Janet Boyer

Why Are You Paying Full Price for a Tarot Deck or Book?

Did you know? Paying full price for book or Tarot deck does not mean more money for the author or artist.

That's right.

Rather, it depends on what the retailer (the one selling you the product) pays for the deck or book!

My advice as a Tarot author and deck creator? Buy your decks or books at Amazon.com or some other place that gives you a discount (we can all use the break, right?). Please note, though, that if you buy a Tarot book or deck used or at the "remainder table" (it will have a black mark on the outside pages), then authors/artists do not get royalties on those sales.

Supporting a retailer, especially one that charges full price for decks (plus shipping and handling), does not mean more money for the author/artist in terms of royalties! In only means more money for the retailer.

So next time you're about to pay retail price for a Tarot book and deck, think long and hard why you're doing it...because a Tarot author or deck isn't benefiting from your paying full price.

-- Janet Boyer, Amazon Hall of Fame/Vine Reviewer, author of Back in Time Tarot,Tarot in Reverse (Schiffer 2012) and the Snowland Tarot (Schiffer 2013). Featured in Tales of the Revolution: True Stories of People Who Are Poking the Box and Making a Difference (A Domino Project eBook edited by Seth Godin)

Are You a Member of a Marketing Ploy?

Did you know that many Facebook groups and most NING Groups were created solely to sell you something?

It's a popular marketing ploy.

Create a group, pretend you're interested in community and then sell your wares to a grateful, captive audience.

How do you know if you are part of a marketing ploy as opposed to a true community?

1. The group creator is always trying to sell you a membership subscription, his new book, her new deck, his new workshop, her new Tarot reading special, his new conference or an upcoming work (that will cost money). Sure, cross promotion may be sprinkled in (because you gotta pretend that you're interested in community rather than the one-person show you've intended), but underneath it all is the scaffolding for making money now...or in the future.

2.  The group creator/s bar entrance from certain people who are likely to call the Emperor on his "new clothes".

Don't drink the Kool-Aid, folks.

-- Janet Boyer, Amazon Hall of Fame/Vine Reviewer, author of Back in Time Tarot,Tarot in Reverse (Schiffer 2012) and the Snowland Tarot (Schiffer 2013). Featured in Tales of the Revolution: True Stories of People Who Are Poking the Box and Making a Difference (A Domino Project eBook edited by Seth Godin)

Did You Know? Using Amazon Links to Support Writers (Like Me!)

Did you know that you can support writers and reviewers like myself...at no extra cost to you?

Here's how: I happen to be an Amazon Associate, and as such, I have a unique Amazon associate ID when I generate links to Amazon products.

 

By using any of my book, deck or product links (unobtrusively embedded in my blog posts, website reviews, FB posts or Tweets--or my monthly New Releases page at JanetBoyer.com) as a portal to get to Amazon.com when you're shopping, Amazon recognizes my Associates tag (janetboyercom-20).

Thus, when you check out--even when you don't order the item whose link you used to get to Amazon--I get a small percentage kickback JUST because you ordered something via  link that I posted!

Here's a few examples: Let's say you ordered The Healing Drum Kit through the highlighted link. As an Amazon Associates, I would make about $2.50 just because I referred you. Or maybe you want to get a copy of Ciro Marchetti's Legacy of the Divine Tarot. At no extra cost to you, if you use that embedded link, I earn $1.20.

However, if you use one of those links just to GET to Amazon, but only want to get a Peek-a-Prize Cat Toy Box or maybe Rush's Time Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland DVD...well, guess what? I still get the kickback because you used a link that has my tag on it (and Amazon happens to "remember" it).

Or, you can even use the search box below or on my main site and--you guessed it!--I get a commission on anything you buy.

So if you'd like to support me and my work, all you have to do is one of the following:

1. Bookmark this blog post and use one of the links to get to Amazon.com when you go shopping
2. Use any of the embedded links in my reviews, posts or New Releases page when you go shopping
3. Bookmark JanetBoyer.com to use the search box right on the main page when you go shopping

And that's it! It doesn't cost you any extra at all, but helps me pay for blog hosting, site hosting and more.

Thanks so much!

-- Janet Boyer, Amazon Top/Vine Reviewer, author of Back in Time Tarot, Tarot in Reverse (Schiffer 2012) and the Snowland Tarot (Schiffer 2013). Featured in Tales of the Revolution: True Stories of People Who Are Poking the Box and Making a Difference (A Domino Project eBook edited by Seth Godin)   

Did You Know? Twitter Hashtags

If you're new to Twitter, you may be wondering what a hashtag is.

Well, it looks like #. But it's more than just the "pound sign" (as we say in America). The hashtag is a way to follow specific topics and conversations on Twitter.

In fact, some hashtags, like #litchat and #blogchat, connect to scheduled conversations about a particular topic (in the first case, books and writing--in the second, blogging). You can even enter a special "chat room" that streams Tweets only for that hashtag.

Other hashtags are more topical in nature--an invitation to follow and contribute ideas surrounding a particular theme. This kind of hashtag could center around a book (for example, #HeLa, for The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks), a movie, a band, an icon, a hobby, a profession, an experience, a TV show and so on. An example of this would be #amwriting, which is a "writer roll call" connecting other scribes. You can even share what you're writing or your progress via #WIP, which means "work in progress".

Anyone can create a hashtag, and anyone can participate using one. I've created two Tarot-related hashtags, myself: #BITtarot (which invites Tarotists to connect a Tarot card with a particular memory, object, character, book, action, etc., based on my BIT Tarot Method) and #tarotREV (where we contribute our take on specific meanings for reversed Tarot cards). Even the generic #Tarot is often used by Tarotists (but it's often more spammy).

What's the point?, you may be wondering. Well, if you look at Tweets that use hashtags, you'll notice that they are highlighted for clicking. This means that you can click any hashtag and instantly be taken to a page which shows real-time Tweets of others using that particular hashtag.

This means you can follow, and contribute, to a particular topic whenever you happen to be online. Of course, if there's a scheduled chat, you may miss the live Tweets...but they'll be forever recorded in the corresponding hashtag transcript.

Here's another example: It's 4 AM my time, and I've posted the Tweet: 6 of WANDS, reversed: Losing a race, falling from pedestal, indifference towards praise. Your take? #tarotREV #Tarot

Now, chances are my American pals aren't online at this time...but the very cool thing is that my UK, Aussie and other pals around the world ARE! So they can contribute their insights when they're up and about. My American Twitter Tarot friends can contribute THEIR take when they awake and log on...and read what others have posted about a card by clicking on #tarotREV.

See how cool that is? (And despite how the hashtags look, they are not case-sensitive. This means #TAROTREV, #TAROTrev and #tarotREV will all refer to the same stream when used or clicked.)

Thus, hashtags can be a teaching tool, news disseminator, water cooler, slumber party, book sneeze, agony aunt, sympathy circle, prayer chain--you get the idea.

But hashtags have one more use: snark. Or, "aren't I clever" asides. Piers Morgan does this magnificently, as does author Joe Hill and actor George Takei. For example, I may Tweet: "If I had a dollar for every self-pubbed author who swore her MS was 'professionally edited'..." #lookoutbillgates

You can click on those types of hashtags, but chances are, you'll only find one entry (or a handful, if other's happen to think the same thing).

When many use the same hashtag, that can lead to "trending", which means interested parties will likely check out WHY a particular hashtag is popular. This is often how individuals find out when a celebrity has gotten arrested, divorced or murdered: you see a certain name, wonder why it's trending (especially if it's not a name that's ALWAYS in the limelight), click on the hashtag--and get the scoop.

So now you know what those tic-tac-toe symbols mean...and how they can connect you with information, books and like-minded folks.

 -- Janet Boyer, Amazon Top/Vine Reviewer, author of Back in Time Tarot, Tarot in Reverse(Schiffer 2012) and the Snowland Tarot(Schiffer 2013). Featured in Tales of the Revolution: True Stories of People Who Are Poking the Box and Making a Difference (A Domino Project eBook edited by Seth Godin)

Did You Know? Twitter DMing

For those who use Twitter, you're no doubt familiar with DMing, or Direct Messaging--another term for private messaging. What you may not know is that DMing is not an automatic two-way street!

Don't feel bad if you didn't know this; even season Twitter users often don't realize this.

Here's an example: let's say you follow Big Publisher because you love their titles and they give away free books via Twitter. You happen to RT one of their messages in order to have your name entered into a random drawing to win.

Hooray! Big Publisher announces that you're a winner, and asks you to please DM them your snail mail address so they can deliver your books. They even send YOU a DM, to remind you.

Much to your dismay, you can't. You click the drop down menu to find Direct message Big Publisher...but it's not there!

The reason for this is because Big Publisher isn't following YOU! The only way you can DM someone is if they are following you. This means that Big Publisher, or any other Tweep, can send YOU a private message when you're following THEM...but if they aren't reciprocating, you can NOT DM them back!

Some get confused, thinking that if they can send YOU a DM, why, then you can send THEM a DM. In fact, I've had SEVERAL pals who've DMed me and said they were following me, but when I realized I couldn't DM THEM, I realized they were NOT. Confused, they would exclaim "But you got my DM, right?"

Well, yeah, of course I got your DM. That's because I'm following YOU. But unless you are actually following me back, I can't DM you back.

So if you're able to DM someone, don't assume that you're following them back; you may have forgotten to, and assumed that your ability to DM THEM meant you were also FOLLOWING them (which may not be the case).

I'm on Twitter as @JanetBoyer. Come follow me!

-- Janet Boyer, author of Back in Time Tarot, Tarot in Reverse (Schiffer 2012) and the Snowland Tarot (Schiffer 2013)

Did You Know: How to Shorten Facebook URLs

A new feature to my blog will be short and informative Did You Know? pieces. They may be bits of trivia, helpful shortcuts or time savers, or some quick tips for stress relief or boosting your overall well-being.

Today's Did You Know? is about shortening Facebook URLs (which comes in handy with Twitter's 140 character limit!).

How to Shorten a Facebook URL

Begin with a valid Facebook URL. For example, http://Facebook.com/JanetBoyer Then, change it to http://fb.me/JanetBoyer Tada! Another example: http://Facebook.com/SnowlandTarot becomes http://fb.me/SnowlandTarot

So, the formula is to change http://facebook.com/[address] with http://fb.me/[address] (Of course, if you're using a tool like TweetDeck, it will shorten the URL for you with a click...to a http://on.fb URL).

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!

-- Janet Boyer, author of Back in Time Tarot, Tarot in Reverse (Schiffer 2012) and the Snowland Tarot (Schiffer 2013).  

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