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Journalism / Press Release - Little Woods by Steve Campbell (Analysis)
Elk Grove Village, Illinois, 5/5/2008
Publisher iUniverse, Inc., the leading provider of publishing technology solutions for authors, announces the release and Publisher’s Choice designation of Little Woods by Steve Campbell, an action novel set in the Chicago area that follows the story of Native Americans, in the year 1833, amidst the aftermath of the Black Hawk War, the official incorporation of Chicago as an American town, and the forfeiture of native land rights through Treaty of Chicago, set off against the misadventures of a 21st-century family walking the same ground and also coping with the upheavals imposed by an encroaching world.
Steve Campbell explains, “Little Woods will provide readers with entertainment, a bit of information about Illinois history, a connection to the transcendence of the prairie, and the message that globalization is real, irreversible, and a test of every individual’s flexibility in adapting to a new reality.”
About the Author: Steve Campbell is a U.S. Navy veteran from the suburbs of Chicago who has eight years of experience managing projects in the civilian software services industry. He has an MBA in technology management from the University of Phoenix.
About Little Woods: The fate of two culturally diverse families living in different eras of Illinois history merge in Little Woods, a gripping tale of globalization’s disturbing effect on the present and the past that offers a sobering view of our future. Little Woods (ISBN: 0-595-71260-6, ISBN-13: 9780595712601, Published April 2008) can be ordered through any Barnes & Noble bookstore, BarnesandNoble.com, iUniverse.com, and Amazon.com.
About iUniverse: iUniverse offers a variety of publishing services to help individuals publish, market, and sell fiction, poetry and nonfiction books. The company utilizes print-on-demand technology, and is one of the largest self-publishing companies in the United States, publishing more than 5,000 new titles each year. The iUniverse management team has extensive editorial and managerial experience with traditional publishers such as HarperCollins, Putnam, Simon & Schuster and Holtzbrinck. iUniverse partners with industry leading author organizations, including the Authors Guild, the Harlem Writers Guild, and the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) to bring innovative programs to their members. iUniverse has strategic alliances with Barnes & Noble, Inc. in the U.S. and Chapters Indigo in Canada and has offices in New York City, Shanghai and Lincoln, Neb. For more information, please visit www.iuniverse.com or call 1-800-AUTHORS.
Media Contact: Steve Campbell, stevecampbell@avicorcho.com
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DCAllen reviewed Version 1 -
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Your first sentence is too long for a press release. If you’ll look at it, it’s the entire first paragraph – which is a bear to read for most people. You want attention grabbers, not 100-word long sprawling sentences overloaded with information.
I’m not sure why you’re plugging iUniverse in this press release. This should be all about the novel, not the publisher.
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Kathleen reviewed Version 2 -
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I kind of wanted to know in what way it was an action novel, because everything you said made it sound like a historical novel. But other than that, I thought it was clear and to the point.
I had a few picky proofing-type notes:
“the story of Native Americans, in the year 1833”... you don’t need a comma there.
“admidst” seems like an unnecessarily archaic word choice, as opposed to simply “amid.”
“iUniverse partners with industry leading author organizations” ... “industry leading” should be hyphenated.
streamwalker2001 reviewed Version 2 -
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I’ve written a few press releases in regards to my workplace… typically, you need to address the 5 w’s (who, what, where, when & why) in as abreviated a form as possible…
basically, i think you’ve done that…
job accomplished!
DirtAngels reviewed Version 2 -
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As a fellow author currently using iuniverse’s features for his second book I can say this, your press release is technically exactly what you need. I can read between the lines and see that a gripping story lies there and I would personally love to read it and will order it myself (From barnesandnoble.com, if I’m not mistaken your biggest royalty comes from there). But for others who receive these press releases all the time I would make some alterations if I were you.
1. The text in the first paragraph is a little dry and passionless. If you will excuse the vanacular, grab the reader by the balls. That was the advice I got from a professional. Grab them and don’t let go. You do a very good job of getting across the relevance of the work but write that part of the press release as passionately as you wrote the book.
2. Include a review or two from anyone that may have read the novel. It does not have to be a professional review, something from an ordinary reader should be fine. Just credit their name and occupation.
3. You paid iUniverse. You do not at this time owe them free advertising. I was advised to remove all information about iUniverse from my press release including ordering information. I’m not sure if it was good advice but I followed it anyway. All the info on iUniverse takes away from your book and makes it read like an add for them. I like their services but as I said, you already paid them and they get the larger percentage of your royalties without incurring any additional expense themselves so you really don’t owe them.
If you have any advice for me in return as I embark on my journey to promote two so far virtually unknown fiction novels I will be happy to hear it.
I will be ordering your book right now.
Take it easy buddy.
Stargate reviewed Version 2 -
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The writing is generally clear and suited to a Press Release. I might suggest a few editorial changes for clarity and to tighten sentence structure:
Publisher iUniverse, Inc., the leading provider of publishing technology solutions for authors, lauds with its prestigious Publisher’s Choice Award, the release of Little Woods by Steve Campbell. Little Woods is an action novel set in the Chicago area in 1833. The story follows Native Americans in the aftermath of the Black Hawk War whence ensued the official incorporation of Chicago as an American town, and the life-changing forfeiture of Native land rights in the Treaty of Chicago.
Also, in About the Author, I would suggest dropping the “of” before “experience”. You might want to consider changing “He has” an MBA to he holds an MBA in . . .
In the section, About Little Woods, I would split the first sentence. Try a period after Mmerge in Little Woods.” Next sentence would begin “It is a gripping tale . .
You might also, for clarity, insert “the reader” after ”. . . and the past that offerers the reader a sobering view of our future.
We all have different styles, so you might find my suggestions unsuitable. I usually try for an economy of words and breaking sentences in which the reader might get lost. Keep at it. Good work.
Stargate
j_cafesin reviewed Version 2 -
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This is sort of clear, sort of not. You are self-publishing? Through iUniverse? And they are carrying your book in their bookstores? If that’s it, how did you manage that? I didn’t think Barnes and Noble brick and mortar stores carried virtually ANY self-published titles. Please fill me in!
About your second line, the one that describes the work:
-Little Woods is an action novel set in the Chicago area that follows the story of Native Americans, in the year 1833, amidst the aftermath of the Black Hawk War, the official incorporation of Chicago as an American town, and the forfeiture of native land rights through the Treaty of Chicago.
It’s too long. This needs to be broken down for clarity. The third line is nice and gives a feeling for time and people and place but you wouldn’t say:
-set off against.
drop the ‘off’ and it reads ‘set against’
Your About the Author doesn’t tell me anything about what qualifies you to write this work. You don’t mention your years writing, or if you’re native american, or a historian buff. You’re not selling software here, but your description sounds like you are.
About the book is good, description is straight forward, but I’d like some feeling for the characters, or a more active account of the story, possibly introducting the main characters for greater impact.
You have more about iUniverse on this site than anything else. Why?
Good luck with your book!
J. Cafesin
www.jcafesin.com
dolphine32781 reviewed Version 2 -
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I liked how you gave background information.
marylouise reviewed Version 1 -
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I think it sounds great.
lavallee773 reviewed Version 2 -
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Very well written. Clear, concise, and complete. Keep up the good work.
draculachronicles reviewed Version 2 -
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Well the article covers a lot, but looks to me more of an advert for iUniverse than an attempt to promote Steve Campbell’s book. The book sounds interesting to me and I’d have liked to know some more about it as opposed to hearing where the editorial staff at iUniverse gained their experience.
The book would interest me and looks very good on the surface. I wonder why Steve Campbell didn’t hold out for a contract with a mainstream publishing house, as opposed to iUniverse who, in truth, are more of a vanity publisher the same as Author House here in the UK.
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