It’s a bit late in the month of December now, but here is my reading list from November. A bunch of great product and business titles this month with a smattering of fiction thrown in to keep your brain loose.

Don’t forget that each month I run a giveaway on my email list where I give someone a copy of my favorite book from that month’s reading list.

1: APE: Author Publisher Entrepreneur

Find APE on Amazon

I’ve had APE on my list for a while, since I’d like to get better at writing books and converting them into revenue for my business. Even with 2 self-publishing efforts under my belt, APE was a great read.

The book is divided into 3 sections which correspond with the APE title.

  1. Author
  2. Publisher
  3. Entrepreneur

I gleaned some great advice from the Author section on how to make my next book even better than the first two. This next project will take me longer as I add extra research, but the content will be so much better for it. From the Publisher section I was forced to think about adding my next book to the Amazon marketplace. It’s likely that you will be able to purchase my next book on Amazon as well as directly from me where you get some bonus materials. (Hint: This next book is on pricing and sales and you can find out about it first on my email list). In the Entrepreneur section the authors focus on how to market your book effectively. This is where I think I’m the weakest overall. I want to write and read and research and share, but the marketing stretch ramps up as soon as you cross the writing finish line.

Often, at that point, I’m thinking about the next project.

If you’re thinking of writing a book or have written a book and want to learn about how to manage the publishing process better go get APE.

2 – 4: Foreigner Book 1, 2 and 3

Get Foreigner on Amazon
Get Invader on Amazon
Get Inheritor on Amazon

This is C.J. Cherryh’s series all about 2 races trying to figure out how they can work together.

Wait — that’s what all of her books are about.

In this series, humans have landed on a planet because they have no other option and they suddenly find themselves dealing with a population (the Atevi) that looks, thinks and acts very different from them.

Add in some intrigue that humans can’t quite understand because of their different biology and we have a recipe for some trouble.

While I enjoy the series (this is my second time reading through the first 3) one thing that rubs me the wrong way is the assumption that only humans can understand the Atevi. Atevi simply can’t understand humans really.

It seems very presumptuous that only humans are equipped to understand others.

5: Your First 1000 Copies: The Step-by-Step Guide to Marketing Your Book

Get Your First 1000 Copies on Amazon

This is all about selling books to readers (which is obvious because readers can read).

Author Tim Grahl lays out an awesome and complete system which you can use to bring people into your field of influence, then provide awesome value and move them into the sales process.

While this book is geared more towards authors there are lots of great tidbits in here for people running their own business.

6: Eat Move Sleep: How Small Choices Lead to Big Changes

Get Eat Move Sleep on Amazon

This is a short read but has lots of little tips that are going to help you just make better decisions about how you eat, move and sleep.

One small choice we’ve implemented in our household routine is to keep a fruit bowl out all the time, or put a plate of vegetables out 10 minutes before dinner for the family to snack on. That has us eating more fruit and vegetables simply because they’re the most easily accessible food around.

You’re going to find lots of other tips like this, and even if you adopt just a few, you’re on your way to a healthier lifestyle.

7: Stop Thinking Like a Freelancer: The Evolution of a $1M Web Designer

Get Stop Thinking Like a Freelancer on Amazon.

This is a great book for any freelancer but is specifically targeted to those who still refer to themselves a freelancer — not yet a business owner.

Even if you operate as an independent contractor (freelancer), you’re a business owner who runs a business, so you’d better start thinking like a business owner and setting yourself up for success. Until you do, you’re most like just running a hobby that may not even pay the bills.

Even if you’re running smooth and getting lots of clients, you’ll find good value in this book that will help you run your business even better.

If you want a bit deeper review of it, go read mine.

8: Be Awesome at Online Business

Get Be Awesome at Online Business on Amazon

This is the book that all designers and developers wish their clients would read.

This book is full of practical advice for business owners on how to choose a great designer or developer for their project, and how to have a successful project (hint: deliver your stuff on time and give constructive feedback).

The book even goes a step further with great advice on how to run the site long-term (which few designers/developers do well). If you build it they’re not guaranteed to come. Building a truly successful website requires that you generate content, engage in social media, build an email list, among other things. In Be Awesome at Online Business, author Paul Jarvis presents a great overview to get you started.