Sheila Roberts lives in the Pacific Northwest. She’s happily married and has three children. She’s been writing since 1989, but she did lots of things before settling in to her writing career, including owning a singing telegram company and playing in a band. When she’s not speaking to women’s groups or at conferences she can be found writing about those things near and dear to women’s hearts: family, friends, and chocolate. You can visit her website at www.sheilasplace.com.  

Welcome to Beyond the Books, Sheila. 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)?

I’ve been published many times under different names. This is my second book for St. Martin’s Press.

What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?

My very first book was called “The Phoenix Rises.” How impressive is that? I was certainly impressed with it. Never found a publisher who was, though. As to why it was never published, well, it wasn’t very good. That could have had something to do with it.

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,none. It was a fun premise, so I didn’t have trouble getting it published. But I paid my dues later in my career. This is not an easy business.

How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?

I’ve had my share of rejections. I just kept writing.

When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?

I didn’t choose my first publisher. They chose me. In fact, I didn’t really have a clue what I was doing. My agent brokered the whole thing.

How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?

Talk about exciting. I live in Washington. I’m sure people in Florida heard the scream. It would have been wonderful to have gone out for dinner, had champagne. But we had young kids at the time and were on the budget. So . . . who knows what we did? I can’t remember. Just remember my very unprofessional and excited screeching. My poor agent. I don’t think she ever did hear well out of that one ear after that.

What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?

Organized a book signing. Sat around all dressed up in a goofy outfit (which was what I thought celebrity authors did.) Told customers where to find the restroom. Sometimes reality doesn’t match up with the vision.

If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?

No.

Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?

Yes. I hope I’m growing as an author with each new book I write. I don’t know if a writer ever “arrives” – it’s a constant growing experience.

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?

My process was pretty speedy, so I don’t think I could have made it go any faster. In fact, I had agent interest before I’d finished typing up that longhand first draft. I wish I’d known more about the business to begin with – what sold, how to write a bigger book. That sort of thing. I think I would have saved myself from many experiencing many painful bumps on the road to success.

What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?

Ask me that in ten more years.

If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?

Songwriter. Who knows? Maybe some day. There were only twenty-five thousand entrants in the “American Idol” songwriting contest. So what are the odds of winning and getting discovered?!

Would you give up being an author for that profession or have you combined the best of both worlds?

I think I really have the best of all worlds. I still do music as a sideline. Life is good.

How do you see yourself in ten years?

Rich? Famous?

Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?

Keep writing! The only way to find success is stay on the road to it.