Today we are speaking with Lillian Brummet, co-author of both Trash Talk and Purple Snowflake Marketing. She is the author of Towards Understanding, and host of Conscious Discussions Talk Radio. Lillian and her husband work as a team to produce and market their three books and their radio show. Lillian joins us today to speak about their efforts and the possibilities that lay in the future for them.


FreelanceWriting.com: What inspired you to write Purple Snowflake Marketing – How to Make Your Books Stand out in a Crowd?

Initially, the ebook was our own marketing plan, which we developed through years of research, hands on experience, information gained from business marketing courses and conversations with both upcoming and successful authors. I found that I was being asked questions on the writer's forums so often that Dave and I decided to publish our marketing plan as an ebook. It was important to us to ensure the book was available for less than $10 so that authors on a limited budget could afford the investment. It was equally important to us that it be released as an ebook so that readers can begin promotion activities and marketing research with just a click of their mouse. I am pleased to say that Purple Snowflake Marketing is available through Twilighttimesbooks.com, Fictionwise.com and Booklocker.com for $6.50 (US).

Our ebook talks about many aspects around a writer's career that goes beyond simple book promotion. You see, many people view the world of writing as a career of leisure – which is actually opposite to the truth. For one thing, writing is a creative process and like any artist, writers need the time and energy to craft their work. This can include brainstorming sessions, research and learning new writing skills. Time is consumed by office work from book keeping to recording our efforts and results. So as a self-employed person, a writer is actually putting in many more hours than the regular 9-to-5 career demands.

Another misconception that often lives in the minds of authors is that they think once their book is written, the work ends there and the royalty cheques will just come pouring in. Again, this is far from the truth. In fact, once the book is actually accepted by the publisher, goes through the editing and proofing processes and is released to the public, the authors’ work has just begun. As much as 80% of an author’s time is for marketing purposes alone – and marketing plans typically begin several months prior to the release of a book.

We know from first hand how quickly a promotion budget will dwindle away and the difficulty of gaining name recognition and an Internet presence. Purple Snowflake Marketing is an author’s guide to develop a frugal and effective marketing plan. We start with the four main areas an author needs to evaluate including research, evaluating what others are doing, gaining name recognition and discovering the strengths and weaknesses of both their own particular situation and their book’s as well. So by knowing these four main points well, an author can use the information to design a highly tuned marketing plan that makes the most efficient use of both their time and budget. We also discuss delicate issues from handling family and friends who are unsupportive, jealous or those who say they’ll buy a book – but don’t. These are often surprises and hurtful events for authors, but they need to be prepared to keep their expectations on a realistic level.

But that is what we cover in the introduction of the e-book. The e-book has 19 chapters dealing with every aspect of a marketing plan and offers tips on how authors can stand out in a crowd like a purple snowflake in a snowstorm. And this is really important, because there are something like 170,000 books released annually in the US alone; all of these books are direct competitors with our own book. We need to find a way to stand out among all of these recent releases and those that have already been published in the past.

FreelanceWriting.com: Tell us about the construction of the book. Why did you include so many chapters and appendices?

The organization of the book is intentional. Starting with activities prior to the book release, it leads authors through the book marketing process to the closing date of the contract with the publisher. Readers will notice the chapters have been organized into several sub-headings. We did this to ensure easy access to the information and to break up the mundane nature of learning. The book includes well over 500 links to websites that authors can immediately benefit from.

FreelanceWriting.com: Purple Snowflake Marketing is a terrific title! How did you come up with the title?

The title is a term used in the marketing industry that I learned from my brother, Larry Towne. I love the imagery the title creates… you can really picture how a purple snowflake stands out in a snowstorm – and this is just what an author needs to do: Stand Out.

FreelanceWriting.com: What makes your ebook different from other promotion books on the market?

Our book is highly organized, so that authors can find out about all aspects of one subject without having to jump all over the place in the book. Purple Snowflake Marketing provides reassurance to authors along with ample advice for avoiding pitfalls and setting a pace for marketing endeavors. We discuss how to handle rejection, dealing with family and friends, bad reviews, how to make contacts, what the contacts will want to see from you, how to get past closed doors and how to get the book to stand out like a purple snowflake in a snowstorm. Readers will appreciate that the entire focus is based on developing a frugal and effective marketing plan for their particular situation. And there is no book on the market that will save authors years of time and effort, while providing instant promotion opportunities with just a click of the mouse. It is also one of the least expensive book promotion guides available on the market.

FreelanceWriting.com: What’s next for you?

Currently, I am marketing our 3 books for much of the time – busily giving interviews, doing articles and dealing with media in other ways. However, later on in the year I have plans to return to freelance writing for a while focusing on the genres of gardening/landscaping and how-to's around the house. I balance marketing, running our home business (Drum-it Percussion) and work around our home with hosting a radio show known as Conscious Discussions. This 1/2 hour - to 45 minute talk show began in May (2007) in an effort to inspire listeners to realize their value and the importance of being proactive in life. Our first book Trash Talk mentioned the fact that most people in today's society are feeling overwhelmed and bombarded by negativity and the grand scale of the world. However, it has long been known that at least 66% would feel more positive if they took on one proactive task. In fact, that positive feeling they gain through knowing their action has made a difference will inspire further participation. So this is the reason why I started Conscious Discussions. My husband co-hosts as his schedule allows and we have guests on to share their real-life experiences in how they've been able to make a difference. To date we have had authors and poets, environmentalists, water conservationists, book promoters, volunteers, compost educators, and a variety of sustainable businesses and organizations. Having only begun in May, I am proud to say that the weekly show is already booked solid with guests right through to January 2008!

FreelanceWriting.com: Thank you for your time. Good luck with the success of your books!

Visit Lillian and Dave Brummet's website at www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit