– by Cheri Cowell

I do not have a book releasing this year, but will be attending ICRS. Why? There are good reasons for us to attend the International Christian Retail Show. Here are my top ten:

10. Connect with your publisher. Even if you don’t have a new book coming out, your publisher(s) like to see their authors are there promoting their books, if only with business cards.

9. Pitch. This may take some time to set up, but if you work your connections ahead you can make appointments to pitch to your favorite editors.

8. Network. Let your favorite industry professionals know you will be there and offer to meet them for coffee. It is a great opportunity to build those relationships, even if you aren’t pitching.

7. Network. This networking is with friends in the industry. We lead an often lonely life so these relationships are vital to keeping up from focusing on ourselves. These can be with people we’ve only met online, or with friends who live on the "other coast." We need each other so take time to reconnect with writing friends.

6. Walk the Floor. This is our industry convention. If we are going to be a part of this industry we need to know the trends, know the players, and be aware of the changes taking place. There is not better place to do this than walking the ICRS floor.

5. Attend Special Events. I will be attending the Advanced Writers and Speakers conference held prior to ICRS. They host the Golden Scrolls banquet on Sunday and Monday night the Christy’s are held. Other writer groups hold dinners or gatherings and are a great way to participate in the festivities.

4. Go to the Other Side. More than half the floor at ICRS are non-book items. As authors this is an opportunity to find like things we can sell from our websites or from our book tables. Consider adding note cards, jewelry, gift items, even fair trade items to your sales. You can get great deals at ICRS.

3. Fair Trade. I just have to mention this section separately because it is a great opportunity to partner with a ministry providing fair wages in another country, and in doing so extend your ministry reach.

2. Publicity. This will require some pre-planning but there are a lot of media opportunities from magazines, radio, television, and print, to internet and Internet TV at ICRS. Many of these are looking to interview authors of books released within the last several years and not just the current releases.

1. God Opportunities. You’ve heard it said that we want to be where God is at work. Well, as Christian authors the God opportunities abound at ICRS. There are open doors for us to receive and opportunities for us to give—to bless others. This is perhaps the best reason to attend ICRS.

Make plans to attend ICRS in 2015 June 28-July 1 in Orlando, Florida. If you want to attend this year there are still rooms available at host hotels.

Cheri is an ‘Award Winning Author’ and her Bible study Parables and Word Pictures (AMG) is available at local Christian bookstores and is also listed at Amazon. Her most recent book, Living the Story, is available as an E-book and print book. She can be reached through her website .

www.EABooksOnline.com  where Cheri helps authors reach their publishing dreams.