Name: Marty
Ambrose
Book Title: Claire’s
Last Secret
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Severn House
Find out more on Amazon
Website: https://www.martyambrose.com/
Thank you for your time in answering our questions about
getting published. Let’s begin by having you explain to us why you
decided to become an author and pen this book?
Author: Marty Ambrose
Is this your first book?
Author:
No, I’ve written three stand-alone romantic suspense novels and a five-book
traditional mystery series.
With this particular book, how did you publish – traditional,
small press, Indie, etc. – and why did you choose this method?
Author: Traditional Press. I was delighted that Severn House accepted my
book for publication; it is a mid-sized press—but growing both in the U.S. and
overseas. Personally, I prefer a
traditional publisher because I really like working with an editor and having
the distribution support, but I think authors have to choose what method works
for them. There are many roads to
publication today for authors.
Can you tell us a little about your publishing journey? The pros and cons?
Author:
I’ve probably made every mistake in the book (no pun intended)! I began my career writing romantic suspense
but shifted into mystery about ten years ago, and I loved writing those books. Two years ago, I decided to go in a
completely new direction with historical fiction and I’ve never looked back. I think it’s important for authors to be
willing to reinvent themselves as they change and the publishing market
evolves.
Pros:
I’ve always had an agent who found a home for my books. I was with my first agent almost ten years
until she retired and, now, I have a new agent who is just a gem. I couldn’t have been luckier to have found
such amazing writing partners. I always
attended conferences and found the networking opportunities VERY helpful to my
career (met my agents at MWA events)—and I made lifelong friends.
Cons: Two
of my mysteries came out with houses the year before they discontinued publishing
the genre, so I didn’t have a lot of promotional support. Just bad luck. Still, I was proud of the books and did
everything that I could to promote them.
What lessons do you feel you learned about your particular
publishing journey and about the publishing industry as a whole?
Author: I believe there is a writing “karma” that
operates in the publishing world: some
authors hit success very quickly and others struggle to achieve their goals. I was in the latter group, but the positive
aspect of having a longer journey to publication is that it taught me the value
of constantly honing my skills. I also
learned that publishing is a “shifting landscape”—constantly in flux. Trends come and go. So, it’s best for writers to keep a strong
writing ethic and stay true to their artistic vision.
Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?
Author: I do think a traditional publisher is best
for me; however, I know other writers who have been quite satisfied and
successful with indie publishing.
What’s the best advice you can give to aspiring authors?
Author: Write your heart out! No matter what happens, no matter how many
rejections you receive, you have to keep producing new stories. My creative writing teacher told me years ago
that “a little talent and a lot of hard work can get almost anyone
published.” I believe that. Do your homework about publishers, attend
conferences to network, and always, always be professional.
//////////////
About
the book:
Claire’s Last Secret
1873,
Florence. Claire Clairmont, the last survivor of the ‘haunted summer of 1816’
Byron/Shelley circle, is living out her final years in genteel poverty, but the
appearance of British tourist, William Michael Rossetti, brings hope that she
may be able to sell some of her memorabilia to earn enough cash to support her
and her niece/companion, Paula.
But
Rossetti’s presence in Florence heralds a cycle of events that links the summer
of 1816 – when Claire conceived an ill-fated child with George Gordon, Lord
Byron, when Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein, and when four tempestuous lives
came together – to a tragic death. As Claire begins to unravel the truth, she
must go back to that summer of passion to discover the identity of her old
enemy.
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