People Archives - Page 51 of 107 - Sonia Marsh

How far should you take your brand?

January 3, 2013 by Sonia Marsh 20 Comments

I'm going overboard with turquoise — I’m going overboard with turquoise

When I decided to put a turquoise feather in my hair, I asked myself, “How far should I take my brand?”

I made a spontaneous decision at my local gym today after chatting with Mary Visconte (a “My Gutsy Story” sponsor under Spectrum Specialities and Awards) told me she was getting her long brown hair colored purple and pink at the ends. She showed me some photos on her i-phone.

“Maybe I should get some turquoise in my hair to go with my brand, but I’m too old for that,” I said.

“Sonia, get a turquoise feather, that would look cool,” Mary replied.

“Where?”

“You can buy them at the beauty supply store next to Peets coffee.”

So after the gym, I drove straight to the store, picked up the turquoise feather, some turquoise nail polish, and of course a Peets coffee.

Back home, I jumped in the shower then dressed in my “book-signing uniform.” A quick dab of turquoise on my nails, then asked my son to take some photos.

My poor kids are fed up with me asking them to take photos.

So my question is:

How far should you take your brand?

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And to all my author friends, have you branded yourself? If so how? With a favorite color? Something you wear to accentuate your brand? A gimmick that goes with your book? Have you even thought of it when you do your book signings?

NEWS

My Gutsy Story® is now Trademarked as of 1/01/13.

Next Monday, January 7th, we start the 2013 My Gutsy Story® series with Mary Gottschalk.

Submit your “My Gutsy Story”®

I am collecting new “My Gutsy Story” submissions for 2013. NOW is the time to submit your own “My Gutsy Story” and get published in our Anthology. Please contact sonia@soniamarsh.com for details.

To submit your own, “My Gutsy Story” you can find all the information, and our sponsors on the “My Gutsy Story” contest page. (VIDEO) Submission guidelines here.

Our New Year “Gutsy Creative People” Party

December 31, 2012 by Sonia Marsh 11 Comments

Our "Gutsy Creative People" Party. — Our “Gutsy Creative People” Party.

My husband Duke decided we should have a party with creative people.

“Why not, ” I agreed and said, “Let’s call it a Gutsy Creative People Party.”

So we created a list of all our friends in Duke’s indie movie: The Down Home Alien Blues, my writer friends, PR friends, journalists, editors and so on.

What fun we had between actors, such as Nathalie Biermanns (photo below left) and make-up artist Coco Covarrubias (photo below right.)

Then my good friend Madeline Sharples, author of wrote a “My Gutsy Story” drove from Manhattan Beach to Orange County in the rain with her husband Bob. After reading her memoir, Leaving the Hall Light On, it was wonderful to meet her husband Bob. It’s strange how memoir writers know all about the author’s family, prior to meeting them in person.

Sonia and Madeline Sharples with blue Belizean morpho butterflies on the right and a photo of a boat dock in Belize on the left.

I invited two of my SCWA (Southern California Writers Association) friends. Charla Spence, and Janis Thomas.

Here is Janis and her husband Alex, with Charla.

My friend Janis Thomas, had her novel, Something New, published by Penguin. I am thrilled for her.

Then Tom Blake, a former OC Register columnist, arrived with his friend Gretta. Tom still writes a column about dating over 50 for a local Dana Point, California newspaper, and was generous to host me at his deli, “Tutor and Spunky’s” in Dana Point in September. You can view photos here.

The actors had a good time, including Jay Mitsch, who is the lead man in The Down Home Alien Blues.

We had an amazing evening and here is my friend Dee Fitgerald and his wife, Mary. I met Dee from blogging. You can view his Dr. Eclectic blog here.

Dee also offered me the opportunity to speak at the MOAA (Military Officers Association of America) about my youngest son becoming a soldier. My son is on the top photo, far right.

A wonderful PR lady for authors, Jennifer Heinly, also attended, together with Pam Westcott, a freelance writer and their respective husbands.

Happy New Year to all my friends and may 2013 be the year you accomplish whatever you desire.

Submit your “My Gutsy Story.”

To submit your own, “My Gutsy Story” you can find all the information, and our sponsors on the “My Gutsy Story” contest page. (VIDEO) Submission guidelines here.

Being famous doesn’t guarantee fans will come

December 27, 2012 by Sonia Marsh 6 Comments

John BankofBooksVentura-s — Sonia with John Montz, manager of Bank of Books in Ventura, California

Bank of Books in Ventura, California, is a lovely indie bookstore for book lovers of all genres. It’s the kind of store that attracts those who love to browse and dig into stories. It’s also the kind of store that attracts famous people, such as Sir Anthony Hopkins, according to John Montz, the manager.

Last weekend, during my book event at Bank of Books, John told me an interesting story.

Academy Award winner, Gregory Peck, famous actor in the movie To Kill a Mockingbird, had a book signing at Bank of Books. They advertised his event in all the local newspapers, and set a table inside the store for him to sign his book. Not one person showed up. Not one.

The manager decided to have him stand outside the store, and when people recognized him, they finally formed a line which stretched down Main Street.

So knowing that even famous people don’t always draw a crowd, despite publicity, should make indie authors feel better when they only draw a small number of “fans” to their book events.

SoniaKarinEileenBoB

In my opinion, you always meet one person who makes the whole event worthwhile, and this time, I met a great lady who purchased my book, and we exchanged business cards. The secret is to be “gutsy” and go up to people and chat.

SoniaBankofBooksEvent

Have you had a book signing where no one came? Have you been to many book signings yourself?

Submit your “My Gutsy Story.”

To submit your own, “My Gutsy Story” you can find all the information, and our sponsors on the “My Gutsy Story” contest page. (VIDEO) Submission guidelines here.

Are you Gutsy enough to give a stranger a “Free Hug”?

December 25, 2012 by Sonia Marsh 2 Comments

Free Hug Man

I’m spending a mini-vacation with my husband in Ojai, California, and met this “Gutsy” man at the Farmers’ Market on Sunday morning.

He seemed friendly and gentle, so I had to find out:

Why was he offering “Free Hugs?”

After we hugged, I had this burning desire to interview him. I needed to find out the: who, what, where, when and why?

The first thing he said was, “I have the best job in the whole world.”

Sonia receiving a free hug-001 — Sonia getting her “Free Hug” in Ojai, California.

That struck me as odd, and I started thinking, “Is he getting paid to hug?” if so, am I supposed to donate money. I don’t see a hat or a box on the ground for collecting coins, besides it does say, “Free Hugs.”

Something strange happened to me during our hug. I started thinking how one simple hug can connect two strangers. Imagine if we could start a hugging revolution, and transform the world.

There’s something special about a hug; it bonds humanity.

After receiving a warm hug, I asked him more questions.

“I hear so many stories from people I hug,” he said.

“Can you give me one example,” I asked, always looking for a good story.

“This morning a woman collapsed on my shoulder and told me her husband passed away last Wednesday. She said she longed for a human touch.”

I thought about how this man shows up every Sunday from 10am-1pm to comfort lonely people, some who are grieving, others who are longing for a human to show they care. He does have an important “job.”

The man told me there’s a worldwide movement to give, “Free Hugs” and that I can Google it. So I did when I got back to my room at the Blue Iguana Inn.

100_0684 — The Blue Iguana Inn, Ojai, California.

I found this video, and explanation of the “Free Hugs” worldwide movement.

The Free Hugs Campaign is a social movement involving individuals who offer hugs to strangers in public places.^[1] The hugs are meant to be random acts of kindness – selfless acts performed just to make others feel better.

I think you have to be “Gutsy” to stand on a street and offer “Free Hugs.”

Are you Gutsy enough to give a stranger a “Free Hug”?

Merry Christmas to all of you.

My Christmas gift was a nice surprise from the London Book Festival, where my memoir received an honorable mention under Biography/Autobiography

My “Gutsy” Book Signing at WHSmith Paris

December 17, 2012 by Sonia Marsh 9 Comments

Sonia and Delphine (niece) — Sonia and Delphine at WHSmith Paris.

It seems insignificant to talk about my book signing after the senseless act of violence that took place on Friday, December 14th in Newtown, Connecticut.

I am speechless, and know that people around the whole world are feeling their sorrow.

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Icy roads were predicted on Thursday, December 13th, the day of my WHSmith book signing in Paris. My dad and his wife, Jill, recommended we take the RER and metro to Paris. Thankfully, a light drizzle made the roads frost-free, and Catherine, Jill’s daughter, offered to drive all four of us to Rue de Rivoli, where the largest British bookstore in Paris is located.

L'Arc de Triomphe in rain — L’Arc de Triomphe

It takes French guts to drive around L’Arc de Triomphe, where cars coming from your right side have the right of way. Multiply this by twelve: the number of roads leading to Place de L’Etoile, the focal point where the roads converge.

Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a world-famous street in Paris, known for its cafés, luxury specialty stores and “people-watching.” Several French monuments are also on the street, including the Arc de Triomphe at one end, and the Place de la Concorde at the other.

Parking is always a challenge in Paris, so at a red light, I jumped out of the car, grabbed my carry-on from the trunk, and rolled my books into the cozy store.

WHSmith has a cosmopolitan feel. Everyone who works there speaks English and French, and the feel was busy and exciting. My table was already set up with a poster on a metal stand announcing me as the guest author. Hannah, the marketing and events manager, greeted me and made me feel like a VIP. She asked me to show up early to make sure my book scanned correctly. Too scared to admit that it was indie published, I was terrified that it wouldn’t, and that my event would be canceled at the last minute.

Since my bar code was from the U.S., with $14.95 as the cover price, Hannah converted the price to Euros. I was relieved when she returned from the cash register and informed me that everything scanned properly.

My first customer was a mom with a student studying at a university in San Diego. She wanted me to sign a copy for her daughter. I started talking to some customers in the store, never sure whether to start in English or in French. A couple of Americans living in Paris, chatted with me. One man told me he’d visited Caye Caulker, the beautiful small island known for being a backpackers haven next to Ambergris Caye where we lived for a year.

Another British woman said she knew about Belize because of McAfee on the news. At first I didn’t understand who she was talking about. It’s strange how each country pronounces words differently. No wonder the British think I sound American, after 30 years in the U.S.

Many ex-colleagues from my father’s working days in Paris and Africa showed up to support me. It turned into a giant “party.”

Other photos from WHSmith below.

If you’re an indie-authoor, I’d like to encourage you to call book stores and ask if you can do a book signing. You might be surprised where this will take you. A couple of months ago, I picked up the phone and called WHSmith, and was pleasantly surprised when they said, “yes,” after several e-mails. Good luck and please share your own stories.

DECEMBER IS DIFFERENT.

I’m in London today after leaving Paris yesterday. In a few days I return to California.

To submit your own, “My Gutsy Story” you can find all the information, and our sponsors on the “My Gutsy Story” contest page. (VIDEO) Submission guidelines here.