“As an rapid eye and energy therapist, professional speaker and author, I have had the opportunity of assisting thousands of individuals to create more joy in their lives,” says Carol Tuttle, author of Remembering Wholeness: A Personal Handbook for Thriving in the 21^st Century.

Tuttle’s first book, The Path to Wholeness, was a regional best-seller that helped thousands of people initiate their recovery from childhood sexual abuse. In her latest book, Remembering Wholeness, Tuttle challenges readers to change their thoughts and perceptions in order to energize beliefs and jump-start a healthier, happier life.

“I realized that individuals that were healing their lives required an entire new set of life skills to maintain their healed state,” said Tuttle. “My ability to take the spiritual and translate it into the practical to assist people in creating the lives that they want is what inspires me to continue my work.”

Tuttle lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband, Jon, and their four children. She is an active member of the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology, and an avid tennis player and fitness buff who recently started training for her third marathon.

How did you get your start as a writer?

Years ago, in the late '80s, I was attending a conference on healing and recovery, and during a break between sessions I was writing in my journal.  The spirit spoke to me and told me I was going to write a book and the name of the book would be “Path to Wholeness.”

No kidding, I had never aspired to be a writer prior to that.  In that moment I knew I would write that book, only because I knew that God would help me.  I did write it and it became a regional bestseller, selling about 10,000 copies in the Intermountain West.  It is now out-of-print.

I thought I was done, until I had a similar experience in February of 1999.  I once again felt impressed to write a second book.  I tried to shrug off the feeling, because one of my least favorite activities is sitting in front of a computer for hours, all by myself, writing.

The feeling persisted and I moved forward into the writing process.  It took me about four months to write Remembering Wholeness. It was an amazing experience, how well it flowed and how clearly it formed.  It took another year to see that it was properly edited and put into print.

Your first book was published by a traditional publishing house.  Why did you go print-on-demand with Remembering Wholeness?

Even though I had great success with my first book being published by a publishing house, I knew the constraints of getting a book into print and to the marketplace with a traditional publisher.  I did not want to wait on a publisher’s project calendar for 12 – 18 months.  I also did not want to give up my copyright and the last say on the content, and the decision of how long to keep the book in print. 

I knew that promoting the book would be my job, no matter who published it.  So why give all that power of the decisions to someone else?  If a book is good, people want it; they don’t care who published it.  The content of good books sell themselves, not the imprint of the publishing house on the spine.

The online publisher iUniverse met all my criteria.  I knew that all I needed was to have Remembering Wholeness available to the public and it would start to sell itself.  The book has a powerful message for our time. Many readers have praised it as the best spiritual self-help book written.  iUniverse provided me with the vehicle to have a book in print in just a few months. For $99 they create a digital file of your book that makes it printable.  They also register the title in Books in Print, and get it posted on www.amazon.com and www.bn.com. 

How did the experience compare with traditional publishing?

It was faster and I did not have to deal with editors wanting to change the content, and my royalty was considerably higher. 

The one missing piece that I knew I would not have without a traditional publisher was sales representatives going out to the retail stores, selling my book to their accounts.  I knew that bookstore presence would not be a part of the deal.  I would have to be the one to make that happen. 

I have always said to other writers that bookstores are just a glorified warehouse.  It does not make your book any more successful to have it shelved in a bookstore over a distribution center.  No matter what, you need people coming in to the stores buying the book.  I knew that Remembering Wholeness could make it because I knew there would be a demand for it. 

Considering most print-on-demand books don't sell more than a few hundred copies, how did you sell more than 6,000?

My most honest answer to that question is:  I followed the five steps I teach in my book, Remembering Wholeness, called “How to Create What You Want.”  I teach in the book how to work with the powers of heaven to manifest miracles in your life.  It is working for me; I am experiencing miracles with the sales of this book!!

One of the steps is to let synchronicity begin to play out to bring you opportunities and to follow your inspiration in the actions you are to take in response to those opportunities. 

I had a synchronistic event show up as a result of giving one of my clients photocopies of two of the most popular chapters in the book, “Angels are Among Us” and  “How to Petition Your Angels.”  This client decided to share those chapters with a good friend who happened to be the regional manager for B. Dalton Booksellers.  This regional manager loved those chapters so much, she contacted me and invited me to call all her stores and set up signings in them.  B. Dalton stores are in malls, which is a good place to be in November and December with all the holiday shopping.  I had nine signings between B. Dalton and Barnes and Noble Booksellers the first two months. 

I took advantage of our city’s newspaper listing for literary events; I even had my headshot in the paper a couple of times. 

I also gave away about 200 copies of the book and sold some to many clients.  I am an alternative therapist, and have a successful private practice, practicing rapid eye technology and other energy therapies.  I knew that other therapists would like the book, so I shared copies with them and gave them discounts for buying several at once. 

The Rapid Eye Institute in Salem, Oreg., loved it so much the director decided to make it a part of their training materials and sell it at their trainings and seminars.

Once I did these few things, word-of-mouth started to kick in and the book began its marvelous sales experience.  This is a book that people talk about.  I can call any Barnes and Noble in my area and they all know my name and Remembering Wholeness because so many people come in and ask for it. 

The first 2,500 copies were books that had to be ordered by customers.  That is the method of purchase for print-on-demand books.  It is very unusual to find many print-on-demand books on bookstore shelves.  People who wanted it had to order it and wait for it to come in, but they were willing to do this.  It gave the book the perception of being a very popular, hard-to-find book, which made readers want it even more!

How did you get Barnes & Noble to stock your book?

Again, my part of the experience involved nothing more than believing that this book would go nationwide and taking the time to meditate and put my thoughts and feelings on that to help create it.  One principle I teach in the book is “our beliefs create our experience.” Our thoughts and feelings are vibrations of energy we emit to the world in which we live. Those energies draw back to us whatever belief they are representing.  I chose to believe that my book would go national; I did not know how, I did not know when, I just knew it could and I knew the powers of the universe would help me.

One day I received a call from the national sales manager from iUniverse.  He left me a message to call him back.  That was interesting due to the fact that when you publish online, you do not have much direct contact with real people, like talking directly over the phone.

I called him back and he shared with me that Barnes and Noble had just purchased 2,500 copies of my book and it was being modeled nationwide in all of their stores.  Of the 10,000 titles iUniverse has, Remembering Wholeness was one of six that had been chosen by the nationwide chain. 

I asked him how it happened, and he shared that he had noticed my book’s high sales volume and decided to personally check it out and read it, which he said is unusual for him.  He sent a copy to the corporate BN buyer and pointed out the success of my books sales in the BN stores in my region.  They liked it and ordered it. 

So, what did I do?  I believed it could happen and when it did I said “thank you” to God and his angels for helping make it happen!   Faith is a powerful tool when we know how to use it to create what we want.

Tell me about the online publicity you achieved.  Did the chat sessions do much for your sales?

Again, it was an opportunity to get more exposure for the book.  It helped some; I believe online marketing is a huge opportunity if you have a nice website to link to.  My site is a very good authors site: www.caroltuttle.com. 

I also learned how to be a guest on that medium.  Radio and television have their own styles and I wanted to gain some experience appearing online. 

Now you have a revised edition to be published by Elton-Wolf Publishing.  I was under the impression that it's very difficult to sell second rights to a book-- how did you do it?

Rather than revise it, is an “expanded” edition.  I have written 10 more chapters, which added about 100 more pages.  It will be released with a new copyright of 2002 with a new ISBN – same title.  I have also produced an audio CD of the book coming out this month.

iUniverse had a contract to print the book in the English language, but I still own my rights and haven’t sold them.

Elton-Wolf offers a program called “customized publishing.” They act as a traditional publishing house, providing all the processes and support.  I keep my rights and pay for the books I print.  There is no royalty.  They make a profit from printing my book, and I make a profit from its sales.  They offer a great program; check them out at www.elton-wolf.com. 

You say that the book industry is still not supportive of print-on-demand books.  Can you explain this further?  What sparked your decision to go after a traditional publisher again?

When I decided to hire a good publicist to take the book nationwide, which I have-- Phenix and Phenix Literary Publicists out of Austin, Texas (www.bookpros.com)-- I learned very quickly how many aspects of the book industry did not accept print-on-demand books. Many other publicists told me they would not represent print-on-demand books, and trying to get an events coordinator at a bookstore to bring you in for a signing was not encouraging.  I had so much success in the first two months of the book because the reputation of POD books had not been established yet. 

The two issues with POD books is that they are non-returnable, which bookstores do not like, so they are hesitant to purchase large numbers, and since the books are printed out of the demand for them, they are not convinced there is a demand when you are an unknown author.  There are so many traditionally published books for them to promote, they can just refuse the POD books and still have lots of titles to work with.

What tips do you have for authors who are considering self-publishing or POD publishing?

Of course you would expect me to say this, “Buy my book Remembering Wholeness: A Personal Handbook for Thriving in the 21^st Century.” It will teach you how to deliberately and consciously create what you want.

Once you’ve read my book, then you need to start with a really good manuscript that you make even better by hiring a good editor.  My book has been through four editors already in its short life.  It is a good, clean writing job.  Editors make a difference.

Don’t look “homegrown.” I can pick out a self-published book 90 percent of the time.  The cover, editing and print job give it away. Get professional assistance to create a successful looking and reading book.  Check out my book cover at www.caroltuttle.com. 

Get exposure. You have to be willing to talk about your book, get it noticed.  (Are you noticing how I keep talking about my book?  I love my book and I believe you will too, or I wouldn’t have written it!)

Be okay with it being a book readers have to order.  Pitch it as that with phrases like:  “available through bookstores nationwide,” or “can be ordered in bookstores nationwide.” 

What have been your most effective marketing strategies?

Having a good-looking and readable book to market and word-of-mouth from readers.

Giving copies to the right people so they would start talking to others about it.

Being able to have all those book signings before POD books started to get picked on!

You've done many radio show interviews.  How do you book these, and do you have any tips for being a great guest?

With my first book I did a lot of radio.  My first book was a book about healing from sexual and spiritual abuse, a hot topic in the early '90s.  I could get on practically any radio show I called.  With this second book I have not done very much radio, but I am embarking on that now with my publicist getting me the media events.

The little bit of local radio I have done has brought marvelous results. 

I suggest you find out whom in your city or town has radio talk shows that are lesser known.  Don’t go after the biggest shows first.  I knew of a health food store owner who had a Saturday morning call-in show in our local market.  His three stores sold health and wellness books, in which mine can be classified.  I went to his main store to meet him, gave him a copy of my book and expressed an interest in being on his radio show.  I also offered to do a book signing right after the radio show, and offered a free lecture the week following the radio show.  He agreed and we set a date.  That was last November. 

That little effort has resulted in my becoming a regular returning guest on his show every other month, again with the signing and lecture following.

Since November 2001, Dave’s stores have sold more than 150 copies of my book! That’s an average of a book a day in five months.  It is his top selling book.  The first free lecture I had brought in about 25 people. The last one I did brought in 65 -- standing room only!

Anything else you'd like to add?

Print-on-demand has worked for me.  Everything I have experienced anyone else can create, as well. 

Be willing to invest in the things that matter: good editing, which is not the same as proofreading, and a good package, which is your front and back cover.

Support other writers and authors.  As you support and praise their success you will attract success back to you.

Whenever I am in a bookstore and there is an author having a signing, I ALWAYS buy a copy of their book.  I stop and chat with them and ask about their book, how it is doing, congratulating them on their success.  I do not tell them I am an author; I want to blow their horn, not mine, in the moment of their glory. 

I have been asked to speak at several writers’ groups in my state, which I did for free, and I always took copies of my book to sell.  But very few writers bought the book. I was amazed.  As a result of those experiences, I decided to always support other authors.  As you extend support to others, that support will flow back to you.

ORDER THE BOOK BY CLICKING HERE.   

Visit Carol's website at www.caroltuttle.com.

Sponsored links

Ring binders

 

Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer!

How to find a book publisher

Home

Text on this site Copyright © 1998-2007 Absolute Write, all rights reserved.
Please contact the authors if you'd like to reprint articles on this site.  All copyrights are retained by original authors.  And plagiarizers will be rounded up, handcuffed, and stuck into a very small and humid room wherein they must listen to Barney sing the "I Love You, You Love Me" song over and over again.

writers writing software