Book Publishing Secrets with Mary Lawlor #books #bookpublishing

 

Mary Lawlor is author of Fighter Pilot’s Daughter (Rowman & Littlefield 2013, paper 2015), Public Native America (Rutgers Univ. Press 2006), and Recalling the Wild (Rutgers Univ. Press, 2000). Her short stories and essays have appeared in Big Bridge and Politics/Letters. She studied the American University in Paris and earned a Ph.D. from New York University. She divides her time between an old farmhouse in Easton, Pennsylvania, and a cabin in the mountains of southern Spain.

You can visit her website at https://www.marylawlor.net/ or connect with her on Twitter or Facebook.

📙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 grew up in a military family. My father was a pilot, first in the Marine Corps and later in the Army. He tested new planes, taught others how to fly them, as was himself a fighter pilot. We moved every two years, according to the Defense Department’s demands. Fighter Pilot’s Daughter tracks this complicated experience during the middle years of the Cold War. 

In those days, the dangers of nuclear war were on most Americans’ minds. That and the “domino theory”—the idea that if one country went communist, others nearby would do the same—kept fear alive in us. The theory suggested that one country’s succumbing to communisim meant the whole world would soon be controlled by the Soviet Union. Those fears thrived in our household, just as it they did everywhere in American life.

The high anxiety of the Cold War meant my father was often away from home. Waiting on a ship off the coast of Guatemala for the start of an invasion, investigating a fly-over of the Soviet border in northern Turkey, keeping tuned to news from the Fulda Gap on the border of West and East Germany—in these and other situations too frightening for my sisters and I to know about, my father kept us in suspense from far away. We were happy when he came home, but without meaning to, he frightened us. He’d walk through the door, his head nearly touching the ceiling, his blue eyes lit with a long-distance gaze. He didn’t seem to have landed. He had gifts. He told stories. But he wasn’t really home yet, and we weren’t sure who he was. 

When my mother and sisters and I went with my Dad to new postings, we’d be excited by the prospect of seeing the new place but distraught at leaving friends behind. Tension grew between my parents. My mother was proud of my father’s accomplishments and at the same time angry with him for making her leave one home after another, never settling down. The strife between them was also fed by the dangers inherent in Dad’s work and by the steady nervousness in the air that World War III was just around the corner. They drank cocktails to ease the strain. They fought, their voices taut with anger and fear. They weren’t happy. Nobody was.

By the time I was ready for college, I’d been to 14 schools—a bewildering way to grow up. As I got older, my childhood faith in Dad grew cloudy. In the news and in the streets, I heard arguments against what he was doing—fighting the war in Vietnam, flying for a government that was killing civilians. I took a political stance against him, and our own Cold War developed. For years we didn’t speak. Finally, when he was retired and I had settled down into marriage and teaching, we found our way back to each other, happily and gratefully reconciled. 

Not long after, I started thinking about a book what would sort out what it had all meant. I made lists of all the schools and the places we called “home”; and of the government’s moves that drove ours. At a certain point, I put it all together in a first draft. Writing helped me make sense of not just how my sisters and I came through these chaotic times. It helped me see what our parents endured. After several more drafts, I had a 320 page story of our time I titled Fighter Pilot’s Daughter

📙Is this your first book?

No. I’ve written two books of cultural analysis—Recalling the Wild (about the closing of the American West) and Public Native America (about tribal casinos, museums and powwows), both published by Rutgers University Press. And I’ve just completed a novel, The Translators, about a pair of itinerant foreigners in medieval Spain.

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

My agent found a receptive ear with Rowman and Littlefield. The editors there were interested in Fighter Pilot’s Daughter as it was, without asking for lots of changes. So we both decided to go with them. They’ve since been taken over by Bloomsbury, but traditionally, they’ve done a lot of books about military experience, so it seemed like a good fit for this story of a military family. They have good distribution, and the paperback edition came out a couple of years later.

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

First I found an agent, Neil Salkind who was interested in the memoir genre. He was wonderful and placed the book quickly.  These days it’s difficult to find a publisher who’ll look at your manuscript if it doesn’t come through an agent, so I was very happy Neil took me on. I think there are a few publishing houses that accept manuscripts directly from authors, but it’s really important to find an agent. They know what to trust and what not to, what to look for in a contract and what to expect from a publisher. And the publishers trust them to have vetted people who approach them, so the publisher can count on the agent’s authors being reliably strong writers. It’s difficult to go about the process on your own, so I’d advise everyone to try to find an agent first. 

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

I’ve learned to be patient! Sometimes it seems as if agents and publishers move at glacial speed, but that’s only because they’re so incredibly busy. It takes them a long time to get to your manuscript when they have so many other already waiting for attention. You really have to learn to wait. And I learned to accept rejection without being stopped in my tracks by it. Publishers and agents are always reminding you that their responses are subjective, and it’s true: one editor’s or agent’s view will be entirely different from another’s. So I learned not to get too down when I’m rejected and to keep sending the book back out there! 

📙Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

As I mentioned above, Rowman & Littlefield has been taken over by Bloomsbury. I haven’t had any dealings with the new group yet, so I can’t say anything about how it is to work with them, but generally speaking I can say that Bloomsbury has a very fine, even venerable reputation. 

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

Keep at it, every day. Listen to the words that sail through your mind, however briefly or dimly. They’re worth listening to and using. Remember doubt is part of the process: don’t let it stop you or get you down.

Fighter Pilot's Daughter is available at Amazon. 

 

Book Publishing Secrets with Kate Damon #books #bookpublishing

 

When Kate Damon is not writing, she and her husband enjoy RVing, spending time with family and friends, raising Monarch butterflies, and playing a wicked game of bridge.

Writing as Margaret Brownley, she has published more than 40 novels and is a New York Times bestselling author. Known for her memorable characters and humor, she is a two-time Romance Writers of America Rita finalist.

Not counting the book she wrote in sixth grade, and the puzzle of the missing socks, this is her first mystery.

Website ➜http://margaret-brownley.com/

Twitter ➜https://www.x.com/katejuryduty

Facebook ➜https://www.facebook.com/MargaretBrownleyAuthor/ and https://www.facebook.com/p/Kate-Damon-61565155275435/

Instagram ➜https://www.instagram.com/katedamonbooks

BookBub➜https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kate-damon

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4072660.Kate_Damon and https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/163681.Margaret_Brownley

📙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? 

First of all, thank you for having me and letting me share my story. I can hardly remember a time when I didn’t want to be a writer.  So it really wasn’t a deliberate decision on my part, but rather a natural

progression.

As for why I decided to write this book, all my stories start with a question. The question for Jury Duty is Murder concerned the psychological and emotional impact on jurors who are sequestered for extended periods, specifically for months.  I had no idea I was writing a mystery until bodies started turning up on my computer screen.

📙Is this your first book?

No, this is not my first book, but since I’m using a pen name, it feels like it.  Writing under Margaret Brownley, I’ve published more than forty-six historical romance novels and am a New York, Times bestselling author.  This is my first mystery, which is why I’m writing it under a pen name. 

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

When I first conceived of the idea for the book, I queried my regular publishers.  But since it was so different than anything I’d previously written, no one was interested. So I put the book aside.  However, the characters kept nagging at me and, finally, I continued to work on the book alongside my other projects.  I queried a small press, and the editor was kind enough to suggest I send the book to the Wild Rose Press.  That’s what I did, and here we are.

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

Having published numerous books, my journey has been a long one. I actually penned my first "book" in sixth grade, which ignited my lifelong dream of becoming a writer. However, my early aspirations faced significant challenges. In school, I struggled with English and even flunked the subject because I could not grasp the concept of diagramming sentences (still can’t). This setback was compounded by a discouraging remark from my teacher, who advised me to abandon any thoughts of pursuing writing.

Life took its course through various responsibilities such as jobs, marriage, and motherhood. Despite these commitments, the desire to write remained a constant presence in my life.  I wrote for the church newsletter, and after making the church picnic sound like a Grisham novel, my pastor took me aside and suggested that God probably meant for me to write fiction.

Since I wasn’t about to argue with God, I told my family that I intended to start taking my writing seriously and work on a book. To my surprise, my three children reacted with relief; it turned out that my penchant for crafting lengthy and what I believed were clever excuse notes had become a source of embarrassment for them.

The next four years were challenging as I faced an overwhelming number of rejections—enough to cover the walls of my home. It was during this period that I decided to join a writers' group, which proved to be a pivotal moment in my writing journey. The support and feedback from fellow writers helped me refine my craft and regain confidence in my abilities.

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

I was pretty ignorant about the whole publishing business.  My writing group taught me how to write a proposal and how to slant it for specific publishers and editors.  Back in those days, we didn’t have the Internet, and I spent a lot of time and money sending my books to the wrong people.  Now, you can look up publishers and editors online and find out what kind of books they are interested in.  

You can also join online writer groups, which provide invaluable information.  My writing group also held yearly conferences.  This enabled me to meet editors and pitch my stories face-to-face.  I also met my agent at one.  They say writing is a solitary profession, but I found the opposite to be true.  The amount of support and help for writers is amazing.  All you have to do is reach out.   

📙Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

Absolutely.  It’s a tough business and the more you know, the better your chances of getting published.

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

First, write the book.  Then be sure to stay in touch with your characters every day, even if it means rereading your last chapter.  That keeps the subconscious working.  Finally, join a writer’s group, preferably in your own genre.

Jury Duty is Murder is available at Amazon. 

Book Publishing Secrets with Christopher Kaufman #books #bookpublishing

 

Christopher Kaufman is an author, composer, presenter, illustrative artist and performer. He started imaginative fantasy books with illustrative art at the age of nine. During high school years he found music and attended The New Orleans Center for The Creative Arts and went on to major in music composition in college. He finished his schooling – earning his DMA in music composition at Cornell University where he studied with Pulitzer Prize Winning composers who prize his abilities as a composer.

Christopher is the type of person who needs imaginative fantasy scenarios to get to sleep. Therefore, he emerged from Cornell, not only with his degrees in music, but with the full event structure for his classic epic fantasy series Tales Of The Ocean City in his mind.

He began writing the story down in the early 2000’s, but it did not really come to life until he developed his home music ‘laboratory’ and started creating the music and text at the same time. Thus books one and two of TOC came about simultaneously as both graphically illustrated pages and effulgent audio albums filled with cinematic epic symphonic music.

They exist now as physical books and audio albums (that go together) and the new Video Book version.  He performs live tours with the music pouring through speakers, live narration and the colorful pages streaming on screen – a true immersive multi-media experience.

He also maintains his career as a composer for the concert stage with a full body of work, from solo works thru orchestral. He specializes as well in ‘environmental works’ which feature soundscapes crafted from hundreds of natural sounds, live musicians (from soloists, chamber groups and to full orchestra), videos filled with both natural and artistic images and readings from the works of John Muir and others.

Kaufman’s books feature full-page graphic illustration and go-with audio albums filled with epic cinematic music, narration and sound design.  All available, with generous discount packages, at kaufmantales.com (epubs and the new Video  Book version available there!).

His author page is talesoftheoceancity.com.

His you-tube channel is SOUNDARTUS.

Visit him at Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/talesoftheoceancity.

📙Is this your first book?

The first book of this five-book series was indeed my first book ever. Many since! It has been in my mind for many years.

Tales Of The Ocean City tells the tale of a young civilization turning the corner into the future. The city as a whole must do this by facing a terrible enemy from the deepest past, The Vorm - with whom they co-evolved in ages past on their ancestral isle. The main characters are young Harl’ut and his lifelong companion, Vispushin - who is a perianth (a kind of telepathic pegasus).  They are very close, like family. They speak to each other mind-to-mind.  Harl’ut too must face the past.  At the end of book two he undergoes an initiation adventure where he descends into the volcanic mountain, Pla’than’taa - from the belly of which The Ocean City was delved. There, he interacts with personifications of past god-like figures and battles a terrific monster. He then leads a cadre of young warriors into the Vorm Hive on a vital mission.

All of this is a huge metaphor for my life’s journey.

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

I started right off with independent. It is part of my process to see the book and make adjustments. This is because the book pages feature full-page graphically illustrated art.  I need to see how it comes out - this has led to finding a POD distributor which makes the best books, i.e. Book Vault. With others the colors come out dark and smudged looking.

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

It takes a lot of work to learn about self-publishing, creating your online store, find cover artists and websites. It is good to see and feel your book, since it is a work of art, and be able to make adjustments.  The challenge is in getting the word out.

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

Keep at it. Enjoy the process as an end goal and take it from there, same as any artistic pursuit.

📙Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

Certainly - it may, in fact, be the only way open to you.

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

Write because you have to.  Your stories must emerge from your being. Have a higher purpose than making money, then it will come. All of my works celebrate the transformative power of imagination. I believe in that power as demonstrated in the fine arts and, especially, great fantasy stories. Much of my work is about feeding and growing imagination in one way or another. I hope people experience my work and then feel differently about how they experience the world around them.  Imagination is the highest function of the human mind - it gives us art, music and scientific theories…and helps us envision a better future for ourselves and our civilization. It has been damaged in many ways in our modern lives. Fantasy can help cure this.

 

Book Publishing Secrets with Jörg H. Trauboth #books #bookpublishing

 

Jörg H. Trauboth, born in 1943 near Berlin, logged over two thousand flight hours as a Weapon Systems Officer Instructor in the Luftwaffe, flying PHANTOM F-4F / RF-4E and TORNADO fighter jets, and over 3000 hours in light aircraft. At the age of fifty, he left the service with the rank of Colonel in the General Staff. He received training as a Special Risk Consultant from the English Control Risk Group and served as Managing Director Germany, dealing with extortion and kidnapping cases in South America and Eastern Europe. Shortly thereafter, he founded his own consulting firm, quickly establishing an outstanding international reputation. Trauboth protected his clients with a 24-hour task force during product extortions, product recalls, kidnappings, and image crises. He was the first President of the European Crisis Management Academy in Vienna and President of the American Yankee Association.

He is known as a respected expert in the media on security-related topics. He volunteers as an emergency counselor and is a member of the Crisis Intervention Team (KIT Bonn) of the German Foreign Office. He is a private pilot, married, with two sons and three grandchildren.

In 2002, Trauboth wrote the now out of print standard work “Crisis Management for Company Threats”.

In 2016 the follow-up work was published with Jörg H. Trauboth as editor in collaboration with five authors: “Crisis Management in Companies and Public Institutions”.

Terror expert J. H. Trauboth presented his debut novel in 2015 with the Germany thriller “Three Brothers”. (Available in English). In 2019 “Operation Jerusalem” followed and in 2020 “Omega”. The trilogy is about the former elite soldier Marc Anderson and his team. With these three self-contained thrillers, Trauboth is rated by many readers as the “German Tom Clancy.” The trilogy is available as a printed edition, eBook and audio book.

His first detective novel, “Jakobs Weg” (German), followed in 2021. The highly explosive topic of “sexual abuse of children” is processed sensitively in a scenario on the Way of Saint James and at the end offers contact options for those seeking help.

In 2022, the novella “Bonjour Saint-Ex” was published (German) in which the passionate pilot Jörg H. Trauboth turns the last flight of the legend Antoine de Saint Exupéry into an exciting literary event.

Readers wanted a sequel to the Marc Anderson series. In 2023, ZarenTod – Das Ende der Präsidenten was published, a highly topical political thriller. The Russian president and new tsar, Ivan Pavlenko, suddenly shows his true face during the war in Ukraine. He wants the old Soviet Union back. The world is on the brink. The influential oligarch, Alexei Sokolov, wants to prevent Ivan’s megalomaniac plans and is planning a fundamental new beginning for Russia. To achieve this, the Russian president must be removed. But the plan goes awry. Ex-elite soldier Marc Anderson intervenes. Will Czar Ivan die? What will become of Europe? The book 8/ 2024 in English „The Death of the Kremlin Czar” is the fourth political thriller in the Marc Anderson series.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜  https://trauboth-autor.de/english/

Twitter ➜ https://twitter.com/JorgTrauboth

📙 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?

First of all, thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to share some of my experiences as a writer. I'm very glad that I don't have to make a living from this genre. In fact, I've been writing out of passion all my life. I won a few awards for it in the military. But it was only after I had finished my time as a professional soldier that I learned what is necessary to become a respected author.  I learned how to design a plot, learned different types of storytelling and how to captivate the reader. I learned more from book to book. The reviews were great, but unfortunately not the sales. That didn't set me back. A book is like a baby that wants to be born. In my thrillers, I also have the unique opportunity to create a world that is better than the previous one. And to invent people in whom I find myself. If I gave up writing, my life wouldn't be as full as it is now.

📙 Is this your first book? 

THE DEATH OF THE KREMLIN CZAR is my seventh book since 2015 and my second in English. Among these books are four thrillers of the Marc Anderson series, a thriller about child sexual abuse, a novella about the French poet Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and two non-fiction books about crisis management. Actually, all the books have something to do with me because good crisis management is my passion.

 

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

 

I am an author from Germany. So there may be differences to other countries in terms of my experiences. But I read the US book market is even more challenging than those in Europe. I was contacted by a well-known German publisher for my non-fiction book. It went easily. I got the kind of professional support you would expect. My other books were printed in the traditional way by a small publisher who also covered all the costs but had no resources for marketing. All books are available in print and as e-books, three as audiobooks. But all books have small editions to keep the risk low. When I started, my publisher and friend had a few thousand books printed. They were then stored in a warehouse and cost money. Now there is print on demand, so these costs no longer apply. But at the same time, the prices for paper, printing and the supply chain have increased so much that the process is at least as expensive. The “biggest” earnings are comparatively with e-books.

 

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

 

You need a lot of nerve and patience as an unknown writer. Although I'm not completely unknown, I didn't receive any replies or rejections from over 30 publishers and agents. You write on the assumption that they are waiting for this very book and then - nothing. Although the reading samples, the synopsis and the other required papers were perfect. Most agents and publisher write that if there is no response after 12 weeks, the book is unfortunately not interesting. Many also want to know whether you have already submitted elsewhere. So it is frustrating.

 

On the other hand, I can see the enormous pressure agents and publishers are under. There is no more room for risky decisions, even if the manuscript is excellent. It's no longer about the good text, but only about money. I learned that my book readings in an event, for example with discussions and music, are the greatest fulfillment for me. The media also reported on this. Afterwards, however, that didn't boost sales either. 

 

I invested some money in book marketing and book fairs, but in the end had to learn that you need a huge amount of money to get noticed – for a few weeks. Only a big publisher can do that. 

With my advanced age, I am perhaps not the right person to talk about social media as a book promotion tool. One thing is clear, you can't do without social media. I am on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and LinkedIn. But one should be aware that you have to invest hours day by day to produce the best story, the best reel, the best video with the best music. And to communicate with your community. Is that what you want? I prefer to invest in social media professionals who do the most important work for me, like pumpupyourbook.com right now .'

 

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

 

The best thing about a book project is the writing process itself. After that, it becomes painful. In my country, unknown authors have not a real a chance of ending up on a bestseller list without a publisher. There are more and more untrustworthy publishers who exploit the desperate situation of unsuccessful authors and publish the books in exchange for a payment system. It can easily happen that you burn €20,000 or $ without getting any readers. 

 

Overall, I take a critical view of the development of the book market. Publishers are closing, interest is now only focused on reliable bestselling authors, and the number of publications is increasing rapidly worldwide. 

 

Many young people are unlearning how to read, and superficial scrolling is dominating the brain. With AI, publishing a book will be child's play. My horror scenario: AI writes a book, guarantees the perfect style, guarantees flawlessness, does the translations into other languages, does the cover, brings the book to Kindle in a matter of minutes and thus to the global market. Together with a perfect book teaser. The result: the book market is increasingly flooded with products that are no longer backed by qualified authors. Anyone, theoretically, even someone who can barely read and write, will have the chance to become a bestselling author in the future.  The only problem is that even AI cannot guarantee sales success. But with or without AI, the book market is moving away from quality towards a big lottery. Even the Nobel Prize for Literature couldn’t prevent  that.

 

📙 Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

 

 No, I wouldn't recommend dedicated authors to rely on AI, but to use AI wisely. Writing a good book yourself is an art. It doesn't fall from the sky, but has to be learned like music, painting or acting. If you then have a good story, a lot of it goes by itself. At some point, you'll be in the flow, and you have to manage your energy so that you don't exhaust yourself and the quality suffers. If you end up with a book, whether traditional or self-published, you've given yourself a wonderful gift that will live on long after you're in the ground. Everything passes. A book remains.

 

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

 I wouldn't wait too long for the answer of an agent. Your lifetime is running.  The new digital world offers great advantages for unknown authors to publish a book themselves. And during writing, do not spend your time on selling. Be concentrated on your baby growing.  So don't let yourself be dragged down and hope for success. And also without the big success, you alone have created a wonderful baby. Your baby. 

 

 

Book Publishing Secrets with Kathye Quick #books #bookpublishing

Born long, long ago in a place not so far away, Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, Kathryn Quick has been writing since the Sisters in St. Casmir’s Grammar School gave her the ruled yellow paper and a number two pencil.  She writes contemporary and career romances, romantic comedies, historical romances as well as urban fantasy. 

Kathye has twenty fiction books in print with various publishing houses and one non-fiction compilation of her town’s history at the behest of the Manville Library Bord.  She was honored to have been named an Amazon top 100 Romance Author for Ineligible Bachelor published by Montlake Romance. Other works include a three book  Grandmother’s Rings Series – Amethyst, Sapphire and Citrine, a rom-com series that follows three siblings as they use their Grandmother’s Rings given to them by their mother to find their soulmates. 

Because she has been fascinated by King Arthur and his knights for almost forever, her series Beyond Camelot, Brother Knights, is her vision of how the majestic kingdom may have survived after Arthur. Two books are written in this series with the third and final still in concept.

She is a founding member of Liberty State Fiction Writers and has been a part of Romance Writers of America and New Jersey Romance Writers.

She is married to her real-life hero, Donald, and has three grown sons, each having romantic adventures of their own. Her two grandkids, Savannah and Dax, happily cut into her writing time but she still manages to get a few pages done each day.

P.K. Eden is the alter ego of multi-published and award winning authors Patt Milhailff and Kathye Quick whose debut novel FIREBRAND was lauded as comparable to the Harry Potter series, garnered 5-Star reviews, and won numerous  Reviewer’s Choice Awards.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ www.Kathrynquick.com  

Twitter ➜ https://x.com/KQuickAuthor

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/KathrynQuickBooks/

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/kathrynquickauthor/

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/217228581-the-mirror

📙 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?

P K Eden (Kathye Quick): Patt and I decided to write this series based on the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm because one day we were fantasizing about all the things we could do if we had the spinning wheel that turned straw into gold, but of, course, it wasn't real. But what if it was?

📙 Is this your first book?

P K Eden (Kathye Quick): No. This is our second brook as P K Eden in collaboration with my writing partner Patt Milhailoff.  Our first collaboration, Firebrand, told of the return of the Garden of Eden and involves every kind of fantasy creature - fairies, trolls, orcs, sprites, and, of course, humans. They all have a part to play.

The Mirror is the first of a three-book series revolving around the artifacts from folk lore and fairy tales from all seven continents under the challenge to protect them from being used for personal gain or world domination.  Imagine if Elon Musk actually got his billions from the spinning wheel that turned straw into gold, or that a prick from a spindle could send your enemies into a 100-year slumber. Interesting ideas, but with good always comes the bad and the greedy.

 

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

 

P K Eden (Kathye Quick): Bottom line - I need an editor. My mind is so busy listening to all those voices in my head wanting to get a book of their own, that sometimes I skip words or have a sudden spelling issue. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a typo of two in this interview. Hope not.

Our publisher, The Wild Rose Press, is a fabulous pathway to getting our stories out for readers to enjoy.  TWRP is a traditional publisher with a small press feel offering print and e-books. Plus working with the fabulous editors, it feels like home.

 

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

P K Eden (Kathye Quick): There are lots of detours on the way to that first book. I don't like to think of them as cons; more like opportunities to get better.

Yes, there is the dreaded rejection letter and/or e-mail (sometimes dozens of them), and if you don't have a thick skin and a drive to get to the end, your writing career could end there. The waiting is brutal. Time between submission and decision can take months.

But then just when you have almost decided to take up knitting instead of writing, that call, or email, or letter comes. You are offered a contract.  The clouds' part and the rainbow forms. You are going to finally have that book.

 

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

 

P K Eden (Kathye Quick): I've learned to be patient above everything. And patience was something I never had. The line for patience was too long in heaven, so I skipped it. Should have waited.

I've learned to listen to criticism and reviewers, but to remember it is my book. Take what you agree with and learn from it, but don't take everything they say and change your book into theirs. 

📙 Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

 

P K Eden (Kathye Quick): I would recommend other authors trying all avenues. I won't ever self-publish, but that doesn't mean aspiring authors shouldn't they present the best work they can do.  As I said - I need and editor. 

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

P K Eden (Kathye Quick): The same advice my father gave me - never give up. He said that quitting was what happens just before you were going to succeed. 

The Mirror is available at Amazon.

Book Publishing Secrets with Nancy Golden #books #bookpublishing

 

Nancy Golden wears a lot of different hats – She is a wife and mom, author, engineer, professor, horsewoman, and small business owner. She is also the founder of a writing group – the Carrollton League of Writers. Nancy lives in a suburb of Dallas, Texas and she loves to ride bicycles and horses. She is a member of the National Space Society, and she has been a Trekkie for as long as she can remember. Nancy Golden Books provides a great reader experience with well-crafted writing that will brighten your day.

Website ➜ nancygoldenbooks.com

Twitter ➜ https://www.twitter.com/ncgolden1  

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564426002283 

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/ncgolden1 

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216235312-ring-of-rosin 

📙 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?

Ring of Rosin was the natural next book in my Dynamis series. In Book 1 we learn about the main character and his journey to become king of Elayas. We find out about the three symbols attached to the true ruler of Elayas: the Sword of Fate, the Ring of Rosin, and the Key of Power. The three books in the Dynamis trilogy each draw special significance from one of these symbols. I had a lot of fun with the characters and plot twists, and I think you will, too.

I love having a positive impact on my readers. When my writing touches someone’s heart, or they find themselves immersed in the story as an entertaining haven away from the trials of this world, or the message in its pages provides someone with hope – it doesn’t matter how hard it gets (and being an author gets very hard)– it makes being an author supremely worthwhile.

📙 Is this your first book?

Nancy: Ring of Rosin is actually my sixth book. It is the second in my fantasy trilogy, the Dynamis novels. Sword of Fate is the first book in the trilogy, and I will be releasing Key of Power at the end of March. I have a very fun near-future science fiction book, Alien Neighbors, about a First Contact. I also write nonfiction and have a Christmas Devotional, a Lenten Devotional, and a book about how to share the Gospel. While I write across genres, my books have one thing in common – my tag line is “Light in the Darkness.” My goal is to transport you from the troubles of the world for a while with an entertaining book to brighten your day.

 

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

 

Nancy: I decided to self-publish (Indie) for numerous reasons. I love having control of my content and book covers. I appreciate scheduling my own publication dates and it is much faster than if it was on a traditional publisher’s schedule. 

 

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

 

Nancy: I must say it is a tremendous amount of work – I have hard-earned knowledge that allows me to do what needs to be done. It is also very expensive. I am very committed to representing myself and my books with integrity and to doing the best job that I am able. This means I hire beta readers to read early versions and provide feedback. This means that I hire a professional editor and even after my final draft is edited, I go through it a final time before publishing. This means I hire a professional graphic artist that (with my input) designs the cover. All of these are very expensive and time-consuming. They are worth it because the book that you, dear reader, will have in your hands, is the best possible version that I can produce and represents my heart and part of my soul. I find tremendous satisfaction in that.

 

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

 

Nancy: I learned a lot!! When I started pursuing my dream to be an author, I had no idea what the administrative and marketing side would entail. I feel very empowered as an author, but that did not come easily. Years of learning both my craft and the business of my craft has brought me to where I am today. But it is a journey that never ends – we can always improve in our understanding of the publishing process and in our writing.

 

I have learned and grown from each book – applying what I have learned to the next one. The publishing industry is changing as technology changes, but one thing remains the same regardless of which avenue you choose to pursue: you can’t just write your book and publish it. If you want to get it into the hands of your readers, you must market it. With the millions of books on Amazon, it is easy to get drowned out. To rise above the noise, you must market yourself and your books. Connecting with your readers is very powerful but won’t happen unless you initiate it.

 

📙 Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

 

Nancy: I would recommend this method for those who have a continuous learning mindset and are willing to put in the hard work needed to understand the process. I thought writing a book would be hard – but the really hard part is doing all of the administrative tasks that revolve around publishing a book and the marketing during and after the process.

 

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

Nancy: My advice to aspiring authors is simple. Keep writing. You will need to spend an inordinate amount of time on administrative stuff, marketing, and researching. It is easy to let those things take over. Make sure you are still making writing a priority. I am thrilled to be able to respond to these questions and to be a part of Book Publishing Secrets and that is a wonderful thing, but you can bet that I will also carve out some time to write today.

 

 

Book Publishing Secrets with Randy C. Dockens #books #bookpublishing

 

Dr. Randy C. Dockens has a fascination with science and with the Bible, holds Ph.D. degrees in both areas, and is a man not only of faith and science, but also of creativity. He believes that faith and science go hand in hand without being enemies of each other.

After completing his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Auburn University he went on to graduate school at Auburn and completed his first doctorate degree in Pharmaceutics. He began his scientific career as a pharmacokinetic reviewer for the Food and Drug Administration and later joined a leading pharmaceutical company as a pharmacokineticist, which is a scientist who analyzes how the human body affects drugs after they have been administered (i.e, absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted).

Through the years, he has worked on potential medicines within several disease areas, including cardiovascular, fibrosis, and immunoscience to seek and develop new and novel medicines in these therapy areas.

He has also had his attention on the academic study of the Bible. He earned a second doctorate in Biblical Prophecy from Louisiana Baptist University after receiving a master’s degree in Jewish Studies from the Internet Bible Institute under the tutelage of Dr. Robert Congdon.

Randy has recently retired from his pharmaceutical career and is spending even more time on his writing efforts. He has written several books that span dystopian (The Coded Message Trilogy), end-time prophecy (Stele Prophecy Pentalogy), science fiction (Erabon Prophecy Trilogy), and uniquely told Bible stories (The Adversary Chronicles). All his books, while fun to read, are futuristic, filled with science to give them an authentic feel, have a science fiction feel to them, and allows one to learn some aspect of Biblical truth one may not have thought about before. This is all done in a fast-paced action format that is both entertaining and provides a fun read for his readers.

He has also written some nonfiction books as well. One is to show how all humans are connected from God’s viewpoint by looking at biblical prophecy (Why is a Gentile World Tied to a Jewish Timeline?: The Question Everyone Should Ask). This book shows how all scripture is connected and inclusive of everyone. In addition, he and his editor have written two books about writing. The first is on writing techniques themselves and is entitled Mastering the ABCs of Excellent Writing: Creating Vivid and Colorful Stories that Readers Want to Read. This book not only addresses the techniques of writing, but what makes writing unique to each author. It conveys not only how to better hone one’s craft of writing but also the brand an author wants to portray. This helps an author make their writing unique as well as captivating for his/her audience. The second is a companion book to this one entitled Mastering the ABCs of Excellent Self-Editing: Framing Your Colorful Masterpiece to Keep Readers Engaged in Your Story. This is best used in conjunction with the first one. Yet, self-editing, though intricately connected to writing, is a distinct event. The better the quality of a writer’s draft manuscript when it is delivered to one’s editor, the higher the final quality of the manuscript will be for readers, and that is extremely important.

Dr Dockens is still not done. He has other creative ideas he is bringing forward as he is currently working on two new futuristic series. So, stay turned!

Website ➜ https://www.randydockens.com/   
X ➜ https://x.com/RandyCDockens 
Facebook ➜  www.facebook.com/Randy.C.Dockens
Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/randydockens 
Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16453941

📙 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?

Randy C. Dockens: Although your question about how I decided to become an author sounds straightforward, the answer is a rather convoluted one. I think I’ve always had the desire to write a book and be published. Yet, there was never any real follow-through as it seemed like such a daunting task. Plus, I never felt I had the time for such an endeavor as I was so focused on my career: first pharmacy school, then graduate school, and then working with the Food and Drug Administration and then transitioning into the pharmaceutical industry. Yet, several years later, I decided to go back to school for biblical studies. I at first just wanted to learn to better understand the Bible, but then when I was asked if I wanted to audit or take the courses for credit, I decided that if I was going to do the work, I might as well get the credit. Again, no real plans there, just a desire to learn. Yet, one thing led to another, and I found myself with another doctorate. This time in biblical prophecy. I found the subject so fascinating. That’s when I had to decide what I was now going to do with all that new-found knowledge.

Once, for my pharmaceutical job, I had to take a round-the-world tour stopping in India and Japan for several meetings. So, while in flight, the idea of writing a book came back to me and I began to write out what later became a nonfiction book about how the entire world is tied to a Jewish timeline, the topic which stemmed from my dissertation about Gentiles in the Bible. Yet, I never got any real traction from agents on that concept, so I began to think about taking my biblical learning and putting that into fictional stories. I took my understanding of science and of end-time prophecy and wrote a story about a character living in the coming Messiah’s promised kingdom and what his life could possibly look like in that environment. Most people I asked about their understanding of this time in future history as discussed in the Bible stated they really didn’t understand what the Bible taught about such a kingdom, so I thought readers could learn something and be entertained at the same time.

When I talked to a publisher at a writer’s conference about my idea, he stated that while my idea was possibly a good story, that may not be the best idea for a debut novel. So, I had to think about a more general and relatable story. Driving home from work one day, my mind thought about the current world view and how God seemed to be less and less in our culture. I then thought about what would happen if the knowledge of God was completely taken away or banned. What would that look like? That’s when I started on The Coded Message Trilogy. This story is about an astrophysicist who works on a Mars mission and finds certain discrepancies at his work that then lead him down a road discovering how the masses are being controlled by mind manipulation. He then begins to search for the truth certain elites are trying to hide from everyone. It became a dystopian mystery trilogy and the first series that became published: T-H-B, F-S-H-S, and T-U-L-E. The book titles are the clues the characters in the books must solve to understand the truth for which they are seeking. The books allow readers to go on the same discovery mission along with the characters. And, just as an aside, I did get my nonfiction book eventually published: Why is a Gentile World Tied to a Jewish Timeline: The Question Everyone Should Ask. I don’t have time to go into it here, but if one likes an academic view of the Bible but puts it into everyday language, you may enjoy this book.

Despite what my publisher told me, the idea of helping others understand end-time biblical prophecy and being able to demystify it for others never went away from my mind. Therefore, being able to now put on both a scientific hat and a biblical prophecy hat allowed me to present a unique perspective for writing the Stele Prophecy Pentalogy series. This allowed me to present fictional stories which can provide

entertainment for readers but can also provide biblical education at the same time.

This five-book series is a presentation of five stories during what biblical prophecy says will be a time when a Messiah will come to this Earth and reign. This series also calls this period the Refreshing because things are made new: those who were righteous have been resurrected, all pollution generating machinery and factories are eliminated, and all disease and death have been abolished. This is a one-thousand-year reign of the Messiah where he will reign as King of kings over the earth with his base of operation in Jerusalem, Israel. All my novels in this series are connected to each other but can also be read separately. Because death has been rescinded during this time, except for those who rebel against the King, characters within the story of one book can still be part of the storyline of the next book even if the storyline of each book is separated by several hundred years. The main characters in one book become the supporting characters in the other books.

This explanation doesn’t let you know why I chose this period to be the backdrop for my novels in this series. So, let me now explain one of the main purposes for the genesis of this series. As I stated earlier, there are certain aspects unique to this future time that I want readers to better understand. Let me elaborate.

In my first book, Mercy of the Iron Scepter, I wanted people to experience the wonder of this kingdom with all the peacefulness, beauty, and unity that will exist during this time. In Scripture, it talks about this Messiah, this King, to reign with an iron scepter. That means he will deal harshly with the sin of rebellion. So, I show what that looks like, but also show that there is a merciful side to this harshness as well. While the King deals immediately and decisively with rebellion, he is also loving and wants the best for his citizens of the world. I show that side of him in this novel as well as readers going through the adventures of the main character, Kalem, who is unearthing stelae concerning a potential prophecy regarding the King and one who may overthrow him.

In contrast to this utopian time is its precursor which Scripture calls the Tribulation Period, a time of chaos and all sorts of calamities—an apocalypse of sorts. Promised Kingdom takes the reader through this time and what it might be like to live through such an ordeal as we walk through this time with the main character, Edvin.

Another thing many are confused about is that sacrifices will be made again during this time of a future kingdom. As most Christians believe, Jesus Christ came as the promised Messiah the first time he came to earth fulfilling the Law of Moses and became the sacrifice that the Mosaic Law required for the redemption of mankind. Therefore, today, we no longer have sacrifices. So, what would make them needed in our future? My novel, Hope Renewed, talks about this as one goes through the adventure with Ya’akov and the decisions he makes about his destiny.

Another aspect to this future time is that someone named the Prince is introduced in the book of Ezekiel in Scripture. There are various beliefs as to who this person is. Through my book, Darkness in the Light, as one goes through the struggles with Me’ira, one will see that this Prince is not the Messiah and is not King David as some purport. This novel gives a reason for him being a separate individual from these and what his duties will be for the citizens of the world during this future time.

Then there is the aspect of dealing with human depravity. While this is a time of peace, harmony, and wonderment, there will be those who are still not satisfied with the status quo. I want people to understand that while we have dark spiritual forces today that make us do bad and evil things, even when those forces are held at bay (which will be true during this future time), the heart of mankind can still be evil and against God. People born during this time still need a Savior and their decisions, just like ours today, can have eternal consequences. As readers go through the storyline of Janet in Iron in the Scepter, we cheer her on to make the right decisions even though deep down we know she likely will not. It is similar to when we knew Anakin Skywalker would turn into Darth Vader, yet we kept hoping that he would not make those fateful decisions that we knew he was going to make.

Rather than present all this in a nonfiction format, I thought it would be more interesting to create relatable stories that readers can identify with and have the “learning” be in the background of these fictional stories. While the stories are unique to this time period of our future history in regard to what technology is utilized and how some spiritual beings are now visible, these stories are quite relatable to us today as these characters must still go through many of the same struggles and challenges we face in our day-to-day lives. People are people no matter in what historical timeframe in which they live. Just like Kalem, we struggle with knowing what is really true and don’t realize that truth is what determines our ultimate destiny. And like Edvin, we struggle to find significance in this life and sometimes we must go against what seems like the best solution for our career just because it is the right thing to do. Me’ira, just like us today, struggled with finding true love, and our decisions can have consequences that ripple through time for many generations. Then, just like Janet, we sometimes let pride get the better of us and cause us to make decisions that are unwise and actually hurt the ones we love even though we think we are doing something for their good when it is really not good at all.

I know this was a long answer to your question, but I wanted to explain how this series is a layered presentation to readers. The stories are full of adventure, mystery, and romance in a futuristic setting. If that is all a reader wants out of the story, then it’s there. Yet for those who want to understand more about this future time and what occurs behind the scenes on a daily basis, that is also there. I think readers will be able to identify with the struggles of each character because we struggle with those same concerns and emotions today as well. Reading this series is a way to enjoy a story but learn at the same time without realizing you are actually learning something you may not have known.

📙 Is this your first series?

Randy: Well, yes, and no. Why am I uncommitted in my answer? You see, this was the first series I wrote, but not the first series I published. I talked about this somewhat in my previous answer. I think my

publisher felt that this series, while he liked it, might not be for a wide audience. Yet, I think one can argue that the stories themselves can be appreciated by anyone who likes a good story. At any rate, he suggested the first series to be published should be The Coded Message Trilogy. This is a dystopian mystery about an astrophysicist who is working on a Mars mission who gets caught up in a worldwide conspiracy where the reason for the Mars mission is far more sinister than the public is aware.

So, from a published standpoint, this is my second series. Each book was published four months apart, so it took about a year and a half for it to become a completely published series.

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

Randy: My publisher is a hybrid of both traditional and indie. It is what is called custom publishing. The publisher provides many of the services of large publishing houses, but the author maintains all rights and control of their work and bears much of the cost as well.

There are a few reasons for choosing this method of publishing. One is that this allows me to maintain control of all aspects of my work. I didn’t want to go completely Indie because there was so much about publishing a book that I did not know. I did not go the traditional route because I first had to go through an agent, and I just could not seem to find an agent who had the same vision as me about this series. They just could not get past the idea that it was about a future kingdom as described in the Bible which they seemed to not be able to comprehend. One agent told me that it was too much “out there.” It needed to be “different” from what is already published but “similar” to what is already published. Confused? I know I was. It seemed he and I just could not get on the same page with my vision for this series. Therefore, I went with custom publishing. The publisher had worked in the traditional publishing market for several years and really knew his stuff, so he was able to guide me through all the hurdles of getting published. I felt good, though, that in the end all was still owned by me and I did not have to give up any rights to any part of my work.

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

Randy: I think I have answered some of this in my answers to the last few questions. It was a rocky start, I have to say. Maybe all beginning authors start this way, but I was trying to get published while I was learning how to write well. That may have hindered my initial success because I was trying to incorporate all that I read about good writing into my writing. I likely should have waited a little longer to go to agents and publishers until I knew what I was doing. But that was the problem, I thought I did know what I was doing, but really didn’t. Authors, agents, editors, and publishers wrote articles about their “pet peeves” and I took it all to heart. However, my writing became worse instead of better. What I later came to realize was that all their comments were guidelines and not something that could, or should, be implemented across the board. They didn’t communicate that, however. This realization hit me when I read an article about a pet peeve which contradicted another article about someone else’s pet peeve. That’s when the light went on in my brain and I realized that there was no magic formula to writing well; it was the intent of what I was writing that was important. I could “break” the rules, so to speak, but I had to do that with intent and purpose.

As an aside, because of this experience, I and my editor have recently written two books about things new authors need to consider so they do not fall into this same trap I did. I wanted to pay it forward so that others could begin with a more positive experience than I had. These two books are Mastering the ABCs of Excellent Writing: Creating Vivid and Colorful Stories that Readers Want to Read and Mastering the ABCs of Excellent Self-Editing: Framing Your Colorful Masterpiece to Keep Readers Engaged in Your Story. These are not the end-all for writers but is a good start to have in one’s arsenal of becoming a good writer or author.

I think my initial not-so-positive encounters with agents and publishers led me to consider custom publishing earlier than perhaps I would have otherwise. Also, I think my topics and goals were so different from their experience with other authors and goals they didn’t really know what to do with me in the beginning. They couldn’t see my vision, or perhaps I just didn’t have the right elevator speech at that time to give them something that would grab their attention immediately.

By going with custom publishing, I was able to take control of the process myself even though I didn’t have the experience to do so because of the experience and guidance of my publisher.

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

Randy: First of all, publishing is an extremely competitive business. Agents and publishers are so busy they have very little time for you and can appear extremely rude when perhaps they don’t mean to be. I had one agent tell me that they read the first sentence and make an immediate decision of whether to continue reading or just throw it in the trash. Ouch, I thought. That seems rather harsh. But they have so many inquiries that they can afford to do that. They are not trying to catch your vision but see what will “sell.” Catching your vision on their part comes much later. You will likely have to go through many rejections before success happens.

I found writing conferences to sometimes be quite cold as well. Some people write a book and then join these conferences to teach so they can get name recognition. This isn’t true for all, but I did find that these conferences can also turn into more of a business model than a true place to teach new writers. Don’t get me wrong, if you haven’t been to a writing conference, it is worth going as you will definitely learn something. Just realize they can have the potential to not be as for you as you would wish.

Realize that you are in it for the long haul. If you go the traditional route, you must first get the attention of an agent. Once you have that, it is then getting a publisher to give you the time of day for a pitch. Each step is a long process and a hurdle. You must have confidence in yourself and your product to get beyond all the rejections so you can get to the finish line a winner.

Also, understand that just getting published is not the end. You need to promote your book. Not all traditional publishers are very helpful in this department. They rely on you, the author, to do much of your own publicity and advocacy for your product, your book.

I don’t say all of this to be negative, but just realistic. You will need thick skin, a belief in yourself and your product, your book, to make it to that finish line.

📙Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

Randy: There are pros and cons to each type of publishing. Let’s look at each one briefly.

Traditional: I addressed some of this in the previous question. This is typically a slow and arduous process. There are those quick success stories, but they are not the norm. As I stated, often you must first go through an agent (and they are quite ruthless in their selections), and then that agent pitches your book to a publisher. There is no guarantee of the agent’s success in this regard either. Yet, their success is likely higher than you pitching your idea to a publisher. The advantage is that you will not have to incur any upfront costs. What you get on the backend is up to the contract the publisher makes with you. They will do some form of publicity for you, but they will still depend upon you to get the word out about your book. Another positive is that just being part of a reputable publishing house gives you some credibility that other routes of publication still do not have (yet, that recognition is fast becoming not as advantageous as it once was). There are several downsides you need to consider as well. As we just went over, this could be a long, arduous journey. There is much competition to get an agent’s attention, then your agent has several authors he is working with, so you are not necessarily the highest priority on his agenda. Another downside is that you may have to give up certain aspects of your book to the publisher as they may feel they need to control to better ensure their success. They could change the title, or change the ending, or other things to make it sell from their point of view. At times, this could be fine for you. Other times, it may not be, but this is something you will need to consider.

Small press: My understanding is that this is very similar to traditional publishing. The positive is that you are likely to be a higher priority on their agenda because the number of clients they work with at any one time is small. In addition, you may not necessarily have to go through an agent to get to them. They may have fewer requirements for you to yield over to them before publishing. However, the marketing of your book will likely be expected to be done by you with very little input from the small press publisher.

Indie: There are several advantages here as you have more control over every aspect of your book and its publication. Yet, there is also great responsibility for you at the same time. I can’t tell you how many poorly written books there are that go through this process because you as the author were unaware of the poor quality you were accepting during various aspects of the publishing process. Just because you think it is good does not mean it is. Although you have control of your book, you still need to understand what publishers do and the steps to get a book completed the right way, and the best way. As with everything, there is a good way and a bad way to get things done.

Custom: This is a blend of traditional and indie. Your publisher usually has a lot of experience like a traditional publisher and will be able to guide you through the process. Before choosing one, be sure and ask questions in regard to their experience. This is very important. The downside is that you will be responsible for all monetary aspects of your book, just like an indie author. Yet, the difference is that you will have expert advice given to you to help you be more successful and have a final product with much better quality than you likely would if you were an indie author and had no publishing experience. I would say that even if you wanted to go the indie route, go the custom publishing route first so you know the steps in the publishing process and how to get them completed in the right way.

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

Randy: As you have probably gleaned from my other responses, there are many things to consider and understand, not only as you write but as you publish. First and foremost, I would say to learn how to write and how to write well before you go to a publisher with any of your work. There are many books out there that can help you. Although biased, I would suggest the two books that I and my editor published just recently which are geared for new authors. Some books are geared for writing but do not really give you the foundation of the why behind what they are telling you to do. The why is just as important, and I believe more important, than the mechanics of writing. Check them out, I think you will find them extremely helpful. We talk about not only writing but self-editing. There are differences between the two, and writers should know how to do both well.

Just because you have written a book does not mean you have learned to write well. Trust me on this. You will likely have much more self-editing to do if your work is your first book. Get your work to the highest writing level you can before you send it to an editor. This is crucial. And don’t think just because you have edited your own work that it is good enough. It is not! Period. Full stop. There are different types of editors, so do your homework and get one that you feel gives you the best advice for the money they are charging. Good editors are worth it, so don’t be too skimpy on this step.

If you don’t go with a traditional publisher, getting a book published can be quite expensive. Every step of the process requires a monetary output from you, the author. Many go the indie route because of this and find they can publish relatively inexpensively. Yet don’t fall for this trap. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. Don’t sacrifice quality for money. I would strongly suggest that if you are not going the traditional publishing or the small press route, at least go custom publishing for your first book. That way, you can get good advice, know what to do and the correct steps in the process. Then, you can decide how to do those steps and maintain your quality if you take on some of those roles yourself. Be wise. If you put out a bad quality book, that could hurt your sales of any additional books that may be of higher quality. People will judge other books by an author just by reading one book by that author.

Most authors are not made of money, but please don’t sacrifice quality just because you can get published inexpensively. And remember that the marketing of your book will most likely be up to you. So, try and get a platform as soon as you can and gain subscribers to a newsletter or blog that you may put together. If you have any book signings, then be sure you have a sign-up sheet to add them to your newsletter and/or blog posts. The more people you have who you can reach out to when you have a new book, the better. You want as many reviews as you can get relatively soon as your book is published.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. An educated author is a powerful author.