If you are a new mom or a mom-to-be, you will want to add Claudine Wolk's audiobook It Gets Easier!...And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers by Claudine Wolk to your reading list. Although we've shared the physical copy of this book with you before, I'm so excited about the launch of her audiobook tour.
Join us as we interview the author about her audiobook and follow along as WOW readers help promote this helpful book. Plus, we're giving away copies to two lucky readers!
But first, here's a bit about the book:
Every new mom learns pretty quickly how difficult new motherhood is but also that nobody tells the truth about it. Author and narrator Claudine Wolk learned the same lesson after her son was born but decided to speak the truth about motherhood with humorous insight and reality-based suggestions. A few crucial tips can make motherhood a bit more controllable and a lot more enjoyable.
Publisher: AMACOM
ISBN-10: 978-0840711151
ISBN-13: 0840711151
Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
Purchase a copy of the audiobook on Libro.fm, Audible or Audiobooks.com. You can also add the book to your reading list on GoodReads.com.
About the Author, Claudine Wolk
Claudine Wolk is a writer, radio talk show host, podcast host, and book marketing consultant. Her first book, It Gets Easier and Other Lies We Tell New Mothers has affectionately become “the perfect baby shower gift.” Claudine is working on her second non-fiction book aimed at helping writers who want to publish and market a book in the same fun, practical way as her first book. Claudine lives with her husband, Joe, in Bucks County, PA and has three grown children and a baby grandson. More at www.ClaudineWolk.com
Other places you can find the author online:
Substack: https://ClaudineWolk.Substack.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/claudinewolk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claudinewolk/
Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/help4newmoms
Stories and Strategies for Woman Podcast: https://storiesandstrategiesforwomen.buzzsprout.com
---- Interview by Nicole Pyles
Claudine: I always thought that the book would make a great audiobook because as the cover suggests, it’s advice from a girlfriend, or any other woman you trust, and hearing that advice in digestible chapters, in your own time is the perfect audiobook. It wasn’t until I completed voice acting lessons and completed a demo that I had the confidence to pitch it to my publisher. I offered to do the narration of the audiobook myself and sent my demo. The publisher, Harper Collins, liked the idea. Always take a chance and ask!
WOW: I completely agree with that sentiment! What was the experience like to do the narration for your audiobook?
Claudine: So much fun, but exhausting. It was my first days and hours-long voice job in a booth at a studio. Voice narration takes endurance. I followed the training…warm drinks, hydration, green apple to soak up saliva - gross, right? - but it works! Lots of rest and little talking between sessions. Narration is definitely something I want to do more.
WOW: I had no idea how much was involved. What inspired you to write this book?
Claudine: As a new mom, a career gal who studied hard and mastered school and accounting, I thought being a new mom would be easy. Ha! I was shocked at how hard it was. This little baby—who mostly cried, slept little, and came with no instructions—was a mystery to me. Determined to figure out a better way, I interviewed moms anywhere they would talk to me -family member moms, girlfriends, moms at the YMCA, moms at parks, strangers on planes—any mom who would give me insight. They started with advice on burping, rocking and sleep schedules and it morphed into keeping your relationship fresh and holding on to your own dreams. The information was so helpful to me I felt I had to get it out there to other moms! Honesty and humor paved my way to happy motherhood - I had two more children!
WOW: That's so wonderful! It's been over ten years since you toured the print copy version of this book. What has changed for you since then?
Claudine: Well. For one, I am a grandmom! My son and his wife had a baby a few weeks before I recorded the audiobook. Imagine my relief as I narrated the audiobook and found that my suspicion about the “job of motherhood staying the same over the decades” turned out to be true. The advice in the book is still fantastic advice. My son bowled me over when I stopped at his home and picked up a copy of my book - He bought it! Book marketing has changed, too. So many online promotion choices and platforms that focus directly on book buyers—fantastic and fun! Of course, WOW a was great for me then and it’s great for me now.
WOW: I'm so glad to hear that. What can new moms or moms-to-be expect from listening to your audiobook?
Claudine: The first thing they will learn is that they are not alone as new moms in the joy or their anguish at becoming a new mom. We don’t all talk about it for fear of being labeled a “bad mom” but motherhood is a tough job and many times thankless work. The first half of the book shares some tips in baby’s care and Mommy care in those first weeks and months—baby and sleep schedules, what things may feel like in the early days, breastfeeding information, etc. the second half of the book is about your journey as a new mom. How to navigate going back to work or staying at home, navigating your relationship with your partner and the change in the balance of power, and finally how to maintain YOUR needs while balancing becoming a new mom. Always remember that YOU are part of the family, too, and your needs should be considered in any family decision!
WOW: Absolutely! So, you've become quite the marketing guru! I actually follow your newsletter on Substack as well. How do you help authors promote their book and reach new audiences?
Claudine: Lol, thank you! The Substack newsletter, claudinewolk.substack.com, is titled, “Get Your Book Seen and Sold.” As a radio host for WDVR radio in NJ, I interviewed many new authors and aspiring authors. It seemed every one of them asked me about book publishing—“how did I get published?” “how do you market a book?” Because of the ease these days of self-publishing—by this I mean, write a book and pop it on Amazon as an ebook—many of these authors were finding that their book wasn’t selling.
WOW: That's so amazing, and I know your next book will be such a great resource. You are also one of the minds behind the Sit and Write course you teach with Kate Brenton. What does teaching others help you in your own writing?
Claudine: The Sit & Write Master Class is amazing. We are starting a new four-month round on February 11th. The process starts with a free quick call with Kate where you chat about your project and if the master class is a good fit for you. By combining the spiritual (Kate) and the analytical (Me) sides of writing and book marketing, we are helping authors to complete the first draft of their book and couple that with enough book marketing knowledge that they will give their book the best chance to be seen and sold when the time domes. I have learned through teaching this course that our process really works! Teaching authors to take the time to identify their publishing goals first and then to identify their message | audience | and hook are the foundation for successful book marketing, for example. This knowledge keeps me motivated to write and share more on the vast subject of book marketing.
WOW: I love how you prepare people for the course and for their book publishing future. You went from self-published to traditionally published. What was that process like for you?
Claudine: In a way, I fell backward into the transition from self-published to traditionally published. Like most authors, I first pitched my book to many traditional publishers and agents. One agent liked the book but since I lacked an author platform, passed on the project. After many rejections from publishers, I decided that my message could wait no longer and I created a publishing company and published the book myself.
In that time I stayed in touch with the agent who liked the book. When I finalized my book cover, I sent it to the agent. “Hey, there, here is my book cover. What do you think?” And then after the book came out, “Hey there, the review copy of the book is available. Would you like a copy?” And finally, “Hey there, the book reached #1 on Amazon in the Motherhood category today. Here is a screen shot.”
Once I proved that the book would sell, the agent starting shopping it around and found a traditional publisher. The traditional publisher, AMACOM, kept my cover image and title, changed the cover colors, asked for three new chapters and then re-released the book. The original book published in November 2008. The AMACON version published in April 2009. That is how quickly the process went. The moral of the story is to stay in touch with the people you encounter who are fans of your work and it never hurts to ask.
WOW: What a phenomenal outcome! What are you working on now that you can tell us about?
Claudine: My next book, Get Your Book Seen and Sold: A Book Marketing and Publishing Guide, is a non-fiction resource for authors to market their book. It is a fun, practical guide that will help authors to give their book the best chance to be seen and sold. The book is co-written with Julie Murkette and published by an imprint of her publishing company: Satya Books. It releases on September 22, 2023. As I market the book this year, I document it on the Substack Newletter so that subscribers benefit from book marketing strategies that I am using in real-time! The book will come with a fill-in-the-blank Book Marketing Plan to help authors get started on their own book promotion.
WOW: I can't wait to see it come out! What advice would you give yourself before your writing success happened?
Claudine: One: I would have spent less money on a website and I would have named my website ClaudineWolk.com at the start. Websites for book authors ARE important but it does not have to be expensive. The basics are what is needed: the book with its cover image, what it is about, where people can buy it and any endorsements, plus an email for media inquiry (use your own email). Save promotion money in your budget on other book marketing promotion until you hit it big. I suggest reasonably priced and effective book promotion ideas in my substack.
WOW: That's excellent advice. What is your writing routine like?
Claudine: I am a big morning writer… I write most mornings. However, I do think about what I want to write next, all day long, in snippets. I have a notebook where I can quickly write prompts for myself so that when I do get a chance to sit and write I remember what I had in mind to write. Also, remember that if you wait to write until all the conditions are “perfect” you most likely will not get to it! Just sit and write!
WOW: What a great sentiment to end with: sit and write! Congratulations again on your book and best of luck on the tour!
---- Blog Tour Calendar
January 16th @ The Muffin
Join us at WOW! as we celebrate the launch of Claudine Wolk's audiobook version of It Gets Easier!...And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers.
January 16th @ Just Katherine
Join Katherine as she reviews the audiobook version of It Gets Easier!....And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers.
January 17th @ Liberate and Lather
Join Angela as she reviews the audiobook version of It Gets Easier!....And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers.
January 19th @ Jill Sheets Blog
Join Jill as she interviews the author about her book It Gets Easier!....And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers.
January 20th @ The Mommies Review
Join Glenda as she reviews It Gets Easier!....And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers. You'll also have the chance to win a copy of the book too!
January 20th @ Ellen Blogs
Visit Ellen's blog and read Claudine's guest post about going from self-published to traditionally published. It can be done!
January 21st World of My Imagination
Nicole features Claudine Wolk on her weekly featured three things on a Saturday night. She also gives away a copy of the audiobook It Gets Easier!....And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers.
January 22nd @ Just Katherine
Join Katherine again as she shares a guest post by Claudine Wolk about the eight lies we tell new mothers.
January 25th @ Chapter Break
Join Julie's blog as she features a spotlight of the audiobook It Gets Easier!....And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers.
January 26th @ A Storybook world
Deirdra shares a guest post by Claudine Wolk about the five mom mantras that will keep you sane.
January 27th @ What Is That Book About
Join Michelle as she reviews the audiobook It Gets Easier!....And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers.
January 30th @ Michelle Cornish' blog
Join Michelle as she features a guest post by Claudine Wolk about message, hook, and audience: the starting point to successfully market your book.
January 31st @ Bring on Lemons
Crystal rewards us with her review of It Gets Easier!....And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers.
February 1st @ World of My Imagination
Nicole features Michelle's guest review of It Gets Easier!...And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers.
February 3rd @ Knotty Needle
Visit Judy's blog for her insights about It Gets Easier!...And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers.
February 3rd @ Lady Unemployed
Visit Nicole's blog and read Claudine's guest post about how to get started on a voice acting career.
February 5th @ Strength 4 Spouses
Join Wendi as she reviews It Gets Easier!....And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers. You also have the chance to win a copy of the audiobook!
February 5th @ Celticlady's Reviews
Join Kathleen's blog as she spotlights It Gets Easier!....And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers.
February 6th @ Celticlady's Reviews
Visit Kathleen's blog again as she features a guest post by Claudine Wolk featuring uncensored advice for new mothers.
February 7th @ Strength 4 Spouses
Visit Wendi's blog again as features Claudine's guest post about power shifts in your relationship with your partner and how to get it back.
February 10th @ Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
Read an interview with Claudine Wolk at Lisa Haselton's blog.
February 11th @ Rockin Book Reviews
Join Lu Ann as she features a guest post by Claudine about reasonably cost-effective ways to promote your book. She'll also be giving away a copy of the audiobook as well!
February 13th @ Bookshine and Readbows
Join Steph's blog for her insightful reviews of It Gets Easier!...And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers.
February 15th @ Word Magic
Fiona shares a guest post from Claudine about where to start with book marketing.
February 15th @ Amy's Booket List
Join Amy for her review of It Gets Easier!...And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers. You'll also have the chance to win a copy of the book too!
***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****
Enter to win a copy of It Gets Easier!...And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers by Claudine Wolk. Fill out the Rafflecopter form below. The giveaway ends January 29th at 11:59 pm CT. We will choose 2 winners randomly the next day and follow up via email. Good luck!
4 comments:
Great interview Claudine and Nicole! I love that you interviewed so many moms for your book, and I can definitely see why it would be the perfect baby shower gift! Audio is a great format for this. :) I'm also really excited about your forthcoming book and can't wait to read it. Good luck on your tour! :)
I enjoyed your interview! wishing you great success with your new book.
Love to have this book to add to my winter reading.
Would like to read the tips to help make motherhood more enjoyable
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