Review: Connect

Back in July, I read this post over at the Seekerville blog and found myself the winner of the small but packed book Connect: A Simple Guide to Public Speaking for Writers by Linda C. Apple.

You might wonder why I even put my name in the draw. Well, so did I! After all, speaking is for platform-building and seems more useful for a nonfiction author than fiction, especially one that isn’t contracted yet. But when I had a chance to start reading Connect, I found that Linda Apple writes fiction as well as nonfiction and has plenty of ideas on what a fiction writer might have to offer an audience.

The book may be small at 125 pages, but it’s packed with information. Chapters include finding a topic, preparing a speech, and presentation. Great, so now you have a speech you can give, but need an audience. Apple presents options for finding them in many different ways.

She then goes on to discuss personality styles and what the strengths and weaknesses of these are, specifically for speakers. All together IF I ever find myself desiring to add a speaking segment to my career, I feel much more confident with this little book to guide me.

Linda C. Apple and her husband live in Arkansas with their children and grandchildren. She is a speaker and writer of both fiction and non-fiction. Her book INSPIRE! Writing from the Soul is now available. Linda writes devotionals, some of which have appeared in The Upper Room and The Secret Place. She has also been published in ten Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Linda is the Arkansas regional speaker-trainer for Stonecroft Ministries. She speaks for women’s groups and writing groups.