Because Authors Are Our Greatest Assets

Nearly six months ago, Savas Beatie did one of the best things it’s done since the company was founded in 2004. We held an Author Conclave. (“A what?” you might ask, probably followed by a “Why?”)

After our July event, Savas Beatie Managing Director Ted Savas was asked to write an article addressing these questions for the Independent Book Publishers Association. The article ran in the November edition of IBPA’s Independent magazine, and was also featured on their website. I encourage you to spend a few minutes reading the article, which explains why we did what we did, how we did it, and what we learned from it. Good food for thought as we all start looking toward 2014 . . .

December Special from Savas Beatie

Our best offer ever: Order ANY in-stock title on our website, then simply use the coupon code in the image and get The Complete Gettysburg Guide 2-disc Audio Tour for only $10... order TWO books and get the Audio Tour FREE! Start browsing now.

Happy Thanksgiving!

What's in a name? Or, more accurately, what's in an email subject line?

Like many companies large and small, we use Constant Contact (an online marketing company program) to create emails for our readers and accounts. We use it to send out a monthly newsletter to a nice number of subscribers, email readers each time we have a special offer on a new book or an announcement about an upcoming author event, and to send pitches to media suggesting authors as source/guests.

We give a lot of thought to email subject lines. What works? What doesn't? What makes people click to open it? This post on the Constant Contact blog has great examples of different types of subject lines, their purpose, and how to use them to engage your audience. (Or, let's face it, just to get them to open the email.)

I looked back through our archive of marketing emails and here is a handful of different types of subject lines we've used recently:

• Civil War presentation in NYC - or get a signed copy no matter where you live!
• Only $3.99 for U-boat book Steel Boat, Iron Hearts - Limited time only! 
• Interview Idea! New York City, the Civil War, and the 150th Anniversary. Wait--What? 
• 150th Chickamauga Anniversary Offer - SIGNED copies of the new book!

The majority of our email subject lines use "The command" or "The teaser" approach. Maybe we should give "The list" a try . . . "Top Five Savas Beatie books that should be on your Christmas list" perhaps?

TODAY ONLY: Get an eBook version of Once a Marine for just $2.99!

Once a Marine: An Iraq War Tank Commander's Inspirational Memoir of Combat, Courage, and Recovery by Nick Popaditch is available for download on your Kindle (or with any device that has a Kindle app) for just $2.99 on November 7. Download now.

Please help us spread the word. Forward this offer to your friends and SHARE it on your FB page too! A perfect way to start celebrating the Marine Corps Birthday a little early!

Click here to get your copy TODAY ONLY!

Only $3.99 for U-boat book Steel Boat, Iron Hearts - Limited time only!

Get an eBook version of  Steel Boat, Iron Hearts for $3.99.

Steel Boat, Iron Hearts by Hans Goebler with John Vanzo is available for download on your Kindle (or with any device that has a Kindle app) for just $3.99 through the month of November. This deal is just too good to beat! Download now.

Act now before the promotion ends. Don't forget to forward this offer to your friends and family, or treat them to this great read!

Click here to get your copy today.

Sharing Our Authors’ Content

Many of our authors have blogs and write some great content. We frequently share their posts on the Savas Beatie Facebook page and in our monthly newsletter to customers for others to see. Recently, we thought of a more effective way to make sure that our readers see this great content.

We sent out an email to our authors who have blogs and asked them to send us a link to a recent post on their blog with some historical content (preferably one that mentioned their most recent book by name with an image of the book cover). Or, write a new post and email us that link. We collected these links for a week, and then put together an email listing these posts, plus the name of the author, a link to his blog, and the name of his books that we published.

Click on the image above to view the email we sent out. Make sure you let the author know you appreciate his blog and posts by leaving a comment. Sometimes being an author is lonely work, and they always appreciate knowing you are there, and supporting their work. Happy Reading!

Savas Beatie to Sell Angle Valley Press Titles

For Immediate Release

Contact: Sarah Keeney, 916-941-6896, sarahs@savasbeatie.com.

El Dorado Hills, CA, October 17, 2013

Savas Beatie is pleased to announce that it has finalized an agreement with Angle Valley Press to distribute its titles into non-book trade accounts within the United States and Canada.

Savas Beatie, a leader in the independent military and general history book publishing industry, has produced many award-winning titles and national book club selections. One of the company’s strong suits has been its ability to open and maintain a vibrant revenue stream outside the general book trade. In addition to bulk specialty sales, the company has been especially successful establishing relationships with state and national park sites, gift shops, museum stores, and other related outlets. This ability has been especially important given the weak general economy and shuttering of Borders, Inc.

Angle Valley Press of Winchester, Virginia, is an independent craft publisher of unique award-winning books on the Civil War and is well known to students and buffs of the conflict.

“We have long respected what John Fox does at Angle Valley, and his books are always well-received by the community,” explains Managing Director Theodore P. Savas. “This agreement allows each of us to focus on our strengths. This broadens the title selection Savas Beatie can offer outside the book trade, and John can focus more of his attention on creating additional titles for sale.”

Angle Valley Press’s publisher, John Fox, is also looking forward to the partnership. “This indeed is a win/win for both of us, and allows me to focus on two exciting new titles we have planned for release soon. I am very pleased to be working with a dynamic and creative company like Savas Beatie.”

About Savas Beatie

Savas Beatie LLC is a leading independent military and general history publishing company. For more information, visit www.savasbeatie.com

About Angle Valley Press

Angle Valley Press is an independent craft publisher of unique award-winning books on the War Between the States. Accurate & Dependable. Our books cover new ground. For more information, visit www.anglevalleypress.com

Engaging your audience – Book covers determined on Facebook

There are two seasons per year in the book publishing world: Spring (January through June) and Fall (July through December). Twice a year, we compile a list of titles that we will be publishing the following season for our distributor Casemate to present to the book trade. Unlike many publishers, we always engage the author in the process and have many rounds of back and forth to determine book titles, create subtitles, and develop just the right catalog description for each book. This season, we decided to engage our READERS in the process too, and asked for their thoughts as we created the front covers of each book. It was a fun, interactive, and rewarding process.

Step 1: As usual, we collected suggestions from authors of what photos, images, or illustrations they thought should appear on the front cover of his or her book, and looked into acquiring high resolution images and the rights to reproduce each image.

Step 2: After sifting through the options, we posted a book title, subtitle, and potential cover image on our Facebook page every day for one upcoming title, and opened up the comments for a dialog with our readers to get their suggestions, feedback, and thoughts.

Step 3: We took their ideas into consideration, worked with our graphic design to create some wonderful covers, and posted the end results on our Facebook page to complete the process.

Scroll down to read the comments on our Facebook page for the last few weeks. We had a wonderful exchange with a lot of readers who are already looking forward to our 2014 line-up and our Facebook Insights for the past month show dynamite numbers!

Author J.D. Petruzzi and Civil War Times x 3

We're always looking for ways to increase exposure for Savas Beatie books and authors. What's better than an advertisement? A book review. What's better than a book review? An article. What's better than an article? How about three?

In the latest issue of Civil War Times (December 2013), Savas Beatie author J.D. Petruzzi is mentioned not once, not twice, but three times!

Click here to see the three mentions, which included:

- a review of The Gettysburg Campaign in Numbers and Losses by Harry Smeltzer
- J.D. Petruzzi chiming in in reference to a long lost ancestral photo
- a shout-out to Plenty of Blame to Go Around by an informed reader

How's that for some great, steady exposure for both a new book release and a steady-selling backlist title?

First Author Conclave at Civil War Battlefields

We are excited to announce the first ever Savas Beatie Author Conclave! We've been working on this event for awhile now, and are very much looking forward to it. More details to follow in the coming weeks, but for now here is our press release announcing the event.

Be sure to check out the free tour schedule, and RSVP to help us gauge attendance!

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SB Authors to Lead Field Tours & Book Discussions for 150th Anniversary of Civil War

EL DORADO HILLS, CA, June 25, 2013 – Savas Beatie LLC is excited to announce its first Author Conclave. Beginning on July 28, Savas Beatie staff and authors cordially invite all members of the general public to congregate for three days in Gettysburg, PA, Antietam, MD, and Leesburg, VA to celebrate the 150^th anniversary of the Civil War—free of cost! Readers and history buffs of all experience levels will enjoy author-led battlefield tours, lively debate, and book discussions.

Managing Director Theodore P. Savas is thrilled about the conclave’s potential as a new tradition for authors and their readers. “We are very excited about our first Author Conclave,” explained Savas. “It is a grand opportunity for all of us to discuss new writing projects and harness the power of collaboration.” Savas continued, “Introducing the authors and readers, touring fields together, and connecting on a wide variety of levels will create a synergy that will help everyone. This unique learning experience will provide readers and battlefield enthusiasts with collective insights above and beyond what anyone could gain from reading a book independently, removed from the historic scene.”

Renowned historian and Conclave host Eric Wittenberg echoed these sentiments. “The opportunity to gather so many distinguished historians in one place presented an opportunity that I simply could not pass up. It will give everyone a chance to spend quality time with both historians and readers of our collected works in one of my favorite places,” Wittenberg said.

Longtime Savas Beatie reader Rea Redd, Civil War Librarian LLC, can’t wait to join his favorite authors on the fields either, stating, “The Savas Beatie Authors [and Readers] Conclave may well become one of the memorable highlights of the 150th Anniversary of 1863. The event promises to be on the level of the National Parks battlewalks of Chancellorsvillle and Gettysburg. Seven well established authors touring four battlefields in three states over three days!  Bring your maps, sunblock, and, with a nod to U2, ‘Get Your Boots On!’”

For more information and the event schedule, please see below or visit the Savas Beatie website. 

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THE ARMY HISTORICAL FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN U.S. ARMY HISTORY WRITING

Savas Beatie title The Maryland Campaign of September 1862, Vol. II: Antietam wins for Reprint category

EL DORADO HILLS, Calif., May 22, 2013 – The Maryland Campaign of September 1862, Vol. II: Antietam edited by Thomas Clemens was selected as the 2012 winner of The Army Historical Foundation's Distinguished Writing Award for the reprint category. The Army Historical Foundation has an annual awards program to recognize books and articles that have made a distinctive contribution to U.S. Army history.

“It is great to see Ezra Carman's premiere achievement recognized by the Army Historical Foundation; a fine organization dedicated to preserving the heritage of America's military past,” said Editor Thomas Clemens. “Carman labored many years to write the most detailed study of the Maryland Campaign ever created. Having an organization of military historians, veterans and enthusiasts endorse his effort is very gratifying, and of course the efforts by the Savas Beatie staff made it all possible. It was inspiring, and a bit intimidating, to work on the manuscript with Carman's ghost looking over my shoulder, and a pleasure to work with the people at Savas Beatie.”

The Maryland Campaign of September 1862, Vol. II: Antietam is second volume of Ezra Carman’s The Maryland Campaign of September 1862. Editor Thomas G. Clemens, recognized internationally as one of the foremost historians of the Maryland Campaign, spent more than two decades studying Antietam and editing and annotating Carman’s manuscript.

“All of us here at Savas Beatie are pleased that Dr. Clemens’ work has been bestowed with this prestigious award," explained Savas Beatie’s Managing Director Theodore P. Savas. "He has spent decades researching Carman’s magisterial account."

Candidates are nominated by their publishers. A select Awards Committee of distinguished military historians and writers carefully judge the finalists. Each finalist is judged against the following four criteria: Significance to U.S. Army History, quality of writing (e.g. clarity, style and analysis), historical accuracy, and presentation (e.g. use of maps, photographs or other materials).

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ABOUT THE ARMY HISTORICAL FOUNDATION

The Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Awards program was established in 1997 to recognize authors who make a significant contribution to the literature on U.S. Army history. Its goal is to promote greater public appreciation for the contributions that America’s Army – Active, Reserve, and National Guard – has made to the nation in 233 years of service.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND EDITOR

Ezra Carman was born in Oak Tree, New Jersey, on February 27, 1834, and educated at Western Military Academy in Kentucky. He fought with New Jersey organizations throughout the Civil War. He died in 1909 on Christmas day and was buried just below the Custis-Lee mansion in Arlington Cemetery.

Thomas G. Clemens earned his doctoral degree at George Mason University, where he studied under Maryland Campaign historian Dr. Joseph L. Harsh. Tom has published a wide variety of magazine articles and book reviews, has appeared in several documentary programs, and is a licensed tour guide at Antietam National Battlefield. A retired professor from Hagerstown Community College, he also helped found and is the current president of Save Historic Antietam Foundation, Inc., a preservation group dedicated to saving historic properties.

John Bell Hood book trailer

Robert E. Lee in War and Peace book trailer

Savas Beatie in Book Business Magazine

Lemonade, cigars, and steak. While it's clear which item might not make the best pairing to your palette, all three work together to form a perfect book marketing example in a recent article written by Savas Beatie Managing Director Theodore P. Savas for Book Business Magazine. 

Enjoy the article and story, and here's to hoping it gets your creative juices flowing as well. 

Read the article here.

Using LinkedIn to increase author event attendance

Two and a half years after the release of Abraham Lincoln and the Structure of Reason, authors Dan Van Vaften and David Hirsch continue to gain media coverage and have successful book signing events. While updating me on another well-attended presentation, co-author Dan Van Haften mentioned that using his LinkedIn connections helped spread the word about his events. Below you'll find the simple step-by-step method he used to increase his reach. It's a straightforward approach for other authors to replicate. - Sarah Keeney

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When I retired from Alcatel-Lucent in 2007, I had 40 LinkedIn connections.

Shortly after Abraham Lincoln and the Structure of Reason was published, I started sending out LinkedIn connection requests to everyone on LinkedIn I had contact with during my 37 year Bell Labs/AT&T/Lucent/Alcatel-Lucent career.

Over time I got to 330 LinkedIn connections.

After Barack Obama, Abraham Lincoln, and the Structure of Reason was released as an ebook in June, 2012, I sent email notices to a large number of media people identified through the Bacon’s Media Guide.

After sending out a few hundred emails to publicize the ebook, I clicked on the LinkedIn option to send a LinkedIn connection request to every person in my email contact list. I received numerous acceptances, some as many as six months or more later. My first media acceptances were an editor from Duluth and from Green Bay.

I then realized I could send LinkedIn connection requests to all people connected to my new media “friends”. I sent out a large number of requests, over time building up media contacts across the country.

I got to 500+ LinkedIn connections (currently about 750). These connections included people such as Judy Woodruff. They included many people in the Washington, D.C. area, as well as the New York City area.

When I had an event at Ford’s Theatre, I sent out LinkedIn InMail to my contacts in the Washington, D. C. area. One hundred fifty people showed up.

When I had an event at the DuPage History Museum, I sent out LinkedIn InMail to my Chicago area contacts. Some people I knew sent their regrets (they were in China, they had a conflict, etc.). Twenty three people showed up, and I sold ten books. I knew at least three people in the audience already had one (or both) of our books.

When David and I participated in the Redoglake Book Salon, I sent out LinkedIn InMail to media people in the New York City area, plus most areas outside Chicago.

- Dan Van Haften
The Structure of Reason

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Another Intoxicated Pilot Removed from Plane; Flying Drunk Still Relevant Today

Flying Drunk: The True Story of a Northwest Airlines Flight, Three Drunk Pilots, and one Man's Fight for Redemption By Joe Balzer (Savas Beatie, 2009)

On January 4, 2013, an American Eagle captain was removed from an aircraft carrying 53 passengers set to leave the Minneapolis-St. Paul International airport due to intoxication.

Since 2008, the number of intoxicated pilots has held steady. 

“One of the most notorious cases of a pilot drinking and flying occurred in 1990, when the captain, flight engineer and first officer were arrested when their flight from Fargo landed at the Twin Cities airport,” wrote Paul Walsh from Star Tribune.

On March 8, 1990, an intoxicated three-man crew, including Flight Engineer Joseph Balzer, flew a Northwest Airlines Boeing 727 with 91 passengers aboard from Fargo, North Dakota to Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Joe Balzer had always dreamed of flying. He pursued his goal with a vigorous passion and earned his pilot licenses, piling up hours of flight time with a wide variety of planes and jets with one overarching goal: to one day fly for a major airline. But Joe had a problem. He was an alcoholic and refused to admit to himself that he had a problem. 

“I compromised my own personal value system,” said Joe Balzer, “Alcohol got the best of me again, and it was going to ruin my career. I didn’t realize I was an alcoholic; I didn’t want to be one of ‘those’ people.”

Joe Balzer’s book, Flying Drunk, is a journey of the human spirit, from childhood to hell, and back again. “We need to get help for pilots who are tempted to drink, because when we do, we have the highest success rate,” said Balzer.

Balzer and the recent American Eagle incident are not the only pilot intoxications to ever make headlines. Hollywood has also taken a stab at the issue with Denzel Washington’s new movie Flight about an airline pilot who saves a flight from crashing, but an investigation into the malfunctions reveals signs of intoxication.

About the Author

Joe Balzer is currently a pilot for American Airlines with more than 15,000 hours of flight experience. He has a Master's Degree in Aerospace Education and is also an inspirational speaker, traveling around the country speaking to pilots and other groups on the dangers of alcohol and other addictions, bringing his audience to laughter and tears with his powerful message of hope. Joe lives in Tennessee. Flying Drunk is his first book.

For more information, visit the book's page.