Book Marketing Tips and Author Success Podcast

Join us as we unravel the secrets of the author success mindset. This isn't your typical "stay positive" pep talk; we're dissecting the distinct mental strategies that set go-getter authors apart from the rest. 

Learn how to navigate challenges with resilience, and witness firsthand the extraordinary impact a refined mindset can have on your writing career.

Whether you're a seasoned wordsm...

In this episode we're talking about another hidden gem in book marketing - trade magazines!

What exactly are trade magazines? They're not just ordinary periodicals that you're almost guaranteed to see at the grocery store check out. They're your gateway to dedicated topic, hobby, lifestyle, and industry fans. 

Discover how to research and find these opportunities, refine the art of pitching the...

Hear about Penny's trials and tribulations through the process of book cover design while we unveil the secrets, struggles, and triumphs of book design done right.

We'll equip you with invaluable tips and tricks to streamline your own book cover creation, saving you time, energy, countless headaches and even more critically - giving up and settling for a less-than-stellar cover. 

 Don't embark on yo...

This is a holiday edition of our podcast, where we unveil some helpful tips to ramp up your book sales during the festive season! 

Picture this: twinkling lights, cozy evenings, and a festive bump in revenue! 

In this episode, we're pulling back the curtain on our most coveted strategies and easy-to-follow action items to make your holiday season truly magical.

🎅 Discover how to leverage the holiday...

Ah, Bestseller lists - they are shrouded in mystery but are often at the top of every author's team board! 

Our goal for this episode is to cover what it really takes to hit a bestseller list (and what doesn't work), and tips for all the things you need to make sure you're doing right to earn one of those coveted slots. 

Remember to leave a review for the podcast and email us to let us know, we...

We're back for another Amazon update! Recently it's been discovered that if you're only choosing categories from the KDP dashboard you might end up with a category that doesn't even exist. What?!

Our goal for this episode is to educate ya'll on how this potentially affects your shot at a bestseller, and how to double-check your work and avoid this potential landmine in the future.

Remember to leave ...

Our goal for this episode is to break down when you should start working on key elements of your platform, including everything from your website, to social, to Amazon, to Goodreads and BookBub. Plus we've included tips for saving time and ensuring you've got all the details covered. 

Remember to leave a review for the podcast and email us to let us know, we're always finding creative ways to thank followers!

Our goal for this episode is to break down the elements of a really great book pitch: one that generates responses and opens doors. So whether you've pitched your book in the past and were underwhelmed, or you have a release coming up that you want to be really prepared for, this episode is a must-listen. 

Remember to leave a review for the podcast and email us to let us know, we're always finding creative w...

Our goal for this episode is to break down what your Amazon sales rank really means - and spoiler alert - it's more than just book sales. 

We're firm believers that the more the author community understands about the Amazon machine, the more successful we'll all be, so get busy educating yourself!

Remember to leave a review for the podcast and email us to let us know, we're always finding creative ways t...

Our goal for this episode is to help you think inside the box, see what we did there? But in all seriousness, catalogs and subscription boxes are underutilized opportunities to reach a wider audience, and a lot of potential buyers you couldn't reach through other marketing efforts. We'll chat about options, tips, and making the most of pitching these outlets.

Remember to leave a review for the podcast and email us to let u...

We're seeing this a lot more - books being populated on Amazon (often written by AI) and published under well-known author names.

Our goal for this episode is to uncover why it's happening, and what you can potentially do to protect yourself or deal with it if it happens to you!

Penny shares her unfortunate (yet hilarious) experience with this as well and you'll want to be sure to follow her on Ins...

Amazon is making a lot of changes lately, but this one could really level the playing field for indie authors! 

Our goal for this episode is to ensure ya'll are staying up to date on how Amazon is presenting books to shoppers, and how keeping on top of these changes can potentially improve your sales conversions!

Remember to leave a review for the podcast and email us to let us know, we're always finding creative ...

We get it, writing is the fun part. And we generally don't write books because we can't wait to market them, right? But we also can't keep writing books without putting in the effort to get them in front of readers. 

Our goal for this episode is to share some tips and recommendations that stem from the experiences of authors who love to write but don't love to market. You'll learn about things to a...

The Amazon book search algorithm is changing again! In this week's episode, the dynamic book duo takes another peek under the Amazon hood to help you better understand what's happening, why it matters for your book, and what you can do now, or at least for your next release, to stay competitive and land on more search results.

Our goal for this episode is to discuss all the new things we're seeing and what A...

Nothing makes us madder than an author who has been scammed, so this week we're unpacking all the ways authors could get scammed.

Our goal for this episode is to highlight some of the most common (and expensive) scams in publishing, along with some of the most overhyped marketing services, what to look out for, what to avoid, and when it's a good idea to push for more answers! 

Remember to leave a review for the p...

So what's going on with Amazon categories? Have the changes really impacted us a lot?

Our goal for this episode is to break down all the things *and* we're also dishing on something new we spotted at Amazon that could impact your book's visibility. 

And in other news... is Threads worth your time? Probably not, yet, but that doesn't mean there's not something you should do on the platform ...

You've seen the special tables in bookstores that draw your immediate attention, right? They're either for local authors, special promotions, holidays, observances, the list goes on but there's no denying they do the job well.

Our goal for this episode is to walk you through best practices for getting your book prominent placement in bookstores throughout the year!

Remember to leave a review for the...

There's so much more marketing to be done offline than many authors realize. 

Our goal for this episode is to explore some potential sales opportunities you may not have considered for your book. We'll discuss specialty shops, special placement, and unique stores that could be a perfect match for your genre or topic. Get ready to take notes!

Remember to leave a review for the podcast and email us to let us know, w...

If you've been hearing a lot about AI and sites like ChatGPT you're going to want to dig into this episode right away! 

Our goal for this episode is to discuss creative ways to use ChatGPT to improve your book description, elevator pitch, blog content, and marketing materials. We'll also discuss how to use AI to boost your marketing and give you a leg up over the competition! 

Remember to leave a re...