Morgan Street Media Services

09/03/2026

I'm one of six contributors to this week's Nonfiction Authors Association -up: what do you wish you had started earlier in your author journey?

My answer is social media, beginning the day you sign your publishing contract.

Front Edge Publishing (FEP) is a hybrid publisher, which means we can move a book from manuscript to market faster than the Big Five. That speed is good for authors, but it also means a much shorter runway for building an audience. The authors who start early are the ones who aren't scrambling at launch.

Two things I tell every author I work with:

Treat social media as a conversation, not a billboard. Research where your readers actually spend their time, get on those platforms, and engage with readers and with other authors in your genre.

Don't overlook the people who already know you. Friends, family and colleagues are the ones most likely to want you to succeed, and usually all you have to do is ask. Make them your launch team. Point them to posts worth sharing. Invite them to be your first readers and reviewers.

Building an audience is a long-term strategy, not a launch-week tactic.

Thanks to Caitlin Segura and the Nonfiction Authors Association for including me. Worth reading the full piece for perspectives from Patricia Knight Meyer, Zakiyya Rosebelle, Mirtle Peña-Calderón, Douglas Goldstein and Robin Quinn Keehn, MPA.

https://nonfictionauthorsassociation.com/expert-round-up-what-do-you-wish-you-started-earlier-in-your-author-journey/

Expert Round-Up Topic: What Do You Wish You Started Earlier in Your Author Journey? PATRICIA KNIGHT MEYER As a part-time book publicist, who supported five book launches for my boss, I didn’t think twice about supporting my own. But I quickly realized that being my own publicist is akin to the cob...

08/06/2026

What if your worst day could become your best day?

Watch the trailer for The Best Day: A Memoir of Finding Joy, Inspiration, Resilience, and Hope by hospice chaplain Joseph Krakoff. It is a collection of 18 true stories about ordinary people who found light in their darkest hours, and what their lives can teach the rest of us about living with gratitude, presence, and resilience.

Coming September 8, 2026. Watch now: https://youtu.be/LtIizxnBTF0

What if your worst day could become your best day?"The Best Day: ...

07/17/2026

"Roosevelt Park Rising" is the newest book from Reformed Journal Books. Reginald Smith's story is an inspiring memoir of Christian spiritual growth and courage in a divided world as a Black pastor leads a white church in a Latino neighborhood toward racial healing and surprising resurrections. I created this book trailer and hope you enjoy it. Order your copy of "Roosevelt Park Rising" today!

06/10/2026

Here's the latest book trailer that I've created for the new School of Journalism at Michigan State University MSU Bias Busters guidebook, "100 Questions and Answers About People Who Stutter". Many thanks to Joe Grimm for lending his voice to the narration and Lumen5 for their software that's easy enough for an old dog who needs to keep learning new tricks. https://youtu.be/HZZmqvhu8Ks?si=O89Z7XEWcnbN9HLe

“People who stutter have the unique opportunity to teach the world ...

06/09/2026

We're glad to share that 100 Questions and Answers About People Who Stutter: A Listener's Guide, the newest title in the Michigan State University School of Journalism's Bias Busters series, has already earned three New Release honors on Amazon during its pre-sale period:
#1 New Release in Education Reference
#1 New Release in Communicative Disorders in Special Education
#2 New Release in Audiology and Speech Pathology

Written for people who stutter and for everyone who communicates with them, the guide replaces assumptions with clear, respectful answers to 100 real questions.

The book publishes July 28, 2026. Pre-order your copy today: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H46DH7N8/ School of Journalism at Michigan State University

04/21/2026

What does the first year of being a published author actually look like?

David Larsen, author of "Green Street in Black and White: A Chicago Story", pulls back the curtain in a new blog post on the Front Edge Publishing (FEP) website. From debuting on Amazon with three "best seller" flags to traveling 2,000+ miles to connect with book clubs and university groups, Dave's journey offers an honest and encouraging look at hybrid publishing — and what it takes to build a genuine readership.

He also credits the production and marketing team at Front Edge Publishing and Reformed Journal Books, noting the value of having experienced professionals handle editing, cover design, social media strategy, audio production, and ongoing author coaching.

For authors considering the hybrid publishing path, Dave's reflection is worth a read.

🔗 https://frontedgepublishing.com/dave-larsen-green-street-author-at-one-year/

04/20/2026

It's been one year since Dave Larsen published Green Street in Black and White: A Chicago Story — and what a year it's been.

📖In a new blog post, Dave reflects on 2,000+ miles of travel, book clubs, church groups, podcasts, and the readers who have made it all worthwhile. His 4.7-star Amazon rating speaks for itself, but it's the personal moments — readers sharing passages with their spouses, remembering their own experiences with race and faith — that have meant the most.

Dave also shares a heartfelt thank-you to the team at Front Edge Publishing and Reformed Journal Books for guiding him from what he calls "naïveté to reality."If you're an aspiring author — or just a fan of a good Chicago story — this one's for you.

🔗 www.FrontEdgePublishing.com/blog

04/07/2026

Is Goodreads dying — and does Amazon.com even care?

David Crumm, founding editor of Front Edge Publishing, has spent the past year watching a once-beloved community of book lovers quietly fade away. In a new column, he shares a sobering conclusion: Amazon's apparent neglect has sent Goodreads into a downward spiral — and Marketing Director Susan Stitt agrees.

As Susan puts it, Goodreads is "no longer on the short list of recommended social media platforms" for the authors we represent. Buggy functionality, unchecked spam reviews, and tools that have been monetized into near-uselessness have taken their toll.

So where are readers gathering now? Read David's full reflection — and find out where we think the real reading community lives today.

👉 https://frontedgepublishing.com/the-demise-of-our-beloved-goodreads-flows-from-amazons-neglect-and-limitations/

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Front Edge Publishing's David Crumm and Susan Stitt write about why, in 2026, we are no longer urging our writers to participate in Goodreads.