It’s been an inspiring several weeks, reading the 44 compelling book pitches (50 counting revisions). Congratulations to everyone who entered and shared your passion for your subject.  And to our hundreds of voters. You’re all winners.

And The Official Winner Is . . .

Kate Forest, RYT for her entry Self Care Yoga: Short Healing Lessons for Body, Mind & Life!  

Here’s what book publicity expert Rusty Shelton had to say: “This pitch, to me, seemed most ready for book form. I like the market for this book–busy professionals and others looking to give yoga a try without a huge time commitment and I also like Kate’s background. I think the market is ready for this book and it sounds, from the pitch, that Kate has a very good idea of what she wants to communicate in the book. Nicely done.”

Here’s the winning pitch: (If you entered the contest, do you notice anything you might add to your pitch based on this?)

“In Self Care Yoga: Short Healing Lessons for Body, Mind, & Life! I share five simple yoga routines and eighteen Self Care Skills designed to fit today’s busy lifestyle and relieve physical, mental, and emotional distress. The unique perspective of this self-paced program also shares personal experiences, compelling student stories, and self-reflective written exercises that inspire readers to live my Five Principles of Mindful Living on the yoga mat and in life, as a way to better support themselves, others, and the world.

“There are no pretzel-poses here, just healing postures with clear easy-to-follow instructions, full color photos, and chair variations for those needing or wanting to be even gentler with themselves, whether a beginner or long time yoga student. Included is a CD of my voice with calming music to guide readers, and perhaps a group of their friends, through the featured Self Care Yoga routines. I live these healing skills daily and as an advanced level yoga teacher and mindful living coach of twelve years, have shared these teachings with thousands of students in my classes, workshops, and Self Care retreats, and encourage readers to share these skills with others.”

Runner up is Nora Hall for her humor-filled pitch for Survive Your Husband’s Retirement. The humor was certainly a big hook for this pitch, as were the market size and stories.

“We’re not sure where Joe learned his caboose skills, but on his first day of retirement he began following his wife everywhere––even into the bathroom, we’re told. In another household, mild-mannered, but newly retired Don became the family tyrant, going into a frenzy whenever dishes or silverware weren’t placed exactly as he had rearranged them.

“And that’s only a few of the strange stories we’ve heard about husbands’ retirement behaviors. Written for wives of the Two Million (plus) baby boomers who will become eligible for retirement this year alone, Survive Your Husband’s Retirement looks at changes in a relationship––and the errant behavior that comes along with it––when a husband retires. Replete with couple’s stories, cartoons, Bliss Bits and Thoughts to Ponder, Survive prompts women to laugh, to cry, to think––and finally––take action to return bliss to the relationship.”

A big thank you to our judges: Literary Agent Michael Larsen and Book Publicity Expert Rusty Shelton.

Did title play a role in these winning pitches? Absolutely. Our judges commented on a couple of books they would have ranked higher with a better title. It can take a while to hit upon the perfect title.

Some things to consider for a potent title are:

– Does it sound fresh?

– Is it clear who the audience is and what problem it solves?

– Are the benefits of reading the book clear?

– Does it resonate with the particular target market (It doesn’t matter as much what others outside the market think of it)?

– Does it make you want to open the book and read?

So, let’s hear from you. What inspired you about the contest? What take-aways do you have? Anything we can do better the next time? Thanks.