DIY Marketing with Books-a-Million

Birmingham-based authors, learn how to be your own publicist at the next See Jane Write event.

On Tuesday, June 16 we’re partnering with Books-a-Million to bring you a FREE workshop on how to market your book. You’ll also learn more about BAM! Publishing and Books On-Demand — which could be just what you need if you’re looking to self publish your next book.

The event will feature talks by Chanda Temple, co-author of the Birmingham’s Best Bites cookbook and A.D. Lawrence, author of the book When the Lioness Roars.

chanda.temple_1389496170_89

Chanda Temple worked as a journalist for nearly 20 years before switching gears to public relations in 2012. This change meant that no longer would she cover buzz-worthy events but would now be responsible for building buzz and she’s going to help you build buzz for your book, too. For the past three years Temple has crafted numerous public relations campaigns that the public and media noticed.

Her latest success was coauthoring the Birmingham’s Best Bites cookbook. The self-published paperback book sold out three times in late 2014 and earned an international gold medal award in 2015. Also in 2015, her public relations campaign for the book and the Birmingham food festival it was connected to, won a first place state award in public relations.

AD Lawrence

Although, A. D. Lawrence is new to the official writing world, she is not new to the art. She has spent a lifetime putting pen-to-paper to express her deepest feelings and thoughts and to do research.

A.D. grew up in Tennessee at a time when children were to be seen and not heard. In 1989, she moved further south where she believed blacks were treated the same. During this major transition, she wrote. This era helped to hone her writing skills by giving her an outlet for unspeakable truths, while she dealt with social changes.

Lawrence is the author of When the Lioness Roars, When the Lioness Roars…Again, and When the Lioness Roars…Again and Again. She also has two works in progress. One is entitled Life Beyond the Shadows and the other is A Coloring of Hearts. The underlying theme in both deals with personal disappointment, struggle, growth, and survival. Unlike these two, the current book uses humor, anger, fact, prayer, rhyme and reason to produce a personal journal/textbook.

Join See Jane Write and Books-a-Million as these authors share the secrets to marketing their books. Zach Kendrick of Books-a-Million will also be on site to tell you all about the Espresso Book Machine and how you could use it to self-publish your next book.

This book is free and open to the public but seating is limited so arrive early.

DIY Marketing for Authors: How To Be Your Own Publicist

Hosted by Books-A-Million, Brookwood Village in Partnership with BAM! Publishing and See Jane Write

6 – 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 16 at the Brookwood Village Books-a-Million

Join Me at Michelson Laser Vision

michelson open house (1) copy

How would  you behave if you were the best in the world at what you do? 


This is a question business expert Marie Forleo once asked and it’s a question I ask myself often.


On Thursday, May 21 I’ll be on the B-Metro social media broadcast team covering an event celebrating one of the best doctors in the world. 

Michelson Laser Vision is moving to a new location at UAB Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue South, Suite 501. Join me Thursday at 5:30 p.m. for a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house. There will be complimentary appetizers and drinks, live entertainment, and a chance to win door prizes. Free valet parking will also be available. 

Dr. Marc Michelson has bee the recipient of the “Best Doctors in America” award for 15 consecutive years. He performed the first myopic vision correction procedure in Alabama (photorefractive keratoplasty or PRK) in 1991. Dr. Michelson is recognized as a leader in the field of refractive surgery and has been ranked in the top 1 percent of refractive surgeons in the country. Dr. Michelson has the only WaveLight EX500 Excimer in the state of Alabama. This platform is the fastest excimer approved by the FDA in the United States. 

Bladeless LASIK Eye Surgery is the most common type of vision correction surgery performed at Michelson Laser Vision to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.

Dr. Michelson is also Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Alabama-Birmingham School of Medicine.


Learn more at MichelsonLaserVision.com


Disclosure: I am receiving monetary compensation from B-Metro magazine for my time, but 
all opinions are my own. 

Do You Like TED Talks?

tedwomen_main-feature

Do you love TED talks as much as I do? If so, I hope you’ll meet me at TEDxBirminghamWomen on Friday, May 29 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. While this event doesn’t feature live, local speakers, it is a live simulcast of two sessions from this year’s TEDWomen event and I can’t wait to see it! If you’d like to join me, you can purchase tickets here and then e-mail me so we can make plans to sit together! (Tickets sales end tomorrow so act fast.)

But I hope I get to see you before then! I hope to see you Tuesday at the next See Jane Write event.

Your Blog Is Your Business  will be held 5:30 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 19 at DISCO. Wade Kwon, director of the Y’all Connect blogging and social media conference will be discussing ways you can turn your blog into a business without relying on ads. I’ll be on hand to discuss how the methods I used to grow See Jane Write can also be used to help you transition from lady blogger to boss lady! Get tickets and more information here.

yc-save-the-date-2015

You’ll learn more about Y’all Connect at Tuesday’s See Jane Write event, but if you’re eager to buy your tickets beforehand be sure to use the code SJW011 to get a $30 discount on tickets. One of this year’s keynote speakers is Stacey Ferguson, founder of Blogalicious — an annual blogging conference for women of color. You don’t want to miss this!

Finally, don’t forget that I’m still accepting appointments for 15-minute strategy sessions for those who are interested in learning more about the See Jane Write Mastermind program. Click here to schedule your appointment.

See you Tuesday at the next See Jane Write event!

Jane About Town: May Days

There are so many things going on this month that women writers, bloggers, and entrepreneurs in Birmingham shouldn’t miss.

Brahmin Birmingham Grand Opening
5-8 p.m., Thursday, May 7

Birmingham_Invitation-481x1024

Join See Jane Write member and local blogger Heather Brown today from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Brahmin Birmingham Grand Opening. The Summit is continuing to expand and Brahmin Birmingham, a handbag collection known for its exotic prints, is the latest addition. Heather will be hosting tonight’s grand opening celebration, which will feature free food, drinks, and giveaways. Attendees can also receive 20 percent off their purchase and a portion of the proceeds will go to benefit Pathways of Birmingham, a United Way agency that serves homeless women and children. Visit Heather’s blog for more details.

3-D Poetry Exhibit Opening Reception
6:30 – 8:30 p.m., Friday, May 8 

asfa 3d poetry

Students from the Alabama School of Fine Arts Creative Writing department will be displaying works of three-dimensional poetry at the Desert Island Supply Co (DISCO), located at 5500 1st Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35212. The work will be on display from May 8 – 22, 2015. (Please call 205-201-0826 for hours.) There will be an opening reception May 8, 2015 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at DISCO. The event is free and open to the public. For more information contact Kwoya Fagin Maples at kmaples@asfa.k12.al.us.

There are TWO business seminars for women taking place Saturday, May 16!

I Am Fabulous Business Seminar
12 – 4 p.m., Saturday, May 16


Local fashion blogger and business coach Trisha Morisette is hosting a seminar for female entrepreneurs who want their businesses and their lives to be fabulous. The seminar will help you take your style and your health to a higher level so you can take your business to a higher level, too. Get tickets and more information here.

Women Winning Seminar
9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Saturday, May 16

women winning
The Women Winning Seminar will provide practical business strategies to help you build and grow a sustainable business. Topics include marketing, funding, technology, networking, and branding. Get tickets and more information here.

Your Blog Is Your Business
5:30 – 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 19

The next See Jane Write event has been set! It’s time to make the leap from lady blogger to boss lady! Learn how to blog like a boss at our next workshop.

Wade Kwon, director of the Y’all Connect social media conference, will offer tips on how to turn your blog into a business without relying on ads.

What does success look like? What rewards are better than money? Who is your A-Team? We’ll cover all this and more! Plus, there will be a surprise for attendees. Get tickets and more information here.

Auto No More: A Manual Photography Workshop
2:30 – 5 p.m., Saturday, May 30

Have a camera but don’t know how to use it? Join Rachel Johnson of Stupid Good Rachel for an introductory manual photography workshop, plus sips and sweets! Get tickets and more information here.

Don’t Forget: I’m still accepting appointments for 15-minute strategy sessions for anyone interested in learning more about the See Jane Write Mastermind program. Click here to make your appointment today.

The Geography of a Memoir: An Interview with Amy Bickers

Amy Bickers edit

I met Amy Bickers on March 24, 2011, the night of the very first See Jane Write Birmingham event. That night Amy told me about a book she wanted to publish — a memoir. “What’s it about?” I asked jovially. “Well,” she said, “my husband killed himself in front of me.”

I was speechless. I wanted to know how she could survive something like that. I wanted to know how she could ever be whole again. But I didn’t ask her because I knew these were questions only a memoir could answer.

Now four years later, Amy has written that book — The Geography of Me and You: A Memoir — and she’s raising money via Kickstarter to self-publish.

In this candid interview Amy talks about how she found the courage to finally share her story.

(more…)