April Cox

I recently came across this gem of a video where I was walking through my secret formula for finding keywords and categories for self-published author, Allison Olson. Allison wrote a beautiful book on open adoption and was preparing for launch so with our 1:1 mentoring session, we walked through: Finding Golden Keywords (high volume, low competition) Selecting the 7 Keywords for the Amazon Page Finding other keywords for ads Identifying Categories Seeing what keywords your competitors are indexed for Requesting categories with Amazon These are some of the secrets, tools and techniques I use when helping my clients to come up with a best-selling book launch for their self-published books. and now you can watch over my shoulder while I walk through it with her. Check out the video below. You'll find other great information for FREE on my YouTube Channel: Self-Publishing Made Simple with April Cox. Other Author Resources: Learn to Self-Publish with April Cox (Facebook Group) List of helpful author resources Tools used in the video: KD Spy Publisher Rocket Helium If you would like to have a mentoring session like this one, visit our coaching page and schedule time with me for a discovery call.

One Author's Book Launch Nightmare Have you ever tried to fight anxiety by playing the game What's the Worst that Could Happen? Pat Danna, self-published author of Delmar the Dinky is launching her second book in the series: Delmar the Dinky and the Animal Circus.. The writing and illustration of the book went pretty smoothly but as she worked with her team to begin planning the book launch, things started to fall apart. It wasn't the typical problems though, this was a disaster. Her home was flooded due to torrential rains - flooded to the point of having police officers bang at her door to have her evacuated. "I remember the dog swimming across the kitchen." Pat remembers. She lost many of her belongings and she didn't have flood insurance - after all she wasn't in a flood plane. Pat was devastated by all the damage, but she and her little dog were okay and that's what mattered most. She moved into the opposite side of the duplex which was livable and tried to start digging out from under the mess... Pat Danna, Author of Delmar the Dinky until a tree fell on the house. You can't make up this stuff! But that's not all... her home insurance was cancelled and she was still trying to figure things out on her own. Book Launch Cancelled The book launch seemed to be permanently on hold. When we checked in with her last month. I couldn't blame her. She just didn't have the energy or mindset to be launching her book with everything else that was going on. Knowing Christmas season was coming, I offered to help with the book launch if she wanted to move forward. My team jumped on board as well as did some of the authors within the community that Pat has been a big part of. I am glad to report that the ebook for Delmar the Dinky launches today, September 20, 2022. There will be free ebooks available on the 21st and 22nd (Wed and Thu). Delmar the Dinky and the Animal Circus Delmar the Dinky is a beautifully illustrated children's picture book series. Kids who love Thomas the Tank Engine or The Little Engine that Could will love Delmar. Delmar proves that even a little dinky can do big things - like save the day when the animal circus comes to town! How can you help? Join us to make this launch the best it can be. Order your copy (or grab a free ebook) Buy an extra for the classroom or a kid on your Christmas list! Provide a review on Amazon (help us get to 50 reviews!) Help spread the word by sharing on socials

You may not know this about me but the first time I posted a video on YouTube I was terrified. As a matter of fact, I only recorded videos so that students taking my self-publishing course would have a replay of the session in case they couldn't make it live. My biggest issue was perfectionism. I watched the videos back and would cringe. I hated my voice... used too many filler words like ummms and ahhhs. You know? (haha that's another one that came up often when I was recording myself. I didn't like the way that I looked and picked apart my appearance. "I'm too heavy. Bad hair day. The video quality stinks. The audio needs to be better. I need better equipment... a better quality production before I could possibly show them publicly. " -- me every time I watched one of my videos. When I saw how much the videos were helping my clients, I knew I had to bite the bullet and just do it. My desire to help more people and my heart for authors was stronger than the fear, imposter syndrome and perfectionism. Slowly I started posting the videos and now recently topped 100,000 views and 10,000 watch hours on my self-publishing content. I have slowly improved equipment, and work hard at getting better with my videos, but I am so glad I put myself out there. I know a lot of female entrepreneurs struggle with this same issue, so I was thrilled to share my journey to visibility (and a few YouTube tips too) on The Show Up + Be Seen Show. My episode is premiering inside the Show Up + Be Seen Facebook group. If you’re a female entrepreneur, I’d love for you to join the group and check it out. The owner of the group, Valerie McTavish is an award-winning producer and scriptwriter with over 30 years of television, radio and advertising production experience. Now she uses her decade of digital marketing experience to guide female entrepreneurs in growing their online businesses using intentional content strategies and big-picture focus. I have been binge-watching her video content and it is gold! If you're like me and hesitant to put yourself out there... remember that you are not only cheating yourself, but all those that would have been helped by hearing your wisdom, tips and encouragement. Something magical happens when you push yourself outside your comfort zone. You expand and grow, personally and professionally. Come and check out my youtube channel, Self-Publishing Made Simple, especially if you are a new or aspiring author looking to self-publish a book.

It is natural to be a little anxious before your self published book goes live. Is it ready? Have you missed anything critical? I get these questions from authors all the time as they get ready to launch their self published books. While this checklist we have put together won't guarantee success, it can help you make sure nothing falls through the cracks during that critical last week of publishing before the book launches. With this checklist, we make an assumption that you have created a high-quality book and worked with a team of professionals to make it happen. Regardless of that, there are so many things to do when you upload your book onto Amazon and/or Ingram Spark and so I put this checklist together for myself. When clients tell me that their book isn't selling and ask me to check their listing out, this is also the checklist I go through to assess whether any adjustments are necessary. Email me at april@thelittlelabradoodle.com and let me know if this is helpful for you. Are there other things you would add to the list? We want to hear from you! The Checklist

MAKING DREAMS COME TRUE FOR NEW AND ASPIRING AUTHORS... I met Pat Danna last year and fell in love with her immediately. She is a feisty senior who had a "bucket list" item to cross off - releasing her children's book. It has been my pleasure to work with her on that over the past few months and I am so excited to announce that the book is ready and available for free download on 4/28 & 4/29 (Wed and Thu). Grab your copy - which is perfect for little ones who love all things that go! Don't forget to leave a review. And if you love the book as much as I do, share to your mailing list or on your social media and help me make her dreams come true! Delmar the Dinky is FREE on 4/28 and 4/28 - Download your copy! Delmar the Dinky is the smallest trolley in the rail yard - but he can do BIG things! Perfect for fans of Thomas the Train and The Little Engine that Could as well as fans of all things that go! The big trolleys doubt that Delmar has what it takes to carry passengers to the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. Can the little dinky prove them wrong? Download on Amazon "When passion and purpose meet persistence anything is possible!" -- April Cox View More

It has been my pleasure to work with Sarina for self-publishing her upcoming debut children's book Do Not Wish for a Pet Ostrich. Coming Soon!!!!

When I left my job in 2018 after 35 years in the same career, I didn't know what life would bring me. I did know that I wanted to focus on my writing and I have loved being a children's book author. But I have to say, what I love even more is working with others who are new and aspiring authors to help them make their dream come true. It has been one of the most rewarding things in my life. I love the smiling face at the other end of a Zoom coaching call. I love speaking words of encouragement and "You got this!" and "I'm here to help you every step of the way!". I love gathering groups of authors together for an author hangout or drop-in session. I love knowing that I am helping them avoid mistakes that too many authors (including me) have made during our first time through the process. It has been a great distraction from Covid-19 quarantine and other stressors in this crazy world we're living in right now. It makes me happy to know I am making a difference and helping others to use this time productively. My current author workgroup is filled with over forty new and aspiring authors. Many of my current workgroup participants are using this time during quarantine to bring to life a dream and a story that has been dying to be written. I can't believe I get to be a part of that! Servant Leadership Have you ever heard the term "servant leadership"? Our greatest example is how Christ washed the feet of his disciples and served others as he led them to salvation. Now I'm no Jesus Christ, but I want to follow his example of compassion, love, and leading by serving and making a difference in the lives of others. Servant leadership is something I have always strived for. I want to be an example and provide support and most of all - MAKE A DIFFERENCE. When I see these beautiful books birthed into the world it makes it all worth it. My heart is filled with joy and I think I get more out of it than the Authors do! When I started on this journey, I asked myself, "How can I serve this community of authors and help them to avoid the mistakes that I and others have made." After all, there are a number of dangers when you are trying to navigate self-publishing alone. There are predatory publishers and vendors wanting to dupe them into a costly contract that is completely wrong for them. There are many activities required for self-publishing and it is easy to stumble or get the wrong advice from the many Facebook groups focusing on writing and publishing a children's book. Authors don't know what they don't know. I was no different. But after a few years of working in this industry and helping hundreds of people, I feel obligated to make this knowledge available to others. Self-Publishing Made Simple I created the Self-Publishing Made Simple program to compile the lessons, instructions, tools, and templates in one place and to walk through the process with Authors from A to Z. It has been time consuming and tons of work and I'm sure way too many hours per week for me. I'm sure if I figure out how much money I am making per hour it wouldn't even be minimum wage. But I don't care - that doesn't matter. The way I look at it, when you put your heart into serving others, the universe will honor that. The golden rule comes to mind - treat others as you would like to be treated. For me - I wanted to develop a program that I wish I had when I first started. The list includes: Live meetings weekly for 12 weeks Drop-in hours with no particular agenda - "Ask Me Anything" Access to a private Facebook group A community of like-minded authors all working on their books together and supporting each other through it every step of the way Access to a huge library of video training on self-publishing topics 1:1 coaching / mentoring A list of special guest speakers on important topics like writing, marketing, copywriting, publicity, crowd-funding, and much more! A repository of tools, templates, and examples to use The new group starts August 17th The next author workgroup starting on August 17th. It is a 12-week program walking you through every step of the self-publishing process. If you know someone who is interested, feel free to share. Here is a link where you can find out more. You can use 50-OFF discount code for $50 off the course. Feel free to email me with any questions. https://www.thelittlelabradoodle.com/author-workgroup

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Over 80% of the people surveyed say they they would like to write a book and have a story to tell, but only 1% of them ever do it. Why is that? I spoke to some aspiring authors to find out. Here are the top three answers. Theres no time - We are all busy with work, kids, hobbies, caregiving My story is not good enough - Self doubt can plague us all No idea where to begin - uncertainty can be paralyzing There are some great resources out there for aspiring writers, including Facebook groups and author communities on Reddit and Twitter. Workgroups are also a wonderful way to get support, build a community and helps with accountability. One of the silver linings of this shutdown is that there are some of us who have more time on our hands and a new opportunity to fill those hours with things that matter. Writing can be cathartic and allow you to deal with stress, pour out emotion, remember fond memories or document something important. You can transport yourself into a fantasy world and have adventures that would be impossible otherwise. What is your story about? What impact could it have on others? This is a great activity for kids as well. Using their imagination, writing a book they would love to read. Nowadays, self-publishing is more accessible than ever. We are proud to offer coaching services and conduct 12 week author workgroups to provide support, accountability and expertise to help authors make it through that journey. Post comments below and let us in on your journey!

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I decided to make this month's blog post about matters of the heart - building a happy lasting love that stands the test of time. I am fortunate to be celebrating thirty years with my husband. Stephen and I had a whirlwind romance and were married after just five months together. There were more than a few raised eyebrows, and whispers. No one thought we would make it. After all, neither of us had a good track record with relationships or positive role models to learn from. We each brought our own baggage to the relationship and the odds were stacked against us. When we first met, I was divorced with a three-year-old and a baby on the way. I had been raised by a raging alcoholic in a home filled with domestic violence and abuse. Steve had an equally dysfunctional childhood neglected and surrounded by abusive alcoholics and violence. We were quite the pair! I considered myself broken, unable to have a healthy relationship - unlucky in love. Could two broken people create one healthy relationship? Could we break the chains of our past and create a happy family of our own in spite of it? Well, here we are thirty years later happily married. Life has not been perfect by any means, but I am so grateful to have him as my life partner, best friend and soul mate. Why do I share such personal details? I would like this article to offer hope to others that have struggled with relationships and, like us, wonder if they’ll ever get it right. Yes – you can. It won’t be easy. Nothing worth doing is ever easy, but you CAN have happy long-lasting love. If Steve and I can do it – anyone can! Without further delay, here are our 10 keys to success... 1) Chemistry Let’s face it, without chemistry (e.g. sexual attraction) it’s hard to endure the ups and downs that life throws at you. It’s the making up that makes the fighting all that much more palatable. My heart still skips a beat when my husband walks into the room and there is nowhere that I would rather be than snuggled up beside him with my head on his chest and his arms around me. That chemical attraction we had over thirty years ago has matured and endured. It has helped us through insecurity and brought us back together no matter how far apart we drifted. Like two magnets we sometimes turned back to back and moved away from each other, but before long when we turned back to see what really mattered, the pull of that magnetic force brought us together. While I agree that sex cannot be the only thing in a relationship, chemistry is a powerful force / bond in a healthy relationship and can help you endure the ups and downs over time. 2) Devotion Devotion is defined as love, loyalty or enthusiasm for a person, activity or cause. Synonyms are loyalty, faithfulness and fidelity. Devotion is commitment, mutual respect and admiration. It is knowing you are safe, loved and cherished – knowing This is my Person. With each year, struggle and triumph our relationship grew, and we became more devoted to one another. Neither one of us had a history of staying in a relationship for very long. We decided together that this relationship was not disposable and no matter what it would take, we were committed to making it work. We agreed to love each other unconditionally – for better or worse, richer and poorer, in sickness and health as long as we both shall live. We took that promise seriously and literally. I think about it in the same way that I think about my children. No matter what they do, I love them unconditionally and am committed to doing whatever it takes to help them be happy, healthy and well-adjusted. Why should our relationships with our spouse or significant other be any different? Of course, this doesn’t mean you should accept abuse EVER, but I think you understand what I'm getting at. Always remember that you deserve to have someone cheering for you, someone who will bring out the best in you and make you want to be a better version of yourself. Your partner deserves the same. If you want a strong relationship that will stand the test of time, this is an important pillar in order to get there. 3) Intimacy A counselor once wrote on her white board the words intimacy = into-me-see. It is about more than physical intimacy. It’s about letting your guard down and allowing someone to see every part of you. Sharing your hopes, dreams, fears and experiences is not easy, but it’s important. It takes time to break down barriers, tear down walls (especially when there has been dysfunction, abuse or negative experiences in the past). I had built walls around those parts of me that were vulnerable, and it took time and patience to build intimacy. Counseling helped, but eventually trust built between us allowing us to make progress more easily. It’s worth the time and hard work it takes to get there –- and make no mistake, it is hard work! Keep romance alive. Spend time putting your relationship as a couple first – even if that means getting a sitter once a week. Steve often surprises me with a candlelit dinner or a rose just because. A text that says “Have I told you how much you mean to me?” costs nothing and means everything. Take the time to build that closeness and treat your significant other the way you have always wanted to be treated… or better yet, the way THEY have always wanted to be treated. 4) Communication Communication is an important skill set, which includes talking, listening and being able to navigate conflict. What are your visions / goals? Do you want the same things? Are you able to ask for what you want / need? We all know that men and women communicate very differently. Learning each other’s love language is an important part of having a successful relationship. When we first got together, I would write love notes or send cute texts (because that’s what I liked). It wasn’t what Steve wanted or appreciated. He learned that I liked those things. He is always sure to get me the mushy cards and I get him the funny ones. If you aren’t sure what someone wants or needs… ask and then listen -- really listen. Listening is the most important part of communication. When you put the phone down and truly engage with your loved ones you show them how important they are to you. Build each other up. Tell each other what you love about them or how much you appreciate the little thing they did. Don’t take it for granted that they know and even if you’ve said it a hundred times… say it again. Conflict Resolution Conflict resolution is also critical. Steve and I needed to learn to fight fair. We had to stop pushing each other’s buttons and find ways to work through conflict. Here are some things that work for us: No trash talking – Name calling or putting each other down isn’t helpful Time out – If things get heated, either one of us can call a time out and we stop fighting and go back after we cool down. That was hard to learn, but very helpful. I’m not a fan of the “no going to bed angry” rule because sometimes I need a time out to sleep on something and start fresh in the morning. Some buttons are off limit - As a couple we both know which buttons to push to get to the other person. We have made a couple of them off-limits. For me it is loud yelling that triggers childhood issues for me. For Steve it’s anything that would trigger abandonment issues. We care enough for each other NOT to go there and have set those ground rules. Steve won’t ever hear “I’m leaving you.” during a fight and I will never have to feel physically threatened during an argument. In times of conflict - apologize. We are going to hurt one another and because we love each other, we will forgive. An apology goes a long way in wiping the slate clean. It must be heart-felt and sincere and must be followed by the desire to change behavior that we know hurt our mate. Sure, there are times when both sides feel that the other person was wrong. Apologize for your part in the argument anyway and treat each other with dignity and grace.. 5) Trust Trust is earned over time. For me and Steve, trust was hard to come by since so many key people in our lives had let us down throughout childhood. It was our very strong bond and lots of hard work that helped build the trust. Working through issues, having each other’s back over time and fighting fair made a difference. No one is perfect and you will disappoint one another. Move past it and keep growing. Be honest – lies (even lies of omission) will result in steps backwards. A strong sense of self / independence is another important part of trust. It is not healthy to be completely enmeshed or codependent. Make sure you have some autonomy, time to yourself and things that are your own. Avoid temptations with people of the opposite sex. Avoid the appearance of impropriety or temptation that can come during those times when you and your mate may be drifting apart. It is normal to be attracted to the opposite sex. Face it and address it in counseling if necessary. A sure fire way to lose all trust is to have a physical or emotional affair. 6) Laughter The one thing I love most about my husband is that he can always make me laugh. I am way too serious, and he is a big kid who balances me out with his silliness. You must learn to laugh at yourselves, make happy memories and have fun. When we were younger, we often piled the kids in the car and took off for the weekend. Trips to New Hampshire visiting Story Land, Santa’s Village or Lake Winnipesaukee. We went to Disney every year for quite awhile and had a wonderful time. We laughed and played and have some fantastic memories to look back on. Make it a point to have fun – no matter what your budget and continue to make new memories. It’s also important to be able to laugh at yourselves. My husband was a stay at home Dad before being Mr. Mom was cool. Many times I came home to find my my husband with a bandanna tied around his nose and mouth as he navigated changing a poopy diaper. My favorite memory is Steve, leaf blower in hand, dusting my son's room by blowing everything out the open window. Dust bunnies and all kinds of junk were flying out from under his entertainment center. It worked like a charm! That wouldn't be the last time I'd walk in on him dusting with a leaf blower. It still gets a chuckle every time I think about it. It’s those fond memories that will carry you through the rough times. Sometimes you need to find something funny in a situation that’s just too serious or grim. It can be a great coping mechanism when you need it. 7) Optimism My faith has helped me over the years to be more positive by putting things in God’s hands when I feel overwhelmed or consumed with negativity. Prayer, meditation and my walks / talks with God were often the difference between despair and hope. My husband, on the other hand, is a naturally glass half full kind of guy. When troubles come, he chimes in with stories about how it could be so much worse and how lucky we are. On the rare occasion when he is the one struggling with negativity, I have learned to do the same for him. It is always helpful to remind ourselves how much we have been through successfully and that together we can get through anything. Challenges and struggles bring us closer and make us stronger. For example, our first apartment we had nothing except a mattress on the floor. We borrowed a tent and set it up in our empty living room for my three-year-old to sleep in. He had a blast and we played camp-out for a few weeks. We worked hard and bought furniture over a few months. We did it together and it drew us closer. Embrace the challenges – they will strengthen your bond. Meet them with a positive spirit and laugh when you can and your stress will be reduced. 8) Compromise Steve and I are complete opposites and don’t agree on much except that we love each other! We have had to learn ways to compromise in order to live a happy life. Experiment and be open-minded and you will find things that work for you. Here are some of our go-tos. How important is it? When we are having a disagreement about something, we have learned to ask, “How important is this to you on a scale of 1 to 10?” If one of us ranks it a 9 and one has it at a 3, we defer to the other. It's not important enough to drive a wedge between us. Negotiation – We each get something we want (unrelated usually). Example: I wanted a new puppy, he wanted nothing to do with it. He wanted to renovate the basement for a man-cave. I thought it was a waste of money. What if he cut some costs and got the man-cave and I got my puppy too! That's exactly what happened!. Take Turns - When we go to dinner and a movie , one of us will choose the restaurant and the other will choose the movie then switch next time we go. No one has to feel like they didn't get a say in how we spend our time. Veto Power – When you can't just take turns, like selecting the next vacation destination or new flooring for the bedroom, we struggled for years always ending in argument or hard feelings. We came up with the idea of having VETO power. We keep looking until we find something that neither of us vetos. Our selection won't be first choice for either of us, but it is something we can both live with. 9) Forgiveness It doesn’t take much to drive a wedge between a relationship.Apologies unspoken, grudges develop and things can fester.We can also bring anger and baggage from childhood or previous relationships. No one is perfect.The best thing I ever did was to learn to make peace with my past and forgive those who hurt me.It was something I had to do for myself and a heavy weight was lifted. Steve and I committed to apologizing and working through issues between us.It took time, but with practice it got easier.As trust builds, devotion builds, forgiveness is easier.Anger is self-destructive and holding onto grudges, bringing things up over and over again is a recipe for disaster in a relationship. My philosophy is to offer forgiveness to others the way that I hope my husband, family and kids will provide me in the future.I know I’ve made mistakes and will make more.I wouldn’t want others to hold onto that anger and to sacrifice our relationship, so why should I do that to others? 10) Resilience Life is filled with challenges. If you want to be happy, you need to be resilient. Things will knock you down. Bad things may come in clusters. Hang in there! Lean on each other. Remember the good things, focus on the positive, ask for help. Don’t give up – you can do it! Over thirty years, Steve and I have had many struggles, financial, personal, lost jobs, addiction, loss of loved ones and much more. Challenges will bring you closer over time. It may feel awful when you’re going through it, but when you come together and are able to make it through, it makes the next one that much easier. You learn to depend on each other and have each other’s back. Love and relationships have their ups and downs. You will not always feel close to your significant other. There have been times when I was sure I hated Steve and I’m sure he felt the same way. Hold on tight and keep at it. I can’t really explain it except that we all have our moods and challenges and there are times when we are both struggling with different things and just can’t be there for each other. We drift apart and things between our mate can become much harder for a spell. Get counseling if you need to. There is no shame in asking for help, but if you plan to make it through better and worse you can't give up. You will be stronger for having gone through it and the closeness you gain will be extraordinary. Hold tight and soon you may be celebrating thirty years with the love of your life! About April Cox April Cox is a blogger, entrepreneur and author. She founded Little Labradoodle Publishing in 2018 and has released a number of children's book. She lives in Pawtucket, RI with her husband, Steve and their two Labradoodles. She dedicates her work to the four beautiful grandkids that have inspired her to begin this journey and bring her so much joy and happiness. Check out free digital downloads from Little Labradoodle Publishing at: http://www.thelittlelabradoodle.com/digital-downloads. #ValentinesDay #AprilMCox #10SecretstoLastingLove #blogpost #lastinglove #LIttleLabradoodlePublishing

Between today’s highly charged political environment and the many stressors of the day, I sometimes find negativity creeping into my mind and while I try my best to resist, it is not easy. I need to turn off the news, talk radio and even ignore discussions from others in front of me in line at the Supermarket with all the polarizing things going on in the world today. I am usually a very positive person, looking for the silver lining in every cloud. So, if I am being affected by the woes of the day and the voices invading the airways, I can only imagine how it must be affecting our children and grandchildren. According to Professor of Psychiatry at Cornell, Dr. Barbara Milrod, "Strong emotions are contagious – particularly anxiety. And while anxiety spreads easily among us all, children are the most vulnerable." Kids tend to internalize things - from the raised voices in the next room to challenges at school or troubles with interpersonal relationships. Some of our kids struggle with other issues like bullying, learning disabilities, poverty and more. These things can make them feel isolated from others. They may think that they just don’t “fit in”. While I know (from firsthand experience) that dealing with adversity can make us stronger, I can’t help but want something more for our children - a positive force for good. One that could empower them and give them a sense of control and other benefits that can combat the negative influences on their life. With my latest work in progress picture book, Kindness, Love, Unity & Bravery: Join the KLUB - No Bullies Allowed. We find our sweet little Labradoodle character and his friends coming face to face with bullies and feeling discouraged, left out and hurt. They are reminded by wise Aunt Nola that they are not alone. There are many others who face the same challenges and those doing the bullying are in the minority. “Do not let the bullies make you feel small. Stand together and you will stand tall.” she tells them. Given this inspiration, the animal friends decide to form a club… or should I say KLUB? The letters K-L-U-B mean something important and become guiding principles for the group - Kindness, Love, Unity and Bravery. With those four "tools" the animal friends decide that they can accomplish anything. Kindness and love lead to friendship, inclusion instead of bullying and help for those in need. Unity is a strong word that means they are not alone. It represents working with others toward a common goal (being part of something bigger than ourselves). In the case of our Little Labradoodle and his friends, it is standing together to embrace goodness, stand against bullying, welcoming / serving others and making the world a better place. Wouldn’t that be amazing?! The final tool is bravery, which is a critical part of accomplishing those big goals and being successful when faced with adversity. Fear comes with the unknown or when dealing with difficult situations. Having courage is not about the absence of fear, but it is moving forward and taking action despite the existence of fear. It is much easier to be brave with encouragement from others and knowledge that you are not alone. Those four tools are powerful guiding principles and values for our Little Labradoodle, his friends and KLUB members. Yes - we CAN make a difference… one good deed at a time, one act of love and kindness at a time, one volunteer opportunity at a time. HelpGuide.org (trusted guide to mental and emotional health) lists the following benefits from volunteering / helping others: Connects us to others - Helps with making new friends, increases social and relationship skills. Good for the mind and body - Reduces stress, anger and anxiety; combats depression; increases happiness, self-confidence, provides a sense of purpose and helps us stay physically healthy. Improves skills and experience - Could even result in career opportunities. Brings fun and fulfillment to our life . There is no better way, in my opinion, to counteract the negativity and its impact on us and the children we love than spreading kindness and getting out of our own heads, away from our own perceived problems and making difference in the lives of others. That is what the Little Labradoodle stands for and this sweet character will work hard to influence others to make a difference too. While being the recipient of a random act of kindness is wonderful, impact on the one that does the giving can be profound. I hope The Little Labradoodle KLUB creates not just a mindset, but a movement with kids, teachers, parents, coaches, youth groups and more. If you would like to be a part of it, please email me at info@thelittlelabradoodle.com. I look forward to battling the negative forces and stressors invading my day by joining with others, introducing more positivity into the world and making it a better place. Yes, together we CAN make a difference! The new book will be going to editing later this month. If you would like to be a beta reader for the book, we would be glad to include you! Silicone bracelets have been ordered with “The Little Labradoodle KLUB” debossed on them along with the words, “KINDNESS, LOVE, UNITY & BRAVERY”. It is a symbol of the commitment made and empowers the wearer, reminding them that they are part of something bigger than themselves - a community that cares about improving things. I will wear my Little Labradoodle KLUB bracelet proudly. Won’t you join me? Visit http://www.thelittlelabradoodle.com/klub for more information and materials.

I started Little Labradodle Publishing initially to bring my children's picture books to life. It didn't take long for me to see the potential to provide assistance to others who were looking to do the same. My passion to give back has caused me to expand my mission to include creating and support storytellers of the future. Different Types of Storytellers In my case, I was a grandmother who loved picture books and reading with my grandkids. We loved to make up stories together and encourage them to use their imagination. My little labradoodle would jump up with us and we started making up stories about him. I wanted to write down the stories to share with them, as a sort of legacy project. It was something that they would have long after I was gone and I hoped they would share with their kids and grandkids some day. Of course, it has grown to be much more than a legacy project. There are others who tell stories with their art by creating beautiful pictures. Our illustrator, Len Smith, tells how he would sit in the back of the classroom and draw most of the time when he was in school. He found his love of visual arts and has become an amazing storyteller as we look at the emotions he captures with The Little Labradoodle characters. I'm sure there are kids doodling in their notebook, sketching in their sketchbook and wishing there was more support for the visual arts in school. Wouldn't it be wonderful to match them with writers and help them bring their work to a broader audience? There are many who love to write and words flow through them so naturally. I always loved creative writing in school. I can credit that to a teacher of mine named Mrs. Shunny. She helped plant the seeds that grew into a love of writing and poetry. She even submitted a poem I wrote to the local newspaper and I was thrilled when it was published. I felt encouraged and validated. I would like to do that for others who have the drive to write so they too can get the support to bring their work to life. Whether they are writing the next best-selling novel, a dramatic screenplay, a comic book, the words to a beautiful song or just journaling to document their feelings, they are the storytellers of the future. Kids Programs When I was writing Puppy Pickup Day, I was contacted by a Children’s Psychologist who asked me if she could use the coloring books I had created for her clients. She had two Labradoodles that accompanied her to the office each day and were a great comfort to the kids she treated. She thought they would also enjoy coloring pictures of Labradoodles as well. Of course I agreed, and had my illustrator create a few new ones so they could indeed color pictures of the dogs that they had grown to love. That was when I realized that some of the things I was creating could be used to help kids. Something as simple as a coloring book can make a difference. A short time later, I heard from a third grade teacher, asking if she too could use the coloring pages with her class during the last week of school. It had been difficult to keep the attention of the third graders with the end of the school year approaching. She wanted a project that would be fun and engaging. Since I was at a critical juncture with my children's picture book, I had an idea! We talked and I sent her the current version of my manuscript for Puppy Pickup Day along with storyboards and a few completed illustrations and the fun began. She teamed up with two other third grade teachers who were happy to participate. They read the story to their classes and asked the kids for feedback. They talked about the process of writing and editing. They shared the importance of getting input from kids to make the story the best it can be. They reviewed the storyboards and talked about how they are used by the author and illustrator. The kids loved the project! The assignment for the last day was to write letters to us with their feedback. I was excited to read them but one letter in particular stood out to me. "I enjoyed this project." Sarah wrote. "I think I might like to be an author like you some day." That’s when I first realized that Puppy Pickup Day could be more than just a children’s picture book, it could be a fun and engaging way for kids to learn about writing / illustrating and creating stories of their own. We will be creating a teacher's guide, storyboards, manuscript and discussion topics to support teachers and parents who would like to use the book in their classroom or homeschooling. We cannot forget the importance of literacy and focusing on programs to put books in the hands of kids and help them learn to read. It is a gift that will provide many adventures and help them to grow into the avid readers and writers of the future. Everyone has a Story to Tell Each one of us has a story inside us begging to be told. Self-publishing is getting easier and more common with print on demand options, but it can be confusing to navigate. We have learned so much through our journey and are actively looking for collaborations that can bring programs to the community, schools, libraries and online. My hope is to spark something, support those who have the drive and desire to write or publish a book but don't know where to begin. I can see 1:1 coaching, working groups, workshops at libraries or schools, donations of books for those in need and a focus on literacy. We hope to add other professionals to diversify and provide a wide variety of support. If you would like to be a part of our efforts, please reach out to april@thelittlelabradoodle.com for more information. More info will be coming soon, so stay tuned and subscribe to our mailing list to ensure you are notified when new programs are rolled out. #PictureBooks #storytellers #aspiringauthors #LittleLabradoodlePublishing #TheLittleLabradoodle #Childrensbooks

With only 4 days to go with our KickStarter campaign, for our new book, Puppy Pickup Day, I wanted to highlight our AMAZING Illustrator, Len Smith. I hope you will consider supporting Len and I with our KickStarter campaign to bring Puppy Pickup Day to print! Len Smith, has spent his entire career (over 30 years) in children’s entertainment, from Hanna-Barbera studio to Disney Feature and TV animation to Mattel Toys. Len designed Toontown in the film “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” and is also well known for his designs of the main characters for the Disney Afternoon series “Talespin” and “Bonkers”. He also worked on the four-time Emmy winning series “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh”. We interviewed dozens of illustrators before finding Len and loved the way he captured the emotion of the characters. In the interview below, Len talks about his career and how he got started as an Illustrator. MidWest Book Review The MidWest Book Review joined beta readers, kids and parents singing praises of Len's abilities as an Illustrator: A variety of messages are wound into this fun-loving story of a little puppy's adventure: counting, colorful fun, lessons on friendship and helping, and embracing new experiences. Illustrator Len Smith's over-sized, colorful panels are a huge draw to an equally-strong, uplifting story line that will delight young picture book readers and their read-aloud parents. He's a former Disney & Hanna-Barbara illustrator, and so his background is perfect for translating the story into large-sized, exceptionally colorful characters designed to provide eye-catching excitement and action to enhance the story's visual appeal. Each panel is packed with not just vivid colors and playful action, but emotion as the little puppy moves through his choices and considers his options. Not only the puppy's emotions are involved: readers will find their heartstrings similarly pulled as the story visually 'pops' with excitement. Interview with Illustrator, Len Smith Marks & Splashes interviews Illustrator Len Smith - Animation character designer Len Smith talks children's book illustration

Little Labradoodle Publishing Launches Picture Book on Kickstarter With Disney Illustrator & Rave Reviews Encouraging kindness, friendship, perseverance, and courage, the first book in The Little Labradoodle Series launched by “all in” grandma on Kickstarter. Pawtucket, RI - August 28, 2018 - Launched by Little Labradoodle Publishing and overflowing with illustrations from the man who created Disney’s Toon Town, a new picture book on Kickstarter raises the bar for tikes. The Little Labradoodle: Puppy Pickup Day picture book tells the story of an adorable pup that gets lost on an important day for a canine in need of a family. But will the runt hero of the story make the cut? April Cox, author and founder of Little Labradoodle Publishing said of the launch, “We are delighted by the praise from kids as well as industry notables like MidWest Book Review that have poured in for Puppy Pickup Day. I’m not surprised kids love it with Illustrator Len Smith’s ability to create lovable characters on Tale Spin and the Emmy award-winning The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. It’s phenomenal what we’ve been able to do here together. Now we need Kickstarter supporters to get the finished book to print.” Crowdfunding supporters can help Cox print hard copies of the children’s book and 8.5 x 11" companion coloring books. Additionally, plush and canvas bags must be purchased in bulk to have gift sets ready for the holidays. “We are so confident that people will love what we created that we put the downloadable PDF right into the KickStarter campaign.” So exactly who is the author of such a timely children’s book? She’s a wife, a mother, and the grandmother of three grandchildren with one on the way. She’s also a woman who decided to re-invent her life mid-stream after walking away from Corporate America after thirty-years ensconced in the all-consuming rat race. With an “all in” tact, she has reduced her living expenses by 75%, making changes to focus 100% on Little Labradoodle Publishing. “To say it’s important to me to create books that kids will love is an understatement. I am also very focused on putting together programs that will benefit kids and literacy and help create the storytellers of the future.” For more information visit http://www.thelittlelabradoodle.com. About Little Labradoodle Publishing: Little Labradoodle Publishing is located in Pawtucket, RI. Kickstarter Link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1514034841/the-little-labradoodle-puppy-pickup-day-picture-bo?ref=user_menu Contact: April M. Cox Author & Founder, Little Labradoodle Publishing april@thelittlelabradoodle.com 401-288-9957 Website: http://www.thelittlelabradoodle.com Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/thelittlelabradoodle https://www.instagram.com/thelittlelabradoodle https://www.twitter.com/lil_labradoodle

I have to admit my first review for Puppy Pickup Day was not very complementary. It was for an early stage of the manuscript when my granddaughter, Bella, said “Nana, I'm sorry but it's just too boring!” You have to love the honesty of kids. I've been blessed with a few honest critics in my family who will always tell me the truth along with colleagues, friends and editors that have helped to make this the best it can be! I do love the honesty of kids and appreciate the editors, peers in critique groups and beta readers who took time to provide constructive criticism that helped make the first book in The Little Labradoodle Series better. Rave Reviews From my perspective, the most important stakeholder is the kids. I want to be sure they would love the book, so I asked our beta readers to video record them reading to their kids or the kids reading the book themselves. We had some funny reactions and some great insights from that effort. We hit our mark and I was actually surprised that so many of them “got” the humor in the book. What did kids like most? The faces (expressions / emotions) on the characters Surprises hiding in the book - My granddaughter and others squeal with delight light as they recognize the bunnies playing hide and seek or the frog who appears throughout the book. They loved the puppies, cats and other friends that help the puppy. Beta Readers were equally complementary: “I think the book is a winner! In my opinion small children will love it – because I do!” “I think the rhyming works well - from my own experiences, it makes it fun for the parent as well when the books rhyme and your child learns these rhymes and starts to almost 'sing' the book with you.” “The illustrations are absolutely beautiful and work perfectly with the story. I think it is perfect, I truly loved your book. When can I order my copy?!” “Engaging way to have fun, encourage reading and art, and learn core values.” "Gabby loves it and just wants to read it over and over again!" Midwest Book Review We have been fortunate to receive an outstanding review from Midwest Book Review. The review will be appearing on September 3rd, but we got the early release and couldn't wait to update everyone! Full text is below: Eight engaging labradoodle puppies wake up to greet the day in April M. Cox's engaging picture book story of a special day when all the puppies expect to get a new home. They are fed, groomed, and play, but one little pup, smaller than his siblings, is rejected. As the rollicking rhyme follows the fun and games, young readers can't help but be concerned about one little outcast who falls off the puppy slide, is too small to play tag, and gets lost too easily. As the countdown begins, teaching numbers to young animal lovers, the last little puppy begins to wonder if getting a new home is something else he's going to miss out on. He's become lost (on Puppy Pickup Day, no less), but his friendly nature leads to help from unexpected places, and after his siblings are picked by new families, he discovers something important about courage and finding his place in the world even though he's a runt who can't do what his siblings enjoy. A variety of messages are wound into this fun-loving story of a little puppy's adventure: counting, colorful fun, lessons on friendship and helping, and embracing new experiences. Illustrator Len Smith's oversized, colorful panels are a huge draw to an equally-strong, uplifting story line that will delight young picture book readers and their read-aloud parents. He's a former Disney & Hanna-Barbara illustrator, and so his background is perfect for translating the story into large-sized, exceptionally colorful characters designed to provide eye-catching excitement and action to enhance the story's visual appeal. Each panel is packed with not just vivid colors and playful action, but emotion as the little puppy moves through his choices and considers his options. Not only the puppy's emotions are involved: readers will find their heartstrings similarly pulled as the story visually 'pops' with excitement. WE NEED YOUR HELP TO PRINT THESE WONDERFUL BOOKS! We are still in need of your support to meet our goals for printing the book and producing the gift sets for the holidays! Please pledge and share information about our campaign with others. There are pledge levels from $1 (for electronic extras and updates) to $500 which includes one on one coaching from April Cox to self-publish your own book and be considered for Little Labradoodle Publishing. A few of the most popular levels are shown below. Click on the rewards below to go directly to the Kickstarter campaign. Thank you in advance for your kind consideration! ​​

Well, we did it! KickStarter is finally live for the first book in The Little Labradoodle series, Puppy Pickup Day! Here's a short little video animation that we did to highlight the KickStarter and use for FB and other social media Quick Teaser Video Sample Images from the Book Putting finishing touches on the video was the biggest challenge while meanwhile finalizing the text for the book so we can get it out to the printer for proofs and preparation for printing so we can receive books in time for the holidays! While it was a pain to record myself over and over again trying to get my message across, it was great being able to edit out all my ramblings, LOL. My husband said he wishes that he could do that in real life. I can't say I blame him! When I am passionate about something I tend to ramble and talk constantly about it... and this is a project I am really passionate about! Please take a look at how the video came out and pass your feedback along. Consider backing our project and sharing with your friends to help make our dream a reality! ​​SLXLM

Well, we are just about there... almost ready to click the "Submit" button on our Kickstarter campaign. What does that mean? Kickstarter is the world's largest funding platform for creative projects. A home for film, music, art, theater, games, comics, design, photography, and more. Kickstarter helps artists, musicians, filmmakers, designers, and other creators find the resources and support they need to make their ideas a reality. To date, tens of thousands of creative projects — big and small — have come to life with the support of the Kickstarter community. We are using Kickstarter to raise funds to print books, pay our Illustrator and bring Puppy Pickup Day to completion in time for holiday sales. All or Nothing! Kickstarter is an "all or nothing" campaign, meaning if we do not get the backers to support all the funding we need, the campaign fails and no funding is provided. We will need all the help, prayers and cheerleading you can provide to help get the word out about the campaign. We appreciate your support by backing the project and/or helping to get the word out to others by sharing the announcement on social media with your friends and family. Since we are bumping up against holiday time VERY SOON, we cannot run a full month's campaign so our campaign will run for only two weeks. Puppy Pickup Day Puppy Pickup Day is our first children's picture book in The Little Labradoodle series with more in the works. The story is beautifully illustrated by Len Smith, formerly with Disney and Hanna-Barbara. What I appreciate most about Len is his uncanny ability to bring to life the emotions of the characters. A small puppy on a BIG adventure! Too small to play with his brothers and sisters, the smallest labradoodle puppy wanders a little too far and gets lost - but will he make it back in time to meet his new family? Will they love him even though he is so small? Journey alongside a small puppy with a huge heart in this encouraging story with underlying themes of friendship, kindness, acceptance of self and others. There's nothing like the excitement of puppy pickup day for their families! Rewards for our Backers! I will leave you with a list of rewards you can receive as a backer of this project. Kickstarter is not like Go Fund Me. We are not looking for donations (although we will take them). We give you the opportunity to back this effort and support Little Labradoodle Publishing. But there are plenty of reward levels you can get. 1) Signed first edition of Puppy Pickup Day including bonus digital copies of the Puppy Pickup Day coloring book and Little Labradoodle & Friends coloring and activity book. 2) Signed Prints from Illustrator, Len Smith - First backers will have their choice of prints while supplies last! 3) Appear in the book (only 2 available) - There are characters in the book picking up their puppies. If you choose this reward, you can have up to two members of your family appear in the book! * MORE SURPRISES AND 1:1 OPPORTUNITIES TO COME! So, keep watch and get ready for the big announcement!

I have so much great news to share. It's exciting and scary all at the same time. Check out the video for a quick summary of progress in a number of areas plus you get a sneak peek at some of the new illustrations for Puppy Pickup Day! Goodbye Corporate World After more than 30 years in the Corporate world I have decided to take the plunge and focus on my entrepreneurial passions of writing and publishing. While being an author is new to me and I'm learning a lot very quickly, I find that so much that I have taken from my experience in business, management, consulting, IT and leadership is translating well to this new venture. I have formally created Little Labradoodle Publishing, LLC and I hope you will follow and support me on my journey. The new web site is expanding and now includes a store, which will have more items coming soon. My heart is beating with excitement and a bit of angst over the risk I'm taking, but I do believe the rewards will be tremendous both personally and professionally. Kickstarter Launching Soon I am working hard to escalate the schedule for Puppy Pickup Day, the first book in The Little Labradoodle series. With holidays coming faster than we would like, I want to make sure we have stock available, which takes time and money. That's where Kickstarter will come in. If you've enjoyed an episode or two of Shark Tank you've probably heard them mention Kickstarter. It is a platform for entrepreneurs to get support for their project and raise money to move forward. It is not like GoFundMe where entrepreneurs are asking for donations. No, backers get rewards - like a first edition signed copy of the book. You can think about it as a preorder that helps us pay for the first print run and final illustrations. We will post more information before we officially launch, but we expect it to happen within the next couple of weeks. Social Media Growth I have to admit - I was in the single digits with social media following when I started this venture a few short months ago. Today, The Little Labradoodle fan page on Facebook has hit 400 likes and Instagram followers are now over 500. I'm behind with Twitter and Pinterest, but one can only focus on so many platforms at once, LOL. I did have a head start with LinkedIn because of my long business relationships, so I have more than 2500 contacts on LinkedIn. These platforms will be a good opportunity to reach potential customers and fans. I'm also happy to say that our mailing list has continued to grow and we now have over 300 people who have signed up and received downloads of our Labradoodle Coloring Books. Coloring Books Available on Amazon Our kids and adult coloring books are available on Amazon and are selling well. For those of you who have enjoyed the digital copy but would like to purchase a print version for yourself or as a gift, you can follow the links below to purchase directly from Amazon. I am looking to order stock for myself soon and will make them available in my own store at www.thelittlelabradoodle.com. THANK YOU! I would like to thank you one last time for your encouragement, emails, words of wisdom and for those of you who have joined my Advisory, followed the FB page and joined the mailing list. Thank you for supporting my new business. Hang on - it's going to be a wild ride!

After about a dozen revisions, editing for the first book in The Little Labradoodle Series, Puppy Pickup Day, is finally complete! Being a new author, feedback from others was really important to me. How is the story? Does it flow well? Are the words too hard for young readers? Will it engage them? Then, of course, came the whole question of whether to rhyme or not to rhyme. There were strong opinions both ways. In the end, it's important that I am true to my vision and create something that is fun for kids with characters that they will fall in love with. I think we did that with this first book. So where did we end up? We have a rhyming book that conveys the excitement of that first time a new puppy and family meet. Of course, we had to throw in some challenges for the main character and an adventure. In this book we meet the little labradoodle who is excited for puppy pickup day to meet his new family. Frustrated because he couldn't play with his larger siblings, he wanders off and gets lost and meets some animal friends who help him. Will he get back in time to meet his family? You'll have to read the book to know for sure, but spoiler alert - I love a happy ending! This is a good time to share a sneak peek of the final cover art (below). Our illustrator did a great job of capturing the character of the little labradoodle. We wanted him to be lovable but didn't want a character that boys wouldn't identify with as well. Len Smith hit it out of the park with this little guy! Please join our mailing list to get the latest updates and special promotions as we approach pre-launch. We are also sharing sneak peaks on The Little Labradoodle Facebook page where you can Like & Follow us on the journey!

This was a busy but productive weekend immersed in activity on the first book in The Little Labradoodle’s first book in The Little Labradoodle Series - Puppy Pickup Day. From editing draft #9 and narrowing down choices of illustrator for the book to learning more about marketing, it was a highly productive couple of days. I was especially grateful for help or help from my family who are my best critics and are not afraid to tell me the unfiltered truth. It is so important to have that when you’re working on a book and I’m lucky to have three! 1. Editing will be finalized this week I am happy to say that I am ready for pencils down after I get the last round of feedback from my Editor tomorrow. This story has really evolved and I’m happy to see this final version. After all, there is a point of diminishing returns where changes stop becoming productive. I think I’m almost there! 2. Illustrator Selection We have been blessed with a few very talented Illustrators who created a number of different cover options. We will be making an announcement this week regarding our final selection. In a picture book, illustrations are so important. They need to engage and draw in the child and help tell the story in a fun way. There are very well known illustrators with decades of experience and new talented individuals with fresh ideas. For us, budget is a constraint so we need to be conscious of that considering first books very rarely break even. Hopefully ours will be an exception to that rule! Our primary concern with selecting an illustrator is the style and quality of the images. We will be posting more info later this week with some examples and commentary. Stay tuned! 3. Marketing I am not a social media expert by any means. My Instagram has followers in the 2-digits. If we are going to do a good job getting the word out about the book, That has to change. So, as a lifelong learner and someone who is fascinated by immersing myself into something new, I have been taking a webinar, binge watching YouTube videos and signed up for Master Class where I just completed a writing course delivered by Judy Blume. I am excited to start putting things into practice and I hope our followers will help share info and help us spread the word. More to come soon! April #Publishing #doodles #labradoodles #booklaunchpreparations #Childrensbooks