Book Publishing Secrets with Nicole Weaver, author of 'Not All Americans Are Racist'

Nicole weaver is an award-winning author. Her first trilingual book Marie and Her Friend the Sea Turtle was published in 2009. Her love for languages and other cultures resulted in publishing the award-winning book, My Sister Is My Best Friend which was published in 2011 by Guardian Angel Publishing and has won numerous awards.

My Brother Is My Best Friend, published by Guardian Angel Publishing, January 2014, earned the 2014 Children’s Literary Classics Seal of Approval, and the 2014 Children’s Literary Classics Gold Award. The book also earned a bronze medal in 2014 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards.

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About the book:

In Not All Americans Are Racist, Nicole Weaver recounts her experiences with racial discrimination and the non-racist white individuals who made it possible for her to attend and finish college. As an immigrant from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, she is thankful for the opportunities America has offered her.

Find out more on Amazon.

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?

Nicole:  I have written mostly trilingual children’s picture books. After the killings of Trayvon Martin and Eric Garner, I was inspired to write my first nonfiction book about my own experiences with racism.

Is this your first book?

Nicole: No, but this is my first nonfiction book.

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

Nicole: I self-published, because I believe this topic is too important to wait to publish. Going with a traditional publisher could take years.  The United States is going through hard times with racial issues right now; I am convinced my well-balanced book can be an inspiration to both the young and old.

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

Nicole:  I self-published my first children’s trilingual book, I would definitely not go that road again, because it is very expensive.  However, it is much easier to self-publish other genre.  I will continue to self-publish nonfiction books because it is much easier.  It is wise to write on topics that are current because it will garner a lot of interest.

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

Nicole: Be very aware of con artists.  Do your research and always hire someone that has a good reputation and perhaps recommendations from friends.  Many people are looking to make a small fortune off the backs of eager writers.  I have been burned badly when it came to getting my book professionally edited, so my advice only hires someone that a friend recommends. I feel very lucky to have found a great individual who is very good at the craft of editing.  I also have a great individual that does a great job formatting my book. Lastly, you also need a book cover designer.

Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

Nicole: Yes, I would! Just be sure to hire someone you can trust.

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

Nicole: Write about things you are passionate about.  Make time to write every day.  Even though I teach high school, I make time to write at least one to two hours each day.  Writing daily helps me avoid writer’s block.  I used to only write during vacation, but it would take me too long to overcome writer’s block.  Writing can be very therapeutic too.  I use it as a form of stress release. Some people grab a glass of wine to relax.  I grab my laptop.