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Self-Publishing Q&A with Michelle Demers on Thursday Jan 12, 2012
AHA MEDIA and Positive Paid Work had the wonderful opportunity to meet Michelle Demers and learn more about Self-Publishing recently!
Richard of AHA MEDIA says: “What an excellent and informative event! A Must for anyone interested in Self Publishing!”
Richard Czaban and Hendrik Beune of AHA MEDIA at Michelle Demers’ Self-Publishing Q&A
As a follow-up to her popular talk on self-publishing, local author M.A. Demers will answer questions about the industry, her experiences as a self-published author, and the technical requirements of self-publishing, in particular ebooks.
In March 2011, M.A. Demers self-published her first mystery novel, Baby Jane, to Amazon’s Kindle, followed in May with the print-on-demand trade paperback. In November she publishedThe Global Indie Author: How Anyone Can Self-Publish in the U.S. and Worldwide Markets, copies of which will be available on the evening at a special event rate.
Michelle graciously autographed her The Global Indie Author: How Anyone Can Self-Publish in the U.S. and Worldwide Markets book for us at AHA MEDIA and Positive Paid Work
Michelle and Hendrik share a laugh! 🙂
Michelle Demers and her friend Joyce Thierry smiling together after an exciting night of The Global Indie Author: How Anyone Can Self-Publish in the U.S. and Worldwide Markets.
“There’s no one right way to publish a book but there is one wrong way: uninformed.”
The phenomenally rapid growth of self-publishing, in particular e-publishing, has taken the world by storm. Never before has there been this great an opportunity for writers to be heard and read, and to build a global audience. But self-publishing is also the new Wild West, full of promise and snake oil in equal measure. The Global Indie Author separates fact from fiction, providing the information you need to create a publishing plan that is realistic and achievable.
The Global Indie Author begins with a 10-step guide to getting your book onto Kindle quickly and easily, followed by expansion into ePubs. Part II contains in-depth technological instructions for both ebook and print production, complemented by real-world knowledge on the mechanics of the industry gathered through the author’s own experience in bringing her debut novel, Baby Jane, to market.
The Global Indie Author also exposes secrets and strategies the industry players don’t want revealed so they can lock you into unfavourable contracts, take your money before you start asking questions, or convince you that what is really good for them is good for you. And by adding information relevant to foreign writers, The Global Indie Author provides the necessary know-how for anyone who desires to publish in the lucrative U.S. market and around the world.
The most comprehensive manual ever written on self-publishing, The Global Indie Author covers:
*To Kindle in Ten Steps: the Quick and Easy Way to Self-Publish
* Beyond Kindle: the ePub Format
* Manuscript Editing
* Libel, Copyright and Trademark Infringement
* The ISBN System
* ONIX Code and BISAC Categories
* Interior Book Structure
* Cover and Interior Images
* Software * Manuscript Formatting for eBooks
* Creating and Testing Kindle Books and ePubs
* Digital Rights Management
* Print Formatting and Production
* Distributors, Wholesalers, and Aggregators
* Marketing * Royalties and Withholding Tax
* The Vanity Press Machine
See Michelle at her next talk!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012, 7:00 PM
Vancouver Public Library Central Branch,
350 West Georgia Street, Vancouver
An Introduction to Self-Publishing
The phenomenally rapid growth of self-publishing, in particular e-publishing, has taken the world by storm. Whether as an end in itself, a stepping stone to traditional publishing, or a means for established writers to republish out-of-print titles, self-publishing provides new opportunities for writers. Join me to learn about the pros and cons of self-publishing, the skills you will need to succeed, and the resources available. Copies of The Global Indie Author will be available at a special event rate. Copies of my novel, Baby Jane, will also be for sale.
Also by M. A. Demers
There’s more to good and evil than meets the eye…
Baby Jane – A Novel
When human remains are found in her pre-war fixer-upper in an east Vancouver neighbourhood, Claire Dawson’s grand plans to fix the house – and her life – take a disturbing turn. Suspicious there might exist a relationship between the discovery and her own tragic past, Claire insinuates herself into the investigation, unknowingly placing herself in harm’s way and Homicide’s Detective Dylan Lewis in an impossible conflict of interest. And when Dylan’s grandmother, a Coast Salish medicine woman, wades into the mystery, challenging the demon whose earthly form is behind the murder, the three find themselves embroiled in a high-stakes battle where lines are blurred and worlds collide – but souls are ultimately freed
Happy New Year 2012
AHA MEDIA and Positive Paid Work at World AIDS Day in Carnegie Centre, Vancouver Downtown Eastside
Hendrik Beune, Holy Moyo, Dan Wilson, Mathieu and April Smith as Positive Paid Work with SFU Literacy Lives speak at World AIDS Day at Carnegie Centre in Vancouver
See more here
April Smith and Hendrik Beune of AHA MEDIA are very proud to attend SFU – Simon Fraser University’s Literacy Lives: Certificate for Community Capacity Building
Our Certificate in Community Capacity Building Skills for Strengthening community health is part of Literacy Lives: An Integrative Model for Applied Community-based Literacy in inner-city Environments
This pilot program is designed for learners who are passionate about creating positive community change in the area of HIV and community health. Learners will strengthen their essential skills and knowledge about community building while working with a cohort of other community members to choose, design, implement and evaluate a community project. The program’s design recognizes the strength and value of diverse learning styles and experiences, and places an emphasis on experiential and authentic learning opportunities.
Our curriculum for the program is made up of three core pieces:
- HIV and social determinants of health;
- literacy and essential skills; and
- the theory and practice of community capacity building.
Learning will happen within the context of community-based work: learners will identify, plan, implement and evaluate community projects that address key needs in their communities, and that capture something they feel passionate about.
Within the Literacy Lives project, community projects will be focused on HIV and social determinants of health.
The Certificate in Community Capacity Building is a pilot program designed for learners who are passionate about creating positive community change in the area of HIV and community health
We are excited about the following during our University experience!
Learners in the program will:
Make a positive difference in their communities.
Learn more of the essential skills and tools needed to effect positive change.
Learn more about HIV and community health.
Learners who complete the 26-week program will earn a Certificate in Community Capacity Building and become an alumnus of Simon Fraser University.
Hendrik with our AMAZING instructor Jo!
In the next photo and video, Liz Evans of PHS speaks to our class on the history of PHS, and its community capacity building, peer training and skill building, housing, and activism with InSite in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES)
We gratefully thank Frank, our community coordinator and PHS for their support and encouragement while attending this excellent program at SFU! 🙂
PHS Community Services Society

PHS Community Services is a non-profit organization providing: transitional housing, supportive housing, 24-hour service, health services, complementary therapy, and harm reduction.
PHS’s mandate is to promote, develop and maintain supportive affordable housing for adult individuals who are hard to house and at risk of homelessness due to their physical and/or mental health, behaviour, substance dependencies, and forensic history.
















































































































































































