Book Tour: The Coffee Monster and the Land of Coffee by Nate Friedman...

About Coffee Monster and the Land of Coffee:

The Coffee Monster’s family has a secret. 

The Coffee Monster has been a part of a great family for as long as he can remember. There’s mom and dad, Jenna and James. Everything in the Coffee Monster’s life is perfect until he learns of the place he came from, The Land of Coffee, and is given the chance to visit. There, he’ll learn all about his heritage and the extended family he never knew he had. 

In this sequel to Nate Friedman’s debut children’s book, our lovable Coffee Monster is confronted with the truth of his past where he learns the true meaning of family through a journey to the land of his birth.

Book Details:

Series: The Coffee Monster (Book 2)

Paperback: 40 pages

Publisher: Mirror World Publishing 

Publish Date: February 17, 2020

ISBN-10: 1987976606

ISBN-13: 978-1987976601

Purchase Links:

Mirror World Publishing

Amazon

Question and Answer with Author Nate Friedman

Q-A little birdy told us you have a new book coming out! Tell us about “Coffee Monster and the Land of Coffee” and what prompted you to write it.

A-I am super excited to have “Coffee Monster and the Land of Coffee” finally coming out on February 17^th! It’s crazy to think about the amount of work that has went into this book since I first had the idea several years back. As some of you may know, I launched the original tale of “The Coffee Monster” in 2015, as my first book. This book got some great reception and it felt like the character just had more to say and more adventures to take us on. As a writer, these characters never leave you and almost scream at you write more! Especially Coffee Monsters that can be extremely energetic, there’s always a story to tell when this ball of energy is around causing mischief. I had a lot of children and adults ask me where Coffee Monster comes from and it seemed he needed this book to find out himself 😊 This tale couldn’t have been brought to life any better than with the amazing illustrator Saba Bushnaq who really outdid herself and made the tale even more fun and colourful this time around. This one is more of an origin story where we go on an adventure to a brand-new place!

Q- How is writing a sequel different than writing the original and were you ever worried that this installment of “The Coffee Monster” wouldn’t be as magical?

A-Writing a sequel can be pretty tricky business. As an author it’s easy to get set in how things should be and not want to change your work once it’s already been published. This adds an extra layer to thinking about a new concept while needing to fit it into the same mold as the first. With the Coffee Monster, a lot of the work was already done in terms of imagining the character and the world in which it takes place. Instead of being confined to the existing cast of characters, I made it a challenge to create some new characters, maybe even a fan favourite (*hint hint* Mocha Double Frap). In terms of the magic, I think there’s always some out there to play with. That’s the reason why writers feel such inspiration when they open up. I find the same in movies: where it becomes important to regard each piece of work as its own experience. The themes and moral of this story are much different, including adventure and heritage along with the regular family and friendship. The decision to add a song was also super fun and important to giving this story its own experience. At the same time though, like a well-timed joke, you want to keep the same sentiment and fun that you know works and is the reason someone would pick the book up in the first place. You also do not want to assume someone has read the first installment, which adds an extra challenge but becomes fun to write, like a nice puzzle. The main thing becomes trusting your own intuition and sticking to what you find to be fun as the writer and the reader!

Q- A lot of people reading this may have their own stories they want to share with the world. How did you go about this, and do you have any tips or tricks?

A-Share, share, share, my goodness share! Share until people won’t listen to you anymore, and then share some more. I recently read an article about filmmaker Quentin Tarantino that explained he would continually pitch his ideas to test them on people and make sure he would continually hold interest. I like this idea, along with the Walt Disney approach to work ethic that explains a work is never done and can be continually improved. Write something that drives you so much you can’t wait to get up in the morning and bring it into the world. Coffee Monster makes me smile and I have fun with it. I think that regardless of what that passion project is for you, when you talk about it your voice will speed up, that twinkle will start to appear in your eyes and time will stand still. Don’t let go of these moments, let them guide you. I can’t tell you exactly who to approach or how exactly your work will find a home but it all begins and ends with the product, once that is locked in 1000% stop at nothing to get it out there and take hints from people by assuming that they all want to help you and give you honest feedback. You have an extreme luxury right now that you don’t even know you have: time. This means you can keep working and it won’t matter how long it takes, can be your 1000^th draft that makes it out there, and they’ll call you a genius because they will be reading it for the first time. Keep creating and do your best to fall in love with the process. Everyone is potentially someone you can work with and surround yourself by like-minded people. Find your time of day and stay as consistent as possible. The world needs your point of view 😊

Q- Anything else to add? And where can we find you online?

A-I’ll keep this one short haha. I just want to add that I hope you love my brand-new book and reading this article inspires you to go out and be creative today in some way! Do something that scares you or just go read your favourite book and be swept away! You can always visit my website for upcoming appearances and links at www.natetfriedman.com. There is also a section there you can e-mail me directly with questions and/or feedback. I always love hearing from you. I am also on twitter: @bowtiecomedy1 and on facebook at facebook.com/natefriedmanauthor Hope you have an amazing rest of your day!

Re-launch of The Coffee Monster, Book 1

About the Book:

There's a little 'Coffee Monster' in all of us...

In a pleasant little town lives a normal family with a mom, a dad and two beautiful children. There is just one thing that makes this family different from most other families; they don't have a dog, a cat, or pets of any kind. Instead, they have a Coffee Monster! Follow Jenna and James as they try to deal with the Coffee Monster's antics and help him overcome a personal struggle. Through this simple, but comedic tale, learn about the value of telling the truth, taking care of oneself and each other, and how to work-through everyday issues. Most of all, you just might learn that there's a little 'Coffee Monster' in all of us...

Book Details:

Series: The Coffee Monster (Book 1)

Paperback: 36 pages

Publisher: Mirror World Publishing 

Publish Date: July 1, 2015

ISBN-10: 0994749015

ISBN-13: 978-0994749017

Purchase Links:

Mirror World Publishing

Amazon

Follow the Book Tour:

https://saphsbookpromotions.blogspot.com/2020/02/book-tour-schedule-coffee-monster-and.html

Meet the Author:

I want to change the world, one smile at a time!

A writer from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, Nate graduated from the Kinesiology program at the University of Windsor. His education has fuelled a keen interest in how people think and what drives them to be their best. Comedy is his first love and his desire to be creative has directed him towards writing children’s literature. He enjoys reading to his nephews, two of his biggest fans.

Connect with Nate:

Website

Facebook

Publisher Website:

Mirror World Publishing

Guest Post: The Modern Book Tour by Nate Friedman...

Do you have a book? Then you can have a book tour! It doesn’t need to be any more complicated than that. Some will tell you it’s a waste of time. While it is true that most things are done online nowadays, I believe it’s more important than ever to be out there in person, sharing your book with the world. How else will people know you and your mission personally? The amazing conversations you have with readers, fellow writers and the smiles are all icing on the cake. Writing can be a lonely endeavor at times and being out there allows you put all of your hard work into perspective. And the cherry on top: free market research! Ask someone working at a bookstore what the hottest new books are, or watch your target reader and see how they navigate the shelves. That is all information you did not have before. It’s not about becoming an overnight success, it’s each successful day along the way. The challenge: selling as many books as you can at each stop. You might never feel like you are selling enough, however, what you get is information and learning, more than you ever could sitting at home or online. The most important part is progress - momentum. Remember this in all your creative endeavours: people want to get onto a moving train. Let me now outline some of the steps that will help you in getting your train started. I hope it helps you take that next step!

The Vision

The first thing you need to do is imagine your book tour and what you want it to be. Listen to your gut instinct and don’t rule anything out. Factor in time for yourself and make it just long enough to leave you wanting more. For some, this could mean taking a full year to peddle their book across the country. For others, this could be one event a week over a period of 6 months. For others still, maybe 10 bookstores in 10 days. Once your vision is created, that is what will help you sell the idea. People will feel you getting excited and will want to be on board. You’ll be the biggest party in town! Go to places that excite you, to places you’ve never been before, and even places you don’t want to go. Sometimes this resistance is exactly what you need to push through, to reach to the next level.

The Call

I am not talking about the call of the wild, but an actual phone call. Don’t think about it, just do it. We live in a time where we readily have access to copious amounts of information. Look up the phone number of bookstores near and far and call them (it’s free!). Don’t take any of these things for granted. The store managers you are calling want to say yes. They love you. They are probably as excited as you are, about having a new author at their store. Get a few no’s!? Good! That means you are heading in the right direction. You’ll feel even better when the next store you call is interested. If you’re the script sort here it is:

(smile: it comes through over the phone) “Hi I’m {name} author of {book name}. I was wondering who I would speak to about doing a book signing event. *gets person* “Hello there {say their name}. I’m {name} and I’m excited to be organizing a book tour! We’re looking to book {# of events} in {location} for the {insert tour name- makes it sound official}. We’ve already booked {insert stores booked already- remember moving train} and we’d love to have you on board. *wait, listen, really focus on the person you are talking to*

Final note: give them a date and time. If your vision is clear, you’ll know where they fit into your schedule. You’re not doing anyone favours by giving them an open calendar (it screams unprepared!) Also, have a backup date and time available, and if it doesn’t work out you still have a contact person for future tours. I always ask myself “How can I make this call fun?” before it’s made. Maybe you want to get an iced tea and sit on the patio with your legs up, GREAT! Life is about enjoying. Don’t just exist, THRIVE…. Oh, and at the end of the calls you’ll have a book tour.

The Preparation

This is where you use your writing and creativity skills to think of unique ways to advertise your events. I’m a bit old school when it comes to this: we put up these posters around where my events were taking place. There’s a multitude of ways to spread the word: internet advertising boards, local newspapers, your own website *hint-hint, nudge-nudge*, word of mouth, social media blitz including ‘what’s going on in {insert city}’ facebook group, book tour trailer. Anything and everything you think of, it will get people’s attention. We did t-shirts and colouring pages because it felt fun. Again, you have a style and a way you like to do things. That’s what makes you who you are, and the reason your book will sell a bazillion copies on your tour! Don’t forget to use your contacts: do you know anyone who is a news reporter? A school teacher or principal? Someone who advertises for their job/company? Ask for all the help you can!

There is also the question of whether to do paid advertising. You have to believe that anything you put in, you will get out. Sometimes these dividends take time to materialize. Decide on a budget. Be true to where you are at in your career and what you can realistically afford. My challenge here for you is to take what I call a “50-year approach”. Look at your career long-term and see how everything you do will help your career. Without a doubt, you know you will get where you need to go. It also allows the small mistakes and mishaps to be learning experiences, instead of career altering events. At the end, you only get one shot at each tour stop. Imagine yourself, sitting in that author chair on the day of the event, with less people than you wanted walking around. Think to yourself, “What more could have I done to advertise this event better?” Give, give, give, it all comes back in time.

The Event and Beyond

This is where the fun begins! Notice the excitement, the fear, the worry, the butterflies! These are all positive feelings. They mean growth in your career and increasing book sales. Don’t feel anything? I challenge you to build bigger- build something that scares you! Do the craziest thing you can think of!  Here you are, in a new bookstore and/or city. You’ve already won! You’re a working, traveling author, you are a professional. Your only job now is to be present, be yourself. People want to see your book succeed. They’ll even give you feedback directly, listen and weigh it. Try talking to as many people as you can. When you go home at the end of the tour, I guarantee you it won’t be the number of books you sold you think about. It will be the small moments and smiles along the way. It will be conversation that gave you your next great idea, the motivation you got from someone else, these are the things that will remind you why you write in the first place. And the book recommendations 😊! Ultimately, we’re all readers. It’s only being in the arena where you can learn and make adjustments. It does take a lot to put yourself out there, I don’t discount that, but it’s real. Take note of people’s names, make as many contacts as you can. Look at who publishes your favourite books in that genre and send them an email. Motivate people on their journey, tell people why you think your book is the coolest and why they should buy it! (Prepare a quick elevator pitch if you haven’t already and begin with your mission)

Also, take personal notes: what could we have done to improve in this location? What could we have brought? What worked? What didn’t work? Failing is not a tragedy, but failing to learn from it is. Take note on a deeper level, is this your thing? What part of the tour were you most excited by? Do you want to do more of these? How many should you do? Do you prefer reading and school visits? Be TRUE to yourself. This is all information you have now because you took the initiative and made that phone call. When the book tour is over, be sure to Thank everyone who was involved. They let you into their store and worked hard to make it possible, you have nothing to be but grateful. These heroes allow you to be an author.

At the end of the tour, and most importantly, DON’T STOP. Ride the wave. Sit down and plan the next one. You are one step closer to the Bestseller List (and if you’re already there, that’s one more person you shared your work with).

In closing, you are 100% responsible for how your book performs. 100%. Other people can help you along your journey but you alone are responsible. A book tour is a great way to spread your book to a larger audience and share your gift with the world. I once read that Tom Cruise, at one time the biggest movie star in the world, has a hand in every single movie he has ever been a part of. And you’re no Tom Cruise….yet (but those sunglasses you have look cool). The best way to approach your book tour, and your career in general, is that you are making it happen. Anything done by others is simply gravy. It is a lot of work. Seek the advice of professionals when it seems natural to do so, they want to help. The whole endeavour is rewarding. However, at the end of the day, you will be surprised by what you are capable of.

Let me be the first to congratulate you on YOUR book tour. Have any questions? E-mail me. I mean it, let me know about anything I can do to help you on your journey. Let me leave you with the best moment of my recent book tour. I’m teary eyed writing about it! So here goes: A young boy, of about five years, comes to the table to do some colouring pages I’ve left out. I’m thinking he’ll just draw some scribbles and be on his way. But instead, he focuses in and really gets into colouring. I joke with the parents that he’s really enjoying it. The mom says “Oh, he’ll do the whole thing” and she goes to sit down. As he is colouring we start talking about why he thinks he’s so good at colouring and what he wants to do when he grows up (he wanted to be an author, guys!). After doing a great job colouring, I decide I’m going to give this kid a book. I got to inscribe it saying “keep following your dreams - hope to work with you one day.” And then we took a picture together as he smiled. My heart melted. The fact I get to have moments like this that affect people’s lives is everything. I have been afforded the chance to follow my mission, which you’ll see in all my books: “I want to change the world one smile at a time.” What’s your mission? I guarantee a book tour will help.

THANK YOU FOR READING ☺

Nate Friedman is the Author of “The Coffee Monster” and “The Last Hockey Fight.” He loves to travel and craves adventure in his free time. Along with making people smile and laugh, he is constantly pursuing his dream of being a writer on Saturday Night Live. You can find out more about his work at www.natetfriedman.com or www.facebook.com/natefriedmanauthor. Thanks again.

Dos and Don’ts for Reading at an Author Event…

The beginning of September proved to be a busy start for myself and 5 other authors who celebrated our summer of new releases through Mirror World Publishing. I also got a chance to meet long time author peep, Rita Monette who came all the way from Tennessee. Even the Nordic god Thor showed up via the brilliant flashes of light behind the authors as they read from their most recent book. When all was said and done, the night was quite profitable for all the authors, so a big thank you to all those who braved the traffic and the thunder storm to attend our special night!

Throughout the evening, I noticed a few glitches during the readings, plus listened to some good advice from the people in attendance. So I compiled a list of dos and don’ts from what I gleaned during our author reading event...

Do speak up. I know this is a no-brainer. The venue we were reading in had poor acoustics, so that made it even harder for a soft spoken person. Perhaps having a microphone or 

Karaoke machine on hand would eliminate this problem in the future for similar venues.

Do introduce yourself. Tell your readers (or future readers) a little about your past and how you got into writing. Keep it short and simple and interesting.

Do thank everyone for coming. Again, a no-brainer. Practice the attitude of gratitude.

Do pick an excerpt that will hook your audience. I did not, according to a few comments, and now thinking about it, I must agree. *Head desk* Make your reading exciting, not boring. I did manage to change my voice and mannerisms for certain characters, so I get a thumbs up for my performance.

Don’t forget to shut off your cell phone, or turn off the ringer. Um…should be a no-brainer, but obviously a couple of people did not do this. One person actually answered his phone DURING A READING. Not cool. Please be respectful to the authors and audience.

Don’t forget to acknowledge your publisher. After all, you wouldn’t be there without them!

Don’t forget to mingle and mix with the audience.  You want them coming back to your next book reading event!

So there you have it, my dos and don’ts based on my first experience participating in a group author reading event. Whether you’re an author or a reader, do you have anything else you could add to this list? Would love to read your comments! Cheers!