Nickum’s Notes July, 2010
News
COME JOIN ME!
The Microsoft Store will be hosting an event for kids and families that have or know someone with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) on July 30th, 2010 from 6:00-8:00 PM. You will have the opportunity to meet with Mary Jo Nickum, author of Mom’s Story; A Child Learns About MS. Mary has been diagnosed with MS for over 30 years and is an inspiration for all of those learning to cope with this challenging disease. Her book provides information on how to better understand MS, who gets it, how the disease is diagnosed, the various forms of MS and listing of material and organizations available to assist families in the fight against MS. While parents are learning from Mary Jo in the theatre area, the kids will be provided with fun activities to learn more about the store and the technology used in everyday life. They will even be introduced to future technology through an entirely interactive experience with the staff! We hope to see you there!
When: Friday July 30th, 2010
Welcome time: 6:00-6:30
Event time: 6:30-8:00pm
Where: The Microsoft Store Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall
7014 E. Camelback Rd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
(480) 308-0800
Light Refreshments will be provided
**RSVP: Space is limited for this event, so please do not wait to RSVP.
RSVP: https://www.clicktoattend.com/invitation.aspx?code=149256
Bits and Pieces
Advice from best selling authors can be a treasure. Check this website for some of this advice:
http://kayedacus.com/2009/02/03/becoming-a-writer-advice-from-best-selling-authors/
What Constitutes an Independent Publisher?
By definition, an independent publisher is any publishing company that operates on a traditional business model – where the money flows to the author – but is not owned by another company. That is, an independent publisher is not an imprint, nor an arm of another company. Independent publishers function in much the same fashion as an imprint of the Big Six, albeit on smaller scale.
The Indie Stereotype
There are some common qualities associated with independent publishers – they’re open to riskier content, they are willing to take the time to develop an author’s career, they’re specialized. However, these qualities are at best stereotypes, and the sheer number of independent publishers (which account for almost half the books published annually) make any exceptions almost as common as those that prove the rule.
However, the sheer number of independent publishers mean that there are options available to meet many needs. There are publishers that exist for nearly every imaginable genre and sub-genre. As well, there are regional publishers, micro-publishers, and electronic-only publishers. Some are more risk averse, others are only willing to buy sure things. Some have a long and storied history, others are crop up to meet a need and only release one or two books.
The Indie Hope
For an author, independent publishers provide another avenue for publication, with many accepting unsolicited submissions, something that’s virtually unheard of at imprints of the Big Six. They come with upsides and downsides that differ with each publisher, but for an author the more options the better.