Getting That Book Out There

                   

You finally did it, your book is done. Hooray!! Now what? Do you sell it to a major publisher, taking the risk of your book getting lost in the shuffle, overlooked in favor of big-name authors? Or, do you decide to really lay it on the line and team up with an experienced book consultant who will help you to publish it yourself, on your own terms?

The Book Publishing Game

Today, many authors are deciding to go out on their own, as far as publishing their own book goes. There are arguments on either side, as far as self-publishing or selling a book to a major publishing house. For those who decide to self-publish, the advantage is in keeping all the rights to the work, and any income the book generates. Selling to a publisher means giving away the rights, as well as a percentage of the sales. It’s also hard to get a publishing deal if you are not a big name author, so self-publishing is a way to get a work out into the world, on your own terms.

Order Fulfillment

A self-published author must deal with the marketing and printing of a book as well as getting the book orders fulfilled. Yes, it’s a lot of work, but for many authors who are passionate about what they do, the work can be a joy. It’s also good to know that there are good options for order fulfillment out there, through mailbox centers. Mailbox centers are known for offering P.O. boxes, and other services like an apostille in NYC and document printing. These centers also offer warehouses for product storage (like books) and the means of taking on all the order fulfillment (packing and shipping) of book orders that come via email.

So, for anyone thinking about getting their book out there, the good news is that there is a way to get it done and get it into the hands of the reading public. Yes, it’s a big job, but it may be a little easier than you think.

               

Making a Difference Program with Operation Smile

If you have been reading my blog for a while, or if you know me in real life, you know that I love helping people, and I especially love helping companies and brands that donate to charity.
 One of the most important charities to me and my family is, Operation Smile. Operation Smile, helps children who were born with cleft lip and/or cleft palate, or other facial deformities, receive the surgeries they need to live a happier, healthier and more fulfilling life.
 This is very important to us because our 4th child, Deegan, was born with cleft lip and club foot. Luckily, he has had a couple of his surgeries so far, and you wouldn't be able to tell that he was born with it, unless you saw a picture or knew him personally. It was hard to let the nurses take him the morning of his lip surgery, it was also hard to say goodbye to his adorable, extra big smile that we loved so much. (Yes of course we wanted his surgery to be a great success and we were anxious to see him afterwards!)
Naturally, when I see a brand or a company who goes out of their way to help children, I like to do what I can to try and utilize them, whether it's for my own family, a friend or relative or my readers. Although I can not at the present time, benefit from, Campus Book Rentals , I do spread the word about them to anybody I know who could benefit from them.
 I love how this company was created by a college kid himself, and the free shipping back and forth hits the spot too!
 If you have books you would like to rent out, you definitely have to look into this website! Not only are you helping other students across the country, but you can end up earning a lot more money renting your books, rather then just selling them. Campus Book Rentals, will rent your book(s), over and over and over again, to as many students who need it. Each time your book(s) are rented, you get paid! (That's a very cool way to earn some extra cash!!) You can find out more about this program in the following video: 

Along with earning some extra cash when you rent out your own books, you can also earn some extra money when you refer friends! Wow!! You could really end up not having to pay to rent your own books needed for college, or, if you already graduated, maybe this could help with some student loan payments:)
 Of course I can't end this post without a couple before and after pictures of our own little angel, Deegan James...
This is Deegan before his cleft lip surgery! (See what I mean about that gorgeous smile??)

AND this is Deegan after his surgery!

Stunning isn't it?? You can see how important it is for these children and their families to be able to have these types of surgeries, whether they can afford them or not. It is not only needed for their health and dental benefits, but also for their self esteem and confidence and lives!

Save TONS and Rent Your College Books Instead of Purchasing!

If you have a kid in college, or are studying yourself, I'm sure one of the most expensive things to afford are the books!
I have seen the prices of college books, and the amount they want even at the campus book stores, I really don't see how everybody can afford them, and I used to wonder why in the world these weren't covered in with the already crazy high prices for school??
Of course it is a huge money saver if you grab used books, and then you can even sell them after your semester so you can always get some of your money back. But if there was a way to save even more money on your college books each semester, and you wouldn't even have to leave to go pick them up, ( Yeah seriously! Free shipping, always!!)
Campus Book Rentals was started by a college student himself. He thought there had to be a better and much cheaper way to help families with what is one of the most expensive costs needed for college. (next to college tuition itself I guess;)
You can go online, order your books you need, rent them for as long or as short as you like, and get free shipping, to AND from this handy dandy dream come true Campus Book Rental site, and voila! Checkout is a breeze!!
You can find out more in this video:

Another neat point you have to know before you go flying off to rent your lists of college books needed, you are allowed to highlight in your rented book, as if it were your own!! Wow!! (I'm a big highlighter dork, so this is actually one of those selling points that would make me run to my laptop!) They also offer live customer support, Another neat point you have to know before you go flying off to rent your lists of college books needed, you are allowed to highlight in your rented book, as if it were your own!! Wow!! (I'm a big highlighter dork, so this is actually one of those selling points that would make me run to my laptop!)
They also offer live customer support, 30 day risk free returns, the most flexible rental periods, and the nation's largest selection of books!
 You can even earn money simply by referring your friends. (This shouldn't be to super hard!)
 Have you found an cool ways to save on any additional college costs? I would love to hear any advice or tips anybody has on how families can really save on one of the most priciest and most important expenses we will pay for in our lifetimes.