Publication Consultants

10/05/2025

𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲!

The very first broadcast of Quiet Echo—A Cedar Valley News Podcast drops tomorrow.

🎧 Are you subscribed yet? Don’t miss a single headline.

Podcastle: https://bit.ly/4pYRstE
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10/03/2025

𝐃𝐨 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭

Writers often ask me, “Do I need a literary agent?”
The answer isn’t a simple yes or no. If you want to publish with the Big Five—Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Simon & Schuster, or Hachette—you’ll need an agent. But if you’re drawn to independent presses, university publishers, or self-publishing, the answer may be no.

The real question is: what kind of writer do you want to be? Prestige and national reach? A faithful community of readers? Or the independence of publishing your own work? Each path is valid.

And here’s the irony—chasing agents sometimes overshadows what matters most: strengthening your writing. A polished manuscript, full of conviction, will always find its home.

Stories like these remind us how words shape lives. That’s the heartbeat of The Power of Authors by Evan and Lois Swensen—now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and everywhere good books are sold: http://bit.ly/3K6o8AM

10/01/2025

𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐆𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐝 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬

The Booker Prize—one of the most prestigious literary awards—had a rough year. Roddy Doyle, chair of the 2025 jury, said judges had to toss out more than 120 of the 153 novels submitted because they weren’t even worth discussing. Yes, you read that right—over three-quarters didn’t make the cut.

Think about the irony. Life of Pi, The English Patient, and Midnight’s Children all came from the Booker spotlight. Yet in a stack of 153 hopefuls this year, most didn’t survive the first pass.

It’s a good reminder for all of us who love reading: not every book will shine, but when one does—when it lingers long after the last page—it makes the hunt worthwhile.

Next time you stumble upon a book that truly captivates you, consider it your own personal prize winner.

Stories like these remind us how words shape lives—how they steady us, stir us, and spark change. The Power of Authors, by Evan and Lois Swensen, carries this conviction to its core. More than a manual on writing, it is a meditation on purpose, showing how every word—whether in a novel, a thank-you note, or a simple message—can echo far beyond its moment. To celebrate its release, you’re invited to a book signing party on Saturday, October 11, 2025, from noon to 3 PM at 8370 Eleusis Drive, Anchorage, Alaska. Copies are available through Amazon http://bit.ly/3K6o8AM, Barnes & Noble, and everywhere good books are sold. For an autographed copy, visit http://bit.ly/4pgmzjM.

09/29/2025

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥-𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐞

“Don’t be ‘a writer.’ Be writing.” —William Faulkner
Faulkner knew rejection. He dropped out of school, quit jobs, and saw failure before success. Yet he gave us The Sound and the Fury, Absalom, Absalom!, and Light in August—books that remind us the past doesn’t stay buried.

“The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”
Faulkner’s words still push us to face memory, injustice, and truth. For writers, they’re a call to write with honesty—even when honesty unsettles.

Pick up Faulkner again. Let his words stir you. Then, take up your pen and write not for recognition, but because your words matter.
Stories like these remind us how words shape lives—how they steady us, stir us, and spark change.

The Power of Authors, by Evan and Lois Swensen, carries this conviction to its core. More than a manual on writing, it is a meditation on purpose, showing how every word—whether in a novel, a thank-you note, or a simple message—can echo far beyond its moment. To celebrate its release, you’re invited to a book signing party on Saturday, October 11, 2025, from noon to 3 PM at 8370 Eleusis Drive, Anchorage, Alaska. Copies are available through Amazon http://bit.ly/3K6o8AM, Barnes & Noble, and everywhere good books are sold. For an autographed copy, visit http://bit.ly/4pgmzjM.

09/26/2025

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐌𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝?

Writers ask me one question more than any other: “How do I get my book published?”
The truth is simple but not easy.
1 Finish the manuscript.
2 Decide on your path—traditional publishing or self-publishing.
3 Commit to marketing—because readers don’t find books by accident.

Publishing isn’t the finish line. It’s the starting gate. Once the book is out, the real work begins: connecting it with people.

This is the heartbeat of my new book, The Power of Authors—written with Lois Swensen, with a foreword by Jane L. Evanson, PhD. It’s not a manual on writing but a meditation on purpose. Words don’t just fill pages; they shape lives, stir hearts, and spark change.

You can find it now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and everywhere good books are sold: http://bit.ly/3K6o8AM

So let me ask you—where are you on the journey? Still writing, ready to publish, or deep in marketing?

09/24/2025

𝐀𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐚’𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐖𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬

Fun trivia worth celebrating!

Alaska’s youngest students made big reading gains last school year. At the start, only 44% of kindergarten through third graders were reading at benchmark level. By spring, that number jumped to 60%!

Kindergarteners led the way with the biggest improvements. Credit goes to the Alaska Reads Act, stronger teacher training, and early help for kids who needed it.

Why does it matter? Kids who read well by third grade are much more likely to graduate on time. Behind every percentage point is a child discovering confidence—and maybe stretching bedtime stories a little longer.

09/22/2025

𝐀 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝: 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐀𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐝

No electricity. No running water. Just books hauled in from the city and a restless imagination to pass the time. That’s how Margaret Atwood grew up—and maybe why she later wrote, “A word after a word after a word is power.”

Makes you wonder—what shaped your love for words?

09/19/2025

09/19/2025

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐀𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬

Growing your email list isn’t about numbers—it’s about trust.

Skip the gimmicks. Focus on what matters:
• A simple signup on your site
• A heartfelt lead magnet—story, behind-the-scenes peek, or personal note
• Giveaways that build community
• Collaborations with fellow authors as allies
• Consistent, warm communication
The best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing. It feels like friendship.

The Power of Authors by Evan and Lois Swensen reminds us why our words matter—and how they can spark lasting change.

Available on Amazon (http://bit.ly/3K6o8AM), at Barnes & Noble, and everywhere good books are sold.

09/17/2025

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧

Some sentences refuse to end.

Marcel Proust wrote one 958 words long in In Search of Lost Time. James Joyce stretched one over 4,000 words in Ulysses. Jonathan Coe holds the record—nearly 14,000 words in The Rotters’ Club.

It’s fun trivia, but it reveals something deeper: words carry power. They can steady us, stir us, and spark change.

That belief lives at the heart of The Power of Authors by Evan and Lois Swensen—a meditation on purpose, showing how every word, from a novel to a simple note, can echo far beyond its moment.

Available now on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble, and everywhere good books are sold.

09/15/2025

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐬

Albert Camus once wrote, “The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.”

He lived this belief. As editor of the underground newspaper Combat during WWII, he used words to resist tyranny and rally courage when silence meant safety. His novel The Plague warned that oppression, like disease, spreads when people look away.

Camus believed writers must do more than tell stories—they must preserve humanity itself. Writing can be a wall against lies, a shield against violence, and a voice for the forgotten.

Today, his challenge remains urgent. Will we write to defend truth, dignity, and compassion? Or will we let civilization unravel in silence?
Pick up your pen. The world needs writers who dare to protect it.

09/12/2025

𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙉𝙚𝙬𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝘾𝙚𝙙𝙖𝙧 𝙑𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮:

“Neighbors disagree, but kindness has the last word.”

Want to know the full story?
It’s coming your way on Oct 6 with the launch of Quiet Echo—A Cedar Valley News Podcast!

🎧 Subscribe now so you’ll be ready the moment the first broadcast drops.
👉 Presented by the Readers and Writers Book Club.