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Talking Books with P.I. Alltraine, author of ‘Heartbound’
P.I. Alltraine is an award winning poet and author. She has won several international poetry competitions, and her poems have been published in separate anthologies.
She teaches English Language and Literature in London. She earned her degree in BA English from Queen Mary University of London, a Post Graduate Certificate in Education and Master’s in Teaching at the UCL Institute of Education, University of London.
Before moving to London, she lived in the Philippines where she was ensconced in the rich culture encrusted with dark myths and enchanted tales. She draws inspiration from these in her writing. Although she has lived indifferent places and experienced different cultures, she always enjoyed the constancy of writing in her life. Her favourite authors include John Milton, Virginia Woolf and James Joyce.
Her latest book is the YA fantasy romance, Heartbound.
For More Information
- Visit P.I. Alltraine’s website.
- Connect with P.I. on Facebook and Twitter.
- Find out more about P.I. at Goodreads.
- Contact P.I.
About the Book:
Petyr has never found it necessary to consider the humans as anything more than distant, inferior beings–until now. They are the cause of the fatal disease that has plagued his realm, taking the lives of too many of his kind. As a future 
leader of a realm in peril, Petyr must find a way to resist and cure the affliction. He must enter the unfamiliar realm, appear to be an ordinary eighteen-year-old human, observe, and learn.
However, things don’t exactly go according to plan. Instead of embarking single-mindedly on his sober mission, Petyr meets an 18-year-old girl who does things to his emotions that he can’t quite fathom or control. Petyr is falling in love, and he almost forgets the gravity his choices have on his entire world. Despite the risk it poses to his life and hers, he wants to know her, and he wants her to know him–and his world.
For More Information
- Heartbound is available at Amazon.
- Watch the trailer at YouTube.
- Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
Q: Welcome to Beyond the Books, P.I. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?
Heartbound is my first published novel, though I’ve had some published academic essays and poetry.
Q: When you were published for the first time, which route did you go – mainstream, small press, vanity published or self-published and why or how did you choose this route?
I chose a small press, Soul Mate Publishing, New York, to publish Heartbound. It was a very quick process for me. First, I did some research on credible agents and publishers that would be interested in my genre. I randomly picked one from the list, just to see how the process worked and what a rejection letter looked like. Two weeks later, I got a request for the full manuscript, and two weeks after that I was offered a contract. I had a difficult decision to make because I hadn’t really tried anything else at that point. However, from what I heard, querying agents could take months for a reply (even a rejection reply), and even if someone took me on, there was no guarantee they could sell it to a publisher—and I already had a publisher interested. In the end, it made sense to seize the opportunity.
Q: How long did it take you to get published once you signed the contract?
After I’ve signed the contract, the whole took about a year, including the rounds of editing, working with the cover artist, etc.
Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
It felt great that I could officially call myself a writer. I celebrated with family and friends; they have been incredibly supportive.
Q: What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
I signed up for a blog tour. It’s really important to get the word out there!
Q: Since you’ve been published, how have you grown as a writer and now a published author?
I learned a lot during the editing process. I’m thankful to my editors for all their invaluable advice. They definitely made me a better writer.
Q: What has surprised or amazed you about the publishing industry as a whole?
It’s surprising how little control authors have in the process. I was lucky because, being published by a small press, my voice was heard (including the release date, cover art, etc.), but I know of many authors who had very different experiences and had very little control of what happened in the process.
Q: What is the most rewarding thing about being a published author?
Being able to share my work to people is incredible, and of course, being able to call myself a novelist whenever I feel like it. J
Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
Write for yourself and the rest will follow. It doesn’t matter if your style doesn’t fit the current trend or if some circles won’t consider it “good writing.” Write because you want to, and write whatever the hell you want. Writing is not a way to fit in or please others. It’s one of the very few things in the world that allows the liberty to be true to oneself.
Interview with ‘The Ark’ Laura Liddell Nolen
Laura Liddell Nolen grew up in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where she spent lots of time playing make-believe with her two younger brothers. They supplemented their own stories with a steady diet of space- and superhero-themed movies, books, and television. The daughter of a comic book collector, she learned how to handle old comics at an early age, a skill she’s inordinately proud of to this day.
Laura began work on her first novel, The Ark, in 2012, following the birth of her daughter Ava, a tiny rebel and a sweetheart on whom the novel’s main character is loosely based. Completion of The Ark was made possible in part due to an SCBWI Work-in-Progress Award.
Laura loves coffee, dogs, and making lists. She has a degree in French and a license to practice law, but both are frozen in carbonite at present. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and two young children, and their dog Miley, who is a very good girl.
For More Information
- Visit Laura Liddell Nolen’s website.
- Connect with Laura on Facebook and Twitter.
- Find out more about Laura at Goodreads.
- Visit Laura’s blog.
About the Book:
There’s a meteor headed for Earth, and there is only one way to survive.
It’s the final days of earth, and sixteen-year-old Char is right where she belongs: in prison. With her criminal record, she doesn’t qualify for a place on an Ark, one of the five massive bioships designed to protect earth’s survivors during the meteor strike that looks set to destroy the planet. Only a select few will be saved – like her mom, dad, and brother – all of whom have long since turned their backs on Char.
If she ever wants to redeem herself, Char must use all the tricks of the trade to swindle her way into outer space, where she hopes to reunite with her family, regardless of whether they actually ever want to see her again, or not . . .
For More Information
- The Ark is available at Amazon.
- Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
- Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
- Read Chapter One here.
Q: Welcome to Beyond the Books, Laura. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?
It’s my first time! Thanks for having me. It’s great to be here.
Q: When you were published for the first time, which route did you go – mainstream, small press, vanity published or self-published and why or how did you choose this route?
I’m with Harper Voyager, the global science fiction and fantasy imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. A little while back, they put out a call for unsolicited submissions, and I sent in The Ark. I think Voyager received around 5,000 manuscripts, so it was never something I expected to “win.”
When I got the call, I was so excited. I jumped up and down like a crazy person.
Q: How long did it take you to get published once you signed the contract?
I signed last summer, and The Ark was published March 26. The paperback is out this fall!
Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
It’s fantastic. Like a lot of your readers, I’d been dreaming of getting to that point for a long, long time.
As for celebrating, it was more like a series of smaller celebrations than one big hurrah. Finishing the first draft was a tremendous accomplishment for me, even when I thought nothing might ever come of it. I wasn’t totally sure I had it in me to get that far. So was finishing the second draft! I’ve already mentioned doing my happy dance when I got the call from my editor that I’d been chosen. Signing the contract called for another joyous jig, and of course, there was much rejoicing the day the book finally came out.
Q: What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
Harper Voyager was kind enough to give me an interview and a guest post on their blog. You can find them here and here.
Q: Since you’ve been published, how have you grown as a writer and now a published author?
So far, my time has been spent promoting The Ark. But it’s only been three weeks. Another difference is that although I was always trying my hardest, I am doubly inspired to put out my best work possible. Before, I never knew anyone would read it. Now, I know it’s going to be published! No pressure there.
Q: What has surprised or amazed you about the publishing industry as a whole?
I’ve said this before, but the single most amazing thing about the publishing industry is the support of my fellow writers. I’ve had a few readers reach out in the past couple of weeks to say that they enjoyed the book, and that’s really special, too. I even heard from a mother who told me her daughter hadn’t been so engaged by a book in awhile, and that was an awesome feeling.
I will admit that most of the people who reached out mainly just wanted to tell me not to end the next one on a cliffhanger, to which I say: THANK YOU for reading my book! And we’ll see…
Q: What is the most rewarding thing about being a published author?
Knowing my kids, especially my daughter, will one day get to read the words I wrote. Wanting my children eventually to understand me as a person is a secondary goal in parenting, but it’s important nonetheless.
Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
Keep writing! You can do this. I truly believe that anyone- anyone- can improve with practice. Practice involves reading as much as you can and thinking about the way better authors put their stories together. But, alas, it also involves writing.
So keep writing.
A Conversation with Mathieu Cailler, author of ‘Loss Angeles’
Mathieu Cailler is a writer of prose and poetry. His work has been widely published in national and international literary journals. Before becoming a full-time writer, Cailler was an elementary school teacher in inner-city Los Angeles. “I came to writing in a rather circuitous way. I always penned jokes for stand-up comedy appearances but later realized it wasn’t just comedy that applealed to me, but all writing.” A graduate of Vermont College of Fine Arts, Cailler was awarded the Short Story America Prize for Short Fiction and a Shakespeare Award for Poetry. His chapbook, Clotheslines, was recently published by Red Bird Press. LOSS ANGELES is Cailler’s first full-length book.
For More Information
- Visit Mathieu Cailler’s website.
- Connect with Mathieu on Facebook and Twitter.
- Find out more about Mathieu at Goodreads.
About the Book:
Set in the glamorous city of Los Angeles, California, LOSS ANGELES skips the shine and celebrity the city is known for and instead dives deeply into the lives of ordinary Angelenos. In each of the fifteen stories in this collection, 
author Mathieu Cailler examines the private lives of a diverse mix of characters. This collection of stories showcases the rawness of real life, the complexity of navigating personal challenges and internal conflicts, and the ever present possibility of encountering unexpected compassion and empathy.
The stories in LOSS ANGELES uncover the reality that the interiors of people’s lives often have huge holes in them. In the collection, a quiet divorced man, who is still deeply in love with his ex-wife, finally speaks up when his son’s soon-to-be stepfather becomes enraged over a broken birthday gift. A young man visiting his parents for the first time in nine years delays his presence at his family’s Thanksgiving dinner to see an old friend who was influential in his early life. Cailler also goes beyond loss and grief to reveal hidden human kindness in the stories of a widower, who steps out of his melancholy to save the life of a stranger, and an aging bachelor, who becomes a father figure for a wayward young woman.
In “Over the Bridge,” Ella is a teenager learning to manage her grief over the death of her mother and the new life she and her seven-year-old brother have with their father, with whom the children have not lived with since their parents’ divorce. While Ella is receiving weekly counseling at school, she continues to struggle with the changes in her life. When the counselor instructs Ella to write a letter to her father explaining the uncertainty and distance she feels in regard to her relationship with him, Ella complies and writes with the type of honesty that one allows when there is no plan to share what is written. But when Ella finds herself in a frightening situation with a boy at a party after consuming drugs and alcohol, the letter becomes the catalyst for a change in perspective for her father.
“Hit and Stay” is the story of a young married man making the long drive home from an out-of-town business trip. Penn is troubled as he drives his SUV through back roads to avoid the highway traffic. The quiet drive in the warm cocoon of the truck affords Penn the opportunity to reflect on the one-night stand he had with a new employee. As he contemplates how or if he will confess his mistake to his wife, Kimberly, Penn reviews his life with the woman he was once passionately in love with who has grown distant since the death of her mother. During the drive, Penn has an unfortunate accident that breaks the delicate hold he has on his volatile emotional state.
The conflict between familial violence and love is the foundation of “Dark Timber.” Clevie and his older brother, Roy, reluctantly accompany their father on a hunting expedition. Their father, an alcoholic recently released from prison after serving time for beating the boys’ mother, is determined to teach his sons how to hunt for their own food.
The relationship between father and sons is strained. Roy has personal experience with his father’s violent temper, but young Clevie remains hopeful that life with their father will improve. Neither boy is interested in hunting. Clevie is the most reluctant to fire on innocent animals. However, when their father comes face-to-face with a menacing predator, both boys instinctively respond to his pleas for help.
“LOSS ANGELES is a throwback to eclectic short story collections of past years and is only bound by the theme of loss in a very general sense,” Cailler says. “The stories are by turns fragile, tender, and always memorable. The characters in this book are as diverse as the city itself… they all have a story to share, and it was my job to do just that. I don’t believe in being predestined while writing; therefore, some of the stories end with a bit of hope while others reach their coda in a disconcerting fashion.”
Exposing emotions was Cailler’s focus when writing the collection. “I want the reader to relate to the feelings and sentiments expressed in the book. I think loss is the greatest bond we possess as humans, and there isn’t a single person around who hasn’t experienced it. We’ve all lost something dear to us, something profound,” the author says. “I think if a reader comes away from LOSS ANGELES feeling more connected to others and/or him or herself, I’ll have done my job. Whenever I write, I think of Plato’s words: ‘Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.’ That’s something that I hope will resonate with the reader.”
For More Information
- Loss Angeles is available at Amazon.
- Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
- Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
Q: Welcome to Beyond the Books, Mathieu. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?
Thank you, Beyond the Books. My chapbook, Clotheslines, was published last year by Red Bird Press, but Loss Angeles is my first full-length collection. I’ve also been lucky enough to have my work appear in numerous publications, including Epiphany, The Saturday Evening Post, and the Los Angeles Times.
Q: When you were published for the first time, which route did you go – mainstream, small press, vanity published or self-published and why or how did you choose this route?
Loss Angeles was published by a small press, Short Story America. It was an easy choice really. “Over the Bride”—the first story in the collection—won the 2012 Short Story America Prize for Short Fiction and through that I was able to get to know Editor-in-Chief Tim Johnston quite well. We maintained a wonderful relationship throughout the years, and I’ve been a huge fan of all the books/anthologies SSA has put out.
Q: How long did it take you to get published once you signed the contract?
One year, almost to the day.
Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
To be honest, I’m still trying to process this. I love the characters in these stories very much, and I’m just happy that their struggles and triumphs are light and free with the world. I celebrated quietly with my family and a few friends. In writing, I don’t think one should get too high or too low.
Q: What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
I shared the release on Facebook and did a local reading.
Q: Since you’ve been published, how have you grown as a writer and now a published author?
I’m still exactly the same really. I have a story that I’m working on right now… that I’m enjoying putting together. Tiffani, the main character, is intriguing to me and I’m savoring getting to know her better.
Q: What has surprised or amazed you about the publishing industry as a whole?
I’ve been amazed by the support and kindness I’ve received from fellow presses. Editors and publishers have been quick to send notes and messages, and make me feel welcome.
Q: What is the most rewarding thing about being a published author?
Seeing the characters that consumed so much of my life… wrapped in the hardcover they deserve.
Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
Control what you can control. Have a routine, stick to it, and block off your writing time with caution tape. Stay in the chair and let it go.
Thank you so much for taking the time to interview me.
A Conversation with Stephen C. Merlino, author of ‘The Jack of Souls’
Stephen C. Merlino lives in Seattle, WA, where he writes, plays, and teaches high school English. He lives with the world’s most talented and desirable woman, two fabulous children, and three attack chickens.
Growing up in Seattle drove Stephen indoors for eight months of the year. Before the age of video games, that meant he read a lot. At the age of eleven he discovered the stories of J.R.R. Tolkein and fell in love with fantasy.
Summers and rare sunny days he spent with friends in wooded ravines or on the beaches of Puget Sound, building worlds in the sand, and fighting orcs and wizards with driftwood swords.
About the time a fifth reading of The Lord of the Rings failed to deliver the old magic, Stephen attended the University of Washington and fell in love with Chaucer and Shakespeare and all things English. Sadly, the closest he got to England back then was The Unicorn Pub on University Way, which wasn’t even run by an Englishman: it was run by a Scot named Angus. Still, he studied there, and as he sampled Angus’s weird ales, and devoured the Unicorn’s steak & kidney pie (with real offal!), he developed a passion for Scotland, too.
In college, he fell in love with writing, and when a kindly professor said of a story he’d written, “You should get that published!” Stephen took the encouragement literally, and spent the next years trying. The story remains unpublished, but the quest to develop it introduced Stephen to the world of agents (the story ultimately had two), and taught him much of craft and the value of what Jay Lake would call, “psychotic persistence.”
Add to that his abiding love of nerds–those who, as Sarah Vowel defines it, “go too far and care too much about a subject”–and you have Stephen Merlino in a nutshell.
Stephen is the 2014 PNWA winner for Fantasy.
He is also the 2014 SWW winner for Fantasy.
His novel, The Jack of Souls is in its fourth month in the top ten on Amazon’s Children’s Fantasy Sword & Sorcery Best Seller list, and among the top three in Coming-of-Age.
For More Information
- Visit Stephen C. Merlino’s website.
- Connect with Stephen on Facebook and Twitter.
- Find out more about Stephen at Goodreads.
- Contact Stephen.
About the Book:
An outcast rogue named Harric must break a curse laid on his fate or die by his nineteenth birthday.
As his dead-day approaches, nightmares from the spirit world stalk him and tear at his sanity; sorcery eats at his soul.
To survive, he’ll need more than his usual tricks. He’ll need help—and a lot of it—but on the kingdom’s lawless frontier, his only allies are other outcasts. One of these outcasts is Caris, a mysterious, horse-whispering runaway, intent upon becoming the Queen’s first female knight. The other is Sir Willard—ex-immortal, ex-champion, now addicted to pain-killing herbs and banished from the court.
With their help, Harric might keep his curse at bay. But for how long?
And both companions bring perils and secrets of their own: Caris bears the scars of a troubled past that still hunts her; Willard is at war with the Old Ones, an order of insane immortal knights who once enslaved the kingdom. The Old Ones have returned to murder Willard and seize the throne from his queen. Willard is both on the run from them, and on one final, desperate quest to save her.
Together, Harric and his companions must overcome fanatical armies, murderous sorcerers, and powerful supernatural foes.
Alone, Harric must face the temptation of a forbidden magic that could break his curse, but cost him the only woman he’s ever loved.
***
A tale of magic, mischief, and the triumph of tricksters.
For More Information
- The Jack of Souls is available at Amazon.
- Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
- Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
- Watch book trailer at YouTube.
- Watch Kickstarter video at YouTube.
- Read Chapter One here.
Q: Welcome to Beyond the Books, Stephen. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?
The Jack of Souls is my first novel, and first in a fantasy series.
Q: When you were published for the first time, which route did you go – mainstream, small press, vanity published or self-published and why or how did you choose this route?
After years of courting agents and editors, with small success, I began entering The Jack of Souls in literary contests. It was finalist in a number of contests, then it placed, and in 2014 it actually won the Pacific Northwest Writers Association award for fantasy (PNWA is a very large competition), and a month later it won the Southwest Writers award for fantasy. Additionally, Wattpad asked if they could make it a Featured novel.
It started to dawn on me that the only people that really matter in determining if a book is any good is the reader, and if readers liked the book enough to buy it and recommend it to others, then maybe I didn’t need an agent’s blessing after all.
So I ran a Kickstarter (a TON of work and a TON of fun—met supportive and generous people from 17 different countries), found a great artist (Jakub Rozalski), hired editors and formatters, and in the space of a few months I had ebook, paperback, and hardback up on Amazon.
I am extremely grateful to report that within a couple months it appeared in the top ten of several Amazon ebook bestseller lists. It kind of floored me, actually. Turns out, fantasy readers like it! Woohoo!
Today, it has a 4.5-star rating with over 50 reviews, and recently it received a 5-star rating from Midwest Book Review. I could not be more humbled and thankful for that. Indie publishing turned out to be a fantastic decision for me. I’m finally reaching readers and hearing back from them.
Q: How long did it take you to get published once you signed the contract?
It took me maybe three months to publish it. It was a lot of work—don’t get me wrong—but three months isn’t long at all. I understand that the big five corporate publishing houses take upwards of a year to publish a book; if I’m not mistaken, a year is fast for them. They have a lot more people involved at every level, choosing, asking, seeking permissions from higher-ups, making decisions, back-and-forthing, etc., so it isn’t surprising. When it’s just me orchestrating a team of folks I hire, things are bound to move a lot faster.
Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
I felt relieved! Finally, I could move on to the second book in the series, The Knave of Souls. I aim to release it at the end of August 2015. J
To celebrate, my wife and I took the kids out to dinner, rode go-carts, and played laser tag in a fog-lit maze. Awesome.
Q: What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
I bought a copy of The Book Reviewer Yellow Pages and started sending queries to get bloggers to review the book. Turns out, it’s a lot like querying agents, but with (for me) a lot more positive results. Book bloggers are another fun group of people to work with.
Q: Since you’ve been published, how have you grown as a writer and now a published author?
I’ve gained weight. No, really. Something had to go, and it was exercise. Publishing and publicizing is a whole other layer of work to be done on top of writing, my teaching job, and family life.
Q: What has surprised or amazed you about the publishing industry as a whole?
There is so much creativity and love of the craft in this industry! It feeds the soul. Good people, sharing information, learning together about something we love.
Q: What is the most rewarding thing about being a published author?
Reaching readers and hearing from them is the best thing about publishing a novel. Hands down. Writing can be such a lonely occupation. To reach a reader and hear an echo coming back from the void, that’s affirmation and connection. In that moment it goes from monologue to dialogue, from solitude to community, from “Sound and fury signifying nothing” to “Hey, that’s pretty good. Let’s talk about that!”
For me that’s where it’s at.
Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
Read a lot. Write a lot. Find a good critique group so you can learn from other writers and readers. Refine. Revise. Repeat. J
Interview with Russ Colchamiro, author of sci-fi comedy ‘Genius De Milo’
Russ Colchamiro is the author of the rollicking space adventure Crossline, the hilarious scifi backpacking comedy Finders Keepers, and the outrageous sequel, Genius de Milo, all with Crazy 8 Press.
Russ lives in West Orange, NJ, with his wife, two children, and crazy dog, Simon, who may in fact be an alien himself. Russ is now at work on the final book in the Finders Keepers trilogy.
As a matter of full disclosure, readers should not be surprised if Russ spontaneously teleports in a blast of white light followed by screaming fluorescent color and the feeling of being sucked through a tornado. It’s just how he gets around — windier than the bus, for sure, but much quicker.
His latest book is the science fiction novel, Genius De Milo.
For More Information
- Visit Russ Colchamiro’s website.
- Connect with Russ on Facebook and Twitter.
- Find out more about Russ at Goodreads.
- Visit Russ’ blog.
- More books by Russ.
- Contact Russ.
About the Book:
Best pals Jason Medley and Theo Barnes barely survived a backpacking trip through Europe and New Zealand that — thanks to a jar of Cosmic Building Material they found — almost wiped out the galaxy. But just as they envision a future without any more cosmic lunacy:
The Earth has started fluxing in and out of existence, Theo’s twin girls are teleporting, and Jason can’t tell which version of his life is real.
All because of Milo, the Universe’s ultimate gremlin.
Joined by the mysterious Jamie — a down-and-out hotel clerk from Eternity — Jason and Theo reunite on a frantic, cross-country chase across America, praying they can retrieve that jar, circumvent Milo, and save the Earth from irrevocable disaster.
In author Russ Colchamiro’s uproarious sequel to Finders Keepers, he finally confirms what we’ve long suspected — that there’s no galactic Milo quite like a Genius de Milo.
For More Information
- Genius De Milo is available at Amazon.
- Pick up your copy at Crazy 8 Press.
- Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
Q: Welcome to Beyond the Books, Russ Colchamiro. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?
Russ: I have several books in publication. My novels include the scifi backpacking comedies Finders Keepers and Genius de Milo -– think American Pie/Midnight Run meets Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy — and the scifi mystery adventure, Crossline –- think Flash Gordon meets Escape from New York. I also contributed a short story to the Crazy 8 Press wizards and demons anthology Tales of the Crimson Keep.
Q: When you were published for the first time, which route did you go – mainstream, small press, vanity published or self-published and why or how did you choose this route?
Russ: I was in deep negotiations with three mid- to large-size publishers, who all wanted Finders Keepers, but because of the economic downturn they all cut back on their production. They all said that if the economy had been better they would have signed me on the spot. So I wound up going with a small indie publisher, Three Finger Prints.
Q: How long did it take you to get published once you signed the contract?
Russ: Once we agreed, it took about six months to produce Finders Keepers and get it published and ready for sale.
Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
A: Finders Keepers debuted in October 2010, just two months after my twins were born. So the boring truth is that I didn’t do a whole of extra celebrating. I had my hands full, both figuratively and literally!
Q: What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
Russ: Let out a deep breath!
Q: Since you’ve been published, how have you grown as a writer and now a published author?
Russ: I’m far more efficient. I have a much better sense of what the story needs and what it doesn’t need, so I’m not wasting nearly as much time with content that will never make the final version. I’m also getting much stronger at pacing, finding the right balance between pushing the plot forward but also taking enough time to develop the characters so that the readers are invested in the outcome.
I tend to write complex, interlocking character arcs and storylines into the overall narrative, so I’ve had to force myself to really focus on what’s most important, and then build around it.
Q: What has surprised or amazed you about the publishing industry as a whole?
Russ: I published Finders Keepers in October 2010. I didn’t know it then, but it was right before e-books took over the market … and also in the middle of what turned out to be the biggest economic downturn in a century. Not what I’d call ideal timing! As I said above, I originally published (print and e-book) though a small indie publisher, Three Finger Prints, but despite the economy I had success right away.
I was able to land a national distribution contract (uncommon for a first-time author), with Finders Keepers carried by several Barnes & Noble stores throughout the country. Finders Keepers also received very supportive write-ups by Publishers Weekly, and I was one of only a half dozen authors globally to be invited by Wattpad to become one of their featured authors.
And then right after Finders Keepers debuted, e-books revolutionized the way readers digest novels, and for authors it’s been an entirely new and ever-changing world since then. I wound up reprinting Finders Keepers through Crazy 8 Press so that I now have my entire catalogue under one imprint, and control all of the rights, which is nice.
Q: What is the most rewarding thing about being a published author?
Russ: I take a certain pride in having brought my ideas to the page in a way that others can enjoy. Or ridicule! Ha. But seeing my books on a shelf, in someone’s home, or in a bookstore, or available online, let’s me know that I set my mind to accomplishing something that was important to me, and that I did it as well as I knew how to do — and was able to do — at the time that I did it.
Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
Russ: Write because you love it, write for yourself, and write every day. And if you can make money at it … all the better.
On a more technical level, work with beta readers and editors who will give you actionable feedback that helps you improve the story you’re working on — and your craft — in very specific ways.
If you’re getting feedback like, “oh, that was good,” or “it wasn’t for me,” then they’re not really helping you.
Be highly selective, choosing people who will tell you what you actually need to hear, not what you want to hear. And keep your world of trusted ‘advisors’ on the small side. Feedback from too many people will distract and confuse you.
Being an author is a lot of work, so try to have as much as you can along the way, and unlike me, celebrate every step along the way. We writers need as much encouragement as we can get!
Interview with M.K. Theodoratus, author of ‘The Ghostcrow’
Hooked by comic books at an early age, M. K. Theodoratus’ fascination with fantasy solidified when she discovered the Oz books by L. Frank Baum with his strong female characters. She has traveled through many fantasy worlds since then. When she’s not reading about other writer’s worlds, she’s creating her own.
Most of her stories are set in the Far Isles where she explores the political effects of genetic drift on a mixed elf human population. Lately, Theodoratus has been setting her stories in an alternate world of Andor where demons stalk humankind.
A sixth grade English assignment started her writing. The teacher assigned a short story. Theodoratus gave her an incomplete, 25-page Nancy Drew pastiche which turned into a full novel by the next summer. She’s been writing happily ever after ever since…for four or five writing careers. Most recently she’s been concentrating of her Andor stories, set in an alternate world where demons and magic plague humans.
Her latest book is the supernatural fantasy novelette, The Ghostcrow: A Tale of Andor.
For More Information
- Visit M.K. Theodoratus website.
- Connect with M.K. on Facebook and Twitter.
- Find out more about M.K. at Goodreads.
- Visit M.K.’s blog.
About the Book:
Seeing ghosts has plagued Dumdie Swartz since early childhood.
Afraid that ghost guts might stick to her if she stepped through them, thirteen-year-old Dumdie Swartz still cringes when she encounters them.
Her strange attempts to avoid spirits create a lonely life.
Her sisters constantly mock her strange behavior, her parents are clueless, and her social life is zero. Dumdie finds solace working in a shared garden with her elderly neighbor, Mr. Carson. When teens from her high school steal pumpkins from his garden, Mr. Carson is hurt during the theft, and later, dies.
Dumdie’s life takes a dark turn.
She learns there are stranger things than ghosts, when she senses something evil living in Kyle, one of the boys who had raided the pumpkin patch. Kyle bullies Dumdie to scare her into silence. The more Kyle threatens her, the clearer she perceives the evil thing possessing him. Dumdie finds support in an unlikely group of girls who befriend her when she helps them with their costumes for the Pumpkin festival. During the festival, Dumdie’s fears explode when the thing possessing Kyle decides it wants to possess her.
For More Information
- The Ghostcrow is available at Amazon.
- Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
- Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
- Read excerpt here.
Q: Welcome to Beyond the Books, Kay. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?
First, thank you for the opportunity to talk about my writing.
Nothing like stumping me with your first question. Don’t think I fit into any of the molds. I’ve been writing since the sixth grade, and we won’t go into how long that is. I sold my first short stories to the kids’ section of Sunday newspapers. Not often, but often enough to keep me daydreaming in a coherent fashion. I’ve sold both fiction and non-fiction to other publications over the years.
Q: When you were published for the first time, which route did you go – mainstream, small press, vanity published or self-published and why or how did you choose this route?
I’ve enjoyed several writing “careers”. This time around, I sold some fantasy stuff to WolfSinger Press and Spectra, but the short story I wrote for Spectra, Night for the Gargoyles, really lit the fire in my imagination. I expanded it into a novel about the demon/gargoyle battles for the city of Trebridge and was offered a contract when I pitched it at a writer’s conference to a small indie publisher.
Being a responsible citizen, I started building a writer’s platform by self-publishing other short stories and novelettes set in my alternative world of Andor. The publisher folded for a variety of reasons, not all their fault, and I was left with a bunch of self-published stories I enjoy sharing.
Q: How long did it take you to get published once you signed the contract?
See above.
Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
The first time? Don’t think I remember. I was a sour pickle-puss as a teen. Not really a loner, but I definitely preferred writing my stories and reading books to people.
Do remember encountering the English lit guys of the college literary magazine, though. Since I thought of myself as a writer, I went to their recruitment meeting where these males strutted and spouted about literature. Turned out I was the only one who had been independently published…though my stuff was beneath their notice. Dylan Thomas or James Joyce I wasn’t. I’m still not and have no ambition to become “great”.
Q: What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
Ahh, memories of the past. I didn’t promote at all. My story appeared in the paper, and I basked in my nice letter from the editor. Probably put the check in the bank.
To promote my self-published stories now, I do the social media thing: GoodReads, Twitter, Facebook, etc. plus trying out blog tours.
Q: Since you’ve been published, how have you grown as a writer and now a published author?
Think I’m a little too old to grow. I just like to tell my stories and, thanks to the web, it’s easy to share them. Guess my craft skills have improved. I don’t have to eliminate nearly as many passive structures as I used to.
Q: What has surprised or amazed you about the publishing industry as a whole?
Nothing has surprised me, even though the industry turned rather strange with the corporate paradigm taking over. But who can say it’s worse than the old paradigm of being a gentleman’s hobby.
The web has made it much easier to get published, if you don’t mind becoming your own publisher. That means not only are you responsible for creating the story, you must get your book content edited, copy edited, put the print book together or format it as an ebook, and market it so people have a chance to notice it.
Q: What is the most rewarding thing about being a published author?
*Shrug* I have made any best-seller lists, so I have made my fortune yet. I do get to share my writing if anyone cares to read it. Is that a reward?
Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
I’ll join the ranks of Stephen King and a host of others. In one word: write. Even if someone says your stories are junk, write. Then, write some more.
People learn the craft of writing by writing. For some, it’s a natural born talent. For others, it’s a hard row to hoe.
Another little secret, find a writers group. You can learn to improve your writing both by critiquing others and listening to the comments of others about your writing. If you meet a troll along the way, ignore them even if they say hurtful things.
Read the blogs of your favorite writers. You may be surprised to learn they have “trunk novels” which will never see the light of day because they hadn’t yet learned their craft when they wrote them.
A Conversation with Sarah Remy, author of ‘Stonehill Downs’
We’re happy to be hosting Sarah Remy today at Beyond the Books! In 1994 Sarah earned a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing from Pomona College in California. Since then she’s been employed as a receptionist at a high-powered brokerage firm, managed a boutique bookstore, read television scripts for a small production company, and, more recently, worked playground duty at the local elementary school.
When she’s not taking the service industry by storm, she’s writing fantasy and science fiction. Sarah likes her fantasy worlds gritty, her characters diverse and fallible, and she doesn’t believe every protagonist deserves a happy ending.
Before joining the Harper Voyager family, she published with EDGE, Reuts, and Madison Place Press.
Sarah lives in Washington State with plenty of animals and people, both. In her limited spare time she rides horses, rehabs her old home, and supervises a chaotic household. She can talk to you endlessly about Sherlock Holmes, World of Warcraft, and backyard chicken husbandry, and she’s been a member of one of Robin Hobb’s longest-running online fan clubs since 2002.
Her latest is the fantasy novel, Stonehill Downs.
For More Information
- Visit Sarah Remy’s website.
- Connect with Sarah on Facebook and Twitter.
- Find out more about Sarah at Goodreads.
- Visit Sarah’s blog.
- Contact Sarah.
About the Book:
Stonehill Downs follows Mal, a powerful mage who functions as Lord Vocent, the king’s personal forensic scientist and detective. Magic and murder are his calling. Never have the two entangled in quite as terrifying a manner as on Stonehill Downs, where Avani, a Goddess-gifted outsider, has discovered a host of gruesome corpses reeking of supernatural malfeasance. The investigation is haunted by ghosts of Mal’s past, and the two quickly learn that they must cast aside their secrets if they are to succeed in unearthing the pervading evil—before it’s unleashed from the boundaries of the Downs, straight into the heart of the kingdom.
For More Information
- Stonehill Downs is available at Amazon.
- Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
- Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
Q: Welcome to Beyond the Books, Sarah. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?
Thank you! Lovely to be here. I’m a multi-published author. I’ve been writing for a long time and sold to various markets.
Q: When you were published for the first time, which route did you go – mainstream, small press, vanity published or self-published and why or how did you choose this route?
The first time I published was through a small publisher. It was a very positive experience but I felt that I could do much of the legwork myself and next time around I self-published. I continue to self-publish years later alongside short stories in small presses and a contract with HarperCollins. I think of myself as a hybrid author.
Q: How long did it take you to get published once you signed the contract?
Regarding my latest book, Stonehill Downs, I signed Harper’s contract in June and the book came out in December. It was a very professional and smooth process.
Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
I was very excited, of course, and a little shocked. I went out for Indian and champagne, and then started on my next project. I’m a firm believer that it’s important to keep moving forward.
Q: What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
I hit up all the local bookstores. As an author, you need to personally make sure your book is ordered in and promoted in-store. In general, most brick and mortar stores are eager to support the local talent. Every store I approached set up a signing. If I hadn’t put myself politely in front of the book buyer, however, they would have never known Stonehill Downs existed, and that’s in spite of Harper’s press releases and promo blurbs. Your average author shoulders as much of the marketing work with a mainstream publisher as when self-publishing.
Q: Since you’ve been published, how have you grown as a writer and now a published author?
I think once you’ve got that first book under your belt, you’ve less excuses to waffle on the next one. You’ve done it once, you know you can do it again. You’ve got that little confidence lift.
Q: What has surprised or amazed you about the publishing industry as a whole?
It’s changed a lot over the years. Social media has made it a new animal. Luckily I’m a social media fiend, because these days you really need to be. You have to get out there and promote yourself and your work, but It’s not about sales, it’s about making connections with an audience who might enjoy you as a person and your stories as entertainment.
Q: What is the most rewarding thing about being a published author?
I really don’t think the reward is in being published. The reward is in writing a story you’re proud of, and enjoying the writing of it. The thrill is in creating, fiddling, and perfecting. I find escapism in writing almost exactly as I find escapism in reading.
Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
Always keep moving forward. No regrets, no second-guessing. Write the story you enjoy writing, polish it up, send it out. Move on to the next one. Find joy in the process, because honestly that’s the best part.
Interview with Mercedes King, author of A Dream Called Marilyn
A founding member of Sisters in Crime Columbus, Ohio (affectionately dubbed SiCCO), Mercedes King can be found elbow-deep in research, reading, or enjoying the local bike path. Combining her love of pop culture with history, she created A Dream Called Marilyn, a fictional take on the last weeks of Marilyn’s life. With an unquenchable thirst for a bygone era, she’s also written O! Jackie, a fictional take on Jackie Kennedy’s private life–and how she dealt with JFK’s affairs. Short story fans would enjoy The Kennedy Chronicles, a series featuring Jackie and Jack before the White House and before they were married. Visit Mercedes’ website at www.mercedesking.com to find out more.
About the Book:
In the summer of 1962, nothing could prepare Dr. Charles Campbell for his first meeting with new client, Marilyn Monroe. A reputable L.A. psychiatrist, he’s been hired by a studio executive to treat and subdue the star, no matter what it takes. Although he’s been warned about Ms. Monroe’s unpredictability, she’s not what he expected. Gaining Marilyn’s trust means crossing doctor-patient boundaries, and trying to separate fact from Hollywood-fed-rumors proves destructive to both Charles’ career and his personal life. As Marilyn shares her secrets and threatens to go public with information that could destroy President Kennedy’s administration, Charles’ world turns upside-down. He sinks deeper into her troubles than he should, but Charles becomes determined to help her, even though it means endangering Marilyn’s life and risking his own.
For More Information
- A Dream Called Marilyn is available at Amazon.
- Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
Q: Welcome to Beyond the Books, Mercedes. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?
I’ve been at this for a while. A Dream Called Marilyn is my first novella, but I have two other novels and short stories that are available.
Q: When you were published for the first time, which route did you go – mainstream, small press, vanity published or self-published and why or how did you choose this route?
I self-published my first novel after 5 years of rejections. Not easy, but most agents / publishers didn’t want to take it on because of the subject matter (O! Jackie…Jackie Kennedy is ultimately responsible for the death of Marilyn Monroe [fiction!]).
Q: How long did it take you to get published once you signed the contract?
I published with an e-book publisher last year. I signed the contract in December 2013 and the book was available (after 4 rounds of edits) in May 2014.
Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
Getting published is a lot like having a child, for me. A LOT goes into creating that baby of yours, and right before it’s released, there’s a lot of labor in the end. All worth it, though. Both for the books and especially for the babies!
Q: What was the first thing you did as far as promotion when you were published for the first time?
A gentleman contacted me for a podcast interview for his program. It was simple, straight-forward and a ton of fun.
Q: Since you’ve been published, how have you grown as a writer and now a published author?
As a writer, I no longer mind the edit / review process. I know it takes time to get the words and format right. Even then, you still might find a mistake, but not rushing is important.
Q: What has surprised or amazed you about the publishing industry as a whole?
Publishing is always changing, which is both exciting and sometimes frustrating. The hardest part is getting your book in front of readers. And then you hope, that one people do take a chance on your book(s) that you’ve gained a reader-for-life.
Q: What is the most rewarding thing about being a published author?
Anytime someone shares that he/she has enjoyed my book. There are tons of great authors and books out there, so it’s always special to hear from someone that he/she enjoyed your story. It’s always appreciated!
Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
Finish what you start. Even if you hate the book by the time you’re done. Finish it. Don’t get distracted by a ‘great new idea’. The journey of writing a book is loaded with life lessons.
Interview with Dr. Mark J. Rogers, author of ‘The Art & Science of Healing’
Our guest today is Dr. Mark J. Rogers. Dr. Rogers will be talking about becoming published for the first time, how he’s grown as an author and his new book, The Art & Science of Healing – With Light.
Q: Welcome to Beyond the Books, Mark. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?
Thank you so much for allowing me to be here. The Art and Science of Healing – with
Light is my first book.
Q: When you were published for the first time, which route did you go – mainstream, small press, vanity published or self-published and why or how did you choose this route?
I chose the self-publishing path and I have no regrets in doing so. The biggest bonus is that you can get your work out there and available so much quicker than any other way.
Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
Relief was my first emotion. I am a doctor who treats chronic pain through non mainstream methods. The Art and Science of Healing – with Light is the result of my life’s work in this field. I felt if I got hit by a bus my work is done. It is empowering to know that my work can now be shared with everyone.
Q: What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
I went to Washington to attend a World medical conference in my field and I gave away copies of the book in lieu of business cards. It was one way of making sure all the experts in my field had a copy of my book in their hands. I since learnt that most indeed did read it and some left me very good reviews.
Q: Since you’ve been published, how have you grown as a writer and now a published author?
Let’s such say that the second book has begun. With the first book I was keen on getting the facts out about how chronic pain develops and how mainstream medicine makes it worse, and of course how you can heal. In this second book I feel I can relax more. Facts are still important but I feel that I can have a little more fun this time.
Q: What has surprised or amazed you about the publishing industry as a whole?
That writing the book is only half the work, selling and promoting is more difficult.
Q: What is the most rewarding thing about being a published author?
The peace of having my years of research complied into an easy to read work that will change the lives of chronic pain patients. It has brought me great inner peace to know that anyone can now have access to this knowledge.
Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
Make it happen. Don’t be that person who always says, ‘One day I’ll write a book.’ Do it. Sit down, plot it out, think it through, and then write as if you have demons chasing you, because in a way most writers do. At the end of it you can proudly say, I wrote a book. It’s a great feeling.
About the Author:
Dr. Mark Rogers has been a general practitioner for thirty years and developed his expertise in soft tissue injuries, chronic pain, and laser over the last twenty. A former migraine and back patient himself, he saw the need for a book specifically for patients and how to heal their pain. He has presented papers on his methods all over the world and lectures to post graduate Masters students. Three times nominated for Australian of the Year he lives in Adelaide, Australia, is married and has five children.
For More Information
About the Book:
Chronic pain has reached epidemic proportions but it is not a disease. Chronic pain is a genuine physical problem and its epidemic is being spread by the very treatments the doctors are prescribing. Over thirty percent of patients across the world present with back, neck, or head pain, the majority of whom are in chronic pain, but all doctors offer is a prescription for painkillers and a referral for intensive physical therapy. The patients never improve, in fact they get worse. Instead of receiving empathy and understanding they are often accused of being dishonest about the severity of their pain. Some are even sent for psychotherapy. ‘The Art and Science of Healing – with Light’ breaks that vicious cycle. Within it is explained to patients how they developed chronic pain in the first place and how to begin to heal their migraines, back pain, neck pain, tinnitus, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and all forms of chronic pain in general.
Doctor Mark Rogers bases the healing process on his 7 Principles of Healing Chronic Pain. His methods are all based in science, are common sense, pain free, drug free, have no painful exercises, and no ‘mind over matter’ meditations for coping because the problem is not in the mind of the patients, it is in their bodies at a deep cellular level. The 7 Principles have a conservative efficacy of eighty-five percent. As long as the Principles are followed the patient will heal. It is the medical system that is keeping patients in pain through ignoring the origin of the pain. Pain is not a mystery, it is not a disease, it means you are being hurt. Chronic pain means you are still being hurt. Written in a clear easy to read style with minimal medical jargon it is designed for patients to finally give them understand what happened to them and gain control over their healing processes so they can start healing today.
For More Information
- The Art and Science of Healing – with Light is available at Amazon.
- Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
- Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
Interview with D.L. Anderson, author of ‘Unlocking the Mystery of You’
D. L. Anderson is a speaker and life trainer whose goals are centered on helping others live a life of purpose, excellence, and balance. Drawing on 15+ years of experience in various fields including information technology, consulting, and business management, D. L. Anderson is very excited to be able to effectively teach others the same principles which have made his life both fulfilling and successful.
His latest book is the self-help book, Unlocking the Mystery of You: The Pinnacle of Purpose.
For More Information
About the Book:
Do you know who the most important person in your life is? Just look in the mirror and you will see – it’s you. Whether you’re a college student, a housewife, a salesman, or the president of the United States of America, the most important person in your life is and will always be you.
That being said, your primary objective in life should be to know who you are so that you can position yourself to succeed in offices aligned with your purpose. After all, your purpose is the collective reasoning behind your existence. As one philosopher puts it, “Purpose is the only real reason you are here, for you exist because your purpose exists. Thus apart from purpose, you have no authentic motivation for living. You may very well exist, but when you’re gone, very few will ever know that you were here.”
Now for some of us discovering our purpose is simple. We understood it long before we ever became adults. For others it is not so easy, and for more reasons than I can gather. This is why the process of personal discovery is so critical; for not only does it allow you to discover your purpose. It also positions you to persistently follow the evolution of your purpose.
This is important because we are all changing every day. Consequently, our purpose will also change contingent to the season of life we are in. Still, in spite of this inevitable change and all the complexities which make understanding your purpose difficult, you will always be able to detect your purpose simply because it is the source of your fulfillment. So if you’re in a job, relationship, or any office which is persistently unfulfilling, odds are it is not aligned with your purpose – and unless you are willing to concede the awesome measures of fulfillment you would experience otherwise, you need to start thinking about making a change so that you can both enhance your life and have profound impacts in the various groups and societies you are in.
“Unlocking the Mystery of You” champions this cause focusing first and foremost on purpose and the crucial role it plays in achieving personal fulfillment and setting the stage for the individual to be a catalyst for group fulfillment. It accomplishes this goal by utilizing a purposeful roadmap designated as the Pinnacle of Purpose. The Pinnacle of Purpose is a progressive path illustrated by 7 ascending levels which, if followed sequentially, not only have the power to transform your life. It will provide you with the greatest measures of fulfillment and success life can offer. All you have to do is follow the crucial, yet simple order of purpose, beginning with confidence and concluding with peace.
So if you’re ready for a change; if you’re ready to stop sleeping on your dreams and your truest passions; if you’re tired of the status quo and living a life which feels incomplete; if you’re tired of wishing your life was better and are now prepared to do something about it; if you’re finally ready to take that ever-difficult leap of faith, then this is a book you must read. Because in this book I show you how to take that leap of faith without falling, for when you leap towards your purpose, you will always land squarely on your feet.
This is true first and foremost because your purpose is what makes you unique to every other individual in the world today, a premise which thoroughly validates the existence of every man and women on the earth. The problem is that many don’t understand their purpose. Once upon a time I didn’t either. That is until I got serious about life. It was then that I realized what purpose is.
It is the collection of all your authentic desires; it is your passion. It is your North Star and your direction; it is your life-long teacher – and above all else, it is that which causes you to press through any form or measure of adversity until you unleash your maximum potential, for it gives you the strength to hold on when you have no strength left within you to hold on.
For More Information
- Unlocking the Mystery of You is available at Amazon.
- Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
- Visit Life Pinnacles blog.
- Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
Q: Welcome to Beyond the Books, D.L.. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?
I am multi-published.
Q: When you were published for the first time, which route did you go – mainstream, small press, vanity published or self-published and why or how did you choose this route?
Small press; I chose this route because it was affordable and the publisher I went with had a quality product.
Q: How long did it take you to get published once you signed the contract?
Approximately 6 months; I signed the contract to take advantage of a promotional package even though I had not yet completed my manuscript. The actual time it took after my manuscript was complete was approximately 3 months.
Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
It was one of the most amazing feelings I have ever felt. I knew I was supposed to be a writer before I was even 10 years-old. Being published for the first time provided me a strong sense of validation; specifically because I never received any formal education to improve my natural writing skills. I celebrated by having a party with my closest family members and friends.
Q: What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
I hired a PR firm to help me market my book.
Q: Since you’ve been published, how have you grown as a writer and now a published author?
I’ve grown by knowledge of the publishing process and learning the importance of having as close to a finished product as possible before submitting my final manuscript. Otherwise, the re-editing and submission process just draws out the process and takes away a lot of the excitement and joy of publishing the book.
Q: What has surprised or amazed you about the publishing industry as a whole?
How much it can cost to publish a book and how little the author makes when their book sells.
Q: What is the most rewarding thing about being a published author?
Knowing that I am sharing principles with my audience which have helped me to be successful and find fulfillment in my life.
Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
The process is time-consuming, involved, and hard work. If you are not truly passionate about writing or find a constant joy in “wrestling with words” to make them say what you want them to say, then I would advise you not to take on any large book project. Either start with something small, or consider co-authoring.
Beyond the Books 