Chairman and founder of Gourmand International, Edouard Cointreau will launch the first annual Paris Cookbook Fair in February 2010. Speaking during an interview with Edward Nawotka from the Beijing Book Fair earlier this year, Mr. Cointreau stated he has decided to launch the first Cookbook Fair in conjunction with the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, an event he started in 1995. This event will be the largest cookbook and wine book trade fair in the world.

The first Cookbook Fair will take place February 11-15, 2010 in Paris at Le104, a hip new industrial exhibition/arts center which opened in October 2008. There will be a reasonably large space provided for publishers, cookbook authors, agents, chefs, journalists, and others to meet and mingle. Cointreau went on to say there would be space for cooking demonstrations, samples, and what he referred to as a “rights center” where deal making could occur. There is also a large bookstore on the site.

Even in the recession, cookbook sales have steadily increased, with sales in the US up 4% over last year. What’s truly exciting about this is that the fastest growing segment of the cookbook business is self-published cookbooks. Cointreau felt this to be one of the most important reasons to start his own fair just for cookbooks.

Referring to undiscovered talent that may not get any attention at traditional book fairs Cointreau said, “We plan to invite all of these authors, including the self-published, to Paris,”  “There’s no reason, provided their books are high quality, they shouldn’t be able to participate on equal footing with all the other publishers. There’s a real opportunity here for cookbook publishers to discover some new talent, particularly from other countries.”

The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards have been presented annually in a variety of global locations, from Kuala Lumpur to London, honoring cookbooks in 58 different categories of food and drink. The Gourmand awards are open to any book from any country written  in any language. Books from 126 countries were submitted at the most recent competition.

Cointreau will be looking to capitalize on the geographically vast network he’s established. He’s chosen Paris as the permanent location for the Cookbook Fair. Cointreau elaborated, “Paris is a city that has a reputation for culinary excellence, is halfway between Asia and America, just two hours by train from London, and a place where people from the Middle East are comfortable visiting.”

For more information about this event contact:

Edouard Cointreau
edouard@gourmandbooks.com
CookbookFair.com

You can find more information about self-publishing your own cook book by visiting Cookbook Coach.com … a leading authority for self-published cookbooks .

Whether you’re interested in writing a cookbook, self-publishing a cookbook, or marketing a cookbook you’ve just completed, you’ve come to the right place! I published my first cookbook The Rose Cookbook- a Treasury of Rose Recipes from Around the World, in 2007. You can read more about my book at  http://TheRoseDiva.com

Since then I’ve been involved with some pro-chefs, personal chefs and non-profit organizations, who had a similar idea, they all wanted to write and self-publish a cookbook to benefit their businesses. Rather than work with them one-on-one, I realized there was a need for an up-to-the-minute cookbook writing course. That got me thinking, so I created my new home study system – “The 7 Secrets of a Successful Self-Published Cookbook.”

From the response I received for the introductory teleseminar, I’m certain my hunch was right. Callers from all over the United States were on the line. Even more exciting were the calls that came from outside the US, including Canada, Turkey, and Italy. I’m now coaching a writer from Nepal, who’s writing his first cook: “Recipes from Top of the World.” And another writer from Sweden who is just 17 years old! The internet and social networking sites have given me to ability to deliver this class on a global level. It’s exciting to embrace these possibilities!

Today I wanted to focus on how to get started with a cookbook. I decided to come up with a “Survival Guide” for cookbook writing. Like any book, it’s very important to gain clarity on your “why.” Why do you want to write your cookbook? I ask all my students this question. Knowing the answer to this question will keep you on course throughout the writing, publishing, and marketing processes. So give it some thought, and write down your ideas. Knowing “why” will act as your compass throughout the journey—when the going can get tough. Your clarity will keep you focused and keep you moving forward. You won’t throw up your hands in frustration half way through and ask, “Why am I doing this?”

Writing a book can be strenuous, so I wanted to share some good pointers about preparing yourself and your home, for the “cookbook journey.” This is just a small part of what’s in store in my class. For more information and to sign-up for the class, go to http://CookbookCoach.com Seven weeks, seven teleseminars, and 1 bonus call. Start now, and my easy to follow, step-by-step approach will have you well on your way to completing your cookbook in 2010!

1. Make more money!

Traditional publishers cut into your profits. You’ll allow yourself the opportunity to experience greater profit potential by self-publishing. Invest in yourself!

2. It’s faster!

Publishers are slow. It can take up to 18 months for them to say “yes” and even longer to get your book out into the market. Get your book to market when you want, by self-publishing.

3. Retain control

Self-publish and retain editorial and artistic control of your project. You have the “final say.”

4. Get into the game now!

You decide when it happens. To your advantage, you get into the market much sooner.

5. Work at your own pace!

You make your own schedule. No external deadlines. You create your own deadlines.

6. Total ownership!

Your intellectual property is yours. Your works become part of your “legacy.”

7. You’re an expert!

Having a book shows the world that you are an “authority” on your subject.

8. Boost your career!

Enjoy new opportunities that come to you. Your book can open many new doors.

9. Create new income!

You’ll be able to create additional streams of new income. These streams can generate long-term income for you for many years. You can also generate long-term profits by developing additional products. Boost your brand and expand! Properly marketed, your self-published book becomes part of your “Author’s Platform.”  This could result in a publishing offer later when publishers may be more inclined to pay attention to you.

10.  It’s easy and it’s cheap!

Self publishing has never been easier with new POD methods. Check out lulu.com or book serge from Amazon. There are many possibilities for you to consider that will lower you initial cash output. Always a good thing if you’re working on a budget!

11. Test the market!

Not sure if you idea will sell? Write an eBook first. You can test the market with a small effort and possibly make some cash! If it works, you can go back to your full-blown project with confidence.

12. Buy an ISBN Block

Create a small publishing house. Buy a block of ISBN numbers and you’re ready to go whenever you have product. It could be yours or someone else’s!

13. Help others!

Your message has an impact. Something someone reads in your book could make a big difference in their life!

So how serious are you? What’s stopping your from creating your dream right now? Yes, there will be challenges, but the rewards far outweigh the challenges.

Jump at the chance to create something really cool in your life!

Now that I’ve given you all these great reasons…what’s holding your back? Take the leap and self-publish your cookbook.

I’m here to help you and I’d love to see you create your own book! I believe the time is now. What do you think?

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