Emerald Lake Books helps book authors achieve their goals

SHERMAN, Conn. - Aug. 27, 2018 - PRLog -- As the saying goes, everyone has a book in them. Tara Alemany and Mark Gerber consider it their job to get that book out of you and into publication.

Their Connecticut-based publishing company, Emerald Lake Books, not only helps authors bring those books to life – but does so with a purpose.

While many have the passion to write a book, that is only half the battle. "The hard work starts when the book is published," Alemany explains. "How do you get people to read the book and take action because of what you have written?"

Gerber, who provided artwork for Emerald Lake Books before joining as a partner in the business, describes the company as "a publisher with a purpose."

Alemany considers the same three points for each new project they take on. "One, what should the reader get out of it? Two, what impact will it have on the author's business? Are they looking for speaking opportunities or coaching clients or do they want to inspire the reader to make changes in their life? And three, what is the overall goal for the book's impact?"

Their authors – both those who come to them with a completed manuscript and those just starting – find that the process helps clarify the book's message, as well as the writer's intent.

Many of the writers Emerald Lake Books publishes have aims of strengthening and promoting their existing brand, business or professional ideology. But several have other objectives.

Jack Stetson wrote a book about his family's legacy as former owners of the Danbury State Fair. His goals were to write a memoir and correct misinformation about the sale of the fairgrounds in Danbury more than 35 years ago.

Another Connecticut author, Marc Youngquist, wrote about his experiences with the Connecticut National Guard's 143^rd Military Police Company while training the Iraqi police force. His aim was to make sure that those who served in his unit were recognized for their heroic efforts, despite their lack of resources.

Emerald Lake Books is also about to publish its first book of fiction – a YA fantasy novel – as well as its first title for a non-U.S. market.

"Our fiction writer's goal is to be a professional author," Alemany says. "We are helping her position the book to get the readership she needs so people will buy this book as well as the next ones in the series."

The constant among all of Emerald Lake Books' authors is their ability to envision a goal for their books beyond simply publishing them.

Alemany and Gerber ask every author they work with to fill out an application and are selective about the books they choose to publish. The books they want to work with need to fit a broad, but unwavering, criteria, "Positive, inspirational, informative—those are the ones that catch our eye and we have fun with," Alemany says. "The more passionate we feel about the idea, the more excited we get about the book."

Traditional publishers, who are now less likely to work with new writers and offer fewer services to their existing authors, have been struggling to adjust to the changing publishing landscape since the advent of the internet. Emerald Lake Books fills the niche needed by new and veteran writers alike who want to their voice to be heard and to have an impact.

Alemany is the lead editor for each book Emerald Lake Books publishes as well as the one who coaches authors through the business aspects of writing. After publication, she works with each author to manage online reviews, gain support from similar authors or industry leaders, and publicize the book. Gerber, the artistic director, designs the cover and interior pages of the book. He also works with authors to create marketing and branding materials when needed. Together, they ensure each book meets professional publication standards.

"If a bookseller sees that industry quality and design standards aren't met, they won't take a chance on it," Alemany says. "There are so many great books vying for the same shelf-space that they will only offer the best books to their customers."

In working with Emerald Lake Books, each author can choose from a menu of options ranging from ghostwriting and author coaching to publication and distribution. All authors receive coaching to maximize the impact of the book, and many choose to hire Emerald Lake Books to implement a full publicity and marketing campaign. Alemany and Gerber make sure to keep the author involved in each step along the way.

"An author is a business owner, although many first-time authors don't realize it" Alemany says. "You can't just open a business and expect to succeed without blood, sweat and tears. We are filling that gap by guiding our authors through all the things they need to know and understand to successfully publish and sell their books."

Press release distributed by http://emeraldlakebooks.com/. For more information, contact Paul Steinmetz at Paul@EmeraldLakeBooks.com.