Author Melissa Williams featured on Houston Channel 2

I am always happy when someone I know accomplishes something great for the sake of their art. Today, my dear and special friend Melissa M. Williams, author of the children chapter-book series, Iggy the Iguana, was featured on Houston's Channel 2 news.

If you ever wanted to truly learn how to accomplish great tasks, from an independent author/publisher perspective, I would highly recommend you watch and mimic the business approach to author branding by Melissa Williams. She not only works to incorporate her audience in every story she writes, but she markets herself--not to other authors like many people do--but on the contrary, solely to students, school faculty and parents. By understanding her market, her vision and goals for her literary future and by honoring God in her efforts to give back to the children of her Houston (Texas and beyond) followers, Melissa has been able to create huge book sales and a serious fan base.

I speak from experience when I say too many times authors spend an excess amount of time performing online marketing and social networking, and although this aspect is critical in branding and marketing yourself effectively, you have to learn to work beyond your comfort zone and get right in the face of your audience. Having an educational background in professional counseling, Melissa felt inclined to serve the reader community by incorporating strong values, lessons, and morals in her stories and especially her characters. Each animal character takes on human traits (in a non-human world) and the students (animals) struggle with some of the same pressures our children face everyday--acceptance, bullying and friendship.

I have seen her work and learned more from her than any other author. I have watched her work beyond mere authorship and work her publishing company--LongTale Publishing--into a brand that represents and stands for children's literature. She works with librarians, teachers and school administrators to schedule school visits, lectures and (of course) book signings. She teaches children about the importance of pursuing a dream and following through with your vision by setting goals. Having dreamed of creating stories about her own childhood pets, Melissa shows our youth how your background, experiences and simple life happenings, can turn into a future if you work hard, study and stay focused on your goals.

Earlier this summer Melissa launched the first of many children's writing and illustrations camps in the Houston area. Her illustrator came down from New York to help her in a week long workshop designed to spark, nurture and enhance the minds of young and future artists. She has worked to develop a line of Iggy the Iguana stuffed dolls, t-shirts, online videos and more. And to incorporate her soon-to-release sequel, Summer League, Melissa will feature baseball cards depicting every character from her Iggy series.



Be sure to follow the URL below and watch her recent interview from Houston's local Channel 2 news. Last week she was featured in the Houston Chronicle at the local youth baseball park--the Tomball to help announce the release of the sequal, Summer League!

Watch Melissa on Houston's Channel 2 News

Read the Houston Chronicle Feature Interview

You can view Melissa's complete profile, find contact information, upcoming tour dates and news on LongTale Publishing's official homepage.  Also, be sure to connect with her online to learn about her upcoming workshop in the Houston area, where she will teach others how to create success by writing and publishing children's literature.




...supporting the independent arts...

~Bobby Ozuna

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