What is your most recent book? Tell us a bit about it.

Sourcing Smarts: Keeping it SIMPLE and SAFE With China Sourcing and Manufacturing – is a no frills, do-it-yourself guide to China sourcing and manufacturing, geared towards inventors, first-time importers and entrepreneurs. It’s a “China Sourcing 101” manual in easy, no-nonsense language, covering everything you’ll need to know to get your products sourced, made, and imported from China. Real-life inventor stories are included. Now featuring: “Safe or Sorry?—Critical Information on the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act”—all about manufacturing a SAFE product! It even includes a section on how to market your new product!

Tell us something about yourself.

Edie Tolchin, “The Sourcing Lady” (SM), with over 30 years of experience, “invented” EGT Global Trading (www.egtglobaltrading.com) in 1997, with a goal to link U.S. inventors with Asian manufacturers, to provide an exclusive import service for sourcing, quality control, production testing and safety issues, manufacturing, international financing, air/ocean shipping, customs clearance arrangements, and dock-to-door delivery. Ms. Tolchin holds a prestigious U.S. Customs Broker License. She is an officer on the Board of the Directors of the United Inventors Association, and is an expert in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act’s requirements for the General Conformity Certificate and Tracking Labels. Edie also writes occasionally for Inventors Digest magazine, and a few local publications.

What inspired you to write this book?

“Sourcing Smarts” is actually a second edition of the first “Sourcing Smarts” (published in 2008), but now includes a new chapter on the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, and a new marketing section – i.e., what to do with your invention once you’ve received your first SAFE shipment.

How did you choose the title?

I’ve always liked alliteration, and I googled the title to make sure there was nothing out there with that name. I had originally called it “Sourcing Savvy”, but there was something with that name already.

How did you know you wanted to be a writer? How did you get started?

Ever since I opened my business, EGT Global Trading, in 1997, I have always written industry/trade articles for the benefit of my clients. One day, in 2007, a trusted colleage said, “why don’t you write a book about what you do?” So I did. I compiled many of the articles I’ve written about sourcing inventions in China, product safety, Customs and importing, edited them, added more info, and created the book.

Did you learn anything from writing and publishing this book? What?

You need $$ if you are self-publishing.

What types of books do you like to read? Who are your favorite authors? Why?

I read only non-fiction. I truly enjoy all autobiographies. I cannot relate to fiction, as I am very much a reality-oriented person.

What is the best advice you could give other writers about writing or publishing?

Write what you know best. Your book will be your best advertisement for your business (if you have one) – for a non-fiction, industry-related or trade publication. If you do fiction, write about personal experiences, then jazz them up.

Who is the perfect reader for your book?

Inventors or entrepreneurs with new products that are interested in saving money by sourcing and manufacturing in China, but who have no idea where to begin, and who are concerned with how to address product safety issues in accordance with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.

Where can readers learn more about you and your book?

Please go to my website, www.egtglobaltrading.com, where my book is available for purchase (as well as on Amazon). Readers can also e-mail me directly, at EGT@warwick.net, and I would be happy to send them excerpts and/or articles on the subject of China sourcing and product safety.