• Sharing with Writers
• Yarnspinners and Wordweavers

There are four levels of membership from $20

Silver

Gold

Platinum

Star

Authors' Coalition, a group of serious writers both experienced and aspiring, are dedicated to

1) the mutual support and development of each others' careers through the sharing of resources, networking and cross-promotional efforts, and

2) advancing the interests of writers and the writing community in general.

It is our intent to provide services that will augment their efforts to write, promote and support one another successfully. Through the spirit of shared work and activities, members may reap mutual benefit.

Another great book in the Eddie Gilbert adventure series.

www.redenginepress.com

NOTE:  When you join Authors' Coalition, you will receive four newsletters.  The first is Carolyn Howard-Johnson's "Sharing with Writers" which contains tips, tricks and ideas for writing and promoting your books.  It will come to your email address directly.  The second is the "Yarnspinners & Wordweavers" which is a formatted e-zine where you can submit articles, announce your books and share information with other writers.  You can also submit poetry & flash fiction.  It will come to you as a pdf file attached to your email or you may download it here.  "Fiction Flyer" is a newsy letter focused on writers with a wide lens brought to you by Kathe Gogolewski.  It will come to you as an email newsletter. And, "Inkspotters," edited by Betty Dobson, is a letter that encourages submissions and offers reviews.

History, Cross-Promotion and Puzzles:

A little story about how Authors' Coalition came to be

By Joyce Faulkner, Authors' Coalition director

Carolyn Howard-Johnson is a problem solver.  From the time she published her first book, This is the Place, she realized that she wasn't the only author struggling to promote her work with limited resources.  As a retailer, she knew that authors are brands and books are products -- and that no one can be successful unless target audiences are familiar with the brand and know where to find the product.  It didn't take long before she had a 'eureka moment.'  "We have to work together," she says.  "We have to find ways to share costs while taking our message to our audiences."  That's when The Frugal Book Promoter was born.   Shortly after that, Carolyn founded Authors' Coalition -- an organization that focuses on finding ways to help authors cross-promote.

Authors Coalition began with the UCLA/LA Times Book Festival.  Purchasing a booth is beyond the means of most authors, however, by sharing the costs several authors were able to participate in the fair.  However, it soon became clear, that to have enough authors to make the two-day annual event affordable, the booth would be uncomfortably crowded.  Carolyn approached Red Engine Press, an emerging small publisher, to act as AC's first sponsor.  This allowed AC to buy two adjacent booths.  The first year of the arrangement, one half of the dual booth was dedicated to AC authors and the other half to Red Engine Press authors. 

Over time, AC and Red Engine Press began to find ways to share costs and increase promotional options available to all participating authors throughout the year. Now, AC has a web site (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com), blogs (http://sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com and http://authorscoaltion.blogspot.com) , and two newsletters (Sharing With Writers, Yarnspinners & Wordweavers and two assoicaited letters, Inkspotters and Fiction Flyer).  The organization offers two hour signing slots at various fairs and events throughout the year, a catalog sent to bookstores around the country, CDs given away at shows and events.

Last year, AC introduced a popular slide show that was originally intended just for events and speaking engagements -- but now has been modified for participating blogs and web sites too. 

In another cross-promotional project, Carolyn put together The Complete Writer's Journal with co-editors Pat McGrath Avery and Joyce Faulkner which was then published by Red Engine Press.  Authors, agents, publishers and illustrators from around the world submitted quotes and their tag lines.  In total, 100 people participated for free.  Participants could purchase the journal at 50% off of list -- although there was no obligation to buy anything.  The journal was then sold on Amazon and through other outlets.   Authors have used the journal as a gift to bookstore owners at book signings, as prizes for writing contests and as holiday presents.  Some purchased the book in quantity to give to charities like Girls Going Places.  Others sell the journals as companion pieces with their own books.  Each time someone gives it away -- each time someone buys it, each time someone receives it as a gift -- each time someone uses it, one hundred people have a chance to have their words read and their products advertised. 

 Now, AC has come up with a new cross-promotional idea that is free to AC members -- crossword and word search puzzles published in AC and Red Engine Press' associated Newsletter Yarnspinners and Wordweavers.  Anyone one who submits a poem, article or story -- and anyone who buys an ad for Y&W or who sponsors a page -- is included in the puzzle for that edition.  The puzzle is published with the Newsletter itself.  An electronic version is on the Red Engine Press and AC sites -- and if a participant wants to distribute the puzzle to friends or print out and use as giveaways at signings or shows, all they have to do is contact Joyce Faulkner at katieseyes@aol.com.

 Also, a crossword puzzle will be created using the authors and/or their books (as keywords or clues) that participate in any of the promotional activities for the 2008 UCLA/ LA Times Book Festival.  That includes signers and slide show, catalog or cd participants.  This is a free promotional add-on. One thousand copies of the puzzle will be printed out and given away at each 2008 AC event including the UCLA/LA Times Book Festival and the Branson Veterans' Week event.  The puzzle will also be available in electronic format at the AC site and each participant may have a pdf file to print out and use for his/her own events. 

 Ads will be sold to appear on the puzzle flyer or on the online version.  If your organization or business is interested in this, contact Carolyn at Hojonews@aol.com for pricing.