As you’re no doubt aware, the publishing industry is being fundamentally transformed by the availability of eBooks and the Web. For authors like me, this presents both challenges and opportunities. On one hand, it’s relatively easy to get your book sold on Amazon. But rising above the noise to build a community of readers can be extremely difficult.

That’s why I was so excited to be one of the first authors selected to participate in a pilot program launching this month by Libboo, a new company backed by technology industry heavyweights such as Bill Warner (Founder of Avid), John Landry (Former CTO of Lotus), the Massachusetts Technology Development Corporation, and many others.

Libboo has developed a revolutionary business model that utilizes social media marketing techniques and a set of technologies to connect authors with influential readers, dubbed “Buzzers,” who are rewarded for promoting books they love to their friends and fellow readers.

As they explain in their recent press release, “A buzzer is an influencer who is passionate about books. Buzzers enjoy both finding and being the source of awesome content. People go to buzzers for recommendations, and then take action based on the recommendations given. Libboo will harness the power of buzzers and use that power to help talented authors gain visibility and promote their work.”

The Long Shadows will be included in the first group of books to be promoted in this way when the program launches on September 24. Libboo will provide me with both an author and book page on the Libboo site. They will also reach out to Buzzers to promote my book and encourage them to start spreading the word.

You can help by signing up here as a buzzer yourself! It’s fun, free, and a great way to be rewarded for doing something you would do anyway – reading and sharing great books.

My Uncle Jake would have been amazed to see how much the world has changed since he became a published poet himself so many years ago.

I’ll let everyone know when my Libboo sites go live.

I’m thrilled to announce that my “Hollyblog” about The Long Shadows has gone live on The Wrap, a national “online resource and information network focused on the business of entertainment and media” that attracts roughly 609,384 unique visitors every month!  You can read it here or find out more about The Wrap here.

I’m in great company. My guest blog appears next to entries from Hollywood executives, producers, and directors such as Peter Weir, whose credits include “Gallipoli,” “Witness,” “The Mosquito Coast,” and many more. I’ve always thought Jake and his amazing life would make a fascinating subject for a movie. Perhaps, one of the Hollywood insiders who write for — or read — The Wrap will also see the possibilities.

This is a very prestigious national outlet. The Wrap won the Los Angeles Press Club’s National Entertainment Journalism Award for best online news site in 2009, along with several other awards for investigative reporting, criticism and feature writing. It was also named one of the “100 Most Important Online Publishers” in 2010 by OMMA, the magazine of online media, marketing and advertising.

Please take a look when you have a chance.

The Long Shadows went national (and also international) this month!

On Saturday, July 21, I appeared on the internationally syndicated radio show, For Your Ears Only, (formerly Newsweek on Air) to discuss The Long Shadows with veteran journalist and host David Alpern.

This is incredibly exciting because the show is broadcast on stations from coast-to-coast and to U.S. military personnel in 177 nations via the Pentagon’s American Forces Radio Network. I was  thrilled by this wonderful opportunity to share Jake’s remarkable story with the large and diverse global audience this popular show has attracted over its three-decade history. Here’s a schedule of U.S. stations that air the show.

The show is also widely available online. So, if you missed it, you can listen to the podcast via  iTunes, Feedburner and You Tube.

On Monday, July 9, I was a guest on SIRIUS XM’s, “The Maggie Linton Show,” a syndicated radio program that aired at 7:00 pm EST on Book Radio Channel 80. Host Maggie Linton features stories about inspiring individuals who reach for success and achieve their goals. She helps listeners bring the positive lessons from these journeys into their own lives. Jake’s story was a perfect fit. If you missed it, no worries. We’ll post an MP3 of the show shortly. Stay tuned for details!

I thought I’d share some photos of the exhibit of Jake’s paintings at the El Paso Museum of Art. The show runs until September 30, 2012. So, if you have a chance, do stop by.

My recent trip to El Paso for the debut exhibition of my Uncle Jake’s paintings and for my presentation about his life at the El Paso Museum of Art was a roaring success! So many people wanted to see Uncle Jake’s art that admittance had to be restricted.

It was standing room only in the 200-seat auditorium where I spoke and read excerpts from my novel, The Long Shadows. The museum staff tells me this was a record turnout.

Tears came to my eyes as I stood onstage and looked out over the darkened auditorium. I felt multiple generations of my family standing there with me, celebrating Jake’s remarkable life and applauding his accomplishments. I felt incredibly proud to have played a part in bringing his memory alive once more.

Sharing Jake’s inspiring life story.

I worried that people might get bored; not by my stories about Jake’s life but by my prose. Judging by the audience reaction and subsequent feedback, my worries were unfounded. The crowd’s reaction was reinforcing and invigorating.

When I arrived for the book signing, I found a long line of people waiting for me with their freshly-purchased copies of The Long Shadows in hand. It was thrilling! The museum had previously increased its book order three separate times, but we still sold out every copy; another first for them. I also received a large order for books from the airport shops in El Paso.

The book signing was great! We sold every copy.

The media coverage in El Paso has been and continues to be marvelous. We’ve also started reaching out to the national media. I’ve already recorded my first national interview on the Cover to Cover radio show on Sirius Radio. The interview will air sometime in July. Stay tuned for details.

My presentation drew a standing room only crowd.

I am so grateful to the museum staff for all their help, for the inspiring exhibit of Jake’s art and for making it possible for me to share his extraordinary story. I am also grateful to the people of El Paso for their enthusiasm about my uncle’s art, my presentation and my book. This has been a truly memorable experience.

June kicks off our formal launch, with an exhibit of Jake’s  paintings from June 10-Sept. 30 at the El Paso Museum of Art.  I’ll be on  hand for a book signing at the museum on Sunday, June 17 at 2 p.m. Please stop by and say hello if you’re in town.

The museum is doing a great job of promoting the exhibit and my appearance. Here are some pictures of the postcard they’ve been sending out to their members and supporters.

We’ve also been getting some nice advance coverage about the exhibition and book signing. Here are some recent examples:

• Book Notes article and Summer Arts Preview in the El Paso Times
• Events article in Texas Monthly

Of course, we’re just getting started. Stay tuned for more news about the The Long Shadows in my upcoming posts.