Episode 38: Board books, tie-in products, and ISBN warnings with Treena Wetsel

Hi, folks. Busy times here. T-minus 20 days until The Body in the Bookmobile releases! Today, I’ve got a fun (and a little technical) interview with children’s author Treena Wetsel. She’s taken a page from traditional publishers in producing and marketing her books. Have a listen and hear how she published board books and produced a tie-in toy (both rarities in the self publishing world). Treena also shares an important warning about ISBN purchases, so it’s a longer intro section this time, while I go into some ISBN basics and how to avoid the pitfalls when self-publishing. It seems when Treena first purchased ISBNs, she went through a partner company of Bowker’s, rather than going direct to Bowker, so she picked the wrong option and ended up with numbers that wouldn’t work for libraries and physical bookstores. Read carefully before you order. It’s best to go direct to the source: in the US, this is Bowker.   From Treena’s website: Treena in a Minute: Grew up in the Bronx Worked at the New York Public Library Joined the United States Marine Corps Joined the United States Army Reserve Worked as a Correctional Officer Wrote several manuscripts Joined the Federal Government Went to night school  Graduated from Johns Hopkins University Served on the Howard County Commission for Women Raised three children Became a step-mom Became a grandmother Self-published her book