"What a beautiful speech! [Staying Motivated in the Midst of Change] You made us laugh and you made us think. Come back next year!"
Marilyn Jack-Brown President,
NJ Association of Library Assistants

STAYING MOTIVATED AMIDST CHANGE

Even as your budgets shrink and your staff is reduced, you're expected to do more with less--and stay motivated in the process. In a funny, thought-provoking keynote speech, Jane suggests ways to harness creativity and improve productivity even through the uncertainty and stress of changing times.  

WOMEN OF MYSTERY, ANTIQUES & LOVE—What Else Does a Woman Need?
A three-for-one keynote speech

• Hank Phillipi Ryan, an Emmy award Boston-based reporter (for the NBC affiliate), speaks on love and broadcast journalism not mixing... romance can kill ya!
• Rosemary Harris, a Master Gardener, speaks on murder and mayhem in the garden
• and me, Jane K. Cleland, well... you know me.... I speak about killer antiques! 
  
  

(Listen to the presentation at
Westport Public Library.)

AN AUTHOR'S GUIDE TO SUCCESSFUL BOOK PROMOTION:
Creating an Effective Marketing Plan

Jane puts her MBA to work!  She uses tested and proven marketing strategies to develop a reader focused marketing plan. Join Jane as she compares and contrasts promotional options including:

• Book tours
• Blog tours
• Sneak Previews
• Friends and family letter
• Library events
• Co-branded alliances (i.e., Sotheby’s Institute of Art)
• Bookmarks
• Post cards
• Newsletters
• Website, blog site(s), videos and podcasts of interviews
• Specialty promotional items (Jane’s Martini glasses!)
• Flyers
• Conferences
• Magazine, newspaper, and on-line advertising (i.e., Author’s Buzz, Bookbitch, et al)
• Online interviews and reviews
• Magazine editorial (i.e., Mystery Scene)
• Participating in on-line chats (i.e., Dorothy L)
• Becoming involved in the mystery community (i.e., MWA)
• Media (i.e., Stamford, CT newspaper article)
• Book Trailers

  ---

FINDING STOLEN ART: A Detective Takes on the Nazis

According to Interpol and the FBI, the Nazis stole almost 20 percent of all Western art. To this day, more than 20,000 objects are still missing. This presentation traces one woman’s effort to recover her family’s art. It’s a real David vs. Goliath tale—inspirational and fun!

KILLER ANTIQUES: A Detective's Knowledge of Antiques Helps Solve Crimes

An old map. A mahogany table. A scrimshaw tooth. James McNeil Whistler’s pallet. Rare? Maybe. Fakes? Perhaps. Real? It’s possible. If these objects are genuine... how much are they worth?

With the money, status, and beauty associated with these objects, it’s no wonder crimes occur. In the Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery series, antiques might be:
§   Stolen—Have you ever wondered who’s buying art and antiques that can’t be
     displayed?
§   Faked—Artisans create and duplicate counterfeit objects that can (almost) fool
     antiques experts and scientists alike.
§   Lied about—Faking association is easy. The trick is verifying provenance—much
     easier said than done.

This highly-interactive, fun presentation challenges attendees to answer the questions “What information do you need to appraise it?” and “What else do want to know?” In the process the nuances of the antiques appraisal process are explained and discussed. This speech can also be accompanied by a Power Point presentation (or not).  

 [See the video in a larger size on You Tube. Jane's other video presentations and interviews are there too!]

UNDER THE WRITER’S VEIL: Mysteries Revealed and Unsolved

Synthesizing insights from interviews Jane conducted with bestselling authors Lee Child, Gayle Lynds, Charlaine Harris, and Wendy Corsi Staub, Jane discusses where successful ideas come from, how ideas evolve into plots, and which work habits lead to the highest levels of productivity.

NEWSLETTER TIPS: Five Tips to Help You Write, Edit & Design Newsletters that Get Read

This presentation highlights the major considerations for a Newsletter that gets read and meets your goals.

THE POLITICS OF INTERNATIONAL ART THEFT

Organized, systematic government-sponsored or sanctioned art theft isn’t a modern phenomenon, and one of the most diabolical tools in a government’s arsenal is its ability to create laws of convenience. This presentation examines the obstructionist behavior of governments and institutions from ancient times to the modern day—and how journalists and detectives have overcome the hurdles to recover stolen art.

SMUGGLING DOLLS

Since dolls were first carved by craftsmen, they’ve both served as role models and reflected current definitions of beauty. This visual lecture discusses how dolls have evolved since the 1500s, how fashion relates to image, and how bounty from the Civil War leads to murder. By following a historical trail from Queen Anne to Sesame Street, you’ll discover how dolls have been used for smuggling—and how they represent innocence—or should.

JANE AUSTEN AND THE TRADITIONAL MYSTERY

The term “traditional” is code in the world of mysteries. It informs and reassures readers about what to expect. In this presentation, Jane discusses the anatomy of a traditional mystery and examines how Jane Austen uses clues, red herrings, and suspense in Emma.

HARNESSING YOUR CREATIVITY

The wherefores and hows of creativity have been studied—you can learn to be more creative! This presentation explains proven easy-to-use and fun processes—random selection, contradictory message, and hub & spoke analysis—to enhance your ability to come up with innovative ideas in a snap.