BLOG CLOSING

Hello everyone. I wanted to let you all know that we have recently completed a massive overhaul on our web site at www.800publishing.com and with the new and upgraded website, is a built in blog.

So please go to our web site and click the blog button on the bottom right corner and you can see it. Thus we are ceasing the operation of this blog. Our new blog allows us more freedom, and also a better ability to post imagery, links and even downloadable files.

So see you on the other side...

New Blog

2 Moon Press is not going to be posting on this blog anymore. We have on June 15 presented our new web site and part of that web site is our new on site blog.

So we ask you go to the site located at www.800publishing.com

See you on the other side...

Come Join Us On Facebook

We have been on Facebook for a bit, and would like to extend an invite to anyone who would like to LIKE our page and follow what we are up to.

2 MOON FACEBOOK PAGE

Anthology for charity

2 Moon Press is putting together an Anthology of tales, and all of hte proceeds will be given to the Oaklawn Hospital Cancer center. 2 Moon Press last year donated audio books, normal books, and CD players to the Oncology Center, and this year we thought why not do something different.

So watch out in June for a very cool book of stories, and pick one up and help support those that are truly in need of help.

QR Codes

2 Moon Press is breaking new and innovative ground with something new and exciting. Ever hear of a "QR" Code? Well this is a bar code, but not a average bar code.

 

This is a QR... What you do is scan it into your phone using a free app for QR Codes. What they do is take you to a web site. This one takes you someplace interesting. And, no it is no to 2 Moon. We are placing these on the backs of all of our books, and they will take the potential reader to either the authors web site, or to their video advertisement.

How cool is that.

Publishing is not an overnight process

We have in these past two years grown, expanded services, and have had the pleasure and honor of publishing some of the best indie author written books we feel that are available anywhere.

However as we grow and as word spreads about us we are running into a unique problem. That problem is the demand for overnight publishing. No, I don't mean literally, however I do mean demands or should I say expectations from some authors that their book be done quickly. I always use a saying...

Do you want it quick, or do you want it done right?

Simple question, as when people are rushed, and allow themselves to be rushed, errors can happen, and frankly we don't like errors. Books are judged on their writing, just as much as presentation, and the way they are done. When your publisher is rushed you WILL run the risk of having an error in your book. So to all of you prospective authors, realize please that a good job, a job that is done with care and concern, takes time....

Editing a great commentary...

One of my editors, Robin wrote this brilliant piece on writing.com, where she is a moderator and mentor to thousands of aspiring writers.. This is something every author needs to read...
_______________

Hello.  My name is Robin  and I am one of the editors at Two Moon.  I am a published author and playwright, a former college professor and an experienced editor.  I have been working in the publishing and/or advertizing industry for over thirty years.

Editing is one of the most important steps on the way to having your book published!  An editor is a fresh eye and someone who is objective.  My aim is be sure your book is the best that you are capable of writing as well as having it be as marketable as possible. 

 I’m not a glorified spell checker.  A spell checker can only certify that the words you’ve chosen to use are spelled correctly, but it cannot tell you if you’ve used the correct word—for example:  their, there or they’re; it or it’s; past or passed; or accept or except.  It cannot tell you if you’ve used the appropriate tense, syntax or punctuation. A spell checker can’t tell you that you’ve changed your point of view mid sentence, or if you’ve written a structurally sound paragraph.  It won’t tell you that you’ve started the last ten sentences with the same word or repeatedly used the same word when using synonyms would add more to what you are saying.  Run on sentences, incomplete phrases and unclear communication are other pitfalls that a spell checker isn’t capable of addressing.  This is my job; addressing issues like these and others.

An editor is not in place to change your vision, nor to change your story.  I am here to make sure your book isn’t full of errors.  If I have to read a sentence several times to understand what you are trying to say, then chances are your readers will too.  This is called a ‘stopper,’ and is not what you want a reader to do.  Too many  and a reader will not finish your book, neither will they buy more by an author who does this nor recommend it to a friend. Literary reviewers will pick up on issues like these in a heartbeat and focus a review on deficiencies rather than how wonderful and intriguing a story you’ve written.

An author/editor relationship is one of teamwork; working together to be sure your book is the best it can be.  I enjoy working with my authors and I understand the process and emotional concerns from both sides. 

Bottom line is that all concerned want your book to sell.  Our suggestions and input are focused on your book being such that it reaches its full marketing potential.

Website Changes Coming

We have super news for everyone who goes to our web site.

We are adding some interesting pages to our web site for all to see. We are adding a video page, with videos of our events, staff, and other cool and interesting things.

We also are adding a Staff page, where you will be able to see the faces behind the names, read a little about us and what we do. So stay tuned for some cool and interesting changes at www.800publishing.com

2 Moon is adding Staff

2 Moon Press is adding three people to it's staff in the coming week. We will be adding a Graphic Designer who will be doing book covers, posters and business cards. We also are adding a dedicated Event Coordinator, who will be setting up a more varied group of events, and finding new and interesting venues for our authors. We will also be adding a Book Layout Specialist, who will be providing excellent high quality layouts for our authors.

We feel that with these three new additions to the 2 Moon family, we will be able to surpass 2010 in service, and end book quality. We will be posting names and photos on here once we are finished with the hiring process.

Publishing Contest Winners

2 Moon Press would like to announce the winners of their publishing contest. We had a contest where we selected four lucky winners of a fully paid for publishing package.

These students have written a myriad of interesting subjects, and we will be have a huge party for them, once we have their books done in the coming months.

The winners are as follows.

Allyson Hoffman - Marshall High School.

Elizabeth Kapinski - Marshall Academy.

Ian Bush - Harper Creek.

Morgan Elmer - Bellevue High School.

Dirty Business Of Internet Fraud

Yes internet schemes even hit book publishers! Recently we had an author contacted about an Australian company purchasing books from her, they wanted 300, so she gave it to us to handle. Well... The Australian company turned into a Cyprus company.

Obviously this raised our alarms, after many emails this "company" gave us credit card information complete with numbers, names, and even the Cvv codes for the cards for two individuals. We of course was asked to charge the cards, and then forward 800.00 dollars to THEIR "freight shipper" via Western Union...

Well, of course this is a scam, and we contacted the banks for the cards. Scary thing was they didnt care, didnt even care to take the information. Their Card holders are being scammed, and there was no venue to have the card stopped, blocked, I even asked the operators, if they could call the holders to let them know. Answer Nope!!!

So in the end we saw it for what it was, the Credit Card company doesn't care, and most likely these cards will be sent to someone else who WILL charge them... So we live in a society where fraud and duplicity is common, where the very banks consider the losses part of doing business.

In the end who loses..... Everyone.

2011 Is now here

Well the Holidays are officially over. The new year is here, so it is time to look to 2011 with a new and determined eye. A new year affords an interesting chance for everyone, no matter if you are an author or publisher. As a publisher our resolutions are simple to say.

Market our authors books more aggressivley.
Expand our services.
Look at our inadequacies, and make efforts to make them strengths.
Attend more events and trade shows.

Where will 2 Moon Press be on January 1st, 2012 is an interesting question? We are determined to be at a place where we look at 2011 with pride. Will there be bumps in the road, I am sure there will be. However as in life, it is not the problem that defines the business. What defines the business is how they deal with that problem.

So here is to a 2011 full of possibilities.