Friday, October 31, 2014

Book Publishing Secrets with Cindy Lynn Speer

Cindy Lynn Speer is the author of several novels, including The Chocolatier’s Wife and the short story collection Wishes and Sorrows.  She loves mixing fantasy, mystery and romance and playing with the old stories.  When not writing she can be found reading, teaching people historical fencing, and costuming. 

Connect with Cindy on the Web:


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:  This book is actually the work of many years, because it collects short stories from the past decade or so.  I write longer works, but short stories have a special place in my heart.  Some stories are simply not novel shaped, they don’t have all the narrative strands – and I love that, I love the hard focus on one aspect of a story.  So, whenever I get one of these stories in my head, I write them down and polish them in between bigger projects.
Is this your first book?
Author:  No, it’s my fourth.  Your readers are more likely to know me from The Chocolatier’s Wife, which is also published through Dragonwell.
With this particular book, how did you publish – traditional, small press, Indie, etc. – and why did you choose this method?
Author:  I choose this publisher originally because my previous publisher had gone out of business, and another author (Ania Kashina, an awesome fellow author) from my old press was already going to be published by Dragonwell.  She suggested I consider them, and they have treated me amazingly. 
Can you tell us a little about your publishing journey?  The pros and cons?
Author:  I started out my journey looking at the traditional manner of publishing…trying to get an agent, trying to get into one of the big companies.  The fact is, that is the route a lot of people are going.  It is extremely hard to get in because it is extremely easy for the traditional publishers to say no.  That might sound like sour grapes, but if you look at the reviews for The Chocolatier’s Wife, I can assure you that it’s not that I was not good enough for the big places…but I was just one of a billion untried voices.  Now I have settled in with two publishers…Dragonwell and Zumaya.  I get fair royalties, and great editing…and my covers are awesome.  So, my advice, always, is, if you desperately want to publish with a huge publisher go ahead and try.  Half of being an author is being lucky.  Get it out of your system.  If you get lucky…woo!  If not, then start looking at smaller presses.  What you want to look for is the quality of the finished book…are the covers professional looking?  Do people complain a lot about the editing?  Because at the end of the day, no matter who you sign with, a lot of the work is going to be yours.  You need something…I hate to say this, but a product…you can stand behind and sell to people with conviction.  Something that looks good and is quality.  Also, you can actually build a back list with a small press…that is almost impossible with larger ones.
What lessons do you feel you learned about your particular publishing journey and about the publishing industry as a whole?
Author:  I learned, really, that a huge chunk of your success is based on hard luck and work…talent comes in, certainly, but you have to be willing to put in the time and really keep at it. 
Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?
Author:  Certainly.  Small presses give you some support, and better royalties…I think you have a much better chance building a career with a smaller press.
What’s the best advice you can give to aspiring authors?
Author:  Someone out there loves your book.  Don’t give up or think it’s impossible…keep looking for opportunities and be ready to jump on them. 



Friday, October 17, 2014

Book Publishing Secrets with James Ryan Daley, author of 'Jesus Jackson'

James Ryan Daley is a writer, editor, and digital designer. After earning an MFA in fiction at the Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2004, James has spent most of the years since then teaching writing to college students, creating websites, and editing anthologies of fiction and political rhetoric. He lives in Newport, RI with his wife and two daughters.

Purchase his book, JESUS JACKSON, on Amazon

Questionnaire:

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: The main reason I became an author is because I'm far too distractable to sit in an office all day. As far as my reasons for writing Jesus Jackson are concerned, I think it really came out of my love of mysteries, and my long-time interest in the ways that people make sense of their lives.
Is this your first book?
Author: Yes.
With this particular book, how did you publish – traditional, small press, Indie, etc. – and why did you choose this method?
Author: My books is being published by The Poisoned Pencil, the new Young Adult imprint of Poisoned Pen Press. PPP is a small press, but they have a long-standing reputation for publishing high-quality, intelligent mysteries. I couldn’t be happier. 
Can you tell us a little about your publishing journey?  The pros and cons?
Author:  For me, one of the biggest and most important parts of the publishing process was coming to an understanding of the Young Adult genre. I didn't really think of Jesus Jackson as a YA title until after I started looking for an agent, and was encouraged to pitch it that way.  I quickly came to see what a good fit Jesus Jackson could be for YA, but it took a little revision (and a lot of reading) to make it happen.
What lessons do you feel you learned about your particular publishing journey and about the publishing industry as a whole?
Author: You have to have patience--a lot of patience. Nothing moves particularly fast in book publishing, but it when it goes slow, it goes really really slow.
Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?
Author: Definitely.
What’s the best advice you can give to aspiring authors?

Author: My advice is to focus all of your energy on writing a book that you would want to buy, read, and recommend to your friends.  Don’t worry so much about how you’ll get it published. By far, the single most effective thing you can do to improve your chances at getting a book deal is to write a better book. 

Monday, October 6, 2014

Book Publishing Secrets with Marilyn Horowitz, author of The Book of Zev



The Book of Zev Book Tour 

Name: Marilyn Ida Horowitz
Book Title: The Book Of Zev
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Koehler Books
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?
Marilyn: I have been writing my whole life—plays, screenplays, books, and articles—and for the last fifteen years at New York University, I have been teaching people how to use my trademarked writing system to write screenplays and novels. I met a man on a train, a religious Jew having a crisis of faith, and our conversation inspired me to write The Book of Zev. I wrote a novel rather than a script because the story is involved with the characters’ inner thoughts and the screenplay form limits that.
Is this your first book?
Marilyn: Yes and no. I have written several books on screenwriting, two of which are textbooks at NYU, and many years ago I wrote a novel that was optioned by a Hollywood producer but has not yet been published.
With this particular book, how did you publish – traditional, small press, Indie, etc. – and why did you choose this method?
Marilyn: The Book of Zev is structured a bit unusually. A small boutique house, Koehler Books, shared my vision and picked up my book in a traditional deal.  One day I may self-publish, but I am so thrilled to have the support of a publishing house behind Zev.
Can you tell us a little about your publishing journey?  The pros and cons?
Marilyn: For eight difficult and frustrating months, my agent tried to sell the book. No one would even read it. Finally, I got the deal with Koehler Books. It was a dream come true. My work was improved, and the physical book is beautifully designed with a perfect cover. One of the cons is that it can seem to take forever to land a publishing contract, but the biggest pro is that if you stick with the journey, your book can get published!
What lessons do you feel you learned about your particular publishing journey and about the publishing industry as a whole?
Marilyn: Don’t wholly depend on an agent to sell your work. You have to be prepared to promote your own work and to educate yourself about all aspects of publicity, both traditional and online.
Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?
Marilyn: All forms of publishing have their pluses and minuses. Make a decision based on your book, not on any prejudices you may have regarding the publishing process.
What’s the best advice you can give to aspiring authors?
Marilyn: Writers, write! Write about everything, write all the time, scribble notes, and be patient with the process. When you are writing and start to stress out, remember that you can’t read the label when you are inside the jar.
The motto of my trademarked writing system is: Don’t Get It Right, Get It Written, and I live by that.



The Book of Zev Synopsis 


The Book of Zev is a black-comedy thriller that tells the story of two gentle people who change the course of history. Zev Bronfman, a strapping 32-year old-virgin, angry atheist, refugee from a religious Jewish life, and former engineer for the U.S. Patent Office in Alexandria, Virginia, drives a cab and sleeps around in New York City. After a bitter divorce, Sarah Hirshbaum, a beautiful, redheaded, depressed, God-hating kosher chef, seesaws between yoga and too much red wine. Independently, the two consult the same psychic who inadvertently sends Sarah Zev’s session tape. When Sarah contacts Zev to pick up the recording, a series of events forces them to connect with a powerful terrorist in order to thwart his plans to destroy the UN and Israel.

Click here to read an Excerpt of The Book of Zev  

Follow Marilyn's Tour at Pump Up Your Book

Pre-order from Amazon

 



Author Marilyn Horowitz
About Marilyn Horowitz
Marilyn Ida Horowitz is a producer, writing coach, and award-winning professor of screenwriting at New York University. From her books on her trademarked writing system—now standard reading at NYU—to her appearances at Screenwriters World and The Great American Screenwriting Conference & PitchFest, Marilyn has guided the careers of literally hundreds of writers. She is currently featured in the Now Write! Screenwriting Anthology (Tarcher/Penguin) and in the upcoming The Expert Success Solution (Morgan James). Her production credits include And Then Came Love (2007), starring Vanessa Williams.

Follow Marilyn at her website, www.marilynhorowitz.com

@marilynhorowitz