For the Love of Horses: Author Interview with Kathy Simmers

What inspired you to write your picture books? How long did it take to write the first one? How many revisions did you do? 
I never intended to write picture books, but I had a story that needed to be told. My first book, Jump the Moon, is based on the true story of my daughter and her pony, Me Too. After being separated for 7 years the pony came to her in her dreams. She went on a quest to find that pony and brought her home. It seemed impossible, it wasn't practical and it didn't make sense, but she refused to give up. I was standing in my barn marveling that Me Too was there and the story just came to me.  

I went inside and wrote the original draft. It came out as a picture book. That was 20 years ago before self publishing was possible. I met an editor from Harper Collins who had an interest in the book. When she left Harper Collins for personal reasons, no one else was interested in the book. I sent it out to publishers again and again and got rejected again and again.

When I decided to self publish I reached out to my editor friend from Harper Collins, Simone Kaplan. She helped me edit and publish. We worked on it for at least a year with at least 10 revisions.

The story of Jump the Moon was a very meaningful event for my family.  Telling the story in a picture book made me strip away the unnecessary details and stick to the essence of the story. I love drilling down to find the simplest version of a story while creating the emotional connection to the characters and the story. I write books for kids who love horses. It makes me feel like a horse crazy six year old again.

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?
The best encouragement came from my editor, Simone Kaplan.  When she called me after she read the manuscript and said, "I think we may have a book here." She had experience working on picture books for several major publishers. Her belief in my manuscript kept me going.

Marketing is the biggest key to getting sales. What is the best marketing source you've used that has produced more sales rather than just clicks?
As soon as the book was released, I realized I needed something to make it stand out. We created a gift set with a book and plush pony that we market on Facebook and sell on my website. Facebook ads have worked well for me. Since my books are about ponies, I target horse people. 

What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner?
There are a lot of Facebook groups for picture book authors. I wished I had found them as I was going through the writing process. Everyone is supportive and encouraging. They are also very willing to share marketing tips.

 What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
Work with an editor. My editor makes me dig deep and to say things better, with emotion and fewer words. She challenges me to be a better writer. 

There were so many times I thought the manuscript was finished and she made me rethink things. As writers we are too close to the work to see where the writing could be stronger. Now that the books are published I am confident that they are the best they could be.

Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?
Don't be in a hurry to publish your book. Let the manuscript rest for a little while. Revisit it and revise it as many times as it takes. Join a writer's group, work with an editor, be open to suggestions. As a writer we can be too possessive of our work. We need to be able to take criticism and work to make the writing better. 

I see too many picture books that are good, but they could have been so much better. Don't publish till you are sure it's the best it can be. You put so much into publishing a book, make sure it is exceptional.

What is the next book coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis?
Pickles for Christmas: A Pony Tale is on pre-sale now on my website. It is based on a true story of a boy named Matthew who falls in love with a pony he rides in his lessons named Pickles. Matthew knows his parents will never buy him a pony. When he finds out Pickles is for sale, he doesn't know what he will do without Pickles. But then he worries about what Pickles will do without him. He decides to make sure Pickles is well loved by his new owner.

That's all for today's interview. If you'd like to learn more about Kathy's books, here are some links to get you started.
www.readjumpthemoon.com
https://www.facebook.com/readjumpthemoon
https://www.instagram.com/readjumpthemoon/

And here's a bonus for my readers, leave a comment on this post and we'll pick one reader who'll receive a copy of  Kathy's book, Pickles for Christmas. So do that now. It can be as simple as I want to be in the giveaway. We'll chose a winner next Friday!

Let's Get Cozy with Mysteries: Author Interview with Karen Sue Walker

You’ve now published several books, but what inspired you to write your first mystery? How long did it take you to write your first book that was published?
I had read at least 50 cozy mysteries (maybe even a hundred!) when I thought I’d try my hand at writing one. “How hard could it be?” I asked myself.

As it turns out, quite hard! Three years later, I found an editor and decided to publish it myself since it didn’t meet the requirements of the Big Five traditional publishers. They have very strict requirements on length, and I didn’t want to spend another year or two when there was no guarantee I’d get a contract. I was also inspired by Jana de Leon, one of the most successful indie mystery authors.

Your tea book covers attracted my attention immediately as I’m an avid tea drinker. What made you decide to go with the idea of just using a tea cup and teapot for the covers rather than an image of a shop like your bridal shop mysteries? 
My cover artist, the brilliant Mariah Sinclair, offered the covers I now have as a premade. That meant that I could change the title and author name but nothing else. Since my budget was tight, I bought them, although they weren’t exactly what I was looking for—after all, there’s no hint of the ghost or murder on the cover! Or the Victorian Tearoom! But they have brought exactly the right readers to me, which is the job of a cover, so I’m very happy I made that choice.

Mariah Sinclair did the covers for the Arrow Investigations series which I absolutely love! But I’m not sure they’re attracting the right reader, so we’re discussing making a change.

I had two other sets of covers for my first series—the Bridal Shop Cozy Mysteries—that I was never all that happy with. I ended up doing my own, which are the ones I have now. The only reason I could do my own was because of everything I’d learned over the previous several years—and going forward, I only do my own covers for stories I’m giving away.

Do you ever have that middle book slump? If so how do you handle it?
I have don’t have a midpoint slump, although in my early books, I rushed from the midpoint to the conclusion. I began plotting using Save the Cat beats, which fixed that. I’ve learned that all the story structure theories are pretty much the same, but I like how the STC beats are described and presented. For instance, Jessica Brody suggests a party or gathering at the midpoint or introducing a ticking time clock, among other things. A second murder works quite well as the midpoint twist, but I try not to overuse that. I don’t want readers to expect it.

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?
The best encouragement has come from critique partners but most of all - from readers. There’s nothing better than an email or review that says a reader can’t wait for the next book!

Marketing is the biggest key to getting sales. What is the best marketing source you've used that has produces more sales rather than just clicks?
My best marketing has been my newsletter. I’ve also used free promos for the first in series extensively, which work great especially for long series. They are becoming less effective since I hear that many readers have hundreds of free books loaded to their kindles.

What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner?
I wish I’d known that what works for other people often does not work for me. And what worked last year or even last week may not work. For me, writing is almost like jumping off a cliff with no idea of where you’ll land—it’s exhilarating, terrifying, and liberating.

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
Just write. Keep writing.

Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?
Writing is better than therapy if you are willing to face your demons!

What is the next book coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis?
Tea is for Talisman released last week. Here's a short blurb about it.

April May takes her assistant Jennifer on a long-promised trip to New Orleans. Their relaxing trip turns into chaos when George and Pearl, two ghosts from the vaudeville era, follow them to The Big Easy. The ghosts show up in April’s room the first morning with another ghost in tow. Cedric LeBlanc has been murdered and everyone, including Jennifer, think April should help find his murderer.

Their investigation takes them through the back alleys, voodoo shops, and cemeteries of the French Quarter and surrounding areas and attracts the attention of a police detective who thinks April knows a little more than she should.

That's all for today's interview. The new book intrigues me as I'm going to be in New Orleans next month! If you'd like to learn more about Karen's books, check out these links.
Bridal Shop Cozy Mysteries:  https://karensuewalker.com/

Haunted Tearoom Cozy Mysteries: https://karensuewalker.com/books/

And here's a bonus for my readers, leave a comment on this post and we'll pick one reader who'll receive a copy of one of  Karen's eBook, Tea is for Trouble. So do that now. It can be as simple as I want to be in the giveaway. We'll chose a winner next Tuesday!