Chicago Writes

Anatomy of an Amazon Book Promotion

Host WC Turck takes you along for a need-to-know marketing hack on Amazon for his new novel, The Assassination of Baby Hitler: A Love Story with Dan Davies from Renegade Press LLC, renegadepresspublisher.com.
Unlock a wealth of writer resources by joining the Chicago Writers Association today. Visit chicagowrites.org.

Marketing and Cross Marketing for Authors with Janet Sutherland-Madden

After recovering from a brain aneurysm in 2004 that left her blind and paralyzed, Janet Sutherland Madden wrote an astounding book of trauma and the courage to overcome is titled “Nose Over Toes.” Her latest project is a children's book titled, "Rhett, the kind little Corgi," a No.# 1 Amazon bestseller. Janet spent a life in media, journalism and marketing and shares some lessons learned. Janet Sutherland Madden has also turned her energies towards lobbying and fundraising for the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, visit: www.bafound.org.  
Plus, a sample of great literary events in and around Chicago.
Read "How to Write a Children’s Book," at:
thejohnfox.com/2019/02/how-to-write-a-childrens-book/

Chicago Writes, March 2024: A Conversation with Jill Christman and Gary D. Wilson

On this episode of Chicago Writes, our remaining Book of the Year authors, Prof. Jill Christman and Gary D. Wilson discuss their award-winning books and offer advice they give their writing students. 
Gary D. Wilson is a critically acclaimed novelist and writer of narrative short story fiction. His latest Book of the Year winning collection is For Those Who Favor Fire. Gary's latest novel, The Narrow Window, will be released in March 2024 by Roundfire Books, an imprint of Collective Ink. His website is www.garydwilson.com
Jill Christman's Book of the Year is titled, If This Were Fiction: A Love Story in Essays, a lyrical, sometimes blushing, sometimes shocking, and eminently insightful memoir. Her website is jillchristman.com
Additional Links:
Jill Christman is a producer for the podcast Indelible: Campus Sexual Violence. 
Writing by hand may increase brain connectivity more than typing on a keyboard, by Deborah Pirchner, February 16, 2024. Cognitive Science, Neuroimaging.
The Books of Lorrie Moore at Amazon.
The Chicago Writer Association is a 501(c)3 charitable organization. Visit chicagowrites.org.
 
 

Book of the year Winners, Rita Woods and Lois Hoitenga Roelofs

Lois Hoitenga Roelofs is one of CWAs Book of the Year winners for her moving memory, Marv in Charge: A story of Bold Love and courage, from Deep River books. An uncommonly candid book on death, dying and faith. Her website is loisroelofs.com
Rita Woods Latest novel, The Last Dreamwalker, was just named one of the Chicago Writers Association’s Book of the Year. This sumptuous mystery is destined to take its place among the very best set along the coast of South Carolina. It has the drama and deep hues of Pat Conroy’s Prince of Tides, while exploring the tumultuous mystery as a daughter unravels her late mother’s life, reminiscent of Sue Monk Kidd’s, The Secret Life of Bees. Her website is ritawoodswrites.com.
The Chicago Writers Association is a 501c3 charitable organization. Like us on Facebook. Visit chicagowrites.org.

A Band of Authors: Mark Hutson, Rick Kaempfer and a Scam Alert

Happy New Year! In our season 3 opener: An author scam alert, plus a conversation with one of last Year's Book of the Year award winning author Mark Hutson of the critically acclaimed "So Costly a Sacrifice," available on Amazon. Plus, a bit of WC Turck's conversation with Rick Kaempfer, author of the runaway bestseller "The Loop Files: An Oral History of the Most Outrageous Radio Station Ever," available on Amazon and Eckhartz Press.com.
Catch the full conversations at the Playtime Playcast with host WC Turck here.
Unlock a wealth of author and writer resources by visiting chicagowrites.org.
The Chicago Writers Association is a charitable 501(c) 3 organization.
Subscribe to this podcast for notifications on future guests and programs.

An Award-Winning Author on Book Marketing Platforms and Strategies

Do you think of Book marketing as confusing and complex? You are hardly alone! Long time friend of the podcast and one of the most proactive authors for marketing, David W. Berner’s success doesn’t just happen but requires a bit of work and effort from the author. After speaking with Mike O’Malley from LitNuts last month, host WC Turck thought it would offer keen insights by prying open David’s bag of tricks and promotional secrets (and maybe a few scars and open wounds!).
The website is davidwberner.com
Chick out David's Substack page The Abundance.
The Chicago Writers Association is a 501c3 charitable organization. Visit chicagowrites.org
From everyone here at CWA, we wish you a warm and happy Holiday season and a very Merry Christmas.
 

Book Marketing on a Budget: A conversation with LitNuts cofounder Mike O’Mary

Mike O'Mary knows book marketing. As an Indie publisher he produced several NYT bestsellers, including Dina Kucera's Everything I Never Wanted to Be-A Memoir of Alcoholism and Addiction, Faith and Family, Hope and Humor. Together with his daughter, Kathleen Meyer, they began an online newsletter featuring only indie authors and publishers with some 13,000 subscribers. LitNuts.com features a unique and affordable platform to get your book in front of readers. Mike also offers advice and hard-learned lessons on creating a marketing strategy for Indie authors!
Links to all of our CWA programs, events, and resources are at Chicago Writes.org. Join today!
The Chicago Writers Association is a 501(c)3 charity, open to writers anywhere in the world. Unlock a wealth of writing resources at Chicago Writes.org

Chicago Writes October 2023: Ana Castillo and Michael Finney

Professor Ana Castillo is an author, poet and visual artist. Her latest critically acclaimed book is a thought-provoking collection of short stories transcending demographics titled Doña Cleanwell Leaves Home, published by Harper Collins. Available at Amazon and all fine bookstores. Her website is anacastillo.net.
Plus, Micheal Finney, business strategy consultant focused on media and message, talks sound scaping for ebooks and his new book, How to Create a Small Business Content Marketing Strategy in 10 Steps- A branding workbook for beginners.  The website is michael-finney.com.  
Chicago Writes in the official podcast of the Chicago Writers Association. Visit chicagowrites.org. Subscribe to this podcast.
Chicago Writers Association is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Join today, and like our community of writers, authors, poets and publishers on Facebook to unlock a wealth of writing resources and connections. 
 

Chicago Writes Compelling Sex Scenes and Publishing Cocktails

Writing compelling Sex Scenes for novelists, with author, screenwriter and Producer Dorothy Mackevich Marks. Her latest book is Les Beaux Châteaux which tells the story of father and son antique dealers amid the twilight of a romanticized legacy French culture. Visit www.dorothymackevichmarks.com. You can also keep up to date on facebook.com, at DorothyMackevichMarks
Also, in this episode of Chicago Writes, Publishing Cocktails, a meet-up for writers with Javier Ramirez from Exile in Bookville, exileinbookville.com, and author Keir Graff, keirgraff.com. 
Find Les Beaux Châteaux by Dorothy Machevich Marks on Amazon
Exile in Bookville is in the historic Fine Arts Building. 410 S. Michigan Avenue, Suite 210 in Chicago’s Loop. Call Exile in Bookville, (312) 753-3154
Instagram: @exileinbookville
Twitter: @BookvillExiles
Facebook: @exileinbookville
Visit chicagowrites.org

CNN’s Nora Neus on Writing Oral History

Nora Neus is an Emmy-nominated journalist and author. Neus field-produced Anderson Cooper’s CNN coverage of the 2017 white supremacist riot in Charlottesville, Virginia. Before joining CNN, she worked as a local news reporter and fill-in anchor for the CNN affiliate in Charlottesville. Nora also co-authored Muhammad Najem, War Reporter: How One Boy Put the Spotlight on Syria, available at Amazon.
Her latest book 24 hours in Charlottesville: An Oral History of the Stand Against White Supremacy  is available at Amazon. Her website is noraneus.com
Brought to you exclusively by the Chicago Writers Association. CWA is a 501c3 not-for-profit charity. Visit us at chicagowrites.org