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The Tip-On Photo or Image Cover: A Quiet Detail That Turns a Hardcover Book Into an Heirloom
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The Tip-On Photo or Image Cover: A Quiet Detail That Turns a Hardcover Book Into an Heirloom

Vervante • May 7, 2026

  There is a particular kind of book that stops you when you pick it up. The cover feels substantial. The texture is rich under your hand, woven or grained, calm and classic. And then there is the image, set in a clean, recessed frame on the front, like a small window into the story within. That image is called a tip-on cover image. Some creators call it a mounted image, a tipped-on cover image or photo, or an inset cover image. Whatever the name, it is one of the most beautiful finishing options we offer at Vervante, and one of the most overlooked. What a Tip-On Photo or Image Cover Actually Is A tip-on cover includes a printed image that is film-laminated for protection and then bonded directly onto the front cover of a hardcover book. At Vervante, we deboss the cover first, creating a slight recess sized exactly to the image. It is then carefully placed into that debossed area and glued to the cover material. The result is an image that sits flush with the surrounding cover, framed by the linen or faux leather. It feels intentional. It feels finished. It feels like it was always meant to be there. Why This Detail Matters A hardcover book is already a statement. The weight, the rigidity, the substance of it all signal something different than a paperback or a digital file. A tip-on cover takes that one step further. It introduces contrast: the matte texture of fabric or leather against the smooth, color-rich surface of an image. The eye catches that contrast immediately. The hand notices the difference in texture before the brain even processes it. For creators who care about how their work shows up in the world, that small moment of contrast can be the difference between a book that looks nice and a book that feels meaningful. Where Tip-On Covers Work Best Tip-on image covers pair beautifully with our faux linen and faux leather hardcover books. The fabric or leather texture provides a calm, classic backdrop. The image becomes the focal point. This combination works especially well for: Memoirs and personal stories Photography and coffee table books Anniversary and commemorative editions Signature and limited editions Gift books and keepsakes Family histories and legacy projects High-end coaching workbooks and signature programs If you are creating a book that someone will keep on a shelf for decades, this is the kind of finish that earns the shelf space. Combining Tip-On Images With Other Finishing Details A tip-on cover does not have to stand alone. Many of the most beautiful books we print combine it with several finishing details that work in concert: Foil stamped titles, names, or logos in gold, silver, copper, or custom colors Debossed elements around the title or below the image Ribbon markers in a complementary color Printed endpapers that echo the cover image Dust jackets for an additional layer of polish The image can be a single image, a softly bordered scene, an illustrated panel, or an original piece of artwork. Some creators use a photograph or image from inside the book. Others commission an illustration or use a piece tied to a personal story. The choice is yours, and we are happy to talk through what will reproduce best at the size and placement you have in mind. Binding Compatibility Tip-on covers can be added to hardcovers with PUR, Smyth-sewn, Wire-O, or metal spiral binding. That covers nearly every binding format we offer for hardcover books, so the cover treatment does not lock you into a specific binding choice.  A Note on Craft Tip-on covers are not the fastest or the cheapest finishing option. They take more time, more handwork, and more attention than a printed case wrap. That is part of why they feel the way they feel. Vervante has been printing for creators for 25 years. In that time, we have helped first-time authors turn a single dream of a book into something they could hold. We have watched creators print 25 copies, then 250, then 1,000. We have packaged signature editions for coaches and speakers who needed their book to feel like the centerpiece of a body of work. A tip-on cover is one of the small ways we help make that happen. Ready to See One in Person If you are considering a tip-on cover for your next project, we recommend ordering a sample so you can feel the difference for yourself. Photographs do not quite capture what a tip-on cover does in the hand. You can also schedule a call with our team to walk through cover materials, foil colors, image placement, and binding options. This kind of book deserves a conversation.

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We can help you create beautiful coffee table books
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We can help you create beautiful coffee table books

Vervante • March 16, 2023

Coffee table books are a fantastic way to showcase your work with stunning and impressive imagery and we would love to print yours! Coffee table book options offered include: Flexible page sizes Printed covers, faux leather or linen hardcovers Layflat or glued binding Dust jackets   Add your personalized sparkle with embellishments such as: Foil stamped covers and/or dust jackets Embossed cover and/or dust jacket Printed covers and dust jackets can be film laminated with gloss, matte or soft-touch Customized packaging such as a printed box, book wrapped in tissue paper, or other items included with the book such as a personalized letter, postcard, bookmarks, etc.  When it comes to creating an eye-catching coffee table book, the paper quality matters. We offer premium quality paper and suggest either 80# or 100# paper. Depending on the number of books needed, we can either print using digital technology or offset printing. We offer you the best technology to give you the highest quality results.    Take a look at this video with an example of a beautiful coffee table book we printed.   Coffee table books make a beautiful artistic statement, so let us showcase who you are with a coffee table book of your own!  

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How to Print a Sample Copy of Your Book or Product
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How to Print a Sample Copy of Your Book or Product

Vervante • March 23, 2022

You've finished writing your book or creating a new product. The design files are done and everything looks amazing... on your computer screen. But how does it look in real life? This is the moment that ordering a sample copy of your book or product can be a lifesaver. Here at Vervante, we offer print-on-demand for many of our products that allow you to order one copy of your book, card deck, planner, or other product. We want you to be happy with what you’re creating and taking the time to print a preview copy is a great way to make sure it’s everything you want it to be. Ordering a sample of your book or product can help you to: Check that the appearance and quality are as expected Use as advanced copies for invaluable reader feedback See if the design looks as good in person as it did on your computer screen Check that the fonts and sizes are easy to read All you need to do is upload the print-ready files, place your order, and your book or product will be printed and shipped right away. Our standard turnaround time is usually 5-7 business days for softcover products. For questions about ordering sample copies, our publishing experts are ready to help at [email protected]. If you're new to self publishing or print-on-demand, be sure to check out our special 5-part series that walks you through all the steps from inspiration to publication using these links below: Part #1: Getting Started Part #2: Creating Your New Product Part #3: Design Tips for Your Print Files Part #4: Publishing & Printing Part #5: How to Share & Sell 

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Part 5: How to Sell Your New Product
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Part 5: How to Sell Your New Product

Vervante • March 17, 2022

Yay! You made it to the final steps for creating a new product - the part where it's now time to share and sell your new creation. As we wrap up our special 5-part series taking you through all the steps of creating new products, we're excited to share with you all the ways you can now put your brilliance out into the world. Printing Options One of the first things you should think about is printing methods. When it comes to the print and publishing world, becoming familiar with printing terms like POD, MOQ, Bulk Printing, or Free-Plus Shipping is a great way to minimize confusion and help you make the right decisions for budgeting, printing and sales down the line. The right printing choice for you depends on a number of things – your business model, your budget, the type of product, and your customers, to name a few. Check out the following articles to learn more about how each works and the benefits they offer. Print on Demand vs. Bulk Printing 3 Ways Bulk Orders Can Benefit Your Business How Free Plus Shipping Offers Work How to sell from Amazon, Etsy, or your own website Amazon is often the first place you may think of for buying books. Etsy is the place people go to for creative products like notepads, card decks, and daily planners. But that doesn’t mean they are the ONLY places you can sell your books and products. In fact, the best place to sell online can often be from your very own website! The benefits of listing your product on Amazon and Etsy are real, but selling online does not have to be an all-or-nothing choice. With Vervante, you can have it all by selling on all three! We recommend that you use your own website and shopping cart as your primary sales location. Then, add Amazon or Etsy as secondary sales solutions. Selling through your own website/shopping cart (or Vervante’s Online Bookstore if you don't have or want to process credit cards), means more profit, control and connection with your readers. Even if people don’t buy right away, by directing them to your website you’ve got a chance to create a connection, offer a free download, or opt into your newsletter. Anything that will put them on the path to staying connected, becoming more involved, and eventually become loyal fans that support your long-term success.   Next, adding Amazon and/or Etsy as secondary sales options is a great way to help people discover you and your products. That first sale on Amazon or Etsy is like an introduction that you can follow up with strategic communications that invite them to become a part of your tribe. For more details about how to list your products online and create successful sales strategies, check out these articles: How to sell on Amazon, Etsy and your own website Tips and strategies for retails book sales (+directions for setting up online listings) Understanding fulfillment & shipping Fulfillment is a very important part of the publishing process. Fulfillment is what happens from the time that an order is placed until it arrives at its destination. Our fulfillment services bring you decades of industry expertise, reliable resources and flexibility in order to provide customized and easy-to-use solutions for your fulfillment needs. Please see the articles listed here for a complete rundown of how fulfillment, order processing and shipping works. How order processing and shipping works with Vervante How to set up shipping and postage How Vervante can help you stay in touch with customers We want you to know who your customers are - and how to contact them again. What really makes us one-of-a-kind in this industry is our desire for you to build and grow the most valuable asset for your business - your email subscriber list. Staying in touch with your customers directly is the key to internet marketing success. The only way to capture this critical customer data is for you to sell the book from a site you control, while still getting all the benefits of Amazon, other resellers and wholesalers, by using them as secondary sales options. Here's how we do it: You sell from your site and we'll print and ship the book/product to your customer. You keep more of the profits, capture all customer info, and we take care of the rest. You can use ANY shopping cart, all we need is a copy of the order confirmation email. Love Amazon? We do too! That's why we also list your books on Amazon as an alternative sales channel for a best-of-both-worlds solution. We outline everything in this article, "The Best Way to Sell on Amazon," to help you understand exactly how it's done. FREE RESOURCES Our Help Page offers a variety of free resources including product videos and guides on everything from design to step-by-step instructions. Below are links for guides and useful blog articles for more information about what we've discussed above: Helpful Hints for Retail Distribution  From Retail Sales to Royalties: How Authors Get Paid How to set up "Look Inside" images for Amazon listings 6 Secrets for a Successful Amazon Book Launch Why Vervante vs. KDP How to move your book from Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) to Vervante If you have any questions, our team of publishing experts is here for you. You can email us at [email protected], or schedule a call using our online calendar. Links to Full Series Article #1: Getting Started Article #2: Creating Your New Product Article #3: Design and Print Files Article #4: Publishing & Printing Article #5: How to Share & Sell (this article)

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Part 4: How to Print and Publish Your New Product
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Part 4: How to Print and Publish Your New Product

Vervante • March 8, 2022

Welcome to the next step in our special 5-part series, as we walk you through the process of creating a new product from start to finish. In Part 1, 2 and 3, we discussed getting started, setting up your product and the importance of design and all the little details that come with it. Now we're ready to talk about one of the most exciting steps - printing and publishing your new product! First step: Order a sample copy Your design looks great on your computer screen - now it's time to make sure it looks just as nice in real life by ordering a sample copy. Do not skip this step! Printing a single copy of your book or product is important to confirm that the appearance and quality are what you want them to be. If your final product includes a cover or binding option that we don’t offer on demand, we recommend at least a softcover proof before you order a bulk order.  Softcover proofs can generally be printed in 5-7 days. We also offer a hardcover proof option that will be exactly like the final product. This option can take 4 weeks to produce. To order samples, upload print-ready pdfs to your author account.  Our team will review your files and add the product to your account so you can place an order through your author dashboard. Or you can contact us at [email protected] for assistance. Next: Consider author imprinting Some authors use our services to self-publish one book. But most end up creating multiple books and products. This is the time to consider imprinting. A publishing imprint is the name assigned to an ISBN. It will be the name listed as publisher on your book copyright or imprint page, on the back cover of your book, and in retail descriptions such as Amazon. Authors who publish their works under a publishing imprint set themselves apart from other self-published authors who have no imprint and are publishing under their own names. Having your book listed with a publisher name that is different than your own creates a level of professionalism that can overcome bias that many still have against self-publishing. Read more here about the benefits and how to set up your own publishing imprint: Why self-published authors should consider imprinting. Set a price for sales Once you’re ready to sell, the next step is something a lot of people really struggle with – setting a price. It’s like a scary math problem where the answer isn’t always clear. Price it too high and no one will buy. Price it too low and you devalue your work and your profits. Finding the right price doesn’t have to feel like a guessing game, though, especially if you follow the tips we provide in this article: "How to price your book or product for retail sales." A very common question we hear is how to much should I charge?  A couple of things to remember when determining your retail price: Your product is unique, custom and printed in small batches. You are not appealing to a broad audience but rather a niche group that will find value in the product you’ve created. You cannot compete with pricing for products mass produced in China. Your product is valuable and will provide your customers with a unique solution.  We recommend that you double your cost (or more) to determine the retail price.   Decide if you want to add extras You're ready to launch your book, planner or other type of product, yay! This is a good time to take a pause and consider if you want to create any extras that will help you launch or promote your product. Stickers, coloring books, bookmarks... these and more are fun items that are easy to create, budget-friendly, and can be great for adding value to your product and pizzazz to your launch. Check out these articles for inspiration: Ideas for products that complement your book How to create a coloring book How to turn daily planners into collections A fun way to add extras to packages FREE RESOURCES Our Help Page offers a variety of free resources including product videos and guides on everything from design to step-by-step instructions. Below are links for guides and useful blog articles for more information about what we've discussed above: Book Publishing Checklist What is the Difference Between POD and MOQ? How to Create a Publishing Imprint How to Set a Price for Retail Sales In the next article, we will take the next big step - listing your book for sale online, all about Amazon, and other details such as fulfillment, shipping, royalties, and more. Links to Full Series Article #1: Getting Started Article #2: Creating Your New Product Article #3: Design and Print Files Article #4: Publishing & Printing (this article) Article #5: How to Share & Sell

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Part 3: Creating a New Product with Vervante: Design & Printing
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Part 3: Creating a New Product with Vervante: Design & Printing

Vervante • February 16, 2022

It's time to talk design! Recently we’ve discussed the beginning stages of creating a new product and working with Vervante. In Part 1 and 2 of this series, we discussed the first steps of defining and content creation for your new product. Now we’re ready to talk about design. When it comes to designing a book or product, it's important to pay attention to the details. For example, you can have a gorgeous cover design for your book, but if when you look inside the words are cut off in the margin, or holes are punched in the wrong places, it can ruin the whole experience. Things like margin width and print file formatting are very important. Whether you are doing the design yourself, or you use a graphic design professional, attention to these technical details is crucial. How to prepare your files for printing We know you’re excited to get your new product printed and we want to expedite the process as quickly as possible for you. All files must be submitted as print-ready PDFs using the "Upload Files" link on your Author Dashboard. When you upload your PDFs, our team downloads your files and reviews them to ensure that they are set up properly for printing. Many of our customers create their own print files using applications such as Canva, while others hire a professional graphic designer. Both methods are fine, just remember that your PDFs must contain bleed and crop marks in order to be considered print-ready. Tips for designers who use Canva If you use the online design program Canva to create your products, you’re not alone. Many of our customers use Canva with great results for creating planners, journals, card decks, calendars and more. If you have your Canva designs ready to send to us, be sure to check out this blog article filled with tips to insure your files are correctly set up. Why margin width is important If you are designing a new planner, journal or book, attention to margins is crucial. For example, you can have a gorgeous eye-catching cover, but if you open the book and the words are cut off in the margin, or holes are punched through them, it can ruin the whole experience. In general, for spiral or wire-o bound products we recommend 1/2" margins to be safe. However, if space is an issue, you can follow these specific guides: Holes for spiral binding are smaller and only require 1/4" of the binding edge. Wire-o holes are larger and require 1/2" margins Bleed and crop marks Missing bleed and crop marks are one of the most popular reasons for rejected print files. If your PDF has edge-to-edge printing, then you need bleed. This means the image should be slightly larger than the finished page size so that when we trim to the crop marks, we will cut through the image so that the printing actually prints edge to edge. Without bleed, your page/cover/document will have a white border all of the way around and the color will not print to the edge of the sheet. Be sure to download our free expert guide for more information about bleed and crop marks. FREE RESOURCES Our Help Page offers a variety of free resources including product videos and guides on everything from design to step-by-step instructions. Below are links to just a few available: Bleed & Crop Marks Ultimate Guide Why Margin Width is Important for Printing Checklist for Print Ready PDFs Die-Cut and Kiss-Cut Stickers How to Create Custom Die-Cut Tabs How to Add Pizzaz to Your Products How to Create and Customize Certificates (Coming Soon to our Expert Guides Page) Guide for Using InDesign In this section of our special 5-part series, we hope we shared information that has inspired and motivated you to move forward with your idea for a book or special product. Next week, we will focus on important facts about publishing and printing your products, including tips for how to imprint as an author, pricing your products, listing on Amazon, online sales, and more.   Links to Full Series Article #1: Getting Started Article #2: Creating Your New Product Article #3: Design and Print Files (this article) Article #4: Publishing & Printing Article #5: How to Share & Sell

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What is the difference between POD and MOQ
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What is the difference between POD and MOQ

Vervante • January 19, 2022

You've probably seen us talk about POD often enough, but what about MOQ? When it comes to the print and publishing world, becoming familiar with printing terms like these is a great way to minimize confusion and help you make the right decisions for budgeting, printing and sales down the line. Here's what you need to know: What is MOQ? “MOQ”, or minimum order quantity, refers to the fewest number of units required to be purchased at one time in order to place an order. The main reason for minimum order quantity is due to the upfront fixed costs associated with setting up a custom print job. Minimum order amounts can vary as well, depending on the product. To find out what the minimum order amount is for a specific product, please reach out to us either using the "Get a Quote" link on our website, or by emailing [email protected]. What is POD? Print on Demand, "POD", uses digital printing methods to print books and other products only in the amount needed. This means you can order 1 book or you can order 100, whatever you need. (More details here: "How Vervante Print On Demand works") POD vs MOQ The deciding factor on whether printing will be POD or MOQ depends on the type and complexity of product. We've created a graphic you can see here that lists many of the products we provide and whether they are POD or MOQ. For example: POD: Card decks, paperback books, notepads, and saddle-stitch booklets MOQ: Hardcover planners and books, kiss-cut or die-cut stickers, and anything with foil stamping or wire-o binding To access this graphic anytime, or download it for free, visit our Expert Guides page on the Vervante website.

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Top 5 Lessons for Printed Products and Self Publishing in 2022
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Top 5 Lessons for Printed Products and Self Publishing in 2022

Vervante • January 11, 2022

If you’re feeling a bit apprehensive about what this new year will bring, you’re not alone. The good news is that we’re always thinking about ways to help, and we figured what better what to start strong for the New Year that to share the best of what we've been talking about here at Vervante headquarters! Our team works in-depth and personally with each and every one of our customers. We’ve kept a close eye on what’s working for products and publishing right now so we can provide you with the best ideas and resources to help make this the best yet. That’s how we came up with: Our Top 5 Lessons for Thriving in 2022 Lesson #1: Your Author Platform is Very Important Once you write a book or create a product - you need to make sure that people know it's there! Every author  needs an author platform. Especially self-published authors. Social media is great, but when it comes down to it, you need to create and nurture an audience of interested and excited fans that will support your growth (and your bottom line). An author website that you control is a great place to start. Create and maintain a database of contact information as well, so you can send them newsletters or updates for new products, events or promotions. Add an active social media account and an Amazon Author Page and you've got all the makings for a vibrant author platform. A few resources to help: How to Create An Author Website How to Build A Contact List How to Set Up and Use Amazon Author Pages Lesson #2: Don’t Stop with Just One Idea If you’re launching a book, planner or other new product for 2022, don't stop with just that one idea, turn it into a collection! Customers who love your products will be excited when they see you have additional items available that complement or make it even better. For ideas about how to do this, check out our article about how to turn a planner into a whole collection. You can use these ideas for anything - books, journals, business training products, etc. Lesson #3: Take Your Products for a Test Run Looking at a product on your computer screen is a whole lot different than holding it in your hands in real life. We offer samples and resources to help you make absolutely sure that your product fits your vision before you send it out into the world. Start by watching videos of our CEO showing how products look and function Next, order samples of our products to road-test how they look, feel, and function Once you've created your book or product, order a test copy (or copies) for a final check Lesson #4: The Technical Stuff Matters When it comes to designing and creating a book or product, it's important to pay attention to design details for a successful printing experience. For example, you can have a gorgeous cover design for your book, but if when you look inside the words are cut off in the margin, or holes are punched in the wrong places, it can ruin the whole experience. Details like margin width and print file formatting are very important, as you can see. Whether you are doing the design yourself, or you use a graphic design professional, attention to these technical details is crucial. Here are a few resources to help: The Ultimate Checklist for Creating Print-Ready Files Why Margin Width is Important for Printing Using Canva to Design Printed Products How to Prepare Your Files for Printing The Importance of Copyediting Lesson #5: Start Planning Now As our CEO, Cindy Tyler, stated in last week's newsletter, it's very important to start planning now to ensure a successful experience down the road. If you want to create a 2023 planner, start now. If you want to write a book, develop a new product, etc., start now. Even if you're thinking of a holiday launch and it seems soooo far away, it really isn't. Set your goals, strategize your timeline, and don't put it off. We’re cheering you on for a successful and satisfying 2022!

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The Best of 2021
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The Best of 2021

Vervante • December 18, 2021

If you’re like us, as the New Year approaches it’s very exciting to think about new projects and new possibilities. But one thing we like to take a moment for as well is to reflect on the past year. Celebrate, learn, and take what we’ve experienced to make our future even better. As we move forward, we thought it would be fun to invite you to look back with us at some of the best of what we put out this year - new products, enhanced services, and ideas that can help you share your talents in a bigger way. So here's our Best of 2021, wrapped up with a sparkly bow!   #1 Author / Entrepreneur Empowerment Our bottom line is to help the people we work with succeed, so we are always looking for new ways to educate and empower our customers. During the past year we posted even more guides, how-to's, and instructions to help you take action, turn your ideas into products, and make the process as easy and lucrative as possible.  If you sell on Amazon, you know how important photos are. Our tips for adding attractive photos to your amazon listing were a big hit How to calculate Amazon profits: Because the bottom line is important too How to improve your author website The importance of copy editing Why authors should consider imprinting (you should really know about this) #2 New Product Debuts We are always listening to your ideas and looking for new ways to provide what you want and need. This year we were excited to debut many new items that can either stand alone, or make your current products even better.   Gold Wire-O and Metal Spiral Binding (so glam!) Customized Door Hangers (so fun!) Magnetic Boxes for Card Decks Faux Leather Covers Perforated Pages and Cards Die-Cut and Kiss-Cut Stickers Poly Paper Covers Board Covers (a hardcover alternative)   #3 Information You Need Knowledge is power and we did our best to share the latest and make sure you stayed informed. From ideas to help authors connect with customers to printing best practice and beyond, our team did their best to make sure you are always ahead of the game. How to set up and use Amazon Author Pages How to prepare files for printing Use Canva? We shared two tutorials to help you: Here’s our tutorial for placing bleed and crop marks Tips & tricks for Canva design The difference between print-on-demand and bulk printing #4 Planners Still Rule Planning for the future is always fun, and this year planners continued to rule as one of the hottest products to create, sell, and share. We spent a lot of time on planner education this year in order to give you everything you need to create planners (and journals!) that help your customers find the success they deserve. How to Create a Daily Planner, step by step How to Sell Spiral-Bound Products (like planners) on Amazon Adding special touches and extras for planners and journals What to do BEFORE publishing a planner How to set a price for your planner   Here’s to starting 2022 in a memorable and exciting way! We'd love to know what your thoughts and wishes are for the New Year, so please feel free to email us at [email protected] with your ideas to help us serve you best.

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Board Covers for Hardcover Planners and Books
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Board Covers for Hardcover Planners and Books

Vervante • November 2, 2021

If you're looking for a budget-friendly, durable and attractive alternative for hardcover books or planners, board covers might be the answer for you. A popular (and affordable) cover we have been offering is a 2-ply. We are now also offering a 3-ply and 4-ply option. To produce these covers, we use our standard 12 pt C1S cover stock, the same cover used for a paperback book. We litho laminate (glue) two pieces together, three piece or four pieces of cover weight stock together to create a great option to a traditional hardcover. Advantages of board covers Depending on the size of the cover, board covers cost about 50% less than hardcovers The turnaround time is at least two weeks less than hardcovers We can wire-o bind or spiral bind (metal or plastic) board covers Board covers can be printed 2-sided So, if you’re working on a product that you’d like to have ready sooner than it would take using a traditional hard cover, a board cover might just be the solution for you.   You can order samples by clicking here: SAMPLES. We also have a quick video (CLICK HERE) demonstrating the different thickness options. If you have any questions about the products or design tips we shared with you here today, our team is ready to help at [email protected].

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Gold wire-o and metal spiral binding
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Gold wire-o and metal spiral binding

Vervante • November 2, 2021

We've got the gold! We're so excited - the ship we've been waiting for finally came in! Several months ago we purchased shiny bright gold wire-o and metal spiral binding from a manufacturer in China. The ports have been backed up for a long time, but the boat finally arrived with our shipment and we now have beautiful bright gold wire-o and metal wire-o binding in stock.   We offer silver - and now gold - metal spiral binding on-demand, or in any other quantity. Our wire-o binding is available in minimum order quantities of 25.   We will be ordering more bright gold, but based on the port situation, it will be many months before we get more shiny bright gold in stock again so order now while supplies last. We cannot get bright gold in either wire-o or metal spiral from a U.S. distributor so we are excited to finally have this in-demand item in stock. For more information or to inquire about using gold wire-o or gold metal spiral binding for your planners, journals or other products, contact our team at [email protected].

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Faux Leather Softcovers
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Faux Leather Softcovers

Vervante • September 15, 2021

We've got Faux Leather Softcovers! Yes, you're hearing it here first: We just posted another new video to the Vervante Video Vault introducing you our Faux Leather Softcovers. Planners can be customized in so many ways, including the addition of adding these faux leather covers. Budget-friendly, professional, and sturdy, they can be foil stamped and give your books or planners that luxe look your customers desire. These special covers can be wire-o, spiral or perfect binding. To watch the video, click HERE. To access all videos in our video vault, click HERE.

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Copyright registration FAQs
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Copyright registration FAQs

Vervante • September 9, 2021

You did it! You’ve successfully written and published that book you’ve always dreamed of. Now comes the next big issue, how to be sure that your work is protected by copyright. Here at Vervante we provide copyright services, or you can work with the government directly to secure your own copyright. We've gathered the following information to help you gain a better understanding of what copyright is and how it can protect your book. What is copyright? Copyright is a form of protection grounded in the U.S. Constitution and granted by law for original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression. What does copyright protect? Copyright protects original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software, and architecture. Copyright does not protect facts, ideas, systems, or methods of operation, although it may protect the way these things are expressed. Do I have to register with the U.S. Copyright Office to be protected? No. In general, registration is voluntary. Copyright exists from the moment the work is created. You will have to register, however, if you wish to bring a lawsuit for infringement of a U.S. work. Can Vervante register for copyright for me? Yes, we can handle the process for you. A Vervante team member will complete the application on your behalf and submit a copy of your book to the Copyright Registration Office. Your book should be complete, available in your Vervante Author Account, and ready for shipping before submitting this request. Here's how it works: Log into your Vervante Author Account and click on Copyright Registration under Publishing accessible via the Services menu. Fill out the form there - all fields are required. Your request will be completed within 10 business days. Your print files will be uploaded to the Copyright Office. You will be charged $95 for this service. In approximately 13 months you will receive the physical certification in the mail. Can I register for a copyright myself? Yes, to file directly with the U.S. Copyright Office website just go to their website at www.copyright.gov and fill out their online application. The online application takes about 15 minutes and there is a fee of $55.00. You will receive a packing slip at the end of the process. This should be printed and a copy of your book mailed to the Copyright Office within 30 days of completing the online submission form. OR, you can upload print files for your product to the Copyright Office. You do NOT have to do both. In approximately 13 months you will receive a certificate of registration in the mail. How much does it cost to file for copyright? Vervante services are $95 (as of September 2021) U.S. Copyright Office fees are $55 (as of September 2021) How soon can I publish my book after applying for a copyright? As soon as you want. Once you have submitted the application and a copy of your book, you do not need to wait for the copyright certificate to proceed with promoting and publishing your book. You are free to log into your Vervante author account to have your book printed and your orders shipped. When is my product copyright protected? Copyright protection exists from the moment the work is created.  Do I have to wait for the certificate? You do not have to wait for the certificate. How long does a copyright last? As a general rule copyright protection lasts for the life of the author plus an additional 70 years. I plan on selling and distributing my book in countries outside the United States. Is my copyright good in other countries?  The United States has copyright relations with most countries throughout the world, and as a result of these agreements, we honor each other's citizens' copyrights. However, the United States does not have such copyright relationships with every country. For a listing of countries and the nature of their copyright relations with the United States, see Circular 38a, International Copyright Relations of the United States. Bottom line? Your book is the result of your hard labor and intellectual brilliance. Taking the step to protect your work, once you’ve written and published, is quick, easy and will provide peace of mind. For more information or to register your book, go to www.copyright.gov.

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Canva Tips and Tricks for Printed Products
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Canva Tips and Tricks for Printed Products

Vervante • July 7, 2021

If you use the online design program Canva to create your products, you’re not alone. Many of our customers use Canva with great results for creating planners, journals, card decks, calendars and more. If you have your Canva designs ready to send to us, here are a few tips and tricks to make sure your files are correctly set up and your printing experience stress-free. Page Limitations When you create a design in Canva that has multiple pages, Canva limits you to 100 pages. If you are creating a product that has more than 100 pages, such as card decks or daily planners, here’s what to do: Split up your design into multiple files within Canva. Send us the files and our design team will merge them into one final print-ready pdf for a small design fee. Please number the PDFs in the order they should be merged. We will then send you the final file for your approval before proceeding with setting up your product for printing with us. Adding Bleed If your product has color that goes all the way to the edge of the page, you need to be sure that you’ve added bleed to your design. Bleed helps to avoid having unsightly white gaps when you want your design to print to the edge of the paper. Here is how to set up bleed on designs in Canva: Click on “File” Select “Show print bleed.” A border of broken lines will appear close to the edges of your design. This margin is fixed and cannot be adjusted. If you see white gaps around the design edges, adjust your background and design elements to cover the white spaces. Due to the risk of a shift when cutting, make sure you extend the images outside of the bleed line to guarantee your document does not have a white stripe along the side of your page. Also, when you’re making those adjustments, know that anything in the bleed area will be trimmed off your print in the finishing process so if you want something to show up on your print, don’t let it creep into the bleed area. Crop Marks Crop marks show the printer where to trim (or cut) the paper or card for your product. The size for crop marks is fixed and cannot be adjusted. The time to add crop marks is when you’re ready to download your design and send it for printing. After you add bleed to your design, click the Download button on the toolbar. On the File Type dropdown menu, select PDF Print. Click the box next to “Crop marks and bleed.” Click Download. For more details and information about preparing your files for print, be sure to refer to this article “How to Prepare Your Files for Printing” on our blog.   ***Why are bleed and crop marks important? Missing bleed and crop marks seem to be the most popular reason for rejected print files. If your PDF has edge-to-edge printing, then you need bleed. This means the image should be slightly larger than the finished page size so that when we trim to the crop marks, we will cut through the image so that the printing actually prints edge to edge. Without bleed, your page/cover/document will have a white border all of the way around and the color will not print to the edge of the sheet. Print file preparation is extremely important, so even if you're not ready to start printing just yet, be sure to save these instructions to help you down the road.   Downloading Files From Canva Canva provides all you need to download a print-ready file, if you follow these directions: Start by clicking the download button in the top right. Under “File Type,” make sure “PDF Print” is selected. (Not PDF Standard). Make sure “Crop marks and bleed” are checked. Download your files in a single-page PDF format. Click “Download” to get your files. If you have any questions about using Canva for printing, or preparing your files to send to us, we’re here to help.

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Why self-published authors should consider imprinting
book launch

Why self-published authors should consider imprinting

Vervante • July 7, 2021

Some authors come to us to self-publish one book. But most authors end up creating multiple books and products, as it’s hard to turn off inspiration (and your audience keeps asking for more!). No matter what kind of books you’re writing – from fitness to finance to fun cozy murder-mysteries – there’s something that everyone should understand early in the process: The benefits of publishing imprints for self-published authors. What is a publishing imprint? A publishing imprint is the name assigned to an ISBN. It will be the name listed as publisher on your book copyright or imprint page, on the back cover of your book, and in retail descriptions such as Amazon. Benefits of creating a publishing imprint Authors who publish their works under imprints set themselves apart from other self-published authors who have no imprint and are publishing under their own names. Having your book listed with a publisher name that is different than your own creates a level of professionalism that can overcome bias that many still have against self-publishing. Having an "official" name on the back of that book gives it a professionalism that many readers are looking for. It also helps you create continuity with your branding, and gives you more flexibility in marketing and sales. How to create a publishing imprint When you work with Vervante, you have the flexibility to choose between using us (Vervante) as your imprint, or creating one for yourself. Using Vervante as your imprint: If an author uses an ISBN purchased through Vervante, then Vervante will be listed as your imprint. Using Vervante ISBNs and listing Vervante as your publisher adds credibility as we are an established, respected publisher who has been in business for 21 years. Another benefit to using our ISBN is that you, as the author, retain full rights to your ISBN and content (a benefit that many other publishing companies do not offer.)  Creating your own imprint: If you already have a business brand name and your book is a part of that business, you might choose to create an imprint that is consistent with your business. For example, if your brand is “Fitness International,” and you are writing a series of books about nutrition, health and wellness, your publishing imprint could simply be “Fitness International Press.” If an author wants to create and use their own imprint, they must purchase their ISBNs directly from Bowker. When you purchase your ISBN directly from them, you can set up the publisher name that will be attached to it. PLEASE NOTE: If you purchase ISBNs from Bowker, you don't need to purchase barcodes as well. There are a number of free barcode generators online that you can use. An imprint is a great way for self-published authors to brand their works and elevate their credibility by having a professional publishing name associated with their books. If you have any questions about using Vervante as your imprint, or creating your own, please email our team

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How to make your products even better
books

How to make your products even better

Vervante • April 28, 2021

No matter what type of product you have, there are always ways you can make it better. Even just the smallest little extra can be the key that inspires customers to hit the "buy" button and choose your product over the rest. We've rounded up a few ideas below for popular products that you can easily add for your products.  Card Decks Custom-designed card decks are fun, valuable, easy to use, and very memorable. A great way to uplevel your card deck presentation is by creating custom packaging. Many people provide bags for card decks that we can package them in, but did you know that we can also print custom-designed boxes and packaging for cards? Check out our expert guide, "How to Create Custom Printed Card Decks," on our Expert Guide page to learn more about card decks and the packaging options we offer.     Spiral or Wire-o Binding Journals, planners, coloring books, and workbooks are just a few examples of products that increase in both function and value when you have the ability to lay them flat. When it comes to spiral and wire-o binding, we have a lot of options. Plus, we can help you list and sell spiral-bound products on Amazon - something most other print-on-demand publishers don't offer. Spiral binding can be used for:  Soft Covers Poly Paper (water and tear resistant) Hard covers Laminated Soft Covers 2-Ply Board Covers We offer a range of colors for spiral and wire-o that have the power to deliver a high-impact first impression, as well as a reliable binding option for your customer. Your product, already packed with value, becomes awe-inspiring and unique with the simple addition of a color or metal option. Plastic spiral binding (50+ colors) Metal spiral (3+ colors) Metal wire-o (7 colors) For more information about using spiral or wire-o binding for books, journals, planners, coloring books and more, see "How to Sell Spiral Bound Products on Amazon" on our blog.   Custom Labels or Custom Printed Boxes Custom labels are an excellent way to maximize your brand, logo, or message. Take advantage of this valuable – and often overlooked – brand-boosting opportunity by creating a fullcolor label that features your unique design. Custom labels are a simple, yet vastly effective way of dressing your letter and packages for success, and making sure that your brand is the one that stands out. A custom printed box stands out from the crowd. Add your message to the outside and inside of the box and wow your customers! For more information about custom printed boxes, watch the video "Custom Printed Boxes" on our video vault page on the website.   Printed Newsletters Direct mail pieces such as newsletters are a great way to connect to your readers at a deeper, more emotional level. Sending them in a standard white or brown envelope is great, but sending them in a clear mailing envelope is a great way to let your newsletter shine through and wow your readers before they even start reading them.   Check out our expert guide, "The Secret Weapon to Successful Newsletters," on our Expert Guide page to learn more about creating, mailing and packaging printed newsletters.  For more product and packaging ideas that will help your products stand out from the crowd, be sure to watch the videos in our website Video Vault. We are also happy to provide free quotes and answer questions about any of the products mentioned here,

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The ultimate checklist for creating print-ready files
book launch

The ultimate checklist for creating print-ready files

Vervante • April 14, 2021

Free Guide: The Ultimate Checklist for Creating Print-Ready Files If you're ready to send in your print files, but not sure exactly how they need to be formatted - this expert guide is for you. Print file preparation is extremely important, so even if you're not ready to start printing just yet, you'll want to download and save this guide to help you when you're ready. This free guide provides checklists for preparing print files for: Perfect bound books Card decks Spiral-bound softcover Hard-cover spiral / Wire-o bound Kiss-cut stickers Saddle-stitch softcover Turned-edge binders Board covers, Laminated covers & Poly paper covers Hard cover casebound books We also have a full article on the blog discussing the importance of proper print-file preparation and details that will help here: How to prepare your files for printing. This free guide - and many others like it - can be viewed and downloaded from our Expert Guides page on the Vervante website. We're here for questions, free quotes, and any self-publishing assistance you might need at [email protected].

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How to add great photos to your Amazon listing
audiobooks

How to add great photos to your Amazon listing

Vervante • April 13, 2021

We're very excited to share with you today a new expert guides now available on our website Expert Guides page. It's free, easy to download and print, and we can't wait for you to see it. New Free Guide: Amazon Images & "Peek Inside" Feature This expert guide shares how to provide images for your listing, and how to add a popular feature  that shoppers love. We can use single images of a book cover, or we can use designed images (like the one here with multiple products). We can also help you set up something similar to Amazon's popular "Look Inside" feature so customers can get a taste of the book or product you're offering for sale. We offer this service for both Amazon and Vervante Bookstore listings, called "Peek Inside." You're invited to check out our new guide, recently posted to the Expert Guides page on our website, for details. If you'd like to set this up for your listings in Amazon or the Vervante Bookstore, just following the easy direction in the user guide. And we'll be here at [email protected] if you need any help. You can view and download this guide, and many others, on our Expert Guides page on the website.

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Print on demand (POD) vs. Bulk Printing
books

Print on demand (POD) vs. Bulk Printing

Vervante • March 30, 2021

We get this question a lot: “What’s better, print-on-demand or bulk orders?” The right answer depends on a number of things – your business model, your budget, the type of product, and your customers to name a few. Here’s how each one works and the benefits they offer. Print-on-demand (POD) To put it simply, printing-on-demand is when we print only the amount ordered, at the time we receive the order. You pay only the cost of printing plus postage for shipping. While other publishing companies often require costly minimum orders in large numbers, here at Vervante we offer POD print-on-demand services for any size order, printing only when you need it, to meet your budget and demand. How print-on-demand works An order is placed for a book or other product. We print the exact amount ordered. The order is then shipped to the person who ordered it (either you or your customer). Benefits of print-on-demand Get only the amount you want, when you want it. You sell the product from your site, your Etsy store, or we can list it for you on Amazon. When we receive an order, we’ll print and ship it to the buyer.  Print-on-demand products NOTE:  Products with softcovers, poly paper covers, plastic spiral binding, metal spiral binding, perfect binding, and saddle-stitch binding are all available on demand. Here is a quick list of products we can print on demand:  Paperback books Spiral bound books Coloring books Children’s books Saddle-stitched books Planners Journals Workbooks Binders Notepads Calendars Card decks Greeting cards Posters Post cards Certificates Newsletters Bookmarks Bulk printing Placing orders for large amounts of books or products to be printed at once can be a benefit for businesses that anticipate large amounts of orders - as well as lowering your printing costs. We can print in bulk and send to you, or we can store them in our warehouse to use for future orders from your account. How to get bulk pricing quotes When you request a quote for printing costs, we always provide a print-on-demand price, but you can also request bulk costs as well. The more you print, the lower the price per product.  How to use bulk printing Once you’ve received your quotes and are ready to proceed, please email [email protected] to let us know you would like to place an order. Contact our customer service team to make the order and they will set it up so a discount will apply when you place the order. You can choose to have your order stored in our warehouse for free, or shipped directly to you. You can then send us individual orders for fulfillment.  We’ll pull your product from your stored inventory in our warehouse and drop-ship it directly to your customer. Storing bulk orders in our warehouse Even if you don’t anticipate all of your printed books selling right away, you can still take advantage of the lower pricing by placing a bulk order and storing it in our warehouse. Bulk orders can be printed and stored in our secure warehouse, ready to be pulled and drop-shipped when you need them.  Tracking your inventory When a bulk order is placed, if you choose to store your order in our warehouse, you will see a category on your Vervante Author Account Home Page that says “Inventory Report.” This is where you can find an accounting of how many products remain in inventory. You will need to track your inventory and let us know when and if you would like another bulk order printed. We hope this helps clarify the differences and benefits for both POD and bulk printing when it comes to books and many other products. If you have any questions about using POD or bulk printing for your current products, or new ones, we’re here to help. Just email us at [email protected].

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The STEW: A book for women that breaks all the rules
author spotlight

The STEW: A book for women that breaks all the rules

Vervante • November 3, 2020

We’re so excited to share the news with you of a new book that’s recently launched with a bold message, unique content, and impressive team of authors supporting it. In fact, we’re honored to be a part of that team as both publisher for the book and as one of the contributors.  “The STEW: Smart Talk Exceptional Women: Art & Insights By Women For The World” was written by 60+ women connected to Colorado’s CampExperience™ Network during COVID-19. Known as “The STEW,” this colorful 200-page book launched Oct. 1, 2020 and features heartfelt stories written by 60+ women, poetry by Carol Calkins, and inspirational art by Vervante client Betsy Wiersma. This endeavor began with Betsy Wiersma, author, artist and founder of the CampExperience™ Network. The idea for this book stems from Betsy’s belief that women thrive on real-life innovation, ideas, and experiences shared by other women. In her years spent building the 5,000+ CampExperience™ Network and raising over $1 million cash and in-kind donations for charities around the world, Betsy has found that women thrive when exposed to smart talk, bold ideas, and insights shared from life’s journey. The STEW is a book filled with curated content from women who have opened their hearts and have a passion for serving others. Inside its colorful pages readers will find a yummy mix of inspirational art, proven ideas, heart-felt stories, poetry, and quotes from real women in the real world. The book is organized into five sections: Share Your Voice, Creativity Connects, Love Wins, Do Good Have Fun, and Fly! The authors range in age from 18 to 75 and reside in seven countries (Australia, England, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Norway and United States). “We’re very excited for this book, proud to have been a part of bringing it to life, and grateful for the opportunity to share this with you,” said Cindy Tyler, Vervante CEO and founder.  “Betsy began with printing art cards and a card deck, and keeps us busy growing her products. We love The STEW.” Below you’ll find more information about the book and a sampling of the authors and content inside. First, here are a few quick links if you’re ready to take action now: Facebook Instagram Learn More / Purchase (hard and soft-cover options available) CampExperience Network Authors you’ll experience inside The STEW include: >> Australian Gretchen Gagel, PhD is the managing director – Asia Pacific for Conversant, owner of Greatness Consulting, and affiliate professor at the University of Denver – Daniels School of Business and The Australian National University College of Business and Economics. The former president of The Women’s Foundation of Colorado and a female executive in the male-dominated industries of manufacturing, engineering and construction, Gagel developed a deep passion for investing in female leaders and is author of “8 Steps to Being a Great Working Mom.” In “The STEW,” Gagel writes about allowing your voice and the voice of others to be heard. She emphasizes, “Giving people voice engages them, empowers them, and fuels such amazing collaboration and innovation.” >> Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Brittani Coury landed a silver medal in banked slalom snowboarding at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea and also is a motivational speaker and registered nurse. When her World Cup season came to an abrupt end in March 2020 due to COVID-19, the 34-year-old put her scrubs back on to help out on the acute internal medicine floor at University of Utah Hospital. Originally from Durango, a terrible snowboarding accident shattered her right ankle in 2003, resulting in a joint that never healed, multiple operations and amputation below her right knee in 2011. Coury shares her journey to the Paralympics and expertly narrates what it was like to take three gutsy and nerve-racking runs to a silver medal. She says, “I knew this was my opportunity to be a positive example to the world of someone who gets back up when they’re knocked down.” >> Holly Forlenza has never spoken a word but she has a lot to say. She has severe epilepsy and bilateral hearing loss and is on the autism spectrum. Sadly, Forlenza’s inability to speak masked her wisdom for more than 20 years, but she fortunately crossed paths with Dr. Christi Kasa, an expert in facilitated communication in 2011. Kasa recognized Forlenza’s literary skills, and through years of patience and practice she now types on an iPad with the assistance of aides to express a message of love, hope and resilience. Holly and her mother, Eileen, share Holly’s story with community groups, associations and corporations to inspire and advocate for others who are unable to speak. In her STEW essay “How Love is in the Eyes of the People Before You,” Holly writes, “I think the things we as women need to do are simple. Loving yourself, loving others, and loving God. Sounds hard but we are the ones pushing ourselves to make others happy at our own expense. It is easy to do those three things if you slow down.” >> As the CEO of Women’s Bean Project, Tamra Ryan has been the Denver-based organization’s visionary leader for more than 17 years. She has been instrumental in putting the organization on the national and international map as a high-performing and impactful social enterprise, which works to affect chronic unemployment and poverty among women. Ryan’s book “The Third Law”  highlights societal obstacles and internal demons that must be overcome for marginalized women to change their lives, and is currently working on “Followship: How to be a leader worth following.” For “The STEW,” Ryan writes about the role of compassion and kindness in overcoming negative thoughts for ourselves and others. “First, we must give ourselves the grace to be messy and imperfect. Next, we must create a practice of imagining we are deserving of love from those who love us unconditionally. Finally, we can extend this same love to others.”  >> Poet Carol Calkins, PhD (at left) is a retired hospital and university administrator as well as a grandma, poet and executive director of the Global Sisterhood Network. She started writing poetry after the loss of a dear friend and was inspired even more by a CampExperience™ Fall Retreat that asked participants to “share their voice.” Carol rediscovered her lifelong love of poetry and is the author of five poetry books and HeartPoems, which are individual poem cards for sharing daily inspiration. >> Cindy Tyler, CEO of Vervante, Inc., (at right) is dedicated to helping people publish their passion and use their talents and creativity to make a positive difference in the world. In her chapter for The STEW, titled “How to unleash our inner creative spark,” Cindy provides inspiration and take-action ideas for using the creativity we all have as a force against the negativity and chaos that is in the world today, unleashing it’s power to balance the dark and bring more light back into our lives. >> Betsy Wiersma (pictured below) combines positive intention, love and scrap materials. Her playful style calls forth our participation, as each piece encourages people to live their best lives and to savor the journey. “At the ripe old age of 56, I stumbled upon an art program in California hosted by Kelly Rae Roberts. I booked a spot for myself and a friend; between serving the growing tribe in CampExperience™ and my daughter growing up, I realized I was not doing anything for myself,” she explains. “I needed to escape my normal life and responsibilities and let myself just be ... in art!” Since then, Wiersma has created more than 100 pieces, inspired and curated “The STEW,” and has designed and produced two inspirational card decks, greeting cards and blessing journals.  She also shares stories of inspiration in the book If you’re inspired to take action, here are some next steps you can take: PREVIEW THE BOOK: Learn all about the inspiration, authors, art and ideas that combined to create The STEW here: https://campexperience.com/THE-STEW. BUY THE BOOK: Prepare to be inspired! Click on the following links to purchase:  Paperback or Hardcover.   CONNECT AND CREATE WITH BETSY: Are you interested in creating a book like this? If you’d like to learn about how Betsy can help you with your own project like The STEW, complete with podcasts and events that connect your tribe, email her at [email protected]. Thanks for letting us share, we’re always excited to spread the news of books and products that we know will be a force for good and positivity in the world.

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