Self Publishing Authors
A Vengeful Spirit: A Shelly Gale Mystery, Book 1
PILOTVIEW WAS A QUIET, PEACEFUL TOWN where nothing much happened…until now.
Shelly Gale dreaded the phone call she had to make. Her student, Tucker, was falling behind in school, and his parents needed to know about it.
The phone rang.
Finally, she heard someone pick up but could barely hear him speaking.’Hello? Tucker? Is that you? Why are you whispering?’
‘Oh, Miss Gale,’ he said, his voice interrupted with huge sobs and hiccupping’please come and help me. There’s…’
Shelly heard the click of his phone hanging up. ‘Tucker? Tucker!’
As a series of shocking events unfold, Shelly finds herself entangled in the search for answers. Why is someone targeting Tucker’s family? What could a twelve-year-old have done to bring such terror to his home? What evil is plaguing the Irvins and turning Pilotview upside down?
– – –
A Vengeful Spirit is a fast-paced and thrilling suspense novel that will keep readers busy turning pages as they follow Shelly in her perilous quest to uncover the truth.
Shelly Gale Mystery series by Lizzy Armentrout
Available in our Bookstore and every where books are sold.
AMAZON | B&N
A Vengeful Spirit, Shelly Gale Mystery Book 1
A Covetous Spirit, Shelly Gale Mystery Book 2
FIRESIDE PRESS- Self-Publishing Division of First Steps Publishing
FIRESIDE PRESS, is the hybrid division of FSP, offering the same professional services. FIRESIDE PRESS titles are regularly reviewed by First Steps Publishing for new, talented authors. While there is no guarantee of the number of titles First Steps will sign each year, this is a way to get your foot in the door.
Fireside Press (CM Publishing / Soul Fire Press)
Publishing with a Personal Touch
Publishing 12-24 titles/year.
Starting Package: $2999.00 US
OPEN SUBMISSIONS FIRESIDE SUBMISSION FORM
We recognize there are talented writers who may not choose the route of traditional publishing. At FIRESIDE PRESS, we believe every author deserves professional quality services to help them reach their goal of publication – no matter the depth of their pocket book.
- An imprint of First Steps Publishing. When you choose FIRESIDE PRESS, you have the full First Steps Publishing family behind you. Books in the FIRESIDE PRESS division get the benefit of being included in all marketing with our parent company: catalog, newsletters, and more.
- First Steps Publishing regularly reviews FIRESIDE PRESS titles for new, talented authors.
- Receive professional services — editors, designers, formatters, marketers — to fit your budget.
- 50% royalties to the author. You only pay for the services you need. No hidden fees – ever.
- Option to pay over time. The cost of professional publishing can be a burden on pocketbooks. We offer packages to allow you to pay over 3-, 6-, and 12-month periods.
- One-on-one personal attention to help you wade through the publishing quagmire.
- Tutorials, training and workshops.
- FREE AGENT OPTION. For those wishing to self-publish without our imprint, we offer the same top design services to make your book a success.
Get the power of FIRESIDE publishing behind your book today.
“Surviving ‘Uncle Hitler'” by Dorothea Wollin Null

Surviving ‘Uncle Hitler’ ~
Journey of a German Girl
“Many people bury their memories so they don’t have to deal with the pain. For whatever reason, my mother buried hers. I was hard-pressed to get any stories from her. She was not one who shared easily. However, one night was different. It was many years after the war, in 1987, and I was visiting my family in Germany. I felt there were things Mother and I needed to talk about, and I pressed for discussion. I was pleasantly surprised when we stayed up until the wee hours sharing memories.”
When American bombs demolished her German town, Dorothea Wollin and her family found themselves on a journey of survival across Europe.
This is a true story of a little girl’s quest for meaning in a dark world that led to faith in Christ, and to a freedom greater than that of country or politics.
What I want most for my story to convey is that the Lord led me through the trials and tribulations of my life in order that I could find meaning, joy, and peace. Because I am approaching the end of my life, I want to inspire my readers to question their own choices, priorities and values in order to find peace with the Lord and joy in their hearts. — Dorothea Wollin Null
This is my story:
A Journey of a German girl
September 2017
Paperback, ebook,
ISBN: 978-1-937333-49-2
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10 Tips for Selling Books at Book Fairs and Conventions
The following article by Terry Cordingley contains great information for anyone planning on exhibiting their books.
The 10 Commandments of Selling Books at Book Fairs, Conventions, and Festivals
1. Register for the event as early as possible.
• Contact the event organizer.
• Find out the cost of the booth or registration.
• Register for the event and inform your marketing representative.
2. Spread the word about your appearance at the event.
- Online newspapers free event calendar listings
- Free online listing at Craig’s List http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites.html
- E-mail invitations to your address book
- Church bulletin
- Split the cost of the booth with another author, if festival organizers allow booth-sharing.
- Decorate the booth with a banner and tabletop posters announcing that the author is available to sign copies of books. Make the booth as attractive as possible!
3. Establish a family member or friend to help you during the event.
4. Be prepared with conversation starters.
- Have a one-minute pitch ready to go that tells people who you are and what your book is about. Practice it so that it seems natural and not forced.
- “How did you hear about the event?”
- “Are you an avid reader?”
- “Do you live in the area?”
5. Have a guest-book on your table for people to sign their name and e-mail address.
- By doing this at every event, you can create a large mailing list for e-blasts or newsletters about your book.
6. Practice good booth etiquette.
- If you are sharing a booth, be considerate and polite to your fellow authors.
- Don’t complain to your fellow authors if the event isn’t going well and you aren’t selling many books. Attitude is contagious!
- Work out ahead of time how you will approach customers at the booth so you aren’t overwhelming them and pressuring them to buy books.
- Be friendly and approachable.
- Don’t just sit at the booth and wait for people to come to you. Engage passersby in conversation and offer them any giveaways you may have. Use the opportunity to tell them about your book.
7. Arrive early, allowing plenty of time to set up for the event.
Items you will need for your booth:
- Books. You will need to determine how many books you will need to have available for the event. You can always keep extra copies in your car, if needed.
- Giveaways. Just like at trade shows, attendees are always looking for free items. Have a supply of bookmarks, business cards and push cards on hand to help promote your book if people don’t buy a copy on the spot.
- Décor. Most festivals will give you a table and a chair, and not much else. Find out if you’ll need table coverings, a tent or awning (if an outdoor event), or a power supply for any video or audio needs you may have. Also make sure you have pens and posters to advertise who you are and why you are there, preferably with a photo of your book cover on it. You may even want to have a banner made for your book that you can re-use at future events. You’re only limited by your imagination.
8. Have book ordering information available in case you run out of books.
- Business cards and push cards can be used for this purpose.
9. Send a thank-you card to the organizer after the event.
- If the event was especially successful, send a letter of commendation to the event organizer. They may ask you to be a featured author next year.
10. Book early for next year’s event.
For more information about book marketing and promotion, read Terry’s Cordingley’s self-titled blog at http://terrycordingley.blogspot.com.
Originally Published March 24, 2017 on ChristopherMatthewsPub.com. Christopher Matthews Publishing is a division of First Steps Publishing.