An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries and Bookstores by Mark Leslie Lefebvre

Back in May I tuned into a webinar put on by the Canadian Authors Association of which I am a professional member of, called Leveraging Your IP and Maximizing Income in a Digital World, with Mark Leslie Lefebvre as the speaker. I was quite impressed, so I went of and bought his book, An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries and Bookstores.

An Author's Guide to Working with Bookstores and Libraries is a no-BS overview of the publishing industry, bookstores and libraries. It outlines the basics of what authors need to know when navigating their way through the complex print, eBook and distribution options available to authors. Whether you are traditionally published or self-published, this book provides guidance and insights to help you maximize your sales, your earnings, and your author brand.

As with the webinar, I learned a lot and gained quite a few ideas on how to promote my upcoming book, Saving Tiberius, (Bookland Press Publisher) through bookstores and with the Toronto Public Library. Many ideas at the moment would be on hold due to the current Covid-19 situation, but can be put into practice later.

This is a valuable guide to the industry for both traditionally published and indie authors alike.

About Mark Leslie Lefebre

Mark Leslie Lefebvre has been writing since he was thirteen years old and discovered his mother’s Underwood typewriter collecting dust in a closet. He started submitting his work for publication at the age of fifteen and had his first story published in 1992, the same year he graduated from university.

Under the name Mark Leslie, he has published more than a dozen full length books. He pens a series of non-fiction paranormal explorations for Dundurn, Canada’s largest independent publisher. He also writes fiction (typically thrillers and horror) and edits fiction anthologies, most recently as a regular editor for the WMG Publishing Fiction River anthology series. The very same year, Mark saw his first short story in print he started working in the book industry as a part-time bookseller, and was bitten by the book-selling bug.

He has worked in virtually every type of bookstore (independent, chain, large-format, online, academic and digital). He has thrived on innovation, particularly related to digital publishing, and enjoys interacting with the various people who make the book industry so dynamic.

Between 2011 and 2017, Mark worked at the Director of Self-Publishing and Author Relations for Kobo where he was the driving force behind the creation of Kobo Writing Life, a free and easy to use author/small-publisher friendly platform designed to publish directly to Kobo’s global catalog in 190 countries. By the end of 2016, Kobo Writing Life established itself as the #1 single source of weekly global unit sales for Kobo and, in primarily English language territories, responsible for 1 in every 4 eBooks sold.

Mark has spoken professionally in the United States and Canada, in the UK and across Europe, specializing in advances in digital publishing and the vast and incredible opportunities that exist for writers and publishers.