The book industry reports that 78% of the titles published come from small/self-publishers. With combined annual revenues of less than $50 million, these publishers have limited publicity budgets and their authors are expected to do their own promotion. Where can they turn and learn?

Now authors with books to promote may ask questions of nearly 150 author experts whose specialties run the gamut from romance to foot surgery.

Assembled from the thousands of subscribers to Book Promotion Newsletter, the experts include authors, editors, book reviewers, book coaches, ghostwriters, publicists and publishers.

This free service is hosted by Maureen McMahon, author of romantic suspense novels, Return of the Gulls, Shadows In the Mists and others, and Francine Silverman, author of Book Marketing from A-Z (Infinity Publishing 2005), a compilation of the best marketing strategies of 325 authors.

The “Ask the Experts” link is on the left side of Maureen’s Moonspinners Writer’s Page. Once at the Expert Site, visitors may ask a book marketing question of any of the experts. Responses will be emailed back to the inquirer within 3-5 working days.

Lemon Drops Press is also hosting a new bulletin board on which visitors may ask book marketing questions. Both registered users and anonymous guests can post questions by clicking on “Marketing with Fran” in the community forum and then on “new topic” on the new page that opens. There are fields for a username, subject, and message, as well as a selection of fonts and emoticons (expressive faces). When finished, the user simply clicks the “submit” button and his or her question is posted. After Fran posts a reply on the forum, the person who asked the question as well as all other visitors to the Lemon Drops Press website will be able to view both the question and the response. “In this way,” says host Lana Jordan, “the entire community benefits from the individual questions.”

Note: this release was published per the request of Francine Silverman, editor/publisher of The Book Promotion Newsletter, a bi-weekly ezine for authors of all genres, and author of Book Marketing from A-Z (Infinity Publishing 2005) ; I’m a subscriber to the newsletter.

Cynsational News & Links

The June 2005 Children’s Literature Network newsletter suggests that two books recommended on cynsations are getting Newbery buzz. Learn more about Shakespeare’s Secret by Elise Broach (Henry Holt, 2005) and Last Dance On Holladay Street by Elisa Carbone (Knopf, 2005); then surf over to see the list. Look for an upcoming interview with Elise Broach on cynsations.

Thanks to Mitali’s Fire Escape for the link to cynsations and to Dear Diary and Vaughn Zimmer for their comments on my LJ syndication.