Rose Contreras Communications

Rose Contreras Communications

FAQs
Updated April, 2008

Are you Accepting Submissions at this time?
Yes. We are now accepting submissions.

How should I submit my manuscript?
Please include at ONLY the first 3 chapters of your book - or no more than 5-6 poems - in a Word (.doc) or .RTF document via email attachment. NO OTHER FORMATS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

INCLUDE IN THE BODY OF YOUR EMAIL THE FOLLOWING:
Your name, email address, the brief - no more than 2 paragraphs long - description of your book, your suggested genre(s), approximate word count and if a cover will be made or is already available. Also include the marketability of your title, including your specific plans to market your book in digital format. Allow at least 3-6 weeks for a reply. For more information click on our SUBMISSIONS link.

Please submit your manuscript to our Acquisitions Editor at info@rosecontreras.com.

How should I submit a children's book manuscript?
We require that the author find an illustrator for his/her own book before said title can be accepted. The book query must include the illustrations - or at least a sample of what is coming (if the manuscript is still in progress) before final acceptance can be made. More information on children's book submissions and illustrations can be sent upon request.

How long does it take for a book, once it's accepted, to be displayed on the site?
An eBook can be displayed on our site as a 'Coming Soon' title once the Author Contract has been signed, and the full manuscript, cover and description of said book has been received. Average time from date of acceptance to publication is 3-4 months - 1-2 months if a cover is provided by the author.

How much say do I have over my book and its contents?
The author will always retain his/her rights to said eBook. We work closely with each author to make sure that both author and publisher are happy with the final product.

Do I have to pay for editing?
As stated above, basic line editing (checking for spelling mistakes and typos) is done FREE of charge by Catolicum Books. If your book requires more than the basic editing, we will suggest an Editor for you or reject your submission outright and suggest that you resubmit once you have found an editor and reworked your manuscript. All of the books on our site are edited fully; we want you to be as proud as we are of your finished product.

Do I have to pay for a cover?
If you have not supplied a cover for your eBook title, Catolicum Books will provide one for you FREE of charge.

What if I create my own cover?
All covers are subject to acceptance by Catolicum Books. It is best that covers be created in 150 dpi or larger. All covers should be sent via attached mail to info@rosecontreras.com in .jpeg or .jpg format ONLY. A cover can be sent by regular mail and scanned on our end as well.

How is my eBook priced?
All of our eBook titles are priced from $5.98 to $9.98 for attached mail files. The CD-ROM version of an eBook is currently selling from $6.50 t0 $10.98 (free S&H in the US). The average price for most of our CD-ROMs is $6.50 US.

How much Marketing is done for my eBook title(s)?
Marketing is an ongoing process, and is expected by both the Publisher AND the Author. Please see the Marketing Tips section to the right of this column to help get the marketing process started. Catolicum Books will help the Author create Press Releases, find book reviewers and more. depending on the genre and other factors of each book. Our eBook titles are displayed in every possible eBookstore (including eBooks.com, Fictionwise, CyberRead, Mobipocket, Amazon Kindle, and more). And many of our new titles will be featured in our eZine (first issue due out in September 2008). Since each eBook title is unique, we will help to create just the right marketing strategy for you and your title(s).

Every eBook title has a synopsis and bio page created for our website. Occasionally, your eBook title may be featured on our main page. And we often send updates to the various bookstores that your eBook is listed on informing them of any contests or awards your eBook title has won, so that they may also display your book on their own list of featured titles. Our partner bookstores may also decide to promote your title(s) on their main page, which may or may not include a promotional price for a limited time.

How soon before my eBook shows up on other sites online?
On average, it takes 2-3 months after initial publication for each title to be converted (to other digital formats) and sent to our various online eBookstores. Catolicum Books has no control over how long it takes for your book(s) to be displayed at said stores, but the average time is 1 month from the time of upload.

Reviews - How do I get them?
Once your manuscript is edited, Catolicum Books may send out 1-3 free copies of your book in digital format or on CD-ROM to various online and/or offline Reviewers (depending on the subject matter of your book and the marketing strategy) to get reviews that will be ready by the time your book is displayed on our site. You may also send us any reviews you've received, so we may include those on your synopsis page and marketing portfolios for various bookstores. The sooner you receive a review(s), the better.

What is Print-on-Demand?
Print-on-Demand (better known as POD or paperback) is the DIGITAL version of publishing in print. The books are not created like hardcover books; nor are they short run or press run books. Customers may order as little as one copy of your book at a time, or as many as a few hundred with this type of publishing.

How does the Print-on-Demand (POD) process work at Catolicum Books?
If your book has sold at least 100 copies one year from date of publication in any digital format (not including CD-ROMs you've purchased yourself), you may request your book to be converted to Print-on-Demand, but Catolicum Books reserves the right to decline putting your book into this format. Our decision will be based on a number of factors, including the author's willingness and ability to market his/her work in this format; deals we make with our printers; and general marketability of said work. More information about this process will be given once your book is considered.

Pricing
The retail price of your book is set according to how many pages your book has in it's printed format and whether or not there are illustrations included (NOTE: All illustrations have to be supplied as 300 dpi black and white graphics in .jpg format). Once the retail price is set, it cannot be raised, but a book CAN be offered at a price lower than retail at any given time for various reasons. The average 350-page book is sold for $12.99 with a retail price set at $15.99 to $19.99 US.

Do I get any free copies of my book?
Catolicum Books will try send every author one free copy of his/her book (a CD-ROM if digital only - a paperback if in POD format), but we would prefer to send a free copy out for review instead. Feel free to ask if you may be sent a free copy when your book has been sent in for conversion.

1) Create a MySpace Profile
MySpace is an incredibly easy way to market yourself and your work. You can add excerpts of your work, join writing and author groups, and add tons of friends who are likely to purchase a copy of your book(s).

2) Create a FaceBook Profile
FaceBook is fast becoming a legitimate networking presence on the Web (recently being featured on a segment of 60 Minutes), and is a great place to hook up with fellow writers, find writing groups, reviewers, and just plain get yourself - and your book - noticed.

3) Join Forces with Online Writing Groups
For those of you who find it difficult to find the time to attend weekly or monthly meetings, online writing groups can be just as rewarding.
Here are a few we recommend: Writers.com - http://www.writers.com/ - Author's Den - http://authorsden.com

4) Search Engines
Adding Key Words to your author webpages and getting your page(s) listed on Search Engines is invaluable to helping you market your work online.
Some of the obvious search engines are Yahoo, HotBot and Google, but you may want to also try Dogpile, Lycos, AltaVista and DOgpile.

5) Join Web Rings
Web rings can drive traffic to your website while helping you to connect to those in your field.
Here are a few we recommend you try out: Red Ink Works - http://www.redinkworks.com/writers_web_rings.htm - Writing Corner- http://writingcorner.com/admin/webrings.htm

Good luck!

It goes without saying that Catolicum Books will be marketing your book. But Catolicum Books is first and foremost a digital Publisher. This means that most of our marketing efforts will be aimed at the cyber-savvy public - and most of our time and effort will be put into Internet Marketing.

Catolicum Books will be working to include your books not only in the most popular Search Engines (we are already on Yahoo and Lycos), on Affiliate book sites such as Mind Like Water, and in online bookstores, but also on sites and E-Zines and Catholic sites that cater to your particular books' interests. (Catolicum Books will sell our titles in the following eBookstores:  Fictionwise, eBooks.com, Eloka.com, ipicturebooks, CyberRead, Bookbooters, Amazon (Paperbacks only) and more.

Catolicum Books will send you a link to the sites that your book is on as soon as it is uploaded to our online partner bookstore sites so you can link your personal websites to these sites if you wish to. You will occasionally receive links to Writing E-Zines we recommend you sign up for. Note: Many online sites ask for the eBook info to be sent in by you - the author - instead of by the Publisher. When this happens, if you need help, we will work with you to create a Press Release or other information.

Occasionally, Catolicum Books will give a copy of your eBook away for someone to read in order to receive a Review. Once your book is ready for publication, we will provide up to 3 Free CD-ROMs per title to the right Reviewers as per your request.

NOTE: Not all books will require the full editing service before publication. Some books may require more than the average Editing fee will incorporate, so some titles may be quoted a higher Editing Fee upon receipt.

Catolicum Books will place each author’s Author Bio on the Authors section of our website and MySpace pages. A link to that bio will be included on each title’s Synopsis Page. Feel free to direct others to this link from your own web sites as well.

The goal of Catolicum Books is to have our eBook titles available in every digital format possible, including .pdf, .html, .lit (Microsoft Reader), .prc (Mobipocket), hiebook, Kindle, and other handheld formats. Almost all of our titles available in most of these formats, though some formats aren't available directly via Catolicum Books at this point; any of our titles that are available in these additional formats will have a link to the bookstore(s) that do supply them added to their eBook Synopsis page.

Create a Writer's Bio of yourself:
What would you like the viewing public to know about you? Have you written another book in digital or print format? Have you taken writing courses; did you graduate from high school and/or college; do you have journalism or freelance experience; have you been published before in any other format (magazine articles, newspapers, collections, etc.)? You don't have to include your age or your hometown, but you are welcome to. Create a bio that YOU might like to read when checking out a new author/eBook.

Make your bio as long as you think you need it to be -- one paragraph can be enough.

NOTE: Catolicum Books does reserve the right to edit your bio to fit into the length requirements of our various bookstore and affiliates.

Scan a Photo of yourself:

If you do not have a photo of yourself that you are proud of, then consider having one professionally taken. Studio shots are best -- and make sure it is a photo of just yourself (a pet may be included, if you prefer that). If you cannot scan one, feel free to send it to Catolicum Books via regular mail -- the photo will be returned to you ASAP if you would like it back.

Create a Homepage that Features your Work:
Many websites, ebookstores and E-Zines ask for the Author's homepage link. You may already have a homepage, but if it does not advertise your work, that link won't be of interest to potential readers.

It is a good idea to feature a sample of your eBook on your homepage -- do NOT post the entire book (otherwise, why would someone pay for it?)You may use the Excerpt that Catolicum Books creates for your Excerpt Page - simply ask for it and it will be sent to you in .doc format. Remember to include a link (possibly via a banner -- see above) to your own eBook page on Catolicum Books so that interested parties can easily order your book.

As soon as your homepage is created, send the link to info@rosecontreras.com so that we can include it on your Synopsis page and otherwise use it to help market your eBook.

Have Business Cards Created
One of the simplest - and cheapest - ways to advertise your eBook is to create a business card with the title, brief description and ordering information on it. You can purchase 250 cards for only $5.00 for Shipping & Handling through VistaPrint [http://vistaprint.com] or create your own quickly and easily from home.

Join Writer's Organizations
Joining online writing organizations will create invaluable connections for you as an author, as well as give you forums to discuss ePublishing, writing, Marketing, and keep you up-to-date on all the latest contests and happenings behind the scenes in the digital world of Publishing. Of course, Catolicum Books forwards all pertinent info to our authors - as well as including much of it in our Newsletter issues - but we can't send you all the information you might find interesting or useful in the publishing business. Joining these and many other Writer's organizations will help you to become more successful as an author, and help to give you a much needed support network.  We will be adding more specific information regarding recommended writing organizations to join in the near future.

Enter Contests

Catolicum Books will send out appropriate contest information to its authors whenever possible, but there is no need to stop there. Subscribing to genre E-Zines that cover your eBook topic is a good way to find out where more contests might be then are covered in Catolicum Books' information. Also, if you've written stories or other poetry, enter it in contests whenever possible as well; it always helps to add winning info to your bio -- and will make your current and upcoming eBooks even more easy to market and sell.

Occasionally, one of the requirements of a Contest Entry may be for the Publisher - Catolicum Books - to send in specific information or a copy of your book in a particular format. Please feel free to let us know if this is required; you will receive notification the moment your information has been sent to the perspective company/person. NOTE: Catolicum Books will not be able to supply free copies for every contest you want to join, so be choosy.

NOTE: Authors and/or Staff are not allowed to enter our own Contests.

Collect Reviews of your eBook(s)

Before your eBook is even in the Publication stage, feel free to send out a few copies of your eBook for your friends/family/co-workers to read - on the condition that they send in a Review of your book that can be used. Please remember to ask permission for their reviews - and their names - to be used by Catolicum Books wherever they are needed to help promote/market your eBook(s). A good number to start with is 3-5 Reviews as soon as your eBook is Published, or as soon after as possible.

NOTE: Occasionally, a reviewer may wish his/her name not to be revealed; in this case, we will honor his/her wishes... but it is always better to include at least the initials, if not the last name of each reviewer.

Visit Your Local Bookstores & Libraries
Just because your book is ePublished as opposed to hardcopy published does not mean that your local bookstores won't be interested in what you've written. If need be, Catolicum Books can supply you with floppy disk or CD-ROM copies of your book for 40% off the retail price that you can distribute at libraries or smaller bookstores.

Pass out your Business Card; ask if you can post flyers on their bulletin boards; give out Catalogs or Price Lists... or better yet, purchase some CD-ROMs of our various eBook titles and give them away or sell for a reduced price.

Many libraries and Bookstores are just now starting to become interested in eBooks, and what better reason for them to look into it more than to take advantage of the knowledge that a 'local' from their own home town. You never know - you could become a local celebrity!

Listen to Radio Talk Shows & the Local News/Read Your Local Paper
One of our authors got a free television spot on her local ABC news when something occurred in her town that was relevant to her book! Radio Talk Shows are another way to see if your eBook can find it's way to an on-air spot. So keep your eyes and ears open for those marketing opportunities!

Maybe your hometown newspaper has a place that you could write up an interesting piece about your newly published eBook. Even if it doesn't, it certainly doesn't hurt to submit an article yourself describing your eBook and how one can order it, or ask our Press Release Agent to create one for you.

And cable or public TV is another avenue not many authors have considered. Call your local television stations and find out if they are producing any local news, morning or talk shows that you could be featured on as a local Writer/Artist. Again, Catolicum Books will help you to contact these people or write up Press Releases for these functions.

Consider sending eBooks as gifts from other Catolicum Books Authors! What better way to let your loved ones know more about eBooks -- and your own eBook as well, of course -- then to buy them an eBook or two? (Not to mention, you'd be making your fellow writers extra royalties) Catolcium Books allows all it's authors to purchase other Catolicum Books titles at a 30% discount off the retail price!

Forward Catolicum Book’s upcoming eZine!

An easy -- and free -- way to advertise your book is to send a copy of our monthly eZine to anyone and everyone you think might be interested, or have them sign up for it via our main page. Just make sure not to send to more than 50 or people at a time – we wouldn't want anyone to be caught sending out spam mail! Of course, you could also send us a list of people you know to add to our Subscriber's list.. just remember to ask permission of those who's name you're sending us before you do.

Send Catolicum Books information that will help market your eBook(s)! We are never too proud to take advice or suggestions from any of you, so if you have an idea that might help sell your eBook (or ALL the eBooks on the site or in a particular genre), join us in our weekly Wednesday night AUTHOR's CHATs (10 pm EST), or feel free to e-mail me at info@rosecontreras.com.

Join WEB RINGS Drive traffic to your own site – and to ours - by having your own home page(s) added to the appropriate web rings! Surf the net and find sites that offer web rings on topics that pertain to your eBook's subject matter. Remember to include a link to Catolicum Books on your site so that people can easily purchase a copy of your eBook.

Tell all your friends and family!
It may sound tacky, but word of mouth really works! So what if your friends can't afford to buy your eBook (or maybe some of them have helped you write it and have read it so many times they don't NEED to buy it ), but sending a link to your homepage and asking them to include a link to that homepage, to Catolicum Books' main page, or your book's Synopsis will only help increase the possibilities of making a sale.

Add a link to your homepage and/or to Catolicum Books in your Signature Tags wherever possible as well.

Tell your teachers and/or coworkers about your eBook! If you graduated from college, send information about your published eBook(s) to the school for them to print up in their Alumni newsletters. Being Published is something to be proud of; let others know what you've accomplished; make connections and possibly even more sales!

I want to stress that the above 11 hints are NOT requirements; but they will help increase your book sales. Also, none of the above steps should cost you any money (one exception being some of the contests, of course).