Debora M. Coty is a seasoned raconteur (storyteller), a raqueteer (tennis player) and a racketician (loud laughter). Also a freelance writer and newspaper columnist, she’s had over eighty works published in international magazines, newspapers, trade journals and anthologies. You can visit her website at www.deboracoty.com.
In no particular order, Suzanne Woods Fisher is a wife, mother, writer, lifelong student of the Bible, raiser of puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind, a gardener and a cook…the latter two with sporadic results. A former contributing editor to Christian Parenting Today magazine, Suzanne’s work has appeared in many magazines. Her first novel, Copper Star, a World War II love story, received three literary awards. Since then, she has published two more books and has five books under contract. Suzanne is a popular retreat speaker and teaches Precepts at her church. Find Suzanne on-line at: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.
Joanna Bloss is the author of God’s Gifts for the Grad (Barbour, 2009) and has written for a variety of publications including Today’s Christian Woman and Discipleship Journal. She is a certified personal trainer, graphic artist, and currently working towards her master’s degree in clinical psychology. She lives in the Midwest with her four children. Keep up with her busy life at http://joannabloss.blogspot.com.
Faith Tibbetts McDonald, a former contributing editor to Christian Parenting Today magazine, a newspaper columnist, freelance writer, professional speaker, and lecturer at Pennsylvania State University, received the Reader’s Pick award for an article published in Today’s Christian Woman magazine. Faith has contributed to numerous books including Women Ask, Women Answer: Questions Women Long to Ask, Answers They Need to Know (Thomas Nelson, 2008). Faith lives with her husband and three children in Pennsylvania. Visit Faith on Facebook.
Welcome to Beyond the Books, Suzanne, Debora, Faith and Joanna 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)?
Suzanne is the author of Copper Star and Copper Fire. Her novel, For the Love of Dogs, is due out in February. She is contracted with Revell/Baker for four books. The first is the non-fiction Amish Peace in an English Life, and the other three are novels about the Amish.
Debora is the author of The Distant Shore and Billowing Sails and is totally excited about Mom Needs Chocolate: Hugs, Humor and Hope for Surviving Motherhood, Regal Books’ featured Mother’s Day release in 3/09. Everyday Hope (Barbour Publishing) will follow in 8/09 and Barbour has recently initiated discussion concerning a book project for 2010.
Joanna wrote God’s Gifts for the Graduate (Barbour, 2009) and has contributed to a number of anthologies. She has a novel and several non-fiction projects in the works.
Faith is waiting for replies from magazines regarding articles submitted for publication. She uses her waiting time to work on an epistolary novel with a co-worker and is also writing a book of personal essays entitled Lose Weep, Find Keep.
What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?
Joanna: I wrote my first book, Simply Transformed, after receiving positive feedback from a class I taught on healthy living, specifically weight loss and nutrition. I talked with one editor, but he passed on it because it didn’t have the “wow” factor—i.e. didn’t offer a magic solution guaranteeing results. He said I was a good writer, but because I didn’t have a pre-existing platform they weren’t willing to take a risk on me. I was a little disheartened by that, and for a while seriously considered self-publishing. I’ve since put it on the back shelf, but occasionally print out excerpts to share with my personal training clients.
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?
Suzanne: For my book Copper Star, I received rejections from virtually every single Christian publisher. Most didn’t even consider it—I had no name, no agent, and I’m sure my proposal wasn’t as polished as it should have been. I had a connection with one major publisher, and the book traveled fairly far into the company’s selection process…but then it was rejected. Right at that time, I received a contract from a small press, and an agent picked me up…she liked my writing. She recommended that I go ahead and get a book published, and the small press was a good way to start. I did so, and that book ended up winning three literary awards and was the best seller for this small press. I don’t think I would have had that kind of recognition at a large publishing house, and I learned so much through a small press—a crash course in book publishing/promotion, which has served me well.
How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?
Debora: I try to review rejection slips like jockeys view horse-poo: a vocational hazard. Just step over the piles, wipe the nasty off your boots and keep moving forward, always forward. One editors loss will be another’s delight.
When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?
Suzanne: I chose Vintage Inspirations, a small press, and a very ethical, well-run company. I knew it would be around for a while, and I have really admired the positive directions and enthusiasm that the editor, Dawn Carrington, throws behind the company. I would recommend Vintage to any author, and I do.
How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
Debora: I carried the first copy of The Distant Shore around the house, sobbing. In fact, I cried for three days, totally overwhelmed by God’s grace and mercy. The cover was the most beautiful I had ever seen – an island sunrise – it blew me away.
What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
Suzanne: I sent out promotional postcards and an e-mail newsletter to everyone I knew, and offered my books to them at a low price. I asked for their help in spreading the word, with stamped postcards, making suggest-a-purchase requests at their library, etc. I spoke to all of the bookstores in my area, and offered consignment sales to them, as well as having events at their store. I did a talk “So You Want to be Published” at Barnes & Noble, with another author, that was very well attended and very successful.
Faith: I market my book on Facebook, mention it to my students, and take every opportunity I can find to either give a copy to an influential reader or sell at bookstores or other venues. The key is being creative and look for opportunities wherever they may present themselves.
If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?
Debora: Not in the least. I feel that the potholes and delays in my path to publication were no accident. Every single bump and rut helped me learn and became in integral part of being able to help others on their journeys. I started submitting articles for magazines and worked my way up through a monthly newspaper column to books (9 now, with a 10th under negotiation). Each step was a higher rung on the ladder and essential to reach my final goal: book publication.
Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?
Suzanne: I am constantly growing as a writer, and hope I will always be growing. There’s so much to learn! Currently, I have four published books, and four under contract to Revell/Baker. Also, I’ve contributed to many non-fiction books, most recently to Barbour Publishers 365 Daily Devotions’ series. Much credit goes to my agent, Joyce Hart, who has provided very helpful and strategically savvy guidance.
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?
Debora: I wish I had books like Grit for the Oyster to enlighten me about the nuances of the publishing biz and encourage me to persevere through the early stages of finding my literary voice. It would have been a terrific asset in gaining self-confidence and realizing I was not the only aspiring author with enough rejection slips to wallpaper a banquet hall.
What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?
Joanna: I’ve just survived the most emotionally intense year of my life, but in spite of that I’ve signed a contract for another book, finished my bachelor’s degree (after a 20 year hiatus) and started graduate school. Being a published author has been a dream of mine for a very long time and accomplishing that dream has given me the confidence and inspiration I need to pursue other dreams.
If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?
Faith: I can’t “not write” – I can’t imagine anything else on earth I’d rather do.
Would you give up being an author for that profession or have you combined the best of both worlds?
Suzanne: I would never, ever, ever give up being a writer. Ever.
How do you see yourself in ten years?
All four of us hope to be healthy, active, busy with our families and our hobbies and living in homes lined with bookshelves full of our best-selling books!
Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
Suzanne: If you take that dream very seriously–learn, grow, challenge yourself, be willing to learn from criticism, and stick with it–it will be a reality. Just remember, the process is more than half the fun! The growth you’ll see in yourself, the relationships you make, the stretching of your life experiences…it’s all good!
Technorati Tags:
Grit for the Oyster, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Joanna Bloss, Faith Tibbetts, Debora M. Coty, inspirational book, book for writers, writing book, virtual book tour, blog tour, virtual blog tour
