Penguin Group (USA), via its Book Country subsidiary, now offers a menu of services for writers planning to self-publish. For fees ranging from about $99 to about $549, plus a share of sales revenue, Book Country will convert files, create covers, and handle other tasks. Read more at  http://goo.gl/jWVun and at http://on.wsj.com/sKqzGn

Danielle Poiesz, Book Country’s Editorial Coordinator, offers tips to ensure manuscripts are ready for publication at http://bit.ly/vZYD7a

Best-selling author Barry Eisler spoke to Grub Street about his decision to self-publish and his thoughts on the future of the publishing industry. Listen to him at  http://vimeo.com/32204698

Literary agent Jessica Faust offers a succinct definition of women’s fiction at http://bit.ly/rDXBRG

At Writer Unboxed, Therese Walsh interviews agent Katie Shea, who’s new to the Donald Maass Literary Agency and is looking for women’s fiction. Shea, too, has a definition of  the genre. Read more at http://bit.ly/sp54SZ

 The Authors Guild isn’t a fan of Amazon’s new Kindle Owners’ Lending Library. The Guild is concerned authors won’t be fairly compensated and has reservations about publishers’ right to include titles in KOLL.  For more information, go to http://bit.ly/vNUMF9 

Writer Beware‘s Victoria Strauss tackled the same issue at  http://bit.ly/sKadLg

According to Mike Shatzkin of  The Shatzkin Files, some publishing houses effectively bolster authors’ own marketing efforts. Traditional publisher Macmillan, for example, is sending out emails to tens of thousands of readers and, more importantly, tracking click-through rates. E-book publisher Open Road Integrated Media prides itself on its marketing plans, reaction time, and analytics. Read more here. http://bit.ly/uHqt2D

Happy Thanksgiving!

** This event has been sold out! **

The RWA-WF Board is thrilled to announce that on Tuesday, June 28th, RWA-WF will hold the First Annual RWA-Women’s Fiction Day.

Our line up begins at 1 pm with a two-hour presentation by the fantastic Michael Hauge. Michael is considered a genius with story structure. A highly sought after speaker, he travels the globe educating both authors and screenplay writers on three-act structure. Michael has created a unique presentation for RWA-WF.

At 3:15 we will also host a panel of Women’s Fiction Editors and Agents. This diverse and talented group of publishing professional will discuss Women’s Fiction in the marketplace as well as answer questions with regards to this exciting genre in which we write. Confirmed members for this panel are Kristin Nelson of Nelson Literary Agency, Meg Ruley at Jane Rotrosen Agency, Andrea Cirillo at Jane Rotrosen Agency, and Shauna Summers Senior Editor at Random House.

Then at 4:15 we will have a panel of Authors dedicated to Women’s Fiction. From Newbies to Veterans, our pubbed authors will speak on Women’s Fiction. They will answer questions about the genre as well as their personal experiences with writing. Our panel will include Megan Crane, Jane Porter, Barbara O’Neal, Therese Walsh, and Marilyn Brant.

After our break for the RWA Literacy Signing, we will reconvene at 8 pm for the RWA-WF annual meeting.

Our guest speaker for the evening event will be internationally best-selling author Juliet Marillier, who will speak to us about the way women pass on stories / understanding / wisdom, through sewing, toy-making, family recipes and so on (Kneading Tales, Weaving Stories). We are thrilled that Ms. Marillier will speak with our group while visiting the US from Australia. She is truly a remarkable writer.

We will conclude the day with a cocktail reception.

The cost for this jam-packed day of information and inspiration will be 55.00 for RWA-WF members and 80.00 for non-members, payable in advance via the paypal button below. The spaces for this amazing day are limited so please register ASAP! This event will take place at the New York Marriott Marquis in the Alvin/Carnegie Room. (The event will not be held in the Duffy/Columbia Room as previously noted due to a change in programming at the National level.)

Please join us for what is sure to be an unforgettable experience!

** Unfortunately, payment is now closed, as this event has been sold out! **

If you would like to be placed on the waiting list, in event of cancellations, please email Maggie Marr

** This event has sold out! **

The RWA-WF Board is thrilled to announce that on Tuesday, June 28th, RWA-WF will hold the First Annual RWA-Women’s Fiction Day.

Our line up begins at 1 pm with a two-hour presentation by the fantastic Michael Hauge. Michael is considered a genius with story structure. A highly sought after speaker, he travels the globe educating both authors and screenplay writers on three-act structure. Michael has created a unique presentation for RWA-WF.

At 3:15 we will also host a panel of Women’s Fiction Editors and Agents. This diverse and talented group of publishing professional will discuss Women’s Fiction in the marketplace as well as answer questions with regards to this exciting genre in which we write. Confirmed members for this panel are Kristin Nelson of Nelson Literary Agency, Meg Ruley at Jane Rotrosen Agency, Andrea Cirillo at Jane Rotrosen Agency, and Shauna Summers Senior Editor at Random House.

Then at 4:15 we will have a panel of Authors dedicated to Women’s Fiction. From Newbies to Veterans, our pubbed authors will speak on Women’s Fiction. They will answer questions about the genre as well as their personal experiences with writing. Our panel will include Megan Crane, Jane Porter, Barbara O’Neal, Therese Walsh, and Marilyn Brant.

After our break for the RWA Literacy Signing, we will reconvene at 8 pm for the RWA-WF annual meeting.

Our guest speaker for the evening event will be internationally best-selling author Juliet Marillier, who will speak to us about the way women pass on stories / understanding / wisdom, through sewing, toy-making, family recipes and so on (Kneading Tales, Weaving Stories). We are thrilled that Ms. Marillier will speak with our group while visiting the US from Australia. She is truly a remarkable writer.

We will conclude the day with a cocktail reception.

The cost for this jam-packed day of information and inspiration will be 55.00 for RWA-WF members and 80.00 for non-members, payable in advance via the paypal button below. The spaces for this amazing day are limited so please register ASAP! This event will take place at the New York Marriott Marquis in the Alvin/Carnegie Room. (The event will not be held in the Duffy/Columbia Room as previously noted due to a change in programming at the National level.)

Please join us for what is sure to be an unforgettable experience!

** Unfortunately, payment is now closed, as this event has been sold out! **

If you would like to be placed on the waiting list, in event of cancellations, please email Maggie Marr

Though this isn’t technically industry news, it’s about promo, which is important to all of us. I’m awed at Therese Walsh’s “Big, Fat 49-Author Contest for My Debut, Take 2.” A brilliant idea.

Great article in USA Today about the romance genre and the RWA National conference.

Romance University has an excellent series of posts about WordPress for non-techies. Though the advice is given to help the reader set up a WordPress blog, it’s also applies to WordPress websites. The RWA-WF website uses a free WordPress theme. Here’s the first post, the second, third, and fourth.

Amazon’s Jeff Bezos talks about authors, readers, Kindle, the market, and more.

Book editor Tom Dupree compares the Kindle and the ipad.

“If my main objective is to read or hear e-words, Kindle is the winner — and it’s still the best dedicated e-reader by far, even with all its new competitors, especially since we’re getting into mass-market pricing territory. $139 (for a new-generation, wi-fi-only Kindle) isn’t all that far from $99, and that’s where Santa tends to get involved. But if I want something closer to my laptop, or netbook, something in between it and an e-reader, I have to go iPad – and man, they still cost hundreds of dollars.”

I found two interesting posts on Barnes & Noble. The first says Barnes & Noble will be giving Kindle serious competition soon.

“In September, the chain will begin an aggressive promotion of its Nook e-readers by building 1,000-square-foot boutiques in all of its stores, with sample Nooks, demonstration tables, video screens and employees who will give customers advice and operating instructions.

By devoting more floor space to promoting the Nook, Barnes & Noble is playing up what it calls a crucial advantage over Amazon in the e-reader war: its 720 bricks-and-mortar stores, where customers can test out the device before they commit to buying it.”

The second says Barnes & Noble “put itself up for sale Tuesday, succumbing to pressure from shareholder activists as digital books erode the traditional business of the nation’s largest bookstore chain.”

They aren’t the only chain in trouble. Borders is laying off 100 employees at their main distribution center and stocks are down.

Time for good news and thanks to agent Kristin Nelson, I have some. She says that editors are looking for heartfelt emotion. Isn’t heartfelt emotion what WF is about?

There’s an interesting article on multimedia e-books about publishers “enhancing” digital books with videos, photos and other media.

CEO of Ingram Book Company, Skip Prichard, is embracing the changes in publishing.

“I think this is the most exciting time to be involved in the book business. Not only are books receiving more media attention, the new technologies offer an unprecedented opportunity to engage readers. Audio and video enhancements offer authors the ability to reach a reader like never before. Social networks allow readers the chance to discover books they would never have found. Touch screens let children interact with books or play games related to the story. Educators find that reading assignments come alive as all learning modalities can be engaged. Three-dimensional graphics and spoken text transform plain words into dynamic new worlds. The book itself is being reinvented. The future is here.”

Even Jeff Bezos is stunned by the success of Kindle books sales.

“I predict we will surpass paperback sales sometime in the next nine to 12 months. Sometime after that, we’ll surpass the combination of paperback and hardcover. It stuns me. People forget that Kindle is only 33 months old.”

In response to “literary agent Andrew Wylie’s exclusive agreement with Amazon.com to publish Kindle editions of 20 backlist titles by notable writers,” Random House has said it “will not be entering into any new English-language business agreements with the Wylie Agency until this situation is resolved.” Apparently, Wylie is rethinking his decision. I’m sure we’ll hear more on this soon.

Three new ebook platforms are nearing their debut. One of them, Copia, is in color and connects you with social networking groups, like Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads. It will be only $99. But from the comments, I see they aren’t ready yet and there might be technical problems.

I’ll end with a great NINC interview of Smashwords Founder Mark Coker, who says:

“Readers typically don’t pay attention to the name of the publisher on the spine of the book. They pay attention to the author and the story.
Self-publishing is all about the author being their own publisher. Self-publishing is a process of liberation. It’s the author taking control over their own destiny, and accepting personal responsibility for their own success or failure.”

The publishing industry took a turkey break last week, but I did find a few gems. The Writer’s Digest Community has a Women’s Fiction group. One of their Author Spotlights is on our RWA-WF President and founder, Therese Walsh. On their Discussion Forum, they have a Literary Agent list. Something for the published writers and the unpubbed.

On the IPS news site, writer and critic Louise Doughty talks about gender bias in awarding prizes. She says this and more:

“Things are definitely improving. But the improvement is still very slow. I think we’ll all know we have reached equality in literature when nobody thinks it is remarkable when a woman wins a prize. But at the moment, when a woman wins a prize, it is still a story.”

In the same vein, Charlotte Abbott at Follow the Reader blogged about How to Elevate Women Writers? A #FollowReader #FemBook Recap. This was a Twitter topic started by Follow the Reader blog. I missed the party! If you missed it, the blog contains highlights from the Twitter discussion.

If you’re looking for an agent, Sara Megibow from the Nelson Literary Agency blogged about TIPS FROM THE SLUSH PILE. I thought I knew it all, but she had one tip on resubmitting a query that surprised me.

Happy writing! I’ll be back next week with more news.

More links this week. A few from agents should interest all writers.  First up, Jessica Faust at the Bookends blog talks about Fixing a Stalled Career.

Kristin Nelson at Pub Rants has many great blogs on the writing business, but I restrained myself and linked to only two. One on e-book percentages. Another is An Argument For The Midlist.

Bravo! to NY Times bestselling writer Lynn Viehl. Lynn posted the link to her royalty statement for Twilight Fall, and shared “some thoughts on how the book performed in the eleven months since the initial release.”

No Bravo for this announcement about the closing of approximately 200 Waldenbooks stores. According to CEO Ron Marshall, Borders Group is “right-sizing.”

Another “non-Bravo” link is a blog about the omission of women writers on the Publishers Weekly Top 10 Book List. All the more important to have a group like RWA-WF.

That leads me to a Romance University blog by our group’s founder, Therese Walsh, on Romance University. She answers the question: Is it Romance or Romantic Women’s Fiction?

For WF writers looking for agents, there is hope! At AgentQuery, 328 agents list Women’s Fiction as one of their genres of interest. QueryTracker lists 295.

Harlequin launched Carina Press, a digital-only pub. You can read more here. This is lifted from their submission guidelines: “We expect to publish a majority of romance and erotic romance but are also very interested in women’s fiction, science fiction, fantasy, futuristic, mystery, thrillers, horror, and niches. If you have something new and fresh we would be happy to read your story!”

I’m ending with a link to the video of a 2007 interview of Wise Woman Barbara Samuel at the Women’s Fiction Festival. Enjoy!