I
have always been a reader. I love books. When I’m not able to read, I listen to
audio books. I started writing while working as a Paramedic/Firefighter in Northern
California. Trust me, it’s not like it appears on TV. There was
plenty of time for books, mostly reading them. I didn't seriously start
writing until I moved to my ranch in Oregon.
While waiting for lambs to be born in the middle of the night, I would head
back to the house for an hour or two and sit down at the computer. Before I
knew it, I had a manuscript. Not a good one, but a start.I joined critique
groups and attended writer's conferences. I was on the fast track to
learning.
In
2013, I received an honorable mention in Writer’s Digest’s Self Published book
awards for MG/YA. I guess I am learning something!
Ideas from dreams follow me into warm sunny days or the
quiet of falling snow. “What ifs” feed a vivid imagination. Even mistyped
phrases may lead to an "aha" moment. Brain storming sessions standing
in windy, dark parking lots with fellow writers release thoughts that pry at
the corners of my mind, grasping for purchase. Sometimes the ideas pursue me,
with persistence.
For More Information
- Visit Robynn E. Sheahan’s website.
- Connect with Robynn on Facebook and Twitter.
- Find out more about Robynn at Goodreads.
About the Book:
A
forbidden birth. A remarkable young woman. A marauding alien society. The
battle begins.
A
brutal alien society invades Korin and Arranon, intent on destroying the two
worlds that make up Cadet Erynn Yager's home. Forced to expose her strange
abilities and reveal her forbidden birth, a guarded web of secrets unravels.
Stranded
on an unfamiliar planet of eternal winter and predatory wildlife, the
mysterious living consciousness of Arranon intervenes, leading Erynn on a
mystical journey.
Aware
of Erynn's potential, the alien enemy pursues her. She struggles to gain
control of her growing powers while in a constant race to elude the invaders,
and join the forces preparing to fight a mounting occupation.
Erynn’s
secret may be her worlds' only hope, but at the cost of her life. Swept up
in a chain reaction of events, Erynn's dedication extends far beyond
service and duty. She learns the true meaning of sacrifice.
Along
with courage and hope, Erynn finds something unexpected on her journey of
awareness and growth.
Love.
For More Information
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?
Robynn: For me,
becoming an author wasn’t a decision, not like I woke up one morning and said,
I’m going to be an author. After years of starting stories I’d never finish,
and just kinda messing around with a little fan fiction, a certain group of
characters, Erynn and Jaer, started demanding more of my time. They had a story
and they wanted it told. So, I did, and I love writing. I’ll start book five in
the series this November during NaNoWriMo.
Is this your first book?
Robynn: Yes and no. It is a second edition of my
first book with some added scenes and a new spine and back cover. I have
written and self-published books two and three in the series. Book four, picked
up by a publisher, will be published later this year.
With this particular book,
how did you publish – traditional, small press, Indie, etc. – and why did you
choose this method?
Robynn: I pursued traditional publishing and after a
year of rejection letters, I opted to self-publish. I continued to submit to
publishers and I signed with a small press this year, 2016.
Can you tell us a little
about your publishing journey? The pros
and cons?
Robynn: Overall, I’m happy with self-publishing
through CreateSpace. I’ve heard Lightning Source is a good route, also.
CreateSpace was easy to work with and they made sure I was happy with my book
before I hit the publish button. They will do as much or as little as you want
regarding formatting, interior design, and cover. I let them take care of
formatting and interior design and their prices are reasonable. My cost for
print books is quite affordable. A friend of mine did all his own formatting
and interior design with CreateSpace. He’s good at this while I’m easily
frustrated and turn into Kylo Ren throwing a temper tantrum. He paid only for
the print books he purchased.
I also published eBooks through
Smashwords and their site is very simple. You can be up and running in minutes.
I’m looking forward to
experiencing working with a publisher on book four in the series.
What lessons do you feel you
learned about your particular publishing journey and about the publishing
industry as a whole?
Robynn: First, be careful when it comes to subsidy
presses and vanity presses. In fact, my opinion only, run away. Money doesn’t
flow from the author to the publisher. It’s flows from the publisher to the
author. Second, make sure you have your work professionally edited and proof
read. Critique groups are a great resource as are writer’s conferences.
Would you recommend this
method of publishing to other authors?
Robynn: Yes. I can only recommend CreateSpace and
Smashwords, but I have heard good things from other self-published authors
about Lightning Source.
What’s the best advice you
can give to aspiring authors?
Robynn: Write. Read. Read books about writing. Join
critique groups. Don’t give up. Keep submitting. Keep learning.
Some writing books I recommend-
Any of James Scott Bells’ books
on writing
The Elements Of Style by Strunk
and White
The Writer’s Journey by
Christopher Vogler
Angela Ackerman’s and Becca
Puglisi’s books, The Positive Trait Thesaurus, The Negative Trait Thesaurus,
and The Emotion Thesaurus
On Writing by Stephen King
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