Member Spotlight: Dr. Olga Zbarskaya

TAA member Dr. Olga Zbarskaya, OZCREDO President, is both a textbook and academic author. Her most recent publications include Brainstorm!: Practice for Unrestricted Imagination and Original Thought and Mind Booster Art.

What are you currently working on?
I just finished the children’s book/textbook on creative thinking Unbelievable Adventures of Dr. Credo. Parents and educators alike will appreciate this book for the way it creates a fun learning experience involving technology, astrology, physics, and even psychology, making it an ideal complement to many school lessons and a great addition to classroom libraries. I also founded OZCREDO: Center for Creative Thinking and Unlimited Possibilities, a consulting company that provides comprehensive tools, training, workshops, and coaching on creative decision-making and problem solving.

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Printing is not publishing – what to look for in a publisher relationship

Due to an increase in availability of print-on-demand services that provide lower-cost alternatives for converting a manuscript into a printed and bound product, there is growing confusion among new authors about what constitutes the role of a publisher. Although many publishers and printing companies have symbiotic relationships, publishing companies provide much more than simply printing and binding of a manuscript.

To better understand the role of a publisher, and what authors should look for in a publisher relationship, we reached out to two of TAA’s industry professionals and 2017 conference sponsors: William England of Sentia Publishing and Sean Wakely of FlatWorld.

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3 ways to illustrate your point in a textbook

According to a 2006 cover story in the APA magazine, Monitor on Psychology, titled “How laughing leads to learning”, well-placed comedy in the learning environment has been shown to reduce tension, boost participation, increase motivation, and help students retain information.

In this article, cartoonist Dan Rosandich shares three ways for effectively incorporating cartoons and illustrations into your next textbook.

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Learn how to design a web presence for your book – TAA webinar Part 2 – 10/17

Your book’s website is the only tool that works around the clock to promote your book, but sometimes the web presence provided by a publisher is… underwhelming. Join us Tuesday, October 10 & 17 from 3-4 p.m. ET for “Designing a Web Presence for Your Book (Beyond the Publisher’s Website)”, a two-part webinar series facilitated by book author Katie Linder, you’ll learn how to create a web presence for your book that highlights its key features, bonus materials, purchasing options, and more.

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Apply for an academic or textbook writing grant from TAA

TAA offers two forms of grants to assist members and non-members with some of the expenses related to publishing their academic works and textbooks.

Publication Grants provide reimbursement for eligible expenses directly related to bringing an academic book, textbook, or journal article to publication. Contract Review Grants reimburse eligible expenses for legal review when you have a contract offer for a textbook or academic monograph or other scholarly work that includes royalty arrangements. The application deadline is October 31.

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Creating a companion site for your textbook: What to consider

Companion sites can enrich the learning experience for readers by offering valuable features that can’t be shared on a printed page and/or might be too costly to include in an e-book. There are many factors to consider when planning or developing a companion site for your textbook. Janet Salmons, an independent researcher, writer, consultant, and founder of Vision2Lead, offers detailed advice for authors interested in creating companion sites for their textbooks.

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