm ET (1pm CT, 12pm MT, 11am PT)

Call Details: (641) 715-3300, Access Code 171279#

*The class is free to attend, but long distance charges may apply.

The Gift of Thanksgiving

November 21st, 2009

oldcountryroad1

A Message from Shelley Lieber, The Wordy Woman and VIP Authors CEO & Founder

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope I’m among the first to wish you a happy, healthy holiday filled with joy.

Our family’s Thanksgiving tradition is to go around the table and let each person express gratitude. We started years ago when my
children were young. Thanksgiving came on the heels of my son’s and my niece’s birthdays, with Chanukah sometimes only a week or two
away. Because they were so young, the children started to associate the holidays with gift getting, culminating with my daughter
blowing out the Chanukah candles, thinking it was a birthday party (she was only three).

So, we began our gratitude-giving tradition to help them understand that holidays are as much about giving as receiving. We continue it to this day, whether we are together or celebrating at tables spread across the country. We make sure we call each family member who is away so we can still connect and give thanks together.

A Special Thanksgiving Offer

I’d like to include you this year in my gratitude giving. I thank you for being a VIP Author Inner Circle member or taking a class or consulting with me this year. You are source of inspiration for me and I appreciate your participation in our work together.

And so, in gratitude, I’m making this special Thanksgiving offer. You can join VIP Authors or renew your membership at the special low rate of only $97, a savings of $30. If you are renewing, the additional year will be added at the end of your current membership, so every member can take advantage of this offer.

Please take a moment to review the VIP Author Inner Circle member
benefits and take advantage of this special Thanksgiving offer>>

My very best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family,

Shelley Lieber, The Wordy Woman

P.S. Special thanks to Joe Gemignani for use of his beautiful photograph.

2010: A Publishing Odyssey, Part II Audio

November 11th, 2009

Today’s tele-class “2001: A Publishing Odyssey” was a huge success!

Listen to the tele-class replay at (641) 715-3412, Access Code: 171279#, or download the audio recording below.

Download here: =========> pubodyssey_pt2

2010: A Publishing Odyssey Part II (New date)

November 7th, 2009

Publishing has changed more in the past year than it has in the previous 50. And the rate of change is getting faster and faster. The rules that seemed to be written in stone have begun to erode and are disappearing entirely.

Change is exciting and confusing at the same time. There are more opportunities to get published than ever before—if you know what you’re doing. Now, with all the changes, it’s harder than ever to know what to do. And, wrong decisions can be costly errors. But what if you had a mentor to guide you to the next step—no matter where you are right now?

Join publisher and author Shelley Lieber in a free teleclass that will help you make informed decisions about how to:

  • Choose between traditional publishing and self-publishing
  • Avoid scams
  • Choose the right POD publisher
  • Publish your work as an ebook, audio book or print book
  • Find print and digital markets for your work
  • Build a waiting audience before your book comes out
  • Use social networking sites effectively (and not waste your time)
  • Create a buzz with free publicity

Free Class*: 2010: A Publishing Odyssey, Part II

Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Time: 2:00-3:00 pm ET (1pm CT, 12pm MT, 11am PT)

Call Details: (641) 715-3300, Access Code 171279#

*The class is free to attend, but long distance charges may apply.

Teleclass Rescheduled

November 4th, 2009

Due to last-minute, unexpected schedule conflicts, today’s free tele-class, “2010: A Publishing Odyssey - Part II,”  has been rescheduled.

Please mark the change on your calendar:

Free Class*: 2010: A Publishing Odyssey - Part II
Day/Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Time: 2:00 pm-3:00pm ET (1:00pm, CT, Noon MT, 11:00am PT)
Dial-In Details: (641) 715-3300, Access Code 171279#

Please forgive the inconvenience.