An Interview with American Poet Nadia Brown
Nadia Brown is an American poet, freelance writer, and author of the award-winning book, Unscrambled Eggs. She was awarded in January the 2007 Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s Noble Prize for Literature and the Allbooks Review Editor’s Choice Award for outstanding literary achievement for her book Unscrambled Eggs. This is the third award Unscrambled Eggs has received and the fourth time the book has been nominated. Previously, Ms. Brown received the Poetry Book of Merit Award from The American Authors Association. Her articles and poetry have been published and/or featured in national and 
international literary journals, magazines in print and online publications. She is also the founder of www.Author-Promotion.com and maintains her own website at www.nadiabrown.com .
Welcome to Beyond the Books, Nadia. Can you tell us whether you are published for the first time or multi-published? Can you give us the title(s) of your book(s)?
Unscrambled Eggs is my first and latest book collection. It was an organic process, and I hope it will make a difference in other people’s lives. If Unscrambled Eggs does this, then all my efforts and hard work in promoting this book would all be worth it!
What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?
Well… Unscrambled Eggs is my first book; however, the title Unscrambled Eggs wasn’t my first choice. I had two other titles prior to finally settling on the current title. It is an interesting fact that many people may not know.
For your first published book, how many rejections did you go through before you either found a mainstream publisher, self-published it, or paid a vanity press to publish it?
I was fortunate that I didn’t go through any rejections, which was a good thing. If I had been rejected it probably would have taken me a lot larger to get Unscrambled Eggs published. A writer friend at the time recommended my current publisher and as soon as I felt my manuscript was complete I submitted my work.
How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?
When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them? I really didn’t know anything about the publishing industry at the time I published my first book. Also, my current publisher (Publish America) was recommended to me by a fellow writer who at the time was published with another publisher.
How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
I was excited when I first received copies of my book! I felt I had accomplished something important. It was a big deal. My family is so proud of me and has continued to support me throughout my writing career.
What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
The first thing I did was to request reviews for Unscrambled Eggs. I initially requested reviews from fellow authors then began requesting reviews from professional book reviewers.
If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?
There are perhaps many things I would do differently; I would have perhaps chosen a different publishing company. At the time I didn’t know much about various publishers. I knew I couldn’t afford hundreds of dollars to be published and that is why I went with the company I did. But I believe everything is for a reason, and goes with the publisher I did was probably the best decision at the time.
Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?
No. I have been promoting Unscrambled Eggs for a while on purpose, and during the past two years I’ve definitely grown as an author. I realize that being an author you have to wear many hats–salesperson, marketer, editor, entrepreneur, public speaker…. If you are not prepared as an author for all that is required of you, then you might find the task overwhelming.
Looking back since the early days when you were trying to get published, what do you think you could have done differently to speed things up? What kind of mistakes could you have avoided?
I really have no regrets regarding this area as the first time I submitted my work for publication, my manuscript was accepted by my current publisher. It was my first time ever submitting a collection of work to a publisher. I believe my manuscript was published at the appropriate time when it was.
What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?
The biggest accomplishment I have achieved is getting book sales. It is not easy to sell products of any kind, and whenever someone tells me that they bought a copy of Unscrambled Eggs I am always pleased that people take the time to support me–that they find value in my work. I was recently told by a lady from India that her local bookstore was going to order copies of my book. I was thrilled when she told me this. It actually put a smile on my face. I also would have to say being honored with book awards from the American Authors Association, Allbooks Reviews, Muses Review, and author, Carolyn Howard-Johnson were equally gratifying.
If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?
Wow…that is a great question. I love the entertainment field, so if I had to choose another profession I would definitely become a singer. I’m not a great singer, but I love words and singing is another form of expression. It is another outlet where you can create and express yourself through words.
Would you give up being an author for that profession or have you combined the best of both worlds?
I love being an author; however, songwriting and music was my first love. Fortunately, I will be combining the best of both worlds. I still plan to publish my songs I wrote years ago. I also plan to write more songs in the future. Who knows maybe one day I might even sing on a record.
How do you see yourself in ten years?
I see myself as a published author of several books– including a book on marketing. I also see myself being involved in film and music. I would love to see something I created made into a film.
Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
For one, they should know that anything is possible–no matter how big one’s dream might be. They should always be willing to grow in their craft, and should strive to produce quality work. They should seek to put God first, and He will open closed doors.
An Interview with Paranormal & Historical Romance Author Marisa Chenery
Marisa Chenery was always a lover of books, but after reading her first historical romance novel she found herself hooked. Having inherited a love for the written word, she soon started writing her own novels. After trying her hand at writing historicals she now also writes paranormals. Marisa lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and four children. Check out Marisa’s website at www.marisachenery.com. She would love to hear from you, so drop her a email while you’re there.
Welcome to Beyond the Books, Marisa Chenery! Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?
I’m published for the first time. My very first book, The Blue Lotus, came out September 10<sup>th of this year at Liquid Silver Books. But I do have a second book called A Tournament Knight coming out sometime this November at New Concepts Publishing.
What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?
The name of my very first book is Lady Knight. It isn’t published yet, but it’s sitting at Ellora’s Cave waiting for an acquiring editor to look at it. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
For your first published book, how many rejections did you go through before you either found a mainstream publisher, self-published it, or paid a vanity press to publish it?
Actually with The Blue Lotus I was very lucky rejection wise. I tried submitting it to a mainstream publisher only to have it sit there for a year with no response from the publisher. I had submitted A Tournament Knight to Liquid Silver first and it didn’t fit exactly with their line, but they expressed interest in The Blue Lotus. So I wrote a letter to the other publisher that I was withdrawing my submission then sent it off to Liquid Silver who in turn offered me a contract for it.
How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?
I have had more than a couple rejections for the first two books I wrote. I will admit it is depressing when you get turned down. I almost gave up writing altogether. If it wasn’t for a very dear friend of mine who read my first book and told me I had to keep writing, I wouldn’t have any of my books published. She wouldn’t let me give up.
When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?
My first book was published by Liquid Silver Books. Actually they were the first epublisher I submitted to. At the time I knew to nothing about epublishers, so I based my decision on the quality of their website and the type of books they already had published.
How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
I was ecstatic when Liquid Silver offered me a contract. I have been writing books for the last 10 years, and to finally have a publisher want to publish one of them was one of the best things to ever happen to me. To celebrate I had a party and invited my family over. We had champagne for the adults and sparkling grape juice for the kids.
What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
The first thing I did was set up my own website shortly after I signed my contract. This was something I was able to do easily since I know how to do HTML and I love designing web pages.
If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?
Absolutely not. I think epublishers are going to only get bigger as time goes on. I’m thrilled to be just a small part of this flourishing business.
Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?
My second book, A Tournament Knight, will be coming out sometime this November at New Concepts Publishing. I think I have grown as an author since having a book published. I feel more confident in my writing. That I no longer have to wonder if what I’m actually writing is good enough for a publisher to accept.
Looking back since the early days when you were trying to get published, what do you think you could have done differently to speed things up? What kind of mistakes could you have avoided?
I think my one mistake was not trying to submit to epublishers earlier than I did. They are more likely to give an unpublished author their big break compared to some mainstream publishing houses.
What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?
I think my biggest accomplishment would have to be finally being able to call myself a writer. I always felt that I had to have a book actually published before I could say I was a writer.
If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?
I probably wouldn’t choose another profession since I’m a stay at home Mom, as well as an author. So I really already have two rewarding jobs.
How do you see yourself in ten years?
I hope to see myself in 10 years still enjoying writing books and have people enjoy reading them.
Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
The best advice I could give would be to never give up on your dream, keep writing. If one book doesn’t get you published then write another. Eventually one of them will be the one a publisher won’t reject.
An Interview with Young Adult Fiction Author Kim Baccellia
Ms. Baccellia’s writing credits include numerous poems published in a variety of magazines, ranging from Beginnings magazine and Latino Stuff Review to Coil magazine. Her poem, My Father , appears in the Mind Mutations Anthology published by The Sun Rising Poetry Press. Her essay on the adoption of her son, Finally, Our Turn , appeared in both Adoptive Families magazine and the Adoptive Families 2003-2004 Adoption Guide . She is also a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators ( SCBWI).
Earrings of Ixtumea is a finalist in the 2006 Dream Realm Awards and was a finalist in the Smartwriters 2006 WIN contest.
You can visit her website at http://www.kim-baccellia.com/ and her blog at kbaccellia.livejournal.com.
Welcome to Beyond the Books, Kim Baccellia! Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?
Earrings of Ixtumea is my first novel. I’ve had numerous poems and essays published in a number of publications.
What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?
Earrings of Ixtumea
For your first published book, how many rejections did you go through before you either found a mainstream publisher, self-published it, or paid a vanity press to publish it?
I had 58 rejections! I ended up going to a small press, who first published it as an e-serial, then an ebook, and finally in print.
How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?
Wow, that’s a loaded question! At first the rejections got me down, but I put them aside and tried again. One way I had of overcoming a rejection is to send out three more queries.
When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?
Virtual Tales is my publisher. I liked the look of their product and how they thought outside of the box. The whole e-serial concept intrigued me. I thought Earrings would be perfect for this format. Also I went with them so I could get my toe into the publishing world. I’ve learned a lot this past year!
How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
I was very excited! Yes, I’d had poems and essays published but not a book! I even had a poem published in an anthology but nothing that was just my work. It was very exciting! We went out to dinner to celebrate. I told the people next to us I was going to be a published author and they saluted me.
What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
I signed up for a PR class with Louise Ahern who teaches through AuthorMBA. She has a number of classes available but the one that really helped me was her boot camp for writers. I also had a contest.
If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?
No. I don’t regret signing with Virtual Tales. The whole team has worked very hard to help make my book be a success.
Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?
Not yet but I’m working on it! Yes, I’ve grown a lot this past year. I’ve learned that writing the book is only a small part of the whole publishing thing. PR and marketing is a whole job by itself. I’d highly recommend first time published authors to have a blog, website, and to have a virtual book tour.
Looking back since the early days when you were trying to get published, what do you think you could have done differently to speed things up? What kind of mistakes could you have avoided?
Not send out my manuscript until I’d done a few revisions. I got very impatient the first time around. I’d recommend others to put their manuscript aside for a few weeks then go back to it. Don’t be impatient! You don’t want to burn any bridges.
What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?
Earrings was a Dream Realm 2006 award finalist. I completed a month long virtual book tour.
If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?
Too funny! I was an elementary school teacher for fifteen years. I’d like to go back to school later and finish my post graduate work and maybe even get my PhD. I’d also like to do research into autism and sensory impairment issues. I’m surprised at how little the schools help these children.
Would you give up being an author for that profession or have you combined the best of both worlds?
Right now I enjoy being an author. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. It’s also great that I have the opportunity to help my son at his school. I used to tell my parents how important it was to help out but I felt like such a hypocrite as I couldn’t. Now I help the teacher. Let’s just say they are excited to know that I’m a credentialed teacher too. Plus I’m able to help in the library and see what books the students like.
How do you see yourself in ten years?
Wow, let’s see…I see myself speaking at conferences. I’ll also have a few more books under my belt.
Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
If you want to be published, you need to write! There’s no secret potion to being published. Believe me, if I knew it, I would have taken it!
Be persistent. Don’t give up. Take advantage of any opportunities that come your way.
An Interview with Young Adult Fiction Author L. Diane Wolfe
L. Diane Wolfe’s series, The Circle of Friends, focuses on the pursuit of dreams and the overcoming of obstacles. The stories intertwine as the characters learn that with belief and encouragement, they can achieve anything. Her latest in the series, “Mike: Book IV”, follows one young man’s journey of forgiveness.
Traveling the East Coast to promote her series, Wolfe sets herself on a heavy tour of extensive book signings and speaking engagements. The author averages over sixty appearances each year, maintains a website & blog for her series, and contributes articles for several other sites. She conducts seminars on publishing & promoting, goal setting and works with writer’s groups. Meant to inspire as well as entertain, Wolfe’s books have been described as “encouragement personified”.
You can visit her website at http://www.thecircleoffriends.net/.
Welcome to Beyond the Books, Diane! Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published? You are welcome to tell us about them if you like.
Good day! I am the author of a series of five, four of which are currently in release. My Southern-based series, The Circle of Friends, focuses on the pursuit of dreams and the overcoming of obstacles. Book I, LORI follows a young swimmer pursing Olympic dreams. Book II, SARAH follows a Georgia Tech student searching for trust and belief. Book III, JAMES follows a young man struggling to overcome past abuse. Book IV, MIKE follows a young man unable to let go of past mistakes and forgive himself. Book V, HEATHER will be released in 2009. The stories intertwine as the characters learn that with belief and encouragement, they can achieve anything.
What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?
My first completed novel was LORI! However, I began writing as a teen and have two incomplete science fiction stories that were to be part of a series. While I have long since scrapped the idea of the second book, the first story’s basic premise will be the next book I attempt after my current series is complete. Working title CASSASTAR, it will follow two brothers in a war.
For your first published book, how many rejections did you go through before you either found a mainstream publisher, self-published it, or paid a vanity press to publish it?
Book I of my series, The Circle of Friends, followed a swimmer with Olympic dreams. By the time the book reached the editing step, the Olympic games were just one year away. I realized that if I pursued the traditional route, it would be a minimum of five years before my book would be published. Outside of the time it would take to find a publisher, I knew Book I would be held to coincide with the Summer Olympics. Eventually I selected a subsidy publisher. They offered Print-On-Demand digital printing and a return option for the books that no other subsidy publisher at the time could match. Whereas POD and subsidy publishing tend to kill most authors and their books, I had two things going for me – naïve willingness and a rep that understood marketing. My rep suggested numerous books and websites to assist me with promotions and told me to start making bookstore appearances. I eagerly followed all of his advice and by the end of the year, I’d done fifty book signings and built a good fan base. I did send out a handful of queries for Books II and III, but not enough to see any results. By this time, traditional publishing was not a route that excited me. I have since then done my research and am preparing to start my own publishing company in 2008 and take on other authors.
How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?
Almost every rejection was a form letter, so none of them really bothered me.
When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?
As I said before, I went with a subsidy press, AuthorHouse. I selected them because they offered returnable Print-On-Demand, something that was just unheard of at the time. I stayed with them for the next few years because of the easy access my books and I had to the bookstores and because of the assistance I received from my rep. During this time, I learned so much about the publishing industry!
How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
Holding that first book is quite a thrill! My husband brought me a dozen roses and took numerous promo pictures of me holding LORI.
What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
I threw a book release party in my hometown. The local newspaper ran a big article and I sent out invitations to everyone I knew. It was a tremendous success and so encouraging!
If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?
I do not regret the path I chose. I could have waited and done all of the self-publishing research before releasing LORI and started my own company first. However, so much of what I learned came from experience. I’m not sure I would’ve been prepared to do it completely on my own.
Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?
After LORI, a new book followed every year, up to the current release, MIKE. And I don’t know how one could write all of that and NOT grow as an author! I cannot wait to do revisions to Book I, although I am still pleased with the spirit and storyline of each book. I can see a big difference as the books have progressed, the stories becoming more focused and with stronger conflict. Of course, this really puts the pressure on Book V, HEATHER!
Looking back since the early days when you were trying to get published, what do you think you could have done differently to speed things up? What kind of mistakes could you have avoided?
Knowing more about the industry would have helped tremendously!! But I put off my dream of being an author for so many years. I tell other writers learn the craft, do research, but don’t put it off forever!
What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?
On a professional level, I am now a paid speaker. I teach publishing & promoting seminars, speak to clubs & organizations, and do seminars on overcoming obstacles. On a personal level, it is the friends I have made along the way and the people I’ve affected through my books that matter the most! That my work inspires others means the world to me.
If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?
I am also a professional photographer and could have been happy continuing with that. However, writing for a roller coaster magazine would be the best, because I’d HAVE to travel the world and ride roller coasters!
Would you give up being an author for that profession or have you combined the best of both worlds?
I would rather just ride the coasters than give up being an author! And my photography fits well with my writing, as I take my own promotional shots. My camera also travels with me when I make appearances, and I have pictures of fans and such all over my website.
How do you see yourself in ten years?
As a successful small publisher, with at least four other authors, and four more books under my belt. I will continue with speaking engagements as well. Most important, I will feel good knowing I have made a difference in other’s lives!
Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
Begin with the end in mind! If you want to be on the New York Times Bestseller List with a fictional title, you will have to land one of the major publishing houses. If you want just family & friends to read your book, self-publish a hundred copies for yourself. No matter what though, do your research. You need to fully understand the path you’ve chosen before boldly going forth, or you’ll just wind up frustrated. Just don’t give up on your dream!
Beyond the Books 
