Debut author Dolen Perkins-Valdez sells historical fiction novel on first try

Don’t you just wonder how some people do it? After years and years of rejections, those of us who refuse to give up are still out there pushing our manuscripts under editors’ noses in the hopes they’ll just give us one chance. Just one chance, that’s all we ask.

Oh, we’ll make it up to them…we’ll sell our books like there’s no tomorrow. We’ll make these publishing houses so rich they’ll be thankful we sent our manuscripts their way and they’ll come begging for more on bended knee.

But it all falls on deaf ears for quite a few of us. And then…there are the fortunate few who write a book and not only an agent accepts it but a big publishing house does, too.

Is it luck or pure talent?

In the case of historical fiction author Dolen Perkins-Valdez, talent definitely ranks right up there. Her book, Wench, has just been released by HarperCollins and is definitely a work of sheer talent.

Dolen has been writing seriously for about thirteen years. She finished her MFA in Creative Writing in ’98 and her thesis she had to write was actually picked up by an agent and went to auction. Unfortunately, the thesis did not sell, but it made her realize one day it could happen to her in a big way.

She went back to school studying for her Ph.D., when she found out she rather liked scholarly research. She accepted a postdoctoral fellowship at the Ralph Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA and continued her research on race riots at the turn of the century. Afterwards, she landed a tenure-track job teaching African American Literature. Throughout those years, however, she continued to write fiction – short stories and two novels that never saw the light of day.

“I found that my scholarship and my fiction writing fed two different parts of my soul,” Dolen says. “I felt I needed both.”

In 2004, she took a chance and went after a Creative Writing professorial job. She had a rough draft of a novel manuscript and a couple of short stories. She got the job, and immediately began to refocus her energies on her Creative Writing.

“Being in the Creative Writing workshop with a phenomenally talented group of students was very invigorating for me,” she says. “As I read short stories and fiction, I was no longer peering through a scholarly lens. I studied character, voice, point-of-view, dialogue, and other fictional techniques. By that time, I was married with a child and a fifty-minute work commute. All of these demands forced me to organize my time wisely. Oddly enough, I write more when I have to fight for the time. For four years, I wrote and re-wrote the novel that would become Wench.”

In the spring of 2007, Dolen found an agent. She submitted the entire manuscript to her, and she accepted it.

“I did not believe it was done,” she says, “and I asked her to give me time to continue polishing. She was patient, but she called me every couple of months to inquire about my progress. That periodic call was good motivation. Each time, I gave her a date when I thought it would be ready, and then once the date arrived, I extended it. Finally, in December of that year, I sent her the newest draft of the manuscript. I felt that it was finished, but I was eager to hear her opinion. Within a couple of weeks, she called me and said she thought it was ready. We began with a publishing house that we both liked and respected: Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins. The head of this imprint, Dawn Davis, had edited and published Edward P. Jones’ The Known World. We decided to give her an exclusive. Within days, she wrote us back and said she was interested. We never submitted the manuscript anywhere else.

”Dawn Davis has been a phenomenal editor. Not only do I feel fortunate to have worked with her, but I also feel fortunate to know her. She is an inspiration to me. WENCH will be published in January 2010, almost two years after I sold it.”

To find out more about this phenomenal author, visit her website at www.dolenperkinsvaldez.com or visit her official virtual book tour page here to find out where she will be appearing online throughout the month of January 2010.

Beyond the Books with Dot Ryan, author of Corrigans’ Pool

Dot Ryan, author of the historical novel, Corrigans’ Pool, lives in Corpus Christi, Texas with her husband, Sam. She is busy writing her second and third works of historical fiction, one of which is the upcoming sequel to Corrigans’ Pool. To learn more about Dot and where to buy Corrigans’ Pool, and also to read Part One of the upcoming sequel, please visit her website at http:www.dotryanbooks.com.

Welcome to Beyond the Books, Dot.  Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?

Thank you very much for inviting me. Corrigans’ Pool is the first book I have written so far. Presently, I am working on the sequel to Corrigans’ Pool and have outlined two additional historical novels.

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

When I was a child, I had a box of short stories that I had written about animals, schoolmates, etc., but Corrigans’ Pool is my first full length novel.

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?

Upon finishing Corrigans’ Pool, I queried about twenty agents and, when one out of that twenty requested the manuscript, I was deeply flattered and encouraged. I was perplexed a few months later when she suggested I rewrite Corrigans’ Pool in a way that would spice up the romance. Ultimately, I decided against turning my story into something I had not intended. There is romance in the book that has a lasting impact on the characters, but it is told with subtlety and, as I intended, is not the single aspect of Corrigans’ Pool that makes the story appealing throughout.

I was fully aware of the stigma against self-published books but, with faith that I had written a very good novel, I quickly decided to go that route.  There was another important reason I chose to self-publish: I had not pursued my dream to write until I had furthered my education and then retired from the workplace, therefore I wanted to spend the rest of my years writing, not pursuing agents and publishers who, perhaps because of the economy, are publishing fewer and fewer new writers, especially untested writers past middle age!  One cannot blame them for making business decisions.

Corrigans' Pool by Dot Ryan (click on cover to purchase)

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

I had read many articles about the dreaded “Rejection Slip” before I sent out a single query letter, so I thought I was prepared for rejection … until I got that first slip. The agent had scribbled across the top “Think I’ll pass.” None of the agents I queried requested any part of the manuscript except the one I spoke about earlier, so I suppose I should be comforted that their decisions were based solely on my inadequate query letter and not my story.  Most of the other slips said “Not for Us” or something to that effect. In retrospect, I realized that I had actually queried several agents who did not handle my type of novel. That’s a mistake many new writers make—not doing their homework on agents’ requirements.

I was saddened for a short while, then I rewrote the first three chapters, which, who knows, might have tempted one or two of those nineteen uninterested agents to request the manuscript if I had just been able to write a decent query letter!  A bit of advice: Never send form letter queries; only agents are allowed to be so insensitive to the impressions they leave!

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

iUniverse published Corrigans’ Pool. An editor friend suggested them when I told her I was thinking of self-publishing.

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

When I received my first copy of Corrigans’ Pool in the mail, I probably stared at it the same way I stared at the Grand Canyon the first time I laid eyes on it.  Writing a book, any book, is a great accomplishment, and as I held it in my hands, I thought back over all that had happened in my life over the years as I wrote Corrigans’ Pool; it was a bittersweet moment that ended with tears of joy. That night, my husband and I went out to dinner, came home and danced to slow, romantic tunes on our patio.

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

I notified everyone I knew, newspapers, etc., and donated books to a library in which a friend was affiliated.  My publisher offered various promotion packages, including my own website. I bought several of their promotion deals.  As far as promoting Corrigans’ Pool is concerned, I am still in the learning process. One must be very careful about how one picks and chooses her promotions. Talk to other writers first, if you can, especially if you are as green as I was.  Please know that it takes time and perseverance to get one’s book out there. Be patient as well as savvy.

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

I am told that there are a few publishers left who will read manuscripts presented by authors without agents: If I could go back, I think I would have sent query letters to those Publishers rather than agents. Then, if all I received in return were rejection slips, I would certainly self-publish.  If you have faith in your book and have made certain that it is completely without error and is of a standard as good as anything on the bookshelves today, then go ahead and be brave enough to self-publish.  It may take longer to get noticed, but eventually the quality of your book will speak for itself.

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

I do not have a second work ready to publish, but will complete the sequel to Corrigans’ Pool by mid 2010, if my scheduling goes as planned.

There are several ways to grow as an author: Write constantly, read voraciously, and listen more than you speak. I try hard to do those things. But the very best way to grow as an author is to dispel all bias and prejudices, respect others as much as you respect yourself, and see all creatures of the world through their own eyes.

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?

If I had considered no other option other than first getting an agent, I would have taking a course on how to write the perfect query letter! But I don’t think I could have done anything to speed up the process of getting published. More often than not, these things aren’t up to the writer; they are up to the powers that be, which are the publishers.

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

Learning to be patient.  I’ve also learned to write a better query letter, just in case I want to test those waters with my next novels.

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

I never seriously wanted to be anything other than a writer.  I wore many hats in the work world before I retired and finally had the time to dedicate myself to writing, but writing was always my goal.

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

My husband and I owned a business for about ten years before we finally retired.  I combined the best of both worlds for a while. But no, I would never give up being an author for anything, not even for a business that guaranteed a nice income.

How do you see yourself in ten years?

Still joyously happy writing novels, after having earned the reputation as the most prolific granny in the business.

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

Yes, I do, and thank you for asking. First off, do not let anyone or anything spoil your dream, not rejection slips or any other of life’s surprises and disappointments.  Most importantly, forget about the time limit you may have set on your dream of being published. Time limits do not apply to dreams, unless it is the worthwhile hours, days, and years spent actually writing; such time spent is never wasted and is a sure way to make your dream come true. And remember, you don’t have to be young and able to run in a marathon to write. You just have to keep moving toward the finish line, even if you have to crawl.

Historical Fiction Author Joanne Sundell on Rejections, Losing her Literary Virginity and Becoming Published

Historical Fiction Author Joanne Sundell

Born in a tiny hospital in rural Virginia, Joanne ever cherishes her country beginnings.  Fond memories of toddling along after her older sisters along the Appalachian Trail, catching tadpoles in a nearby creek bed, chasing after lightening bugs, or falling asleep to the evening hum of katydids, remain with her still; despite the family move to more urban Arlington where Joanne spent her formative school years, and then on to Richmond where she earned her nursing degree.  Joanne grew up reading romance, falling in love with heroes and heroines from Regency England to the American West, from London’s pubs to Colorado’s ski slopes, loving that moment when the hero and heroine meet and fall in love.  That moment to Joanne is the moment when Jane Eyre meets Edward Rochester, when Elizabeth Bennett meets Mr. Darcy—that’s the heart-stopping, passionate moment for Joanne in romance.  That moment is what led her to attempt traditional, old-fashioned, historical romance.  Joanne sold her first book, Matchmaker, Matchmaker, in 2005 to Five Star-Gale, Cengage Learning, for their Expressions Line, a combination of romance and women’s fiction.   Subsequent sales include A…My Name’s Amelia, The Parlor House Daughter, Meggie’s Remains, and The Quaker and the Confederate series, Hearts Divided and Hearts Persuaded. Her books have been reviewed nationally by Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, Library Journal, and Romantic Times.  With her three children grown and off on their own adventures, Joanne lives part-time in Colorado and California along with her husband and their entourage` of felines and huskies.  Joanne’s writing groups include Romance Writers of America, Colorado Romance Writers, Los Angeles Romance Writers, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and Women Writing the West.  You can visit her websites at www.joannesundell.com, www.blogspot.com/joannesundell and www.myspace.com/joannesundell.

Q:  Welcome to Beyond the Books, Joanne.  Can you start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?

A:  Multi-published.  I’ve sold six books, to date, to Five Star-Gale, Cengage Learning.

Meggie's Remains

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

A:  Meggie’s Remains is my first completed manuscript and fourth sale.  I spent many years crafting and re-crafting my first manuscript; at last finishing it yet hesitant to submit.  It’s common for our first manuscripts to be our worst and so I waited until I’d written several more books, and then sold three, before re-crafting Meggie’s Remains and then taking a more serious plunge into submission.  Prior to that, I was represented briefly by the Carroll Grace Agency, who submitted Meggie’s Remains to various publishers under the title, Day Dreams, Haunted Nights.  This is like a submission hiccup to me, since the agency folded almost at the same time they began submitting my manuscript.  Long story short, the publishers that did take a look, politely answered, “Not for us at this time.”

Q:  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?

A:  Shoot, it’s really hard to remember the dotted i’s and crossed t’s here.  I say this because rejection land is a fog to me.  I could rifle through all the documentation in my files for you but, suffice is to say I went through a lot of rejections before sale, whether querying agents for representation or submitting manuscripts to publishers, myself.  I did know one thing:  I refused to self-publish, not wanting to put one dime into publication.  I didn’t know much about publishing, but I knew it had to be very expensive.   I’d been writing historical romance for some five years before my first sale.

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

A:  Gut-punched.  It takes a while to get back up and join the fight again, I can tell you that.  When I say gut-punched, I mean just that.  Any confidence I had in my writing, got knocked right out of me!   The passage of time usually helped me get back some of my lost confidence.  The day I discovered Stephen King’s book, On Writing, brought salvation from any future rejection woes.  In it, Stephen King shared his rejection experiences, telling us all about the spindle he kept, onto which he stacked all of his rejection letters.   He also said we must turn negative feedback into positive feedback and use it for good … for our good writing!  That made sense and I’ve taken his words to heart ever since.

Q:  When your fist book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?

A:   In 2004, I’d entered my third completed manuscript, Matchmaker, Matchmaker, in a Land of Enchantment Romance Authors, RWA chapter contest in Albuquerque, and actually won in the historical category.  While attending LERA’s conference to collect my award (sigh) I had an opportunity to pitch to three editors, one of whom represented Five Star-Gale.  Well, I was so nervous I didn’t pitch my winning manuscript, and worse, when time came to submit whatever I wanted, I still didn’t pitch my win!  Months later I heard back from Five Star and they said, “Not for us,” but “did I have something else?”  I jumped at the chance to finally submit Matchmaker, Matchmaker, subsequently selling it!

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

A:  Heck, I’m still celebrating!   You don’t believe what you’re seeing or hearing at first.  You don’t believe that you actually sold—that your work will actually be in print—that your heroines and heroes will actually know the light of day!   When you work for something for so long, I can tell you that at the moment of sale it’s hard to take in the truth of it.   After downing who knows how much champagne, I called anybody who would listen, wanting to toast my good news, at last losing my literary virginity … thank goodness!

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

A:  Because the prime market for my publisher, Five Star-Gale, Cengage Learning, is the library market, catalogs go out to libraries all over the country, and review copies are sent to noted review magazines, newspapers, and internet sites.  The rest of marketing is up to the author and so … being wholly uneducated in this process, I followed Five Star’s suggestions and began contacting places that might have any interest in a Jewish heroine in the Old West.  I hit bookstores and libraries in my local area and the front-range in Colorado, and then submitted review copies to places and people that might be interested in the themes inherent in Matchmaker, Matchmaker. I had bookmarks and postcards printed up right away, too.   Now what am I forgetting … oh yes … there’s that little thing called getting my website up and running!

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

A:   Hmmm, your question implies choice and I think my experience was that I didn’t have a choice in publication.  I only mean that my publisher, at the end of the day, finally chose me.  I did submit to quite a few soft-cover romance publishers prior to selling to a hardcover publisher, and who’s to say that I wouldn’t have gone with them, if asked.   I write historical romance for Five Star’s Expressions Line, a combination of women’s fiction and romance.  I’m happy in this line as I focus on history as much as character.

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

A:  As mentioned earlier, I’ve sold six books, to date, to Five Star-Gale.  Each sale is appreciated and no sale is ever taken for granted.  If anything, the work gets harder, i.e., as an author you want to grow and improve.  You want to do a better job with each completed manuscript.  With each book comes improvement.  It’s like most things in life I suppose.   I have found that I expect more out of my writing with each sale.    I’ve learned that I’ll always have a lot to learn!

Q:  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?

A:  I think it’s our mistakes that help us finally “get it right,” and “get it sold,” and so I don’t think I would have changed a thing.  I’m old-fashioned and of the belief that if we don’t have to work for something, we won’t appreciate it.   Writing is a journey, a process; one well-worth undergoing.

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

A:  After my second sale, A…My Name’s Amelia (Amelia is a young, deaf heroine in 1880 Colorado Springs), I was signing at a Barnes & Noble in Colorado Springs when a young deaf teen approached me.  She held my book over her heart and signed that she loved it and it made her smile.  I’ve never been so touched or felt such an achievement as an author, as I did witnessing the connection made between deaf heroines, one from the past and one present-day.

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

A:  I’m a nurse by trade and an author by chance.

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

A:  Already retired from nursing when I began writing in earnest, I fortunately had time to devote to my passion:  reading and writing historical romance.

Q:  How do you see yourself in ten years?

A:  I’m sixty-three and a proud, brand new Grammy Jo!  I don’t have as much time now to devote to writing, but hope to find more in the future.  It would be wonderful to still be writing and publishing in ten years.

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

A:  I said it before and I’ll say it again:  Be confident.  Be tenacious.  No one else has your voice.  Listen to your literary voice and follow it, no matter the time it takes, because your voice will lead you to publication!

Night of Flames: Interview with Historical Fiction Author Douglas W. Jacobson

Douglas Jacobson

Douglas W. Jacobson is an engineer, business owner and WW2 history enthusiast who has spent considerable time in Europe researching the courage of common people caught up in the most catastrophic event of the twentieth century. Doug’s first book, NIGHT OF FLAMES: A novel of World War Two was published in 2007. He has also published numerous articles on WW2 resistance organizations and is completing work on a second historical novel focusing on one of the most notorious war crimes in history.  You can visit Douglas on the web at www.douglaswjacobson.blogspot.com.

Welcome to Beyond the Books, Doug.  Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?

I am published for the first time.

Night of Flames

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

My first book was Night of Flames: A Novel of World War Twoand it was published in October, 2007.

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 believe I received approximately thirty or forty rejections from agents and/or publishers before it was accepted by a publisher.

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

I have spent over thirty years in business, much of it in sales, so I am not bothered by rejection. It’s simply part of the process.

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

The book was published by McBooks Press, of Ithaca, NY. I chose them because they are a mid-size publisher that specializes in action-oriented historical fiction, which was an excellent fit for my story.

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

I felt elated. It was one of the accomplishments I treasure the most since I never expected it to happen when I began writing. I celebrated by treating my wife and I to a nice dinner.

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

I held a book-signing party in conjunction with a local bookseller.

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

No. I don’t know of another route except that it requires hard work and perseverance.

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

I am working on a second historical novel (almost finished) and the publisher has shown a lot of interest.

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 would have sent out more simultaneous query letters in the beginning, though I’m not convinced it would have made a lot of difference.

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

I wouldn’t characterize it as an accomplishment as much as a rewarding experience. In the book I wrote about a WW2 escape organization called the Comet Line founded in 1941 by a young nurse in Belgium. The Comet Line rescued more than a thousand Allied aviators and led them to safety while losing almost as many of their own agents to capture and execution by the Nazis. After the book was published, I was very fortunate to be contacted by a society in Belgium that preserves the memory of the Comet Line and invited to address their group in Brussels. I was able to meet with several surviving agents of the Comet Line (ladies now in their 80’s) and hear their stories first-hand.

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

I am happy with the profession I chose (engineering and business), but I wish I would have started writing sooner, as it has become a big part of my life.

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

I believe I have combined the best of both worlds.

How do you see yourself in ten years?

Still writing, I hope, with more time to do it and more time to travel and pursue the research.

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

Just go for it. Don’t listen to anyone who tells you that it’s too tough, or you can’t do it. Take the time to develop your craft, seek out help with writing groups and round tables, but mostly just keep on and don’t worry about the rejection – it’s part of the process.

An Interview With Douglas W. Jacobson: Historical Fiction Author Talks Virtual Book Tours

Douglas W. Jacobson is an engineer, business owner and WW2 history enthusiast who has traveled extensively in Europe researching the courage of common people caught up in the greatest catastrophe of the twentieth century. Doug’s first book, Night of Flames: A Novel of World War Two was published in 2007. Doug has also written numerous articles on WW2 resistance organizations and is finishing up his second historical novel focusing on one of the most notorious war crimes in history.

Douglas Jacobson will be on a virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours in September and October ’09 and is here with us today to give his impression of virtual book tours and online book marketing.

Thank you for this interview, Doug. Can we start out by having you tell us briefly what your new book is about?

Douglas: Night of Flames is a story of courage. It is a story about common people caught up in unimaginable circumstances who find the strength and determination to survive. The main characters are a university professor in Krakow, Poland and her husband, a cavalry officer, who are separated on the first day of the war. For the next five years they struggle to survive and preserve their humanity while searching for each other across war-torn Europe.

More and more authors are realizing the potential for sales that derives from virtual book tours. Can you tell us your personal reasons why you chose a virtual book tour to help get the word out about your new book?

Douglas: I am a member of the Historical Novel Society and through contacts with other authors in this genre I have learned of the success many of them have had with virtual book tours.

Is this the first time you have heard of them?

Douglas: I have heard about them several times over the past year or so, but at the recent HNS conference in Chicago many authors discussed their experiences with virtual book tours.

What do you hope to achieve through promoting your book through a virtual book tour?

Douglas: Obviously I hope to increase book sales but I also want to establish a niche for my future writing as a historical novelist specializing in the WW2 period.

Do you promote online through other means? Website? Blog?

Douglas: I have contacted book clubs through Reader’s Circle and other similar sites.

Do you promote through Twitter and Facebook? What are your links there?

Douglas: I am only just beginning to learn about Facebook and Twitter.

What are your experiences with offline booksignings? Which do you prefer – online or offline and can you give us the reasons why?

Douglas: I have not done many off-line book signings as such, and the ones I have done have been marginal. I’ve had much more success as a speaker to service clubs and other organization and coupling those with book signings following the event. I’m looking forward to my first experience with an on-line book tour.

Here’s a fun question. If money was no object, how would you promote your book?

Douglas: I’d donate a hundred thousand dollars to Oprah’s favorite charity.

Thank you for this interview, Doug. Do you have any final words?

Douglas: I’m looking forward to discussing Night of Flames with readers on-line and sharing with them my enthusiasm and admiration for the real people who endured the largest conflict in world history.

To find out more about Douglas’ virtual book tour in September and October, click here!

Interview with Historical Fiction Author J.A. Hunsinger

J. A. Hunsinger lives in Colorado, USA, with his wife Phyllis. The first novel of his character-driven, historical fiction series, Axe of Iron: The Settlers, represents his first serious effort to craft the story of a lifelong interest in the Viking Age—especially as it pertains to Norse exploration west of Iceland—and extensive research and archaeological site visitations as an amateur historian. He has tied the discovery of many of the Norse artifacts found on this continent to places and events portrayed in his novels.

Much of his adult life has been associated with commercial aviation, both in and out of the cockpit. As an Engineering Technical Writer for Honeywell Commercial Flight Systems Group, Phoenix, AZ, he authored two comprehensive pilots’ manuals on aircraft computer guidance systems and several supplemental aircraft radar manuals. His manuals were published and distributed worldwide to airline operators by Honeywell Engineering, Phoenix, AZ. He also published an article, Flight Into Danger, in Flying Magazine, (August 2002).

Historical Novel Society, American Institute of Archaeology, Canadian Archaeology Association, and IBPA-Independent Book Publishers Association, are among the fraternal and trade organizations in which he holds membership.

You can visit his website at www.vinlandpublishing.com.

Welcome to Beyond the Books, Jerry. Can you tell us whether you are published for the first time or multi-published?

I have published several aviation articles, pilot manuals, and air transport engineering papers during my 32-year aviation career.

Can you give us the title(s) of your book(s)?

Axe of Iron: The Settlers.

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

Axe of Iron: The Settlers is my first novel. It was published August 1, 2008.

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?

Over the course of one year of sending out submission packets to literary agents I received fifty rejections.

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

The process of finding a literary agent was a crushing and time-wasting experience. They are interested only in books of a sensational nature in spite of advertising to the contrary. It became obvious that nobody had an interest in a character-driven series about the everyday lives of a medieval people. I did not mail submission packets until I had a finished manuscript in hand.

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

Vinland Publishing, LLC, the company I formed with my wife Phyllis, will publish all of my books as well as select genres from other authors.

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

I felt terrific, vindicated, and it gave me an impetus to continue. Phyllis and I had a couple martini’s to celebrate.

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

I signed on for everything BookMasters, Inc. had in the way of advertising, hired a publicist, and my webmaster fine tuned my website, organized a blog, and got my name out on the Internet.

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

I would have preferred to hire a literary agent and publish the work through a large house. That did not happen due in part to the continued decay of publishing in this country. In this economy, which will continue to worsen at all levels, few large houses will survive, leaving the small independent publisher as one of the few avenues to publication for an author. The few, who survive, large and small, will be extremely selective in the books that they publish, leaving many authors to wither away.

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

My next book Axe of Iron: Confrontation is in the edit process now and will publish in June 2009. I cannot possibly articulate, in this space, what I have learned as an author over the last six years. Suffice to say, do lots of homework before you act. As authors we have but one opportunity to make a first impression, so be a true professional in all of your efforts.

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?

I wish I had not attempted to find a literary agent for it was a demoralizing waste of time and money. That alone would have saved one wasted year.

Axe of Iron: The Settlers by J.A. Hunsinger can be purchased by clicking here. Leave a comment for J.A. and you could win a free virtual book tour for yourself or a $50 Amazon gift certificate!

What kind of mistakes could you have avoided?

In spite of all my research into the process of publication in the big leagues, e.g. literary agent/publisher, I failed not because of the quality of the product, but rather the product was not sensational or socially divisive. Without a literary agent an author cannot proceed. You cannot negotiate personally with a publisher; you must go through a literary agent. That accommodation between the two is not accidental and it is responsible for the log jamb we now see in the trade for any new author.

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

Publication carries a certain amount of recognition and praise from readership. My website and blog have continued to evolve—both are by necessity a work in progress—and I continue to receive daily e-mail with comments about my series. Google my byline, J. A. Hunsinger, or Axe of Iron, or Axe of Iron: The Settlers: the first five or six pages of sites will all be about me or my books from sites worldwide. I am proud of that result.

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

I have retired from a 32-year aviation career as both a pilot and engineering technical writer. My current historical fiction novel writing career is by choice and if readers continue to support my efforts I will continue as long as I am able and have something of interest to write about.

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

No, I have had careers. I have taken a lifetime of acquired knowledge and applied it to my books, so in that sense you could say that I am a combination of many things.

How do you see yourself in ten years?

At my age I take it a day at a time. Hopefully ten years remain, but only God knows.

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

Absolutely! It has been a nightmare because of the time and money wasted while I learned the business. I wish I could say that there is lots of help out there for the newbie’s, but actually, the reverse is true. You are prey swimming in the shark’s pool—take heed. Believe nobody, and get everything in writing, research, research, and research. Even then, you will have picked the worst time in the world’s economy to enter the business. Do your homework on the submission guidelines for any query. All will have their own guidelines; adhere to them absolutely. Do not ever send a manuscript unless it is requested. Hire professional editors to edit everything that another person will read, especially the final draft of your manuscript. An English teacher is not an editor and you cannot edit your own work, so hire someone. Your professionalism will determine whether you ever make the grade. A shabby cover letter on your submission packet will guarantee its demise. Agents and publishers are busy people and they have no time to waste on people who do not follow the submission guidelines.

Interview with Historical Fiction Author J.L. Miles

J.L. Miles (Jackie Lee), a resident of Georgia for over thirty years, hails from Wisconsin via South Dakota. She considers herself “a northern girl with a southern heart”. Her paternal grandfather was christened Grant Lee by her great-grandmother in honor of the many fallen soldiers on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Ms. Miles is a former D.I.A.L. Systems Engineer for Baker/Audio Telecom, one of the premier forerunners of voice mail. In addition to systems application, she provided voice tracks for several major companies, including Delta Airlines and Frito-Lay Corporation. A former Miss Racine, Wisconsin, Ms. Miles, made television, print and fashion appearances, and participated in various stage productions, including “Joan of Lorraine”, “The Dark at the Top of the Stairs” and “The Miracle Worker”.

She resides in a suburb of Atlanta with her husband Robert. Her debut novel, the critically acclaimed Roseflower Creek, was Cumberland House Publishing’s lead book when it debuted in hardcover. It is also available in Trade paperback. Earl Hamner, creator of The Waltons called it, “A powerful, extraordinary novel.” N.Y. Times best-selling author William Diehl wrote: “The lyric prose will thrill you, the story is unforgettable, and the characters will stay with you forever.”

Cold Rock River, the journey of two young women born a century apart, debuted September 2006 in hardcover. N.Y. TIMES best-selling author DOROTHEA BENTON FRANK writes: “Cold Rock River by J. L. Miles is a powerful story of family, love and loss that will keep you up into the wee hours. Absolutely wonderful! Beautifully told and straight from the heart of an exquisitely talented writer.”

Miles latest project is the Dwayne series, a three-book southern anthology featuring Francine Harper, who’s under felony assault charges for shooting at her husband Dwayne and his stripper/lover Carla from the Peel ‘n Squeal. Francine finds her strength and recovers her dignity after a trial and many errors. When not writing, Miles tours with The Dixie Divas, four nationally published book-writing belles—with a passion for promotion—serving up helpings of down-home humor and warmth. Visit the website at www.j.l.miles.com.

Welcome to Beyond the Books, Jackie. Can you tell us whether you are published for the first time or multi-published?

My debut novel is titled Roseflower Creek and follows the short life of ten-year-old Lori Jean, a sensitive dreamer of a child who longs for a normal family life.

Cold Rock River is my second novel. It debuted in Hardcover in September of 2006. It is now in its third printing and has just been released in Trade Paperback.

Since Cold Rock River I have completed a three-book southern anthology featuring Francine Harper who is under arrest for shooting at her husband Dwayne and his stripper/lover Carla from the Peel ‘n Squeal. Francine finds her strengths and reclaims her dignity via a trial and many errors. It’s considered Chic-Lit so it’s a departure from my normal genre, but provided a nice respite.

The titles of the books in this series are Divorcing Dwayne, Dear Dwayne (debuts April 2009) and Dating Dwayne, which will follow. I know that sounds backwards, but if you read the series you’ll find that it isn’t.

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

My first attempt at writing encompassed a mystery series entitled The Kate Ferrington Mystery Series and was billed as a Kill Her Series as all of the titles had the word kill her in it. The first was Love Her So Well, Kill Her So Good, the second was Kill Her Dead, Kill Her Gone, the third was Love Her on One Day, Kill Her on Sunday, and the fourth was Kiss Her,Tease Her, Kill Her, Squeeze Her. I finished the first book and sent queries to N. Y. in hopes of getting a agent. I got three good nibbles, but when I re-read the entire manuscript in order to send it as requested, I realized it was far from ready to be published. I sent letters of apology and told them I would do a final edit and get back to them, which I had every intention of doing. However, inspired by an actual death penalty case in Athens Georgia I started writing Roseflower Creek. A publisher read the opening line, was intrigued and asked to see the entire book. He bought it and I never did get back to Kate Ferrington. Perhaps some day. . .

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 at the Harriette Austin Writers Conference in Athens, Georgia where I met Ronald Pitkin, the president of Cumberland House Publishing. He was intrigued by the opening line to Roseflower Creek and asked that I send him the manuscript. He phoned me a week later to say they were bringing it out in hardcover and bumping back their memoir piece on Dale Earnhardt, (who’d been tragically killed) to make Roseflower Creek the lead book in their fall catalogue. It was a miracle. I was in the right place at the right time and met the right person.

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

Although I suffered no rejections over my first novel, I got thoroughly baptized in the rejection department with my second book Cold Rock River. I decided to query for an agent in hopes of getting a New York publisher. I researched twenty-five major agents and sent each a query letter regarding my current manuscript and included the success I had experienced so far. I also mentioned I was touring with the Dixie Divas, four nationally published authors with a passion for promotion. Twenty of the twenty-five agents asked to see the manuscript. I knew it was a numbers game and one of the twenty was bound to sign me! Needless to say I was very excited. However, one by one I received letters of rejection, everything from not for our list, to don’t know where to place this type of story, to just didn’t move me. Harvey Klinger sent an email that said, “Lady you sure no how to write! But. . .” Bottom line—no takers. I was devastated. How could not one of those twenty want me? Discouraged, I contacted Cumberland House to see if they’d like to see the manuscript. They did. They loved it and brought it out in hardcover within six months. I lived to smile another day.

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

When I got the news that Roseflower Creek was being published I was bouncing off the ceiling for weeks. I just couldn’t believe it. I had been told getting published by a traditional publishing company was next to impossible and here it happened to me overnight. To celebrate I sat down and started my second novel, determined more than ever to write a best seller. I found out that’s a tad harder to do!

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

I joined the Dixie Divas, four nationally published authors with a passion for promotion serving up helpings of down-home humor and warmth. When we come to town we don’t just sells books we put on quite a show. We each have our own persona and dress in costumes and have a lot of fun entertaining the audience. In the interim we get the word out on our books. We’ve made over one hundred appearances in the past two years alone. To schedule an event contact nechespublicity@knology.net

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

No, I consider my journey to publication a miracle.

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

My third book Divorcing Dwayne debuted April 2008. My fourth book will be released in April 2009 (Dear Dwayne) and a fifth one will debut April 2010 (Dating Dwayne). My current manuscript is being shopped by my agent. (The Heavenly Heart). I am almost finishing up the last few chapters on my seventh novel entitled All That’s True

I believe I’ve grown in the way I approach writing. It’s a job. You have to get at it every day to stay in shape. That way the ideas keep coming and the work gets done.

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

Completing the novel Cold Rock River. It was a five year journey without a paycheck! Initially, it was to be the story of Adie Jenkins, seventeen and pregnant and unmarried during the early 1960’s. I know today if you’re in her condition, they throw you a shower. In those days they threw you out. I decided Adie would do some chicken farming to feed them when it became apparent Buck wasn’t going to be one she could count on. I went to the library to research Georgia chicken farming and stumbled onto the Slave Narratives. The complete collection— which contains more than two thousand first-person accounts—is housed at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. They were commissioned by President Roosevelt during the depression years, in order to record the journey of those freed slaves still alive. Writers ere sent across the nation to search for them. Their accounts are as fascinating as they are poignant. Over the years, there’s been a good deal of controversy as to their accuracy, based on the fact that some of the freed slaves were fearful or perhaps suspicious of the government—brings to mind “forty acres and a mule”—and hesitant to speak candidly regarding the treatment they may or may not have received at the hands of their sometimes still powerful former masters. The collective consensus is that somewhere amidst the vast amount of material lies the truth. After months of reading, reviewing, and re-examining all of the narratives I could locate, Tempe’s portion of Cold Rock River emerged. Her story, based on what I found, is remarkable. Everything that Tempe experiences was lifted from the lives of actual people who wore the chains and bore the scars of slavery. I won’t ever forget her; nor am I able to forget those I ‘met” through the narratives, who bravely shared their life stories so that Tempe could tell me hers.

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

In my second life I’d like to be an attorney and prosecute criminals. I have a theatrical background and feel the best criminal attorneys have the ability to spin a good story and capture the audience, in this case the jury.

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

I think I’d combine them and write thrillers like John Gresham! And for sure I’d finish the Kate Ferrington Mysteries.

How do you see yourself in ten years?

On the New York Times bestseller’s list! Tee hee. Or perhaps on the beach—laptop in hand—pounding out my next attempt to get on that list.

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

Read, read read! And write, write write! And remember those talented authors who you think were born to write, well maybe so, but let me assure you they weren’t born published. Also, always remembers there are only three simple steps to writing a good book:

1. Put a tiger under the tree.
2. Get you protagonist up that tree.
3. Get your protagonist out of that tree.

Best to you in all your endeavors and bless your reading and writing hearts.

Interview with Historical Fiction Author J.L. Miles

J.L. (Jackie Lee) Miles, a resident of Georgia since 1975, hails from Wisconsin via South Dakota. She considers herself “a northern girl with a southern heart.” Her paternal grandfather was christened Grant Lee by her great-grandmother in honor of the many fallen soldiers on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line. Ms. Miles is a former D.I.A.L. Systems Engineer for Baker/Audio Telecom, one of the premier forerunners of voice mail. In addition to systems application, she provided voice tracks for several major companies, including Delta Airlines and Frito-Lay Corporation.

You can visit her website at www.jlmiles.com.

Welcome to Beyond the Books, Jackie. Can you tell us whether you are published for the first time or multi-published?

My debut novel is titled Roseflower Creek and follows the short life of ten-year-old Lori Jean, a sensitive dreamer of a child who longs for a normal family life.

Cold Rock River is my second novel. It debuted in Hardcover in September of 2006. It is now in its third printing and has just been released in Trade Paperback.

Since Cold Rock River I have completed a three-book southern anthology featuring Francine Harper who is under arrest for shooting at her husband Dwayne and his stripper/lover Carla from the Peel ‘n Squeal. Francine finds her strengths and reclaims her dignity via a trial and many errors. It’s considered Chic-Lit so it’s a departure from my normal genre, but provided a nice respite.

The titles of the books in this series are Divorcing Dwayne, Dear Dwayne (debuts April 2009) and Dating Dwayne, which will follow. I know that sounds backwards, but if you read the series you’ll find that it isn’t.

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

My first attempt at writing encompassed a mystery series entitled The Kate Ferrington Mystery Series and was billed as a Kill Her Series as all of the titles had the word kill her in it. The first was Love Her So Well, Kill Her So Good, the second was Kill Her Dead, Kill Her Gone, the third was Love Her on One Day, Kill Her on Sunday, and the fourth was Kiss Her,Tease Her, Kill Her, Squeeze Her. I finished the first book and sent queries to N. Y. in hopes of getting a agent. I got three good nibbles, but when I re-read the entire manuscript in order to send it as requested, I realized it was far from ready to be published. I sent letters of apology and told them I would do a final edit and get back to them, which I had every intention of doing. However, inspired by an actual death penalty case in Athens Georgia I started writing Roseflower Creek. A publisher read the opening line, was intrigued and asked to see the entire book. He bought it and I never did get back to Kate Ferrington. Perhaps some day. . .

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 at the Harriette Austin Writers Conference in Athens, Georgia where I met Ronald Pitkin, the president of Cumberland House Publishing. He was intrigued by the opening line to Roseflower Creek and asked that I send him the manuscript. He phoned me a week later to say they were bringing it out in hardcover and bumping back their memoir piece on Dale Earnhardt, (who’d been tragically killed) to make Roseflower Creek the lead book in their fall catalogue. It was a miracle. I was in the right place at the right time and met the right person.

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

Although I suffered no rejections over my first novel, I got thoroughly baptized in the rejection department with my second book Cold Rock River. I decided to query for an agent in hopes of getting a New York publisher. I researched twenty-five major agents and sent each a query letter regarding my current manuscript and included the success I had experienced so far. I also mentioned I was touring with the Dixie Divas, four nationally published authors with a passion for promotion. Twenty of the twenty-five agents asked to see the manuscript. I knew it was a numbers game and one of the twenty was bound to sign me! Needless to say I was very excited. However, one by one I received letters of rejection, everything from not for our list, to don’t know where to place this type of story, to just didn’t move me. Harvey Klinger sent an email that said, “Lady you sure no how to write! But. . .” Bottom line—no takers. I was devastated. How could not one of those twenty want me? Discouraged, I contacted Cumberland House to see if they’d like to see the manuscript. They did. They loved it and brought it out in hardcover within six months. I lived to smile another day.

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

When I got the news that Roseflower Creek was being published I was bouncing off the ceiling for weeks. I just couldn’t believe it. I had been told getting published by a traditional publishing company was next to impossible and here it happened to me overnight. To celebrate I sat down and started my second novel, determined more than ever to write a best seller. I found out that’s a tad harder to do!

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

I joined the Dixie Divas, four nationally published authors with a passion for promotion serving up helpings of down-home humor and warmth. When we come to town we don’t just sells books we put on quite a show. We each have our own persona and dress in costumes and have a lot of fun entertaining the audience. In the interim we get the word out on our books. We’ve made over one hundred appearances in the past two years alone. To schedule an event contact nechespublicity@knology.net

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

No, I consider my journey to publication a miracle.

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

My third book Divorcing Dwayne debuted April 2008. My fourth book will be released in April 2009 (Dear Dwayne) and a fifth one will debut April 2010 (Dating Dwayne). My current manuscript is being shopped by my agent. (The Heavenly Heart). I am almost finishing up the last few chapters on my seventh novel entitled All That’s True

I believe I’ve grown in the way I approach writing. It’s a job. You have to get at it every day to stay in shape. That way the ideas keep coming and the work gets done.

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

Completing the novel Cold Rock River. It was a five year journey without a paycheck! Initially, it was to be the story of Adie Jenkins, seventeen and pregnant and unmarried during the early 1960’s. I know today if you’re in her condition, they throw you a shower. In those days they threw you out. I decided Adie would do some chicken farming to feed them when it became apparent Buck wasn’t going to be one she could count on. I went to the library to research Georgia chicken farming and stumbled onto the Slave Narratives. The complete collection— which contains more than two thousand first-person accounts—is housed at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. They were commissioned by President Roosevelt during the depression years, in order to record the journey of those freed slaves still alive. Writers ere sent across the nation to search for them. Their accounts are as fascinating as they are poignant. Over the years, there’s been a good deal of controversy as to their accuracy, based on the fact that some of the freed slaves were fearful or perhaps suspicious of the government—brings to mind “forty acres and a mule”—and hesitant to speak candidly regarding the treatment they may or may not have received at the hands of their sometimes still powerful former masters. The collective consensus is that somewhere amidst the vast amount of material lies the truth. After months of reading, reviewing, and re-examining all of the narratives I could locate, Tempe’s portion of Cold Rock River emerged. Her story, based on what I found, is remarkable. Everything that Tempe experiences was lifted from the lives of actual people who wore the chains and bore the scars of slavery. I won’t ever forget her; nor am I able to forget those I ‘met” through the narratives, who bravely shared their life stories so that Tempe could tell me hers.

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

In my second life I’d like to be an attorney and prosecute criminals. I have a theatrical background and feel the best criminal attorneys have the ability to spin a good story and capture the audience, in this case the jury.

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

I think I’d combine them and write thrillers like John Gresham! And for sure I’d finish the Kate Ferrington Mysteries.

How do you see yourself in ten years?

On the New York Times bestseller’s list! Tee hee. Or perhaps on the beach—laptop in hand—pounding out my next attempt to get on that list.

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

Read, read read! And write, write write! And remember those talented authors who you think were born to write, well maybe so, but let me assure you they weren’t born published. Also, always remembers there are only three simple steps to writing a good book:

1. Put a tiger under the tree.
2. Get you protagonist up that tree.
3. Get your protagonist out of that tree.

Best to you in all your endeavors and bless your reading and writing hearts.

Interview with Historical Fiction Author Douglas Carlton Abrams

Douglas Carlton Abrams is a former editor at the University of California Press and HarperSanFrancisco. He is the co-author of a number of books on love, sexuality, and spirituality, including books written with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar, and Taoist Master Mantak Chia. He is the co-founder of Idea Architects, a book and media development agency, which works with visionary authors to create a wiser, healthier, and more just world. In his life and work, he is interested in cultivating all aspects of our humanity —body, emotions, mind, and spirit. His goal in writing fiction is to create stories that not only entertain, but also attempt to question, enchant, and transform.

The Lost Diary of Don Juan is his first novel and is published in thirty languages around the world. He lives in Santa Cruz, California, with his wife and three children.  You can visit his website at www.lostdiaryofdonjuan.com.

Welcome to Beyond the Books, Douglas. 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)?

This is my first time publishing fiction. My book is called The Lost Diary of Don Juan.

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 finished novel was The Lost Diary of Don Juan.

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 actually didn’t have any rejections. I have a wonderful agent who was able to sell my book and get me a two-book deal very quickly.

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

See above.

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

Atria, a division of Simon and Schuster. I have a wonderful agent who got me a very nice advance and a two-book deal with them.

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

I was ecstatic, as you can imagine. As soon as the contracts were signed, we had a “Don Juan” party with all of our friends and family. We dressed up in 18th century costumes, drank sangria, ate tapas and gazpacho and celebrated.

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

I did the normal book events around the US and in Europe for the foreign publishers. I hired a publicist and got on as many radio and TV shows as possible. I also hired a separate internet publicist who spread word about the book on the net in many different ways – blogs, social networking sites, ads, etc.

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

Absolutely not!

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

My next book will come out in the fall of 2009, which will be the second in my two-book contract. I am working on the new novel now, and although I have cut the number of drafts in half from when I wrote The Lost Diary, it is still an embarrassingly high number. I think I am now up to draft number twelve.

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?

While my publisher accepted The Lost Diary very quickly, it took me five years to write, research, and revise the book. When writing a novel, especially a first novel, be sure and learn your craft. This is my first finished novel, but I have started and stopped a couple of novels before this. As a professional editor, I knew they weren’t good enough to be published. They were my practice runs, so to speak.

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

Accepting myself irrespective of my fame and fortune – or lack thereof.

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

I actually run a literary and media development company that works with visionaries to help them create a wiser, healthier, and more just world. I have also co-written a number of non-fiction books. My fiction writing is an outgrowth of my profession in publishing.

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

I have definitely combined the best of both worlds. Writing nonfiction is like walking; writing fiction is like ballet. Nonfiction writing requires clarity and fluidity; fiction writing requires the conjuring of an entire world and the approximation of life itself. I have been interested in the issues of love, passion, and spirituality for many years. I have had the privilege of working with a number of great spiritual masters on nonfiction books that address these issues, and many of their insights informed my fiction. I am particularly interested in the power of fiction to transmit perennial wisdom and to address the inevitable questions of being human, such as how we live in the flesh but give wings to our soul.

How do you see yourself in ten years?

As a person I see myself as a better husband, father, friend, and human. As a writer I’d like to be in conversation with even more readers around the world, offering stories that help us to live with greater joy and meaning. I’d like to successfully straddle the divide in modern literature between plot-driven commercial fiction and character-rich literary fiction. Can’t we have heart-racing, entertaining stories with living, breathing, three-dimensional characters?

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

Start with a question, not an answer. Ask yourself a question you desperately need to know about life, create a fictional world filled with real characters and discover the answer. Novelists are scientists of the human imagination.

An Interview with Literary Fiction Author Candis C. Coffee

Candis C. Coffee grew up in West Texas where her family has lived since 1848 when they immigrated from Ireland. The house in Mariposa is based on the 150-year-old home of her grandparents on the banks of the Concho River in San Angelo.

Candis spent nearly fifteen years in Santa Monica, California, where she was employed as a writer for various organizations. She later moved to New Orleans where she helped Chef Paul Prudhomme write the cookbook of his dreams and titled it Fork in the Road. Candis longed for the desert, however, which inspired a move to Santa Fe and graduate school at the University of New Mexico. She has since returned to her birthplace in West Texas where she currently resides.

After receiving a BA in Literature from the University of Texas, she pursued graduate studies in Creative Writing, Literature, and Spanish. She is presently at work on a children’s book and is pursuing a doctoral degree in alternative health care and the healing arts.

You can visit her website at www.candiscoffee.com.

Welcome to Beyond the Books, Candis. 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 co-authored a book with cartoonist, Rick Detorie (One Big Happy), titled ILLUSTRATED SEXUAL TRIVIA, in the mid-eighties. The book sold a lot of copies. Rick had written a number of cartoon books by this point and was about to become famous.

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

My own very first book was MARIPOSA.

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 spent two years each, with three huge NY agents, such as Writer’s House and McIntosh & Otis, being groomed for publication. Representation was assured, if I would just tweak the book a bit, here and there. This is not a good idea, to agree to work with agents under these conditions, for I’ve come to believe that they will not ever be satisfied. In fact, I read an article about this phenomenon in Writer’s Digest decades ago. The author advised writers to avoid doing re-writes for publishers or agents unless a deal was on the table, for there is a psychological force that comes into play, and the publisher/agent will not or cannot reach that needed point of satisfaction. There is always just one more spot that needs work. None of the agents actually ended up representing me, though they’d expressed great enthusiasm for my book at first. I spent most of my time with agents and then was finally accepted, without the help of an agent, by a new, small traditional publisher in California, one that I accidentally stumbled on.

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

I would be completely devastated for 24 hours. Just finished with writing, crying to friends, full of pronouncements of my next step…to become a stockbroker, jump into the Mississippi River, etc. Then, after a day of misery, I’d be right back into the game, ready to send out new queries.

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

MARIPOSA was published by Behler Publications of California. I chose them because they loved my book and so many years had passed by this point. I had recently lost a beloved friend and was grieving. I just wanted to have my book become alive in the world, as it was in my heart.

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

I felt a mix of excitement and distrust. I wondered if Behler would come through for me. An established publisher in South Carolina had long pondered whether or not to publish MARIPOSA, and I wondered if I’d made a mistake, not giving him a bit more time. I celebrated quietly because I was still in mourning. It just felt finally right at least my book would be in the world after so many years of rewrites and rejection.

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

I set up book-signings in my region. A friend contacted the local paper and an interview was arranged. I was nominated for a local contest for best writer in the area.

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

No, I don’t know of another route, except that after one re-write, if an agent or publisher does not offer a contract, I would find the courage to walk away from them, even if they are the big guys.

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

I have not yet been published again. I don’t know that I have grown as a writer, but I have changed. I no longer see writing novels as a career choice. I, like Mickey Spillane, used to see readers as customers. I wrote MARIPOSA to be read. I have writer friends who write first for themselves, and if the book sells, all the better. That had not been my attitude. Now it is.

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 don’t think I could have speeded things up. I sent multiple queries often. The one mistake I might have made is to not have immediately started on another serious writing project, while sending MARIPOSA out. The only problem is that I didn’t have a serious writing idea.

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

I was Writer of the Month for the West Texas/Dallas District of Barnes & Noble. I have heard some lovely words about my book.

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

I would have become a veterinarian or wildlife biologist. Or a professor of Romance Languages.

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

I am interested in animal communication though I would want to write about that rather than counsel people about their pets.

How do you see yourself in ten years?

My wish is to study animals and learn to genuinely communicate with them. I know that it can be done because I have had very real, though sporadic dialogues with them, in terms of mental words or pictures. I am interested in their true intelligence. I’d like to travel the world and write about both domestic and wild animals, fiction and non-fiction.

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

Writing is perhaps 15% of the process. The other 85% is being fabulous, so that people fall in love with you and then want to buy your book. This is true for most writers, though not all. A few writers, the really good ones as far as current culture is concerned, can still be true to themselves. They can be weird, unattractive, unfriendly, and it doesn’t matter because someone somewhere discovered their work and told others about it. That is my dream. Not to be weird, unattractive and unfriendly necessarily, but to have that option if I wish.