We’re off to a great start this year! We’ve published the same number of books as we did during the same period in 2018 but our sales are up 15%. We had a good Mother’s Day week and our books occupied four of the top ten spots for new trade paperback self-help books on the Nielsen BookScan list. Could it be our new cover designs? We have made real strides in that area, having concluded that our books sell better when their covers look more like literary fiction trade paperbacks. Here are the four 2019 books that were on the top 10 list during the week leading up to Mother’s Day.

As we reprint our books published between 2008 and 2015, we are adapting many of their covers to our new look. Where we can, we are extending the artwork from top to bottom, and we are making the Chicken Soup for the Soul logo smaller. We love our new covers, and we hope you do as well. You can see a couple of before-and-after examples on the next page. … continued on page 2

M A Y / J U N E 2 0 1 9

A N E X C L U S I V E C O M M U N I Q U É F O R O U R W R I T E R S

You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.

~Jodi Picoult

the

INSPIRATION for

ritersW

INNER CIRCLEA Note from Your Publisher

Suzannah Kiper (pictured right) had a very successful book signing at Barnes & Noble in Louisville, KY. Suzannah says, “They ordered two cases of books and there were only six books remaining! A Barnes & Noble employee said we sold more books at my book signing than they had ever sold at a book signing previously!”

Suzannah and her mother appeared on television to promote the book signing. Her mom’s wedding was the subject of Suzannah’s story in

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Mom Knows Best.

Christy Heitger-Ewing (pictured left) had a book signing for Chicken Soup for the Soul: Mom Knows Best at Best Friends Coffee & Bagels in Brownsburg, IN a week before Mother’s Day. She sold and signed 15 books. She says, “What killed me was it was the first beautiful sunny day we’d had around here in FOREVER and everyone was outside riding their bikes and mowing their lawns! Ha. Oh, well, You can’t predict weather. It was still fun!”

Sallie Rodman (pictured right) had a book signing at Gatsby Books in Long Beach, CA on April 28th. Gatsby Books is a quaint little bookstore serving the community with great finds in used books as well as new. Sallie said that about 15 people were there and she sold extra copies through the bookstore for those who couldn’t make it. She served wine, crackers and brought a miniature Beagle because her dog Mollie couldn’t attend. Sallie reports, “We had a great time and I chatted about my wonderful experience with Chicken Soup for the Soul over the years. I mentioned other books that they might like and read my story.”

Changing your life one story at a time®

Check your own books at https://www.chickensoup.com/books to see if we redesigned them yet. If you spot a revised front cover on a Chicken Soup for the Soul book (other than the two above) in which you have a story, let us know. You’ll be rewarded for your eagle eyes because we’ll send a free copy of your book with its new cover design to you at a U.S. address. Let us know if you spot a changed cover on a Chicken Soup for the Soul book in which you were published at webmaster@chickensoupforthesoul.com by June 7th.

With thanks, from your publisher, Amy Newmark @amynewmark

Your Book Signings And News

Amanda Sue Creasey (right) did a book signing for Chicken Soup for the Soul: Life Lessons from the Dog to benefit the Richmond, VA SPCA. She raised $150 for the shelter in just two hours! Her husband and their Beagle, Sadie, accompanied her. Unfortunately, the star of her story, Jack, passed away a week after the book came out, so he wasn’t with them. However, he was there in spirit and in the portrait in the photo at right.

Amanda was scheduled to sign books at two more locations in May to raise money for shelters. She also did a radio interview about the book and her story in order to promote the fundraisers. Thanks for all your efforts, Amanda!

Marianne Sciucco has been busy with Chicken Soup for the Soul: Mom Knows Best. First off, she took several copies with her on The Inaugural Connecting Circles of Care and Building Bridges of Hope Cruise & Conference in early April. Marianne was a speaker at this retreat/conference for dementia caregivers and their loved ones. She gave each person who attended her session a copy of the book and reports it was a big hit.

Then, she had an event at her local library in Middletown, NY. She read her story from the book and several people purchased a copy. Her local newspaper ran a story about her as well! See the notice at left that Marianne’s library created. We’re sharing it in case it gives you some ideas for creating your own flyers or posters.

S u z a n n e K u r t h , G w e n C o o p e r , a n d L i n d a Kinnamon (pictured right) had

a book signing at Barnes & Noble in Westminster, CO in April. They sold 14 copies of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Life Lessons from the Dog. Gwen reports, “The signing was fun, surreal, and we had such a great time meeting and interacting with Chicken Soup for the Soul lovers. None of us knew each other prior to this, although my husband worked with Suzanne before she retired. Small world. Also small world that we live only a few miles from one another in the same little suburb of Denver.” Gwen says

they had a blast and were planning three more events together.

Mother’s Day weekend was the perfect time for a book signing for Chicken Soup for the Soul: Grandparents, with a story by Andi Lehman, and Chicken Soup for the Soul: Mom Knows Best, with a story by Tracy Crump (pictured together left). The two teamed up at Barnes & Noble in Collierville, TN (near Memphis), on May 11 to promote not only those books but several others containing their stories. Old friends stopped by and Andi’s fudge drew new friends to the table. Andi’s idea of spelling out REMEMBER YOUR MOM in children’s blocks topped off the table decorations. Now, if it just wouldn’t rain every time they have a book signing!

More Of Your Book Signings And News

We’re looking for more stories from you! For more details click here.

Stories about Miracles We’re looking for your true stories that will give us chills, inspire hope, and keep us on the outlook for the good things that can happen to all of us.

Share your stories about miracles, angels, messages from heaven, divine coincidences, and every other kind of unexplainable, awe-inspiring event that you’ve personally experienced. Deadline: 6/30/2019

The Forgiveness Fix Forgiveness is liberating. It frees you to move forward unburdened by past disappointments and resentments. We’re looking for your stories about forgiving other people… and forgiving yourself. Tell us how you did it and how it changed your life. Deadline: 6/30/2019

The Golden Years or Second Wind Share your stories about the humorous or serious sides of life after 60. You might be going on the adventure of a lifetime or taking long walks in the woods. Retired or working, trying new things or relaxing, let us know about your own second wind. Deadline: 6/30/2019

I Can’t Stop Laughing! Tell us that story that you can barely relate without laughing all over again, about something funny that happened to you in your relationship with a partner or spouse, a parent or child, a family member or friend, at work or at home. Deadline: 7/31/2019

Stories about Christmas Send us your stories about the winter holidays, from Thanksgiving to Hanukkah to Christmas to New Year’s. Funny or heartwarming, we’re in. Tell us about your family traditions, holiday hiccups, the best and worst presents, Santa tales, turkey disasters, cute pet behavior, New Year’s celebrations, and everything in between. Deadline: 1/30/2020

We’re Collecting Your Stories

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Running for Good

101 Stories for Runners & Walkers to Get You Going!

By Amy Newmark & Ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes

On Sale: June 4, 2019

I submitted my story on your website but did not receive an e-mail confirming that you got it. How do I know if my story went through?

We do not send e-mails confirming receipt of your submissions. But

our system does tell you that your submission was successful — at the moment that you submit.

When you fill out the submission form and paste

your story or poem into the box on the form, your next step is to click “Submit.” You will then receive an immediate response on your screen confirming that your work was received. It is not a separate e-mail sent to your Inbox. It is the very next screen that comes up after you click on “Submit” and that message is “SUBMISSION SUCCESSFUL! We have your work in our system. Thank you!”

A very obvious “Error” message screen comes up if your story or poem did not go through.

Your Latest Book!