Saturday, February 28, 2009

"Marketing 101"--February 28th, 2009

"Marketing 101"--February 28th, 2009

Hey everyone, I wanted to share a new video from a fellow author/writer, Ms. Melissa M. Williams of Long Tale Publishing. She is the author of the children's chapter book, Iggy The Iguana and she was featured on my show, The Soul of Humanity on February 4th, 2009. Be sure to listen to the re-broadcast of our interview HERE



She has created a new video documentary and (as a very smart tactic) has utilized children's reviews as well as teacher testimonials to help promote her work as a public speaker and author. Be sure to watch the video to help show your support.

You can view the video on my right-hand sidebar of my blog (look at the top right under "Iggy Tube" or simply navigate to the follow URL below and stream the video directly from YouTube.com.




...supporting the independent arts...I am Bobby Ozuna, author of Proud Souls and host of The Soul of Humanity, Internet Radio Show!!!


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Wednesday, February 25, 2009

"The Soul of Humanity"--February 25th, 2009

"The Soul of Humanity"--February 25th, 2009

This week on The Soul of Humanity, with author Bobby Ozuna: It's J.K. Coi, author of My Immortal and Immortal Kiss.
J.K. Coi is a romance author and blog host from Ontario, Canada! That's right! My boundaries have just exceeded the northern borders of the US!!! Tonight we will discuss her success, struggles, setbacks and insecurities of being a romance author, in conjunction with details about her blog: Living With Immortals where she features a new author every week.

I will also address a seemingly controversial topic within this particular genre of literary expression:  Romance. Many people would say romantic novels are not pornographic--regardless of expressive details--and others will say it is nothing more than a written expression of online smut. I don't know which is right but I am surely going to discuss it with my listeners and my guest.

Be sure to stop by and share your thoughts and comments this evening. It's a bit of a risque topic, but then again, if it wasn't risque, would it be Bobby Ozuna???
Show Date & Time:     LIVE @ 7PM CST, Wednesday February 25th
Location:                              Streamed LIVE via the Artist First Radio Network on The Soul of Humanity

http://wms.artistfirst.fastserv.com/artistfirst

*Simply Click the Listen Live/ON AIR button*


~Bobby Ozuna, author of Proud Souls


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Tuesday, February 24, 2009

The Power and Consequence of persuing a dream...

I wonder, if you had to choose between your dreams and the reality of your soul, the part of you that makes you unique and different to the world...and choose between love and family, which would you choose?

For many of us, we face the moments in our life when we have to choose between becoming what we were born to be...and choosing the life we have lived. It isn't fair for us, but sometimes the ones we love hinder us more than help us, even without them knowing it. They put us in uncompromising positions to choose between being "like everyone else" or like them...and venturing off in uncharted waters to become something greater...to allow the true light within you to shine for the world, as God has so chosen for your life...

What would you do...???

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

"The Soul of Humanity"--Wednesday, February 18th, 2009

"The Soul of Humanity"--Wednesday, February 18th, 2009

Tonight I will have the privilege to interview my older cousin, Mr. Rene Ozuna. He is a saxophonist, musical instructor and member of the local DFW band--The Tropix.
You may have seen them perform at either The Pour House or 8.0's downtown Fort Worth.


Tonight we will discuss his career as a musician and his relation to the band and more so, what he does to give back his talent to help the soul of the world as an instructor.



Be sure to catch my show tonight--LIVE--at 7PM CST via my homepage for The Soul of Humanity on the Artist First Radio Network website.

Showtime:>   7PM Central Time/Texas Time
Website:>     The Soul of Humanity

Be sure to submit your comments for Rene on this blog to help show support for my guest and the show.

~Bobby Ozuna

Thursday, February 12, 2009

The Independent Author--The Courage to Face our Dreams

The Independent Author--The Courage to Face our Dreams

Paulo Coelho, author of The Alchemist once said: "We who fight for our dream suffer far more when it doesn't work out, because we cannot fall back on the old excuse: "Oh well, I didn't really want it anyway." We do want it and know that we have staked everything on it and that the path of the personal calling is no easier than any other path, except that our whole heart is in this journey. Then, we warriors of light must be prepared to have patience in difficult times and to know that the Universe is conspiring in our favor, even though we may not understand how."

We all love to stand on the shores of the ocean, taking in her power and the strong winds she forms and we dream of distant shores, of sandy beaches and places others within our lives have never seen. There is something about that moment, with our feet in the sand, the thunderous applause of the waves as they crash down before us, almost begging us to embark on the journey that is stirring within our souls. Some people--or most people rather--will spend a lifetime only dreaming about setting sail for that distant shore and others, a very rare few, will actually dare to embark on that journey.

Yesterday, I set sail to embark on a new path within the journey of my life. It has been a little more than eleven years since I first picked up the pen and only about nine years since I first shared my works with others. I have wrestled with my soul to come to terms with the purpose of my life. And like many of you, I have struggled to fit in and feel truly comfortable with my surroundings, knowing there was more to me than what was seen within the life I was leading--the path I was walking. I have taken the unbeaten path many times in my life, not always for learning but more so for spite and the right to brag at the table over drinks about how I dared to walk a road most only talk about. When I have looked back at the mistakes of my life, I have justified them in comparison to the words of Robert Frost when he said, "Two roads diverged in a wood and I, I took the road less traveled by and that has made all the difference."

Looking back now on the mistakes of my life, the choices I made and justified, I have a better understanding of who I am and what my purpose is in this world. It isn't any easier when you discover your place and come to terms with your gifts because you soon learn of new struggles, the struggles to convince those who say they love you that you are living to your full potential by daring to be different, daring to dream and daring to take the unbeaten road. Many in my life--those who have proclaimed to love me--have questioned my intentions as though they have stood beside me all these years while I struggled and studied and learned how to apply my gift for the sake of the world and for the sake of a future that is now clearer to me than ever before. Most people will not understand why you choose to be different, and their attitude towards you will appear jealous, sometimes rude as though they are trying to "fix" you and at other times blatantly condescending. It isn't their fault however and you must understand that, as I have and that is what I keep telling myself.

All life is a journey and we all face common obstacles, either in the form of threshold guardians who try to keep us from accomplishing our dreams to tricksters who are misleading for the purpose of making us fall. We have mentors too, people who come into our lives at the right time, to say the right things just when we need to hear them. They are your signs, your indications that you are on the right track towards success. The people closest to me may not (yet) understand what I am trying to do with my life or where I am trying to go. And if they do have a sense for what I want to accomplish, they have no way of understanding the journey. Success is a process...not a destination. That is what the author Jeff Olson says. And if we work hard everyday at the thing we want to accomplish in our lives, we are then creating success in our lives daily. If success were a destination, then I wouldn't have any in my life. It's the little "invisible results" that I create on a daily basis, off the beaten road--the familiar path--that will one day set me apart. I don't do it to be different or better but instead because I want a better way of living. I want to live a life utilizing the gifts and talents I have been given.

I will meet with my new marketing agency today. I believe they are the people (and the owner is the person) I have been waiting to meet, to help take my career to the next level of sales, marketability and credibility. I have worked hard to get where I am today--three years of invisible results--and now my work is starting to bear fruit. It won't be long before I am on the road, touring, speaking, signing books and living the life I have dreamed of. And I won't accomplish it by any sense of luck--but instead--by simply working hard everyday to be prepared for the opportunity that will one day present itself.

Remember, people close to you love you and and they want you to succeed--but their measurement of success will vary from yours as the people closest to me don't yet understand the process of creating that success. My life will change and I will take a step up the ladder on a new venture of my literary career today. Where I end up, I won't know until I get there. How I get there however is clear to me...one day at a time...one step at a time...and with the full understanding that those who love me...may fall by the wayside...they may doubt me...they may completely quit on me...and today, I can live with that. Because if I was truly on the wrong path in my life...then why (I ask myself) are so many others...watching me...???

~Bobby Ozuna

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

"The Soul of Humanity"--February 11th, 2009

Ladies & Gentlemen:

Because of recent storms moving through the North East US, there will be no show tonight. I do apologize but the radio station (Ohio) where The Soul of Humanity streams LIVE is down; from what I have been told the entire area is out of commission.

I will resume the show next week, at my regular scheduled time of 7PM CST.

I do apologize.

~Bobby Ozuna

Monday, February 9, 2009

"Marketing 101"--February 9th, 2009

*How to add Amazon widget for your book to your Blogger blog*

On my last post for "Marketing 101" I mentioned a few optimization tips for customizing your Blogger blog. If you are an author (or artist who has an item to sale) whose book is on the Amazon.com storefront, you will want to include the Amazon widget for your book on your blogger blog sidebar. This tool (look at the widget for Proud Souls and Iggy The Iguana on my sidebar) is easy to setup and it allows your fans an easy way to locate your book on the Amazon storefront so they can place their order. I am going to show you how to get that done today, as well as show you how to place books of your choice/liking within your blog so that others can benefit from your favorite reading recommendations (see bottom of my blog).


You will first need to create (or logon to) your Amazon Associates account. You can do that here. If you don't have an account, create one--immediately--or at least put it on your To-Do list to get it done as quickly as possible.

If you already have an Amazon Associates account, login to their secure page and you will be able directed to your dashboard. While there you will see a tab (there are several running horizontally on that page) for Widgets. Click that tab and you will see the various types of Widgets you can create within your Associates account.

I used the "My Favorites" widget template.From there, the setup is easy. Simply type in the name of the book (or CD) you want to locate within the Amazon storefront, then you can customize the color, size, etc... When you are done, you will have an option to upload that widget to your Blogger blog or various other social networking sites.

It's that easy....

I did this same step in creating the "Bobby's Reading Recommendation" list at the bottom of my blog. The best part about creating these widgets is Amazon will pay you a percentage of every sale that comes from your link on your website/blog.

Try it... you have nothing to lose but lots to gain by applying this simple technique and allowing your fans and followers an easy way to purchase your book.

Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to this blog to stay current with more marketing tips, writing techniques and information related to my guests for my show, The Soul of Humanity.

Sincerely,

~Bobby Ozuna

Thursday, February 5, 2009

"The Soul of Humanity"--February 5th, 2009

Hello everyone, I am pleased to announce my first LIVE running of The Soul of Humanity was a huge success! Yes, if you listened (and you know me) then you know I have tendencies to be long-winded...but what do you expect from the class clown all grown up, huh?

The Soul of Humanity Internet Radio Show, with author Bobby OzunaI am pleased to announce my forward momentum and my list of upcoming authors and musicians.

For starters, I have booked the entire months of March, April and May and just yesterday I received written confirmation from Mr. Paulo Coelho himself, author of The Alchemist, that he will be a guest on my show later in June of this year!

Next week (Wednesday the 11th of February) I will feature author/Speaker David Alexander English. Be sure to bookmark the Artist First page for my show, The Soul of Humanity to tune in and listen LIVE.

David Alexander English on The Soul of Humanity with Bobby OzunaIf you are an individual or representing an indie artist looking for a platform to publicize and promote their work, please, feel free to contact Ozuna Publications here: 817-812-2009. You can also email me here with your inquiry.

If you are looking for radio/web advertising space for your business, please contact me to learn about our web (banner) and radio advertising rates.

The Soul of Humanity is a free online (LIVE) streaming show, with archived pages to listen to previous guest on a 24/7 basis. We are working to offer a springboard for independent artists who may have more doors shut in their face than they care to count. Use my show and my big mouth to help promote, publicize and share with the world the passion of your efforts as you work to pursue your dreams.

Sincerely,

~Bobby Ozuna
Ozuna Publications
"Drawing Stories...With Words"
817-812-2009

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

"The Soul of Humanity"--February 4th, 2009


I am pleased to announce my first guest for my new Internet Radio Show, The Soul of Humanity--Ms. Melissa M. Williams, author of Iggy The Iguana.



Melissa is a native Texan living in Austin and author of the children's chapter book: Iggy The Iguana. Tonight we will discuss every aspect of her literary career--from her early development, to the specifics of how she came to write her first novel, to the steps she has taken to creating success as an independent book publisher. If you have aspirations of seeing your self-publishing endeavors become a reality, this is definitely a show you will not want to miss.



Melissa will be giving away one free autographed copy of her book to a lucky listener tonight. To qualify, simply listen tonight @ 7PM and during the course of the interview (or after) post a comment and offer some feedback here on this blog posting. Melissa will be responding to every listener comment and at the end of the night, she will draw a name and offer one autographed copy!!!




You can order your copy of Iggy The Iguana by clicking on the Amazon widget in my right-hand side-bar (-->>>). The image will take you directly to the Amazon storefront for Melissa's book. Be sure to post a reader review when you are done!!!

If you are local to the Austin, Texas area, please stop by the Barnes and Noble at the Arboretum and ask for Heather or Mairead to pick up your copy today.

Address
Barnes & Noble at the Arboretum
10000 Research Blvd #158
Austin, TX 78759
512-418-8985


Show Date & Time: Wednesday, February 4th @ 7PM Central
Show Location: The Soul of Humanity (Simply click the ON AIR button)


~Bobby Ozuna
Ozuna Publications
"Drawing Stories...With Words"
817-812-2009

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Monday, February 2, 2009

"Marketing 101"-- February 2nd, 2009

*Learn some simple steps for optimizing your blog*
Your blog presence is such an important aspect of generating and sustaining yourself as a credible source of information online, be that publishing material, marketing information, or simply updates about your perspective business such as I do with this blog being an independent book publisher. When you take into consideration the vast array of "things to do" on a daily basis, it can be overwhelming. The most important thing is to start somewhere, even if you feel that your blog is falling behind the power curve. I have compiled a quick to-do list. You can work on each of these items a little at a time, everyday, and in time you will begin to see an improvement of your blog's appearance and more so, connect with more and more people online.
  • Subscribe to other blogs that fall into your niche, such as other independent book publishers and authors. See what they are doing and how they make themselves presentable online. If you see they don't generate much traffic, then find others. But more than traffic--as they may be new to blogging--validate their content. If you consider yourself a credible source of learning, then offer something back in the way of comments. Bloggers love comments. Comments help validate their credibility and it also helps generate return traffic, both for them (you are helping them) and for you, because readers see your "regular" comments and the natural curiosity in all of us is to find out who that person is. Remember at the end of the day, learning is the objective here whether you are the teacher or the student. Try to learn something new about your market every single day. Period.

  • Be sure to add content on your blogs side-bar, such as links to audio commentaries or interviews you may have done, first chapter postings or links to other blogs that have featured you in articles and reviews. By featuring someone else's blog, where they may or may not yet have featured your work, you are building a network of trust. When people see what you are doing for them, they in turn will return the favor. Building a presence online takes time but you can gain more exposure by helping others. It has worked for me and it has done wonders for my credibility and exposure.

  • Be sure to post the Amazon widget for your book's online page so people can easily click-to and order your book online. Encourage people to post a review on Amazon or share their thoughts and feedback on your blog. You can do this for your CD if you are a band or your art if you paint or draw. The possibilities for exposure are endless, but the first order of business is to start!

  • Be sure to make it easy for other bloggers to subscribe to your content via email. You can easily do this with such applications as FeedBurner and FeedBlitz. With subscriptions people will be notified via email everytime you post content.

  • Speaking of content, make a point to post new material at least 3 times per week. Trust me, it may seem like you don't have a lot to say right now, but if you are working to learn your business, then you obviously learn something new everyday. What I did in the beginning some three years ago was this: Find something helpful online and blog it--share the information with your network of readers. Helping others (again) is your first step towards success.

  • Be sure to add alternate content to every image you share on your blog. By doing so, you can make certain HTML edits to your blog posting that will allow your image to reference your name. Why is this important? Well, do a search on Google.com/Images for your name and see if your images (whether they are pictures of your face or not) come up within the searches. This is important because over time, you want more exposure directing traffic to your site. Put your mouse over the image below and you will see the following text: "Introducing Bobby Ozuna, author of Proud Souls."
Bobby Ozuna author of Proud Souls--www.OzunaPub.com
  • Create a custom blog signature. You can find pay tools or free ones. I created the signature below with MyLiveSignature.com. They have templates created for various fonts and you simply plug in your name and they do the rest. Save the image file and post it within your blog. It helps add a little more flare to the basic blog post. Having images helps break up the monotony of your page and makes it more appealing for your audience and guests.
These are just a few general tips for optimizing your blog and helping the appearance and layout.

I will share more tips later down the road... If you have any questions or comments, please post them here. (hint, you want to offer that to your readers to encourage feedback)

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