Kathleen Osborne <kathleenaosborne@gmail.com>

Carol Baxter

Sure, though I shouldn't answer for Carol!

What might be more far reaching and impact attendance at chapter & book club meetings would be this:

At the end of each meeting you, Fawzia and Karen ask the speaker   - what is one takeaway from what you have shared that our members could implement today? The 3 of you (or your delegees) then send that to you for your monthly newsletter. Have a section for it. It could be added in a members only tip page later, if desired. If members see that the meetings include practical, doable actions/tips, that could create value and interest.  

Jaimie 


On Thu, Oct 22, 2026 at 4:42 AM Kathleen Osborne <kathleenaosborne@gmail.com> wrote:

Carol and Jaimie,

I had a great thought with getting Bobbie's tips. Could we have a page where only vetted writer tips can be published on the website for members only? Just a thought. And I'm not asking you do it right now. It is something we can say is coming to the site in the new year. This is such a busy time of year with the holidays; I hate to ask for it.  It could be called "Tips and Resources for Members." The items could/would have a link, but they would sit on a drive, like Google Drive.

What do you two think of it?

K


On Wed, Oct 21, 2026 at 9:40 PM Jaimie Bruzenak <calamityjaimie@gmail.com> wrote:

Those are some excellent ideas Bobbie. Thanks for sharing! 

Jaimie 


Sent from my iPhone


On Oct 21, 2026, at 7:33 PM, Bobbie Bennett <BeaverValleyBobbie@icloud.com> wrote:



Here are ideas that work especially well for a groups, where pooling effort and costs goes further than each author working alone:

Group events and shared booths

  • Shared booth at book festivals and fairs. Split one table fee among several members at events like the Tucson Festival of Books, county fairs, and craft shows. Rotate who staffs it so no one is stuck all day.

  • Holiday “Meet Local Authors” market. With November and December coming, host a one-day author marketplace at a library, church hall, or community center and pitch books as signed, personal gifts.

  • Retirement and 55+ communities. Places like Sun City, Leisure World, and Scottsdale-area communities have clubhouses, activity directors, and readers with time and money. Offer an “author afternoon” with short readings and a sales table.

Partnerships with local places

  • Indie bookstores. Changing Hands, The Poisoned Pen, and smaller shops often take local authors on consignment or host group signings. A group pitch (“five APW authors, one evening”) is more appealing to a store than a single author.

  • Tourism and gift shops. Arizona-themed books (history, nature, memoir, children’s stories set here) can sell at visitor centers, museum shops, state park gift stores, hotels, and resorts. Visitors love a local souvenir book.

  • Libraries. Many libraries run local-author fairs and allow sales after programs.

  • Wineries, coffee shops, and breweries. Readings paired with a tasting or open mic draw a crowd that isn’t already a writers’ crowd.

Speaking as a sales engine

  • APW speakers bureau. Put together a one-page list of members and their talk topics, then send it to Rotary, Kiwanis, women’s clubs, church groups, and book clubs. Speakers almost always sell more books at the back of the room than at any signing.

  • Book club kits. Offer discussion questions and an author visit (in person or by Zoom) for clubs that choose a member’s book.

Shared marketing

  • A group catalog or web page. One page (or printed brochure) listing every member’s book by genre, with buy links. Hand it out at every event so each author promotes everyone.

  • Holiday gift guide. A “Give Arizona Authors This Season” list sent to newsletters, community bulletins, and local media.

  • Award stickers and press angles. Members with honors (NFPW, AZ Press Women, bestseller status) should feature them on covers and tables. Local papers and TV like “Arizona author wins” stories.

  • Member anthology. A collection with a story from each member builds a product everyone has a reason to promote and leads readers to each author’s own books.

Practical tips for the table

  • Take cards with a Square or similar reader, and offer bundle pricing (“any two for $30”).

  • Have an email sign-up sheet so a one-time sale becomes a future reader.

  • Sign and personalize; a dedication makes the book a gift.


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Bobbie Bennett
Beaver Valley Bulletin Editor
APW Vice Pres
Payson Book Festival Auction Manager
beavervalleybobbie@icloud.com
602-615-5055