News Archives - Page 10 of 12 - Bruce E. Mowday

September 4, 2018

            DOWNINGTOWN _ Chester County author Bruce Mowday will be one of four participants in A September 11 Historical Discussion: Remembering Those Who Sacrificed For America hosted by the Barnes & Noble, Exton, at 7:00 p.m.

Also taking part are authors Kevin Ferris and Charlene Briggs and Jim Christ, Vice President of the Paoli Battlefield Preservation Fund and Vice President of the Brandywine Valley Civil War Round Table.

The public is encouraged to attend the round table discussion and take part in the question and answer portion of the evening. The event is free and open to the public.

Ferris is co-author of Unbreakable Bonds: The Mighty Moms and Wounded Warriors of Walter Reed and Vets and Pets: Wounded Warriors and the Animals That Help Them Heal. Briggs is author of Letters to Lida: World War II Told Through The Eyes, Heart and Words of a B-29 Tail-Gunner. 

            Mowday has written three books on the Civil War, J. Howard Wert’s Gettysburg, Pickett’s Charge: The Untold Story and Unlikely Allies, Fort Delaware’s Prison Community in the Civil War. He also authored September 11, 1777: Washington’s Defeat at Brandywine Dooms Philadelphia.

On September 12 Mowday will be taping two podcasts for The Chronicles of the American Civil War on his Civil war books.

In the coming weeks Mowday will also be signing his books at the Kennett Square Mushroom Festival from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 9; at the Paoli Battlefield Heritage Day from 11 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 22; the Downingtown Fall Fest from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 23; and at Westtown Days at the Oakbourne Mansion from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

This month Mowday will be giving two talks based on his book for authors, Selling Your Book. On September 10 at 7:00 p.m. he will be at the Wilmington-Chadds Ford Writers group and on September 17 he will talk at the Main Line Writers Group.

 

August 2, 2018

A September 11 Historical Discussion: Remembering Those Who Sacrificed For America

September 11 history roundtable discussion with authors

hosted by Barnes & Noble, Exton, at 7:00 p.m.

            EXTON _ The public is invited to take part in a roundtable event – A September 11 historical discussion: Remembering Those Who Sacrificed For America – on September 11 at 7:00 p.m. at Barnes & Noble, 301 Main Street, Exton.

“September 11 is an important date in our nation’s history,” author Bruce Mowday said. “Barnes & Noble has assembled an excellent local panel. All of the members are extremely interested and knowledgeable about our nation’s heritage.”

The public is encouraged to attend the roundtable discussion and take part in the question and answer portion of the evening. The event is free and open to the public. The panelists are Kevin Ferris, Charlene Briggs, Jim Christ and Mowday.

Ferris is co-author of Unbreakable Bonds: The Mighty Moms and Wounded Warriors of Walter Reed and Vets and Pets: Wounded Warriors and the Animals That Help Them Heal.

Briggs is author of Letters to Lida: World War II Told Through The Eyes, Heart and Words of a B-29 Tail-Gunner.

Christ is Vice President of the Paoli Battlefield Preservation Fund and Vice President of the Brandywine Valley Civil War Round Table.

Mowday is an author of a number of history books, including September 11, 1777: Washington’s Defeat At Brandywine Dooms Philadelphia. Two of his latest books are on Gettysburg, Pickett’s Charge: The Untold Story and J. Howard Wert’s Gettysburg.

The panelists have experience covering the American Revolution, Civil War, World War II and today’s veterans.

Authors will be signing their books at the Barnes & Noble event and Christ will have books pertaining to the Battle of Paoli.

           

 

      DOWNINGTOWN _ Five murders were committed by the infamous Johnston Gang in Chester County 40 years ago. Those killings and the law enforcement’s investigation and prosecution of brothers Bruce, David and Norman Johnston were chronicled  in author Bruce Mowday’s book, Jailing The Johnston Gang: Bringing Serial Murderers To Justice; published by Barricade Books.

On Wednesday, August 8 at 9:00 p.m. The ReelZ network, affiliated with A & E, will present an hour’s show on the Johnstons as part of its Gangsters: America’s Most Evil series.

“I haven’t seen the show but this spring I spent a number of days communicating with the show’s production company and was interviewed for several hours,” Mowday said. “A number of people involved in the case were also interviewed. Even though the crimes took place decades ago, I’m not surprised this case continues to generate interest. Gangsters were killing members of their own family.”

Before the television show, Mowday will talk about his book and the case at Canvas Valley Forge, 101 Bryce Lane, King of Prussia, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The talk is free and open to the public. “This will give people a chance to hear about the criminals, called the most infamous in Chester County history,” Mowday said.

Mowday will also give a talk on the Johnston Gang on Tuesday, July 31 before the Broomall Rotary in Newtown Square at 6:00 p.m.

“Five of the murders took place in August 1978,” Mowday said. “Norman and David Johnston were convicted of committing four of those murders. Bruce Johnston Sr. was found guilty of killing all five and a police informant the previous year. Many people are convinced Bruce killed at least 10 people.”

Mowday was on television earlier this month in connection with his latest book, J. Howard Wert’s Gettysburg. Mowday and his book were featured on the Pennsylvania Cable Network show It’s History.

In August Mowday will also sign books at an event hosted by the Downingtown Historical Society, 849 East Lancaster Avenue at the Ashbridge House, on August 19 from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.

June 29, 2018

          DOWNINGTOWN _ Author Bruce Mowday kicks off a busy July with an appearance at the annual Civil War collectors show hosted by the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association at the Eisenhower Hotel and Conference Center in Gettysburg.

Mowday will be signing his latest book, J. Howard Wert’s Gettysburg, recently published by Schiffer Books of Atglen, and his other Gettysburg book, Pickett’s Charge: The Untold Story, published by Barricade Books of New York and Unlikely Allies: Fort Delaware’s Prison Community in the Civil War, published by Stackpole Books of Mechanicsburg.

During events marking the anniversary of the battle of Gettysburg, Gettysburg National Park is hosting two signings for Mowday on July 6 and July 7 from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.; the Gettysburg Heritage Center is hosting a talk on J. Howard Wert’s Gettysburg on July 6 at 5:00 p.m. and a signing on July 7 from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.; and the Gettysburg Heritage and Travel Center is hosting a signing from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on July 8.

On July 8 at 8:00 p.m. Mowday’s Wert book will be featured on Pennsylvania Cable Network’s It’s History show.

Mowday will be in Gettysburg for the Hallowed Ground Miliaria & Historic Arms Show at the Gettysburg Fire Company on July 20 and 21 and he will also give a private tour of Pickett’s Charge in July.

The Longwood Rotary is hosting a talk on J. Howard Wert’s Gettysburg on July 26 at Longwood Garden at 7:00 a.m.

Mowday’s book Jailing The Johnston Gang: Bringing Serial Murderers To Justice is to be featured on a segment on ReelZ television on August 8 at 9:00 p.m. He will speaking that evening at Canvas Valley Forge at 7:30 p.m. and the public is invited to hear the talk and stay for the television show.

The Avon Grove Library has asked Bruce to give an update on the Johnston story on July 14 at 1:00 p.m. as has the Broomall Library, Newtown Square, at 6:00 p.m. on July 31.

 

June 1, 2018

Pennsylvania Cable Network schedules show

on author Bruce Mowday’s new book,

1. J. Howard Wert’s Gettysburg

Bruce is featured at a number of upcoming events in Gettysburg,

including at the Gettysburg National Park, Gettysburg Heritage Center

and Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association relic show

 DOWNINGTOWN _ Pennsylvania Cable Network has scheduled an episode of It’s History show on Chester County author Bruce Mowday’s latest book, J. Howard Wert’s Gettysburg.

The segment is scheduled to be aired on Sunday, July 8 at 8:00 p.m. “I talked with the producer this week and he said finishing touches are taking place,” Mowday said. “I can’t wait to see the show. We spent hours filming the artifacts that are included the book. The book details the largest private collection of artifacts from Gettysburg and many other pieces connected with America’s history.”

The book, released by Schiffer Publishing of Atglen and co-authored with the collection’s curator Craig Caba, has gained national recognition and is featured in the Gettysburg edition of Civil War Monitor magazine.

Gettysburg National Park is hosting two signings for Mowday on July 6 and July 7 from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.; the Gettysburg Heritage Center is hosting a talk on J. Howard Wert’s Gettysburg on July 6 at 5:00 p.m. and a signing on July 7 from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.; and the Gettysburg Heritage and Travel Center is hosting a signing from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on July 8.

Mowday will be in Gettysburg for the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association’s annual relic show on June 30 and July 1 signing books, including Pickett’s Charge: The Untold Story released by Barricade Books. He will also be signing at the Civil War Living History event being sponsored by the Solanco Historical Society on June 23 and June 24 at the Robert Fulton Birthplace, Quarryville.

Longwood Rotary is hosting Mowday for a talk on the Wert book on July 26 at 7:00 a.m. at Longwood Gardens. Mowday has several other events in the coming weeks, including signing books at the Malvern Memorial Day Parade on June 3; a talk for the Mill at Anselma in Chester Springs on June 7, a signing for the Downingtown business community on June 9 and a talk on his Jailing The Johnston Gang book on July 14 at 1:00 p.m. at the Avon Grove Library.

For a full listing of Mowday’s events, see his website www.mowday.com.

 

April 2, 2018

Chester County author Bruce Mowday

tapes Pennsylvania Cable Network show

on new book, J. Howard Wert’s Gettysburg

Bruce is also featured speaker at events throughout Pennsylvania

and book is scheduled to be featured in a Civil War magazine

 DOWNINGTOWN _ Chester County author Bruce Mowday completed taping on Thursday of a Pennsylvania Cable Network show on his new book, J. Howard Wert’s Gettysburg. The show is a segment for PCN’s It’s History series and is scheduled to be aired in July but exact date hasn’t been determined.

“Being involved in the research and writing of the book has been a great thrill,” Mowday said. “The Wert collection is the largest private collection of artifacts from Gettysburg. There are many historic items in the collection, including the podium used by Abraham Lincoln during the Gettysburg Address.”

The book, released by Schiffer Publishing of Atglen, has gained national recognition and is slated to be included in the July edition of the Civil War Monitor magazine. J. Howard Wert’s Gettysburg was ranked on Amazon last week in the top 1 percent of books listed on the internet site.

Mowday is an award-winning author and newspaper reporter. He has authored more than 15 books on history, sports, business and true crime. Mowday has appeared on the Discovery ID channel, C-SPAN, the Pennsylvania Cable Network, Hollywood and Beyond, Whatcha Got, and Philadelphia and local television shows. Mowday has hosted his own radio shows, has been editor of magazines and was chairman of the Chester County Historical Society and president of the Brandywine Battlefield Park Associates. He is a former board member of the Valley Forge Park Alliance. He is a board member of the Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau. He is a frequent speaker at various civic and historical groups. For more information on Mowday, his books and his schedule of events, see www.mowday.com.

“I have a number of upcoming speaking and signing engagements in April and May and many involve the Wert book,” Mowday said. “My first talk is on April 12 at the Parkesburg Library. I’ll bring along some of my Gettysburg artifacts for the talk. I hope everyone can join us at 7:00 p.m.”

Mowday will also be speaking and signing books at the 2^nd annual Kemper Civil War Days, 42 Community Drive, Kempton, on April 14 and April 15. His talk on Lincoln at Gettysburg will take place on April 15 at noon.

“The Wert book has Kennett Square connections and I’m speaking before the Longwood Rotary on May 3 at 7:00 a.m. at Longwood Gardens,” Mowday said. “Bayard Taylor and his brother have artifacts pictured in the book.”

Two additional talks on the Wert book will take place on May 15 Mowday before the West Caln Historical Society at the West Caln Township building at 7:00 p.m. and the following day before the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War at the American Legion building in West Chester at 7:00 p.m.

Mowday also has three other book talks scheduled in the coming weeks. He’ll be speaking on Jailing The Johnston Gang on April 5 at the Kennett Shriners club at 7:30 p.m. On April 10 he’ll talk about his three West Chester books at the Hilltoppers group at Willistown United Methodist Church and on April 17 he’ll give a presentation before the Brandywine Valley Writers Group at 7:00 p.m. at Ryan’s Pub in West Chester on his book just released by Barricade Books of Fort Lee, N.J., titled Selling Your Book.

Also, Mowday will have four book signings at different venues in May.

“I’m very much looking forward to my May 4 signing during First Friday in Oxford at the Outback Trading Company. I’ll be there from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. On Mother’s Day I’ll be in North East, Maryland, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at Kathy’s Corner Shop,” Mowday said.

Mowday was asked to take part in the Chester County Open Studio Tour for artists on May 19 and May 20. “Artist Adrian Martinez was kind enough to ask me to join him at his Washington Avenue, Downingtown, studio. I’m be there during the morning of May 19 and all of My 20,” Mowday said.

Mowday will also take part in the 10^th annual Fashion For The Cure event benefitting the Cathy Miller Cancer Fund at the Concord Country Club at 6:30 p.m.

For organizations wanting to schedule a talk or for individuals wanting to purchase books, contact Mowday at mowday@mowday.com.

 

 

 

Saturday, February 3, 2018

Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the American Revolution

Inn at Reading

            Good afternoon. First I want to thank the Sons of the American Revolution for inviting me to give a talk on our sacred American history. And, I want to thank everyone here for helping to preserve our history, a subject that is being lost in America these days.

I’ve been asked to talk about the book REPORTING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR: BEFORE IT WAS HISTORY, IT WAS NEWS. I had the honor to write the chapter on Brandywine and Germantown for the book. And I’m proud to say recently the book was listed as one of the top100 books ever written on the American Revolution.

This book should be used in our nation’s schools. I’ve talked to educators and they all agree there is more American history contained in this book than is being taught in a student’s life time about the founding of our nation.

The book is unique in the way it was prepared and written and originated with Todd Andrik. Todd was one of the authors but more importantly he has the largest collection of original newspapers from the War of Independence. Todd’s idea was to send copies of the articles pertaining to a subject to authors and historians. The authors were to write about what is correct and wrong in the original articles and the importance of the event to American history.

What a great idea for a book and presentation. My association began with an E-mail in September 2011 from Todd. This is from the beginning of the original E-mail:

I hope you’ll take three minutes to read my email as I’ve assembled an all-star cast of historians for my book project and am anxious to add you for the Brandywine and Germantown.

My name is Todd Andrlik and I’m writing a book, tentatively titled Reporting the American Revolution (Sourcebooks, 2012), that tells the story of the Revolution via a compilation of 200+ original newspapers, printed 1763 to 1783, which I’ve collected and in many cases restored from near loss.  I work with the Library of Congress and other institutions to help build their collections of historic newspapers and have also built one of the most significant private collections, which I’m making public with this book.

Wow! What an honor! Of course it took me about a split second to say yes I’ll take part.

Todd enlisted 37 historians for the project and more than 60 essays were written for the book to go with reproductions of original newspaper stories and reproductions of period illustrations. The book’s goal was to bring to life eighteenth-century newspapers in a firsthand account of American’s founding, distinct from the history we receive in high school and university texts. Never before has such a significant collection of American Revolution newspapers have been made available to the general public in such color and detail. Never before has access to such an archive been made so easy. And never before has this version of the American Revolution been told.

Todd accomplished this goal as the New York Revolutionary Roundtable announced that Reporting the Revolution the best book on the American Revolution in 2012. The Round Table said, “Seldom, if ever, have we welcomed a book with more power to carry us back to the days of 1776 with such compelling authenticity.

I had spent about six years researching and writing my book on the Battle of Brandywine. SEPTEMBER 11, 1777: WASHINGTON’S DEFEAT DOOMS PHILADELPHIA. It was the first in-depth look at the battle. The research took me to historical societies, libraries, private individuals, groups and a trip to London to the Public Records Office and British Army Museum.

Besides being given the opportunity to do some additional research on Brandywine and Germantown, I had a second reason for being thrilled about taking part in the project. In a prior life I was a newspaper reporter. I covered breaking news stories and legal proceedings for the most part. Did the newspapers of the 1700s cover the stories the same way I did in the 70s, that is 1970s and 80s?

I certainly hoped they did a better job than the news media of today.

Newspapers have been called the rough draft of history and the Reporting The Revolutionary War project was about seeing if some of those rough drafts were accurate.       For the colonists reading local newspapers such as the Boston Gazette and Pennsylvania Journal they received weekly updates on the war with Great Britain.

The newspapers were used to “fan the flames of Rebellion, igniting the ideas of patriotism and liberty.” In other words, they were used as propaganda tools to encourage American farmers and shop keepers to take up arms against the King. Of course the London Chronicle and other newspapers also did the same in England against those rebel rascals.

When you look at the history of newspapers and news organizations, you readily see that during the course of history they were used at times to promote a person’s view, political party or financial interest.

Maybe not much has changed over all of these years.

I especially like a report of the Pennsylvania Evening Post, Philadelphia, in June 1775 and the notation “A common propaganda tactic was to inflate the enemy’s numbers while deflating yours. This spirited writer overstates by a factor of two the number of regulars engaged, while indicating only a quarter of the actual colonial force.”

I know I learned a lot about the American Revolution and enjoyed the different writing styles and perspectives of the writers. The book begins with the “Cursed Stamp Act” and continues with the riots in Boston. As London newspapers reported:  the “mobs, violence and boycott, which forced resignations of stamp distributors, effectively preventing the enforcement of the Stamp Act and leading to its repeal.

            Not all of the violence came from the disagreement with Great Britain. The book has an interesting little article of a publisher who offended one of his readers. The publisher was confronted in the street and a pistol was fired before the publisher sought the shelter of a home.

The “Late Horrid Massacre” – The Boston Massacre – was also detailed as was the occupation of Boston. By the way, one of the historians concludes the Boston Massacre was a PR crisis with each side scrambling to control the news. Of course the Boston Tea Party is also reported. The Boston Tea Party didn’t ignite the revolution but the repressive acts imposed by Great Britain after the tea party did so.

As you can see the book goes step-by-step through the factors leading up to the revolution as well as the revolution itself. Was the shot heard around the world fired at the beginning of the Lexington and Concord engagements the first shot of the revolution?  Four months before there was an exchange of fire between the two armies in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and some believe that is where the revolution really began.

Of course we know not all inhabitants wanted freedom from Great Britain and the Quakers were opposed to fighting on either side. An article in the New England Chronicle was reported in connection with Common Sense statements made by Thomas Paine. The book essayist stated, “Some Americans disagreed with Paine. One religious group, the Quakers, argued against independence based on their pacifist tenets. Paine responded by appending an address to the Quarters to Common Sense that countered the points they had raised.”

I won’t review all of the engagements and events but some little known fascinating encounters, including the Battle of the Rice Boats, Sullivan Island and the Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge in the southern part of the colonies, are covered.

Now, as for my research on the newspapers reporting the battles of Brandywine and Germantown I would give the reporters a passing grade. There was some factual errors.

I’d received copies of the London Chronicle and New York Gazette. October 28, 1777, 17 days after the engagement an article appeared in the London Chronicle and had few details but overstated the casualties of both armies. The information came “by way of France.” The paper said Washington lost 2,000 – actual about 1,300 – and British at 700 to 800, closer to the 600 lost. Other newspaper reports said a fire destroyed Philadelphia when occupied, another misstatement. Later copies of British newspaper reprinted letters from members of the British army.

An article in the New York Gazette included a report from an American officer during the late afternoon of September 11. The report was overly optimistic and only reported on one section of the battle. Brandywine was an utter defeat for George Washington’s army.

The newspaper reports on Germantown are few in number and recount the loss. Washington admits defeat but he hails the valor shown by his troops. Fog and friendly fire were some of the issues at Germantown.

Benedict Arnold and the hanging of John Andre are covered as is the conclusion of the war with battles in the south and Yorktown and independence.

Included is a section on Washington’s farewell to his officers at the historic Fraunces Tavern in New York City. I had the honor of speaking on the Battle of Brandywine at the tavern. Very impressive place. CSPAN taped the talk and it is shown on television from time-to-time.

        The book concludes, “Newspapers were absolutely essential for Americans in their struggle for independence. The press played an important role during the Revolution by keeping Americans engaged in the war even when the fighting occurred far away,  Some writers used the newspapers to stir up people’s passions against  Britain, but the press served primarily to keep Americans informed about the progress of the fight for independence.

I believe our history is very important to us as a nation and I also feel that our history and the principles that founded our nation are being lost. I have read and heard about surveys where students and people on the street can’t identify presidents and historic documents. I remember one young person stating England won the American Civil War. For many students Vietnam is ancient history. I view this book, as my other historical works, as one way to keep the history alive. Just as you all do to keep history alive!

Thank you. Questions?

January 7, 2018

Sell Your Book In 2018

Henrietta Hankin Branch Library

215 Windgate Drive

Chester Springs, PA 19425

Good afternoon, thank you all for coming out on this frigid day – aren’t we are glad it did warm up! 1 degree this morning when I awoke.

We have two hours and I want to make this an interactive session and we can talk about your projects and concerns. We can all learn from each other’s experiences. But first I want to talk to you about my journey as an author/entrepreneur and how I arrived at this point and how I have developed my own unorthodox way of marketing.

First, does anyone in the group have their own syndicated television show, have someone who will purchased thousands of your books or have access to unlimited amounts of cash? If so, this talk isn’t really for you and you can depart – except those with unlimited cash, I want to talk to you after this presentation.

Besides authors, in the audience we have some noted artists. I think you also for coming. This is fitting because I have found almost all marketing issues facing authors also face artists in selling their work. So if you are an artist, just replace author with artist when I speak.

As a rookie author more than 15 years ago I was all ready to follow the traditional path to becoming a best-selling author. I was going to get a publisher, go to book stores with long lines of people with cash in hand to buy books, be sent on book tours and have a movie made of my work. Idealism. You can laugh.

The publishing industry then, and certainly now, isn’t what it seemed. Why didn’t people flock to the signings? And I’m still waiting for that call from Hollywood – actually a legitimate call from a movie person. Lots of people want to make movies but they are usually looking for funding.

I’m not going to give you a blow-by-blow account of how I came to my own way of marketing. And believe me this isn’t rocket science but you need to look at your experiences and figure out what works for your book.

            Two of my books are on marketing for authors and I was asked by two different publishers to write them. Carole Stuart of Barricade Books said I’m her best customer and the outcome was Selling Your Book, recently released. When I was approached for the first book, The Selling Of An Author, I was asked to do the book for other authors within the publishing house. I said I’d write the book but why don’t we sell to the general public. That book was before the great influence of social media. My latest one includes the social media and how publishing has changed.

Also, I want to make sure we all understand writing and painting are creative endeavors and we should all be creating the best art, books, music we can. Making a fortune shouldn’t be the main consideration but I believe we all should be compensated – note I didn’t say fully compensated because that is not going to happen – for our talents and work. A rule for you to follow: Don’t ever figure out what you are paid per hour for your writing, it will be too depressing.

I’m a former newspaper reporter and I was taught never to bury a lead; that is to wait until the end of an article to write the news. Well, there is no one secret that will to gigantic sales. But there is a formula that I’ve hit upon that you may want to keep in your mind.

It is 6 to 1. Pretty simple and I really think it is 7 to 1. When I talk about the number of books I’ve sold or gross sales I always quote conservative numbers. You always need to straight with people.

The 6 to 1 formula: You will have to sell six or seven books at a book store or on internet sites to equal the profits that you will receive from selling one book at a private talk. Now, it is obvious why I spend a majority of my time at historical societies, civic groups and libraries and not sitting at book stores.

We all know authors and artists don’t receive full face value of books and paintings sold in book stores and galleries. For authors, the publisher gets a cut, the book distributor gets a cut and the book store owner gets a cut. Most standard book contracts now call for 10 percent or less of the net. The net is not the $25 face value of a book but what is left after all of the expenses, maybe $12.00. So that $25 sale will net you maybe $1.20. When I go one of my talks I purchase books directly from my publisher, usually about a 40 percent discount. So from that same $25 book I’ll receive $10 and not $1.20…..hum might have revise up that ratio.

I’m talking traditional publishers and I rather work with them than self-publish. There is a cost to design, editing, proof-reading, printing and some marketing – don’t expect a lot from any of the publishers – so they do make an investment and are due some of the sales. If you self-publish you make the investment and you do the work – but all of the profits are yours. Just marketing my books is hard work, I really don’t want to worry about printing quality, distribution and returns.

And I’m sure you all know by now that Barnes & Noble, last major book store standing, won’t stock self-published or print on demand books. They may allow a local author to a signing but you’ll bring in your books and take them away. Shelf space is very valuable and if any book doesn’t sell in a short period of time, the remaining ones are shipped back to the book distributor.

Aha, you say! There are business services out there that will design my book, edit my book, print my book and market my book! Yup. Plenty of them. They will gladly have you pay for all of your services. Be very, very, very careful of those businesses, many are in business to make money from authors and selling your book is secondary or not even a consideration.

I like the ones that say they will send out thousands of press releases and email blasts and social media postings. As an author you should ask how many are generated, you need to ask the impact. What track record do they have for increasing sales of clients? Many, many moons ago I was a newspaper editor in West Chester and we used to get hundreds of those releases a year – a writer in small town Texas writing about a local issue. In the waste paper can went the release. No local interest there. Keep your eye on the bottom line and don’t be dazzled by their marketing.

You all need to be smart business people – that is unless you are the person with unlimited funds. What is your rate of return? If you invest money in a marketing campaign, will you see sales to at least cover the marketing initiative? I usually try a new marketing idea a year, sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t.

A book signing might not show immediate results but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t successful. I usually get one or two requests at each signing to do a talk for a group. Group talks are excellent for sales of my books. I then have access to a group that is interested in my book and I’m the only one selling books.

Group signings can be good as each author will draw people that the other authors won’t reach. They can be neutral as the buyers have limited funds. I have only had several signings and talks that I would consider a total bust. One was a book store many years ago that set up a signing and then forgot I was coming.

For the record, I love sales from the internet, Amazon, bookstores and multiple author signings. I’ll reach people through those avenues that I never will by my talks. Those opportunities just aren’t my main priority.

You need to identify your audience – those interested in purchasing your books and paintings.  And you need to identify how to reach them.  This isn’t always as easy as you think.

Gettysburg – I’ve written two books on the major Civil War battle and I’m working on a third. Gettysburg is a historic place with thousands upon thousands of visitors a year interested in the great turning point of our country. You would think that Gettysburg would be the best place in the world to sell my two Gettysburg books.

Not quite. For on major weekends – anniversary of the battle and Lincoln’s Gettysburg address – there seems to be as many authors in town as visitors. The book stores, museum, national park’s visitors’ center are all full of authors signing books. You talk about major competition.

I go and sell books because it leads to talks to groups and at times I have solo signings at places. One of my best was at the Farnsworth House, supposedly haunted, on July 2, 2013, 150^th anniversary of the battle. I was the only person signing early evening and I had access to people waiting to eat and go on their ghost tours. That was the best signing of the three days.

Very important to find the group interested in your book. Kevin Ferris is an author with two successful books on veterans and the last one dealt with veterans and pets. That opens up major possible interest groups from veterans, to those interested in our history to those who love pets. Kevin has also connected to a charity and part of his projects go back to that charity. I do the same, one of books supports a charity, another a library and two do historical societies. And of course those entities all sell my books.

In my first marketing book I think I wrote that if you did a book on knitting don’t book a signing at a sports memorabilia show. Remember your target audience.

I had an author write to me recently that she has spent many frustrating hours at events where her sales didn’t cover the cost of renting a table. To cut down on that possibility don’t always agree to buy that table. Do some research.  Do you have a reasonable expectation of selling books to make it worth your while? How big is the attendance expected to be? How many people were there in the past? What are the interests of the crowd?

A big crowd doesn’t always mean success. Food events are always questionable in my mind. West Chester has a restaurant festival that packs the streets. A table there is hundreds of dollars. I did it once and barely covered the cost of the table. The people are interested in eating not buying books. Sticky fingers will also ruin books. When my mushroom book came out I went to the Mushroom festival in Kennett Square. Again, big crowds but they wanted to eat not buy books. I’m been opting for the smaller Chadds Ford Days in recent years, it is held the same weekend. I can sell 50 to 60 books most years – when it doesn’t rain.

I go to some local events each year knowing my sales won’t be great because of secondary considerations. Talks generated, friendships, meeting new people. This isn’t all about the money.

When you are out and about have a story to tell about your book – not just have a cute children’s book that includes the antics of your cat. What lessons are you teaching in the book? What makes you different from the other books? To be successful you need to connect with strangers. Your friends and family, usually, will buy books. How do you connect with strangers?

You need to be your own best salesman and you need to be enthusiastic about your book/painting. If you aren’t, no one else will be. Don’t be bashful. Just writing a book or creating a painting isn’t enough. They are big accomplishments and you should be proud but if you want to sell your book you need to be a promoter.

My first book was published by Pennsylvania publisher Stackpole Books on Fort Delaware in the Civil War. I had a signing at the national park in Gettysburg set up by Stackpole and other signings around town during the weekend. The first signing I was paired with a disgruntled author who didn’t like the title of his book and wasn’t happy with the publisher. You could tell, he spent the two hours with arms folded, grumbling. I spent those two hours as far away from him as possible and tried to engage visitors. By the end of the weekend, the publisher told me, he had learned from me and was being more positive.

Have a story to tell, and don’t tell everything in your book. Why should they read the book if you tell them everything? People love to know about the life of a writer and how a book was written. Each one of my books has a story behind them, and most aren’t pretty.

Connect with your audience. I try to arrive early at talks so I can find out something about the groups. I went to a Longwood Rotary meeting, arrived early and sat at a table known as the “Dave” table because usually you had to have Dave in your name and they were known for their antics. Nice guys and I mentioned during breakfast that I did research at the David Library. I was asked to mention the library and pause and I did. When I paused the table members got up and cheered the reference to David. They purchased books.

Look around the room. Do you see fellow author and artists or the hated competition? We need to talk about competition and those people who pass our books and art and don’t purchase. We aren’t going to sell to everyone. Some don’t like to read, some don’t like the subject, some may already have your book or a print of your painting, and some may not have the funds to purchase. You can’t control those factors and don’t get upset.

When I first thought about being a writer I used to walk into bookstores and think if all of those people could write books, then I could too. After my first books I walked into those same stores and thought, look at all of that competition.

To sell your book you need to stand out from that competition. If anyone thinks you can just list a book on Amazon and write a blog and become a best seller you are fooling yourself. There are more than 11 million books listed on Amazon. You need to promote yourself to get noticed. Today’s technology on writing and self-publishing makes it easier to produce a book but harder to sell.

You need to use social media to promote your book but I’ve washed out of my mind the accepted social media paths, which, according to the publishers, that you need a platform, that is Facebook, Twitter and other social media followers. Some publishers aren’t very creative or thoughtful, part of the reason they are going out of business. Two examples:

When I first shopped my first Gettysburg book to a publisher, I was told I would sell less than 500 copies. They would print if I would pay them to do so. This was a traditional publisher that was turning into a vanity press. I didn’t know so at the time. After I finished laughing, actually after a heated exchange, I told them I was breaking off all negotiations. Even though people in the publishing house knew my track record, the publishing house had been sold and they thought about all of the Gettysburg competition. Well the book has sold at least 6 times their estimate – and might be more. Of course I used a traditional publisher.

By the way, you all know that the average sale of a book is less than 200 copies.

Second example concerns a conversation I had with a larger publisher that didn’t accept my book proposal. I went another route with that one. The big publisher was concerned I didn’t have enough social media followers – I do have several thousand but I don’t work at building that audience.

Why? To keep followers you need a lot of content that must be generated almost every day. It might take three years or more before my books are written, researched and published. Frankly I’m not going to take the time to keep those people interested for three years between books. BUT I do keep involved with Facebook, LinkedIn and other groups, especially history ones. I can contribute and have access to thousands of people interested in my books’ subject without the daily grind of keeping everyone happy. Makes sense to me but not to that publisher.

I like to pass along kind words that are said about me and my books. I hate those authors who buy publicity – they a join a group for big money and then each member of the group praises the other person’s book if they like it or not. Sickening and misleading to the public. There are also publicists and organizations that will post glowing words about your book and painting – for a fee. That can be effective and legitimate marketing but again as a smart author/entrepreneur you will have to determine if is cost effective.

Have you heard about the life coach that is charging $15,000 to help authors sell books? How many books will you have to sell to just cover the life coach?

How do you get signings and talks? You work for them and schedule them yourself or use an agent. Remember agents cost money. My publishers will at times get me appearances. My latest book on Gettysburg was published by Schiffer Books here in Chester County. They booked me for my favorite signing – last month in New York City at the Union League. Elegant place, a cocktail reception beforehand, a packed room of people purchasing books for two hours, and a dinner in the Union League’s dining room afterward. Doesn’t get any better than that.

I enjoy meeting people, I enjoying talking with people, I enjoy sharing information with authors and artists and I enjoy research and travel associated with my books and talks.

You need to dispel the thought you are a VICTIM. You aren’t. Again, eliminating the millionaire, talk show host or crooked politician (is that an oxymoron?), we all are in the same boat. We need to work hard, make good decisions and have a realistic expectation of our success. We all dream of a movie from our book or a big gallery show in New York City for our art. Some will succeed and some will not. That doesn’t mean we all shouldn’t try. There are reasons to write almost every book that I discuss with authors.  It may be instructive, it may be family history, it may be therapeutic; there are many reasons.

I can talk about the nuts and bolts of the business side, accounting, sales tax, what to take to signings but I’d rather talk about your projects.

The way I market my books takes a lot of time and effort and energy. As an author you do some marketing, a lot of marketing or no marketing. That is up to you. Just keep your expectations in check.

I began with that equation 6 to 1 and I’ll leave you with another number: 86.

That’s the number of events I did last year.

Questions?

 

November 21, 2017

Remembrance Weekend in Gettysburg demonstrates Americans still honor our county’s history and aren’t intimidated by those wishing to destroy our heritage

GETTYSBURG _ This past weekend many proud Americans braved a driving rainstorm to witness a parade honoring those who fought in the pivotal battle of the Civil War and withstood a cold biting wind to remember one of the greatest speeches ever delivered in this nation, Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.

The weekend patriotic activities took place despite what area police cited as a “credible threat” to disrupt the planned activities and do harm to those attending. No terrorism acts were reported anywhere in the town or national park. Hopefully law enforcement officials are tracking down the person or persons responsible for making the threat and making an arrest.

Police took the threat seriously and the parade route was lined with officers and park rangers looking for any signs of trouble. Large concrete barriers blocked access from side roads to the main parade route. In the days preceding the weekend people wondered if mayhem would disrupt the commemoration. I was involved in several conversations about the threatened violence on Friday.

Saturday’s parade route was shortened because of the threat received by the Gettysburg Times on November 6. The newspaper reported the communication threatened “to disrupt the whole weekend in specific ways.” The parade was not as large as in prior years but the driving rain had a lot to do with the number of participants in the parade and spectators. It is a credit to the thousands standing for an hour or more in the rain to watch those marching units to remember our nation’s history, both the good and bad. There were Confederate groups and Union groups. One of the first Union units in the parade portrayed an African American regiment from the Civil War.

There is a growing discontent among a large segment of American citizens with a small group attempting to rewrite American history.  Supporters of the travesty clearly have little understanding of our heritage. Our educational system is partially responsible for the decline in understanding of the underlying principles of America and allowing superficial interpretations of the past. Citizens are also responsible for not standing up for our heritage.

President Lincoln’s words were remembered Sunday, on the anniversary of the speech. As those attending the event were gathering in the national cemetery, I took a few minutes to walk the battlefield where Pickett’s Charge was repulsed. I replaced American flags blown over by the severe wind and I remembered those who sacrificed so much there.

Of course Lincoln said it best. The following is part of the speech that we all should follow:

“We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.”

The actions of anarchists bent on the destruction of the United States will never, as Lincoln noted, detract from their sacrifices. And we all should be dedicated to advancing the unfinished work. Our first step should be to protect our proud history.

 

November 16, 2017 

          DOWNINGTOWN _ Borough author Bruce Mowday has four book signings scheduled in Gettysburg this weekend in connection with Remembrance activities in observation of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.

“Taking part in Gettysburg events is always an honor,” said Mowday. “This is a great weekend to remember our nation’s history in Gettysburg. The Saturday parade is huge and the event in the national cemetery is moving.”

Mowday’s new book, J. Howard Wert’s Gettysburg will be featured at the signings along with his Pickett’s Charge: The Untold Story and Unlikely Allies: Fort Delaware’s Prison Community In The Civil War.

            Mowday’s schedule includes Friday, November 17 at the Gettysburg Heritage Center, 297 Steinwehr Avenue, Gettysburg, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. On Saturday, November 18 he will be signing at For The Historian, 42 York Street, Gettysburg, from 10:00 a.m. until noon and then back at the Gettysburg Heritage Center from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. On Sunday, November 19 Mowday will sign at the Gettysburg Heritage Center from 10:00 a.m. until noon.

Schiffer Publishing of Atglen just released J. Howard Wert’s Gettysburg. The book details the largest private collection of artifacts from Gettysburg and other historically significant items. “The book also details a great patriotic family,” Mowday said.

Mowday is scheduled to sign copies of the Wert book in New York City at the Union League on December 7. Also, he will give a talk at the Shriners meeting at the Thorndale Inn at 6:00 p.m. on November 21. Mowday will give a presentation on his book on Fort Delaware to the Jersey Shore Civil War Round Table in Toms River, New Jersey, on December 13 at 7:00 p.m.

On November 28 Mowday will talk about his book Jailing The Johnston Gang: Bringing Serial Murderers To Justice at the new Canvas at Valley Forge, 101 Bryce Lane, King of Prussia at 6:30 p.m. The movie At Close Range, based on the Johnston saga, will also be shown.

Mowday’s holiday book signings includes December 9 at 2:00 p.m. at Work2gether during the Downingtown Christmas parade. On Sunday, December 10 he’ll be at the Westtown Winter Carnival at the Oakbourne Park, 1014 South Concord Road, Westtown, from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. On Friday, December 15 Bruce will be at the Downingtown branch of Citadel from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. and at 6:30 p.m. he’ll be signing books at the Bill of Rights Bicentennial dinner in New Holland.

Barnes & Noble, Exton, will host three signings. They are December 16 from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., December 23 from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. and December 24 from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.