Deadly Danger complete cover
Posted by Publisher at 9/24/2009 2:14 PM
Deadly Danger complete cover
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Category Archives: Thunderbirds books
Thunderbirds.com on Google
This morning, I entered “Thunderbirds” in the Google search engine, and was delighted to find that Thunderbirds.com appeared on the first page of the search results. What’s so pleasantly astonishing about this is that until very recently, I did not know what Search Engine Optimization (SEO) was. All I knew was that I kept getting calls and e-mails from companies that offered to make changes to my web site so that it would come up on the first page of any web search…for a price, which generally was $200-$1000 a month.
As it happened, however, earlier this year, I saw a link on Twitter for HubSpot, which offers a free Internet Marketing Kit. I downloaded their kit, and listened to their webinar (which also has visuals), and followed their instructions. I did not see the result right away (it has taken about 2 months), but I was very impressed when I did see it. (HubSpot, by the way, also offers a free Website Grader, which evaluates a web site and gives suggestions as to how to improve one’s page rank.)
In general, I’m amazed at how quickly web technology continues to change, and how quickly I (and other publishers) are rushing to adapt to it. For instance, one day, I learned what a favicon was, and within 48 to 72 hours, I had a favicon on my web sites (it’s the small picture to the left of the web address on the top of the browser window). It seems as if every week, there’s something new or changing on the web that demands my attention, as there was this week. I’m all for improvements; I just hope that I can keep up with them!
Posted by Publisher at 5/30/2009 3:05 PM
More on the Mom’s Choice Awards® recognition of Countdown to Action!
Mom’s Choice Awards® blog:
http://momschoiceawards.blogspot.com
Mom’s Choice Award seal
HONORING EXCELLENCE The Mom’s Choice Awards® is an annual awards competition that recognizes authors, inventors, companies, parents and others for their efforts in creating quality family-friendly media, products and services.
Countdown to Action is a recipient of the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award. The Mom’s Choice Awards honors excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others. A sampling of the panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, Ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times Best-Selling Author; LeAnn Thieman, Motivational speaker and coauthor of seven Chicken Soup For The Soul books; Tara Paterson, Certified Parent Coach, and founder of the Mom’s Choice Awards. Parents and educators look for the Mom’s Choice Awards seal in selecting quality materials and products for children and families. This book has been honored by this distinguished award. —Mom’s Choice Awards
Posted by Publisher at 5/3/2009 7:43 PM
Announcing a new web site: Thunderbirds.com
I’m pleased to announce a new web site: http://www.thunderbirds.com
This Thunderbirds site has information on the novels, the characters, the technology, and the episodes. There’s also an associated forum for the discussion of all of the above.
Feel free to come and visit!
Posted by Publisher at 3/20/2009 6:35 PM
ISBN for Next Thunderbirds Novel, Deadly Danger
The next Thunderbirds novel will be Deadly Danger, which will concentrate on Virgil Tracy (just as Action Alert! concentrated on Scott Tracy). All the Tracys, nonetheless, will appear in the novel.
The ISBN has been assigned: 978-0-9653575-9-3
The projected publication date will be determined later.
Posted by Publisher at 2/23/2009 3:58 PM
Deadly Danger cover
Deadly Danger cover
Posted by Publisher at 2/20/2009 8:23 PM
Countdown to Action! is a Mom’s Choice Awards® Silver Recipient
Mom’s Choice Award seal
FTL Publications is delighted to announce that Thunderbirds: Countdown to Action! by Joan Marie Verba, is a Mom’s Choice Awards® Silver Recipient in the Young Adult: Fantasy, Myths & Legends category.
The Mom’s Choice Awards® (MCA) is known for establishing the benchmark of excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. Countdown to Action! was named among the best in family-friendly media, products and services for 2009. Joan Marie Verba, author of Countdown to Action!, says, “I’m proud to have received this award. It is my goal to write family-friendly stories which can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. I’m so pleased that the Mom’s Choice Awards® committee has recognized these efforts.” A complete list of recipients can be found at:www.momschoiceawards.com/celebrate09.php.
Thunderbirds TM & © 1964, 1999 and 2008 ITC Entertainment Group Limited. ‘Thunderbirds’ is a Gerry Anderson Production. Licensed by Granada Ventures Ltd. All rights reserved.
Posted by Publisher at 1/31/2009 9:11 PM
Thunderbirds novels mentioned in FAB 61
FAB is the newsletter of The Official Gerry Anderson Appreciation Society (Fanderson). Issue 61 included a very nice interview with me about the Thunderbirds books, especially Countdown to Action!, and displayed the covers for both Countdown to Action! and Action Alert!
Posted by Publisher at 12/6/2008 7:57 PM
Other places to order Action Alert
Action Alert is being carried by the following places in addition to FTL Publications:
Uncle Hugo’s Science Fiction Bookstore has copies for sale now.
Amazon.com has copies now: Order Action Alert! from Amazon.com
FAB Gear USA has copies: http://fabgearusa.com/
Posted by Publisher at 11/30/2008 8:59 AM
Action Alert is here!
Action Alert came back from the printer today and it looks great! The preorders are all packed and will be mailed tomorrow.
Posted by Publisher at 11/20/2008 9:19 PM
Action Alert, chapters 1 and 2 posted
I have posted chapters 1 and 2 of Action Alert! To read chapters 1 and 2, go to the FTL Publications site and click on the Action Alert! cover or directly to the Action Alert! page and click on “read chapter 1.”
Posted by Publisher at 11/10/2008 2:44 PM
Action Alert complete cover
Action Alert complete cover
Posted by Publisher at 11/6/2008 4:48 PM
Countdown to Action! receives award
FTL Publications Thunderbirds™ Novel “Countdown to Action!” Scores Finalist Honor in the 5th Annual National “Best Books” Awards
Minnetonka, MN – USABookNews.com, the premiere online magazine and review website for mainstream and independent publishing houses, announced the winners and finalists of THE NATIONAL “BEST BOOKS” 2008 AWARDS (NBBA) on October 20, 2008. Among the finalists in the Fiction and Literature: Young Adult Fiction category is Countdown to Action! a Thunderbirds™ novel, based on the 1960s television series, published by FTL Publications.
Joan Marie Verba, FTL’s Publisher, and author of Countdown to Action!, says of the award, “I’m thrilled to have received this recognition for my first Thunderbirds™ novel. It’s a tribute to the beloved characters of the show that the novel did so well.”
Jeff Keen, President and CEO of USABookNews.com, said this year’s contest yielded an unprecedented number of entries. Keen says of the awards, now in their fifth year, “The 2008 results represent a phenomenal mix of books from a wide array of publishers throughout the United States.”
Winners and finalists traversed the publishing landscape: Simon & Schuster, Tarcher/Penguin, HarperCollins, Hyperion, St. Martin’s Press, McGraw-Hill, John Wiley & Sons and hundreds of independent titles contributed to this year’s outstanding NBBA competition. Keen adds, “NBBA’s success begins with the enthusiastic participation of authors and publishers and continues with our distinguished panel of industry judges who bring to the table their extensive editorial, PR, marketing, and design expertise.”
A complete list of the winners and finalists of the USABookNews.com National “Best Books” 2008 Awards are available online at www.USABookNews.com.
FTL Publications is a multiple award-winning science fiction, fantasy, and mystery publishing house founded in 1993. This independent publisher obtained the only license ever issued in the U.S., and the only current license in the world, to create original novels based on the series, issued by Granada Ventures in London.
Countdown to Action! is the latest release from FTL Publications. Action Alert!, the next novel in the Thunderbirds™ series, has a scheduled release date of November 2008.
Thunderbirds TM & © 1964, 1999 and 2008 ITC Entertainment Group Limited. ‘Thunderbirds’ is a Gerry Anderson Production. Licensed by Granada Ventures Ltd. All rights reserved.
Posted by Publisher at 10/20/2008 2:07 PM
Preorders Being Taken Now For Action Alert!
FTL Publications is taking preorders for Action Alert!
There are several advantages to ordering direct from FTL Publications:
1. The book will be shipped as soon as it is published
2. You will receive a discount on the book (cover price $15.95, purchase for $10.00)
3. You can have an autographed copy by placing a note in the special instructions that you want one
4. FTL Publications takes Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and PayPal. It is a secure site, transactions verified by Authorize.net
5. There is a money-back guarantee. Return for a full refund if not completely satisfied
PLEASE NOTE THAT FTL PUBLICATIONS SHIPS THIS TITLE TO THE USA AND CANADA ONLY
To preorder, go to the FTL Publications site or directly to the Action Alert! order form.
Checks payable to FTL Publications also accepted: for one copy, $10 plus $3.50 postage mailed to: FTL Publications, P O Box 1363, Minnetonka, MN 55345-0363.
Posted by Publisher at 10/7/2008 5:32 PM
Action Alert! in Previews
Action Alert! has appeared in the current Diamond Comic Distributors catalog (Previews), p. 371.
Posted by Publisher at 9/20/2008 5:29 PM
Midwest Book Review on Countdown to Action!
The Midwest Book Review, September 2008 issue (Small Press Bookwatch), contains a review of Countdown to Action! They posted a five-star review on Amazon.com.
Countdown to Action!
Joan Marie Verba
FTL Publications
PO Box 1363, Minnetonka, MN 55345-0363
9780965357579, $15.95, www.ftlpublications.com
Tragedy does strange things to people, and it is not always negative. “Countdown to Action!” is a novel based on the beginnings of the old television program “Thunderbirds.” When faced with his wife’s death, Jeff Tracy calls upon his sons to create an organization dedicated to rescuing those who need it. Creating such an organization, however, is much easier said than done. “Countdown to Action!” is highly recommended reading for science fiction enthusiasts in general and fans of the “Thunderbirds” television series in particular.
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
Posted by Publisher at 9/12/2008 6:34 PM
Ad for Countdown to Action! and Action Alert!
Thunderbirds ad
The above ad has been approved for Countdown to Action! and Action Alert!
(These ads may be shared or reposted as long as they are not altered in any way.)
Posted by Publisher at 9/5/2008 4:09 PM
Countdown to Action, chapter 3 posted
I have posted chapter 3 of Countdown to Action! To read it, go to http://www.ftlpublications.com, click on “‘Countdown to Action” and then click on “read chapter 3.” (Chapter 1 is also linked on the Countdown to Action page.)
Posted by Publisher at 8/16/2008 6:37 PM
Wikipedia entry and Amazon.com review for Countdown to Action!
Countdown to Action is now mentioned in Wikipedia’s entry for Thunderbirds and there is a first reader review for Countdown to Action on Amazon.com
Posted by Publisher at 8/11/2008 7:29 PM
Another convention
Just returned from spending a weekend at yet another convention, talking about the Thunderbirds novels and selling them as well.
Posted by Publisher at 8/3/2008 8:50 PM