Book Publishing Secrets with Christine Amsden, Author of 'Kaitlin's Tale'

Name: Christine Amsden

Book Title: Kaitlin's Tale

Genre: urban fantasy/paranormal romance

Publisher: Twilight Times Books

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: I didn't have a choice about writing this book after I wrote the Cassie Scot series. See, Kaitlin was a sidekick. A secondary character. Cassie's best friend. That's it. Or at least, that was supposed to be it. But as I got to know her she became too big to be a footnote in someone else's story.

Is this your first book?

Author: Not even close! This is my 8^th book. My first book, Touch of Fate, was published in 2006. The Immortality Virus came out in 2011. Then the four books in the Cassie Scot series plus the first spin-off, Madison's Song, came out in a whirlwind between 2013 and 2015.

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

Author: Small press. Twilight Times Books has been my publisher from the beginning, and we've developed a good working relationship.

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

Author: As I said, I've been with a small press from the start and at times it feels like the best of both worlds. At other times, the worst.

On the upside I am traditionally published, my book is available in print and ebook through the major distributors, I have been reviewed by reputable sources, and my publisher takes care of the printing and packaging process. Unlike with big presses, I get a lot of personal attention and I get to keep a much bigger percentage of my royalties. I also have ebooks available at a reasonable price (something major booksellers are still not willing/able to do). Plus, my old titles are still in print. (Big presses sometimes give you a few months then stop printing/distributing your titles even though the rights haven't reverted back to you.)

On the downside, I don't always fit neatly into either “traditional” or “indie” categories. When it comes to marketing, though, I usually look at indie advice because I put in that kind of work. Getting books in stores is something I have to do door to door, and some doors are closed to me.

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

Author: Work hard. Try your best. But know that sometimes books sell, and sometimes they don't, and you usually won't know why. You can either obsess about that (and I do) or get back to writing (which I eventually do).

Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

Author: Yes, as long as you're careful and know what you're getting into. The small press world in particular is full of disreputable publishers and upstarts. Do your homework. Find out who's legit and who's not. Predators and Editors is a good resource.

For the record, Twilight Times Books has been around since 1998 and has a lot of respect. I recommend them, but again with your eyes open: You'll have to work hard.

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

Author: Write because you love it. Don't get into this to make money, because you probably won't. You can dream, but if you're not drawn to writing in and of itself you'll never survive the journey. 

Book Publishing Secrets with Christopher G. Nuttall, author of 'Trial By Fire'

Name: Christopher G. Nuttall

Book Title: Trial By Fire

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Twilight Times Books

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: Well, that’s two separate issues.  The blunt truth is that I saw a book I thought was a great idea, but really poorly executed, back in 2005, so I started to write a version of my own.  My version wasn’t much better, but at least it was a start.  Six years later, or thereabouts, I started to put together an outline for what would become the Schooled In Magic series.

Is this your first book?

Author: No.  Trial By Fire is somewhere around my fiftieth published book, counting both indie and traditional published books.  It’s also book seven in the Schooled In Magic series.

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

Author: Trial By Fire is published by Twilight Times Books, a small America-based press.  Like most writers, I wanted to be published by a traditional publisher, so I submitted the first book in the series and everything just went on from there. 

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

Author: To be frank, being published by a traditional publisher lends a certain degree of validation to the author.  Someone has actually paid money to have this book edited, ergo they must think they can claw back the money, ergo they think the book’s good.  (The author is seen as an investment.)  The publisher also takes care of editing, obtaining a cover design and everything else the book might need, which frees up more of the author’s time for writing. 

The cons, however, is that you give up a great deal of control.  I haven’t had any problems with TTB, but I’ve heard hundreds of horror stories from other authors who tangled with the wrong publisher.  Do some research before choosing a publisher.  There’s also a delay between submission and publication that can be annoying, although getting the book edited is well worth the time.

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

Author: Do my research <grin>.  I think that’s really the most important lesson of all. 

But the publishing industry itself is changing.  The rise of eBooks put power in the hands of the authors, rather than publishers, and while the bigger publishing houses have done their level best to argue otherwise, I think its inarguable that big publishing will have to adapt quickly or go the way of the dinosaurs.  Small presses - and Baen Books - tend to be far better at adapting to the changing scene. 

Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

Author: It depends, really, on what they want from publishing.  Having assistance from a small publisher is worth its weight in gold, so I’d recommend it to anyone who intends to write for the long haul.

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

Author: I think the best advice would be to get some critics - and then listen to them.

Yes, I know; it isn’t easy to put up with someone being critical about our work.  We pour our heart and souls into the manuscript and it hurts - it really hurts - to watch someone tear it apart.  But a decent critic and a good editor are really worth their weight in gold.  They can make the difference between getting good reviews - and a good start in writing - or being crushed under a wave of negative reviews.

Frankly, there are quite a few well-established authors who have become editor-proof (I’m sure any well-read person can name a few) and their works rapidly become unreadable.  Forgetting that you need an editor is disastrous in the long term. 

And grow a thick skin.  You’ll need it.

Book Publishing Secrets with Jane Tesh, author of 'Butterfly Waltz'

Name: JaneTesh        

Book Title: Butterfly Waltz

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Silver Leaf Books

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?

Jane:  I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing my own stories, poems, and plays, so I must have been born an author.

Is this your first book?

Jane:  No.  I’ve written many books, probably twenty-five, and I’ve been lucky to have ten of those books published.  This is, however, the first fantasy novel that’s been published.

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

Jane: All of my books have been traditionally published.  There are two reasons I chose this method.  First, when I started trying to get published, traditional was the only way available, and second, I could not afford to self-publish.  Back in the Sixties, self-publishing was very expensive and the product did not look as good as it does today.

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

Jane:  In 1968, when I was 18, I started sending out manuscripts and queries. This involved typing a manuscript, finding the right size box, and mailing it to a publisher or an agent in New York. When it came back, I sent it to the next one on my list.  I did this until computers came along.  Then I emailed my queries.  At one point, I did manage to get an agent, but she and I disagreed on the direction my book was taking, so we parted (on good terms!) and I continued to send out manuscripts and queries.

Pros: I got what I wanted, a good traditional publisher.  But it took a very long time.  I got the contract for my first book in 2005.

Cons: It took a very long time!

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

Jane: As I mentioned above, I had an agent for a while.  She wanted me to change my main character in the Grace Street series from a man to a woman.  This would’ve radically changed the entire universe I had set up for all the characters in the series.  I was really upset because I had tried for so long to get an agent, she was telling me what I needed to do to get published, and I couldn’t do it. Everything worked out in the end.  I found a publisher who took the characters as they were.  But I had to say to myself: how much am I willing to compromise to make my dream come true?  As it turned out, I wasn’t willing to make such a drastic change.

Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

Jane: Publishing has changed so much since 1968.  Today, new authors have so many more choices and can choose which method suits them and their pocketbook.  If you have the money and want to control all aspects of the process, then self-publishing is for you.  If you want someone to pay you for your work and to take care of distribution, reviews, and publicity, then traditional is the way to go.  I would recommend traditional.

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

Jane:  My favorite author, Terry Pratchett says, “The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.”  Relax and have fun with that first draft and don’t worry about it being perfect.  Everything can be fixed.

And one more thing.  I started trying to get a book published when I was 18.  I didn’t get a book published until I was 55.  I never gave up.  Neither should you.

Book Publishing Secrets with Terry Jackman, Author of 'Ashamet, Desert-Born'

Name: TerryJackman

Book Title: Ashamet, Desert-Born

Genre: Fantasy Adventure

Publisher: Dragonwell Publishing USA

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?

Terry: Deciding to write wasn’t a conscious decision; I needed to write, though for a long time I let other things get in the way. Eventually I took the leap – and took a writing course, the idea being to find out if I could write anything actually worth reading. I recall being disappointed when it began with articles rather than fiction, but hey, I followed instructions and wrote three articles – and promptly sold them all. So I became a writer almost despite myself.

I didn’t really ‘decide’ to become an author either. I got trapped into writing articles for another ten years. When I did turn to fiction I soon realized SF and fantasy were where I felt at home, but Ashamet himself stepped into my head, fully formed, when I was feeling cross about a writer who made powerful characters idiots, to make a poor plot work.

Ashamet made it clear from day one; whatever else he might turn out to be, it wouldn’t be stupid.

Is this your first book?

Terry: My debut, yes. It’s very exciting, and very scary waiting to hear how readers react. Especially now we’re being told, so loudly, that we females shouldn’t dare write SF or fantasy at all. While as for muscular warrior heroes who are attracted to… other males? I suspect I’m being modelled in wax somewhere out there J

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

Terry: Ashamet is published by an up and coming American publisher specialising in original fantasy. Perfect. I wouldn’t have self-published, not from any elitist attitude but because for me finding out if someone out there loves it enough to bet on it is part of the validation process. Just as being paid for my articles was my proof they were good enough.

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

Terry: The first publisher I talked to held onto the script for a year. The second said it was “too difficult to market”. Ouch. I knew it wasn’t a familiar concept, but I’d stupidly thought that might be a good thing.

Happily the third was Dragonwell Publishing, who heard about it from a third party and asked to see it and after that it was a ball. I’d heard some harrowing stories about editors and publishers but mine were involved and helpful, and my editor makes me laugh! So far I couldn’t have had more fun.

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

Terry: Comparing my experience with others, I’ve learned finding the right editor or publisher is very important, sometimes worth thinking twice before signing. Although I think most are genuine. Certainly, judging by the British Scifi community there are a lot of friendly people out there, from publishers to readers. If I don’t know more of them it’s more my fault than theirs; my own diffidence is the biggest barrier. But I have stopped being quite such a coward. If people speak to me I can speak back now.

Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

Terry: I’d say yes, go for it, as long as you find a home for your book that’s as comfortable as mine?

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

Terry: obvious bits of commonsense, really. Don’t even think about trying to get published until you’ve:

1: finished the book

2: got informed feedback on it from a pro editor or a suitable critique group. (General fiction groups don’t count for genre. Family and friends don’t count, full stop)

3: done some serious reassessing and rewriting.

Still, while you’re busy with all that at least you can get to know your genre. Read, a lot. Attend conventions, listen to panels, join in. Research how and where you should best submit your script and choose only those who are likely to be interested in exactly what you’ve written. And always, always, follow the guidelines.

I wish anyone setting off down that road luck, because they will need it. And just think, if they are lucky they too could end up shaking in their shoes as they wait to see if people like what they’ve written!

Book Publishing Secrets with Marija Bulatovic, author of Fantastical: Tales of Bears, Beer and Hemophilia

Born in Yugoslavia in the 1970s, Marija Bulatovic, along with her parents, immigrated to the U.S. in the 1990s just ahead of the 1990s Yugoslav wars and the breakup of the country.  An accomplished business professional with years of experience driving enterprise business with Fortune 500 companies, Bulatovic graduated from Colgate University. Marija Bulatovic lives in Seattle with her husband and son.

Website/ Facebook / Twitter / 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?

Marija: While I didn’t set out to pursue career as an author, I was moved to do so after the birth of my son.  FANTASTICAL is a legacy to my son, as his birth was the catalyst for the book. 

These stories were born with my son.  Uncertain upon entering a wholly new phase of life, I sought wisdom and enlightenment – and a break from the daily routine of feedings, lack of sleep, and disorientation.  I was in search of something that would lift my spirit, make me laugh, and transport me, if only for a moment, to another, less tangible, place and time. 

While the world in which these stories unfold no longer exists, I still cling to the many lessons it taught me.  Because of my fantastical childhood, I know in my heart that life is much more than a sum of mundane survival activities.  I know that it’s fluid, magical, brimming with love and connection. 

This book was indeed the respite I needed.  It freed my mind to roam the wild landscape of a bygone era and lifted me on the wings of Balkan stardust.  I hope it will do the same for my readers.  My hope is that stories amuse and transport my readers, sustaining them on their journey as they have me on mine. 

Is this your first book?

Marija: Yes, it is.

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

Marija: I chose to self-publish.  FANTASTICAL is a work of passion and a very personal and dear project to me.  As such, I was interested to personally and deeply become involved in all aspects of publishing, from identifying the right experts to edit, illustrate, layout, and print the book to working with a tremendously talented publicist to bring it to light. 

At the same time, we are experiencing an explosion in tools and services suited for first time and self-publishing authors. 

I was curious about this process and it gave me an excellent opportunity to be personally engaged throughout the journey and understands all aspects of publishing. It’s been a great learning experience!

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

Marija: Self-publishing is tremendously labor and time intensive, but also very rewarding and profitable, assuming one is able to make investments to get the book to the finish line.

The pros are that you, as an author are 100% in control of your book and the every aspect of it.  You are the final decision maker and owner of the outcomes-good and bad. It’s a wonderful opportunity to merge one’s creative talents with flawless execution.  It does require much self-discipline and hard work, but it’s also a rewarding process.  While the world of self-publishing tools and services can feel like a maze, once the author understands them, they are generally easy and efficient to you.

The cons are that you have to invest money, time and energy to personally research and identify everything that shapes the book: editors, publicists, designers, printers, distributors, etc.  This is no easy task and authors can feel discouraged by it and by the long road ahead.  The self-publish path also requires that you make personal investments or raise money to fund your book project-which done right, is not an inexpensive proposition. 

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

Marija: The publishing industry overall is at an inflection point, destabilized by the explosion of self-published books and outlets offering self-publishing services.  Self-publishing houses such as CreateSpace, Lightning Source or Bookbaby offer quality services at an approachable price-point.  However, the learning curve is steep for a single author to learn, discern differences in offerings and advantages among these services, along with their complementary or duplicative nature.

Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

Marija: Yes, most definitely.  If you feel ready and passionate about your book, you will enjoy the leanrings and the process that goes with self-publishing.

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

Marija: Just do it! Write your book, engage deeply with your project, commit to your work of passion and see what happens.  Most likely, more good things will happen than if you don’t embark on the journey.  And most importantly, Good Luck!

Book Publishing Secrets with Cindy Lynn Speer

Cindy Lynn Speer is the author of several novels, including The Chocolatier’s Wife and the short story collection Wishes and Sorrows.  She loves mixing fantasy, mystery and romance and playing with the old stories.  When not writing she can be found reading, teaching people historical fencing, and costuming. 

Connect with Cindy on the Web:

http://www.cindylynnspeer.com

https://twitter.com/cindylynnspeer

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:  This book is actually the work of many years, because it collects short stories from the past decade or so.  I write longer works, but short stories have a special place in my heart.  Some stories are simply not novel shaped, they don’t have all the narrative strands – and I love that, I love the hard focus on one aspect of a story.  So, whenever I get one of these stories in my head, I write them down and polish them in between bigger projects.

Is this your first book?

Author:  No, it’s my fourth.  Your readers are more likely to know me from The Chocolatier’s Wife, which is also published through Dragonwell.

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

Author:  I choose this publisher originally because my previous publisher had gone out of business, and another author (Ania Kashina, an awesome fellow author) from my old press was already going to be published by Dragonwell.  She suggested I consider them, and they have treated me amazingly. 

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

Author:  I started out my journey looking at the traditional manner of publishing…trying to get an agent, trying to get into one of the big companies.  The fact is, that is the route a lot of people are going.  It is extremely hard to get in because it is extremely easy for the traditional publishers to say no.  That might sound like sour grapes, but if you look at the reviews for The Chocolatier’s Wife, I can assure you that it’s not that I was not good enough for the big places…but I was just one of a billion untried voices.  Now I have settled in with two publishers…Dragonwell and Zumaya.  I get fair royalties, and great editing…and my covers are awesome.  So, my advice, always, is, if you desperately want to publish with a huge publisher go ahead and try.  Half of being an author is being lucky.  Get it out of your system.  If you get lucky…woo!  If not, then start looking at smaller presses.  What you want to look for is the quality of the finished book…are the covers professional looking?  Do people complain a lot about the editing?  Because at the end of the day, no matter who you sign with, a lot of the work is going to be yours.  You need something…I hate to say this, but a product…you can stand behind and sell to people with conviction.  Something that looks good and is quality.  Also, you can actually build a back list with a small press…that is almost impossible with larger ones.

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

Author:  I learned, really, that a huge chunk of your success is based on hard luck and work…talent comes in, certainly, but you have to be willing to put in the time and really keep at it. 

Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

Author:  Certainly.  Small presses give you some support, and better royalties…I think you have a much better chance building a career with a smaller press.

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

Author:  Someone out there loves your book.  Don’t give up or think it’s impossible…keep looking for opportunities and be ready to jump on them.