vikiking

” Judith Briles is a powerful locomotive who will get your train on the track and send it all the way to publishing. You have a full team guiding you heart to head and onto your completed project.”

Viki King
How to Write a Movie in 21 Days

cameronfay

“Judith Briles is one of the best resources in the publishing industry to help you create and sell your book. Her knowledge, insight and connections to industry experts provide the ability for you to not just create a great book but actually sell it and make money doing it.”

Cameron Fay
Regional Sales Manager, Friesens Corp.

rhondaspellman

“Judith Briles, aka The Book Shepherd, is a true Shepherd of her flock. When I first hired Judith I thought I was “almost there”. I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I had only just begun. I now consider myself transformed into much more than I had envisioned becoming. The best part: we’ve only just begun!”

Rhonda Spellman
The Journey, Home from Autism

lorendue

“When I came to Dr Briles I was uncertain as what I was going to do, however, through her diligent guidance and clear direction I was able to get my project back on track and produce an award winning book. Dr Briles has put in place all the tools necessary for success. It takes a person who is willing to learn, look, listen and receive instruction from the master of book production – Dr Briles.”

Dr Loren Due
Don’t Say a Word about This

davidhancock

“Successful books don’t just happen. As a publisher, I can always tell when an author has had guidance vs. delivering a manuscript unassisted. The books that Judith Briles has steered our way have been award-winning and successful in their markets. It’s not an accident or coincidence. She works closely with her authors, from conception to structure to the “look” of the finished book. Her authors know what to expect, when they are expecting. Her publishers know what they will get.”

David L. Hancock
Founder, Morgan James Publishing

“Thank you for all of the valuable information I learned from working with you. My only regret is not signing up sooner!”

Rita Zamora
Making Referrals a Reality

domtesta

“A shepherd is defined as one who “protects, guides, and watches over.” That’s exactly what Judith Briles brings to your book and/or speaking project. She won’t write your book for you, but she protects you from making senseless mistakes, she guides you through the meticulous process, and she watches over your journey from beginning to end. Working with Judith is one of the best investments I’ve made in my business.”

Dom Testa
The Galahad series

marilynvanderbur

“I will be grateful, always, to Judith Briles for mentoring me – the only mentor I have ever had! She has had such a positive impact on my life. I try – every single day – to pass that gift on…”

Marilyn Van Derbur
Miss America by Day

marapurl

“Judith Briles—best-selling author and sought-after national speaker in her own right—is also generous to a fault in sharing her hard-earned publishing savvy. As the Colorado Book Shepherd, she’s unique in that she doesn’t do the work for you. Instead, she teaches, mentors and leads the way, empowering her clients along the otherwise treacherous trails of bringing a book first to press, then to market, and ultimately into the hands of targeted readers.”

Mara Purl
Milford Haven series

rickfrishman

“Publishing consultants should know publishing inside and out. Few do. Judith Briles does. She has worn many hats—she’s published with major New York houses, then broke away and created her own imprint; has successfully published over 20 books and sold in excess of 1,000,000 copies; understands niche publishing and marketing; has created publicity campaigns for her own work Publishing consultants should know publishing inside and out. Few do. Judith Briles does. She has worn many hats—she’s published with major New York houses, then broke away and created her own imprint; has successfully published over 20 books and sold in excess of 1,000,000 copies; understands niche publishing and marketing; has created publicity campaigns for her own work that landed her on Oprah, Donahue, CNN and even grabbed a cover story in People magazine; she’s penetrated the foreign rights market with her work in 16 countries to date; she has guided and coached many others from creation to completion of their work; she has created and chair several publishing conferences; and she has successfully turned several publishing disasters into successful outcomes for their authors. Judith Briles is the Book Shepherd.”

Rick Frishman
Exec. VP, Morgan James Publishing
Founder, Planned TV Arts

victoriamunro

“Judith Briles is one of the most creative people I’ve ever worked with. She has an amazing wealth of knowledge and experience in the book publishing and marketing arenas, as well as a highly successful track record with her own books. She generously shares her valuable network of contacts in the industry. She knows how to create profitable strategies to publish and market books, is able to quickly and accurately understand an author’s work and offer clear, constructive suggestions

“Judith’s consulting services provide incredible value. I heartily recommend her.”

Victoria Munro
The Small Biz Balancing Act

carriebrownwolf

“Not knowing where to begin can be daunting. Until you meet Judith. Working with Judith Briles helped move my book from the computer screen to the printed page.”

Carrie Brown-Wolf
Soul Sunday

brianjud

“Judith Briles is one of the most strategically creative, professional and competent people I have met in my 20+ years in book publishing.”

Brian Jud
How to Make Real Money Selling Books and Beyond the Bookstore

lindasmith

“Judith Briles was a moving force in the development of my book; from the perfect tag line to her perfect edits to sharing all of her perfect resources. Above and beyond all of those very important contributions, Judith’s support and encouragement kept me moving, working and motivated to get my book the Power of Rituals for Women from a dream to a reality. Thank you Judith!!”

Linda Ann Smith
Power of Rituals

“I want to thank you for all your priceless knowledge and expertise that you shared with me to help me to create such a wonderful Product line and book! Amlavi LLC and Iris and Her Amazing Garden would not be so popular among our Fans and their children if it was not for your coaching and publishing advice. I can’t believe how much fun I had in your groups and individual meetings nor the amount of time you saved me!”

Dayn Conrad
Iris and Her Amazing Garden

carolkates

“Judith Briles is an incredible coach. She is the most knowledgeable person I have met in the book business. Her workshops are informative, well-organized and fun and give budding authors inspiration as well as encouragement. Judith sets high standards for herself and also her clients—she is never afraid to tell it like it is. She encourages her clients to be their personal best. Judith’s vast knowledge and experience in both publishing and marketing make her an invaluable resource. She takes a personal interest in the authors she works with; and despite a very busy work schedule, she is only a telephone call away when problems arise and need immediate solutions. I would highly recommend Judith Briles.”

Carol Ann Kates
Secret Recipes from the Corner Market

joanmcwilliams

“Judith Briles is my BOOK SHEPHERD and has been for many years. She guided me through my first book, The PeaceFinder—Riley McFee’s Quest for World Peace. She is now helping me publish my husband’s autobiography as well as a book I have written on parenting plans for divorced parents. It would be very difficult to get through the publishing maze without her. She knows the business, has amazing vision, and is remarkably creative. She can spot errors in an instant, which saves money!

“I have enjoyed getting to know Judith and count her as a friend as well as a mentor. Working with her has been my good fortune.”

Joan McWilliams
The Peace Finder—Riley McFee’s Quest for World Peace
Creating Parenting Plans That Work

lynnhellerstein

“Judith not only saved my book, she helped me create a best-seller! Her energy, wisdom, support, insights, humor and willingness to uphold her commitment were inspirational. As a successful author and publisher, Judith guided me through my journey as a first time author and publisher. She kept me moving through the publishing process, jumping over hurdles and avoiding many pitfalls.

“Not only was Judith instrumental in my writing and editing process, she coached me on how to enter into the world of niche marketing—from presentations to press releases and marketing strategies.

“I have recommended Judith to many of my professional colleagues and other authors who are looking for assistance in writing or publishing. I thank Judith for joining me on my fascinating journey of becoming an author!”

Lynn F. Hellerstein, O.D., FCOVD, FAAO
See It. Say It. Do It! The Parent’s & Teacher’s Action Guide to Creating Successful Students & Confident Kids

jimhall

“You just finished a masterpiece, just put your creative passion into it, and now don’t know what to do about it? Call for the assistance of Judith Briles, The Book Shepherd. Judith has the knowledge at her fingertips from taking your idea and putting it into words to finding the right editors and the right printers. Need advice on how to market your book? She has a myriad of ideas and knowledge of the ways to do it. Judith is an extraordinary woman who will be YOUR personal shepherd.

“She has been there for us through good and bad, happiness and frustration. We don’t know what we would do without her calmness—we sometimes feel max-frustration.”

Georgann and Jim Hall
Parachuting for Gold in Old Mexico

danpoynter

“Judith Briles knows publishing. She cuts through the myriad of details and snafus that authors face, saving them thousands of dollars in the publishing process.
Judith has authored and published more than 20 books, won multiple awards and has converted her expertise into savvy, doable strategies for authors who want to create, achieve and be financially successful.”

Dan Poynter
The Self-Publishing Manual

greggodek

“I can’t think of another person who has the breadth of experience that Judith does, when it comes to books, publishing, writing–and the art and business that swirls around all of these concepts.”

“Judith knows this biz from every angle: As a writer, editor, publisher, speaker, consultant and entrepreneur. She’s also fabulously creative and wonderfully honest. She’s a breath of fresh air an industry full of poseurs.”

Greg Godek
1001 Ways to be Romantic and The Simple Simon series

susanmead

“If you need a firm, yet compassionate, kick in the bum to get your writing project completed and out the door, Judith Briles is not only the clear choice—but the greatest value. Don’t spend a lot of money on a bunch of different consultants on writing and publishing; work with Judith first to help you create the best team for your writing project and increase your efficiency. Her salons with other authors cannot be beat, with one-on-one follow-up to keep you on track.”

Susan E. Mead, M.H.
Take Back Your Body

annesalisbury

“Wow… your Salons are great! Thank you. We have a good focus now to move ahead.
You are a wise teacher. We appreciate you!”

Greg Meyerhoff and Anne Salisbury, PhD, MA, MBA
Eureka! and The Eureka Factor!

annkochenburger

“One of the smartest decisions I have ever made was hiring Judith as my Book Shepherd. I had a story to tell, but no idea how to proceed beyond the completion of my manuscript. Judith guided me through revision, recommended an excellent editor and made contacts to publishers, all of which ultimately led to a publisher for Out Of Focus…Again. I admire Judith not only for her expertise, but also for her straight forwardness. She is no nonsense and tells it like it is which is what those of us who want to see our words in print completely appreciate. She saved me much time and thousands of dollars, and is the reason my completed book is of the quality I wanted. I continue to seek Judith’s advice as I promote my book and am currently writing a second one.”

Ann Kochenberger
Out Of Focus…Again

lorihanson

“I called Judith when I had issues with an editor on my first book. She was exactly what I needed to rebuild my confidence, get me on track and help me put together a publishing team that works with me. Having Judith as my mentor I’ve been successful in accomplishing many things in a small amount of time. If you want quick results, straight answers and a no BS way to get your book to market successfully. Call Judith!”

Lori Hanson
It Started with Pop-Tarts™

janestanfield

“After publishing my book, I knew I needed help marketing not only the book, but myself. I looked to Judith because she exemplified what I am in the process of becoming, an accomplished speaker, author, and a successful and heart-filled business woman. Under her tutelage, I am expanding into national markets and just yesterday, appeared on a TV News show. If you are ready to take yourself from hobby to professional, Judith is the woman who will walk next to you along your path to success.”

Jane Stanfield
Where Is She Heading

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Author YOU! Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms is a Triple Book Award Winner!

                     I  was honored with several awards—triple wins—this month for:

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Author YOU! Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms is the Winner in the Writing & Publishing category of the 2013 National Indie Excellence Awards.

Author YOU! Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms is the Winner in the Writing & Publishing category of the 2013 International Book Awards.

Author YOU! Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms is the Bronze IPPY Winner in the Writing & Publishing category of the 2013 International Book Publishers Awards.

My amazing team consisted of: Nick Zelinger of NZ Grapics designed the cover and interior; Don Side created the whimsical illustrations; John Maling the editing and Georgann Hall the final cold-eye editing;  and the first printing was done by Tom Campbell with King Printing—all Author U members. All shared my vision, I couldn’t have done it without them.

judith-105-Edit                 

Who’s in Your Village? … Who Are You Going to Thank?

Who’s in Your Village? … Who Are You Going to Thank?

Everyone … That’s Who!

globe and village

One of the last items on the book publishing “to do” list is to create the Acknowledgement Page … the Thank Yous to the team that assisted you in creating your baby. These are the people who got you here … don’t ignore them. Think in the narrative … let your readers know what your team did to get your book birthed.

An Acknowledgement Page is not a Dedication Page—those are usually short, minimal words and don’t include an entire village. Acknowledgements are different.

Many authors start with their family and friends, and forget the designers, consultants, printers and anyone who was a massive encourage in getting their book done. Don’t.

Let’s start with the obvious:

Family: Parents, kids, siblings, aunts, uncles. Family. They are a tremendous part—from giving you “time away” to create and finish your book—to do errands for you so you …

Surfing the Publishing Wave

Twenty plus years ago, one of my author friends coined one of my favorite book titles: Sacred Cows Make the Best Burgers. It’s all about change and slashing through the things that continually hold people and companies back. A few years ago, I ran into Bob Kriegel at a conference we were both speaking at. He was still talking about burgers and he reminded me of a story he told me long ago about surfing and change. As I think about his works, they fit perfectly with today’s author.

Huge “waves of change,” are barreling in from every direction and shaking up the basic foundations of everything we thought we knew and know about publishing. There isn’t a week that goes by that some new tidbit has come to the surface. For some authors, that new tidbit has the capability of capsizing them.

surfer under wave

With the “e”volution of the past few years, these publishing change waves will continue to increase and …

Are You the Whale or the Sardine?

Are You the Sardine in the Sea?

Yep, there are millions of books out there … is yours contributing to book pollution … or do you have a unique voice, something new to bring to the party, a twist to something old … in other words, can you break from the pack? Or, will you continue to be a sardine in the vast sea?

sardine in the sea

And the answer is … yes indeed.

There are a variety of ways to stand out from the crowd. Start with:

1. Decide you want to do it. Good idea … It will take some effort on your side to shine above, to create the hook and twist that allows others to see you in a different way. It doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune in the process … what it does mean is that you have to bring some vision and passion to the process. Tis also a good idea to go with …

Book Publishing: Persistence, Perseverance and Passion … That’s the Ticket

Persistence, Perseverance and Passion … That’s the Ticket

Two publishing scenarios …do you choose self-publishing/independent or traditional? … that’s the question.

Here’s an astonishing fact: Three books on the top 10 titles on the Combined Print and E-Book Fiction Best Seller List last fall were self-published: #4 Blind Faith by CJ Lyons, #5 The Mill River Recluse by Darcie Chan, and #6 The Abbey by Chris Culver. All published under the own imprints—all very successful.

Self-publishing is increasing exponentially.  It has moved into the ranks of the honorable—authors who felt that … and publishers who believed—that New York was the only true way to publish are quickly becoming the dinosaurs of the literary world.

Publishing your own books isn’t easy. You still have to write a good book and sell it largely on your own. You have to work your tush off … no exceptions. But it’s faster, you have more control over it, and you get a bigger share …

Stop the Insanity … Either Market Your Book or Don’t Write It

Stop the Book Insanity …
This Blog started with an email from an author–he didn’t want to put a dime into marketing his book–he hadn’t put the first dollar forward yet that I knew of, but he was pulling the plug … and he was working on the second book in the series, paying a very high priced editor to morph some of his book into a “woman’s” version. I was holding a spot for him at the early bird rate for the Author U Extravaganza in Denver because he told me was coming and to reserve one for him–a spot where one of the premier workshops was on the verge of being sold out and there was another month to go for registrations. I wanted to throw up. I could only conclude that his brain had gone to mush.

Stop the Insanity

Authors sometimes don’t want to hear what works in creating a successful book campaign—campaigns that include the creation, the marketing …

Book Success: The Magic of Perseverance

The Magic of Perseverance

Sometimes it’s not easy being an author … there’s rejection—sometimes in a cascading abundance; sometimes we authors feel that everything attempted is a massive flop; sometimes we think we should be committed for spending the time and money in creating our books; sometimes we think there’s no freakin way we can sell any; and sometimes we just think …

But then, a nudge comes into play. You love your topic. The cover makes you happy. You remember the unbelievable sense of pride when you held that first book in your hand. A kind word, email, or note comes your way that you’ve made a difference, solved a problem or just provided a new fan with a terrific story.

Authoring … what a journey. Highs and lows. Hopes and fears. Tears and joy. And a journey that requires perseverance. Webster’s defines perseverance as continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.

Isn’t …

Book Marketing–Why You Must

Your Book Success Is Up to You … and ONLY You!

This week, I send three emails to three separate authors that I had shepherded and agreed to co-publish their books about the lack of sales. Publishers don’t love the term, “lack of sales.” None of these authors should have got the “Wake up and smell the book roses … possible death toll bell” from me.

I hated writing them … I hated sending them.

And, I had to do it. As the publisher, because it’s business. As The Book Shepherd, because they chose to ignore the hours of brainstorm about strategies to market, position and sell their books. As the publisher, I got the books into national distribution at all major channels—even Barnes and Noble ordered them.

And they failed. Two of them have done zip in marketing support. ZIP. The third did an announcement on her Facebook page and has created a few speaking engagements. Granted, those sold …