K.M. Daughters is the penname for team writers and sisters, Pat Casiello and Kathie Clare nee Lynch.  The author name is dedicated to the memory of their parents, Katherine and Michael, the “K” and “M” in K.M. Daughters.  Inspired by their father who wrote children’s books for them when they were small and their mother’s love of romance novels, K.M. Daughters was “born” a little under five years ago at a Romance Writers of American national conference when the sisters plotted their first manuscript, now published in E-book by Sapphire Blue Publishing: Past, Present and Forever.

Since that conference, K.M. Daughters has written five additional award-winning novels, all contracted to The Wild Rose Press and its new subsidiary, White Rose Publishing.  Most recently the 1^st book in The Sullivan Boys Romantic Suspense series was distinguished in The Lories published contest; Past, Present and Forever received the Coffee Time Romance and More Reviewer’s award and their upcoming release, Beyond The Code of Conduct was rated 4-stars, “compelling”, page turner, in the June 2009 issue of RT Book Review.

K.M. Daughters resides in Illinois and New Jersey with husbands Nick and Tom, a total of five children and two grandchildren between them. 

Welcome to Beyond the Books, K.M.  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)? 

Thank you so much for inviting us.  We’re multi-published in three romance genres with three publishers.  The Wild Rose Press publishes our romantic suspense Sullivan Boys Series:  Book 1, AGAINST DOCTORS ORDERS, released October 2008, and our new release is Book 2, BEYOND THE CODE OF CONDUCT.  White Rose Publishing is a new company affiliated with TWRP.  White Rose publishes our inspirational romances.  JEWEL OF THE ADRIATIC, our debut novel, released in August 2008.  The sequel, ROSE OF THE ADRIATIC, releases 7/31/09.  Our first manuscript, a contemporary romance, released in E-book from Sapphire Blue Publishing in February 2009.

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

Our first book was entitled REUNION FOR THE FIRST TIME.  We came up with the title and thought it was catchy and built a story around it.  Yes, Sapphire Blue Publishing acquired and released it with the new title, Past, Present and Forever in E-book. Ironically the title didn’t survive. 

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, it was never rejected.  We submitted the completed manuscript to The Wild Rose Press because we wanted to write for them and found their philosophy appealing. But we’re not sure TWRP would be categorized as “mainstream”.  The Wild Rose Press is an independent publisher producing books in digital formats.  Paperback books are printed on demand, available through all major distribution outlets.  So we’re not “self” or “vanity” published, either. 

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

 After we published our first two books we submitted our contemporary and it was rejected by one of The Wild Rose Press imprints.  The rejection letter was detailed and offered the opportunity to rewrite and resubmit the manuscript.  We accepted the opportunity and received a second rejection.  Ever resilient, we learned that a brand new publisher, Sapphire Blue, called for submissions, “Dust off those manuscripts in your drawer.”  So we dusted it and sent it off.  We had the pleasure of working with one of the owners, Maria Clayton, during the extensive editing process.  Since it was the first manuscript we’d written as a team, we’ll emphasize the word “extensive”.  Maria’s patience and experience guided us to transform it. 

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

The Wild Rose Press published our first book.  We chose them for both personal and professional reasons.  The book features Marian apparitions and the rose is associated with the mother of God.  Personally, we thought the book was destined for The Wild ROSE Press.  The professional consideration was knowledge that the owners Rhonda Penders and R.J. Morris had established the house “by authors, for authors”.  They’ve kept their commitment to that philosophy.  Every stage of the submission process involved timely communication.  The query was acknowledged with a promise to respond within two weeks.  Within a week Nicola Martinez, Sr. Editor for the inspirational line asked for a partial.  Upon receipt it was acknowledged and a response was promised within thirty days.  A couple weeks later a full manuscript was requested.  The contract offer was presented in less than half the estimated ninety-day response time.  

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

We’re writers, we should be able to capture that feeling in words for you!  Thrilled and ecstatic are the best adjectives that come to mind.  We were on a “sister trip” to Universal Studios, Orlando.  January 26, 2008.  We wandered into an attraction called The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad and took seats in the back of the small amphitheatre.  Pat was checking email and hung over her phone reading.  She glanced up at Kathie and whispered, “We sold our book.”  At that precise time a canon blasted on stage. After a flurry of breathless, screechy telephone calls home to husbands and children, later that evening we had a tropical cocktail in the bustling downtown area and toasted K.M. Daughters.

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

We asked our web designer if she could do bookmarks for us, and she did. 

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

The ideal route is the way that leads to your goal.  We can’t imagine rerouting. 

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

Yes, we have.  In 2008 we contracted on five novels, everything we had ever written together up until then.  This year a contract has just been approved for the 3^rd book in The Sullivan Boys series, acquired by our amazing Wild Rose Press Editor, Joelle Walker.  Our cheerleader, our friend, we count on Joelle for her honesty and expertise.  We have grown enormously as authors.  Joelle remarked that the 3^rd book in the series (Capturing Karma), “…will give Against Doctors Orders and Beyond The Code of Conduct a run for their money.”  And she really loved the first two books.

 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? 

It took about four years from the time we became serious about aspiring to be published authors until we achieved that dream.  We attended workshops and classes.  We talked to authors, agents and editors.  We entered our manuscripts in contests and poured over judges’ critiques and utilized the constructive criticism.  It took us that long and we think it takes as long as it takes.  This author couldn’t have sped things up or learned from mistakes any faster. 

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

Pre-release, RT Book Reviews rated Beyond The Code of Conduct 4-stars in the June 2009 issue.  Included in the romantic suspense section of reviews for that issue were NYT Bestselling authors.  We couldn’t believe the company we were keeping. 

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

We’re currently engaged in other professions running small businesses.  We choose the writing profession! 

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

We would do the reverse and give up our day jobs for full-time writing.  But right now we are blessed with the best of both worlds. 

How do you see yourself in ten years?

Full-time authors releasing two books a year to fans, similar to us for the treasured authors we follow, who can’t wait to get the books in their hands (or on their E-readers). 

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

The sentiment in the movie Field of Dreams pertains, build it and they will come.