MERMAID TEARS

BY SUSAN L. READ

WHY WE LOVED THIS PROJECT

Susan Read’s enthusiasm to help young adults with mental health issues is an angle we loved, dealing with an important issue that’s often overlooked. Also, Susan’s dedication to the project never wavered, as it took four years to complete. She had a great attitude, welcoming the professional feedback, which made for the success of this project.

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Izzard in Action

Editing

We provided options for her team, and Susan ultimately picked one of the editors who worked on The Hunger Games to join her editing team. It took two rounds of developmental editing but all the hard work showed in the results, and Susan grew as a writer from all of the high-level professional feedback. Once the content was sorted out, Susan worked with a line editor who had worked for Scholastic.

Cover

Susan picked a cover designer who had designed the cover for a book by Robert B. Parker, a favorite author that she bonded over with her late husband. The cover started out going in one direction, but as things evolved it landed in an entirely different spot, with a final cover that everyone loves.

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Hurdles

One challenge frequently encountered by authors writing for children and young adults is writing for the right age group. Often, authors end up writing over the heads of their age group, and working with an experienced editor is the best way to hit their target while maintaining the story and message.

In this case, Susan worked with some of the best young adult book publishing talent available.

Another challenge was marketing to the right demographic. With young adult and children’s books, authors have to walk a fine line between writing a book that appeals to their young readers, and appealing to parents — the demographic who actually buys the book!

As an educator and school librarian, Susan knew this demographic well, and that experience — on top of the work by an experienced PR team — was essential to the book’s success.

Here Are Just a Handful of the Book’s Marketing and Public Relations Accomplishments

Over 2.79 million social media followers were exposed to the book through various reviews and blogs written by the author.

Red Tricycle named Mermaid Tears one of the best books of 2021.

The author was able to showcase the book and discuss mental health for young adults at a regional Mensa convention.

Mermaid Tears received an A score from BookLife/Publishers Weekly.

NetGalley featured the book on their home page during their Debut Authors Week.

Susan Read

“As a first-time author it has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with Tim and the team at Izzard Ink. I was given valuable guidance from the first contact through the process to create a book I am now very proud of. My team, including editor, cover designer, interior designer, and publicist, led by Tim, has taught me so much. I know that I will be able to apply these lessons to future books in the series. I look forward to working with the Izzard Ink team for many years to come.”
—Susan Read

Other Case Studies

Hope Disappearing

SHERMAN HAGGERTY

This book focuses on how the chance to become self-sustaining citizens, which at one time seemed within reach, is quickly disappearing and preventing those caught in the homeless trap from achieving independence. As these opportunities disappear, so too does the opportunity to interrupt generational poverty.

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Let There Be Light

DAN GORDON

When Sol’s self-destructive habits end in a serious car crash, he wakes up to learn he was clinically dead for four minutes. Being dead isn’t what bothers him. It’s the voice. Five simple words that refuse to let him go: “Daddy, let there be light.”

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The Catalogue Vol.01

FRAN BERGER

The Catalogue was a project that needed to be completed in a matter of weeks and we appreciated how responsive Fran was — which helped us keep the process moving. The attention to every detail by Fran and her team made this project a success.

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