Usually a new years resolution is to lose weight, exercise more, blah blah blah, yadda yadda yadda. Well the truth is, I have lost weight, and I will continue to lose weight as I am exercising more. So then, now what? Usually those are the resolutions people pick? I, on the other hand, usually state my new years resolution as thus, “My New Years resolution is to not have a new years resolution.”

My New Years resolution is to not have a new years resolution.

That statement in itself usually negates in own standing, so in one fell swoop I declare and fail at my resolution avoiding the deep regret that follows sometime in February when I realize I failed. Take that destiny!
But this year I thought about what I could resolve to do. Be a better husband? Are you kidding me, I’m an awesome husband, you could ask my wife if I let her speak to you. So maybe this year my resolution should be about me. (After all it’s my blog dammit!) Why should a new years resolution be something we just don’t want to do? Why not pick something we want to do. So my new years resolution for 2010 is … to write more, read more, and do more of the things I love to do.

My new years resolution for 2010 is to do more of the things I love to do.

I love writing, I love reading, I love nature photography, I love caring about the animals in need. These are the things I should resolve to do more of. Now, doesn’t that sound like a prelude to a great year?

So this year, don’t resolve to do something you loathe. Resolve to do something that makes you happy.

I recently hired Joel Samberg, a journalist and public relations writer, to create a press release for my book. This entire experience of writing this book has been a gamble for me. Have I made mistakes? Yes. Have I learned from them? I’d like to think I have. Hiring Joel was another gamble, and I think it was a great move.

After an extensive interview, Joel has created a great press release which is scheduled for release on the 4th of January. He will also be distributing the press release to several magazine, newspapers and third party distribution services.

Here are a few excepts from the press release :

If you’d like to download a PDF of the press releases, you can do it here.
Tale of Eartha press release

Have you purchased a copy of my book “The Tale of Eartha the Sea Turtle”? You may have a collectors item.

Here’s why.

Distribution houses, like Barnes and Noble and Ingram, require the price to be printed on the book, as well as being encoded in the ISBN barcode. In order to do this, I need to modify the cover of the book. That means the print run of the original sixty copies were printed without the price on the book. This makes them unique since all future print runs will be printed with the price.

So, if you have a copy already, then you have a collectors item. Now it may not be worth much more than what you paid right now, but, when the TV show, children’s toy line, and the movie (starring Miley Cyrus as Eartha) is released I’m sure you could sell it to the “Comic Book Guy’ on the Simpsons for a pretty penny.

I have three stories rattling around in my head. As my second children’s book is being illustrated, I have been thinking about other ideas and concepts for new books. Instead of coming up with one idea … I have three. Now comes the hard part, formulating a story that is both entertaining, and contains a message.

I have to admit, ever since I visited the Panther Ridge Conservation Center this past weekend, I’ve been wanting to write a big cat story. Panther Ridge cares for big cats that cannot be released back into the wild. Although the enclosures that are their homes are spacious based on the size of the “cat”, I just feel that telling a story that ends with a big cat back in its enclosure just doesn’t seem right. But, fear not, I am formulating a story idea that will encompass both entertainment, and education that will end on a happy note.

Another story is based on a trip through the Everglades. Ever notice how scared people are of the Everglades? You mention it to some people and they tell you “There’s no way I’d go there.” hmmm, really?

The third story has to do with the importance of healthy eating and exercise, but is written with the “Brothers Grimm” in mind. It has to do with weight loss and obesity, something that many children are now facing.

Now if I could only make a living doing this.

Steve Barancik of www.best-childrens.books.com has written what I think is a great review of “The Tale of Eartha the Sea Turtle”.  He was concerned at first because the book was rather specific in nature, and not a general story. I told him it was intended to be such a story, and here is what he had to say.

Bodenstein’s storytelling is a little heavy-handed for general audiences, but likely perfect for those with a special interest in undersea life – turtles in particular – or parents seeking a book with a message of environmental stewardship.

Me and my heavy handed writing. What the story doesn’t do is tip-toe around the problems that plague our ocean friends.  It’s intended to show how man’s negligence can and will continue to affect our oceans until we do something about it.

Author Bodenstein makes a point of the fact that some humans were responsible for Eartha’s plight, and others for her rescue. His narrator puts it directly to readers, asking, essentially, “Do you want to be one of the good people…or the bad?”

At the end of the book, the child clearly make a decision about how they feel about protecting our oceans most valuable resources, it’s animal life.

You can read Steve’s full review here.

The official bookstore for Totem Tales Publishing, the publisher of The Tale of Eartha the Sea Turtle is open. We are now accepting orders for the book.

Just go to TotemTales.com, or click this link, and shop-away!

Order now, because a year from now there may be a “carpo-tunnel surcharge” for signed books.

Dan

This week I will receive my first copies of  The Tale of Eartha the Sea Turtle. Some of these are promotional copies, others will be sold in my online store. As for promotional copies, I am sending them to turtle care facilities, some aquariums, and some children’s book reviewers. (know any?)

From there marketing will move online, and to promotional copies to other organizations like zoos, cruise lines (they have gift shops) and more.

Of course if anyone knows of someone, a friend, colleague, enemy, or otherwise, that may be able to help promote the sale of the book, please let me know. Any little bit helps.

In other happy news, I’ve started receiving full page sketches for the next book Steven the Vegan. I’ve also started sketching out the story for a third children’s book. This one has to do with the Everglades.

In other news, since AuthorHouse.com has not replied to any of my requests for a refund, I have contacted the Better Business Bureau of Indiana, and the Indiana State Attorney Generals office regarding their actions. All I have requested is a refund for the services they did not provide.

I will post again as soon as the Online Store is open.

Dan

Only days after my book was finalized, it has appeared on Amazon.com! I have to admit, that was pretty fast. I haven’t even finished the shopping cart for my web site yet. I sent Amazon.com some page samples so they can add the “See Inside” option to the book. It seems to sell more books when people can see the inside, especially picture books.

The list price for the book is $12.99. It was suggested to me that the book should be priced $17.99, but I though that to be too expensive for a picture book. On my web site, I’ll be selling the book for $9.99, and $12.99 for a signed copy.  Shipping is about $2.77 via media mail.

As I promised there will be a special package deal on my site called Paulie’s Special. (Paulie is Eartha’s parrotfish friend). The Special includes a signed copy of the book, a Loggerhead Sea Turtle Fact bookmark, Four color postcards of the real Eartha, and an 8 x 10 photograph of Eartha. The deal will sell for $19.99, and $2.00 from every sale will go to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center where Eartha was cared for.

After just over one year, its finally happening. I cannot tell you how excited I am. Some of my family, and a few friends, have already seen and read the book and have given it high praise. My first step, once I receive the books, is to send a few copies to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center to keep in their gift shop. Then, the marketing begins…

Today I received my final proof of my first book, and it was perfect. Over the next two week I will be getting everything setup to start selling the book, and “special deal” online.

I have also been compiling a mailing list of potential retail outlets to solicit the book to. in addition to the official website, the book will also be available on Amazon.com.

This week being Thanksgiving, I guess I can say I am thankful the book is finally done! It’s been a bumpy road, but well worth it. What I’ve learned from the mistakes I’ve make will make my next book go much smoother.

I received some more storyboard sketches for Steven’s book today. As I looked over these storyboards I was trying to decide if I want to post these sketches as sort of a “How it was done.” documentary. This would share with all of you how the process of writing and illustrating a children’s book is done.I know it seems that writing and illustrating is easy, but it actually is an ongoing process that changes and evolves. Recently Ron, my illustrator, and I discussed adding some additional pages to get the visual story across better. These pages were not in the original story outline.

Adding pages adds more to the equation than just more content. You have to take into consideration printing costs, the added weight to the book, and shipping costs. Additional changes may include character changes. Sometimes physical changes to the characters occur later in the development. Those changes impact earlier drawings. For instance, let’s say we we realize that a character should be wearing a specific style of shirt, but we don’t realize this until 15 pages in. So this causes us to redesign the beginning of the book.

Like I said, it’s not as simple as it sounds.

So, what do you think? Should I post the storyboards? Leave comments and let me know.