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Joshua Tree Digital delivers new media cutting-edge content

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“After attending the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, the BookExpo America in New York, and Printers Row in Chicago, you can see how publishing is moving into the most exciting era since Gutenberg and the printing press,” John Paul Owles, President of Joshua Tree Publishing remarked.

“At Joshua Tree Publishing, we are more excited than ever about how the content of our authors can be presented in a number of platforms. We have formed partnership with the leading companies in the digital age to transorm our author’s books into audio books, video formats, and electronic books such as Kindle, ePub, and iBook formats. We are exploring streaming video and podcasts so our authors can reach their full creative potential and the largest possible audience.”

Printed Editions turn into Electronic Editions into Video

From a printed book, Amy Oberg’s An Ember of Hope has been transformed into an electronic book in Kindle and ePub formats for Nook, Sony Reader, and other devices. Soon it will become an iBook for Apple. To promote her book, Amy shot some video and transformed her book into a YouTube channel.

Vanity Press turn to “Self-Publishing” to Deceive Authors

Authors today face a very deceptive marketplace. With vanity publishers claiming they are helping authors to “self-publish” their books, these subsidy publishers don’t care about authors and their work. Just look at their websites. The first thing they ask an author to do is pick a ‘publishing package’ to suit their needs. After the author picks their package, the next step is to order and pay for it.

“Hey, wait a minute. How about looking at my book?” you might ask. But the only time you submit the book is after you sign the contract and pay.

One of the largest of these (we all know them…just search Google and look at their paid ads declaring they want your book) proclaims to have published 18,000 books over the last 12 years. Another says they have helped 30,000 authors publish their books in the past 11 years. How do you do that? Well, first it helps not to have to read the book. You save a lot of wasted time right there.

The second way is you tell authors you can call a publishing consultant to help you decide. Well, guess what? That consultant is a sales person whose job is to sell you—you guessed it—a publishing package.

Finally, you outsource the work to a third world country to process the author’s book. After all, at 1,500 to 3,000 books a year, the vanity presses need mass production techniques.Believe me, it does not get better for you the author.

Sometimes it is better for an author to consider self-publishing their books. Joshua Tree Digital can help you.

Book Coaching

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Joshua Tree Digital is dedicated to making your dreams of being a published author a reality. Not tomorrow. Not next year. But today. 

We are often approached by authors who have a great idea for a book, but they feel they need help in organizing their material. Sometimes, they are just beginning the process, and other times, they find themselves stuck trying to reach their goal having their book published. Rather than telling them “We’re sorry”and turning them away, we try to put them in touch with someone who is an expert in helping writers become published authors.

For more information, please contact us at (312) 320-0937 or send an e-mail to info@joshuatreedigital.com.

Joshua Tree Digital provides Editing Services to Authors

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Joshua Tree Digital provides editing services to authors. Many times we like a book we have received from a Query Letter from an author, but the book is not ready to be published. 

While we provide editing for the books we plan on publishing, we expect them to be at a certain level of quality before we can commit to having them published. Since authors at this stage did not know what or where to go next, we began to offer Editing Services so they could bring theirs books to the point they were ready for submission to be published. 

While this site is not designed to go into great detail about the process of editing— each book is at a different stage—below are the different types of editing which we provide:

• Developmental
• Substantive
• Content
• Line
• Copy Editing

oshua Tree Publishing will request that the author provide a sample of the manuscript to be edited. After reviewing the work, we will provide the author a cost for the editing services to bring their manuscript to level needed to be published. Once completed, the process of publishing—and additional editing—will begin on the author’s book. 

Editing Services Contract Agreement Overview 

Joshua Tree Publishing agrees to provide the following editing services to Author upon the following terms and conditions (collectively, the ” Editing Services”): 

  • Joshua Tree Publishing will provide Author with the services of a professional copy editor skilled and proficient at proofreading and editing manuscripts. 
  • Joshua Tree Publishing will use reasonable efforts that the copy edited Book is returned to Author within the timetable of this agreement but more time may be necessary, depending upon the complexity of editing needed. 
  • Joshua Tree Publishing uses Microsoft Word to make all editing suggestions. 
  • Author understands that the Editing Services consist of correction of spelling, punctuation, and grammar; checking for consistency, proper usage, and typographical errors. Author also understands that the Editing Services do not include content support and resolution, evaluation of flow, presentation, and sentence structure. 
  • Author understands that while Joshua Tree Publishing will edit the Book, Joshua Tree Publishing shall not have final editorial control over it. The Author is responsible for the final editorial content. 
  • If Author is dissatisfied with the quality of the Editing Services provided, the Author must notify Joshua Tree Publishing in writing within 7 days of receiving the document. If Joshua Tree Publishing agrees that the quality of the Editing Services is deficient, Joshua Tree Publishing will arrange to have the Work re-edited at no charge to Author.

For more information, please contact us at (312) 320-0937 or send an e-mail to info@joshuatreedigital.com.

Custom Website Design, Hosting, and WordPress Blogs

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Joshua Tree Digital specializes in helping authors reach their goals by utilizing cutting-edge technology and proven marketing strategies. We are a web hosting and design company, domain registrar, and a Microsoft partner.We provide a varitey of hosting packages to best suit your needs.

In today’s world, authors need to have a presence on the internet and social media. We can design your site so you can have information about your book and yourself—and allow your visitors to purchase your book online. We specialize in providing video streaming so your readers can see you We also offer WordPress blogging software for all our hosted sites so you and your readers can interact with each other. 

You Can Add Video to Your Website

If you want your readers to buy your book, the use of video on your website can be a true motivator. Click on the image of author Amy Oberg on the left to see how video can bring a book to life. The video will open in a separate window. This action will allow your visitor to stay on your site while watching your video. Enjoy.Whatever your needs, Joshua Tree Digital can provide a solution for you.

For more information, please contact us at (312) 320-0937 or send an e-mail to info@joshuatreedigital.com.

Start Your Publishing Company

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Many times a book is perfect for self-publishing rather than traditional publishing. The reasons vary greatly, but one of the most important factor is control. Do you want to have total control over your book? Are you interested in doing seminars and presentations with your book? Is this a lifelong endeavor you are about to embark on? What is your long range goal? These are questions every author must ask before commiting to a traditional publishing house. There are pros and cons to self-publishing and traditional publishing. We offer private consulting to meet the needs of authors.

Joshua Tree Digital is dedicated to making your dreams of being a published author a reality. Not tomorrow. Not next year. But today. We have the expertise to help you accomplish your goals by using cutting edge technology and utilizing a network of experts in the fields of editing, page layout, cover design, marketing and printing to make your book a success. Because of our technology, we offer an opportunity to authors to print their books with us. This service satisfies authors who are interested in self-publishing and are looking for a solution to print their books in a cost-effective way.

We print four-color laminated covers with high quality interior pages. We can provide books in either perfect bound, hardcover, and hardcover with four-color jackets.

For more information, please contact us at (312) 320-0937 or send an e-mail to info@joshuatreedigital.com.

We can help you start your own publishing company

We have helped a number of our clients set up their own publishing companies. Not because we did not want to publish their books. On the contrary, we would have loved to have published their books. But we advised them otherwise because it made more sense. How’s that for a difference. We provide authors with honest, straight forward advice based on their unique situation.

To request more information, please please contact us at (312) 320-0937 or send an e-mail to info@joshuatreedigital.com.

Cover and Graphic Design Services

We have all heard the adage, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

Well, guess what, a book cover determines a sale. If you don’t believe that, take a trip to your local book store and see if it’s true. Sit there and watch people browse the shelves. Try to determine what catches their eyes and, what books they pull out to look at—and what they do with the book. It should give you some insight into the nature of book purchasing.

Book cover designing is an art form. There are no definitive answers for success, only guesses. 

Here is what the “experts” have found:

  • Everyone judges a book by its cover
  • On the average, a book store browser spends 8 seconds at the front cover and 15 seconds looking at the back cover
  • Sales Reps show covers or jackets and give a sales pitch that averages 14 seconds
  • Advertising, 85% read the Headline only

At Joshua Tree Digital, we view each book as an unique entity with its own charisma. Rather than have a set staff of designers, we use a network of creative talent and resources to produce our covers. 

To request more information, please contact us at (312) 320-0937 or or send an e-mail to info@joshuatreedigital.com.

Publishing

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The Next Step: Publishing Your Book

Step One:
Editing

Each author is provided an editor who works with the author, usually in Word with Track Changes, to review the entire manuscript chapter by chapter. The process can take a thirty to sixty days depending upon the changes being suggested. The bottom line is the author has the last say. After all, it is your book and voice. The second phase of this edit is to bring the manuscript into compliance with the rules and standards included in the Chicago Manual of Style, which has been the bible of the publishing industry for years.

Step Two:
Page Layout

Once the Editing step is completed, the manuscript is imported from Word into a Page Layout program, such as InDesign. During this process, the size of the book and formatting are discussed and agreed upon with the author. Fonts are reviewed to see which one works for the text, chapter headings, spacing, margins, etc. After there is agreement with the author, the entire book is set up according to the printer’s specifications. At this point, the author and editor review the manuscript and offer comments, changes that need to be made. These changes are made by the page layout team as the manuscript is no longer accessible to the author.

Step Three:
Interior Review of the Book

After all changes have been addressed and completed, a final review of the manuscript is made by the author and the publisher for approval. Again, changes or comments are addressed at this stage, and upon agreement with the author, a final version is completed by the page layout team.

Step Four:
The Cover

While we welcome authors’ visions for their covers, experience has taught us that the cover comes after the interior text is completed. Sometimes, the entire viewpoint of the book has changed during this process. We find the cover is a magical experience and work with the author to come up with a concept and artwork to reflect the book and its message.

Step Five:
The Printed Proof

We print a physical proof of the book which shows exactly how it will be printed before it is released. Oftentimes, we find minor errors which were overlooked during the digital, screen processing. We can make final changes and adjustments at this point. When the changes have been made, another proof is generated, which is electronic. Once reviewed by the author and the publisher, the book is released into distribution.

Courage: Taking the First Step as an Entrepreneur

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Courage.
The power to make your own decisions. The ability to act despite all odds when you know you are right. The ability to stand apart from others when your convictions are more important than your popularity.
Courage.
The knowing that comes when you are connected to God and are willing to speak the Truth no matter what the consequences.
Courage.
The ability to act despite the pressure to remain inanimate, passive when you see wrongs that are being committed.
Courage.
The ability to perceive what needs to be done and the power within to act on that knowledge.
Courage.
The ability to allow yourself the freedom to think about things and determine what is best…and act on that feeling.
Courage.
The ability to look within.
Courage.
See your true self. And to allow yourself the freedom to act on that vision by allowing yourself to become your True Self.
Courage.
The power to be yourself.