Name: Christine Amsden
Book Title: Kaitlin's Tale
Genre: urban fantasy/paranormal romance
Publisher: Twilight Times 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?
Author: I didn't have a choice about
writing this book after I wrote the Cassie Scot series. See, Kaitlin was a
sidekick. A secondary character. Cassie's best friend. That's it. Or at least,
that was supposed to be it. But as I got to know her she became too big to be a
footnote in someone else's story.
Is this your
first book?
Author: Not even close! This is my 8th
book. My first book, Touch of Fate, was published in 2006. The
Immortality Virus came out in 2011. Then the four books in the Cassie Scot
series plus the first spin-off, Madison's Song, came out in a whirlwind
between 2013 and 2015.
With this
particular book, how did you publish – traditional, small press, Indie, etc. –
and why did you choose this method?
Author: Small press. Twilight Times Books
has been my publisher from the beginning, and we've developed a good working relationship.
Can you tell
us a little about your publishing journey?
The pros and cons?
Author: As I said, I've been with a small
press from the start and at times it feels like the best of both worlds. At
other times, the worst.
On the upside I am traditionally
published, my book is available in print and ebook through the major
distributors, I have been reviewed by reputable sources, and my publisher takes
care of the printing and packaging process. Unlike with big presses, I get a
lot of personal attention and I get to keep a much bigger percentage of my
royalties. I also have ebooks available at a reasonable price (something major
booksellers are still not willing/able to do). Plus, my old titles are still in
print. (Big presses sometimes give you a few months then stop
printing/distributing your titles even though the rights haven't reverted back
to you.)
On the downside, I don't always fit neatly
into either “traditional” or “indie” categories. When it comes to marketing,
though, I usually look at indie advice because I put in that kind of work.
Getting books in stores is something I have to do door to door, and some doors
are closed to me.
What lessons
do you feel you learned about your particular publishing journey and about the
publishing industry as a whole?
Author: Work hard. Try your best. But know
that sometimes books sell, and sometimes they don't, and you usually won't know
why. You can either obsess about that (and I do) or get back to writing (which
I eventually do).
Would you recommend
this method of publishing to other authors?
Author: Yes, as long as you're careful and
know what you're getting into. The small press world in particular is full of
disreputable publishers and upstarts. Do your homework. Find out who's legit
and who's not. Predators and Editors is a good resource.
For the record, Twilight Times Books has
been around since 1998 and has a lot of respect. I recommend them, but again
with your eyes open: You'll have to work hard.
What’s the
best advice you can give to aspiring authors?
Author: Write because you love it. Don't
get into this to make money, because you probably won't. You can dream, but if
you're not drawn to writing in and of itself you'll never survive the journey.
Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete