75 episodes

A podcast for authors who want to improve their copywriting skills and create better book descriptions. Hosted by author Jim Heskett and copywriting expert Abigail Dunard.

Blurbs Sell Books Best Page Forward

    • Arts
    • 4.6 • 17 Ratings

A podcast for authors who want to improve their copywriting skills and create better book descriptions. Hosted by author Jim Heskett and copywriting expert Abigail Dunard.

    BSB 152

    BSB 152

    Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief John Phythyon and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of book descriptions!
    Here are this episode’s read-along selections:
    Blurb:
    Men of Bone by David Penny
    1501: London, England
    Can a man turn his back on all hope to protect those he loves?
    Returning to an England now alien to him Thomas Berrington falls foul of a thieves’ guild. In his efforts to protect a stranger he becomes their target. When the bonemen come to inflict punishment he has no choice but to kill one of their order. Fleeing London in the company of Arthur, Prince of Wales, heir to the English throne, Thomas believes he has escaped retribution for his actions. But it is a mistake that may get him and his companions killed.
    Sent to England by the Spanish Queen to watch over Catherine of Aragon on her marriage to Arthur, Thomas intends the duty to be short-lived. But he hasn’t reckoned on the bonemen, who are spreading their influence ever wider. As danger mounts, Thomas is no longer sure he is the man for the task but has no option but to fight, as he always has. For the innocent, for justice, and for his life.
    Politics and crime collide in Tudor England in a new series of adventures for Thomas Berrington. Join him on his latest journey in Men of Bone now.

    • 28 min
    BSB 151

    BSB 151

    Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief John Phythyon and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of book descriptions!
    Here are this episode’s read-along selections:
    Blurb:
    Hopeless for You by Raquel Riley
    Cyan was hired to tutor Griffin in the ways of love. He never expected to become the student. Will their lessons in love lead to the real thing?
    Griffin Clark
    A twenty-one year old virgin college freshman? Yep, that’s me. But I didn’t wait this long to just throw it away. I dream of the perfect romantic night, straight out of one of my favorite novels. So, I hired a professional to get the job done right. Cyan isn’t the playboy I expected, he’s—unexpected.
    Cyan Morrison
    I’ve been described as easygoing, charming, and a natural born flirt. It's for those reasons I’m one of Lucky Match’s most sought-after escorts. It’s also why Griffin Clark wants to gift wrap his V-card and present it to me on a silver platter. Everything about him throws me off-balance and inspires me to be a more authentic version of myself; a version I’m coming to love more than the playboy facade most people see. The trick is to make him want to stick around, but he seems to only want one thing from me; love lessons.
    Class is now in session…

    • 47 min
    BSB 150

    BSB 150

    Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of book descriptions!
    Here are this episode’s read-along selections:
    Blurb:
    A Last Gift: One Midlife Crisis by Beca Lewis

    Five women. One dead husband. Too many secrets.

    A letter from her dead husband turns Bree Mann’s world upside down, forcing her to confront not only his past but hers.

    When four childhood friends come to her rescue, they uncover secrets and lies that will change all their lives forever.

    Was the gift Bree received a blessing or a curse? Will Bree be able to build a new life, or will the death of her husband be the end for her?

    Take this journey with the Ruby Sisters in this first book, introducing you to the women of Spring Falls as they recover what they have lost and become more of who they are.

    • 48 min
    BSB 149

    BSB 149

    Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of book descriptions!
     
    To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward.
    Here are this episode’s read-along selections:
    Blurb:
    Old Debts by T.L. Riffey

    Detective John Hanlan hates these kind of cases. 'Normal' murders were bad enough but add the uncanny and he really disliked them. Called to a peculiar murder scene, he immediately knows there's more than the usual insanity involved. He deduces that the killer is after the Ruv's Blood Book, their grimoire, and has no problem killing to get it.

    After more bodies drop, Hanlan fears he will always be one step behind and others will pay for his failure to catch this cunningly mad killer. Will he be able to stop this Janus-faced scourge or will the world literally become hell on earth?

    If you love contemporary murder mysteries with ties to the supernatural you'll enjoy this different and unique take on werewolves.

    Buy this preternatural read and find out if this killer forces the Ruv to come out of hiding to save humanity.

    • 47 min
    BSB 148

    BSB 148

    Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of book descriptions!
     
    To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward.
    Here are this episode’s read-along selections:
    Blurb:
    Good Vibrations By Patrick J. O’Connor
    A human. An alien. A one-afternoon stand and a fertilized egg. What could possibly go right? 
    Greg and NaDii are going to find out. They're about to become a hybrid family, it turns out.
    In book one of this series, during the life of their first child, Robby (or Bobby) Firestone, the two parents discover their children have a hybrid vigor that makes them far more than the sum of their parts. When his unexpected, half-human genius is revealed, Bobby galvanizes the Terran and HaChii races both ways. The admirers, and the ones who want him dead.

    Can salvation from the future save Bobby in the present? Can Bobby's sister keep a low enough profile to avoid the people—dangerous ones—who stalk her brother? Why bother? She's way more dangerous than they are!

    • 58 min
    BSB 147

    BSB 147

    Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of book descriptions!
     
    To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward.
    Here are this episode’s read-along selections:
    Hook:
    The Death of the Groom in the Ceremony Room By Suz Williams


    A witch sworn off magic, a bad-tempered bridegroom with a peanut allergy, and a cunning killer who considers he’s above getting caught. The death of the groom in the ceremony room is only the beginning of the story.
     
    Blurb:
    Blurb Theory by Dennis Stevenson
    The Book Bard with a lyric voice. The Blurb Whisperer with all the chair moves. Will their blurbic grimoire languish in the aetheric void or will it set the writing world on fire?
     
    Dennis Stevenson loves book craft. When he discovers the dulcet tones of the blurby podcast, the aspiring word-mage hears the Angel choir sing and electrify the aether. Yearning to grasp the marketing wisdom in his hands he campaigns to record the mighty ancient words and craft a spell book of mystic power. 
     
    Armed only with Scrivner and Vellum, the scrappy wordsmith seeks the Bard and the Whisperer to aid him in his selfless quest. Only with the dynamic duo can he scribe the tome of power that will free struggling storytellers everywhere and slay the domineering dragon of marketing. But should he fail, indie writers the world over will hemorrhage cash and the deepest selling magic will be silenced forever. 
     
    Blurb Theory is an entertaining masterpiece of book marketing wisdom. If you love getting your stories in the hands of readers, you won’t be able to put down this epic collection of book description wizardry. 
     
    Act now for your chance to join the quest party and catapult yourself into the greatest book marketing adventure of the age.

    • 53 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
17 Ratings

17 Ratings

KellyV04 ,

It’s like being in a workshop (without the work)!

Who knew listening to blurb critiques for others’ work could be so helpful! Thank you for doing this and creating such a valuable podcast.

Randrifter ,

Sure helped me!

I started following this podcast, the facebook live version, from the Sell More Books Show. It's great example of experts sharing their time and expertise for the benifit of us, the listeners. I sent in my blurb which I knew needed help. They dissected it and came up with some great ideas and suggestions. Thank you both! -Randy L

Amaaaazed ,

Wonderful new tool!

Just found this podcast and love it! It’s so hard to find good, useable, straightforward advice. Very useful! Highly recommend

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