Book Publishing Secrets of Judy Serrano, Author of Linked @authorjserrano

Judy Serrano holds a Master of Arts in English from Texas A&M University, Commerce. She is the owner of Make Cents Editing Service, and was an adjunct professor at a local college. Currently she teaches high school English and is a freelance writer for certain on-line publications. Judy also writes romantic suspense and paranormal romance novels. She is the author of The Easter’s Lilly Series,The Linked Series, and Ivy Vines, Visions.

Although originally from New York, Judy resides in Texas with her husband, four boys, four dogs and now two cats. She sings and plays guitar when she has time and enjoys singing with her very musical family in church when she is able.

Her latest book is the paranormal romance, LINKED.

BOOK BLURB:

Daphne Foster is a substitute teacher stuck in an English class, waiting for that dreaded parent-teacher conference. With much preparation and anxiety, she encounters the unforgettable Charlie Cross. His charm and good looks, win her over but rumors of his involvement with organized crime make his continued disappearances disturbing. In walks Heathcliff Vanderpool, creating a love triangle of unusual sorts. Unknown to Daphne, Heathcliff and Charlie are old friends: Older than she could have imagined. With Charlie away on business, Daphne and Heathcliff discover a passion between them lying beneath the surface. As their souls link, pulling away from Charlie becomes next to impossible. Will his involvement in organized crime consume them both before she’s able to get free? When you become “linked,” the choice may not be your own.

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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 wrote The Easter’s Lilly Series first, which is a mafia romance. I really enjoy that genre, so I thought it might be interesting to write a Mafia romance that was paranormal. I am a HUGE fan of The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, and True Blood, so I wanted to try my hand at it. Besides, what could be sexier than a vampire carrying a gun.

Is this your first book? 

No, Linked is not my first book. I wrote The Easter’s Lilly Series first, which is a mafia romance. I also have Ivy Vines, Visions, which is a romance/thriller that starts out with a little girl using a Ouija board. If there is a lesson learned from reading Ivy, it’s, “Don’t play with things that you don’t understand.”

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

I went with a small press. I started with a press that originally picked up my first book. I was grateful that they picked me, and at the time, I was writing books like wild-fire, and they were publishing them as soon as they came out of me. I was given a lot of freedom to tell the story I wanted to tell, and the wait time was minimal to see my books in print. I eventually went to a different small press for various reasons. I have a new book, and I am looking for an agent or a bigger publisher. I think I am ready now for the responsibilities of publishing on a larger scale. Writing is my passion, and nothing would give me greater joy than to be able to write full-time.

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

My journey started in 2010. I published my first novel and started my own editing business. The pros are that you get your own voice heard. No one changes your story, holds up your publishing dates, or demands personal appearances. The cons are that small publishers do very little if any advertising for you. You are pretty much on your own in that department. Also, you will not be able to get into the big publishing houses with a small press unless you are very lucky or well-connected. You simply have to decide what kind of career you are interested in pursuing.

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

The publishing business has certainly changed. Books can go for as low as .99 cents for an electronic version. It is much harder to make a living as a writer, and the bigger publishing houses are much more selective about who they choose now that so many people can publish on their own. That being said, there is nothing more rewarding than seeing your own work in print. I love the business and plan to write for as long as God will let me.

Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors? 

It is a good idea to establish a presence in the publishing world before trying to find an agent or an established publisher. Most people are looking for someone who displays signs of independent success before they will trust you with their connections. My friends who are indie authors say they like being able to publish immediately. I like that too. However, at this point in my publishing career, I am looking to find a bigger publisher or an agent with an interest in my genre. Who knows … maybe my next book will be the next Fifty Shades of Gray.

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

My best advice would be to make sure you write what you love. Writer’s block is less frequent if you love your genre. Also, when you are ready to publish, make sure you have a clean query letter and synopsis. That is really the hardest part. Do the research, and if help is available to you, take it.

Here are some ways you can get more information on me and my books.

Website – www.JudySerrano.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JudySerranoAuthor/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/AuthorJSerrano
Amazon.com - https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Judy+Serrnao
Barnes and Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Judy+Serrano?_requestid=358183