Thursday, February 20, 2014

Book Publishing Secrets: Interview with Andre Phillip-Hautecoeur, author of 'One Exquisite Night in Paris'

Our guest today is Andre Phillip-Hautecoeur, author of One Exquisite Night in Paris and is self-published.  He is here to give his experiences as an Indie author.

Thank you for your time in answering our questions about getting published.  Let’s begin by having you explain to us why you decided to become an author and pen this book?


ANDRE: I decided to write the book, I didn’t decide to become an author, so that’s purely by default.

I decided to write the book because of my passionate love affair with my wife and Paris. Over several years of visiting Paris (we have a home there and in Brooklyn, New York) I came to love the place; firstly in a superficial way then once I learned more history and culture, I understood why it was such a uniquely romantic city. My wife is Parisian so it absolutely helped me get in touch with elements not available to a normal tourist.
Paris had already been written about from so many angles; historic, culinary, fashion etc. that it would have been unnecessary to add another tourist book. For me Paris represents fantasy, enchantment, romance and a sense of vibrancy, and that’s what I wanted readers to feel.
Many aspects of our lives are bland. It’s wonderful to have a heightened event to aspire to. For a couple in a relationship, one exquisite night in Paris is as “heightened” as heightened gets.
Is this your first book?
ANDRE: Yes, it’s my first book; though I had been writing little things for myself and keeping a journal, I never planned to write a book. But once it seemed fun, engaging, and presented a fresh angle, I felt I wanted to do it. In fact it got stuck in my head and I just have to get it out.
With this particular book, how did you publish – traditional, small press, Indie, etc. – and why did you choose this method?
ANDRE: Indie was my choice mostly because I had heard the horror stories regarding engaging a publisher. It’s one of these things I wanted to get out and get done without a protracted and agonizing wait period. Writing itself takes long enough then submitting to a professional editor, making corrections etc.; that sucks up about a year of your life. You have to like what you’re doing and get it done.
Can you tell us a little about your publishing journey?  The pros and cons?
ANDRE: The publishing journey starts with absolutely loving the subject that I wrote about. If not I couldn’t get through it. It’s writing, editing, re-writing, researching, edit and rewrite to make it nice.
I only have good things to say about the actual publishing process as supported by Create Space. The people there are marvelous. They tell you what they’re going to do, and they do it, all the while available and helpful, from editing, to cover design to interior design; they made the process easy.
What lessons do you feel you learned about your particular publishing journey and about the publishing industry as a whole?
ANDRE: My publishing journey suggests that unless you feel in your blood from age two that you need to be a professional writer OR as in my case, you just want to have something said, then don’t bother. If you simply want to take a shot at making a few dollars then publishing is not your place.
The publishing industry is vast and fragmented with hundreds of thousands of books published every year. A minute fraction ever sells significantly well. However as an indie you must do your own marketing which accounts for about 85% of the writers effort; and even then you’re not guaranteed successful sales. There is the illusion that through social media etc. there is the possibility of reaching your audience. It is possible, but it takes consistent work.
The publishing industry is incalculably brutal so unless you’re in it for love, don’t bother.
Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?
ANDRE: The indie method, I would definitely recommend. Not as a way of writing rubbish and avoiding censoring and critique. However if an author will put in authentic work, develop a craft but doesn’t necessarily want to be constrained by the publishing-house gate keepers then indie is the way to start. She/he must understand that they need to be, must be, a marketer too. There is evidence that if one is successful through the indie route then publishers start calling.
What’s the best advice you can give to aspiring authors?
ANDRE: Absolutely love what you do, love who you’re writing for, learn marketing, learn the industry, find a way to say something differently, then work from the best understanding that it’ll be a long, long haul.


 

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Book Publishing Secrets: Interview with F.W. Abel, author of 'Deeds of a Colored Soldier during the Rebellion, Volume 1: From the Beginning to Chickamagua'

F.W. Abel was born in New York.  His life-long fascination with the Civil War began during the Civil War Centennial, when he was ten years old.  After graduating from Fordham University, he served for eight years as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army and currently works for the federal government.  He lives in a Maryland suburb of Washington, D.C., within a few hours’ drive of most of the Civil War’s eastern theater battlefields, where he has walked the same ground once trodden by heroes.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Deeds of a Colored Soldier during the Rebellion, Volume 1: From the Beginning to Chickamagua is a novel of the Civil War.  Written as a memoir as told to an interviewer more than thirty years after the war’s end, it traces the story of Jedediah Worth, a teenaged slave who becomes a soldier fighting for the Union and the freedom of his people.

At secession, although he vaguely realizes that the conflict started over the question of slavery, Jedediah regards Kentucky, and the South, as home.  When his master’s sons join the Confederate army, he and his friend Obie accompany them as their personal servants.  Eager to prove himself as a man, Jedediah runs ammunition and even rescues a wounded Confederate until, with Obie’s prodding, he comes to realize his valor should serve the cause of emancipation.  He escapes, meeting up with Samson, an enslaved African who becomes his life-long friend.

Jedediah and Samson travel hundreds of miles to Kansas, to join one of the few units of colored troops allowed to serve in the early part of the war, and participate in the first battle fought by colored troops, the victory at Island Mound.

Gaining confidence in his abilities, Jedediah becomes a non-commissioned officer, leading his men during the brutal, hand-to-hand combat at Milliken’s Bend, where the Confederate promise no quarter will be given to colored troops, and where he becomes the first colored soldier to be awarded the newly-created Medal of Honor.

Purchase the book on Amazon / Twilight Times Books / B&N

Thank you for your time in answering our questions about getting published.  Let’s begin by having you explain to us why you decided to become an author and pen this book?
Author: I recall a reviewer of the motion picture “Glory” as having stated it would have been interesting to know more about the African-American soldiers portrayed in the film, as it revolved around the story of their commanding officer.  “Glory” was an outstanding movie, but it gave the impression that the 54th Massachusetts Regiment was the first colored regiment to fight.  My novel kind of sets the record straight, and from the viewpoint of the enlisted men, the African-American soldiers who did the fighting.  Also, I was a pre-teen during the Civil War Centennial, and I read a number of young adult novels with that theme.  I essentially combined the two.

Is this your first book?
Author:  It is.
With this particular book, how did you publish – traditional, small press, Indie, etc. – and why did you choose this method?
Author:  I guess small press.  I’m still a novice when it comes to publishing and publishing terminology. 

Can you tell us a little about your publishing journey?  The pros and cons?
Author: The hardest, most discouraging part of writing for an audience was finding a publisher (my folder of rejection letters is pretty thick).  I am grateful to have found Twilight Times and genuinely appreciate publisher Lida Quillen’s enthusiasm, professionalism and support.  She turned what could have been something no more than a hobby into a product, if you will.  However, professional that she is, she had me write, edit and meet deadlines like a professional, never demanding but through her expectation for the success of a project important to us both.

What lessons do you feel you learned about your particular publishing journey and about the publishing industry as a whole?
Author: Authors should be aware that publishing is not only a business, it is an expensive one to run.  For that reason, publishers may be reluctant to take on a project by an unknown.  However, writers who want to become published authors can usually find a publishing house (or more than one) whose size and market are a fit.  It will take some research, and a thick skin for the criticism that even publishers that are a good fit might have.  After all, most of the down-side risk accrues to them.
Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?
Author: I feel that most good writers are good at writers, and the number of good writers that are also good at promotion is almost miniscule.  Maybe it is my bias, because I’m not a good promoter, but a publisher that shares your vision and enthusiasm for your work is “a pearl beyond price.”
What’s the best advice you can give to aspiring authors?
Author:  Write what you know, and if you don’t know, write what you read.
If a genre appeals to you, read it extensively.  After a while, you’ll begin to discern the quality work from the ordinary.  Try to emulate the quality.




Thursday, February 13, 2014

Book Publishing Secrets: Interview with Indra Sena, author of 'Closet Full of Coke'

You can visit Indra Sena’s website at www.closetfullofcoke.com. Indra is currently working on her second memoir. It covers two years in her twenties, where she joined the Rainbow Family and traveled the US and abroad.

Her latest book is the memoir, Closet Full of Coke.

About the Book

Narrated by the teenage girl who lived it, Closet Full of Coke tells the true story of how a New York suburban fifteen-year-old girl’s savvy and wit helps turn the small-time drug business of Armando, a Colombian drug dealer, into a multi-million-dollar cocaine operation that puts them on the DEA’s Wanted List.

This intimate diary gives readers a fast-paced glimpse of the couple’s speedy rise to riches, and their inevitable descent.

These wannabe drug lords of the 1980s New York-to-Florida drug scene end their story only three years later with an untimely death, betrayal, and revenge.

Here is a true account of drug dealers whose obsession with money, power, sex, and glamour drives them to a lifestyle of deceit and recklessness, ending in tragedies that destroy lives forever.

Book Publishing Insider Interview


Thank you for your time in answering our questions about getting published. Let’s begin by having you explain to us why you decided to become an author and pen this book? 

I'd planned to write it for nearly 25 years, since shortly after the events in my book took place. I was startled at how much they resembled the plot of a fiction novel. It was really strange, it seemed like life was imitating art.It took me decades to begin writing it because I needed a lot of distance for perspective.

Is this your first book? 

Yes.

With this particular book, how did you publish – traditional, small press, Indie, etc. – and why did you choose this method? 

I self published in order to have creative control. I used Amazon’s company, CreateSpace. You keep more profits on Amazon and you can keep the cost very low. I wanted my book to be super-affordable.

 Can you tell us a little about your publishing journey? The pros and cons? 

The cons are that all publishing companies hand you off to untrained staff or foreign tech support. You need to be a control freak to really get things done correctly. And when they say it takes weeks, know that it will take months. The top pro is that in this modern world, anyone can publish a book, almost for free. However it still needs to be high quality in order to sell and/or be read.

What lessons do you feel you learned about your particular publishing journey and about the publishing industry as a whole? 

Well, I learned a lot about the near endless details that go into creating a book. Things I never knew or wanted to know, like the names of fonts and even when they were invented and why, etc. The minutia is intense but since I’m a serious book lover I mostly liked it. The industry? They are looking for a Hollywood ending and they are not into taking chances with unknown authors or outside-the-box books. They want proven formulas. I can’t totally blame them, though, paper book production is very expensive yet sales go down everyday due to ebooks.

Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors? 

Maybe. You have to decide if you want to wear all the hats or hire hats to fulfill every job in the publishing house. It is a large order and much of the work is tedious. I spent over a year with my book in production after I wrote it. It was tons of work.

What’s the best advice you can give to aspiring authors? 

My advice is to be a writer first. You have to be in love with words, with language, and with the craft of writing. Study all the time. While you’re reading notice what the writer is doing. While watching television pay attention to the dialogue, in scripted shows it is all created by writers. Practice writing every chance you get, even with email.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

VIDEO: Indie author sells millions of her novels

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

The Traditional Publishing vs. Indie Publishing Debate: Which is Right For You? #selfpublishing

For as long as mankind has found out that he could publish a book himself, there has been a raging war between the two sects - those with a publishing deal from a traditional publisher and those who decided to cut through all that mumbo jumbo and go the DIY route.  Years ago, self-publishing meant you were published by a vanity house.  Today, it means YOU are the publisher, handling everything from formatting to book design.  Most of us opt to pay a professional for editing and that perfect book cover, not to mention other side items like getting the book formatted for the Kindle store.  A lot goes into it for the self-published author and they don't seem to mind one bit.

But calling it a war might be over-dramatizing things.  Some authors have met in the middle and become "hybrid" authors which means they choose both methods of publications for personal reasons.  They might have started out with a traditional publisher; then their books become backlisted and so the obvious and most attractive choice then would be to pull those bad boys out from non-existence and self-publish them. This can create a quite attractive extra income for them so it's all good as they say.  Like I've said before, there is no better time in history than now to be published.  Our dreams of being a published author only requires a little work on your end and, after that, what's stopping you?

There are advantages and disadvantages with both, of course.  Let's start with self-publishing.  The pros and the cons:
  • You are in control of everything.
  • You get to choose your own book cover and only have yourself to blame if it's not right.
  • You have total control over the title.
  • You know when a book is sold so you don't have to wonder if the publisher is keeping you in the dark about it (just sayin').
  • You get no advance.
  • YOU decide on the book release date.  Since you know when you want it published, you'll be on your own deadline to get it up on that date and don't have to rely on others to make sure your book is published in the time frame you want.
  • If there's an error that someone points out after it's published, pull it, fix it, put it back.
  • You have to foot the bill for promotions.
Everyone knows the pros and cons of traditional publishing, but here's a few to remind us:
  • The only thing the author has to worry about is going over edits; the publisher handles the rest (hopefully).
  • You may have some input on book cover design, but the final verdict comes from the publisher who is only thinking of what they feel would sell the book (natch).
  • You don't have total control over the title.  The publisher determines what title will sell.
  • Less return on money made; but after all, you are essentially paying someone to publish you whether or not you realize it.  The lower royalties you would make with traditional publishing compared to what you would make going indie is because the publisher foots the bill for editing, book cover, formatting and purchasing the ISBN.
  • Some publishers give advances, but you must sell books for them to recoup their money. You don't sell enough books to make up for the advance and you can kiss this publisher goodbye.
  • If the editor gets sick and your publishing date gets extended two weeks after Valentine's Day and you're a romance author, you have to suck it up.
  • If there's an error that someone points out after it's published, you can expect a long wait to have that fixed if ever.
  • You still have to foot the bill for promotions.
Each author needs to decide which is right for them.  Some authors feel they don't have the skills, the know how or the time to invest in learning how to publish themselves and opt for a traditional publisher.  Some authors feel they have attained the golden egg when getting a publishing deal and rightly so in some cases - there is a certain prestige and pride in knowing someone else believes in your book as much as you do.

You have to be the one to choose which method is right for you and learn from the mistakes along the way.  If more authors would put time into discovering who they are as far as their limitations and capabilities, more publishing deals - traditional or otherwise - would become successful adventures.



Dorothy Thompson writes fiction and nonfiction for adults. She's co-author of Romancing the Soul, a compilation of true soul mate stories and the soon to be released, Romancing the Million $$$ Ghost available spring '14. Her articles have appeared in such publications as USA Today, Chicago Times, and has been quoted in Ok! Magazine. Dorothy is also founder of Pump Up Your Book, an award-winning public relations agency specializing in online book promotion and social marketing for authors.


Visit her blog at www.dorothythompson.blogspot.com or the Romancing the Million $$$ Ghost book blog at http://milliondollarghost.blogspot.com/


Connect with her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pumpupyourbook or Facebook at www.facebook.com/pumpupyourbook.    

Visit her book’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RomancingTheMillionDollarGhost

Dorothy lives on Chincoteague Island, Virginia, and enjoys walking trails, biking and promoting authors.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Book Publishing Secrets: Interview with Gwen Knight, author of 'A Hunter's Passion'

Our guest today is Gwen Knight, author of A Hunter's Passion and is published by Harlequin.  She is here to give her experiences with a traditional publisher.

Thank you for your time in answering our questions about getting published.  Let’s begin by having you explain to us why you decided to become an author and pen this book?

Gwen: Hi there! Thanks so much for having me. I’ve always been a writer, and I’ve always had this desire to see my words in formal print. Stories can have such a hold on people and I’ve always wanted to contribute something great to the field. As for A Hunter's Passion—I've always had a weakness for stories about forbidden love, and Ryker Bennett and Jenna Sinclair were adamant that their tale be told.

Is this your first book?

Gwen: No. A Hunter's Passion is my second. My first published book is Her Alpha Protector, and it's a shifter romance. I have two more projects I am currently working on. A Hunter's Soul (tentative title) is about Ryker's brother, Weston Bennett, and takes place after Ryker's story.

With this particular book, how did you publish – traditional, small press, Indie, etc. – and why did you choose this method?

Gwen: A Hunter’s Passion is with a traditional publisher. I chose Harlequin because of my mother’s love of their books. Growing up, I saw how much she enjoyed reading them, and I wanted to contribute.

Can you tell us a little about your publishing journey?  The pros and cons?


Gwen: It’s a challenging task at times, but invigorating as well. For me, the best pro is knowing that I’ve succeeded. But with that success comes the pressure of continuing to do so. I noticed that once I was published, writing took on a different role in my life. Rather than something that I did purely for fun, it was also now a job. Once the adjustment was made, the love of writing returned but it took some time. Another would be social media. It’s another two-headed beast. While branching out and meeting new people is exciting, it’s also very tiring. And when you work an 8 – 5 job as well as trying to find the time to write, social networking can be incredibly exhausting.

What lessons do you feel you learned about your particular publishing journey and about the publishing industry as a whole?

Gwen: Promoting oneself is rather important. It’s something I hadn’t taken into consideration until I was published. Marketing and promoting can be a whole other full time job.

Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

Author: Absolutely. Harlequin has treated me very well.

What’s the best advice you can give to aspiring authors?

Gwen: Don’t quit. So many stories go unfinished because the writer is self-conscious or believes that their ideas are hokey. If you write it epically, it’ll be epic.

Friday, February 7, 2014

Is Self-Publishing the Best Option for Authors?

Is Self-Publishing the best Option for Authors? (via Nvate)
Iris Hunter For many people, trying to get a book published by a traditional publisher can be rough and sometimes seem impossible. According to Forbes, there are literary agents who do not take self-published books as seriously as traditionally published…