Some say getting a book published is difficult, but it doesn't have to be. By leveraging your social networks and relying on happy accidents, you can publish your book too.

1. How I Got My Book Deal… Presented by Denise R. Jacobs The Miami Empowered Woman Success Summit June 2010

2. It’s All About People… … but it’s not only about people either, you also have to trust in… http://www.flickr.com/photos/thelastminute/3114650732/

3. Beautiful Serendipity! The term serendipity was coined by Horace Walpole, from the Persian fairy tale "The Three Princes of Serendip," whose heroes "were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of .“ - Dictionary.com

4. The goal

5. Before…After! 1999 2008 >>

6. Original plan… + +

7. Oops! cssdetectiveguide.com

8. Oops! (I did it again) interactwithwebstandards.com

9. What the…? ≠

10. Serendipity happens http://www.flickr.com/photos/96dpi/2951427126/

11. Before 15 October 2008 http://www.flickr.com/photos/carbonnyc/3268320322/ http://www.flickr.com

12. On and after 15 October 2008 http://www.flickr.com/photos/tbonesteak/480842464/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/trinity/194351685/

13. February 2009 Oh well… My she-ro My book..?

14. March 2009 >> http://www.flickr.com/photos/allaboutgeorge/3368035427/

15. The. Best. Conference. Ever. http://www.flickr.com/photos/denisejacobs/favorites/

16. It was just a standard SXSW party… http://www.flickr.com/photos/msjen/3368629929/

17. The evening’s progression… http://www.flickr.com/photos/denisejacobs/favorites/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcroft/3364419579/

18. The goal http://www.flickr.com/photos/clagnut/3365047120/

20. Our conversation… Let me tell you what I want to do: I want to write and present more. So, Denise, what do you do? I have a self-help book that I want to write. What do you want to write about?

21. … went like this I taught web design for 5 years and wrote a guide on troubleshooting HTML for my students. Doing that for CSS would be fun! I can’t you help there, we publish tech books. I am looking for someone to write a book on troubleshooting CSS code. Great! Let’s touch base and discuss it after the conference!

22. This conversation yielded… Book proposal Book Contract Book Published!

23. Next stop http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattmay/3359269358/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/msjen/3369454918/

24. This conversation yielded: An invitation An opportunity A book chapter

25. People or Serendipity? http://www.flickr.com/photos/fdecomite/449818981/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/carbonnyc/3268320322/

26. Both! http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonathan_hamner/3386076488/

27. One party+two conversations= + cssdetectiveguide.com interactwithwebstandards.com

28. 6 Important points: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cappellmeister/34200910/

29. Be CLEAR http://www.flickr.com/photos/thivierr/1177775772/ ( 1 )

30. Be OPEN http://www.flickr.com/photos/sentxd/4232907318/ ( 2 )

31. Be ATTENTIVE http://www.flickr.com/photos/copperfeesh/147493122/ ( 3 )

32. Be FLEXIBLE http://www.flickr.com/photos/31246066@N04/4597640798/ ( 4 )

33. Be AGGRESSIVE ( 5 )

34. Be READY http://www.flickr.com/photos/freakapotimus/376167615/ ( 6 )

35. Post-publishing Awesomeness! http://www.flickr.com/photos/partsnpieces/493156057/

36. Creativity, Self-Esteem, and Opportunities http://www.flickr.com/photos/beigephotos/

37. Client work

38. Additional writing

39. Speaking at conferences! Definitely! Potentially…

41. Manifest your book deal!