Monthly Zoom Discussion

With David Miles

Tuesday, February 20, 2024, 7:00–8:00 pm Mountain Time

Join us for an engaging Zoom Q&A with David Miles, co-founder of the children’s book publishing company Bushel & Peck. This interactive session will feature a Q&A session where you can ask your burning questions about the world of children’s publishing, like “How do you break into the industry?” “What are publishers looking for?” “Should you get your own illustrator?” “What’s trending?” and “Why do I keep getting rejected?” Get ready to dive into the creative process, the storytelling, and the magic behind bringing captivating stories to life for young readers and get a leg up on your own publishing journey. Questions can be submitted ahead of time when you register for the Zoom meeting.

Bio: David Miles, along with his wife Stephanie, is the founder of Bushel & Peck, a children’s publisher based in California. In just a few years since launching its first titles, Bushel & Peck has become one of the fastest-growing independent publishers in America, with their titles winning starred reviews and accolades up and down the industry. Today, their authors now include some of the most recognizable names in the industry, including Jane Yolen, Suzanne Slade, Irene Latham, Nancy Kerrigan, David Archuleta, and others. In addition to their growing list of award-winning books, Bushel & Peck is growing a social mission: for every book they sell, they pledge to donate one to kids in need, with that pledge now reaching over a half-million books. David himself is the author or illustrator of dozens of children’s books that have sold hundreds of thousands of copies. He graduated from BYU in business and was named the general business Outstanding Graduate of his class. Originally from Pennsylvania, he now lives in California with his wife, son, and too many beagles.

With Tiffany Thomas

Thursday, January 25, 2024, 7:00–8:00 pm Mountain Time

Come learn how to keep your 2024 new year resolutions by setting effective goals and making deliberate plans that align seamlessly with your creative professional and personal aspirations.  This session is not just about goal-setting; it’s an interactive experience where you’ll have the opportunity to network with fellow LDSPMA members. Connect with like-minded professionals, share insights, and build meaningful relationships that could be pivotal in your journey to success. Whether you’re looking to enhance your career, boost your creative projects, or simply want to get the most out of the year ahead, this webinar is the perfect kickoff to a productive and fulfilling year. Join us to transform your resolutions into actionable, attainable goals.

Bio: Tiffany Thomas is a chocoholic former math teacher and homeschooling mom with Crohn’s Disease who has absolutely no idea how she’s ended up as a published author of novels and children’s books. She and her husband Phillip (who is a mechanical engineer) also work together on their blog, Saving Talents.  She enjoys spending time with their family, geeking out over sci-fi with her husband, and working on their budget.

With business attorney Lary Larson

Tuesday, August 22, 2023, 7:00–8:00 pm Mountain Time

This session covers the legal and practical aspects of setting up a business, including the following:

• choosing the best organizational structure
• tax considerations
• protection against liability
• business licenses and other regulatory requirements
• insurance issues
• employment issues
• accounting needs
• basic laws regarding contracts (particularly licensing) and intellectual property protections
• what we should all know about the role of litigation in business.

Bio: Lary S. Larson is a member of the Idaho State Bar and American Bar Associations. His practice is principally involved with tax and estate planning, commercial transactions, and litigation. He attended the University of North Carolina as a Morehead Scholar and received a law degree from Brigham Young University. He has been an active member of his community as a part of many councils and boards. He also currently serves as a bishop at BYU-Idaho.

With Christoph Koniczek from FriesenPress

June 22, 2023, 7:00–8:00 pm Mountain Time

Marketing is one of the most important elements of an author’s journey. Whether you’re planning to make this a career or fulfilling a passion project, you’ll want to ensure you establish the right marketing strategy for your book.

This webinar will provide an overview of the foundational marketing practices needed to build an audience for your book prior to publication and in the long term. We’ll also explore the differences between your book’s availability and creating demand for your book—as well as some tips and tricks to creating that demand.

Bio: Christoph Koniczek joined FriesenPress’s team in 2013, where he has helped authors bring over 2,000 titles to the market (and counting). FriesenPress is the world’s only 100% employee-owned publishing services provider. Since 2009, they have helped thousands of authors publish over 8,000 titles. Part of Canada’s largest independent book printer (Friesens Corporation), FriesenPress offers professional editing, design, distribution, and promotional support to those seeking to self-publish their books.

A discussion with Dr. Natalie Barfuss

May 17, 2023, 12:00–1:00 pm Mountain Time

This session focuses on ideas for publishing nonfiction writing, with a quick introduction to the inverted pyramid writing style often used for news writing, press releases, and web content.

Natalie Barfuss teaches in the School of Business at Lethbridge College in Alberta, Canada. She has a bachelor’s in journalism, a master’s in business administration, and a PhD in communication, with an emphasis in integrated marketing communication. She’s built her career writing for the news, other media, public relations, online, and promotional materials. She will tell you more about her publications in her presentation, which will include a little Journalism 101.

Natalie enjoys working with businesses, especially nonprofits, to help them build their organizations. She’s also a member of the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce and volunteers with the Windy Slopes Health Foundation. She’s also a mother of four.

A discussion with mindfulness coach Kim Beecher

April 11, 2023, 12:00–1:00 pm Mountain Time

Do procrastination, self-doubt, stress, or lack of clarity keep you from completing your creative project? In this month’s discussion, mindfulness coach Kim Beecher will help you kick mental pitfalls to the curb and learn practices for stillness in Jesus Christ. 

Kimberly Beecher is a mindfulness instructor known for her ability to help transform lives with increased happiness, calm, and self-compassion.  She is also a speaker, coach, and bestselling author of The Sacred Door: Resting Your Mind in Christ. She loves boating with her family, bike rides in the canyon, and accidentally making mushy things in her instapot. She adores her husband Mark, their children, and their 10 grandchildren. You can find her at kimberlybeecher.com.

A discussion with romantic suspense author Robin M. King

March 21, 2023, 12:00–1:00 pm Mountain Time

You’ve written a killer book, but many agents want a synopsis with your query. Learn the easiest ways to make a killing with your synopsis. Don’t have a book written yet? Robin will show you how to create and use a premeditated synopsis for your future books. She’ll also give tips for executing back-cover copy that slaughters the competition of other indie authors.

Bio: Robin M. King is the author of the romantic suspense novels Remembrandt, Van Gogh Gone, and Memory of Monet. She received her bachelor’s degree in education from BYU and has been teaching for over fifteen years. When she’s not writing books or being a copywriter for LitJoy Crate, she leads a clandestine life as a wife and mother of six. Don’t tell anyone, but she’s also an undercover marathoner, karateka, singer, seamstress, baker, and household appliance repairman. She’s represented by Liza Fleissig at the Liza Royce Agency.

A discussion with Dr. Kristen R. Bromley & April Meservy GrandPre

February 28, 2023, 12:30–1:30 pm Mountain Time

As a continuation of their conference course, April and Kristen will share all the golden nuggets they weren’t able to get to during their conference presentation: the roles of song publishers, music publishers, and record labels; the use of aggregators like CD Baby, DistroKid, and TuneCore; how to receive royalty payments through ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC; the ins and outs of selling music through touring and performing, and more! If you are a musician who wants to get paid for your work, you won’t want to miss this Zoom discussion!

Bio: Dr. Kristen R. Bromley is a gifted and sought-after instructor, as well as a beloved performer and composer. In addition to directing ensembles and teaching guitar and jazz studies courses at BYU, Dr. Bromley works as a professional author, scholar, arranger, composer, performer and recording musician, and she is the owner and primary featured artist of Kristen R. Bromley Music, LLC.

Bio: April Meservy GrandPre, an award-winning singer-songwriter from Reno, NV, has toured and recorded extensively. April’s cover of U2’s “With or Without You” was featured during the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, helping the top Canadian figure skating pair bring home gold and bronze medals. She has earned five Pearl Awards and the 2018 LDSFF “Audience Choice” award for music video, and she is a 2x Posi Music Awards finalist.