Ernest Hemingway at work

When I began to seek readers for The Lake That Stole Children I sent out a letter that began with a question.

When you cross Walt Disney

with Ernest Hemingway,

what do you get?

A big fish tale?   Pinocchio meets The Old Man and the Sea?

The people who received my letter must have been intrigued by the question, because I received many requests for my book.

So how do you start a conversation?

Ask a question.

It could be simple, silly, serious — or outrageous.  Maybe only you know the answer.  Or maybe you know you don’t have the answer and would like some help.

When in school, we ask many questions of teachers and friends.  But sometimes in life, we’re afraid to ask.

We want to make new friends, impress an employer, run for political office, or join a rock ’n’ roll band, but fear rejection, embarrassment and failure.

Story can be the cure.

Use a story as the basis for a conversation about a difficult topic.   The story becomes the fulcrum of opposing ideas .

Story is not only literature.  It is not only for writers and readers.

Ford Motor Co. design director Freeman Thomas told the Los Angeles Times that his work is inspired by movies and “character development.”   Culture, human beings, the interaction of society gets his motor running.

All to design a car, such as the eco-friendly Start.

Story feeds ideas to Thomas  who then creates a car that he and his team hopes will tell its own unique story.  What does the photo, right, by Christina House tell you about this car?

Thomas told the Times that he wanted the Start to look as though it had been created by Mother Nature.

The uses of story are unlimited.  Get everything you want — Everything! – with story.  Read more here.

Each day seems to bring a new number for traditional publishers to consider.

The most recent concerns E-Book vs. Hard Cover sales of Laura Lippman’s new book, I’d Know You Anywhere.   In the five days since its release, Lippman’s novel has sold 4,739 e-books and 4,000 physical hardcovers, according to News Corp.’s HarperCollins Publishers.

The reason cited for this imbalance is convenience:  Buyers read a favorable review and want the book – NOW.

Convenience has long been an important factor for consumers.  When Amazon came along, it allowed book lovers to shop without leaving home.  Some may have balked initially at the shipping costs, but compared to the time and gas needed to driver hither and thither (and product discounts) Amazon’s deal was a steal.

But it still demanded a wait of several days before delivery.

Now convenience once again may be a game changer.   Readers can snatch books out of thin air — ah, wireless — if they own a Nook or Kindle reader or iPad.

Many readers will lament the loss of a nice hard cover book with a colorful cover.  They’ll reminisce about casually browsing the shelves and tables of a favorite local book store, and speak warmly of the small but significant companionship — a movable feast — of a book in hand.

But the strong pull of “impulse” buying combined with the convenience  (i.e., instant gratification) that so many of us prize may one day topple the stubborn nostalgia many readers have for a nicely bound material possession.

Once again best-selling author Seth Godin starts a conversation by doing something innovative.  The Wall Street Journal reports that the marketing expert will leave his publisher and sell his books directly to his readers.

Godin is not the first author to sell directly to fans online using e-book formats.  But if the WSJ decides that this is a worthy business story, how important do you think Godin’s decision is?

The conversation is not about whether he’ll succeed — of course he will.   Linchpin has sold 50,000 copies since its release earlier this year.

The talk is now focused on how this will impact traditional publishing if  other “name” authors make similar decisions.

WSJ reporter Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg says Godin revealed his decision Monday.  Where?  On his blog, of course.  A blog that attracts approximately 438,000 followers.

Earlier this summer an extended family member told me that a friend had sold a book based on her blog topic.    But her friend said the era of building a blog and then selling the concept as a book was over.

Or maybe just a piece of the puzzle — traditional publishers — has been dropped.   Blogs that build audience don’t need to beg for a publishing contract.  They simply need to publish a book that their following will relate to.

This does not mean every book launched online will succeed.  No way.

But Godin’s DIY style may be worth considering.  In the WSJ story, he said, “The business race is on to have the relationship with the reader.”

Start a conversation.

Yesterday’s CreateSpace webinar about selling books to schools was fascinating if for no other reason than it revealed how many markets exist for authors to explore.  The event featured Brian Jud of Book Marketing Works.

Yet in the Q & A following the event, one of the first questions was – how can I get Barnes & Noble to carry my book?  Brian graciously answered this enormous question.  Had I been running the webinar, I may have tossed out that question: too far off topic.

On second thought, it proved how narrow many writers are when considering where to place a book.   And in light of the many opportunities opening up online, the question seemed antiquated.

This week J.A. Konrath outlined the changing face of publishing and made a case for the downfall of the system that feeds large book chains.

I don’t doubt that there will always be “big books” such as the release of Freedom,  Jonathan Franzen’s new much-anticipated novel.  I’m looking forward to reading this book and wish the gifted author well.

Meanwhile, wouldn’t it be wise for writers of all kinds to continue seeking niche audiences and new venues?  Since technology has given each of us the ability to deliver a good book, the bigger quandary now is access to and communication with an audience.

I’m not dismissing the traditional publishing paths.  I’m merely confronting the reality of our changing times.  Having a book on the shelves of B & N would be nice, but it still doesn’t guarantee that your audience will find you, and my audience will find me.

Boyd Morrison’s enviable success with Kindle was reported in a Newsweek story titled, “Who Needs a Publisher?” If you haven’t read it please follow the link.

In short, unable to find a publisher for The Ark, Morrison decided to offer the tome as a Kindle e-book.   Before he knew it, the book was selling fast.   Many good things followed.

But I wanted to know what kind of marketing Boyd did to draw readers to his exciting book.

So I asked him.  And he kindly responded.  I’ve posted his e-mail below.

Hi Douglas,

The Lake That Stole Children is now available at Smashwords in various Ebook reading formats.

A Kindle version of my lake fable is also available.

The paper back version of my lake fable is still available at Amazon.   But the growing popularity of the many e-readers now on the market make is possible to share my book in many ways.  And I am grateful.

Whatever format you choose, I hope you’ll also accept my free gift of Start A Conversation with Story – a self-help book and study guide that reveals many ways to share this story and others to improve your well-being.

After watching the film A Single Man I was curious about its source material — a novel by the same name authored by Christopher Isherwood.

I was curious in part because the story concerns a man who is so paralyzed by grief that he can’t reach out, seek help.  Yet help comes in the form of surprises — namely, new and familiar people.  A conversation begins, which provides some relief.

The novel, of course, goes much deeper than the film.  A portrait of George, the central character, emerges.  A literate, educated man, he has a lot of opinions about family, children, the fear that chases us from beginning to end — often needless fear of others.

Isherwood’s book is beautifully written and brilliant for its insights, not the least of which is how insular we can become.   And how dangerous it is to stay trapped in that state of singularity.

Reach out.  Start a conversation.   Loud, quiet, demanding, delightful — whatever.  Don’t lose yourself in the mire of grief, solitude or fear.

Reading will never die because it saves lives.  Ask author Meg Cabot.

During a tough summer before her first year in high school, Cabot was given the Anne McCaffrey Dragonriders of Pern series.  She so identified with the stories and characters, when school started in the fall she pretended fire dragons were protecting her.

Story is more than entertainment.  It is a survival technique, a balm, a relationship builder, the path to abundance — an inventory of your life.

For more ideas on how story can expand your world and improve your life, order a FREE copy of my book Start a Conversation with Story.

In a story titled Bound for Glory Michael Tuttle reveals how he discovered his passion for preserving and archiving books.

He also makes a strong argument for creating an inventory of a book collection.  Appraisals have practical reasons for large collections — libraries, for example –  because they help determine value and therefore what should be insured.

Inventory the Stories of Your Life

I like the inventory idea.  Let’s use it to inventory the stories of our lives.

Many of us don’t appreciate – or value – the experiences that shape us.  Anything other than outright success is deemed depressing or embarrassing, when in fact it may be a great lesson or story of intrigue, ambition or of love lost and then found.

So here’s how it works.  List the memorable events (big and small) in your life in two categories – good and bad.   Then sketch out the details in a few sentences and give each event a title.  Feel free to dramatize: admit to the enormous loss or thrill or humor in each event.  (Revenge is good too.)

Write each event on a 3X5 card.

Then drop “good” and “bad” and blend the two categories into one archive.  Your archive.  Y0ur Story Archive.  Behold your storied life.  Look for connections — a benefit that may have followed a blow out.  Or  happiness found unexpectedly.  Or…

Story cures, in my opinion.  By looking at your  archive of experience you may be impressed or inspired to change directions or amused by the variety.  You may also find solutions — for you or a friend or colleague.

Now choose one event and start a conversation with someone you would like to know.  Avoid bending ears with long monologues.  Instead, start with something short and simple, such as…

“Did I ever tell you about the time I decided to create an archive of my storied life?”