Leda Sammarcos Writing Blog

A Must for Any Cat-Lovers

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:44:00 +0000

I have just finished reading Paw Tracks in the Moonlight by Denis O’Connor. It tells the true story of how he found the irresistible Toby Jug, his Maine Coon cat, during a snowstorm near his home in Northumberland. They shared a dozen happy years and Denis vowed that he would one day write the story of their life together.

The book was originally self-published and was a huge local bestseller. It has now been re-printed by Constable and, just recently, was chosen by Radio 4 as the ‘Book of the Week’. It includes delightful illustrations by artist Richard Morris. This is a touching story perfect for a chilly evening and a reminder of how life can surprise us in so many ways.

Have You Got The Career Itch?

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:47:00 +0000

Many congratulations go to my client Grace Owen, who is self-publishing her book entitled The Career Itch: Four Steps for Taking Control of What You Do Next

On Millennium Eve Grace Owen experienced an inner restlessness about her career. She named it The Career Itch. It took her on a journey of discovery that enabled her to take control of what she did next and ultimately led to her becoming a career coach. Grace has helped many of her clients to successfully navigate the process and has now written this book to reach more people.

In it, she takes the reader through the following four steps:

Identity: Knowing Who You Are
Thinking: Clarifying What You Do Next
Change: Making a Successful Transition
Habit: Achieving a Balanced Lifestyle

Anyone who feels overworked, stuck in a rut, confused about where they are headed or is looking for that elusive work life balance is likely to be experiencing The Career Itch. Whilst the lucky few know what they want to do in life, most of us get there through trial and error. This book is not about finding the answer to your entire career right now (although you might), but is about discovering the next step.

To find out more or to order a copy, please click here - it will be available from the end of this month.

Where's that book?

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:31:00 +0000

I've just purchased a copy of 'Howards End is on the Landing' by Susan Hill.

"A book which is left on a shelf for a decade is a dead thing, but is also a chrysalis, packed with the potential to burst into new life."

Taking a look around her book-filled home, author Susan Hill realised how many she had bought and never read (sound familiar?!), forgotten she had or wanted to re-read. She vowed not to buy any more for a year, whilst she worked her way through them. It turned into a bibliophile's memoir of discovering new titles, remembering old favourites and more importantly the memories associated with them. An absolute delight!

Perhaps you know the flower already...

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:26:00 +0000

or perhaps it whispers to you, waiting for you to listen.

The Flower in the Desert by Neil del Strother is a magical book all about a boy's discovery of the flower and his growing into a man. It is about journeying and coming home.

To find out more or to buy a copy, click here.

Nothing Beats a Book

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:58:00 +0000

"But for me, there is still no substitute for a book that can be passed around, passed on, discussed with friends and family and, ultimately, donated to the local library." says Marina Park

Click here to read about how "Kindle is great, but not always."

More Praise for the Indies

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:03:00 +0000

"When I do buy books, though, I like to try and do it from an independent. Yes, it’s more expensive as you usually pay full price but I find the experience quite edifying, mainly for the fact that it feels like everyone else in the transaction is getting maximum benefit: writer, publisher and, of course and perhaps most importantly, the bookseller." says Joe Pickering, publicist at Penguin Books.

Read on to find out which ones he likes best. I'll give you a hint, one of them is mentioned in my blog post below.

Topping v Florence

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:57:00 +0000

On the Today programme, Robert Topping of Topping Books in Ely and Bath and Peter Florence, director of the Hay Festival, discussed the e-book versus the good, old-fashioned book.

Robert Topping cited the intellectual excitement of books on shelves, the fact that we already spend a lot of time looking at screens, the community feel of an indie bookstore and the user-friendly nature of a book, as reasons why people will still prefer actual books. I concur!!

Peter Florence said that the e-book is convenient and accessible and feels that the format will appeal to younger people and encourage a new generation of readers.

What do you think?

To listen to the entire interview, click here

More Indie News

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:24:00 +0000

Hereward Corbett, previously a manager at Ottakar's, Waterstone's and Blackwell's, opened The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop in Tetbury, Gloucestershire last May. He is shortly to open a second shop in nearby Nailsworth.

Corbett said: "Our bookmarks carry a quote from Vincent van Gogh 'So often, a visit to a bookshop has cheered me and reminded me that there are good things in the world'. If we can live up to that, and earn enough to pay the bills, I’ll be very happy." My sentiments exactly.

Love the Indies

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:35:00 +0000

According to the Booksellers Association more than 60 new independent bookstores have opened in the past 15 months, which is very heartening given these challenging economic times.

I was recently in Ely and whilst there paid a visit to the aptly-named Topping Books, a fabulous indie bookstore on three floors. It was literally packed to the rafters with a wide variety of titles. Have a look!

As I was browsing a member of staff even came and offered me a cup of tea (very civilised). I also discovered Slightly Foxed Editions, a range of titles in clothbound pocket hardback format - delightful. One of the staff told me that Gail Pirkis, formely the managing editor of John Murray and who is involved with Topping Books, set up the imprint and its related literary quarterly publication (plus a nifty range of postcards, one of which I picked up in Much Ado Books in Alfriston this summer!)

London's Gloucester Road is now home to Slightly Foxed. Gail has acquired the Gloucester Road Bookshop and will rebrand it as Slightly Foxed in 2010. She says " (...)The indie bookseller is set for a return for several reasons: people value a knowledgeable bookseller, they like an individual shop which does not look the same as every other, and they are tired of the hard sell." The shop will be "a natural extension of what the magazine uniquely does already – introducing people to interesting books that have stood the test of time, many of which are now out of print."

A new independent bookshop, King's English, has just opened in Canterbury in a Jacobean building famous for the way it 'leans'. Apparently it began to tilt in the 19th century when a door was cut through the chimney stack (although it has now been stabilised). Previously, members of the public could only admire this historic building from the outside. I feel a trip to Canterbury beckoning...

Why a New Books Section?

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:30:00 +0000

Why not?

Read on...

The Book Thief

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:32:00 +0000

Much as I adore books, I have yet to acquire one by indulging in a spot of larceny!

In 'The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World Literary Obsession', journalist Allison Hoover Bartlett introduces us to John Gilkey, who has a passion for books. Unlike most criminals however, he steals for love and not money. Enter Ken Sanders, a rare book dealer and detective manqué, who is determined to bring Gilkey down. Bartlett also explores how people have developed a passion for collecting and stealing books throughout the ages.

If this has whetted your appetite, then you can read an extract for free (!) on Bartlett's website

From Blog to Book to Film

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:36:00 +0000

I've just seen the film Julie and Julia all about Julie Powell, a bored New York office worker, who decided to work through Julia Child's 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking' in a year. She charted her progress on a blog, which developed a following and attracted media attention. It ultimately led to a publishing deal and now a film.

The film juxtaposes Julia Child's life in France, where she learnt to cook at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and got involved in writing her famous cookbook, with Julie Powell's culinary trials and tribulations in her tiny kitchen in Queens and her late night blogging. I found it both hilarious and uplifting. In one scene Julie bakes a chocolate cake that looked so mouth-watering, I wanted to put my hand through the screen and grab a slice!

The film also touches on the perils of co-authoring, the importance of choosing the best title and the trials of finding the right publisher.

Check it out and Bon Appetit!

Are You a Bookaholic?

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:58:00 +0000

This is a rhetorical question (as far as I'm concerned)!!!

If you are too, then you'll enjoy reading this recent article in The Guardian. It describes the all-too familiar symptoms of being addicted to books and discusses the new cross-industry Bookaholism campaign.

Freelance marketing consultant Damian Horner, who is driving the campaign, goes into more detail in this interview and discusses branding (if you stay true to yourself as a person, the better your brand), the power of Amazon and the author-indie bookstore relationship.

Bluestockings

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:13:00 +0000

Jane Robinson's book 'Bluestockings: The Remarkable Story of the First Women to Fight for an Education' looks back to 1869, when five women enrolled at university for the first time in British history. Doctors warned that if a woman studied too hard, her womb would wither and die!! Find out more in this interview with her.

You can find out more about Jane Robinson from her website, where she reveals that she was banned from the local library, at the age of seven, for "using a jam-tart bookmark in their copy of Squirrel Nutkin." Fabulous!

There's Nothing Like Books

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:23:00 +0000

"Oh, but books! There's nothing like reading a well-printed, well-bound book. Because there's nothing like books to soothe the mind – they reach parts that yoga and acupuncture and winning the lottery cannot. Reading is the most calming thing I know, the thing most likely to ensure that I enjoy my day and sleep calmly full of voices other than the incessant ones that whirr and wail inside my head."

I couldn't agree more! Read the rest of this article, by freelance journalist Sophie Heawood, all about thriving indie bookstores in LA.

The Future of Publishing

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:19:00 +0000

Larry Kirshbaum, former CEO and Chairman of Time-Warner Book Group said that books have an edge over newspapers, magazines and even the internet (on its own), as they can provide you with "(...)a more complete discussion by an expert in a field, of a subject, in a way that is very palatable, easy to understand and in many cases, entertaining as well as elucidating."

Watch the rest of this interview with him and Jane Friedman, former President and CEO of HarperCollins Publishers Worldwide. They talk about the future of the publishing industry, digital media and self-publishing.

Soft Pages

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 09:12:00 +0000

Whilst looking for something the other day, I came across a copy of O, The Oprah Magazine (from three years ago). I had kept it because it was their first ever summer reading issue.

In it was a letter from Harper Lee, author of 'To Kill a Mockingbird' (one of my favourite books). She describes the books she grew up reading and how, in an age of computers and cell phones, she still prefers books. She says "(...) some things should happen on soft pages, not cold metal." I agree!

The Book vs. The Kindle

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:35:00 +0000

When I was in San Francisco last year, I visited the fabulous indie Green Apple Books. They have produced a series of videos pitting the book against the Kindle (personally I'd go for the book every time).

Here is espisode one: The Buy Counter.

If you enjoy it, check out their blog for further episodes.

On Reading

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:26:00 +0000

I love photography and the latest exhibition at the Photographers' Gallery in London is fab (and it's free!).

It features photos by the Hungarian-born André Kertész celebrating not only the delights of reading, but also the way in which it draws us in, making us oblivious to everything and everyone around us (a wonderful way of being in the present moment, unless you have left the bathwater running!). It features people reading in the street, at train stations, in parks and on secluded rooftops and balconies.

The exhibition runs until 4 October, so do check it out!

Citation...well, it makes a change from quotation!!

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:35:00 +0000

Failures and successes are intimate relatives; if you want to dine with the latter, you must occasionally sit down with the former, especially as you sometimes can't tell them apart until the third course. - David Campbell

From Sofa to Start Line

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:15:00 +0000

Many congratulations go to my client Mike Hare, who has recently self-published his inspirational memoir entitled ‘From Sofa to Start Line’.

A successful businessman, Mike weighed 28 stone and was a stranger to exercise. He was then involved in a serious car crash, but walked away without major injuries. Feeling like he had been given a second chance, he decided it was time to make some changes. This began with healthy eating and some exercise and ended with him losing 15 stone and running marathons including the world’s most challenging: the Athens Classic (just four years after the car crash). He is now known to his friends and fellow runners as ‘The Incredible Shrinking Man’ or TISM!

If this has whetted your appetite and you’d like to find out more or order a copy, then check out his website.

Are You On Brand?

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:44:00 +0000

Do you remember that Microsoft advertising slogan ‘Where do you want to go today?’

Writing a book will take you on a journey and will build your brand as an author. Branding is traditionally associated with large corporations, but this is no longer the case.

When your book goes out into the world it is an extension of you and if you want to connect with a wide audience and develop a following of loyal readers, then you need to have a strong and positive brand. When people recommend a book they will often say ‘I’ve just read the latest (insert your name here) book. It’s wonderful – you must get it.’ They focus on the author’s name, not the title!

The author Wayne Dyer said “Your reputation is in the hands of others. That's what a reputation is. You can't control that. The only thing you can control is your character.”

Whilst you can’t control what people will think of your book or you as an author, there are things you can do to develop both the tangible and emotional elements that make up your brand. It is about far more than having a logo or a strapline; it is about who you are.

Think about the message you are giving out in your book and ask yourself how you would like people to perceive you.

A strong brand requires a high quality product, so whether you go through a publishing house or self-publish, your book needs to look great and be well-written. Readers will respond to a well-designed cover and become attached to your writing style.

In order for your brand to be recognised you need to be visible and the messages you give out (in media interviews, on your blog and social networking sites and at speaking events) should be congruent.

As you develop as an author your brand will also evolve, so keep evaluating it. You may find it helpful to think about other authors you like and what their brands means to you.

Jumping Around

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:13:00 +0000

If you're a fan of Malcolm Gladwell, author of The Tipping Point, Blink and Outliers, you'll enjoy this interview. Gladwell talks about his career, Obama and why jumping around keeps the reader engaged.

The First Blackberry

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:23:00 +0000

At a recent networking lunch some of us were discussing ways of dealing with email addiction (i.e. only checking it at certain times or (gasp!!), turning off Outlook whilst working. I have yet to succumb to a Blackberry, but many are deeply attached to them, including Barack Obama.

If you fancy seeing the lighter side of email, then check out Obama's Blackberry, featuring sensitive (yet fictional) messages from the President to his team, his family and other political figures. Hilarious!

Just Because...

noreply@blogger.com (leda Sammarco) — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:04:00 +0000

it's a delightful sentence!

"So he waited, listening for a moment longer to the tuning fork that had been struck upon a star."

F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby