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The Naked Author

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The Naked Author is a good ‘how-to’ book on self publishing with a little about general publishing for comparison sake.  Katherine Smith has crafted a well thought out book that covers self publishing from agents to marketing.  It contains just about everything an author needs as a guide through the maze of all of the intricacies of getting a book ready to be read by the hoards of avaricious readers clambering to be entertained or educated. 

          The reader is given several choices about what to do in a given situation; for example, whether or not to hire an agent.  If you want to hire an agent to help you sell your book to a mainstream publisher, she suggests that it is a good idea, but if you don’t want to go with a mainstream publisher, you don’t necessarily need an agent. 

          “Not only did I learn that building the foundation of a successful author and/or book starts with creating a marketing campaign or career plan, but it is more than safe to say that educating oneself on the mechanisms of the process is vital for a smooth journey to publishing success.”

          All authors, self published or not should read this book and keep it for future reference.  They will pick up some tips for marketing and selling their books that probably have not occurred to them.  They will also be reminded of something they had not thought about in a while.

          There is an extensive bibliography covering books, websites, and nationwide events.  The only reservation I have about this information is that with today’s technology, things change very quickly and having it in a book makes it difficult to update.  A cautionary statement about this would be of help to the authors and others using this book. 

          Katherine Smith is a former talk show host turned author who has published domestically and internationally in magazines and newspapers.  She is the author of several books, including The Naked Author-Exposing the Myths of Publishing, and I’m Tall You’re Not So That Makes Us Even.  She is from New Orleans, Louisiana and now lives in Dallas, Texas where she is a publisher with TomKat Productions, LLC.


Romantic Retreats in Texas

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True to her training as a relationship coach, Kat Smith has written a book that will take you to places of romance in Texas, guaranteed to help you give your relationship a boost.  She makes sure you will not miss out on a romantic Texas retreat by giving you instructions on how to use the book, including Texas Road Traveling Tips and Sources of Travel in Texas (and she does not include wagon train in this list).

The retreats are described according to the area of Texas they are in, giving the location, the address and other contact information as well as the romantic amenities provided by the individual properties.  There is a short page on planning your retreat, another couple of pages on packing and information on how to conduct yourself on retreat properties.  In perusing the Table of Contents, you will see that Ms. Smith has inserted a few pages called “Keys to Intimate Foreplay”.  Be sure to read it as it is NOT what you think it would be.


 In the Preface, Ms. Smith says:

               “My goal with this book is to share what the state has to offer, which is something for everyone; from rustic ranches to sophisticated resorts.  There are places to relax and read, get in touch with nature, ride horses, swim in lakes, to boat or fish, day trips to cleanse the body or spirit and entertaining retreats filled with areas for shopping, dining and more.”

     I think she has reached her goal and then some.  Anyone can use this book to plan a short trip, a long tour of the state or a trip to just relax and refresh themselves.

     Enjoy!