I’m going to use this page as a big old bucket of “stuff” that just doesn’t fit anywhere else. First off, I’m putting some posts with detailed instructions on how to make author swag like book charms, bottle cap magnets, card magnets, bookmark charms, and all sorts of goodness. I spent days trying to find instructions for this kind of stuff, but wound up buying a bunch of products that didn’t work well or at all. I’d like to share so that you can Learn From My Fails!
Author swag, like these bottle cap magnets, is a fun way to give something back to your most loyal readers. I’m a big believer in it (mostly because I loved to get it as a reader!) but it can be very confusing to get started on it. This is also something fun to do if you’re not an author and have no swag requirements. I’m thinking of doing stuff like this for Halloween instead of candy (will that get my house egged?)
Shrinky Dinks persist, and for the Crafty Author, they offer an excellent way to create easy, attractive and fast swag that is very swagalicious.
If you made your pile of gorgeous, little book charms using my previous instructions, then you probably want some ideas about what to do with them. Or maybe not, but I’ll give you a few anyway. 
The first one is the easiest to do: Bookmarks!
Michael Hyatt
November 1, 2015 - 11:18 pm ·What an interesting thread between the two of you. Ann, perhaps this is something to develop in the future? The concept sounds fascinating.
Michael Hyatt
Editor of zombie novels and such
Michael Spivey
September 6, 2015 - 5:31 pm ·Ann, I would like that very much, thank you.
I have a wide background feel free to pick my mind. Electronics / Computer Tech, FCC General ticket, A&P Mechanic, machinist, cert welder, blacksmith, ex multidisciplinary aerospace engineer Lockheed skunk works (retired), gunsmith, martial artist since age 12 – a 5th degree black belt (Tang Soo Do) and two 4th degree black belts, one in Toyama Ryu Batto Jutsu (swords) and one in an off shoot of Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu, Mountain Man reinactor, hunter, fisherman, archer, rifleman (long range and combat), combat pistols, USN Vet and Combat vet.
Ann Christy
September 6, 2015 - 5:35 pm ·Michael – I’ll try to get that up in the next couple of days. Shoot me your email address at ann dot christyauthor at gmail dot com so I can send you the link when I get it posted somewhere.
Michael Spivey
September 6, 2015 - 4:11 pm ·Ann, I am curious as to why your excellent story “Chesapeake Time (Misplaced in Time – Book 1)” that you were posting and I was following on Wattpad is no longer there. I found it because of the post you made on http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=397973 I hope you choose to continue it as it is very good.
Ciao,
Michael Spivey
USN 1975-1983 VP9/VP91 AX1
Combat Field Service Engineer, LADC Skunk Works F117 Desert Storm Vet 37th TFW / 416TFS
Ann Christy
September 6, 2015 - 4:48 pm ·Hi Michael! Yes, alas I took it down. It really wasn’t getting any page views considering the work that was going into it. I think you may have been the only one reading it! In the end, I had to decide on continuing to do that for readers (who weren’t reading it) and writing the books that pay the bills. Guess which one won? I think if it got better feedback (it was being written stream of consciousness, not edited) then I might have continued. I’m very sorry! If you’d like to read what I’ve got written already, it’s not done, I’ll post it on a secret page and you can read it. Only you. It’s about 90K right now. 🙂 ~Ann