Marketing for Childrens Authors with Laurie Wright

Reach for the Stars with Cecilia Caballero

November 02, 2020 Laurie Wright & Cecilia Caballero Season 3 Episode 15
Marketing for Childrens Authors with Laurie Wright
Reach for the Stars with Cecilia Caballero
Show Notes Transcript

Join Laurie as she chats with astronomer, teacher, educator and now writer - Cecilia Caballero. Ceci travels the globe to catch eclipses and spends new moons gazing up at the stars. She's turned her love of the stars into a publishing house and turned her children's bedtime stories into fabulous books! Cecilia has learned some things along the way and is happy to share, here with us.


Contact Info
ceci@bellelunebooks.com
https://www.facebook.com/cecicaballeroauthor/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cecilia-caballero-m-ed-2329a1139/
https://www.instagram.com/cecicaballeroauthor/

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Hello writers. Welcome today. Cecilia. I'm so happy to have you here. Thank you for coming on. Lori. I'm so excited to be with you. You're like my mentor and I look up to you. You you've taught me so much, so thank you for having me. You're welcome. Thanks for saying that. It always means a lot to say that, especially with the podcast, I feel like I'm just talking, you know, at my computer. So you never really sure how many people will hear it. So, um, I loved reading your bio and everything you wrote to me or. Well, um, interesting experiences. So let's just start there, tell everybody, you know, who you are and what you do. Okay. Well, um, let me see Ave educator for almost 20 years. I started as. Early as 2021. And, uh, I love science Academy, so that's what I teach eighth grade physics, chemistry, astronomy. I'm an astronomer. So on my weekends, I put I through, you'll find me in the night sky. Um, I like to basically this, so we go around the world to do that. Oh, wow. Or my video was boring. Um, the little one he's eight. Now I took a professor job instead that we have to have more flexible hours. Laurie, thank you for having me. Um, though, um, my first language is Spanish. I speak English. I speak French. So Laguna Canada. Um, um, I'm Simir like Francophiles we always go there for months at a time. Yeah, of course what I do for a living. It's my teacher, I'm an educator. I've been teaching almost 20 years and I do math and science. So I teach chemistry in front of me, physics astronomy, for me, it's like my favorite thing. Cause that's what I feel. I'm in the tremor on my time off and for like almost 20 years to, you know. Wow. And so we, we have a telescope out here and, um, The favorite part is that my kids are going to do that as well. You know? So my, my kids' names are ceramic weddings as well, and they know everything about the moon and the faces and the planets and the exoplanets. And we actually love going. Um, it keeps pacing, you know, so the next one actually is, um, December 21st and real. In South America, but looking at the pandemic, we worried about the play. Yeah. So we do, and then the writing I've always written for my children because I'm a storyteller. Most of us are, and when they wouldn't policy, I would just make up stories, make up stories, but you know, and then we're in line at Disneyland and we make up a story. We driving along trip, make up a story. And I thought I had my kids. Like someone that others. Oh. And he would ask me, Hey, repeat that story about that one. And I will say it again. That's not what you said it last time I made it up down, like I began writing them down for them. So when I say it again, you know, like, Oh yeah, first time. And the same thing at school. When I make up stories for my students at school about like this. I know, like I teach, um, I, and so like, Oh, bacteria, spy, you know, when the virus is coming. Yeah, yeah. Or like, I'll make up a story about the water cycle and the clouds come, you know, or, um, erosion, like a little bird came to the, you know, things like that. And when I write them over again, I have a whole bunch of them. And during the pandemic, it's just like, What else am I going to do? Yeah, so I I've been wanting to publish them for a long time. And the school that I work with is an art Academy. And, uh, we have a lot of artists there, so I asked them to help out with that. And then for three years have passed by and we haven't sent it. And I have a really good friend. Who's actually an artist. And I asked them, Hey, can you do this with me? Or my best friend? Can you edit this for me? And like, yeah, yeah, we'll do it. But it was just, you know, you know, right. It's just, so I wanted to have their name on them, but it didn't work out. And then one time, you know what, I'm just going to hire someone. Okay. Yeah. Work for me was amazing. Everyone should get at, um, they have freelancers and it's would you say Upwork? Sorry, freelance. Okay. Yep. Yep. As soon as I hired them within two weeks, I was done with the book. Oh my goodness. And so was that during the pandemic? It's fairly recently done. Yeah, well, depending who you do. So my, my first illustrator, um, is margarita. What can it be? She's in Japan. And I wanted someone with anime style, you know, cause the big guys and stuff and uh, yeah, she was within three minutes. She was just fantastic. Yeah. Oh my goodness. She's amazing. Well, no, I know she's talented when you have talents, you just, it comes naturally, you know? Um, so for me writing stories, I could do it. You know, it's editing is the hardest part, but making up the flurry is the fun part. The sketches were done. And then we did a month of a month total because we wanted to, can you add the, change, your hair here? Can you add this color? But I mean, they actually. Wow. And within a month we were ready to publish it. He was just amazing. So the second book, we did it with her as well. And because you're in you mic style, the clothes that I like. Yeah. It was just flowing. So do your friends at school? Cool. Do they feel like, Oh shoot. I should have done. I know I did the tell me that, you know, and then yeah, you are a serious, yeah. Friday and one of my teachers, I want you to do this because yeah. But see what is taking me longer. Then three weeks for a month because I, you know, in the background. Yeah. Every once in a while there's like, then it's exciting to do since I was a kid. Like, congratulations. Yeah. Thanks. Sorry. I keep interrupting you. I'm sorry. um, I have three out. Yeah. And some more done already. It's just now thinking the launch date and with all kinds I make, I feel like the first book, because the last few independent mic. Yeah, no, it was more difficult. So I went to virtual tours and , and even though I'm a teacher and I talk a lot. Yeah. You feel a little shy, you know, and it's difficult to talk to strangers, you know? And I was just like easy. Yeah. Oh, I hear that. Cause I taught kindergarten so I can talk to any number of five-year-olds. I have artwork on my wall from my five-year-old. Well, that's fantastic. What are your kids' names that you said are inspired by the stars? Oh, beautiful. Yeah, so he, he actually in an economy club and he talked to the people, um, he gives classes on telescope and how to, you know, find Matthew. He gives classes. How old is he? He's eight. Oh my goodness. Wow. Yeah. And then my daughter is 11. Um, and she also like, they, they pilot programs for like we did over the summer, the UC Berkeley, the front of me waiver program. And they were piloting the telescope. That's all over the world. And sometimes we can see the stars because it's daytime or it's foggy or snowing or whatever, but this method it's remote. So that's coping. So you book the time you pick what you want to see the image for you, and then we'll bring it back to us. It could be like an, um, I know like Australia, you know, have the image now we get to like, um, When he played it so that it could be clear and then we posted it. And then, so they're teaching that class, you know how to do that because they were the pilots children. Right. So we, we are, wow. That is so cool. Okay. So let's talk about the books again. So I feel like my kids would like be all over that, but, um, yeah, we, we, we feed kids. We actually have a, um, Young astronomer program and it's worldwide. So, Oh, well you should send me the link if you didn't already. And then I can share people is thank you. Okay. So what, what are some big lessons you learned doing your books? Um, the marketing, um, you know, I know that's home at the beginning to have a platform first, you know, and, um, I went to Facebook or I didn't, you know, or Instagram, any social stuff because I figured it's very like addictive, you know, and I didn't want to do that. Um, but I say that's how it is now. So she switched it with the pandemic. Social media was imperative to do that. So in may I started my Instagram account looking. Okay. And how's it going? Yeah. And then August. Um, so that, that was that. And it's go out and eat. It is time consuming, you know, but it's nice to connect to the people. And at that point, when you make a business, uh, people start spamming you, Hey, get, get followers, you know, get there. It's okay to review. And I'm like, and when you're new, you don't know what is always a hot people do it. I didn't know that, you know, and then I'm like, well, let's try it. And sure enough, I spent the money. A little girl and no results. I mean, they say they would do they charge me for it, but then Amazon results, you know? No. Is that for a review or was that for, that was for everything. Luckily with $23. Yeah, let's see, let's see how it works. And then I was that somebody saying, I'm a teacher and I'll review your book and you just PayPal me a lot of, a lot of people in our self published Indy, you know, children's author world. Cause it comes up in groups sometimes, you know, did anybody else get this message and how is it going? And I think, um, I think a few people did it. I never heard anything. Um, like really positive, but it's good to know that she'll be charged or we've, you should be honest and authentic. It couldn't be, I'm doing, I'm being paid to do that, you know? Well, and that is Amazon's terms and conditions, right. That, uh, you're not supposed to pay for reviews. Yeah. Um, but I mean, they're offering, and often at the beginning and often they would word it, like if, for a donation, you know, like for our Denise, so then they worded a little bit, but, but you're right. People come out of the woodwork. Yeah. Even now I still get emails. Yeah. I still get emails. Okay. Let's review. You want to get more followers or I use, delete, delete, delete, delete. But I learned that because I, you know, I, and it's funny cause I heard you saying it and I'm like, ah, What was his podcast before he paid the money. And actually last night I canceled my Google ads. Yeah. I forgot I had done it. You know, they charge you every time, you know, and I'm okay. Well, I wasn't singing her refills cause I haven't seen sales from the Google ads. I don't see any drive to the website from Google ads. Yeah. I saw my, um, Credit card statement. And I'm like, what? 184 for what? And it's my to-do list. Okay. Let me, let me look up to that. So yesterday I went on cause I I'm busy writing books and laundry. Yeah. Yeah. And so I finally last night at three in the morning allowed in and I actually have my thing. Cancel it, you know? Oh, yes. So I went in and I canceled it. I put pop from the campaign. I spent almost a hundred bucks. Well, and they, they offer a credit, right? When you first sign up, they say, well, here's your $150 credit and you think, Oh, well, it will last me. Here's my credit. And I forgot about it. So every time, you know, and, and I, then I will say 500 bucks and that's kind of been like another book illustration. Yeah. Yeah. You know, so some hard lessons, but good lessons. I guess everyone would hear them. Like don't yeah, don't do that. I mean, you know, it's, I think ultimately word of mouth is the one that works most. Yeah. Yeah. Once people start reading it and enjoying it and telling their friends and yes, I agree. Um, your book, um, I reviewed it. You remember, uh, supremely and you said yes, and it's great and nice and it's free and it's nice. And, and, um, I don't have an audience yet when I think, you know, I think like I have like 3000 followers on, on, um, Facebook. Well, that's good, but then no, because, um, well, yeah, their followers, but then I have been learning more and more from authors, not just from, you know, other people have the best advice and if you're not authentic a hundred percent, um, With you that he's going to look at it and just assume we know that they like, like, like, but right. But they don't engage. And that's sort of the important part is people who actually pay attention and engage and yeah. Um, I like what you've wrote. I asked a question sort of in the form about what advice you would give and you had really good advice. Do you remember what you wrote? Can you remind me? It was, um, find other authors, like you said, authors at the same level as you and have like, uh, like a word group together. Yeah. And then actually that's what we did now. Yeah. So exactly. So that way you don't feel like I remember at the beginning, when I was starting, I felt, um, Lesser guess the word I was thinking people have probably five bucks, you know, they were so resonated for like, uh, intimate about asking questions, send, because they're like the pros and I'm a beginner, right. But it's not like that. I mean, once you begin to ask questions, they're like, we'll give you the, you know, stuff like that. And so I began by asking for groups that beginning writers or first-time writers, or first book writers, and then together we grew, you know, like marketing and that's when I found a lot like, Oh, I should have gone to this group before you those things. And I would just like fight it, you know? And then when they give you an actual, um, publishing companies, cause I went with a publisher first. Um, that was that at the beginning. And, um, you know, they asked the friend the way they ask you to do stuff and the way you want to do things for them. So I did that path and then I was like, wait, uh, and then, um, luckily the publisher was amazing. Um, he is, um, Kimberly Martin from Tara publishing and, uh, she knew what I'm going through and stuff and the whole pandemic. And she, um, was so honest and truthful to me and say, you know what? Um, Amazing her woman. She told me, Hey, I know I'm a publisher, but if I were you, I will publish. It will be cheaper. It'll be, if you told me like enough, you know, and I owe her, I owe her, I just owe her because, um, I was gonna go down that path and, you know, the NAD publishers, they charge you like 6,000 or something too. Pay them. And I was like, wait, why would, I'm going to pay for my both when you pay me, what is this? And I'm not coming to pick up your rights, you know? And I was like, Oh wow. It was just so amazing that I met her. Yeah. Cause you don't usually get to once I would have been paying, um, a public school, other things, I think they charge you 6,000 per like what, what, why would I pay 6,000? Well, that money I invested, I'm making the business. Then he taught me. He led me to okay, go to the city, call, you know, whatever, do this to this. Um, Yeah, she she's interested in mental God put her in my path. Wow. That's so neat. She, she taught me how to do everything. Um, yeah. And then, so we opened the business, um, went to the bank, got the, everything started. Yup. Now we're here and he's so excited. Yay. And you have already three books already. You remember? So that's right. But I've had them written. And so like the pandemic happens. You've wanted to do this for a few years. Was there a moment or a specific something, are you sure? You can edit it out a later? Okay. Oh, okay. Okay. Cause if it's too much. Okay. So my dad has passed away recently. Last year in August 6th and, um, from praying every day since then. Okay. Everyday for guidance and for, you know, like I don't, um, actually when I was at home that teacher can go back to school, what am I going to do? How am I going to get with the kids? I'm a single mom now recently divorced something like, what am I going to do now? And I've been praying and it's the whole experience with the Virgin, Mary and praying and praying and praying. And one day that's high in the morning, the kids were in school. Um, I actually, I don't know where they were. The point of, I was in my room making my bed and I don't know what happened. Seriously. The room got brighter and I was in the moment making them be praying, like, okay, what am I going to do? And I'm a single mom minds get together. I can't go to work because it's sensitive. He's going to be at home with the kids, doing their academics, um, professors thinking of money, what am I going to do? I was just like sticking out for like the path year. Right. And seeing that and suddenly. The it got brighter and warmer. I don't know. And I heard a voice over here in the adult, grandpa voice, like an adult voice. It wasn't my dad, like if you speak only Spanish and the voice said, publish your books. Public. I got chills in my body. I went online and that's when I met, um, Kimberly Martin that same day. Oh, my goodness. Wow. that's amazing. Well, for me it was, and I feel like, okay, I finally have my path, you know, cause I've always had this path, but you do stuff that pays money and said, well, I mean, of course, yeah. Yeah. You got leave the house. And right now with the pandemic, I feel like, well, everybody's home right now. Everybody has to have money right now. Well, why not? You know? And it was just like, everything came out. So. Divine is the word. Oh, I like . Um, but yeah, sorry. I felt in everything she's I met you, you know, like I, I go on before I go on the computer, I asked for God, God, please guide me whatever's there. So could be good or not. And, um, and then I opened it up and like, the people that I've met are like, Little angels in my path, you know, and I'm hoping to that for other people. So in the publishing company is called balloon publishing house. That's what I ask. I say, Hey guys, I'm here to help. I'm here for you to keep your rights. I don't want money from you. I mean, you know, I used to want you, I want more for me personally, um, woman to hear be heard, you know? And, um, so are you publishing other people? Is that what you mean? Yeah. Have you done that already or is that just in the world by divine intervention? Yes. Um, wasn't a fight with God for a long time. Okay. That's the thing that's like so weird. I was in the beginning, none when I was little, really, I was looking at convicts and everything. And then I went to spin passenger leading after a car accident, I went to see Leighton's bed and became what I am now, but I feel like I'm back to that Lake. Peacefulness. I can't describe it, but for a long time, I was ready to go to school, finish your master's to go get two jobs, three jobs, buy a house, get a car, you know, all there's like, blah, blah, blah. And then the pandemic. And it's just like the slowing down. And I'm really happy. I'm exhausted. And I'm scared I'm up at six in the morning sometimes, but I am the happiest I've ever been in my life since I was a kid, when I was going to be. I know, I know anyway, because I was telling my friends about it and my phone on my fingers are you, can you help me with what you did? Cause you published in the gap, I'll give you the number. And he goes, no, no, can you do it for me? I'm like, Oh no, cause it's a lot of work. Can you like, well, no, you can keep all your rights if you want. And then, you know, just not make, well, that's the point I'm coming into this. I don't want to keep your rights. I want all the authors to save and keep the rule to for yourself. So he insisted like, okay, well, All right. Well, um, yeah, it's, it's actually coming out. It's already done. Um, it's uh, it's called buddy bear. By dr. Doug MLR. And it's a story that he wrote over decades. Right. And, um, it's a collection of stories. He's a scientist as well. So, um, before we tell her naturally a teacher fifth grade teacher for a long time, uh, a plaster, uh, anyway, he's amazing. And a phone number of course. And, um, Yes, they're just beautiful stories and almost no editing required. And, uh, the illustrator is, um, Ella Astra. Who's doing my fourth book called a potty quest cause you know, Hottie, egg, everyone. My girl, my baby was girl. Um, they was all books of a boy. Not lately. I mean, I was having trouble finding it. So I remember saying I'm going to write a book for my girl. And I did. I wrote it through my own self, you know, like it was just for me and her and her name was user of her. Cause I'm going to break the industry. Yeah. I tried Twitter through my own books, but it was like a year. I mean, you know what? This is. Oh, it's hard. Yeah. So. Okay. Anyway, so that's, if he's doing that and I think, um, Oh also I remember one day praying God, whatever, how am I going to publish so much shy person, help me help me. And it was midnight. And, uh, I got a Facebook message from a radio station and I was like praying all day. And it started on cheddar radio here in LA. And, uh, I proud of him like, Oh, Hey, yeah, I met you one time at the hair salon. How are you? He asked me, how's your book coming? I'm like, actually, it's, it's, it's going to be published in, in two weeks. He goes, Oh, great. And they go, Hey, what do you think about, you know, making some promotion, the candidates interview you went live, and I can explain it. I just think it's God. And I know. Yeah. Isn't that it's all working, working well, and you're happy and flowing. What would you say is your biggest challenge right now, right now? And it's going to happen? Um, marketing, like we said, in marketing, I was trying to do with somebody else, you know? Cause I figured, okay, I'm going to outsource the illustration and the editing and all that stuff might as well help somebody to the marketing as well. Right. Um, yeah, no. No, because they don't care, buy it as much. You know, the only one that cares every night when it goes eat by pay. Okay. I'm the only one that cares about my book selling. Um, so I it's, I'm the only one. And so I'm like the buddy bear one. I love that, man. He's like my mentor when I was a teacher, he was my teacher when I was in my undergrad, no graduate program. Oh, And, um, I really respect him and his wife and, uh, me I'll do it for free. You don't have to pay me. I love you. I'll do this. And they told me, yeah, but then how are you going to make money eventually like, well, money will come when it's ready, but right now I'm doing this because I had a message, you know, and I know it's weird. Okay. Cancel it out. Get all that out. If you want. No, I love that. And I think that will really resonate with people because I'm sure there's a lot of other people like you that feel a calling and feel like there's been some kind of divided intervention and that's why they ended up publishing. And that's the whole mission and the whole passion. So, and the first two books, three books are emotional, which is why it's funny that you came into my life. Um, because it's about feelings and anxiety and fear. And how to deal with, um, bullying, how to deal with, uh, neglect from friends at school. If you're, when you're little kids, you know, how to deal with that. And, um, And then I came across you. I was like, huh, get better. Yeah. I'm glad you did. Where can people find you? Um, well, my son, of course, my name is . Um, I have my own website, um, by my awesome friend. He did it for me. dot com and then there's a shop there and the shop will secure the publishing. Um, or books and then in the book shop, you could either choose to go to Amazon again or through our own, um, publishing there. And, um, that's great. And then there's, um, Three books already. Four books up there. Cause the, because they're already ready to go. They're really pre-ordering. Oh, so I guess five books now. Well, congratulations. That really I'm so happy for you and I'm glad that it worked out and, um, well, I mean, it took a long time to get here, but you're here now. I think the marketing is ongoing everyone. We're always sadly, but that's just how it is. Right? So I'll put all your links and stuff in the show notes and, um, Thank you for sharing your story with me and thank you for having me. And again, remember, you are amazing and please know that you are one of my guides. Thank you. You made my door for everybody else. I'm hoping to do that for others as well. You know, it sounds like you are already. Yeah. Which is nice. Okay. Um, I'll talk to you again. Alrighty.