If you already purchased “Amphigorey: 15 books” then this is obviously the next step. It collects 20 of Gorey’s books (ones which are less popular).…

Tim Burton, the prolific artist who has brought his unique macabre style to the mainstream shows off more of his quirky characters in this great short story…

We all know that it’s not the tool but the artist, not the camera but the photographer, not the hammer but the carpenter… but that…

Somewhere in the middle of 2014 in a remote internet world, I met my Monstrous partner in crime, Greg Wright. We first connected via Twitter, exchanging ideas on…

This is a children’s picture book structure break down for Poppy’s Best Paper By by Susan Eaddy and Rosalinde Bonnet. This breakdown will contain spoilers.…

This is a children’s picture book structure break down for The Entertainer by Emma Dodd. This breakdown will contain spoilers. This is a rhyming book!…

Here’s a video cut posted by Jordan Hanzon which only shows the outside scenes from Disney Pixar’s Inside Out. Quite a dramatic change in tone!…

I love puzzle books and Pierre the Maze Detective is one of those visually stunning oversized books in the tradition of Where’s Waldo. You’ll spend hours…

This is a children’s picture book structure break down for Mustache Baby Meets His Match by Bridget Heos and Joy Ang. This breakdown will contain…

This is a children’s picture book structure break down for Loula and Mister The Monster Written and Illustrated by Anne Villenueve. This breakdown will contain…

I know a lot of artists and writers who struggle with staying motivated in their creative endeavors. It’s the same old story and we’ve all heard…

The Inspiring Lessons from Edward Gorey I have a confession to make… It might shock you to know that up until late 2010/2011, I was not at all familiar with the works of Edward Gorey (Gasp!). I wasn’t even really thinking about drawing back then. I was at the infancy of my artistic journey as […]

Doesn’t it just give you the feels?

  The Process of Making A Book Trailer In part 1 of Look Ma! A Book Trailer, we talked about the importance of book trailers as part of your marketing campaign. We also identified some of the different types of book trailers based on style and content. In part 2: Process, we’ll discuss the steps involved in creating a […]

I often hear people say that there’s not enough time to do anything — to finish that creative project, that book, or that art piece. And it’s often true especially for those of us who have regular jobs and must provide for our families. I do my 8 to 5 work day, get home, do some chores, and when everything […]

What is a book trailer and how can I get one?

Book trailers have become a popular part of modern book marketing campaigns. Just like movie or television show trailers, they are a great way of creating buzz and excitement for your soon to be best-selling book. There are many approaches to creating a successful trailer and I’ll be sharing with you some of my ideas.

But do book trailers really work?

Heck Yes, they do! Readers just don’t read… they watch, listen and immerse themselves in the audio-visual nature of popular culture.We live in a multimedia engulfed society, and neglecting visual-audio presentation tool is a big disadvantage to anyone working towards a career in writing and the arts. You are after all a story teller… and creating trailers is just one way of enhancing your audiences experience and emotional connection with the story. In addition, book trailers are great tools for sharing via social media due to its “stickyness” factor.

So let’s get on with it.

First thing is coming up with a plan for your trailer. What kind of trailer are you thinking of creating? What is your budget?

In this post we’ll talk about the different kinds of book trailers. I’ve broken it down into three easy to digest categories.

Let’s take a look.

Live action book trailer

These are the type of trailers that we typically see in movies. You’ll be working with real actors, directors, and video editors to create this slick production. This trailer works great if you want to create a realistic portrayal of your story. Just like a movie, you will have to cast the right actor to portray your characters and find a production team who will transform your vision from paper to screen. Bad acting and sloppy filming can negatively impact your presentation. So you might want to stay away from your nephew with a camera phone (Unless you’re going for that gritty camera phone look).

Think of your costs when producing a live action trailer… you’ll need to budget for actors, make up, equipment, costumes, video editing & production time and even location.

Try reaching out to your publishing company first and see if this type of production is in the budget. The alternative is to reach out to freelance artists or smaller firms who can create your trailer without breaking the bank. This usually means you have to slim down on your visual effects and only film the main scenes that will create the best impact with your audience.

Some writers like to go this route because they can also use the trailer as a tool for pitching their books to movie studios or producers. Not a bad idea, if you ask me.

Graphical trailer

These trailers are primarily composed of typographic and graphic animations with music and voice overs. Think of a slideshow on steroids. You can still create a fantastic trailer without having to blow out your marketing budget. I see a lot of books opting this direction and have done it with great success.

Going this route doesn’t necessarily mean that your trailer has to be a canned production. You can still personalize the trailer by using your own images, photography, and music. And if you’re working with a really good video editor, he can add motion that will make your trailer come to life as good as a live action trailer.

Keep in mind that audio plays a large part in creating the atmosphere of your trailer. Using sound and music properly can “mask” certain elements that you don’t show on screen. For example, in movies they will often use the sound of airplanes to create a airport scene… without showing the airplane itself. Think creatively!

Animated trailers

Animated trailers are a little in between live action and graphic trailers. It’s a mix of motion and movement with the use of animated characters… yet it doesn’t necessarily mean that it takes less time or money to produce.

It is also specialized in a way that it will probably be more effective for certain types of books (for example, children’s books or graphic novels and comics). Instead of actors, you now have to animate drawn characters and background scenes.

If you’re trying to create this type of trailer for a book that doesn’t utilize existing artwork (such as comics), then you will need an artist who will translate your stories and characters into a visual medium. Artists varying styles can also affect the atmosphere of your trailer, make sure to find someone who can portray the emotions you want.

Another factor to consider is how much control you want over the direction of your trailer. If your publishing house is producing the book trailer, they might want to hire a professional team who will create a script that works best to sell your book.

If you’re doing it guerrilla style (that means indie), then you have more control over your production. But at the same time you take on more of the burden and the responsibility for the end result — good or bad. Not everyone can be a director, yet with enough studying and dissection of existing trailers, you’ll slowly see the formula on how it’s done.

In the next blog post, I’ll talk a little bit more about the process of creating book trailers!

A long time ago, before I was telling my stories with illustrations and words, I was a telling them through the use of moving pictures, I was an aspiring filmmaker.

It all started when a friend and I decided we would be the next Tarantino; break out filmmakers, creating cutting edge film. But instead of spending thousands of dollars on film school, we took what little money we had and we were going to do it guerilla style, the indie way.

In the next few months, we drafted a screenplay, auditioned actors, scouted locations, purchased equipment and started filming. We even came up with a hollywood sounding name for our troupe, “The Yuzzi Brothers.” And since we couldn’t take a few months out of our day jobs to make the movie, we wrote a story that took place at night. It would be one of the most intense times of my life. We typically filmed from 8pm to 3am, with just enough sleep to go to work that same morning. Caffeine had become my best friend. A year later, we finally finished our movie and showed it in theaters, in all its flawed glory.

Looking back at the romanticized version of those events, I could honestly say that it was one of the best experiences of my life. We learned a lot about ourselves and about the industry, yet it was not without its challenges. We had actors & crew members who dropped out, our equipment was stolen, myriad of technical issues, schedule conflicts and even injuries. And when you’re on the 8th month of a production, you start to question yourself and your project (or your spouse would). We could have easily given up at any point, but we did not. We kept telling ourselves that we needed to finish.

Starting something new is exciting & fun. And let’s be honest, it’s probably the easiest part. The endless daydreaming of a new project gives us a sense of euphoria. But once the tire hits the pavement and the daily grind of our life gets in the way, that’s when we’re really tested. Self-doubt begins to manifest and we start looking for the off-ramp. We question our ideas, we procrastinate, we revise endlessly. We’re stuck in a never ending loop between unlived expectations and our limited abilities to meet them.

It’s only natural we should strive for perfection. But perfection is that golden goose that if you look at it long enough, it turns into an ugly duckling. That is, in fact, an important part of what makes us creatives. And as we grow and get better, we look back at our work and see the flaws. Yet it’s also important not to get stuck, to keep moving forward, to finish. That is how we grow. I know artists who actually don’t start anything, fearing that the end result will never live up to their expectations. It’s quite unfortunate.

When I feel dismayed, I go back to the reasons why I started. It’s much like reminiscing about my carefree childhood days. Everything seemed possible. I look for that seed of inspiration and use it to re-ignite my inner locomotive.

Sometimes, I realize that I am at that moment in my life incapable of telling the story or drawing that picture. I simply lack the life experience or skills to do so. This doesn’t mean that my idea is lost in the woods, never to be seen. It just means that I can put it in my back pocket and come back to it later. And trust me, I have many of those.

When we were working on our movie, there were so many variables that was ultimately out of our control. We relied on so many people, and to be able to keep it going for a year, and to finish was quite a miraculous thing.

Contrasting that to my current endeavor of writing and illustrating, where everything is really on my shoulders, gives me a unique perspective and set of expectations. I really have no excuse not to finish. It’s all on me. And If I have to spend time away from my family to work on my craft, then I better make it count.

Finishing is important. Once you’ve experienced completing a project that you’ve poured your life into, you stand among the few who have “made it.” You can tip your fedora to the naysayers and show them that you’ve done what you’ve set out to do. You’ve kept your word, your promise; even if it’s just to yourself.

Those who finish are the ones who inspire me the most, because I know how hard it is to get to that point. Not everyone can be a breakout overnight success, but we can sure break out of our walls and create something amazing, and it all starts with mastering the art of finishing.

So put on that thinking cap, adjust your monocle, get a jug of coffee, and dust off that manuscript or picture book. It’s calling your name.

I took some time to guest podcast with a good buddy and award-winning animators Paul Pate & Jim Luhan. Check out part 1 of the podcast as we talk about our current projects, our inspirations and aspirations. I had a blast and I should really do this more often…

Let us know your thoughts if there’s anything specific you want to ask!

https://paulpate.wordpress.com/2015/11/04/17-ken-lamug/

A webcomic version of The Tall Tales of Talbot Toluca is now launched on Tapastic. The aptly named “The Short Tales of Talbot Toluca” features bite size short stories of Talbot’s adventures. In the first issue, Talbot and Damien takes a trip down the candy factory to discover something more ominous happening in candy world. The following issue involves an out of this world adventure with ZUFF the alien as the gang searches for the powerful “Golden Turtle.”

Make sure to follow the web comic at http://www.tapastic.com/series/The-Short-Tales-of-Talbot-Toluca Show your love by subscribing and sharing it with your friends!

If you want to purchase a hard copy of the award-winning adventure book Talbot’s Quest for the Ore Crystals, make sure to get it on Amazon.

 Short Tales Adventure #2 :

The Vegas Valley Book Festival, now in its fourteenth year, is a celebration of the written, spoken, and illustrated word. The festival has networked together a community-wide consortium of cultural organizations and sponsors to offer “a one-stop shopping experience for literature” through a wide range of programs built around sharing resources, developing audiences, advancing the craft of writing, and sharing the joys of reading. This annual festival is the largest literary event in Nevada, drawing more that 10,000 attendees during the season. Since its founding in 2002, the festival has presented over 800 authors and speakers and has produced or sponsored over 500 events, sessions, readings, workshops, and book signings. The festival is free and open to the public.

SAVE THE DATE! OCTOBER 15TH – 17TH, 2015 A CELEBRATION OF IMAGINATION

Kenneth Kit Lamug – Author: A Box Story Kenneth Kit Lamug is a photographer, writer, filmmaker and illustrator based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was born in Manila, Philippines and moved to the U.S. with his parents and siblings in 1996. His art and photography has been showcased in many exhibits throughout the world. Recently, his illustrations won first place of the 2011 Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival Badge Art Competition and 2011 Nevada SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) Identity contest. His photography was also featured in National Public Radio, won the 2011 Best of Show for Black and White Art Night, and was a finalist in the 2010 Photographers Forum Magazine “Best of Photography” International competition. He is a regular contributor for Underneath a Juniper Tree, an online children’s literature magazine. He currently resides in Las Vegas with his wife and three boys. APPEARING 12:30-3 — HENDERSON LIBRARIES CHILDREN’S TENT

Dana Bullinger – Illustrator Picking Apples with Daddy Dana Bullinger is an artist who creates illustrations using paper. Her process begins with sketches of the illustration and color palette selection. The illustration then comes to life using a unique process of layering meticulously cut paper pieced together using glue. Dana illustrated her first picture book, Picking Apples with Daddy, written by Tawnya Shaw, available on Amazon. She lives with her boyfriend and cat in Las Vegas. Find out more about Dana on her website www.danabullinger.wordpress.com APPEARING 10-12:15 — HENDERSON LIBRARIES CHILDREN’S TENT

Jackie Carr – Author: Martyr, Patterson Reeling A Las Vegas native, Jackie Carr is the author of the sci-fi epic Martyr and short story Patterson Reeling. He is currently working on new material that is geared toward the science fiction, drama, and horror genres, with the primary audience of his works being that of young adult and middle grade fiction. APPEARING 10-12:15 — HENDERSON LIBRARIES ADULT AUTHOR TENT

Noriko and Don Carroll – Author/Photographer First Flight: A Mother Hummingbird’s Story Noriko and Don Carroll are a husband-and-wife creative team of photo-illustrators. They moved from New York City to Las Vegas in 2002, never expecting that their first project literally would come to roost on their own back porch. Together, Noriko and Don wrote and illustrated Happy Birthday, the Cat. Don is also the coauthor of Focus on Special Effects. APPEARING 10-12:15 — HENDERSON LIBRARIES ADULT AUTHOR TENT

Stephen Murray – Author Chapel of Eternal Love: Wedding Stories from Las Vegas Author Stephen Murray was born in England, raised in Southern Africa and has travelled throughout the world. The software company owner shares some poignant, heart-wrenching and humorous, fictional stories of couples who tie the knot in a Las Vegas wedding chapel in his novel “The Chapel of Eternal Love: Wedding Stories from Las Vegas.” APPEARING 10-12:15 — HENDERSON LIBRARIES ADULT AUTHOR TENT

Paul Papa – Author It Happened in Las Vegas: Remarkable Events that Shaped History and others. Paul W. Papa is an American storyteller who has lived in Las Vegas for more than 20 years. He started his writing career as a security officer for the historic Sands Hotel & Casino. It was through documenting the numerous activities that occurred on the hotel property that Paul developed a love for writing true stories about uncommon events—the tales of America. In Paul’s books you will find fascinating stories that are uniquely American, presented in a way that makes them both engaging and informative. When not at his keyboard lost in an intriguing tale, Paul can be found on the trails of Bootleg Canyon riding his mountain bike, hiking around Red Rock Canyon or on the waters of the Colorado in his kayak. APPEARING 12:30-3 — HENDERSON LIBRARIES LIBRARY ADULT AUTHOR TENT

Katie Salidas — Las Vegas Native, Katie Salidas is a Jill of all trades. Mother to three, wife to one, and slave to the craft of writing, she tries to do it all, often causing sleep deprivation and many nights passed out at the computer. Author of the Immortalis series, Chronicles of the Uprising, and various other paranormal works; wiring is her passion, and she hopes that her passion will bring you hours of entertainment. http://www.katiesalidas.com APPEARING 10-12:15 — HENDERSON LIBRARIES ADULT AUTHOR TENT

Morgan St. James – Author A Corpse in the Soup (Silver Sisters Mystery Series) and Bumping Off Fat Vinny, among other fiction and non-fiction titles. A frequent speaker and panel member at conferences, writer’s groups and events she currently has fourteen books in publication. She currently resides in Las Vegas, with her husband and Dylan the Dog who rules the household. She is on the Board of Writers of Southern Nevada, and belongs to multiple writers’ groups. She has written over 600 published articles about the business and craft of writing. Her columns in Examiner.com were so well received that she wrote Writers’ Tricks of the Trade, as a helpful handbook for writers at all career stages. APPEARING 12:30-3 — HENDERSON LIBRARIES ADULT AUTHOR TENT

Danielle Wagasky – Author Living a Beautiful Life on Less: The Blissful and Domestic Guide to Food, Fun, and Finances Danielle is a self-proclaimed budgeting diva, who has learned through experience how to make frugal living work. She started her blog, Blissful and Domestic, in 2009 as a way to document her frugal journey. Little did she know it would turn into a labor of love, where she shares daily tips and tricks to help people learn to create a beautiful life on less. She continues to share this knowledge through teaching others how to budget in her community and at church. She lives in Henderson, Nevada with her Hubby and two redheads.

APPEARING 10-12:15 — HENDERSON LIBRARIES ADULT AUTHOR TENT

Over a year ago, I worked and finished a whimsical macabre children’s story called The Stumps of Flattop Hill. It has been recently acquired by One Peace Books and will soon hit the bookshelves near you. Make sure to follow my twitter and facebook to stay updated on when this will happen. I’m very excited and looking forward to getting this to all the Stumps fan out there.

About One Peace Books

We are a publisher that specializes in visually compelling literature. Our publishing model is to provide contemporary and unseen Japanese literature to the western world. We possess a commitment to strong design and create highly visual work that we hope will help impact our world.

We are backed by two successful Japanese publishers with a combined total of over 20 years in Japanese publishing. These companies makeup two percent of the entire Japanese market, and are ranked at number eleven in the industry.
We believe that quality literature should reach people all over the world, regardless of borders or race. Therefore we also provide management for international publication, not only of our own books, but for other progressive publishers from Japan as well.

Our president Ayumu Takahashi established One Peace Books is 2006, together with his friends from Sanctuary Books. Our titles are distributed thoughout North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. All titles are available worldwide.

It’s interesting to me how some ideas take time to marinate, while others click right away. The Halloween Circus concept came late last year after the Quest For The Ore Crystals. The story concept was entirely different at the time. After a while, the project went to the back burner until recently. Out of nowhere the genie hit me on the head and I scripted the first draft of Halloween Circus.

One of the fun parts for me is the creation of the cover of a new project. Who knows if this cover will stick or not, but it was enjoyable to work on. Check out the time-lapse video below and let me know your thoughts. Ciao.

Here’s the final image from this session:

The first of two beautifully lavish books created to celebrate the distinctive designs behind the Adventure Time title cards. Combining sketches, works in progress, revisions and final title card art, the book will take readers on a visual guide of the title card development, with quotes from each episode and commentary from the artists – Pendleton Ward, Pat McHale, Nick Jennings, Phil Rynda, and Paul Linsley.

• Hardcover: 111 pages
• Publisher: Titan Books (September 23, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1783292873
• ISBN-13: 978-1783292875

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Big Hero 6 is the story of Hiro Hamada, a brilliant robotics prodigy who must foil a criminal plot that threatens to destroy the fast-paced, high-tech city of San Fransokyo. This new title in our popular The Art of series, published to coincide with the movie’s U.S. release, features concept art from the film’s creation—including sketches, storyboards, maquette sculpts, colorscripts, and much more—illuminated by quotes and interviews with the film’s creators. Fans will love the behind-the-scenes insights into Disney’s newest action comedy adventure.

• Hardcover: 168 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (October 28, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1452122210
• ISBN-13: 978-1452122212

We are excited to announce that the all-ages  adventure book, The Tall Tales of Talbot Toluca – Quest For The Ore Crystals, is the recipient of a 2014 Moonbeam Children’s Award. The kickstarter funded project combines the fun visual style of comics with interactive puzzles and games, resulting in an all out adventure for all ages. Now available for purchase via our online shop and also on Amazon.com

 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards Results

“Celebrating Youthful Curiosity, Discovery and Learning through Books and Learning”

Jenkins Group is proud to announce the winners of the 2014 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards. Launched in 2007, the awards are intended to bring increased recognition to exemplary children’s books and their creators, and to celebrate children’s books and life-long reading. Congratulations to all the winners!

This year’s Moonbeam Awards medal ceremony will be held in conjunction with the 5th annual Traverse City Children’s Book Festival, on Saturday, November 8, 2014.

Listed below are the Moonbeam Spirit Award winners, followed by the seventh annual 2014 Moonbeam Awards results, listed by category, and Ebook category winners.

Creating books that inspire our children to read, to learn, and to dream is an extremely important task, and these awards were conceived to reward those efforts. Each year’s entries are judged by expert panels of youth educators, librarians, booksellers, and book reviewers of all ages. Award recipients receive gold, silver and bronze medals and stickers depicting a mother and child reading and silhouetted by a full moon.

Congratulations to all the winners!

http://www.independentpublisher.com/article.php?page=1862