|
News Releases -
Media & Communications
|
|
|
Written by Ginny Grimsley
|
|
Monday, 22 April 2013 15:01 |
|
The hottest book publishing trend today: less is the new more.
“The first time I saw a 73-page ‘book’ offered on Amazon, I was outraged,” says New York Times best selling author Michael Levin. “But I thought about how shredded the American attention span is. And I felt like Cortez staring at the Pacific.”
The trend in books today, Harry Potter notwithstanding, is toward books so short that in the past no self-respecting publisher—or author—would even have called them books. But today, shortened attention spans call for shorter books.
Levin blames smartphones and social media for what he calls “a worldwide adult epidemic of ADH…ooh, shiny!”
“Brain scientists tell us our brain chemistry has been transformed by short-burst communication such as texting, Tweeting, and Facebook posts,” Levin adds. “Long magazine articles have given way to 600-word blog posts. And doorstop-size books have been replaced by minibooks.”
This sudden change in attention spans changed the way Levin approaches ghostwriting. “Even five years ago, we aimed for 250-page books. Today we advise our business clients to do 50-page minibooks to meet impatient readers’ expectations for speedy delivery of information.”
Levin, who runs the ghostwriting firm BusinessGhost.com and was featured on ABC’s Shark Tank, says that people are looking for leadership disguised as a book. “Today,” he asserts, “people don’t want you to prove your assertions. They just want to know that you have legitimate answers to their questions and that they can trust you. If you can’t get buy-in with 50 pages today, you won’t get it in 250.”
The trend toward shorter books caused Levin to offer what he calls the “Book-Of-The-Quarter Club,” which creates four 50-page hardcover minibooks a year for BusinessGhost’s clients. “This allows them to address four different major issues, or four different sets of prospects, and provides quarterly opportunities for marketing events,” Levin says.
How short will books eventually run?
“Can you say ‘haiku’?” Levin asks. “We’re waiting for a three-line, 17 syllable book. It could happen.”
About Michael Levin
Michael Levin, founder and CEO of BusinessGhost, Inc., has written more than 100 books, including eight national best-sellers; five that have been optioned for film or TV by Steven Soderbergh/Paramount, HBO, Disney, ABC, and others; and one that became “Model Behavior,” an ABC Sunday night Disney movie of the week. His new minibook, “The Financial Advisor's Dilemma,” teaches how to create trust and distinctiveness in the highly competitive marketplace. |
|
|
News Releases -
Media & Communications
|
|
|
Written by Lisa Lockheart
|
|
Monday, 15 April 2013 07:55 |
|
Rock Island, IL: “Communities Matter at Your Library” is the theme of National Library Week, April 14-20, and to celebrate, the Rock Island Public Library is bringing together varying interests, services, and communities of learners and readers.
Starting Monday, April 15, two new cultural and attraction passes will become available for checkout at the Rock Island Main, 30/31 and Southwest Branch Libraries. Patrons can now check out a free family pass for four to the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, or a pass for two adults and up to four children from Niabi Zoo, Coal Valley, in addition to the family passes for four already available for the Quad Cities Botanical Center, Rock Island. Passes check out for seven days, and must be picked up and returned in person at the issuing library branch. There is a $1 per day fee if passes are not returned on time.
Also on Monday, a new awareness service from Prairie State Legal Services starts at the Main Library, 401 19th Street. Trained volunteers from Prairie State Legal Services will be available from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm on Mondays and Wednesdays on the 2nd floor of the library to offer information and assistance with navigating public benefits for food, cash, medical assistance, disability and township assistance. Prairie State Legal Services volunteers cannot offer legal advice.
Special events and activities offered at the Rock Island Library during National Library Week include:
Monday, April 15:
- 6:30 pm, Vegetable Gardening: A Feast for the Eyes and Palate, Rock Island Main Library Community Room, 401 19th Street. The free “liven up your landscape” program offers tips from Sandy Russell, of Tastes of the Rainbow, on how choosing organic or heirloom varieties can add color, nutrition and taste to a garden, from the flashes of gold of a Sunshine Cherry Tomato to the bright blue peppers of a Filius Blue pepper plant.
- 6:30 pm, Family Dinosaur Storytime, for all ages, Rock Island Southwest Branch Community Room: 9010 Ridgewood Road:
Tuesday, April 16:
- 10:30 am, Dinosaur Storytime for ages birth to five, Rock Island 30/31 Branch, 3059 30th Street.
- 5:30 to 7:30 pm, Blues and Gospel film and discussion, Main Library Community Room, 401 19th Street. The scholar-led discussion on Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: Episode 1, Feel Like Going Home and Say Amen, Somebody, is the first of three Rock Island Library programs in the America’s Music: A Film History of Our Popular Music from Blues to Bluegrass to Broadway series. America’s Music is a grant-funded series of film viewings, discussions and performance events at Rock Island, Moline, Bettendorf and Davenport Public Libraries, River Music Experience and Western Illinois University-Quad Cities. For more events in the series, visit www.americasmusicqc.com
Wednesday, April 17:
- 10:30 am, Special “How I Became a Pirate” storytime presented by Circa 21, Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road. Captain Braid Beard (Janos Horvath), from the Circa 21 Dinner Playhouse’s new musical adventure, will stop by to help read stories, talk like a pirate and help with pirate crafts for ages birth to five. The musical is based on the popular children’s book of the same name, by Melinda Long.
- 4:00 pm: Lego Time, Rock Island Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road. Make something fun for display at the library with Lego-brand building blocks.
- 6:00 pm, Downloading eBooks demo, Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road. Learn how to check out eBooks and eAudiobooks for free with your library card.
Thursday, April 18:
- 6:00 pm, Teen Movie Night, Rock Island Main Library, 401 19th Street. Free movie screening, snacks and more fun, just for ages 12 to 18.
Friday, April 19:
- 10:30 am, Dinosaur Storytime for ages birth to five, Rock Island Main Library Children’s Room, 401 19th Street.
Saturday, April 20 – all events at Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road:
- 10:00 am, El Dia Family Storytime, featuring a reading of Book Fiesta, by Pat Mora, who helped start the annual April celebration of children’s books.
- 10:30 am, Saturday Lego Time, followed by an 11:30 am “Stem-tivity” on kite flying. STEM-tivity programs are fun, hands-on activities involving Science, Technology, Engineering or Math.
National Library Week highlights the importance of libraries, librarians, and library workers, and their commitment to the places where their patrons live, work and study. First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April.
All programs are free and open to the public. For more news about Rock Island Public Library events, visit www.rockislandlibrary.org, call 309-732-7323 (READ) or follow the Rock Island Library on Facebook and Twitter. A monthly calendar of library events is available online and at Rock Island Library locations.
(end) |
|
News Releases -
Media & Communications
|
|
|
Written by Book World
|
|
Thursday, 11 April 2013 13:41 |
|
Valid in store only and while supplies last
Book World, Inc
Find us at www.bookworldstores.com and on Facebook |
|
News Releases -
Media & Communications
|
|
|
Written by Courtney Boothe
|
|
Wednesday, 10 April 2013 08:40 |
|
Rock Island, IL/ April 10th, 2013 - Media Link, Inc. is proud to announce it's newest Account Manager, Laura Van Barg. In her new position she will be working with our customers on Media Link Software and Government affairs.
Van Barg has over a decade of marketing experience and has previously worked for Media Link, Inc., as well as Simon Properties Group, American Bank and Trust, NA, Lujack's Northpark Auto Plaza, and Living Lands & Waters.
"I am happy to be rejoining the Media Link team," said Van Barg. "Natalie Linville-Mass has built her advertising agency to the point where it is a key player in the advertising industry not only in the Quad Cities, but in the region and beyond. Her development of Media Link Software™ is bound to be a game-changer in the media buying industry nationwide."
"We are so excited to have Laura back on our team. She has incredible talent and tenacity and is truly a welcome addition to our team. We really need someone with her caliber to help us as we take this agency to a national level," said Natalie Linville-Mass, President of Media Link, Inc.
Media Link, Inc. is a full-service integrated marketing firm specializing in strategic media buying and placement. Media Link works with businesses in the Quad-Cities and around the country to develop and execute customized marketing strategies to help them more effectively reach their customers. Media Link, Inc. recently developed and launched its own media buying software system, Media Link Software™. This company is also one of the only marketing firms in the region to have obtained an 8(a) SDB certification, a designation of significance to clients who contract with the federal government.
### |
|
News Releases -
Media & Communications
|
|
|
Written by AM Bergeson
|
|
Monday, 08 April 2013 10:41 |
MO  LINE, IL -- Mary Pruess, former president and general manager of WNIT in South Bend/Elkhart, IN, has been named the director of WQPT-Quad Cities Public Television at Western Illinois University, effective April 22, according to Joe Rives, vice president of the Quad Cities and planning at WIU.
She replaces Rick Best, who retired in June 2012. Jamie Lange, who has been serving as the station's interim general manager, will resume her work as WQPT's chief development officer.
Pruess served as the president and general manager of WNIT from 2002-2012. Previously, she was the chief content officer and general manager from 2001-2002 and as vice president (public television services) and station manager from 1993-2001 for WHRO in Norfolk; deputy director of TRAC Media (1991-1993); CEO of the Public Television Programmers' Association (1991-1993); a consultant (1988-present); program manager of KUHT-TV in Houston, TX (1988-1991); and served in numerous managerial positions at KAET-TV in Phoenix, AZ (1977-1988). Pruess has also held director and manager positions at KICR Radio at the University of Iowa.
"We welcome Mary to Western Illinois University. Her professional experience will serve WQPT and the University well. Mary's expertise in public broadcasting and community outreach will further enhance WQPT's outstanding level of service to the region," Rives said. "Rick Best, Jamie Lange and the rest of the staff have set a high bar for continued increases in local programming, community service and successful fundraising. It will be an exciting time as WQPT further enhances Western's contributions to the residents of western Illinois and eastern Iowa."
Pruess has taken graduate courses in public administration from Old Dominion University. She earned her bachelor's degree in liberal arts from Excelsior College (formerly Regents College of the University of the State of New York). She also holds certificates in executive fund development and non-profit management from the University of Notre Dame.
|
|
|
