Zemek's Updates

WHY WRITE A BOOK REVIEW?

Karen & gerard — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 07:20:30 GMT

Until I became an author and was faced with actually trying to drum up book sales once my book was published, I never new how big Amazon.com was. I never knew about book reviews. I had never written a book review and found out that most of my friends and the people I know didn't either. The only "book reviews" I ever did were book reports in school.

1. It encourages others to read the book so you're helping the author. One of the first tips that my publisher told me to do was to actually ask people I know to review my book on Amazon after reading it. Having reviews helps to get others interested in buying the book if they see others liked it and especially see a lot of people giving it 5 stars (the highest rating on Amazon). I never even went on Amazon until I got My Funny Dad, Harry published.

2. It's a nice thing to do that makes the author feel good. I always get a thrill when I see a good review of my book and am encouraged by that, especially if it's someone I don't know personally. A good review makes my day when I see people actually reading my book and liking it! At first, I would check every day to see if there were any more but now, after 1 1/2 years, I check only now and then. At first, it was people I knew who were willing to do me a favor and help me out, with my husband being first, then my cousin Roger and Jan, one of my co-workers. The first one I got from someone I didn't know personally was J. Kaye Oldham who gave it only 3 stars (liked it) but wrote a very good review. I knew people who knew me would be kind but was nervous about what strangers would think of it--still am!

3. It helps you to remember what you thought of books you read. This is helpful for recommending books to others. Sometimes I'll be reading a blog post and something will remind me of a book I read but I can't always remember the author or the specifics. sometimes I'll come across a discussion thread on a forum about reading or a book and I'll want to look up something quick about it. Then I just go to my "books" document on my computer and look it up. I list all the books I read by author. I can also be blunt here if I didn't like the book and didn't post a review on Amazon or write it here and spell check it and then copy and paste it into Amazon. It's also helpful when discussing books in an online-forum because I can look books up quickly to make sure I get the title right and the author.

New Site For Interaction Between Readers & Authors

Karen & gerard — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:34:39 GMT

I discovered a new interactive site for readers and authors when visiting "A Book Inside" http://abookinside.blogspot.com/2008/11/grand-opening-author-and-book-event.html. It's called Author and Book Event Center. I just joined myself last Wednesday. If you like to read or have published a book, it's really worth checking out. I hope to find you there.

This is a networking site geared to readers and authors. Authors can load photos of their books, their websites, and set up a profile for readers and other authors to see. Readers can participate in on-line chat with authors. If you would like to chat with me there, pop in at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesdays and I will try to be in chat over there on a regular basis at that time.

Visit http://BookEventCenter.ning.com. Sign up is FREE!

Made My Day!

Karen & gerard — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 07:45:32 GMT

I am so happy that some of my blogging friends are buying my book. I'll be anxious to hear what they think of it. Recently, Mountain Woman at http://redpinemountain.blogspot.com/ and Poppop of The Espenblog Times at http://poppopx7.pnn.com/3926-the-espenblog both purchased "My Funny Dad, Harry."

It's always nice to hear about people who buy it. I really haven't promoted it much, other than online.

Creative Writing

Karen & gerard — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:54:17 GMT

Here is a site that may be of help to you if you're thinking of getting something published:

Creative Writing Tips / Creative Writing Help / Creative Writing Blog / Writing Tips and Help / Writing Help Blog

http://cutewriting.blogspot.com

Surprise!

Karen & gerard — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:34:33 GMT

Today as I was viewing blogs, I got a very pleasant surprise! I came across a review of my book, "My Funny Dad, Harry," by Rene' Morris at Cheaper By the Half Dozen http://designerfrog.blogspot.com/2008/07/my-funny-dad-harry-karen-arlettaz-zemek.html.

It's Scary Being an Author

Karen & gerard — Mon, 19 May 2008 21:51:24 GMT

To me, the scariest thing about writing a book is waiting to hear what others think of it. I just want to say thanks to all the readers who posted good reviews for "My Funny Dad, Harry." It always gives me a lift to read a new review and discover that someone else actually liked my book. Hearing about the parts different ones especially found funny, touching, or interesting makes me feel good that I wrote it.

If you read it and like it, please take a little time and post a review to let me know.

HEARTWARMING by Jacqueline Carr

Karen & gerard — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 01:53:34 GMT

My Funny Dad, Harry is a heart warming book about
Karen Arlettaz Zemek's struggles of being a caregiver
to her father, while dealing with the pressures of
juggling duties as a wife and working woman.

Detail accounts in the book include the struggle of
taking care of Harry until his death and the
pressures of dealing with her father's death.

Anyone who has ever been a caregiver or soon to be
caregiver, need to read this book! They would
appreciate this book, My Funny Dad, Harry. I give the
book four stars.

Jacqueline Carr

Charming! by Carol Denbow

Karen & gerard — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 01:48:23 GMT

Karen Arlettaz Zemek expresses her lifetime remembrances of her father "Harry" through this charming little journal. Harry was a unique character, loving father, cat lover, and an excessive "pack rat" (like many of us). Through her book, Karen shows us all how journaling and a strong faith in God can help us work through our grief after the death of a loved one.

-Carol Denbow, 3-time author and editor A Book Inside online

(order "My Funny Dad, Harry" on www.amazon.com, www.bn.com or www.outskirtspress.com/myfunnydadharry)

How I found a publisher

Karen & gerard — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 20:49:35 GMT

Some of my friends have asked me how I found a publisher so I thought I'd post it on here. I had no clue how to get a book published. On Sunday, February 25 which was the first Sunday after dad's funeral and just two days after I decided to write this book (the day of a big ice storm that caused our church to cancel services), I went on the computer to see if I could find anything about how to get a book published. Since I was familiar with Torey Hayden's website (author of many good books), I just wanted to see if anything was on there about how to publish books, and up came a bunch of stuff on book publishing! I never saw this stuff before! I looked on Outskirts Press because it listed a lot of information on how to start, helpful suggestions, sample agreements, things to look for in publishing contracts, and e-books, self-publishing. AWESOME! This was a definite confirmation to me that writing this book was something God wanted me to do. I never had any inclination to write any book.

Would you like to get published too? Check out Outskirts Press at: www.outskirtspress.com/agent.php?key=42327

--Karen Arlettaz Zemek, author of "My Funny Dad, Harry"