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Interview with Kim Hilton, Author of Closet Words
Kim Hilton, MCC, PCC, has a master’s degree in Christian counseling. Founder of Closet Words Ministries Foundation, Kim is a teacher on prayer and listening to God. An avid writer of several books, Closet Words was chosen as the first book to be published with the proceeds going to Closet Words Ministries Foundation. A sought-after speaker and Bible Study leader, Kim has spoken at both national and local events. She resides with her husband on their farm and enjoys spending time with their six grown children and grandchildren. You can find more information on Kim on her website www.KimHilton.org and also on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/KimHiltonAuthor.
Q: Welcome to Beyond the Books, Kim. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?
Published for the first 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: I had shared the manuscripts with several editors I had connections with but none picked it up. I made the decision then to self-publish.
Q: How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?
A: I continued to seek out other venues and educate myself on the book industry as a whole. I took matters into my own hands and chose to self-publish Closet Words.
Q: When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?
A: Westbow Press. Dec 2012. I chose them because they helped me choose an option that would accomplish my purpose with Closet Words.
Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
A: When I first saw the cover as I had described it, I had chills for over an hour. I celebrated, thanking God for the opportunity to share what He had given me.
Q: What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
A: We held a book launch luncheon which was a lot of fun.
Q: If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?
A: No.
Q: Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?
A: I have more understanding of the publishing process and book industry.
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 should have kept trying and pushed harder.
Q: What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?
A: Seeing lives changed of those who read Closet Words.
Q: If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?
A: A Teacher.
Q: Would you give up being an author for that profession or have you combined the best of both worlds?
A: I grew up saying I wanted to be a teacher. I am now a teacher of God’s word.
Q: How do you see yourself in ten years?
A: The author of 10 books.
Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
A: Don’t give up. Especially if you know God has given you the inspiration for what you’ve written.
Interview with Laura Carroll, author of ‘The Baby Matrix’
Laura Carroll is the author of The Baby Matrix: Why Freeing Our Minds From Outmoded Thinking About Parenthood & Reproduction will Create a Better World, Families of Two: Interviews With Happily Married Couples Without Children by Choice, and Finding Fulfillment From the Inside Out.
In addition to writing nonfiction books, she has worked over the last 15 years as a business and litigation psychology consultant and used her expertise in behavioral sciences, psychology, and communications to advise business, legal, and nonprofit professionals on their communications strategies and goals.
Laura is a seasoned leader of personal and professional development seminars, and has appeared on a variety of television shows, including Good Morning America and The Early Show. She has been a guest on many radio talk shows to discuss social science topics.
You’ll also find her online at her nonfiction book site, LiveTrue Books, and her top blog, La Vie Childfree.
To get your copy of The Baby Matrix by Laura Carroll at Amazon:
Pick up your ebook copy at Barnes & Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-baby-matrix-laura-carroll/1110625478
To get your e-copy of The Baby Matrix by Laura Carroll for your Kindle:
To learn more about Laura, go to her website: http://lauracarroll.com/
Visit Laura Carroll on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/LauraCarroll88
Like Laura Carroll on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheBabyMatrix
Find out all about The Baby Matrix at Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13641241-the-baby-matrix
Laura Carroll is giving away a free Kindle Fire! Click here to enter!
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About the Book:
In the movie The Matrix, the character Morpheus offers two pills to Neo—if he takes the blue pill, he will go on with life as he has before, believing what he has always believed. If he takes the red pill, he will find out what the “matrix” really is, and many of his earlier beliefs will be shattered. When it comes to taking a hard look at a specific set of beliefs about parenthood and reproduction that has driven our society for generations, The Baby Matrix is the red pill.
What is this set of beliefs? Pronatalism. At its core, it’s the belief that having children should be the central focus of every adult’s life. In this book, author Laura Carroll shows us how pronatalist beliefs have become so embedded that they have come to be seen as “true” and takes a critical look at their pervasiveness in our society.
Carroll examines the historical origins of pronatalism, the reasons why it has such a deep hold on societies even though most people remain unaware of it, and whether it makes sense – for individuals or for the world as a whole. She examines the ways in which pronatalism is perpetuated, scrutinizes seven major pronatalist assumptions that lead people to accept them without question, and offers alternative mindsets that reflect realities, true reproductive freedom and responsibility in today’s society. Whether you are already a parent, want to be a parent, or don’t want children, you will never think about parenthood in the same way.
Investigating what few have had the courage to discuss, The Baby Matrix examines the negative effects of pronatalist beliefs, including how they dictate the “normal path” to adulthood, put unwarranted pressure on people to have biological children, and fail to foster a society in which those who are best suited to become parents are the ones who have children.
Carroll also brings to light the impact that pronatalism has had on the world at large and will continue to have if its ubiquitous influence is not challenged. Citing compelling statistics, she shows how our belief that we can have as many children as we want is a serious threat in a world with finite resources. In the process, she brings into focus how every life brought into the world directly affects our survival.
This manifesto makes the case for why it’s time for all of us to understand why we can no longer afford to leave pronatalist assumptions unquestioned. Without compromise, The Baby Matrix is a reality check for us all. Are we willing to hold on to beliefs that aren’t necessarily true … even to our detriment? This book will make you examine your own intentions and beliefs, will rile you, and might just change your mind.
The Baby Matrix is a must-read for anyone interested in psychology, sociology, anthropology, parenting issues, environmentalism, and social justice. Those who revere the truth, want the best for themselves, their families and our world, and decide to take “the red pill” and read this book will find the truths that need to be told about pronatalism, and why it’s time to shift our thinking for the betterment of all.
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Interview WITH LAURA CARROLL
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?
In addition to my latest book, The Baby Matrix: Why Freeing Our Minds From Outmoded Thinking About Parenthood & Reproduction Will Create a Better World, I am also the author of Families of Two: Interviews With Happily Married Couples Without Children by Choice and Finding Fulfillment From the Inside Out.
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?
Finding Fulfillment From the Inside Out was initially picked up by a medium size house in California, but they ended up delaying the publication date. I ultimately decided to self-publish to get the work out there.
Families of Two was picked up by a pioneer in the digital publishing industry owned by Random House at the time. I went this route because like them, I believed digital publishing was the future.
Both books ended up coming out about the same time.
Q: How long did it take you to get published once you signed the contract?
All three books took me about a year to write. Families of Two and The Baby Matrix were out shortly after, but Finding Fulfillment took a bit longer, as I had to decide whether to wait for the house to determine the pub date or to self-publish.
Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
I felt like I had finally realized my calling in life. Celebrations have included everything from champagne to weekend splurges at a great hotel and spa!
Q: What was the first thing you did to promote your first book?
With Finding Fulfillment, I sought out print media, schools, and career counselors to tell them about the book. The word got out there, and it ended up being used in college Life Planning courses for awhile.
With Families of Two I hired my own publicist, who ended up being awesome and got me lots of syndicated radio and network TV media, including The Early Show and Good Morning America. I was also interviewed for articles in newspapers and magazines.
Q: Since you’ve been published, how have you grown as a writer and now a published author?
I would have to say I am much better now at trying to separate the creative writing time with the editing time, and not attempting to do both together. Trying to do both kills the creative flow. I also realize that half, if not more of what it takes to be a professional writer is being skilled at book promotion. On one hand, writing is so often an introverted endeavor. But to sell the book, one needs to be able to really put on an extraverted hat.
Q: What has surprised or amazed you about the publishing industry as a whole?
I have been surprised how long it took traditional publishing houses to go digital. The business model just makes more sense from a profit perspective, and allows them to take on more new authors with far less risk.
Q: What is the most rewarding thing about being a published author?
The most rewarding thing is know I have helped people live their best lives. Receiving emails from readers telling me how my work has made a difference in their lives means the world to me.
Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
Pursue the questions that you are passionate about, and follow what you are called to create. In today’s publishing climate, don’t be afraid to get your own editorial, interior and cover art help and self-publish. There are so many talented people in all of these roles outside traditional houses today. Find experts to help you promote your work in all realms of media, and stay on a learning curve of the ever changing art of digital media. But most of all, enjoy all phases of bringing what you want to say into the world.
What’s One Reason Why Pronatalism Remains So Pervasive? Babies are Big Business by Laura Carroll
What’s One Reason Why Pronatalism Remains So Pervasive? Babies are Big Business
By Laura Carroll
Pronatalism is a set of beliefs about parenthood that has driven society for generations. The beliefs encourage reproduction and exalt the role of parenthood. The historical origins of pronatalism go way back. What people have been influenced to believe about parenthood and reproduction might have served a purpose at one time, but now has outlasted its usefulness. Or, believe it or not, what we have been taught to believe has never been true to begin with.
If this is the case, why does pronatalism remain so pervasive? One reason is because birth and babies are big business. As the recent article in Time magazine, “The 1% Birth” says, the birth business is “worth more than $30 billion a year.”
Recently, the baby business has taken itself to new heights. Take the business of the “luxe” birth. Many hospitals have “VIP” wings with “hotel -like accommodations” and include “limousine labor,” like things such as total hospital room redecoration, birth teams with massage therapists, chefs and more. This is not just for the Beyonce celebrity births. The 1% likes the first class treatment too, says Ellie Miller, a co-founder of Ellie & Melissa Baby Planners. According to the American Academy of Private Physicians, the number of “concierge doctors,” those who don’t take insurance and charge membership fees, has recently increased 46 percent.
Not only do all the baby bump media make getting pregnant cool, the luxury birth business ups the ante to the rich and famous way to give birth to your baby. Hospitals across the country that offer “luxe maternity” can charge around $4000 a day, which is more than most standard hospitals charge for the whole kit and caboodle of delivering a baby.
Pronatalism glorifies pregnancy and the raising of children; “lux” birth adds to the glorification by pushing red carpet delivery. And glorification continued to pay off. Business greatly benefits from the perpetuation of pronatalism. Pushing pro-baby, pro-parenthood values creates more demand for products and services that bring big profits to business. Along with government and religious power structures, business works to keep pronatalist norms in place to promote reproductive conformity, so it can continue to gain power.
And “power” is the operative word when it comes to describing what drives the The Baby Matrix. This word sums up the reason why pronatalism remains so pervasive today, despite the fact that assumptions that make it up no longer serve, or were never true in the first place. It is time to take a hard look at pronatalism, why we continue to accept beliefs that ultimately serve others’ agendas, and how this negatively impacts people from all walks of life.
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Laura Carroll is the author of The Baby Matrix: Why Freeing Our Minds From Outmoded Thinking About Parenthood & Reproduction Will Create a Better World. She is also the author of Families of Two: Interviews With Happily Married Couples Without Children by Choice and Finding Fulfillment From the Inside Out. In addition to writing nonfiction books, Laura has worked as a business and litigation psychology consultant, and used her expertise in behavioral sciences, psychology, and communications to advise business, legal, and nonprofit professionals on their communications strategies and goals. She has appeared on a variety of television shows, including Good Morning America and The Early Show, and been a guest on many radio talk shows to discuss social science topics. Laura reviews nonfiction books and more at LiveTrue Books. She lives in San Francisco.
Laura Carroll is giving away a free Kindle Fire! Click here to enter!
Interview with David S. Grant, author of ‘Blood: The New Red’
David S. Grant is the author of ten books including Corporate Porn, Bleach|Blackout, Hollywood Ending, and Rock Stars. His latest novel, Blood: The New Red, is now available. David lives and writes his weekly rock, travel, and NBA columns from New York City.
For more information on BLOOD: The New Red please go to http://www.silverthought.com/blood/ Follow David on Twitter: @david_s_grant
Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Blood-New-David-S-Grant/dp/0984173854/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1327246788&sr=8-2
Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Blood-The-New-Red-ebook/dp/B006NZRWLG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1327246788&sr=8-3
Q: Welcome to Beyond the Books, David. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?
BLOOD: The New Red is my tenth published book and my fourth with Silverthought Press. I have also published books with Brown Paper Publishing, SynergEbooks, and Oak Tree Press.
Q: What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?
Corporate Porn was my first book and was published by Silverthought Press. The story intertwines two characters, one is a model turned adult film star named Mickey, who reappears as the lead narrator in my new novel, BLOOD: The New Red.
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?
I have gone through the slush pile process and from time to time continue to reach out to agents and major publishing houses. I have found a home with Silverthought Press, an independent press that appreciates my writing. I’m always impressed and pleased with the output of my books. To answer your question, MANY rejection slips; thankfully, I never kept track though.
Q: How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?
It’s frustrating for sure, and you have to decide if the time is worth it. Really ask yourself what you are looking to get out of the process of writing and publishing your book. If you are hoping to make a million dollars you may want to rethink your career choice. I do believe that with anything in life, if you stay focused on a goal you can get there, in the end it’s really a question of what you want.
Q: When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?
Silverthought Press was a new press (that had an online presence for years prior) that read my manuscript and wanted to make it part of their inaugural release. Corporate Porn was published in hardcover format and can still be purchased as a hardcover through Silverthought Press.
Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
I was very pleased with the editing and overall output of Corporate Porn. My next book was a double novel titled Bleach|Blackout that had dual topsy-turvy covers. It was really cool, but nothing compares to my latest book, BLOOD: The New Red. The “grindhouse” cover really begins to tell the story of what’s inside. I mean who doesn’t want to read about an ex-porn star returning to New York City to model and get mixed up with a crazy designer who may or may not “take out” Oprah Winfrey on the runway?
Q: What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
Probably a press release, I’ve dabbled in press releases, blog tours, and reaching out for reviews. What I’ve found works the best is to establish an audience via a blog or online writing presence (writing a weekly column for example.)
Q: If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?
No, there was a lot of luck in the timing and I am very grateful for the work of mine that has been published.
Q: Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?
As mentioned earlier, BLOOD: The New Red is my tenth published book. I’ve learned that being published is a very small part of the journey. There is the writing process (most fun for me) and then the after published marketing which will take as much time as you have, plus more!
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?
20/20 hindsight I would have reached out to independent publishers first and not waste a large amount of time querying major publishers who are rarely interested in fiction from new authors.
Q: What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?
My latest book is definitely my biggest up to this point. With BLOOD: The New Red I’ve (hopefully) created an entertaining read that moves the reader quickly through the streets of New York and into a fashion world where sex is used as motivation, wine is served by the year, and cocaine is back in style.
Q: How do you see yourself in ten years?
From a writing perspective, well, writing. I enjoy the actual writing best, whether it’s jotting notes, creating an outline, or polishing prose, it’s all good to me! Writing is cheaper than psychiatry, and MUCH cheaper!
Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
Embrace the process, don’t quit, and remember the actual reward is in the writing.
A Conversation with David Brown, author of “Fezariu’s Epiphany”
David M. Brown was born in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, and first conceived the idea of the Elencheran Chronicles at college in 1999. He spent ten years compiling the history of Elenchera, resulting in 47,000+ years of events, 500+ maps, 2000+ pages, several short stories and many much-needed acquaintances with Jack Daniels. David also has a blog, The World According to Dave, which features reviews, stories and dramatic tales of the horrors of owning cats.
About Fezariu’s Epiphany
The White Oak, Clarendon’s oldest brothel, lured and destroyed men by the thousands. Fezariu was different. He had never been drawn by the White Oak’s vices but the brothel had still ruined him when he was just a boy.
Salvation came in the form of the Merelax Mercenaries – Elenchera’s most prestigious hired hands. They gave Fezariu the chance to escape from his past. Immersed in the world of dangerous assignments in the colonies Fezariu longed to forget everything about his childhood but only in facing the past would he ever be free of it.
Q: Welcome to Beyond the Books, David. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?
Great to be here. I self-published my debut novel, Fezariu’s Epiphany, in May 2011.
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?
My wife, Donna, and I chose the self-publishing route for Fezariu’s Epiphany as we wanted full control of the book. Donna had already been instrumental in being an editor and critic for the novel so it became a natural transition for her to become my agent and promoter as well.
Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
The feeling of publication didn’t really hit me until I held my first printed copy of Fezariu’s Epiphany. That was a special moment for us both. We must have celebrated with wine and a takeaway, so no fancy restaurants for us, we’re more than happy with the little things that life has to offer.
Q: What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
We opted for a book trailer which you can find on http://www.elenchera.com and on YouTube. I did wonder initially how effective a trailer could be for a book but was really pleased with how the one for Fezariu’s Epiphany came out.
Q: Since you’ve been published, how have you grown as a writer and now a published author?
I feel more confident in my ability to write and the positive feedback I’ve had back from readers has been wonderful for me. The world of Elenchera as a whole is meant to be something different and to have readers tell me that this is new to them but that they have also enjoyed it means a great deal to me.
Q: What has surprised or amazed you about the publishing industry as a whole?
Going down the self-publishing route I don’t think Donna and I realised just how much work is involved in getting a book to print and then promoting it too. I certainly couldn’t have done any of this without the support of my wife and I’m pleased that she’s branching out and helping many other writers realise their dreams just as she has done mine.
Q: What is the most rewarding thing about being a published author?
A good review means more to me than the amount of sales. It’s not just that readers have enjoyed Fezariu’s Epiphany it’s that some people have understood what it is I am trying to achieve with the Elencheran Chronicles. As a writer you can take your book only so far before you put your faith in it to touch the hearts and souls of readers. Not everyone has enjoyed the novel and that’s fine, I would never expect that, but the important thing is many people have praised the book and they’re looking forward to more. What could be more rewarding than a reader turning round and asking when is your next book out?
Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
While working on your novel why not have a regular blog? Not only does a blog keep your writing fresh and offer an alternative source of material, it’s a great way to connect with readers and writers alike, early promotion for yourself and your novel too. I would also tell writers to find themselves a trusted critic to help pinpoint the weaknesses in their writing. Donna has done wonders for me in locating areas she believes I need to improve on. It took six drafts to complete Fezariu’s Epiphany but it was worth every one.
Interview with Garasamo Maccagnone, Author of ‘Sentiments of Blue’
Garasamo Maccagnone studied writing in the 80’s at Western Michigan University and Wayne State. He is the author of the well known novel, St. John of the Midfield, the Christmas novella, For the Love of St. Nick, and the collection of stories entitled, My Dog Tim: and other stories. Maccagnone’s latest release, Sentiments of Blue, is a collection of five poems and five stories.
You can visit Garasamo online at http://garasamomaccagnone.com/. You can view a video trailer for Sentiments of Blue at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6Tgw6Ui4LQ
Q: Welcome to Beyond the Books, Garasamo. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?
I’ve written and published, The Suburban Dragon, which is a children’s book, St. John of the Midfield, For the Love of St. Nick, My Dog Tim: and other stories, and Sentiments of Blue.
Q: What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?
I published The Suburban Dragon in 1994. A local publisher, who liked the
story, had 10,000 copies printed. I went around to local schools and sold the book. The kids loved it.
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?
In all cases, related to complete works of mine, I assumed the works would be of little interest to mainstream publishers so I sought out avenues to publish on my own. As a young writer, I had sent short stories out to various magazines and had them all returned. The process was so time consuming and costly. I decided to just work for myself.
Q: How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?
To give you an example about publishers, I’ll use The Suburban Dragon to give you an idea of how chancy this business is. Twenty years ago, I wrote the book. Kids who read it in their classrooms, used to send me pictures of their interpretations. I have stacks of them at my house. The book was well received by critics and sold countless copies in the Midwest. A few years back, I sent the book to a mainstream publisher to see if they had any interest in a larger distribution and they sent it back without any interest. I’m not sure they even opened my package.
Here’s a book with a twenty-year track record and no one will look at it. You just have accept it and move on.
Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
Since The Suburban Dragon was a hit with all the kids, I was at peace with myself. I’m not sure I actually celebrated when the publisher first sent over the book though I’m sure I took my wife and kids out for dinner, since they were the inspiration for the story.
Q: What was the first thing you did as far as promotion when you were published for the first time?
My illustrator and I used to go to the schools and do a skit for the kids about the dragon. I would talk to the kids about not being afraid of dragons while he put on a dragon’s head and crept behind me. The kids thought it was so funny.
Q: If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?
No. The course I’ve taken, allows me freedom. I’m not bound to anyone.
Q: Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?
I’ve been published many times as I told you earlier. As an author, I’ve tried to diversify my portfolio to an extent, writing in different genres for the sake of curiosity, and for the sake of being challenged.
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?
Back in the old days, only professors with a patronage published, and they were usually by small university print houses. I would have had to teach for ten years, get tenure, kiss the butt of my department head, before even getting a chance to see my work in print. Then, I would have had to read my stuff at small gatherings, libraries, coffee shops, dope dens – the beatnik circuit. That wasn’t for me.
In the early days, I should have worked with better editors. I’ve learned that in all cases, regardless of the publisher or the marketing of the book, the most important relationship is between the writer and the editor.
Q: What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since being published?
I like when I receive correspondences from overseas about a book of mine. It’s nice to know someone from another country is enjoying your work.
Q: If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?
I’d have like to been a professional baseball player.
Q: Would you give up being an author for that profession or have you combined the best of both worlds?
I’ve been a copy writer, broadcast engineer, business owner, CEO, coach, and teacher through this whirlwind of a life as a writer. Though I’ve held various other jobs, I always think of myself as a writer. I do see myself as having the best of both worlds.
Q: How do you see yourself in ten years?
Fatter.
Interviewer’s comment: Come on.
You asked. Seriously, I’ll be doing the same as now. I like to mix in real life work as I write. It helps authenticate the characters I create. You must know them to write about them.
Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
Concentrate on your content. We don’t need anymore junk out there. Make sure you hire an editor that doesn’t coo in your ear. If you’re hyper-sensitive to criticism, get out now.
Interview with Nancy Stewart, Author of ‘One Pelican at a Time’
After having been both an elementary school teacher and a university professor of education, Nancy Stewart now writes full time. She, her husband and three sons, lived in London for eight years, where she was a consultant to several universities, including Cambridge. She travels extensively throughout the world, most particularly Africa. Nancy is the US chair of a charity in Lamu, Kenya, that places girls in intermediate schools to allow them to further their education. She and her family live in St. Louis and Clearwater Beach, Florida.
You can find Nancy online at www.nancystewartbooks.com/ and at her blog at http://nancystewartbooks.blogspot.com/. She is also on Facebook and Twitter.
Q: Welcome to Beyond the Books, Nancy. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?
One Pelican at a Time is my first book to be published, although it is one of three Bella and Britt books in a series of three. They are all published by Guardian Angel Publishing, and all will be out this year.
Q: 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, I Held You on the Day You Were Born, was written five years ago as a gift to my new granddaughter, Leah. It wasn’t published for a couple of reasons. It was my first offering, and I really didn’t know much about the publishing business. I didn’t have a platform and began querying too soon.
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?
The strange thing is that I wrote to only two houses for One Pelican at a Time, and both accepted it!
Q: How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?
I’ve had many rejections over the past four years. I deal with them by just continuing to write, honing my craft and not looking back. If I may, I’ll share something that just happened to me that illustrates what I’ve said. About three years ago, I got a form letter back from a very well known NYC agent. On the letter, he hand wrote something like, “Never submit anything else to me.” That was not fun. About a month ago, I got a request from this same guy to friend him on Facebook! Needless to say, he’s not my friend, but it is all about platform and honing your craft.
Q: When your first book was published, who published it and why
did you choose them?
After much deliberation, I went with Guardian Angel Publishing, a mainstream house, for a couple of reasons. And they’re important ones. First, Guardian Angel is so pro-active with the new technology of books, eBooks, etc. Second, I just liked the culture of it. It’s a terrific house and I’m pleased with them.
Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
It was an amazing feeling, and I was much more thrilled than I ever thought I’d be. As it turned out, my son was home from England where he works, so my husband, he and I had a wonderful dinner at Sugo’s, our favorite St. Louis restaurant, and it was incredibly festive!
Q: What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
I am fortunate to be in a wonderful critique group, and as it turned out, five of us all got contracts within a week of each other! One of our group organized newspaper releases all over the area for us, and that helped so much. I have my own media release and have used it many times as well.
Q: If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?
Absolutely not. Nothing different.
Q: Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?
As I mentioned, I have two other books in the series coming out this year and am working on another book for Guardian Angel at the present. I don’t think there’s room here to discuss how I’ve grown. (That tells you something about how much I had to learn from the early days!) I’ve grown tremendously in self-confidence as a writer. For me, that took time. I feel I have found my voice as an author, and I know what kinds of books I do best.
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?
Two words: querying and platform. Early on, I would finish the manuscript and quickly send the poor, half baked thing off to an agent or publishing house. Second, well, there’s that platform thing again. I had no experience in the publishing world and thought it wouldn’t make a difference. I was wrong. I joined a critique group and began attending SCBWI conferences, both locally and nationally, built a web site and a blog and began to be noticed in the publishing world.
Q: What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?
I think it has to be having been an author presenter at the Illinois Reading Council Conference last week. It is a huge conference with about 3500 people in attendance. I spoke on Kids’ Saving Their Planet. I also had the distinct honor of meeting Jane Yolen and spending a bit of time with her. (Actually, I blogged about that experience.)
Q: If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?
I’ve already been a teacher, university professor of education, a management consultant, both in the US and London. I have to tell you, though, this is the best profession of all for me, and I’d never go back.
Q: Would you give up being an author for that profession or have you combined the best of both worlds?
All those professions mentioned above prepared me for the writing I’m doing now. I’ve also been able to travel almost the entire world, meet many new people and that is such valuable fodder for the mind and for the pen.
Q: How do you see yourself in ten years?
Well, writing. I hope, as all authors do, to have quite a number of books to my credit. I also want to still have the creativity to write good books and to make a difference in the world. What else would one want?
Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
Persevere. It’s the only way to do it. As a very good author friend said to me when I began this adventure, “The only way to do it, is to do it. There’s no shortcut.” And he was absolutely right!
Pump Up Your Book March 2011 Authors on Tour Facebook Party!
Strike up the band and join the chorus…Pump Up Your Book will be hosting the March 2011 Authors on Tour on Friday March 25, 2011 at 9 – 11 p.m. (eastern time – adjust to your time zone). Tell your book friends that not only will this give them an opportunity to chat with their favorite authors there will be a huge giveaway at the end of the chat, too!
Here’s how it will work:
The party will kick off at our Facebook Party Page with a 2 hour chat in which all authors will get a certain time slot to answer questions. All time slots will be listed on the party page so that you’ll know who is going to be up next. After the party, everyone is invited back here to find out who has won our fabulous prizes with directions on how to claim them. Easy peasy!
What you must do before the chat if you’re going to attend:
1. In order to participate in the chat, you must “like” our Facebook Fan Page at www.facebook.com/pumpupyourbook.
2. Sign up before the chat so we have time to approve you which will be the second step.
3. Once you’re approved, head on over to the Facebook Party page at http://www.facebook.com/thewriterslife#!/note.php?note_id=10150097454282449 and leave a comment so we know you made it in.
Note: If you wait to sign up too late, you might not get in because once the party starts, it will be nearly impossible to get back into email to see if anyone needs getting in, so do this early please.
What to do when the chat ends:
Once the chat is over, head back over here to find out if you have won a prize. All prizes and winners will be announced in the body of this blog post. If you are a winner, you have 72 hours to contact me at thewriterslife@yahoo.com to claim your prize. If we do not hear from you during that time, we will find another winner.
Rules & Regulations Recap:
- If an author does not show up, prizes will still be awarded.
- If you do not claim your prize within 72 hours, another winner will be chosen.
- You must participate in the chat in order to become eligible to win a prize.
- Leaving comments on this page does not make you eligible to win a prize. You must participate in the Facebook chat.
- Pump Up Your Book is not responsible for lost or damaged prizes.
- We will be using Random.org to determine winners and will be posted on this blog after the Facebook chat.
- This contest is in no way affiliated with Facebook and is promoted solely by Pump Up Your Book.
Our March 2011 Authors on Tour who are participating in the chat/giveaway includes:
Caitlin Rother is the author of true crime books Dead Reckoning, Body Parts, Twisted Triangle, and Poisoned Love, and the thriller, Naked Addiction. She is also the co-author of My Life, Deleted and Where Hope Begins, soon to be re-released as Deadly Devotion. She is now working on The Makings of a Monster, the story of the rape and murder of beloved teenagers Chelsea King and Amber Dubois. Rother, a Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist, worked as an investigative reporter at daily newspapers for nineteen years before deciding to write books full-time. She is the founder of the San Diego Writing Women blog, and her work has been published in Cosmopolitan, the Los Angeles Times, The San Diego Union-Tribune, the Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe and The Daily Beast. She has appeared as a crime expert on E! Entertainment, the Oxygen Network, Investigation Discovery, Greta Van Susteren’s “On the Record,” and America at Night.” She also teaches journalism, narrative non-fiction and creative writing at UCSD Extension in San Diego. She is now working on The Makings of a Monster, the story of how John Gardner grew from a caring troubled boy into an angry man who couldn’t control his compulsions to rape and murder beloved teenagers Chelsea King and Amber Dubois.” You can visit her website at www.caitlinrother.com.
Caitlin will be giving away a paperback copy of her true crime novel, Dead Reckoning!
John Ames has a master’s degree in English from the University of Florida, where he was a Ford Fellow. After graduation, he built a rustic house and lived for several years on the edge of a spiritual community located near Gainesville, Florida. John’s search for enlightenment ended when he decided that he was too far from a movie theater. He moved inside the Gainesville city limits and taught English and film for thirty years at Santa Fe College. He has produced and acted in numerous short films and videos, including the cable TV series the “Tub Interviews,” wherein all the interviewees were required to be in a bathtub. For ten years he reviewed movies for PBS radio station WUFT. He has appeared as a standup comedian and has designed and marketed Florida-themed lamps. He coauthored Second Serve: The Renée Richards Story (Stein and Day, 1983) and its sequel No Way Renée: The Second Half of My Notorious Life (Simon & Schuster, 2007), and Speaking of Florida (University Presses of Florida, 1993). His recent book is a coming-of-age novel titled Adventures in Nowhere. You can visit his website at www.johnamesauthor.com.
John will be giving away a paperback copy of his coming of age novel, Adventures in Nowhere!
Megan van Eyck lives near Seattle, Washington with her husband and children.
Memoirs of a Widowed Mistress is her first memoir.
You can visit Megan’s website at www.widowedmistress.com.
Megan will be giving away a copy of her memoir, Memoirs of a Widowed Mistress!
Allan Leverone is a three-time Derringer Award Finalist whose short fiction has been featured in Needle: A Magazine of Noir, Shroud Magazine, Twisted Dreams, Mysterical-E and many other venues, both print and online.
His debut thriller, titled FINAL VECTOR, is available February 2011 from Medallion Press.
For details, please visit www.allanleverone.com or his blog at www.allanleverone.blogspot.com.
Allan is giving away an e-copy of his thriller, Final Vector, and 6 e-copies of Postcards from the Apocalypse!
Barbara Barnett is Co-Executive Editor of Blogcritics, an Internet magazine of pop culture, politics and more owned by Technorati Media. Always a pop-culture geek, Barbara was raised on a steady diet of TV (and TV dinners), but she always found her way to TV’s antiheroes and misunderstood champions, whether on TV, in the movies or in literature. Barnett’s regular column, “Welcome to the End of the Thought Process: An Introspective Look at House, M.D.” features insightful episode commentaries and interviews with the House cast and creative team. It is the place for intelligent discussion of the hit television series starring Hugh Laurie. Barbara has had an eclectic career. With an undergraduate degree in biology and minors in chemistry and English, she pursued a PhD in Public Policy Analysis after spending a few years working in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Her first professional writing gig was with a food industry trade magazine, and although it wasn’t exactly like writing for The New Yorker, it completely hooked her on the profession of writing. She also writes lots of other things, including technology (from a non-geek perspective), the movies, politics and all things Jewish. Based in the north shore suburbs of Chicago, Barnett is married with two brilliant children and a dog. Chasing Zebras: The Unofficial Guide to House, M.D. is her first (commercial) book. She hopes it’s not her last. Visit Barbara’s website at www.barbarabarnett.com.
Barbara will be giving away a copy her television nonfiction, Chasing Zebras: The Unofficial Guide of House M.D.!
Hayley Rose grew up in the beach side town of Pacific Palisades , California, to a family of visual artists. In the early 1990’s she traveled the U.S. with her band Crush Violet. In 1994, after a family reunion, she was inspired to write a children’s book. Looking for a cute and catchy name for a main character, she kept hearing “first in, first out”. Hence, the name Fifo was born. Hayley’s mother would often ask her what she wanted to be when she grew up, so Hayley decided to start her series of “Fifo” books with that very question. Her first book, Fifo “When I Grow Up” was published in 2002. Her love of travel inspired her second book in the Fifo series, Fifo “50 States”, published in 2010. Along with writing children’s books, Hayley has been working in entertainment business management for the past 15 years, specializing in concert touring. She has worked with many “A list” musicians including Michael Jackson, Rod Stewart and Candlebox just to name a few. Hayley hopes to one day soon release an album of children’s songs. She is a currently member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and resides in Los Angeles, CA. You can visit her website at www.fifothebear.com.
Hayley will be giving away one copy of her children’s book ‘Fifo: 50 States’ and one copy of ‘Fifo: When I Grow Up’!
Kristina McMorris lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Her foray into fiction began in the fall of 2006 as a result of interviewing her grandmother for the biographical section of a self-published cookbook intended as a holiday gift for the family. Inspired by her grandparents’ wartime courtship, Kristina penned her first novel, a WWII love story titled Letters from Home. This award-winning debut is scheduled for release in trade paperback from Kensington Books (2-22-11; U.S.) and Avon/HarperCollins (5-5-11; U.K.). The condensed book rights have been sold to Reader’s Digest, and the film rights are represented by the prestigious Creative Artists Agency of Los Angeles. Prior to her literary career, Kristina acted in numerous independent films and major motion pictures. She began hosting an Emmy-award winning television show at age nine, and most recently served as the six-year host of the WB’s weekly program Weddings Portland Style. Adding to her diverse résumé, McMorris is a professional emcee, literary workshop presenter, and former owner of a wedding/event planning business. Her previous writing background includes being a contributing writer for Portland Bride & Groom magazine and ten years of directing public relations for an international conglomerate. A portion of Kristina’s sales proceeds from Letters from Home will benefit United Through Reading®, a nonprofit organization that video records deployed U.S. military personnel reading bedtime stories for their children. She is currently working on her next novel. You can visit her website at www.kristinamcmorris.com.
Kristina will be giving away a copy of her women’s fiction, Letters From Home!
F.M. Meredith, also known as Marilyn Meredith, is the author of nearly thirty published novels. Her latest in the Rocky Bluff P.D. crime series, from Oak Tree Press, is Angel Lost. Marilyn is a member of EPIC, Four chapters of Sisters in Crime, including the Internet chapter, Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. Visit her at http://fictionforyou.com and her blog at http://marilymeredith.blogspot.com. You can like Marilyn on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marilyn-Meredith/276444167416.
F.M. will be giving away a copy of her mystery/crime, Angel Lost!
Cynthia Kocialski is the founder of three companies – two fabless semiconductor and one software company. In the past 15 years, she has been involved in dozens of start-ups and has served on various advisory boards. These companies have collectively returned billions of dollars to investors. Cynthia has worked with established companies to bring start-up techniques and technologies to corporations desiring to process improvement and efficiency. Prior to her work in the start-up community, Cynthia has held a wide range of technical, marketing, and management positions at major corporations. At IBM, Cynthia began with financial software to facilitate the tracking of sales and inventory for international operations. She later moved into development and engineering management working of scientific workstations. Finally, Cynthia transitioned into technical marketing and strategic planning role for graphics and digital video components for personal computers. At Matrox, Cynthia was the general manager, overseeing the R&D area of digital video and image processing product lines, Cynthia graduated of the University of Rochester with bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and applied statistics. She also has graduate degrees from the University of Virginia in both electrical engineering and systems engineering. She also writes the popular Start-up Entrepreneurs’ Blog and has written many articles on emerging technologies. Her latest book is Start Up from the Ground Up: Practical Insights for Entrepreneurs. You can visit her website at www.cynthiakocialski.com.
Cynthia will be giving away 10 paperback copies of her startup business book, Startup from the Ground Up!
Laina Turner-Molaski is a businesswoman, mom, author, Professor, and a major supporter of shopping. She has an undying love for shoes and coffee, which is why she created her main character and alter-ego Presley Thurman. With a lot of letters after her name and a ton of student loan debt, she is always working to pay the bills. While she enjoys her day job, her passion is writing, and she uses a lot of company time writing her fiction or working on her social website for women, Chiczofrenic.com. She is hoping to sell her book before she gets fired from her day job for goofing off. Laina is currently living in Indiana, with her family, and is always writing something, whether it’s blogs, articles, business journals and books or ideas for her next novel. She is continuously doing what she loves which is writing or drinking coffee. You can visit her website at www.lainaturner.com.
Laina will be giving away a paperback copy of her novel, Stilettos & Scoundrels AND a copy of The MS Project: Orange is the New Pink!
Pump Up Your Book will be giving away a $25 Amazon gift certificate!!!!
More prizes to be announced!
If you have any questions, you may leave your question below or email me at thewriterslife@yahoo.com.
See you at the party!!!!
Beyond the Books: Interview with Author DCS
DCS is the author of Synarchy Book 1: The Awakening and Synarchy Book 2: The Ascension. When not writing you can listen to her radio show, In The Mind of DCS every Saturday evening at 7pm CST on the Paranormal Soup Network. Currently sucking up the creative energy of New Orleans, she hard at work at the next book in the Synarchy Series, and an upcoming webisode series called The Fallen. Visit her website at www.themindofdcs.com to learn more.
Q: Welcome to Beyond the Books, DCS. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?
A: I am multi-published. That’s fun to say.
Q: What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?
A: The very first full length novel that I wrote was called Charcot. It was about an ex FBI profiler that made a serial killer to see what could be learned from it. I never published it because I thought I could do better. I may come back to it one day.
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: I self-published it, so no rejection pile for me!
Q: When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?
A: I started my own publishing company, SVT Publishing.
Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
A: It was very surreal to hold my first published novel in my hands. There wasn’t a big celebration though, just a big smile on my face and then my brain started exploding with everything I needed to do next to tell the world about it.
Q: What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
A: I’m pretty sure the first thing I did was put together a website for the book, and then wrote a few press releases.
Q: If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?
A: No. But I would have slowed down and learned more.
Q: Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?
A: I have, I’m on my second novel now, Synarchy Book 2: The Ascension. And I think I’ve grown by leaps and bounds. Not just with my writing, but also with learning about the business/marketing side of things.
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 don’t think I could have sped things up, more like slowed down a little. As authors we can be really, really excited to thrust our masterpieces out there, but especially if you’re self-published you really have to take the time to make sure your work is in the best condition it can possibly be.
Q: What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?
A: Just being published I think is an accomplishment. But I do have huge news on the horizon but I can’t share it with anyone just yet. Hopefully I’ll be able to let the cat out of the bag soon.
Q: If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?
A: Something in relation to the business world. I like business.
Q: Would you give up being an author for that profession or have you combined the best of both worlds?
A: I’ve combined the best of both worlds. Writing is very creative, but it still is a business.
Q: How do you see yourself in ten years?
A: Busy! Writing more books, running an entertainment company, all kinds of things. I’m pretty ambitious.
Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
A: Learn everything, and then do it your way.
Interview with Jon Katz: ‘Don’t quit. Writing is as much about determination as anything…’
Jon Katz lives on Bedlam Farm in upstate New York with his wife, the artist Maria Wulf, his four dogs, Izzy, Lenore, Rose and Frieda, his donkeys Lulu and Fanny and his two barn cats, Mother and Minnie. He is an author, a children’s book writer, and a photographer. Rose In A Storm is his first novel in a decade. His first children’s book, Meet The Dogs Of Bedlam Farm will be published next spring.
You can visit Jon Katz’s site at www.bedlamfarm.com.
Q: Welcome to Beyond the Books, Jon. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?
Rose In A Storm is my nineteenth book.
Q: What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?
Sign Off, a novel, took me five years to write and was published by Bantam Books.
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?
I couldn’t count. Probably a dozen major rejections and as many smaller ones.
Q: How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?
I didn’t see them as “blows” but as opportunities to come back and succeed. Criticism is not an attack, it’s an honest response to work, and it is much more helpful than praise, though not as much fun. I was determined to be a writer, and determination is, to me, as important as talent. If you want to be a writer, you will have to handle a lot of rejection. If you can’t, then you almost certainly can’t be a writer. You won’t survive it. Rejection is healthy. It makes us listen and grow. And learn.
I studied all of the rejections, absorbed them, licked my wounds and went back to work.
Q: When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?
Bantam Books was my publisher, and my agent chose them.
Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
It made me want to write the next book, which I started working on the day I hear about the first one being accepted. That was my celebration, and a good one. I’m not into the drama of writing. It’s work, and you have to do it every day.
Q: What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
Some interviews and some book signings.
Q: If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?
No. It happens the way it happens.
Q: Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?
Yes, I have been, and I grow every day. I have good editors who give me good and tough feedback and I always appreciate it. If I ever think I have made it as a writer and can’t better, I’ll be finished. I can’t list all the ways I’ve grown – there are too many. And I have a long ways to go.
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?
I don’t think that’s answerable, really. Writing is, in most ways, a series of mistakes overcome, and there are continuous mistakes in every book, which good editors spot, challenge and help you fix.
Sane people get regular work that pays each week. Crazy people write, or become artists.
The mistakes are the book in so many ways. The idea that you can write a book without making any mistakes is unfathomable to me. The only way to write is to write. And keep writing. I wouldn’t want to speed it up. It happens the way it happens, alas.
Q: What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?
Getting published. I make my living as a writer, and that is tough thing to do. I write every day, as often as I can. I love doing it, and am nothing but grateful. I think loving what you do is perhaps one of the greatest achievements in life.
Q: If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?
Photography. Another way to tell stories, and I am now a professional photographer so I get to do both.
Q: Would you give up being an author for that profession or have you combined the best of both worlds?
No, I love writing and will always define myself that way.
Q: How do you see yourself in ten years?
No idea. I hope I am writing. I expect to be writing e-books.
Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
I wish you luck and happiness. I hope you keep on writing in the face of many economic challenges, great competition, and a constantly changing market. Don’t quit. Writing is as much about determination as anything, and if you look out at the writers who are getting published, you will find that most of them are quite willful. Live your life, and do not let anyone tell you it’s impossible or too difficult.
Beyond the Books 