Ignore Your Inner Critic: Author Interview with Terri Osburn

Like many authors, you are an avid reader and you write in the genre you read. What motivated you to write your first novel rather than continuing to only be a reader?   

I’ve been reading romance since the mid-80s and during my teens years dreamed of writing my own. I even toyed with an idea when I was 20 or so that I recently found in an old journal. But then life happens and you make excuses not to do that one thing you really want to do. 

Then came 2006 when I stumbled onto the Eloisa James bulletin board. I’ve been an Eloisa fan from her first book and had no idea what a bulletin board was, or even a blog or any of the stuff we have now. On that board, I found fellow romance lovers, several of whom shared the dream of writing their own.

We all teamed up to learn and practice and support each other in the endeavor. Of that initial group, almost all of us are now multi-published authors. If I hadn’t found those amazing women, I’m not sure I’d even be talking to you right now because who knows if I’d have found the courage to ever chase this dream without that push.

In 2012, you were an RWA finalist for your unpublished book, Meant to Be.  What happened with that book? 

Being a finalist that year changed my life in so many ways. There is one book that I wrote before Meant To Be, but it has the kind of flaws you make when learning this craft and is securely tucked beneath the bed, so to speak. But that contest final got me to an agent. And then that agent sold Meant To Be to Montlake Romance, which was Amazon’s leap into the publishing world and still quite new at the time. The book launched my career in 2013, and thanks to some great promotion and readers enjoying the story, it shot to #1 in the Kindle store for all books that summer. It’s been a while ride ever since, and I’m eternally grateful for the opportunity.

From what I’ve researched, it looks like your first book was published in 2013 and since then you’ve written books, not including ones packaged with other authors. What is your writing schedule like? 

Unfortunately, I don’t have a solid routine. This is more unfortunate for me than anyone else. I’m a natural procrastinator and that means I put off the things I really SHOULD be doing until the last minute. Writing books is no exception. I’m working hard to turn this around, but I’ve made a habit of writing the books very quickly in the month or two before they’re due. This means lack of sleep, lots of stress, and lots of gray hair I pay a fortune to cover. When I’m in the deep end in the weeks before the deadline, it’s all writing all day. Or rather, all night. I’m a night owl and can only seem to get the words on the page while the rest of the world is sleeping.

Those first books were done through Amazon publishing. Were those done as indie publications or were you paid with royalties? What did Montlake Romance do to promote your books?

Montlake Romance operates like any other publisher so it’s all the traditional route. They offer a contract with advance, I accept and we agree on a deadline, I turn in the book and they take over from there. They line up editors and designers and have a full marketing team. How they promote the books had changed over the years as the market has changed. What worked five years ago might not work now, but they’ve provided exposure that I couldn’t possibly have gotten on my own.

Your current books are published by Macie Rae Publishing. Is that your publishing imprint? If so, what made you go fully indie? 

That is my own imprint (named after one of my dogs.) The sales for my current series dropped enough that I’m having to find something new for publishers, but I also love this series and wanted to finish it out for the readers. So now I’m more a hybrid, meaning I’m still with a publisher (or seeking one) but also publishing my own. The idea was extremely daunting, but I liked the process much more than I expected and am looking forward to releasing more on my own.

Your bio shows that you are represented by an agency? How did that happen? 

 I love my agent. I actually pitched to her boss way back in 2012 shortly after I finaled in the RWA contest for unpublished manuscripts. The pitch was horrid. I’m still amazed that she gave me a second thought. But she requested the book, passed it on to my agent, and she signed me within a month. She then sold that book (and several more) to Montlake Romance. 

I’ve often heard at writing conferences if you indie pub no traditional publisher will look at your work. Yet you are working with an agent? 

I didn’t do anything independently until last year and so long as I’m thoughtful with what I do, making sure that it doesn’t ever reflect poorly on my name or brand, she’s fine with me pursuing both publishing avenues. To be honest, I wouldn’t want to travel this road without her. She’s absolutely amazing, and a friend beyond being a colleague. 

You promote regular contests and prizes to go with your book launches. How long have you been doing contests? 

I’ve had contests from the beginning because I was a reader long before I wrote a book and remember how fun it was to win books and other prizes from authors. But now that I’m on the other side, I also want to give back to those who have given me so much. 

There are so many books out there today. A reader could pick a thousand others instead of mine. That choice means a lot to me so giving away a book a week or something a little more special once a month is the least I can do.

Your website has a link to Writerspace News when you sign up for your newsletter. How can an author sign up for that? 

Writerspace is a lovely group and they have their own website. I’m not sure of the direct link, but they’re always happy to chat with and connect to new writers. It’s a close knit bunch of women who run the company and I’m sure there’s a direct link on the site to contact them and learn what they have to offer.

What has surprised you the most in writing/publishing? 

The success I’ve achieved is the most surprising. Not because I don’t have faith in my own talent, but as I said before, there are so many of us trying to make a go at this dream. So many books the readers have to choose from. Standing out in that crowd is immensely difficult and I know I’ve been beyond fortunate.

What frustrated you the most?  

The most frustrating is how quickly things change. I struggle to keep up with the latest marketing this or that, and sometimes it feels like trying to run a marathon while stuck in quicksand. But this is a marathon, not a sprint. Sometimes you just have to take a deep breath and remind yourself to do what you can do. There’s simply no way to do it all. Not if you want to keep your sanity.

What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner? 

I know that I have to put more thought into new ideas than just “Hey, this would be fun to write.” I was naïve in the beginning and went with whatever popped into my head, but there’s more to it than that and I’m still learning, six years in, how to navigate those waters. 

At the same time, I’ve learned to trust myself. When I’m in the weeds and convinced I will never get a book finished, or that it’s a complete piece of crap, it always turns out in the end. And then, when the book finally releases and the readers enjoy it, I look at those pages and wonder how the in the world I pulled it off. I’m pretty sure there are a ton of authors who know this feeling, and no matter how many you write, it never seems to go away. At least it hasn’t yet for me.

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give? 

I read a blog by Sherrilyn Kenyon years ago in which she said to trust your characters. They know the story better than you ever will, so listen to them. Pay attention to them. Let them help you tell the story. Once I understood what this meant, things didn’t necessarily get easier, but the stories made more sense and I’ve spent less time banging my head against a wall. It’s tough to do this when you’re starting out, but it’ll come.

The best advice I can give, especially to newer writers, is to ignore the rules. When I first started, rules were flying at me from every direction and it got so bad that I was paralyzed. I couldn’t write a word. There are no rules to this. There are guidelines and suggestions, and even best practices, but no hard set rules you can’t either learn to use in your favor or work completely around. 

If I had believed all the folks who said you can’t write a romance novel in which your heroine is engaged to the hero’s brother throughout the entire story, I never would have written Meant To Be, and that means I wouldn’t have a book that went to number one and has sold over a quarter of a million copies.

Seriously. Write your story and ignore the rules.

Are there any other points about writing you would like to add? 

There is one more point. Ignore your inner critic. This is BY FAR the toughest part. I have friends who couldn’t do it. Fabulous writers who have stories that deserve to be read but they just can’t shut down that voice in their head saying all those hateful, negative things. Push through. Shut her up. Do whatever you have to do, but don’t let that inner voice keep you from doing something you love. Don’t let it deprive those eager readers who can’t wait to read your book.

You just released Ask Me to Stay last week. Can you give me a short synopsis?

Liza Teller has been hired to ghostwrite the memoir of Ray Wallis, an elderly stranger eager to share a very personal and surprising life story. The moment she arrives on beautiful Haven Island off the South Carolina coast, she has to ask: Out of all the semi-successful writers with stalled careers in the world, why her?

Kendall James, the dedicated ex-military man in Ray’s employ, has the same question. Why is this New Yorker in a frilly blue dress so important to Ray? But as protective and suspicious as he is, Kendall can’t help falling for the tempting outsider. And he isn’t falling alone.

As Ray’s life story unfolds, Liza and Kendall’s chemistry ignites. And all of it could be explosive. On an island this small, Liza soon discovers that there isn’t much room to hide—from the secrets of Ray’s past, or from her desire for a man unwilling to give her the one thing she truly wants. 

Sounds intriguing! If you'd like to learn more about Terri's writing, here are some links to get you started. 

Website: www.TerriOsburn.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerriOsburnAuthor/ 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/terriosburn/

Here you'll see lots of inspiration images for her books. 

Conquering Parents' Fears: An Interview with Susan Macias

Your bio says that you homeschooled for years. With a houseful of kids, how did you find time out of your busy schedule to write?

I am currently in my twenty-fifth year of homeschooling and I have always found it a challenge to both teach and to write. For many years I blogged intermittently because that was a way to produce work without the pressure of deadlines I could not always meet. I tended to accomplish most of my writing in the evenings or for longer chunks of time on Saturdays. 

Now that I am down to only two students who are more independent learners, my schedule has shifted. I now get up and write in the morning for several hours at least three days a week.

What authors inspire you?

I am an avid reader and picking a favorite author is a bit like picking a favorite child. But I guess my favorite is CS Lewis, because he could capture truth in simple, beautiful words. I love the poetic nature of Ann Voskamp’s books as well as the straight-forward approach of Elizabeth Elliot. I tend to flip back and forth between non-fiction and fiction.

How do you write?

I tend to write from inspiration which is why blogging has worked well for me. However, that approach has kept me from concentrating on a particular subject long enough, as my inspiration flits from one subject to another. So, I am now trying to focus on moms and praying for the next year to develop a larger body of work on that particular subject.

For your book, did you start with a concept or did you do an outline?

My book was easily outlined because it followed a passage of Scripture directly. Since I was writing the book verse by verse it had a built-in outline. This book developed from a desire to share what the Lord had taught me from Philippians 1:3-11.

As a Mom, I often fell victim to worry and nagging that resulted in unhealthy ways of dealing with situations. This scripture revolutionized my prayer life and profoundly changed my heart. I want to share the freedom that comes from confidently resting in the Lord while passionately praying for our kids.

What would you like readers to take away from reading your book?

Every time I receive feedback where I get reports that a mom has slept well for the first time in years, or that their prayer life has been radically changed or that they feel for the first time they have a handle on HOW to pray for their child, I am grateful. My deepest desire is to help other women find both that joy and also be equipped to pray for their kids.

What made you decide to indie-publish? Tell me about your process.

I never approached publishers or tried to find an agent. From the beginning, I had a strong desire to self-publish. I studied the self-publishing process extensively and by the time my manuscript was ready I felt at least a little confident in moving forward myself. I hired a professional editor for the manuscript and also contracted an artist for the cover design and inside illustrations. I published through Createspace and on Kindle.

Now I am studying marketing and distribution. Self-publishing has been a great experience but it does require the author to do every step themselves, which is challenging.

What do you know now about writing/publishing now that you wished you had known sooner?

I wished I had known how long the process would be. There are many steps to turning out a quality product and there are no shortcuts. I also wish I had taken the plunge sooner. It took me a few years to talk myself into actually beginning writing the book. I wish I had packed fear away and moved ahead when I was totally un-confident in what I was doing. I learned more as I progressed along with the project than I could have  . The key is to just do the work and trust the process.

What type of publicity do you do to promote your book?

I am using social media for my book marketing. I make memes with quotes from the book and put them on Instagram and Facebook. I use my blog to reach people with the subject of prayer. I reach out to my email list from my blog and ask for word of mouth recommendations. I have not yet gone into paid advertisements, but am studying my best options for that now.

What is the best advice you've been given about writing or that you've learned that you would like to pass along?

The most significant piece of advice that affected how I worked was to start calling myself a writer. Even though I wrote on my blog and had even had a few pieces published in magazines, I hesitated to use the title of “writer.” Yet, when I finally began saying that, it changed how I thought of myself. It also gave me the confidence to tell people I was writing a book (after all, that is what writers do, don’t they?), which helped with momentum to work toward completion.

Calling myself a writer also changed how I behaved. I wrote more and I began studying the craft of writing with more diligence. If this is what I did, I needed to be serious. So, I encourage everyone, if you feel called to be a writer, start calling yourself that. Don’t wait until you are published or validated by someone else. If you write, you are a writer! And you get to take it seriously.

What other work do you have in the process?

I am working on a blog series that will come out every day in January. I did this last January (and swore I would never do it again), and looking back I can see the value in the project. So, I am going to blog every day in January as a “starting the New Year with prayer” project.

Besides my blog, I am researching several writing projects and praying about which is the next one to jump into full force. I have begun another prayer book, and two fictional narratives based on Biblical points that I am researching. And I have a few concepts to work out for children’s books. The ideas are there, I just need to decide where to put my focus first.

Are there any other points you’d like to cover?

I can’t think of anything else to add. Thanks- there were fun questions to work through.

That’s all for today’s interview. If you would like to learn more about Susan’s current book or read her blog, here are some links to get you started.

Blog: www.susankmacias.com

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Unceasing-Parents-Guide-Conquer-Worry/dp/0999308505/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1513711532&sr=8-1&keywords=unceasing+by+susan+k+macias

Starting with the Victim: Nancy J. Cohen on Writing Cozy Mysteries

My interview today is with Nancy J. Cohen who writes the Bad Hair Day Mysteries featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail.  Several titles in this series have made the IMBA bestseller list, been selected by Suspense Magazine as a best cozy mystery, and won third place in the Arizona Literary Awards. Nancy has also written the instructional guide, Writing the Cozy Mystery. 

When she's not writing,  you may find her as a featured speaker at libraries, conferences, and community events. She is listed in Contemporary Authors, Poets & Writers, and Who's Who in U.S. Writers, Editors, & Poets. So let's move on to discover what makes her such a success. 

Your early books were science fiction romances which are quite different from the cozy mystery series you have been writing for a number of years. What it hard to transition from one genre to another?
I was already putting a mystery into my romances when I switched to writing a cozy mystery series. So the plotting process was similar, although the focus shifted. Instead of a romantic resolution coming at the end of book one in my mystery series, the romance subplot had to happen a lot slower and with much more subtlety. 

The biggest change was marketing to a different audience. Going to my first mystery conference was like being exposed to a new culture. Different expectations and genre conventions came into play. I had to cultivate an entirely new readership. So that was the hardest part of switching genres.

What makes for a good mystery? Tell me about the process.
Usually, I start with the victim. Then I decide who might want to kill him. The suspects get fleshed out with motives and secrets, and then I relate these people to each other. Often the one with the strongest motive becomes the killer. Or this person might make a better red herring. At this point, I’ll write a complete synopsis. The story might change as I write it, and that’s okay. Then I’ll go back and revise the synopsis accordingly. I may also keep a chapter-to-chapter outline to help me keep track of days of the week and who said what in previous scenes. The objective is to trick and distract the reader enough to keep her guessing until the end but to provide clues for fair play. Your readers want to solve the puzzle along with the sleuth. 

What type of research do you do for your books? 

I do research as needed while I’m writing. The research might involve a particular setting or merely an interesting topic I address in the story. Recently, I’ve been looking into acacia trees and their role in Egyptian mythology. I’ll also include local issues, such as children dying in hot cars in Florida. It gives me a chance to educate the public on preventive measures. This appears in Hair Brained, my Sept. 12 release and #14 in the Bad Hair Day series. My hairstylist sleuth, Marla Vail, learns about this topic while she’s interviewing suspects. After I finish my first draft, I’ll do two or three more sweeps for editing and polishing.

According to your bio, you are active with 6 writing groups. How do you find the time to be part of all these organizations? What would you tell other writers is the best reason to be active with writing groups?
It’s incredibly important to belong to professional writers’ organizations and participate in their online Yahoo groups. I learn so much about the business aspects of writing from other authors. Locally, I attend two meetings a month, once with romance writers and the other with mystery writers. I’ll attend national conferences depending upon the location and cost. You can’t write in a vacuum. It’s imperative to get connected with the writing community. You’ll make friends, find critique partners, and engage with like-minded individuals who love writing like you do.

What do you think the biggest error that new writers make in creating their first cozy mystery?
You need to give the heroine a personal motive to get involved. Just making her curious and nosy isn’t enough. If the stakes are high for her, your readers will care more deeply about what happens. So give her a strong motive to get involved. Also, give her the skills to solve the murder on her own. You can’t have her rely on the hero or on a force of nature to get her out of a fix. As in any first novel, backstory and flashbacks should be kept to a minimum. Keep the story moving forward with less expository passages and more dialogue and action.

How do you write? Did you do an outline first? Did you do individual character development before doing the full plot?
First I determine the setting, victim, and suspects. I’ll do profiles on these people so I can start to get to know them. Once these are set in my mind, I write a synopsis. Then the actual writing begins. The synopsis acts as my guideline, but that doesn’t mean I have to stick to it. Things change, and I’ll revise the synopsis to match the story. It’s easier writing a series because you already know the recurrent characters. So mainly I have to create a new cast of suspects for each mystery. They’ll each have a secret and these people will be interrelated, although their connections won’t be evident until later in the book.

What type of publicity do you do to promote your book? What has worked best for you in generating sales?
For a book release, I’ll do an online blog tour (next one starts on Sept. 12), a Goodreads giveaway, Rafflecopter contests, in-person signings, conference workshops, a book launch party on Facebook, and frequent social media posts. On release day, I’ll send out a newsletter to announce the new release as well as a blog post. As for what works best—who knows?

What do you know now about writing/publishing now that you wished you had known sooner?
Stick to what you like to write and build up your repertoire. If I’d known this, I might not have switched genres back and forth. But at the time, indie publishing wasn’t available, and you had to write what would sell.

What is the best advice you've been given about writing or that you've learned that you would like to pass along?
Writing is an ongoing journey. We never stop learning and improving. If you stumble, pick yourself up and carry on. The only way to never get published is to quit.

What other works do you have in the process?
I’m currently working on Trimmed to Death, # 15 in the Bad Hair Day Mysteries. I am also continuing with my revised backlist mystery Author’s Editions. The first three titles in my series are in audiobook, so I’d like to continue with these as well.

Are there any other points you’d like to cover?
Please support your favorite authors by writing reviews of their books at online sites. On Amazon especially, the number of reviews counts toward algorithms that Amazon uses to recommend books to new readers. All you need to do is say a few words about why you liked a story and post a customer review. It means a lot.

That's all for today's interview. I hope it has piqued your interest to learn more about Nancy's writing. Here are some ways to do that.

Sign Up for her Newsletter! There's a free book sampler for new Subscribers: http://nancyjcohen.com/newsletter/
Website: http://nancyjcohen.com
Blog: http://nancyjcohen.wordpress.com
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/nancy-j-cohen
Audible: http://adbl.co/2gMlVw1

The ABC's of Picture Books: Author Interview with Maria Kernahan

You are the author of a unique series of alphabet books for cities and states. What made you choose this theme? What makes you chose a certain city or a state?

I was living in Aspen, Colorado and one day, after dropping my daughter at dance class, I was so awestruck at the incredible beauty of the place, I decided I needed to write an ABC book about Aspen. When we moved back to Chicago, it made sense to write about my hometown. After that, we just branched off across the country, writing about places that we love.

How hard is it to find words that begin with X or Z? 

Luckily, in Aspen we had the X Games, and the local license plates began with the letters ZG! Since then, we look for Xs in the architecture of the city - it’s pretty easy to find. Oddly enough, J and K are super tough. As is U!

Who helped you polish your story?
I was a copywriter with a journalism degree, and have written fiction and screenplays. I’ve been in writing groups for my fiction work, but the children’s books we did on our own.

I’ve seen several publishers whose guidelines say, “no rhyming books or alphabet books.” Did you try the traditional route of seeking a publisher and/or agent to market your book?
I actually was working with an agent in NYC on a non-fiction project. I brought her the idea of “A is for Aspen” and she laughed and said that unless my name was Beyonce or Madonna, she couldn’t sell a picture book from an unknown.

Tell me about the process. How did you find the right illustrator?

My incredible brother-in-law, Michael Schafbuch, is a hugely talented artist, and paints gorgeous canvas in Seattle. I had an idea of what I wanted the book to look like, and asked if he could do it. He said “let’s give it a go” and off we went. We work together on the concepts for the illustrations - sometimes he just creates something that I had never even thought about.

How did you go about choosing your marketing plan?
We didn’t really have a marketing plan. Aspen was a small enough town that I was able to walk around with my book, and people really responded to it. I feel like I’ve gotten a master’s degree in publishing in the past few years, learning about formatting, printing and shipping books. We also have a line of related merchandise, like note cards and coasters that have sold really well.

What are some of the promotions that you’ve done for the book that have been the most successful?

We have done GoodReads giveaways which gave us some lovely exposure. Both Michael and I have done author signings in independent bookstores, which gets a great response. I think authors need to try anything to get their message out - start local and go from there.

What has frustrated or surprised you the most in putting your books together? 

The logistics have been frustrating. When we first started, I had 1,000 books in my garage and hand-delivered them to customers. As we grew, we were plagued with shipping and invoicing our customers. Finally, we found a distributor who warehouses and fills orders. It’s been heaven

What advice would you give someone who wants to publish their own books?

Start small. We started in a micro-market, and grew from there.

What is the writing best advice you’ve been given?

Get your butt in the chair.

What message would you like parents and children to take away from this book?
We write about places we love, and we’ve found that adults seem to love our books as much, if not more, than kids. I had someone send the book to their brother in China who missed home. People are buying the books for their future grandchildren. And it’s so fun to hear which pages the kids respond to. I just got a note from someone who said that both their kids loved the “Yada Yada” page of the New York book the best!

What other books are in the process?
We will be releasing “S is for San Francisco” and “W is for Washington DC” in 2017. Maybe we’ll jump across the pond next!

Any other thoughts on writing you’d like to add?

Writing is great, but it is work. A lot of people think they need a beautiful setting, the right inspiration and a weekend alone to write. Good writing happens when you sit down and get to it. Even 10 minutes at a time.

That's it for today's interview. If you'd like to learn more about Maria's state and city books, here is how to get started.
Our website:  http://dryclimatestudios.com/http://dryclimatestudios.com
Our distributor’s website is http://dryclimatestudios.bookstore.ipgbook.com
Check out our Etsy page for our great items that feature illustrations from our books: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DryClimateStudios?ref=search_shop_redirect

Finding Your Genre: Author Interview with Christine Grey

My interview today is with Christine Grey lives in Wisconsin with her husband, Dan, and their seven children, three dogs, and two cats. With a family like that, she knows how important it is to escape from reality from time to time. That's why she loves using her free time creating worlds of magic, romance, and humor.

What drew you to writing fantasy? Was there a specific author that you read that made you think, “I could write that"?

I have always enjoyed writing. My first foray into writing came in the form of a romance novel. It was hideously bad, and I threw it away in disgust. About a year later, an idea came to me about a girl and a magical sword. It was no more than a small flash of an idea, but I began to write. As I wrote, it became clear to me that fantasy was definitely my genre. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings was always a favorite, so I was inspired by that, although my style is quite different from his.

When did you actually start writing your first book? 

I started that first novel eight years ago. The first draft took a bout three months, as I recall, but it took me another six years until I had it how I wanted it. Keep in mind that there were times that I put it down for a year and walked away, sure that it was no good, but it always called me back. 

How many re-writes do you think you did?

I had at least a dozen, and that was before I hired an editor to help me fine tune it. 

Who encouraged you along the way? 

My husband has always been my rock. He read and reread my work, offering suggestions when he could and was my cheerleader on the days when I felt like I would never get anywhere with it. 

Are you active with any writer’s critique groups? 

I do not belong to any critique groups. I am part of a large Facebook group of authors called CIR (Clean Indie Reads). I was introduced to my editor, Elise Abram, and cover designer, Victorine Lieske, through the group. My books tend to be a bit PG-13, so I don't fall in the "squeaky clean" category of writing, but I meet the standards for the CIR group. They have been amazing, and I find the atmosphere there to be supportive and welcoming. For me, it's a homey place where I don't have to be exposed to material that is beyond my comfort level.

Each of your books are indie-published. Did you first try the query route with agents and publishers? What type of research did you do before you chose you source to publish? 

I did try the traditional route first. I think I tried about a dozen agents. When the answer was always a polite form letter, I threw in the towel in frustration for a long time. My husband's cousin, Richard Houston, writes cozy mysteries, and has been quite successful independently publishing. He was the one who referred me to CIR. He was the one who inspired me to go Indie, and I have never looked back. The freedom and control I have are priceless to me. At this point, I'm not sure I could ever be persuaded to go to traditional publishing. Of course, never say never, but the agent would need to be something pretty special to take me down that road. 

What type of research did you do before you chose you source to publish? 

As far as research, I received most of my information from the CIR group. For me, it made sense to go with Amazon exclusively. Wide distribution has benefits, but I like the ease of doing business with Amazon. Wide may be an option down the road, but I'm happy where I am for now.

Other than completing your novels, what was the most difficult aspect of publishing for you? Advertising and promotion! More than anything, I wanted to share my story with people, but you can't do that if they have never heard of you. Today, there is more competition for readers than ever before. Self-publishing has been a Godsend, but it also means that anyone can publish anything at any time. In some ways, that's fantastic, in other ways, it makes it much more difficult to get your work in front of your target audience. When it comes to promotional sites, there are good and bad, and, like anything, there are scammers out there eager to separate naive authors from their money, so it takes time and effort to find what works for you.

What has surprised you the most about getting published other than the joy of seeing your book in print? 

The thing that delights me the most is reviews from readers. I love that they would take the time to write down their thoughts about my books. It is humbling, and just plain fun to see their reactions. I include an email address at the back of my books for readers, but, so far, no one has availed themselves of that option, but I'm looking forward to it.

What do you know now about publishing that you wish you knew sooner? 

You need a thick skin and persistence. I wasted so much time worrying about perfection. I am never going to please everyone, and that's okay. 

What’s been your best promotion for selling books? 

To date, Ereader News Today and Book Barbarian. They have great reach, wonderful customer service, competitive prices, and I have never been disappointed with my results. Bookbub is, without question, the big boy on the block, but I haven't been fortunate enough to secure an ad with them yet. They have so many submissions that their acceptance rate is only around twenty percent. There isn't a minimum number of reviews required, but when you're competing against authors who have hundreds of reviews, it makes a difference.

What advice would you give someone who wants to indie-publish? What is the best advice you’ve been given or learned? 

My advice would be to get yourself a good editor. You will never find every mistake, no matter how many times you go over your work, but a good proofreader/editor can eliminate many, many errors that you don't even notice. When starting out, it's tempting to try and save money by skipping that step and doing it yourself, but you're not doing yourself any favors. Having a great story to tell is key, but if you have typos on the first page, you're going to lose readers before they ever have a chance to get to that story. I think the best advice I've been given is to be patient. Some folks are going to blow the doors off on their first novel, others are going to take a while to build an audience. If you write because you must, if you write for yourself, if you write because you have something to say, then how popular you are becomes less important. There's a freedom in that.

What other works do you have in the process? 

I am currently finishing edits on my third book in the Destiny Series. Echoes will be released on June 26, 2016. I am also well into the fourth book in the series, and I hope to have that book available this December. This series will be six books, but if it's successful and the readers are interested, I have a prequel trilogy that will go along with it. There are some notes and outlines for that trilogy, but I am focused on completing the six books for now.

Any last words you’d like to add?

It has been a tremendous privilege to interview with you. I thank you and your readers for your time. 

That's it for today's interview. If you'd like to learn more about Christine's current books and those to come, here's some options.

Christinegreyauthor@gmail.com

Amazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/Christine-Grey/e/B0190O6K2I/
Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/christine.grey.587

Having Fun with Writing: Author Interview with Mylisa Larsen

What inspired you to write How to Put Your Parents to Bed?  
I think it was just the huge gap between what was apparently supposed to happen at bedtime and the anarchy that seemed to be always breaking out during that time at my house. You know those articles you read in the parenting magazines while waiting in the pediatrician’s office—5 Steps To A Stress-free Bedtime? Those never quite worked at my house.

And I’ve always found The Authoritative Voice—that voice often used in parenting books or the filmstrips you saw in fifth grade—intrinsically funny. So I was goofing off and trying to spoof that voice in my writing one day and somehow it ended up with the kids putting the parents to bed instead of the other way around. Because, let’s be honest, we’re the ones who are tired.

When did you actually start writing your book? How long did it take to write your first draft?
I looked back at when I started writing this book and it was January of 2012. It was a horrible, unpublishable version at that time but that’s when the first draft was written. I wrote it quickly. That’s how it usually works for me. I write terrible drafts quickly and then turning them into anything respectable can take me a long time.

Who encouraged you along the way? 
Who encouraged me? I have a wonderfully encouraging family. I have a writing buddy who I’ve traded things with for years. Without them, I would have given up years ago.

Prior to this picture book, what was your publishing and writing background? 
This is my first picture book so I had no prior experience in this genre. I’d published a magazine article once but that was for adults. I had written for a long time. I was an English major in college. Once I got serious about writing for children, I took some classes at the The Loft in Minneapolis.

Are you active with any children’s writers groups?

I joined SCBWI. And there’s a lovely group of children’s writers and illustrators in Rochester (RACWI) that I also belong to now that I live in upstate New York.

How many submissions did it take before you either found an agent or was accepted by the publisher? What was that process like?
I don’t have the story of the hundreds of rejections, but that’s only because I didn’t submit anything for a long, long time. I promise you, if I had been submitting during the first five years that I was learning to write in the picture book genre, I could have papered my house with rejections. 

I go back and read the stuff I was writing in the beginning and they’re certifiably blush-worthy. Most of us just aren’t that good when we start trying out a new thing and I was certainly no exception.

I did get professional critiques at conferences during all that time but I didn’t submit. Then when I started to get more serious interest during some of the critiques, I started thinking about an agent.

What has frustrated you the most in putting together this book? 
I think it’s a surprise to most of us that there is so much waiting involved even after you sign a book. I think once you accept that this whole thing is going to feel like it’s measured in geologic time, it goes better. Make sure you move on to other things so you’re not just thinking about how long everything is taking.

What has pleasantly surprised you in the process? 
The pleasant surprises are many. First, the people working in children’s publishing are often quite fabulous people. And, lucky you, you get to work with them. And then it’s always interesting to see what each person on the team brings to the book. Your agent with who she thinks would be a good match for the book. Your editor’s ideas about changes. The illustrator’s take. What marketing has to say. And sometimes marketing says “we need to change your title” and you are almost 90% sure that they are wrong and then afterward you have to admit that maybe they were right. So, it’s a collaboration and you won’t always get your way but the book is better for it.

Then after a book is published, you get to hang out with preschoolers and children’s librarians and teachers and book people. Really, what could be better?

What book promotions have been the most successful?
I think it’s too early to say what has been the most successful. The book has been out less than two months and I have things planned all throughout the year. But that is something that the data wonk part of my brain is interested in so last week I had a conversation with the numbers guy that I’m married to about trying to measure that and have a shiny new spreadsheet. I may be able to answer that question later.

I think one of the best things I did was decide to work with Kirsten Cappy at Curious City to come up with a list of promotion possibilities. She had ideas that I never would have had on my own and she had access to resources that I didn’t. So I feel like that decision to collaborate was a good one. She’s done some things on the list and I’ve done others.

Kirsten had a book trailer made, sent copies of the book to bloggers and ran a contest to raise awareness and made up a library kit. And I offered programs to the libraries in my region (which have turned out to be really fun) and sent postcards to area bookstores and even children’s stores which might carry the book as a shower gift, and personally emailed an entirely ridiculous number of librarians to introduce them to the book. And then a group of agency mates who are also debut authors spent a week writing about and promoting the book on their blog when it came out.

And I’ve got a list of other things that I’ll be doing throughout the year. So we’ll see.

What’s the best writing tip you’ve learned or been given that you’d like to share?
I guess it would be one from Ira Glass -- 

“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you.

 A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. 

Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through."

What other works do you have in the process?
I have a picture book called If I Were A Kangaroo coming out from Viking in 2017. I’ve always got a bundle of picture book manuscripts that I’m working on. And I’m trying to write a middle grade novel which often feels to me like some kind of surgery without anesthesia. It’s getting better. But it’s still at that stage where there’s this huge gap between what I want to do and what I have the skills to do so it’s painful. It’s like learning to write in a foreign language for me.

What message would you like parents and children to take away from your books? 
Well, if you look at my books, you’ll see that I’m not much of a message girl. I love silly. But kids love silly so it works out. I guess the underlying message of silly though is “Isn’t life grand sometimes? Wasn’t that fun?”

Any last words or tips?
Figure out what you need to learn next in your writing and then go find the person who can teach you that thing.

That's it for today's interview. If you would like to learn more about Mylisa's writing, Here's how you can do that.
Website: http://mylisalarsen.com/  Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=La30CjVILkQ
Publisher: https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062320643/how-to-put-your-parents-to-bed

Writing in the Genre that Inspires You: Author Interview with Vanetta Chapman

I see you started your writing career with writing articles. How did you make the jump to writing a novel? 

I've always been an avid reader. After publishing 150 articles, I thought, "Hey. Maybe I could do an entire book." And then I just started writing. 

How did you meet your agent? Through a conference or sending out queries? 

I bought a Guide to Literary Agents at a Half Priced Bookstore. Starting with the A's, I marked any agent who represented what I had written to date. Then I started querying. This was in the old days (2000), so I sent everything in snail mail. I'd send 7 queries in each week. When I received a rejection, I'd send out 2 more. And yes, I had a chart to keep track of who all had rejected me, or said feel free to send something else, or whatever their response was. It took a couple of years, but finally I had several agents circling. At that point, I emailed some of their client list for references and made my choice.

How did you find your publisher?

My agent was submitting my work to all the major pubs. We had one (Harper Collins Christian Fiction) come back and say that they liked my writing but they didn't need another romance author. Would I consider writing a cozy mystery? My answer was ... OF COURSE.

Your first book was published in 2010. How long did it take to write that book? 
THAT book was a bit unique. I wrote it in 6 weeks because we had a publisher anxious for it, but they wouldn't make an offer until it was done. I don't recommend writing a book that quickly. When I was finished, I couldn't use my right arm - had a major case of frozen shoulder syndrome. 

Was that the first book you wrote?
The first book I sold was the 9th book I wrote. At that point it was taking me about 6 months per book. 

How long does take today?
Currently I have a full length novel (100,000 words) due every 3 to 4 months.

Was the next book easier to write?
I think each book has its own challenges--so they are both easier (because you have experience) and harder (because writing is always difficult).

What inspired you to write about the Amish? 

My agent asked me to try my hand at writing Amish. We'd been pitching romantic suspense and had good response but no congrats. 

Do you have an Amish family history? 
Possibly. My great grandparents lived in Albion, PA and all correspondence we have from them is in German - so it is possible that there are some Amish roots there.

Are you active in any writing critique groups?
Currently I am not involved in any critique groups. I have been in the past, but we moved to a small town and it's a bit of a drive to reach other authors.

What type of research do you do for your books? Tell me about the process.
If I'm writing a 3 book series, I always visit the location. I walk the streets, talk to the librarians and local museum folks, eat in the restaurants, and generally chat up anyone who will talk to me. I take lots and lots and LOTS of pictures. And I take home a few email addresses of folks who are willing to answer questions. I do a little internet research before I go and a lot after I get home.

Do you still go through the normal process of pitching your book to publishers?
Pretty much. I was recently thrilled to receive a 6 book contract from Harvest House publishers, and yes - I had to go through the pub committee like anyone else. My agent usually reads through my proposal before we send it. He may have minor suggestions, but he doesn't page edit or anything like that.

What does your publisher expect you to do to assist in promoting your books? 
I do a lot of promotion--basically I'm involved in all the usual places, plus I have a street team, and I've built a newsletter base. My publisher has told me several times that they're astounded at how much marketing I do and that it is one of the reasons they continue to re-sign me.

What do you know now about writing/publishing now that you wished you had known sooner?
I wish I'd spent less time worrying about "when" I'd be published and more time diligently learning the craft.

What surprised you the most in a good way in writing your novels? What’s been the most frustrating?
I guess what surprises me most is that the ideas don't dry up. I'm careful to take time off, not burn out, feed the artist well and all that. Still, I'm surprised that my brain knows where to go with a story even when I don't. And that would be the frustrating part. When I start, I have no idea what I'm doing. I usually have a character and where I want to start the story, and that's it. Even in the murder mysteries, I have no idea "who did it."

What is the best advice you've been given about writing or that you've learned that you would like to pass along?
Keep writing, keep writing, keep writing.

What other works do you have in the process? Are there any other points you’d like to cover?
I do have a whacky process that I'd love to share. I write the beginning of a novel until I'm bored with where we're going. Then I stop and write the ending. This could be an additional 3,000 work or (more often) 10-20,000 words. Once I have the ending finished, once I know where we're all going, I go back and fill in the middle. It's worked every time! And it keep the middle from sagging and slowing down.

That's all for today's interview. If you'd like to learn more about Vanetta's writing and her giveaways or special promotions here's how  www.vannettachapman.com

Indie-Publishing for Picture Books: Author Interview with Ben Wilder

What inspired you to write Big and Small, God Made Them All?
I tell you what, it was a long time coming because I actually had the title in mind years ago. But to go back to my childhood for a second, I've grown up with a love for the outdoors, for animals, the ocean, and nature in general. This environment we get to live in always astounded me, and as an adult now, it still does. So as is the case with any good art, whether it's music, paintings, drawings, literature, it points back to a talented and creative artist. That's what this book is about. The inspiration is the trees, the animals, the ocean, the wild nature that God designed, and it's pretty amazing!

When did you actually start writing your book?
I started writing this book in late summer 2015.

How long did it take to write your first draft?
It's a short book, but I'd say over the course of a couple weeks I had a good first draft going.

Who encouraged you along the way?
I didn't tell a lot of people about what I was up to specifically, but my family knew, so they were very encouraging. As the book progressed, a few close friends were cheering me on as well.

Prior to this picture book, what was your publishing and writing background?
My writing experience  is in television, actually. I started as a production assistant at CMT in 2006 and by the end of my time there I was an associate producer and writing scripts for a few of the highest rated shows on the network. I have always enjoyed writing in it's different forms, but this my first experience in the literary world.

Are you active with any children’s writers groups?
Not at the moment.

The publishing company, Driftwood Tree Press is your imprint, correct? What made you decide to start your own publishing company?
Yes, this is my imprint. The decision to start this publishing company came after hearing advice from people with more expertise than I have, and doing research about the best way to go when an author is self-publishing. The entire process was new to me, so I simply went with what most indie-publishers were doing, and trusting the advice I received.

Did you do your own formatting or did you hire someone?
I knew I needed a team of experts to help this book become a reality, so I hired a designer to come on board for the formatting, page layout, cover and back cover layout, etc.

What was that process like?
It was fun "drafting" a dream team for this project. I ended up hiring an illustrator, editor, and designer. I researched quite a bit for each. I came across a website (Reedsy.com) which is where I found my editor, and indirectly my designer. There's an gigantic world of talented people out there, so it can take some time to find the folks you like, but Reedsy definitely helped, and various professional websites with reviews, portfolios, etc were great to browse through.

Did you send your manuscripts out to other publishers or agents prior to that?
I was in touch with two other publishing companies that had imprints designed for new authors but just didn't feel comfortable going that route, so I decided to indie-publish. I wanted to have more control than I felt like those companies would allow.

I love the whimsy of your front cover. How did you go about finding an illustrator?
Childrensillustrators.com has a huge list of illustrators and after looking through quite a few portfolios, I still wasn't sure I found a match. I researched other sites, other artists, and traded emails with a few artists. But then going back to childrensillustrators.com I came across Laura Watson and that was all she wrote. I knew she was the exact artist I wanted.

What did you look for in an illustrator?
Detail. I wanted a strong attention to detail and the more portfolios I browsed, it really came down to the eyes. What I learned is that a lot of personality can be shown through the eyes of the characters or things being illustrated. Some artists had great illustrations, very talented people out there, for sure, but all the eyes in their creations were the same. In Laura's work, you can almost eliminate everything but the eyes and still know exactly what the emotion of the character is. 

To me, that was huge. For this book, I wanted each animal, whether it was a scary one (like an alligator) or a friendly one (penguin, or elephant, etc), to come across as kind and happy, showing lots of personality. They had to be somewhat realistic, but extremely cute.

Did she work strictly from your text or do you give her suggestions of how you want the story to be done?
The book text definitely lends itself to pretty specific images so I didn't give Laura many notes beyond that at first. I wanted her to have freedom to create without restrictions.

What made Laura Watson the right fit for you?
Her art was the perfect balance of whimsical, yet realistic, full of personality, cute, detailed, artistic without being abstract, and again... the eyes!

How many changes had to be made before you chose the illustrations you wanted? 

Not many changes in the illustrations. i think we went through a few rounds of revisions, but I'd say half of the artwork was approved on the first rough sketches I saw. We spent more time on the cover than any other illustration, because we knew how important it was to have a great cover.

What has frustrated you the most in putting together this book?
I think it was the "not knowing." As a first time author, and indie-publishing, there was (and is) so much I didn't know from book size, to types of paper, image bleed, when to publish, who to publish with, how many pages is ideal, color choices, etc. So many decisions to make!

What has pleasantly surprised you in the process?
Having a team that was as excited as I was to make the book. I know being hired as an artist, editor, or designer can be looked at as just another job, but they were so supportive, offering ideas and encouragement all along the way. It really was a dream team.

What do you know now about writing and publishing you wish you had learned sooner?
I'm not sure I have a good answer to this. I think the most important thing for anyone who wants to take this step of publishing their first book is to take the first step. Whatever that first step is for them. I believe I learned what I was supposed to learn at the time I was supposed to learn it. I will say this, I wish I would have taken the leap sooner. I had the title in my head for many months, but didn't act on it, and I wish I would've done that sooner.

What type of promotions have you done for this book?
I'm trying a lot of things, but it mostly comes down to social media. The majority of sales so far have come from connections on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Other promotions I've done are giveaways on Goodreads and Facebook, a tie-in with a children's organization in Nicaragua, and a couple of posts on blogs designed for parents. The book was published fairly recently, so I still have a few ideas for promoting it the rest of this year. I'd like to have a few book signings, more giveaways, and things like that.

What promotions have been the most successful?
I did a giveaway on Facebook recently and it seems to have drummed up quite a bit of chatter. As far as creating the most buzz, it was the book trailer. I posted this weeks before the book was published and it definitely helped create excitement about the book. I highly recommend book trailers for a new book coming out!

What’s the best writing tip you’ve learned or been given that you’d like to share?
My editor shared with me a line that I won't soon forget. We were going over what parts of the book were strong and others that weren't strong, and she said about a particular line, it might be time to "kill your darlings." The phrase (from William Faulkner, I believe) resonated with me, and will help me even in the future as I write.

What other works do you have in the process?
I have the idea for my second children's book. I'm super excited to get started on it. It's very early in the process, but I'm hoping it will be as fun to create as this first book was.

What message would you like parents and children to take away from your books?
I love animals, so I'm guessing any theme in the books I create will come from that love. But going a little deeper than that, I hope that parents and children will become more curious about the things I write and that will lead them to do research on their own about whatever the subject is. Especially for this first book of mine. 

It's a story about animals, but really it's a story about God and his love for us. He created so many amazing things in the world and more importantly, he created mankind and lets us enjoy all the other things he made. Seeing the diversity in nature, the detail and the way animals each have their quirks, reminds me how big God is and yet, he's in the details. I'd love for anyone who reads this book, whether they agree that God created these things or not, to at the very least become curious enough to wonder.

What future plans do you have for the publishing company?

More books!

Any last words or tips?
To the readers and the buyers of my book, whether you know it or not, I am YOUR #1 fan. Keep reading... and thank you! For anyone thinking about taking a step of faith in any endeavor, do it. There may be some downs with the ups, but I doubt you'll regret it.

I like that. Thank you for the interview. If you would like to know more about Ben and buy this book, here's the way to get started.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1JQpv10
Website: www.benjaminwilder.com