Book Publishing Secrets with Gina Heumann, Author of Love Never Quits

Gina Heumann is a true Renaissance woman: wife, mother, architect, designer, instructor, author, speaker, and sales rep for an award-winning Napa Valley winery. She and her husband, Aaron, adopted Landrey in 2001 from Guatemala and then went back for Maddox three years later. Gina’s love of learning and dedication as a mother inspired her research of different treatments and therapies that eventually led to this inspirational success story about conquering Reactive Attachment Disorder.

Her latest book is Love Never Quits: Surviving & Thriving After Infertility, Adoption, and Reactive Attachment Disorder.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

Website Link: www.ginaheumann.com

Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/loveneverquits

BOOK BLURB:

WHACK… At three in the morning Gina was sound asleep, yet somehow she was smacked in the head. She looked over at her husband, thinking perhaps he accidentally rolled over and flopped his

arm on top of her, but he was sleeping soundly and facing the opposite direction. She turned to the other side and glaring back at her was her eight-year-old child.

“Did you just hit me?”

“Yes, and I’d do it again.”

“Whyyyy?”

“Because you took away my video games.”

“That was EIGHT HOURS AGO. And you’re still mad about it?”

“I wish I could kill you.”

This is the true story of the hell one family lived through parenting a child with reactive attachment disorder, a severe diagnosis related to children who experienced early-childhood trauma.

This inspirational story covers over a decade of daily struggles until they finally found resolution and made it to the other side. The family remained intact, and this once challenging son is now achieving things never thought possible. 

ORDER YOUR COPY:

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?

Gina: It’s a funny story, but I actually saw a woman who was a hand analyst – not a palm reader who foretells the future, but a scientific hand analyst who works with Fortune 500 companies to help them customize jobs according to the strengths and weaknesses of the employee. Apparently the lines in your hand mimic the neural pathways in the brain and can give clues to what you’re destined to do. This lady insisted I was meant to be a writer. At the time, I didn’t consider myself a writer, as I wasn’t an English major and didn’t even keep a diary, but she insisted I give it a try. I had this idea of sharing our story once my son was in a better place so we could highlight our success after struggling with such a rare and serious condition, and I wanted to inspire others. The timing was right so I just went for it!

Is this your first book?

Gina: Yes, it is… but now that I see how easily I am able to tell stories, I have ideas for more.

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

Gina: I self-published this book, because I am a designer and wanted to have full control over the cover design, interior layout, and editing process. I also wanted to maintain rights to my own story, in case I wanted to use it for other things in the future.

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

Gina: I self-published through a consulting firm called “My Word Publishing” and highly recommend them. They assigned a project manager to my book, who helped connect me to three different editors, each of whom provided a sample edit and a proposal. I was able to choose the one who spoke to me. We went through three rounds of editing and then a round of proofreading, so I know it was a thorough job.

My project manager also walked me through the bookstore to get ideas for cover design, and sent me to several different cover designers’ websites to view their portfolios and choose one that seemed to fit what I was looking for. I had actually designed my own cover, so I just needed someone to pull it together and make it look professional. I liked working with my cover designer so much that I kept her on to do the interior layout as well.

I really liked having ultimate control over the look and feel of my book, and it was important to me to maintain the rights to my story. I was also able to somewhat control the schedule and complete the project faster than I would with a traditional publisher. I would say the only “con” to self-publishing is that I had to pay for it up front, rather than getting an advance check.

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

Gina: I learned that there are so many steps to creating a published book. I never knew there were so many decisions involved! When my designer asked me where to put the page numbers, I was a little taken aback – that’s a thing? I also didn’t realize that an editor and proofreader were different people looking for different things in the story.

Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

Gina: Absolutely. I really enjoyed the entire process.

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

Gina: I would say if you have an idea and you like to write, just do it! And if you have a consultant like My Word, someone will guide you through the entire process and help make it a professional job, teach you how to market the book, and more.

Book Publishing Secrets with Lee Matthew Goldberg, Author of The Desire Card

Lee Matthew Goldberg is the author of SLOW DOWN and THE MENTOR (St. Martin’s Press), which was acquired by Macmillan Entertainment with the film in development. He has been published in multiple languages and nominated for the 2018 Prix du Polar. The first two books in a thriller series, THE DESIRE CARD and PREY NO MORE, are forthcoming from Fahrenheit Press in winter 2019. His pilots and screenplays have been finalists in Script Pipeline, Stage 32, We Screenplay, the New York Screenplay, Screencraft, and the Hollywood Screenplay contests. After graduating with an MFA from the New School, his writing has also appeared in the anthology DIRTY BOULEVARD, The Millions, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, Essays & Fictions, The New Plains Review, and others. He is the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series (guerrillalit.wordpress.com). He lives in New York City. Follow him at leematthewgoldberg.com and @LeeMatthewG.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

BOOK BLURB:

Any wish fulfilled for the right price. That's the promise the Desire Card gives to its elite clients. But if the Card doesn’t feel like they’ve been justly compensated, the “price” will be more menacing than the clients could ever imagine.   

Harrison Stockton learns this lesson all too well. Harrison has lived an adult life of privilege and

excess: a high-powered job on Wall Street along with a fondness for alcohol and pills, and a family he adores, yet has no time for. All of this comes crashing to a halt when he loses his executive job and discovers he has liver cirrhosis with mere months left to live.

After finding himself far down on the donor list, Harrison takes matters into his own hands. This decision sparks a gritty and gripping quest that takes him to the slums of Mumbai in search of a black market organ and forces him under the Desire Card’s thumb. When his moral descent threatens his wife and children, Harrison must decide whether to save himself at any cost, or do what’s right and put a stop to the Card.

THE DESIRE CARD is a taut international thriller that explores what a man will do to survive when money isn’t always enough to get everything he desires. It’s the first book in a series followed by PREY NO MORE that focuses on other people indebted to this sinister organization, where the actual price is the cost of one’s soul.

PRAISE:

"Careful what you wish for, especially from a nefarious shadow organization, in this gripping start to Lee Matthew Goldberg's fast-paced, highly compelling, buzz worthy new series. If you love characters morally compromised, richly drawn, and constantly surprising, you'll love THE DESIRE CARD. I burned through the first book and can't wait to get my hands on PREY NO MORE to see where this endlessly exciting story takes me next! Loved it!” - Daniel Palmer, critically acclaimed suspense author

ORDER YOUR COPY:

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?

I’ve always been a writer. It has been a dream career for me.

Is this your first book?

No, it is my third published book after Slow Down and The Mentor

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

This is published by an Indie publisher. They do great crime fiction and bought the first two books in the series so were a good fit.

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

It’s been a long ride. It took a while to get an agent and sell my first book. Even now, it’s not easy to sell every book. But I love to write and for me, that’s the easiest part.

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

To never give up. I’ve gotten so many rejections it would have been easy to just pack it all in, but I always was determined to be published and carve out a career.

Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

Yeah, if a great publisher wants your book, sure, what’s stopping you?

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

Edit, and then edit more, and then edit again. Treat it like a job, but don’t forget why you love to do it.

Book Publishing Secrets with Patrick Stull, Author of Encounters

American artist Patrick Stull has spent the last eighteen years mostly creating imagery about the lives of women. He searches for what lies beneath the surface of his subjects, empowering each one he encounters. He has recently ventured into the realm of surrealism, creating powerful imagery that reflects on our humanity while dealing with the meaning and power of art.

Stull say's, "My work has allowed me to venture past the camera into the realm of a humanist, an artistic life, delving into the intellectual, a more cerebral life experience, creating what I call 'connectivism.'" 

His ongoing work is based in large-scale digital photography accompanied by sculpture/body casts, composition art, painting, poetry/prose and drawings.  His art is then integrated, collectively, into exhibitions to provide the viewer a once in a lifetime experience. The presentation of the work is delivered to the viewer in a unique and emotionally powerful way.

Stull, 71, a self-taught artist, works in many artistic disciplines. Educated at San Diego State University with degrees in psychology, economics and philosophy during the 1960’s, amidst the backdrop of the counter-culture revolution and the Viet Nam War, where his social consciousness and political views were shaped. Stull emerged from a Catholic Irish/German family, one of five children where work, discipline and religion took precedence over emotional expressions of the self – a different kind of loving environment. Being a husband of thirty-plus years and father to two has taught him the power of kindness, love and commitment. 

His latest book is the fine art photography book, Encounters.

Visit his website at www.patrickstull.com.

BOOK BLURB:

With photography at its base, Stull offers a nuanced explication of his encounters to allow the viewer an opportunity to form a relationship with his art. While looking within ourselves, exploring our own feelings, he hopes that he will inspire greater humaneness in response to his art.

ENCOUNTERS is the second in a series of six large-format books in which artist, photographer and author, Patrick Stull explores a wide range of experiences. Using light and the physical body, the written word and his artistry he creates imagery that examines aspects of the lives of women.

Compiled over the last 18 years, the images in ENCOUNTERS, Stull says, are meant to “inspire and challenge the observer while always empowering the subject.”

Stull brings a powerful sense of the surreal and the spiritual to his work as he plots a course along the many paths of the human experience. His imagery runs from the ghostly and ephemeral to the flowing and fiery.

As much as he concentrates on the human form, Stull never forgets to focus on the humanity of his subjects. His choice of the coffee-table style book format draws the viewer into an experience both intimate and universal.

Stull’s first book in his series, titled EVOLVE, was published in 2006. A third book, titled HIDDEN DIMENSIONS, is completed and awaiting publication. Future titles in the series include DHARMA, BEING DIFFERENT, and YOGA, A HEALING MOMENT.

Stull hopes that his readers come away from the book with “a love for art and a respect for the female who gives us life and challenges us to be better human beings.

ORDER YOUR COPY HERE

Thank you for your time in answering our questions about getting published.  Is this your first book?

Encounters is my second book, it contains 232 pages of unique imagery, prose, odes and drawings. I have five more books headed to print over the next two years.

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

I self-published and found the book printer in Asia through a Los Angeles fine art printing firm. I chose to self-publish, while sourcing the printer myself. When creating reasonable quantities (1,000 plus), you can’t efficiently print in the U.S. due to costs. Much of the cost is labor due to the hardcover binding process. If you are not producing a hardcover, if the volumes are 500 or less you might look into U.S based printers. I chose to print in Asia where I found a good balance of all factors.

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

The process of creating Encounters was daunting. Even though it was an effort of love, it required the integration of imagery and text which is somewhat unusual. This made things somewhat more challenging to promote to the publishing world. However, I did reach out to some publishers to understand the process. Once I had this understanding it was clear to me self-publishing was a better choice. Specifically, the publishing world is very difficult to navigate within a given timeframe. Costs and control over the product is relinquished by the author. It became apparent that self-publishing would be the best alternative for me. Finding a high-quality, fine art printer and deciding how I was going to market and sell the book presented additional challenges.
Self- publishing a book, allows control over costs, marketing and distribution. An author has complete ownership of the outcome. On the other hand, employment of a publisher affords a greater opportunity to generate attention to the book and perhaps greater income from sales.

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

If you are an unknown author the probability that you will financially break- even is challenging. When you look at the costs related to creating a book one must consider that the development, printing, shipping, fulfillment and storage, credit card processing and publisher’s expense leave little proceeds unless you can scale sales.

Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

I am at the beginning of this publishing adventure so there is little to say except, I would reach out to publishers before self-publishing. This way you educate yourself as to what works for you. Keep in mind that self-publishing does limit your market exposure.

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

My advice is “less is more.” Avoid saturating the reader with who you are and what you think. Never allow your ego to dominate the message and always approach your reader/viewer with humility. This allows truth and reality to rise to the surface for all to enjoy.

If you decide to self-publish you should first consider what it is you are trying to accomplish: financial success, notoriety, the exercise of skills or simply personal gratification. Each of these things influence the effort. Life is random, so expect nothing from your efforts however, dream that the world will embrace your work and that you will have the opportunity to create more for their enjoyment.

Be patient and never stop doing what you love. Persistence is powerful.

Book Publishing Secrets with Michael Houtz, Author of Dark Spiral Down

After a career in medicine, Mike Houtz succumbed to the call to hang up his stethoscope and pursue his other passion as a writer of fast-paced thrillers. A rabid fan of authors such as Clancy, Mark Greaney, Vince Flynn, and Brad Thor, Mike loves series writing with strong characters, fast pacing and international locations, all of which explode into action in his debut novel, a 2017 Zebulon Award winner. When not at the keyboard, he can be found on the firing range, traveling for research across the globe, or trying out the latest dry-fly pattern on a Gold Medal trout stream.

He lives at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.

His latest book is the thriller/international/action novel, Dark Spiral Down.

Website: www.mikehoutz.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/michaelhoutz

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.mikehoutz/

                          https://www.facebook.com/mike.houtz.77

BOOK BLURB:

COLE HAUFNER is a reluctant superstar in the professional mixed martial arts world. After his latest fight, his wife and child perish in a car crash. His grief deepens when his brother, BUTCH, a Delta Force operator, is absent from the funeral and reported missing by two furtive strangers who show up unannounced at the burial. Despairing, and acting on a tip, Cole travels to his childhood home in southeast China, looking for his brother.

Butch and his teammate, HAMMER, are the sole American survivors of a gun battle between their unit and North Korean commandos, both sides fighting over possession of a stolen suitcase containing a miniaturized fusion device that could either provide unlimited clean energy or be converted to an undetectable bomb seven times more powerful than a nuclear explosion. Leading the North Koreans is the sociopath, Commander PARK. Pressed into helping the Koreans is a disgraced former CIA operative, BARRETT JENNINGS.

Cole meets with the uncle who raised him, MASTER LI, and is warned to stop his search for Butch. Barrett discovers Cole’s identity (with the help of a genius computer hacker, LILLY), which opens a twenty-year-old wound when Barrett was blamed for the disappearance of Cole’s father, along with the man’s invention. Barrett enlists the 14K organized crime syndicate to help capture Cole. Hammer, separated from Butch during the fight for the device, thwarts the gang’s attempt to kidnap Cole, and the two then set off to find Butch and the device. All parties converge on the city library where Butch, now disguised as a monk, is attempting to communicate with the Pentagon. Barrett and Park capture Butch, while the 14K gang nabs Cole.

Danger mounts as Chinese authorities begin investigating foul play within their borders. Cole fights his way free of the gang and reunites with Hammer.  Both men find Barrett’s apartment and discover Lilly (the man’s stepdaughter), who divulges Barrett’s identity and plan. Cole clashes with Hammer, who is willing to sacrifice Butch in order to recover the fusion device. Lilly offers her help in exchange for her and Barrett’s rescue from Park’s grip. Meanwhile, Barrett discovers the true nature of the case the North Koreans are pursuing and, sensing he and Lilly are to be assassinated by Park once he has the device, frees Butch. Butch, trusting Barrett was sent to rescue him, leads the turncoat to the site where he hid the device. Barrett, hoping to make a quick fortune selling it, shoots Butch before escaping with the case.

Cole, along with Hammer and Lilly, arrives at the location of Butch and finds him gravely wounded. Butch fingers Barrett for shooting him and for stealing the case. Cole wants only to save his brother but Butch makes him promise to kill Barrett and recover their dad’s invention. The revelation that the device is his father’s scientific discovery propels Cole forward to fulfill his brother’s mission. Cole is forced to abandon Butch at a hospital. Cole pursues Barrett to a remote dock where the ex-CIA man is planning to escape China by boat. With the Chinese military now actively looking for Cole, Cole confronts Barrett and Park sparking a gunfight. Barrett kills Park. As Barrett turns the gun on Cole, Hammer kills Barrett. Cole, Hammer and Lilly escape via the boat, and the fusion device is safely returned.

Readers Love Michael Houtz!

“If you’re in the market for a fast paced, action filled, page-turning thriller, Mike Houtz delivers a must-read novel. I highly recommend this emotional rollercoaster of a book for every die-hard thriller reader…Get it ASAP!”

~Lima Charlie Review

~*~

“…this work proves that author Houtz is undoubtedly a rising star in the publishing world.”

~Andrea Brunais, Author

~*~

“Mike Houtz takes us on fast-pace adventure in Dark Spiral Down, a thrilling ride along the border between China and North Korea, where Cole Haufner is in pursuit of his Delta Force brother and a device that has the potential to change the world forever or destroy it.”

~Dan Grant, Author

~*~

“Dark Spiral Down is a phenomenal debut novel by Mike Houtz. This book has everything readers of the genre love: a great plot, memorable characters, and a powerful voice. It’s a must-read!”

~Ammar Habib, Bestselling & Award-Winning Author, Editor-in-Chief of Thriller Magazine

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon

https://amzn.to/2UpXJmK

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?

Mike:

Is this your first book?

Mike: This is my first full-length novel. I’d worked on a medical thriller but felt compelled to write and complete this title. I slid the WIP into a drawer and cranked this one out in about 6 months.

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

Mike: I went with a smaller, traditional press out of New York. The truth is, no matter the path you choose, much of the promotional work rests on the author. My publisher aggressively engaged me with wonderful communication, and I felt they genuinely believed my book was well written and had the markings of a successful debut.

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

Mike: I entered a writing contest at a large conference looking for judge’s feedback on what was essentially a rough draft. Surprisingly, I won an award in the thriller/suspense category. I was completely shocked. A few months later, I attended the Colorado Gold conference and went to my first pitch session looking to see what that 10-minute session looked like. My luck had continued, and I was asked for a full submission. Within a few days, I was contacted by a senior editor saying she loved the work and would present to the acquiring committee for a possible offer. A promised three-week reply to me turned into a 36-hour contract offer. I couldn’t believe how quickly everything occurred.

            I don’t really have any cons. I’d say I had a few somewhat negative responses here and there but, by-and-large, my experience was incredibly positive—more so that I ever expected.

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

Mike: I came into the business as a true neophyte. I didn’t know what I didn’t know. It’s hard to pinpoint where to begin when you’ve never done something before and don’t have a point of reference. I think for those folks in the same position I found myself, the important message is to plant your flag somewhere, anywhere, and strike out on a path regardless if it’s in the right direction. Listen to your inner voice, learn what works and doesn’t work for you, and adjust course accordingly. My personal lesson is believe in what you’re doing, regardless of the noise coming from others. If you truly want something bad enough, you’ll get there if you don’t quit.

            What I’ve learned about the industry is that it moves like a glacier. Despite my quick, early success, not something most people experience, expect a long, slow slug. It’s a marathon not a sprint. Something that amazed me was the welcoming from other authors into the fold. Publishing isn’t necessarily a zero-sum business. There’s always room for another great novel.

Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

Mike: I would. Especially for debut authors. You get to see the aspects of traditional publishing—working with your editor, discovering the entire process from a contract all the way to your finished Galley, and finally the approaching publishing date. I found the whole process incredibly exciting and I learned so much I never knew existed. You’ll also become heavily involved in the marketing and promotion side of the business. That’s been a real eye opener, but I’m grateful for the opportunity.

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

Mike: Probably the same thing repeated by so many others—the difference between published authors and most others is the published author didn’t quit. This goes back to my own personal mantra—if you want something bad enough, you’ll make it happen. Wrapped up in all that is the will to succeed, however you define your own success. The act of winning is generated by all the work you do when no one else is looking.

Book Publishing Secrets with Laura Simmons, Author of Tough Karma: A Race Against Time

Laura Simmons grew up in northern Virginia and spent most of her career working for various Department of Defense contractors in the Washington, DC area. She has a fascination with all things metaphysical. She enjoys writing, jigsaw puzzles, adult coloring books, vacationing at the beach with her husband, and studying tarot cards and other types of divination systems.

Website:  http://www.littlebitsofkarma.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LauraSimmons37

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekarmaseries

About the Book:

Astral travel and a deadly secret make for a gripping paranormal romance from start to finish.

Amber Macklin's world is cruelly shattered when she loses her baby girl three months after her husband's sudden death. Her cousin, Bryce, comes to her rescue, moving her into his home for fear  

she will kill herself from the grief. He provides solace and a shoulder to cry on, and he has loved her as more than a cousin for a long time. Amber and Bryce soon discover they are not blood relatives, which opens the door for romance as he pulls her through her darkest hours. When Mike, a college friend of Bryce's, stops by to visit, Amber senses a deadly secret behind his nice guy persona. She has a frightening dream that Mike is trying to kill her and recurring sleepwalking episodes where she draws detailed pictures of him torturing her. Deeply troubled, Bryce uses his ability to astral travel to investigate Mike and uncover his terrifying past. Mike has had his eye on Amber for some time, and when he learns that Bryce and Amber have become lovers, he is furious. Mike abducts Amber and takes her to his rural Georgia hideaway, and Bryce must rely on his astral abilities to track her down. But will he be too late?

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

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?

Laura: I’ve wanted to write a book since I was a little girl. I love reading and always have books nearby, both fiction and non-fiction. I was inspired to write Tough Karma because of my interest and fascination with reincarnation, astral travel, alternate realities, psychic phenomena, ghosts, etc.

Is this your first book?

Laura: No. This is my second book.  I received the idea for Tough Karma as I was finishing my first book, Little Bits of Karma.

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

Laura: I’ve used a vanity press for all of my books, I’ve written three novels. I chose this method because I work a full-time job and don’t have the energy or time to do everything myself. The publisher I used was Outskirts Press and I had a good experience with them.

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

Laura:  The pros: I love seeing the end result of a story I created in my mind. The finished paperback with the professional cover, seeing it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble ready for sale, and the excitement of planning a marketing campaign for a new novel is thrilling to me.  The cons:  Waiting for that first review and cringing if it is less than four stars, and all of the time and continued effort that I must put into marketing it. If I stop promoting my books for a month or two, I have few to zero sales.

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

Laura: Patience is a must. Once you have the manuscript ready to send to an editor or proofreader, it can take a month or more to get it back. When you get it back, then you have to go through it line by line and make the corrections. If they have inserted notes as to the content, then you must decide if you need to change anything about the story. Hopefully, you’ve had beta readers give you feedback before you send it off for editing/proofing and your story is solid. Then there is the final proofing before it is published in paperback and e-book format.

As far as the publishing industry as a whole, I’m delighted that there are so many opportunities now for indie authors to publish their stories. It makes selling a book more competitive but at the same time, there are so many unique and different stories to enjoy reading.

Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

Laura: Yes and no. While Outskirts Press is one of the more reputable and affordable vanity presses, it is still expensive to have them do most of the work. It all depends on how much help an author wants or needs and the size of their budget.  As I’ve learned more about publishing, I’ve used Outskirts mainly for designing my covers, formatting and publishing the paperbacks, and creating the MOBI and EPUB versions.

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

Laura:  Make sure you have your work professionally proofread or edited, and it is also a good idea to find some beta readers to give you honest feedback on your story before you publish it.

Book Publishing Secrets with Steve Starger, Author of Misfits and Supermen

Steve Starger is a journalist, author, and musician. His 2006 book, “Wally’s World: The Brilliant Life and Tragic Death of Wally Wood, the World’s Second-Best Comic-Book Artist,” was short-listed for the Will Eisner Industry Award for Best Comics Related Book of 2006.

His latest book is a memoir titled MISFITS AND SUPERMEN: TWO BROTHERS’ JOURNEY ALONG THE SPECTRUM.

Website: www.misfitsandsupermen.com.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Steve-Starger-2222670174658438/

BOOK BLURB:

The bond of brotherhood is hard to break, but a lifetime of dealing with familial expectation, bitterness, and psychological disorders can bend and warp it into something nearly unrecognizable. This story tells the tale of two brothers: Melvyn, the elder, whose amalgamation of disorders leave him completely unable to function within society; and Stephen, the

younger, whose own emotional and psychological issues are overshadowed to the point where he becomes little more than a pale and twisted reflection of his brother.

On different ends of the same spectrum, Melvyn is blissfully unaware of their troubling connection (or so his brother can only assume), but for Stephen, it is undeniable. He lives with it every day, sensing his own otherness in every twitch, outburst, and inability of his brother to overcome his inner demons. Left largely on his own to deal with his peculiarities-while carrying the burden of being "the normal one," of whom much is expected- Stephen begins a complicated and unpredictable journey, one which will take him as far from his brother as he can manage to get, even as it brings them inexorably closer.

A portion of proceeds from this book will go toward the Camp Cuheca Scholarship - Melvyn D. Starger fund at Waterford Country School, Quaker Hill, CT., to help fund a two-week summer residency at the camp. For more information about Waterford Country School, please email development@waterforddcs.org.

“A finely crafted, affecting memoir of two brothers.”

-- Kirkus Reviews

“If you want an honest book about life with mental illness in the family, this is it. Great writing. Brutally honest. Hard to put it down. Great stories about CT, NY and CA from the 1940s to 2000.”

--Amazon Reviewer

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=misfits+and+supermen&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

Barnes & Noble

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/misfits+and+supermen/_/N-8q8?_requestid=1514906

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’ve always had ambitions to write, all the way back to early childhood.

Is this your first book?

No. In 2006, I published Wally’s World: The Brilliant Life and Tragic Death of Wally Wood, the World’s Second-Best Comic-Book Artist. The book was short-listed for the Will Eisner Industry Award for Best Comics-Related Book of 2006.

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

My first book was published by a third-party press, but I self-published Misfits and Supermen with Friesen Press because I felt a kind of urgency to get the story of my brother out into the world. Finding a third-party publisher can be a long, agonizing process.

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

I received my first professional byline when I was 19, a theater review for my local newspaper when I was in college. I spent about 30 years as a professional journalist, and I also have written plays and fiction. My “journey” has been at times more like a rollercoaster ride, which I think is typical of the writing life. I wouldn’t change one second of it.

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

Publishing is an extremely difficult goal to achieve. One has to be dedicated or crazy to do it. Developing a very thick skin is a requirement, as is faith in one’s work.

Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

Self-publishing, these days, can be very rewarding and legitimate. The days of the “vanity press” are gone, thankfully. Many self-publishing houses produce beautiful books and give the kind of editorial help that third-party publishers are known to give. In terms of post-publishing support, self-published books are positioned well these days to receive the same kind of promotional support that a small third-party press might give.

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

If you feel you have what it takes to be a published writer, don’t give up! Be your own toughest critic and move ahead, if your work demands it.

Book Publishing Secrets with A.S. Fenichel, Author of 'A Lady's Virtue' @asfenichel #bookpublishing

A.S. Fenichel gave up a successful career in New York City to follow her husband to Texas and pursue her lifelong dream of being a professional writer. She’s never looked back.

A.S. adores writing stories filled with love, passion, desire, magic and maybe a little mayhem tossed in for good measure. Books have always been her perfect escape and she still relishes diving into one and staying up all night to finish a good story.

Multi-published in historical, paranormal, erotic and contemporary romance, A.S. is the author of The Forever Brides series, the Everton Domestic Society series, and more. With several books currently contracted, A.S. will be bringing you her brand of edgy romance for years to come.

Originally from New York, she grew up in New Jersey, and now lives in the Southern Missouri with her real-life hero, her wonderful husband. When not reading or writing she enjoys cooking, travel, history, puttering in her garden and spoiling her fussy cat. 

Website Link: http://asfenichel.com
Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/asfenichel
Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/A.S.Fenichel
 

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http://asfenichel.com/

BOOK BLURB:

Can a broken engagement ignite the spark of true love?

Sylvia Dowder had almost made it to the altar when her fiancé unexpectedly became a viscount, and dropped her like a stale crumpet to make a more “suitable” match. Though Sylvia’s heart has been crushed, her spirit has not. She puts her wits and social savvy to use as a secret gossip columnist—and as the Everton Domestic Society’s party planner to the ton. Luckily, she’s not in danger of ever falling for an aristocrat again…

Especially not one like Anthony Braighton, Earl of Grafton. Raised in America, Anthony sees no reason to marry when he can enjoy all the perks of being an eligible earl. Determined to convince his family he doesn’t need a wife, he hires Sylvia to act as hostess and decorator for upcoming parties. Yet Sylvia is as adept at captivating his interest as she is at beautifying his home. And despite this Everton lady’s aversion to titled men, some attractions can’t be denied—and love rarely does go where it’s told . . .

ORDER YOUR COPY:

https://www.amazon.com/Ladys-Virtue-Everton-Domestic-Society-ebook/dp/B07DZJW3NC

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-ladys-virtue-as-fenichel/1128957664?ean=9781516105861

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/A_Lady_s_Virtue?id=WLJkDwAAQBAJ&hl=en_IN

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-lady-s-virtue

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?

A.S.: I became an author because I had stories in my head. I wrote the for years and years, seventeen to be exact, getting rejection after rejection. I hoped one day I would hone my skills enough and connect with an editor who loved my stories as much as I did. Eventually that happened. J

I love to write empowered women regardless of the time period the book is set in. It’s easy to write an ass kicking woman in modern day, but Regency times demanded women be meek. Or did they? Even Jane Austen wrote about women with minds of their own and the ability to make their own decisions. She herself did as much. I created the Everton Domestic Society so that my ladies would have a safety net where they could become the magnificent women they’d been written to be.

Is this your first book?

A.S.: No. A Lady’s Virtue is my nineteenth published book.

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

A.S.: I’m traditionally published with Kensington Books in their Lyrical Press line. Kensington is a mid-sized publisher. Not as big as the big 5 but quite substantial.

I prefer traditional publishing because it gives me more time for writing and editing. I’m not fond of the work required for self-publishing, though I admire writers who do it all and do it well.

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

A.S.: As I mentioned earlier, I attempted to get a book deal for seventeen years before I succeeded in 2011. I have had some success, though not great as of yet. It can be a very humbling industry. Very few people are overnight successes and roadblocks are plentiful. I always ask myself during the dark times, “If you knew right now that you would never publish another word, would you still write.” As long as the answer is “yes” I’ll keep at it.

I enjoy writing for Kensington. They are like family to me and have done much for my career. I signed with an agent last year and have high hopes that together we will push my career to the next level.

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

A.S.: If being an author is what you want, never give up and grow a thick skin. You will need it.

Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

A.S.: I don’t think one way or another is better. It’s a personal choice, a matter of finances and control of your work. I trust my publisher and am happy to hand over that side of the business to them. Each author must make this determination for themselves.

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

A.S.: Don’t give up, hone your craft and find a group of like-minded writers to support you.