Going from Traditional Publishing to Indie Publishing: Author Interview with Tricia Gardella

You have a degree in Ancient History and Classical Archaeology which is far from writing contemporary stories for kids. What made you decide to start writing kids books?  

I didn’t start out to write picture books but one day one of my critique group pointed out that everything I wrote seemed to be targeted at seven-year-olds. And she was right. I often wonder if it’s because I have never quite grown up or because I’m fascinated by how and what young people choose  to absorb  when learning.

How long does it take you to complete a book? 

Depends. Some only take minutes. Some have taken years. One I have been working on in my head for more than thirty years and wonder if I will ever write it. And it’s probably the one I’ve always wanted to write the most. One of these days I’m just going to have to admit it doesn’t fit my genre. Then, maybe, it will get written.

I always do a rough draft. My favorite part of writing is revising, which I seem to do until the minute the book is published. But I’ve had a couple books that worked just right from the beginning and maybe took a half hour to write. There are not very many words in a good picture book but they need to be the right words.
 

You publish as an indie author. Did you personally design the full book, or did you have assistance from others? 
I'm not the usual indie picture book author. I’ve been writing for more than 35 years. I began with traditional publishers in the 90s then, beginning in 2000, I took a 20-year sabbatical. By the time I had enough of my ice cream parlor/gift shop, I thought I was too old for publishing as it had taken five years between books in the 90s and I wondered how many five years I had left? Then I discovered and fell in love with indie. I love the control. I don’t love that all the marketing falls on my shoulders. But I do love a challenge and feel determined to figure it out. Imagine how good that will feel. Anyway, that’s what I keep telling myself.

How have you found your illustrators?

I might be in ‘control.’ but I knew from the get-go that I would need help. I love choosing my illustrators. It’s hard to explain, but I get a feeling from the start if I’m going to be able to work with them. So far, so good -- except for two cases early on. So far, I’ve worked with ten illustrators, several more than once, and have been thrilled that our visions for the book match—only better. Micro-managing is the worst thing you can do. But if there is something that you question, or doesn’t work for you, say something!! You are the publisher.

My illustrators usually do my cover designs and I like to have them done early on so they can be up on KDP while we are working on the book. Not all covers have stayed exactly the same but so far I like how this is working.

I also have a book designer. They edit, ‘map’ some of my books, and publish them. I have no idea if I am doing things right but publishing my paperback and hardback with IngramSpark and my ebook with KDP exclusive works the best. It took me a while to figure out why anyone would do a picture book as an ebook but it sure comes in handy for reviews etc.

How did you find those people to help you? 
I found ‘my people’ on the internet. When COVID first put us in lockdown, I couldn’t travel so I wrote a memoir. The Quest came out August of 22. My first indie book. And I made a very smart move. I hired an editor from Reedsy who impressed me with her background.What I loved most was that she lived in Bend, Oregon. Sort of rural, I thought. And I live on a ranch so I felt I had found a soulmate. And along the way, she mentioned that she was married to a book designer. Once again I had fallen into something just right.
 

What was the hardest part of putting together your books?
Putting together my books is the easy part. The difficult part is learning how to market. Unknown indie publishers may as well be throwing a cup of water into the ocean. Who is going to notice unless there is something special about (or in) that cup of water? There are so many books on Amazon. Unless you have the correct spelling of the author's name or book title you are seeking, it may be difficult to find it with all the other competing books. Eventually you might get there. But how many people are going to spend the time searching when they come across so many others on the same subject?
 
What do you know now about publishing you wished you had known sooner?
I wish I knew better early on where to look for help. There are a zillion authors out there who may have had a bit of success giving gullible first-timers the impression they are experts and you should buy their books or services. But be choosy about what you follow and be careful who you hire. There are organizations like ALLI that are very helpful though they have been slow to get into children’s writing. But they vet everything and are worth their tuition.
That’s another thing to keep in mind. Historically, writers for children have been at the bottom of the pile and I don’t get it. If children don’t appreciate good books when they are young, how much are they going to read when they get older? This is something that has bugged me for years.
 

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
Try to find a writers critique group in your genre or put one together. I live on a ranch in a rural area and have few of the benefits urban writers have. But one of the best things that every happened to me was discovering SCBWI. Each year I attended their annual conference in Los Angeles. I knew no one when I walked in the door, yet I knew this is where I belonged. It was through SCBWI that I met my "Write Sisters," all beginners. I remember sitting in the audience with them and listening to impressive speakers. 

We giggled like school kids thinking that one day we would be one of the speakers.  For more than ten years we gathered at Ann Paul’s home for pre-conference critiquing. My "Write Sisters" include Ann Paul, Kirby Larson, Mary Nethery, Dian Curtis Regan, Vivian Sathre and Helen Ketteman. Many are award-winners and sought after speakers to this day. They are all traditionally published. But they have always accepted me as the odd-(wo)man-out. Bless their hearts.

 
Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?
I thank you for the chance to talk about something that has bugged even before I began indie-publishing. So many people think it’s enough to have an idea. Picture books are a product. A work of art.  Every single thing you publish needs to be the best it can be and I read book after book that might be cute, or whatever, if only it had been done right. 

I know all writers have heard “show, don’t tell.” Showing whenever possible is especially important in picture books. It's about action, conflict, resolution. And I can’t believe all the author explanations I’m seeing before the book is even read. Nothing turns a child, or a parent, or a teacher off faster than being  told what the book is about before they even read it. Your words, your illustrations, if done well, should be able to do that job. Author notes at the end of a book often work fine. People do like to know why and how.

Don't forget to edit. When lots of errors show up, it makes the book seem unprofessional. But even if you edit, you can still miss something. I know how easy it is to miss somethingtthat from my own experience. One day my daughter came in and said, “I was reading Frogs Go Diving for the hundredth time to the grandkids. Did you know there’s an extra "t" in the frogs go diving eight by eight.”  

I’d missed it. My editor missed it. My daughter missed it in her many readings. Here’s the wonderful thing about POD. I contacted my illustrator who also published that book and by the next morning the problem was resolved. I had no idea that could be done. Couldn’t happen with traditional. If anyone complains, I can replace their book.

 

What is the next book coming out? Can you give me some details? 
My newest release is Where’s Gramma?  This book was originally written when I only had four grandsons. Now I have six grandsons and one granddaughter who are currently in their late twenties. How could that have happened?

Where’s Gramma? Is part of my Gran Collection. I’m publishing a book specific to each of my grand children and great grandchildren.  And I have four more books due out before Christmas. We’ll see if I succeed.  

I've just started an online store.  advise everyone to get their website up early in their journey. It’s your gathering place. It’s your ‘bragging place.’  I wish I had put mine up earlier.

That's all for today's interview. If you'd like to learn more about Tricia's books, here are some links to get you started.

Website: www.triciagardella.com. 

Online store: shop.triciagardella.com 
Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Tricia-Gardella/author/B0B75M3PSG

And here's a special tip for my readers... Subscribe to her newsletter on her website and you'll get free activity sheets for kids and you'll get updates on when she's posting a "free" day for one of her books, if you're not part of kindle unlimited.

Writing is the Easy Part: Author Interview with Jon Oregon

What made you decide to start writing picture books? How long did it take for you to complete your first book? How many rewrites did you do? 

I started to write for my two daughters, so I can leave a written legacy. My first book took 1 month to write, it was a short story but I did 5 rewrites with the advice from my editors.

How did you go about finding an illustrator?

Unfortunately as an indie-author money is hard, so I had to use my photography and design skills to create my own covers. I wish I could spend money on a professional cover design, but I can't, the editing took my cash.

What was the hardest part of putting together your books?

Editing. Implementing structural edits is such hard work. You really have to think how to implement the advice without interrupting your creative pursuits. I spent 2 weeks implementing these editorial changes.

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had from readers?

One lady sent me an email on Librarythings and told me how she loved my book. That meant so much. She reached out to me, made an effort, and left me a great review. She told me how her kids loved the book, and this is priceless for me. My story worked!

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?

Well, sales are hard for me to be honest. My marketing skills are weak, however BookFunnel is amazing for building up my newsletter, which helps me contact more readers.

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

It's hard work, really hard work! Marketing, I wish I had studied marketing, especially in today's internet based economy. Writing is fun and creative, marketing is essential yet hard work! They both go together as the many hats I must wear.

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

Never stop writing. Sales mean little, no really. Creatives don't care, they live to create. Just never stop writing and never try. Just do. Just write. There is no try.

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

Writing is a real buzz for me. Words turn into magic, we create scenes and drama, magic and mystery, like wizards and magicians - words are our power and tools.

What is the next book coming out. Can you give me some details?

I have a new book soon to be released called "Ka the Fearless Caveboy", it's about a cave boy who loses his tribe after a huge event and must become a man in the wilderness. A secret reveal now just for your readers, he meets a sabre-tooth tiger and they help rescue his tribe after a cataclysmic event! Ka the Fearless Caveboy is not ready yet. August first is the unofficial release date. 

That's all for today's interview. To learn more about Jon's books, here's his Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jon-Oregon/author/B0BYFYRD8S

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 Roland Finds a Magic Stone eBook. So do that now. It can be as simple as I want to be in the giveaway. We'll chose a winner next Tuesday!

Writing for Different Genres: Author Interview with Erin Greneaux

Your books have pictures but they're not picture books. They're longer, but they're not a middle grade novel. What made you decide to write in this middle ground? 
My daughters are 2, 4, and 6 years old. As they got older, I noticed that they were ready for more than picture books, but would get distracted during chapter books because of the few illustrations. That's when I decided to write short chapter books packed with meaning that also have full-color illustrations on every page spread. My girls love the story and illustrations. They are easy to break up and read one or two chapters at a time for my younger daughter or read all in one sitting with my older daughter. 

How many rewrites did you do for your series? 

The series currently has two books, but there will be eight in all once completed. The first book I wrote for the series, I ended up tossing entirely and starting over. The new version of book 1 had three major edits. From the beginning idea to the completed project, the first book took 14 months to complete, including illustrations, which took 6 months. I am an active member in hope*writers and love the writing community that I have discovered there. Those authors are a wealth of information and encouragement as well as great critique partners.

 
Your books are written in both English and Spanish. How did you go about putting together a second translation? Are you or a family member bilingual?
I have a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish, and have always loved Latin American culture and language. I have a group of ladies at my church who have volunteered to translate the books in this series into Spanish because they believe in the message these books provide for girls. I am so blessed to have them!
 

How did you go about finding an illustrator?
I first discovered my illustrator when a friend of mine posted a painting that a friend of hers had made for her birthday. When I saw the painting, I knew I wanted that artist to be the illustrator on my project. We have worked together on several projects now, and she is amazing! I love how her artistic ability brings the story to life. She is originally from Ukraine, a talented self-taught artist, and works as an architect in Dallas.
 
What was the hardest part of putting together your books?
The hardest part is waiting for the illustrations. I get so excited when the story is finished, but have to wait to share it until the illustrations are complete. And I can't wait to see the artwork, either. It's like waiting for Christmas morning, and every time a new illustration is finished, it's like opening a present!
 
You also wrote a book about a topic that's very personal to you. It's one that deals with miscarriage and infertility. What made you want to open yourself up to write such a personal book?
I wrote the book that I wish I had when going through my miscarriage and infertility. I share the depths of grief and loss in a very personal way in that book to help others know that they aren't alone. But at the same time, I want them to know that this loss is not the end of their story, and that God can bring something beautiful from the darkest of seasons and losses. I hear from so many women about the healing they have found in the pages of that book, and that makes the raw, vulnerable parts of writing worthwhile.
 

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had from readers?
When the first book in this series was only available for preorder, I had shipped out my website orders a little early as a perk. That week at a library storytime, I saw a little girl wearing the necklace that goes with the book (it matches the one that the characters wear). My daughter saw it and went up to the girl and said, "My mommy wrote the book that goes with that necklace." The little girl grabbed her gold feather pendant and said, "This is my Gold Feather Gardener necklace! It means that I belong in the Enchanted Garden!" I had designed the necklace to hold a special symbolism of joining the family of God, but to see a child understand and embrace it so completely was a beautiful moment! 
 
What do you know now about publishing you wished you had known sooner?
It takes a long time to gain an audience and traction. It takes an incredible amount of work to market a book and get it into the hands of readers. Writing a book is the easiest step in the process, and it is only the beginning. If I did it for any reason other than an absolute love of writing hope filled words for others, it wouldn't be worth it.
 
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?
Word of mouth is always the best marketing. Finding true fans who see the vision for the books, fall in love with them, and share them with others is the key. I spend more time and resources engaging with one person at a time than I do with ads or social media. 
 

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
I have broken most of the writing rules. I don't "stay in my lane" but write in multiple genres for different audiences. I pour my heart into some projects that I know I'll only break even on. My advice is to write the message that is burning inside you, the one that keeps you awake at night until you pour the words onto the page. If you write that message, the marketing struggles and feedback ups and downs will never cause you to quit. 
 
Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?
Writing is such a gift! I am constantly humbled that I get to do this, that God continues to give me words to share, and that I have incredible people to work with along the way. It is truly a blessing!
 
Tell me about your latest book
I just released two books last month- the first was a devotional, Sunday God Meets Monday Mom: 100 Devotions Connecting Faith and Life. The second was Book 2 in The Gold Feather Gardeners series, The Quill's Secret. It helps kids discover the true power of words to build up or destroy in a way that they can understand and apply. 

Book 3 in the series is in the illustration phase right now and releases in November 2023. It covers humility, and helps children understand the value of putting others ahead of yourself, as well as using gifts and talents to glorify God rather than ourselves. 

That's all for today's interview. If you'd like to learn more about Erin's books, here's how to do that...
Website: https://www.greneauxgardens.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greneauxgardens
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eringreneaux/
Weekly Devotional for Moms: https://eringreneaux.substack.com/

 

And here's a bonus for my readers...Leave a comment on this post and you'll be entered into a drawing to win a PDF of her latest devotional, Sunday God Meets Monday Mom: One winner will be chosen next Tuesday. So write that comment now!

Around the Web: Best Posts on Writing I've Discovered This Week

I subscribe to and follow several authors, blogs, and writing sources throughout the week.

Each Friday, I include links to FIVE sources to improve your writing that I found useful.

Here are my offerings for this week. Hope they inspire you to start writing and continue writing!

This is a great breakdown of analysing your writing and improve your rewrites.

https://blog.bookbaby.com/how-to-write/good-writing-habits/revise-your-writing

Here's a good breakdown of a conference and the great keynote speaker.

https://killzoneblog.com/2022/06/library-events-longmire-and-craig-johnson.html

If you write books for children, here's a great free webinar to attend TODAY!

https://childrensbookmastery.com/book-lauch-workshop/

Here's the current callout for submissions to Chicken Soup for the Soul. See if one of them fits something you have in your writing treasure chest!

https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics/

This is the key to starting your book in the right part of your storyline. 

https://jerryjenkins.com/inciting-incident/

Around the Web: Best Posts on Writing I've Discovered This Week

 

I subscribe to and follow several authors, blogs, and writing sources throughout the week.

Each Friday, I include links to FIVE sources to improve your writing that I found useful.

Here are my offerings for this week. Hope they inspire you to start writing and continue writing!

Love the examples she gives for misleading your reader with your opening lines that misdirect the reader as to your story's plot. Oops! I just did one of these with a kids story. I will rework as suggested. Read on and see if you agree.  https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/most-common-mistakes-series-is-your/

You've probably heard an actor say, "What's my motivation?" This post reminds you of how to make sure you can answer that questions for your story characters. https://www.livewritethrive.com/2021/08/30/crafting-great-characters-starts-and-ends-with-motivation/

Need some ideas for giveaway swag for your reader tribe? Check out this post. https://seekerville.blogspot.com/2022/05/five-tips-for-choosing-great-swag-with.html

Here's a fun quiz to see if you can pick out the writing errors. https://kathysteinemann.com/Musings/redundancy-quiz-22/

If you write for kids or enjoy learning about new books, this is a blog you need to follow.  https://taralazar.com/2022/05/03/my-hands-make-the-world/

Getting Past the Imposter Syndrome: Author Interview with Melody Pendlebury

What made you decide to write books for children?

I started out my writing career with picture books centered around my corgi Gatsby. I am a teacher and have been teaching the same class for the last five years. When they were in first grade I decided to write a book so I could bring the stories I told them to life. Although I still write picture books (with one release at the end of September), I have focused my passion on writing middle-grade/teen novels. This has always been my favorite genre to read and I still believe at the heart of it, that I am writing for my now growing and maturing students. A Girl Called Ruthless is my first middle-grade/teen novel but I am currently in the process of writing another one.

When did you actually start writing your first book? Where do you draw inspiration?
I started writing my first book ever, The Prince and the Pupper, sometime in early 2018. My first novel, A Girl Called Ruthless, began in July 2020. My early picture books are all inspired by my corgi Gatsby and a modern take on fairy tales. A Girl Called Ruthless is inspired by the fiery kids that I teach and some of my favorite movies. I was largely inspired by movies like Jojo Rabbit and Moonrise Kingdom.

Your books are indie-published. How did you go about finding an illustrator for your picture books? How much of the publishing do you do yourself?
All my picture books are independently published. I have an illustrator that I used for all of my children's books. I found Winda through a freelance illustrator site. I design my own cover with the illustrations from my illustrator. I also format my self-published manuscripts myself.

My latest novel, A Girl Called Ruthless, is published by Darkstroke Publishing. For that book, my publisher had a cover designer in-house that designed my cover. I got a lot of say in my vision for my cover and I think that they executed it perfectly.

 
What’s the hardest part for you in publishing and marketing your own books?  
I have very different experiences with traditional and self-publishing. For me, marketing is probably the easiest and most fun part. Even with traditionally published books, there is still a bit of marketing that falls on the shoulders of the author. I like being able to interact with readers and create content for them, but I do find that it is sometimes difficult to find the time.

The hardest part of both my self-publishing and traditional publishing experience would have to be imposter syndrome. With self-publishing, you are working on your own so sometimes you doubt if you are doing the right thing. With traditional publishing, the querying process can be brutal and full of letdowns. I thought if I just had a publisher say yes to me I would feel completely confident in my abilities, but I still find myself doubting myself. I think imposter syndrome is just a part of the work of being an author. It takes making connections with other authors to really overcome it.

What is the hardest part of writing for you? 
The hardest part of writing for me is staying consistent in my writing routine. Writing comes pretty naturally for me and I do not have to plan much with the plot or my characters. Starting is probably the easiest part. I like to write quickly and then spend the time I need on edits and working with critique partners. I also give myself deadlines so I can help myself stay on track. But sometimes it seems that although I love writing, it's the hardest thing for me to make myself do.

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?
Having people read your work is scary, especially when it's the first few people reading it. One of my beta readers told me she read the book three times in two weeks. When I was on submission for my novel, I kept thinking about this whenever I felt my confidence dwindle.

We have all experienced writer's rejection. How have you learned to write past it?
Yes, I have experienced rejection. When I was out on submissions I had eight publishers and agents read my sample package and request to read my full. I was so sure that once someone read the book, they would love it and say yes, but that was not the case. The few rejections that I received were super nice and helpful, but they still hurt. It was hard to keep pushing forward after the first rejection, but I know that I didn't have another choice. I might as well keep trying to publish my book while I wrote my next one. I am so glad I had this mentality because it ultimately landed me a publishing deal.

What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner?
I wish I knew how fast everything happens and to really focus on enjoying the moments. Once I got my book deal, I immediately started thinking of how I could make this book the most successful it could be. I barely took a second to wallow in my joy and I wish I took more time for that. I think that was the case for the entire writing process as well. Once I finished the first draft of my book, I was so focused on working on the second draft. Ultimately it was good because it got me to where I am now, but I hope on my next books I can enjoy more of the process.

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
Everyone writes differently and has more or less success with different practices. For me, what works best is writing quickly. I get distracted and discouraged easily so I don't allow myself to overthink it. I get the story out how it comes out, and then I worry about perfecting later. I always like to say, "You can edit bad writing, but you can't edit nothing."

Tell me about “Publishing Room,” your publishing company? How does it work? 
Since I have had so much success with self-publishing, I wanted to be able to help others do the same. I created The Publishing Room to help authors accomplish their writing dream. We have created an easily digestible self-publishing course so authors can learn the entire process of self-publishing in a manageable and cost-effective way. We also have different services to help authors who either do not have the time or the capability to self-publish the book themselves. We have helped authors find illustrators, cover design, manuscript format, and market their books.

In the future, I would love to offer writing boot camps so authors can pump out their books in a reasonable amount of time. I would also like to make other courses such as helping authors who are trying to navigate traditional publishing.

What is the next book coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis?
A Girl Called Ruthless was released August 21st and is available wherever you buy books. Eleven-year-old Ruthless will do whatever it takes to live up to her name. Slaughtering pirates, running an underground gambling operation, and intercepting Russian spies are just a few examples.

In true Ruthless fashion, she claims the title of student body president, but her aspirations are cut short after getting in trouble. Not letting that stand in her way, she runs for Mayor with the help of her incredibly strong best friend, Owen. Her town of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has no age requirement to run for the post. The chances of a child winning are slim, to say the least, so Ruthless and Owen disguise themselves as an adult with the good old ‘two kids in a trench coat’ ruse.

This seemingly harmless scheme has grave consequences that invite the turmoil of her mother’s past back to haunt her. When the dangers of the adult world come crashing down on Ruthless, she must learn how to live with her new reality, and ultimately use it to turn her life into a success story – and live up to her name.

I have co-authored a book with Amanda Young called Jumo the Unicorn and this book will be published on September 30th. Jumo is an ordinary rhino who lives at the zoo with all of his animal friends and his human friend, Manda, the Trainer. Manda is a magical animal trainer with the ability to talk to animals. Jumo doesn’t always feel ordinary and one day decides he feels like a Unicorn. With the help of his friends, Jumo learns to accept the way he feels even if everyone doesn’t agree with it at first.

I am currently writing a book titled, A Story Unfinished. Twelve-year-old Rose has never quite fit in. She has a hard time relating to others and is constantly writing in her journal. Although Rose is a talented writer she has never been able to finish a story because of her low self-esteem in her abilities. She is going through a hard time at home as her parents are splitting up and her father is becoming more distant.

During a horrible day at school, she notices a strange creature hopping into a forest nearby. She follows the creature and finds that there in the forest, are all of the characters she has ever written about.

Rose must now find a way to get her characters back to their stories or face grave consequences for her characters and herself. She must learn to believe in herself, finish her stories, and discover that her emotions are not the enemy.

There you have it - several books to choose from. If you'd like to learn more about Melody's writing, here are some links to get you started.

https://www.melodypendlebury.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Melody-A-Pendlebury/e/B0875YMP7X?

https://www.goodreads.com/melodypendlebury