Six Questions with A.M. Torres

Happy Saturday to everyone! I sent The Forgotten Ones to be formatted yesterday, so it really won't be long now. Can't wait until I can release my baby into the world!

Today's guest for Six Question Saturday is author A.M. Torres. Welcome to Finding Bliss A.M.


What inspired you to write your first book?

I have always loved writing ever since I was a child and received my first diary for my tenth birthday. There haven't been too many times I haven't been writing, and I have always enjoyed it. I enjoy reading too, and the more novels I read the more I knew that I wanted to write a novel myself one that readers would enjoy.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

I would consider V.C Andrews as a mentor. Her first novel Flowers in the Attic was definitely an inspiration to me. I loved the suspense of the story, and the way I couldn't put it down. I based my novel Love Child on this same kind of suspense writing. I loved having the chance to

What was your editing process?

I handled a lot of my own editing. I read and re-read my manuscript like three times, before I submitted it for publication.

How do you promote your work?

I used different ways to promote. I used social media, handed out sales sheets,and have given interviews on blogradio and blogs. I am in the process of planning my first book signing, and hope I can plan many in the future. I am also in the process of working on a virtual book tour as well in hopes that this will increase exposure. I once did an interview for a writers podcast as well. I have found word of mouth to be very helpful.

How do you stay in touch with your readers?

I have held Q & A sessions to keep in touch with my readers. I have also used social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and email to keep in touch with them. On Facebook I have pages and groups related to the book and me as the author so this has helped us keep in touch a lot. I do enjoy keeping in touch with my readers.

What would you do differently if you could start all over again?

I don't think there would be too much I would do different if I had to do it over again except become published sooner, years sooner. However, I have always loved writing, so I have nothing I would change in that regard. I would probably also edit more as well since a writer can never seem to do enough editing. But I am happy to have pursued it and have no regrets in getting published overall. It was my dream come true.

Six Questions with Lauren Clark

It's another super-awesome Six Question Saturday here at Finding Bliss! I've just completed my line-edits on The Forgotten Ones last night, so today I'll be poring over each line, making sure I didn't miss anything. We're getting closer my friends! 

For your reading pleasure today I've invited one of my favorite ladies in the world, Lauren Clark, back on for the FOURTH time!

What is your method of plotting out a new story?

Plotting a new story is one of my favorite parts of crafting a book! It's a time when all ideas are new and fresh, when possibilities seem endless, and my brain goes ninety-to-nothing coming up with new characters, twists, and cliffhangers.

I always begin with a question, an idea that has lots of room to build on. I developed the idea for Stay Tuned after hearing a true story about a fistfight between two news anchors in a local television station parking lot. Both were fired, and the incident stirred up controversy for months. It was the perfect kick-start for Stay Tuned.

For Dancing Naked in Dixie, I'm a Northern girl in the Deep South, so I wanted to follow the journey of a travel writer from the Big Apple to small-town Alabama. I kept hearing about a nearby town that hosted a "Pilgrimage" every April. The event involves tours of antebellum mansions, period costume from the 1800's, music, and historic landmarks. Once I visited Eufaula, I fell in love with the area's charm and beauty. It was the perfect location for Dixie.

Once I have my story idea, I begin crafting the novel's summary or "blurb" which serves as the basis for the plot. The blurb is a super-quick explanation of why people should read the story. You might also hear authors refer to the "blurb" as an elevator pitch. It's called an elevator pitch because authors have 30 seconds or less to capture a potential reader's attention ... about the time it takes to travel a few floors on an elevator.

Once the blurb or elevator pitch is revised and polished to perfection, I begin more extensive character development and plotting. I've tried everything from typing extensive outlines on my Mac to using plotting software programs, but the method that works best for me is jotting down my chapter ideas and character details on plain 3x5 notecards. It's inexpensive, I can carry the notecards with me, re-arrange, and replace them. The notecards, once in the right order, become my rough outline. I start writing from there.

What is your editing process?

Generally, I write a novel from start to finish, and do very little revising until I get the entire first draft finished. I've found that—for me—it's too easy to get caught up revising a sentence, chapter, or a certain scene over and over.

Once the first draft of the manuscript is complete, I ship it off to my editor and beta readers who give me very honest and constructive criticism. With that feedback, I spend at least another month or two revising the novel. I'm very careful to listen to my editor and beta readers—for example—if most of them say a certain character isn't likeable or a plot point isn't working, I PAY ATTENTION! As difficult as it is to "kill your darlings," with every novel, it becomes easier to cut a chapter, eliminate awkward dialogue, or delete a scene.

Once these edits are finished, I read through the entire manuscript several more times, looking for inconsistencies and discrepancies. I tweak, revise, and tweak some more. When I'm happy with the novel, I send it off to be professionally proofread.

It's a long, time-consuming process, but one that can't be rushed. I'm a firm believer in taking the time to get the manuscript as close to perfect as it can be before publishing it. I also like to add extras like a Readers Guide or recipes. If readers are going to spend hard-earned money on my book, I want them to get MORE than their money's worth.

When you published your first book, how did you spread the word?

I was fortunate enough to be able to hire a publicity firm to help spread the word about Stay Tuned. Since I was totally new to indie publishing, we had to start from scratch—getting help creating a website, a blog, a Twitter account, a GoodReads profile, and a Facebook page. The publicity firm also set up a "whirlwind blog tour," which really helped publicize my novel. Over the course of several weeks, Stay Tuned was featured on more than sixty blogs and received more than 50 reviews on Amazon, BN.com, and GoodReads.

Taking advantage of advertising sponsorship opportunities on sites like Kindle Nation Daily, Digital Book Today, The Cheap, Kindle Book Review, and EReader News Today definitely helped spread the word about Stay Tuned. I also ran giveaways on GoodReads, LibraryThing, and my blog. Along the way, I entered several contests and received additional publicity for my novels when I placed in several competitions, including the WritersType First Chapter contest, Faulkner Wisdom, and the Eric Hoffer Book Awards.

What has worked the best for you as far as finding the right readers for your books?

I've been very lucky to have worked with many very talented blog tour coordinators who've helped spread the word about my novels. I can't say enough about Goddess Fish, ABG Reads, Chick Lit Plus, ATOMR, and Bewitching Book Tours. There are so many very talented blog tour coordinators out there—and that expertise can really boost awareness about your books!

How do you keep in touch with your readers?

I blog at least twice a week, post on Facebook, Tweet, and email. I like to also post photos and little notes about my family and what activities I'm involved in so that people have a sense of how I am as a mom and everyday gal.

I'm also active on GoodReads and LibraryThing, where I've connected with SO MANY fabulous readers. I've been fortunate enough to speak at writing events in Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, and New York.

I've also been (yay!) invited to talk to book clubs in the region who've chosen to read Stay Tuned or Dancing Naked in Dixie. I've just returned from the Eufaula Pilgrimage (the setting for Dixie) where I did a book signing, and I'll be giving a talk about Indie Publishing Success at the Alabama Book Festival in Montgomery April 20th.

What would the one thing you'd change about your road to publication if you had a chance?

Like many authors, I craved the idea of having a fabulous, talented agent to represent my novels and a big publishing company to back my books. For two years, back in 2008-2009, I worked really hard at sending out query letters (probably 50-60) to land an agent for Stay Tuned. I received many, many rejection letters, but a few came back with short notes of encouragement—basically to keep writing, that the agent just didn't love the story enough, or to resubmit after I'd revised. I did receive an offer from a small publishing company, but the contract was so terrible that an attorney friend of mine advised me NOT to sign it!

If I'd had a crystal ball, I would have begun learning about Indie Publishing a lot sooner. Indie Publishing has been a fabulous experience, I've learned so much, and made long-lasting, meaningful friendships with readers and other authors.

I am so grateful for the many people who have embraced my books and been kind enough to write reviews, drop me a line, say hello at an event, and encourage me to KEEP WRITING! I can tell you for sure that it's the best feeling in the world to have someone walk up at a book signing and tell you that he or she LOVED my book!

I want to know what you think, readers -- would you rather sign with a small publisher

 just to have a publisher or go on your own and self-publish?

Book Release: Destiny Gift by Juliana Haygert

Destiny Gift

Author: Juliana Haygert

Genre: New Adult Paranormal

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * Smashwords

Thirty years in the future, a sinister New York City exists in permanent darkness.

A student at the secured NYU, nineteen-year-old Nadine has visions of Victor Gianni, an imaginary guy she has real feelings for. Afraid of being truly insane, she explains the visions away as simple daydreams, but she can no longer deny them when she bumps into Victor in real life. But this Victor doesn’t know her, and turns her away. After the encounter, Nadine’s visions change to those of eerie fates, gods she’s never heard of, demons with sharp claws they are not too timid to use … and instructions.

To discover if she’s losing her mind, Nadine follows the vague directions—with the real, rude and reluctant Victor—leading to a man who knows it all: Nadine can restore an ancient creed by unveiling the clues on her visions, and bring sunlight and peace to the world again. But that’s only if the demons and the other evil forces behind the darkness don’t stop her first.

Six Questions with Suzan Tisdale

Is it really Saturday again? Time flies when you're in the trenches of editing!

Today I have a dear friend here to share her story on Six Questions! Welcome Suzan Tisdale! 




Is there a certain book or author that inspired you to write? 

I've been writing since I was a little girl. But in the past couple of years, I discovered some great authors thanks to my Kindle. ;o) Those women who inspired me to actually write and publish in the historical fiction genre are Carmen Caine and Laurin Wittig. I LOVE their writing style, their voices, and their stories. I probably wouldn't be publishing my books today if it weren't for them.

Do you plan out your novel or just fly by the seat of your pants? 

I'm a pantster! I couldn't use an outline to save my soul. For me, it is too constricting. I do have a general idea where I want each story to go, but generally, I let my characters tell the story. I'm just their stenographer. I do admire those well organized authors tho! I keep little notes on colored note cards. I have a bulletin board above my desk where I have little reminders (such as touch, feel, taste, hear, see, don't use same phrases repeatedly, time, white space...little things to help me stay on track). I have my list of characters and what they look like and what clan they might belong to. But as far as planning it all out before I write it? No, I don't do that.

What is your editing process and have you hired a professional editor? 

With my first novel, Laiden's Daughter, I wrote it one or two chapters at a time and sent it to a friend to look over. I didn't have a professional editor then. Honestly, I wrote it as a gift to my mother. My plan was to write it, upload it to a Kindle and give it to her as a gift. I had no intentions of it ever selling more than ten copies. I never, ever expected it to do as well as it has. And I certainly never expected to sell more than 45,000 copies around the world! This has been a mind blowing experience.

I do have a professional editor now. She has 30+ years experience, is retired, and works only for me. She was a tremendous help with my second book, Findley's Lass and of course, she also worked with me on Wee William's Woman. I won't publish a book without her help ever again. ;o)

Now, I write the entire book first, then send it to my editor. I used to try to edit each chapter as I wrote and it took forever. Now, I just write the book, let the story go where it wants to. When I'm done, I email it to Judy for her input and beautiful editing skills. I'll also send copies to my beta readers for their input. Then it is a few weeks or more of back and forth emails between Judy and myself. I'm still editing up until the last minute! ;o) I wish I had done that with my first book, but again, I didn't know what the heck I was doing then!

Did you query agents or publishers before you first self-published?

Nope. Not a one. I tried to write a query letter after I wrote Laiden's Daughter and saw how well she was doing. But it gave me a headache and caused my lower intestines to seize whenever I tried to make the query letter perfect. Then when I learned what I'd be giving up if I did have a traditional publisher, I decided that it simply wasn't for me. I like being independent. I like being the boss.

How do you feel about exclusivity programs like KDP Select?

I love KDP Select!!! I have tried selling my books at B&N, Apple, & Smashwords, but quite frankly, none of those places treat indie authors as well as KDP does. The numbers don't lie. To prove to my husband that my theory was correct, I did an experiment last summer, with Laiden's Daughter. I removed her from KDP select and uploaded her everywhere I could possibly think of -- B&N, Smashwords, Apple, Kobo, everywhere. I did that for two months. With Amazon, I sold around 10,000 copies of Laiden's Daughter in those two months. At the other places? A grand total of NINE copies. That is NINE copies total in two months at all the other places. Needless to say, I removed her from those other places and put her back in KDP Select where she belongs. All my books are KDP Select books. They're also available in paperback.

With KDP Select, I get paid for those books that are borrowed by PRIME members. On average, about 300 copies a month of each of my books are borrowed through KDP. I get $2.17 per loan. You do the math.

At the other places, it was very difficult to get any help with formatting or any questions I may have had. And trying to get a book uploaded to Apple? I refer to it as the Gauntlet of Death. There is nothing easy about it. KDP is just so simple and the other authors at the community boards are a tremendous help too!

I have a KDP liaison who is always there to answer questions, to offer advice, and to help. Chris is just an outstanding young man and I can't thank him enough for reaching out to me.

What lesson have you learned along the way that you hope others could avoid? 

Wow...I've learned so much! When I started, I didn't have a clue what I was doing. I would say that you need to take your time, learn to breathe, learn to step away when necessary. Write passionately, from your heart, with fervor and zeal. Your heart will never let you down. And for heaven's sake get an editor! ;o) I made that mistake and won't do it again. 

What about YOU -- Do you plan out your novel or just fly by the seat of your pants?

Seven Tips for Self-Publishing Success

Please welcome author Holly Stephens to Finding Bliss today! Holly is on tour for her novel Second Rate Chance and is sharing her Tips for Self-Publishing Success!

Self-publishing is a rocky road that some of us as authors choose to take. Whether for one reason or another, we've decided that self-publishing is the best fit for us. 

Here are my tips if you are considering venturing into the crazy self-publishing zone.

• Make a friend. Hell, make lots of friends. Those that have been down this road and those that are new like you. You’re going to need these people when you feel like banging your head against your keyboard because the formatting is screwy for the eleven-billionth time.

• Give yourself plenty of time to prepare. You've written your book, but that’s only the beginning. To be honest, that’s the easy part. Even editing is easier (and every author groans when they have to go through red marks on their beloved manuscript).

• Social media. Yes, we all dread Facebook because our mothers say inappropriate things, or friends from high school want to tag you in pictures when you didn’t own a flat iron. But if you want to connect with your fan base, then Facebook and Twitter are your outlets. 

• Breathe. Self-publishing is not easy. I think a lot of people have the misconception that it is. Just upload and BOOM you’re done. Not so. It takes a lot of hard work. In my case a lot of tears, but then end result was worth it. Just don’t forget to breathe. 

• Document the steps you take and when you took them. That way when you’re ready to publish book 2, you have an idea of what you need to do and when.

• One word: bloggers. They are your friends. Love them.

• Research “how to” guides. Chat with others on message boards. We’re all learning and we’re all in this together. You may be able to help them out of a jam and vice versa. Then guess what? You’ve got a friend! (see #1)

There is so much more that could be said for self publishing. We’ve all been there. We’ve all decided to take this road only to doubt ourselves when the road turned to dirt and it started raining. It’s okay.

It’s not the end of the world. And the self-published authors you talk to will all tell you different stories. Everyone has something to offer. And maybe soon you will too.

If this is the avenue you've decided to take, then I welcome you. Get ready to work hard for your money.

So hard for it honey. ;)

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Six Questions with Laury Falter

Good morning and welcome to another super awesome week of Six Question Saturday!

Please help me welcome author Laury Falter, author of YA paranormal romance and urban fantasy. 





Was there a certain book or author that inspired you to write?

Gosh no. I'd been writing my entire life, never really showing my work to anyone (with the exception of a children's pirate book I wrote that Scholastic took a serious look at before deciding against publishing it), and then I showed my sister, Babs, the first few chapters of Fallen. She wrote back in big caps SEND ME MORE. So truly Babs was my inspiration. Every chapter I sent her, she kept pushing me for the next one. Like an addict, but in a good way. :)

Do you plan out your novel or just fly by the seat of your pants?


You know I once read an interview by another author who said that there are two types of writers: architects who build the story from an outline and gardeners who start from the seed of an idea and write the story from there. I'm both. I start as a gardener, planting the idea, writing it, nurturing it, and when I'm about halfway through the book I write the outline to sum it all up. Not sure if that's how others do it, but seems to work for me.

How do you edit? 

Oh, that's simple. I don't. :) I leave that to my editors. I write my story and then turn it over to a content editor and a proofreader. Both are fantastic. It took me a while (and several books) to find the best ones, but they are worth the wait. They are absolutely phenomenal. I couldn't live without either one of them.

Did you build a platform before releasing a book? 

Oh no, not even close to it. I literally wrote Fallen (my first book) in just under two months, put it online for sale, and let it sit there. Lame, I know. I just never thought anyone out there would read it. When they did - which I learned was the case after I released the next book in the series (Eternity) and the sales started to skyrocket - I was blown away. When that happened, I figured that I should give writing a true shot, which required me to build out a platform. Of course, I was slow to Facebook and Twitter, but there's a reason behind it. It's not a very good one and I harangue myself daily for it, but here's my dirty little secret...I'd rather be writing than writing about writing. When I'm in front of my computer, half of me, the predominant part, keeps pulling me back to the open Word doc with the title of whatever I'm writing at the moment. And the thing is, I don't go kicking and screaming. I go willingly.

How have you found the right readers for you? 

I'm not sure I can take that credit, to be honest. I think that they found me, thankfully, because I put virtually no effort into promoting my books. I'm guessing its through word of mouth. I write what I'd personally like to read, and put it out there (and then hold my breath until the first reviews come in). Strangely, I write young adult paranormal romance and urban fantasy but my fans come from all walks of life...male, female, domestic, international, teens, adults, retirees. And they are the best, so incredibly supportive. I feel blessed because of them.

If you could start all over, what would you do differently? 

Huh, that made me think. Truthfully...nothing. At the risk of turning sappy, writing has been a journey, one that I've muddled through, tripped over, gotten a little dirty on. I wouldn't change it, though. It's a good experience...even when you're erasing the last three pages you spent hours on to start again.

Who has inspired you to publish your book?   

Six Questions with Claire Contreras

Can you believe it's Saturday again already? Hoping you're having a fantastic day. Around these parts we're celebrating my son's 8th birthday, which is the reason for my late post.


And without further ado, I present recently published author Claire Contreras for Six Question Saturday. She is the author of the romantic thriller There is No Light in Darkness.

What authors have influenced you the most? 

Everybody I read influences me in one way or another. I absolutely love Paullina Simmons, Colleen Hoover, and Katja Millay, to name a few. 

When did you decide you wanted to have your writing published?

I think when I was about 80% done with TiNLiD I thought "maybe I should publish this one." I've written stories in the past, but nothing that hadn't been told before. When I wrote this one I knew it was a story worth sharing.

What is your editing process and have you hired a professional editor?

I usually write and unless I'm very concerned about something, I won't send it to anybody until it's completely done. I send it to a small group of betas, review it, rewrite, send it to a professional editor, edit it, send it to other betas/reviewers. I'm paranoid when it comes to my writing (I think we all are), so it's hard for me to hear "I love it" and be okay with it.

What are the most important things you've done to market your books?

I think teaming up with fellow indie authors has helped a lot. The blog tour helped get it to a wide audience (or an audience-period). It's hard for me to market because I didn't write for sales, I wrote because this is what I love. I've kind of taken it as "if people recommend my book because they loved it and others read it, I'll be happy."

How long should an author work on building a presence online before publishing?

Haha refer to question above. I've seen authors start building a presence as early as 6 months before publishing and I think that helps them. I created my social media things a little less than a month before publishing, so I'm a horrible example. I had an author publish a couple of weeks after me and she sky rocketed in the sales charts. I think the way she marketed and the hype she built for her book is amazing and it opened my eyes to what could have happened had I organized myself that way. I just think ultimately I'm not built to push my writing like that though. I'll talk non-stop about yours and about books that I've read, but I cannot brag about my own. 

It's weird to me.

What lesson have you learned along the way that you would hope others could avoid?

Being too trusting with betas, whether they be your friends or not. I had my story shared before I published (without my consent) and that was not okay. So, be careful who you share your story with. You wouldn't let a complete stranger carry your newborn child, you should probably treat this similar. 

On the same note, sometimes you do need people that are not your friends or ones that you know will be 100% honest with you to look at your work. There's a fine line there, I guess what I'm saying is be careful.

Thanks, Claire. Now I want to hear from you! How do YOU find beta readers for your work?

The Truth About Letting Go by Leigh Talbot Moore

I'm excited to share the companion novel to The Truth About Faking by Leigh Talbert Moore (not a sequel; the books can be read out of order), The Truth About Letting Go takes readers back to Shadow Falls, or more specifically Shadow Creek, with Ashley Lockett as she learns about real friendship, love, and letting go.

The Truth About Letting Go 

Ashley wants to smash everything in her once-perfect life. Charlotte wants to walk in Ashley's seemingly charmed shoes. Colt wants to turn Smalltown USA on its ear--with Ashley at his side. Jordan wants to follow his heart... but Ashley is the one sacrifice he never expected to make. Up until now, Ashley Lockett has always followed the rules. She's always done the right thing, played it safe, and then her ideal life is shattered when her dad dies suddenly. Fueled by anger and grief, she vows to do everything opposite of how she lived before. She rejects safety, the rules, faith, and then she meets Jordan. Jordan has big dreams, he's had a crush on Ashley for years, he's a great kisser... but he's also safe. Enter Colt. He is not safe, and he's more than willing to help Ashley fulfill her vow. 

 Get it today on Amazon * Barnes & Noble * iTunes * Kobo Add it on Goodreads. 

Excerpt:

I feel Colt laugh, and he looks down into my face. That’s when he seems to realize what I’ve been acutely aware of for the last several minutes—our bodies are pressed together.

“It’s awesome, yeah?” he says. 

“Adrenaline rush.” 

“Yeah,” I breathe. 

“I guess.” 

I’m not sure if he’s going to kiss me until he does. His mouth covers mine, and energy mixes with the alcohol flooding my body. Our tongues slide together, and I grip his shirt so I don’t collapse.  Every single bit of this is wrong, and there’s no way I’m stopping it. It’s back, that good feeling. The sadness has been pushed out again, and in its place is this rush, this rush of adrenaline like Colt said.  He pulls back and smiles at me.

“We’re going to start dating. Now. You’re my partner in crime.” 

About the Author:

Moore

Leigh Talbert Moore is a wife and mom by day, a writer by day, a reader by day, a former journalist and editor, a chocoholic, a caffeine addict, a lover of YA and new adult romance (really any great love story), a beach bum, and occasionally she sleeps. -The Truth About Faking is her debut young adult romance (on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Kobo) -Rouge is her first New Adult romantic suspense novel (on Amazon). Leigh loves hearing from readers; stop by and say hello! Blog * Facebook * Amazon Author page * Goodreads * Twitter * Tumblr

Six Questions with Julia Hughes

Happy Six Question Saturday, readers and writers! Today is special because it's my 11th wedding anniversary. Time flies when you're having fun, doesn't it?

Today I'm happy to invite back to Finding Bliss, Julia Hughes! Julia has offered to give away two paperback copies of her latest release The Griffin Cryer, make sure to check the Rafflecopter at the bottom.

Trust in Me by Bethany Lopez

Book 3 in Bethany Lopez's Friends & Lovers Trilogy, Trust in Me, is available early! 
You can find Trust in Me Here: Barnes & Noble 


                                                      

Being a Full-Time Mom, Part-Time Writer

Today I'm the first stop on Priya Kanaparti's blog tour for her new release Dracian Legacy.

Make sure you stick around enter the Rafflecopter at the bottom!

Six Questions with Maggi Myers

Today's Six Question guest is Maggi Myers, author of The Final Piece. She's also a veteran of the Twilight fandom that I was a member of what seems like a lifetime ago.

Welcome to Six Questions Maggi!

Six Questions with Nikki Jefford

One thing before I announce this week's Six Question Guest. Due to the fact that I am getting down to the wire with publishing The Forgotten Ones, I'm going to be cutting down the number of posts I publish per week from four to two. 

I'll keep Six Question Saturdays because they're my most popular posts. But, I am getting where I am really needing to focus on the editing stage of the book, so please forgive me and know that I'm still here, just a little less.

And, with that -- today I'm honored to present the talented and beautiful Nikki Jefford to Six Questions! Have a great weekend!

The Matter of Covers

Today we have a guest post on Book Covers by Sedona Venez, who just released her novel, Infinity.

 I certainly am a firm believer in having a beautiful package for all your hardwork

Six Questions with Amy Bartol

Happy Sunday, writers! I have a special edition of Six Questions for you because I had a chance to interview rock-star author Amy Bartol, and didn't want ANYTHING to come in the way of getting her on. 

Welcome to Six Questions Amy!

New Adult Addiction

                                                                   

Author J.A. Huss is the author of New Adult Science Fiction novels and a blogger at New Adult Addiction. Like me, she's passionate about the rise in the NA genre. But, not just that, we both hope to see the sci-fi/ fantasy side of New Adult rise in 2013, since 2012 was the year of NA Contemporary.

The Forgotten Ones Cover Reveal Blitz

Title: The Forgotten Ones

Author: Laura Howard

Genre: NA Paranormal Fantasy Romance

Expected release date: May 15, 2013

Age Group: New Adult

Cover Designer: Stephanie Mooney 

Book Description:

Allison O'Malley just graduated from college. Her life's plan is to get a job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She doesn't have room for friends or even Ethan, who clearly wants more.

When Allison's long-lost father shows up, he claims he can bring her mother back from the dark place her mind has sent her. He reveals legends of a race of people long forgotten, the Tuatha de Danaan, along with the truth about why he abandoned her mother.

Laura Howard | Facebook | Twitter

Share on Facebook and/or Twitter and you could win a $50 Amazon (or B&N) Gift card!

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Self-Publishing - the "easy way" to get published?

Lana Penrose detailed her culture shock experiences following her boyfriend to Greece in her memoir To Hellas and Back. She continues her story in Kickstart My Heart. Originally published by Penguin/Viking, but are now self-published.

Why is it that so few talk about the blood, sweat and tears that goes into the initial set-up of self-publishing with Amazon and Smashwords? To me the process seems glossed over, particularly by the gazillions of self-appointed 'experts' and the online publishing behemoths poised to tell you how 'simple' it is.

Being an Australian author, my agreement with Penguin/Viking meant that my works were forever bound to Australia. Like an asthmatic child locked indoors by an overly protective mother, I watched through a window as all the other kids played outside on a global playground. I was being told that my two memoirs were solid, modern day riots (especially by my real-life mother) and I was on the receiving end of critical acclaim in my home country. Readers loved my work, as did the media. But who would ever know outside of my own hood? I then had a bright idea. Why, I’d reclaim my rights from Penguin and self-publish to the world. Simple!

Every man and his dog were proclaiming how easy it is to self-publish in the twenty-first century. Yet this exercise literally swallowed up the better part of my 2012 and today I find myself bitter towards the Mayans for claiming what is left of my time on planet Earth.

First I had to get my rights back from Penguin; one of those things you write on a To Do list and spend the rest of your life attempting to cross off. They were lovely about it, but I became the proverbial pest, badgering people until they prised my claws from their backs and shook me free. After several months, my rights were reverted. Phase 1 complete! Brilliant! What’s next?The all-important re-packaging, which involved freshening up my narrative. I re-edited my two books which of course took many months. In the meantime I searched for a great cover designer. I started with graphic artists affiliated with Penguin but professionals of that ilk still seem to charge authors at publishing house rates. 

And so I instead appointed the perfect candidate: a dear friend who happens to be a terrific artist. But neither of us had the foggiest about the various specs required by different platforms, including size, spine widths, or the average circumference of the human head. 

I of course researched said information and passed it on, but it was a steep learning curve for us both. Two covers took over six months. Yes, ‘tis true. It was tough! And in the end, the job was passed onto a third party to ensure everything was ‘print-ready’. 

Done. Now what?

It surely had to be time to upload to Createspace and I did five star jumps in anticipation! Amazon’s Createspace is like nothing we writers have known before and is nothing short of incredible. It is this platform that has revolutionized our industry. But is it as user-friendly as everyone proclaims? Personally, I wouldn't describe it as ‘easy’, but ‘doable’. It takes concentration, patience, falling over, getting up, interpreting vagaries, emailing Amazon, drinking, troubleshooting, reading volumes of online instruction and a great deal of time – or it did me, anyway. And I’d like to add that I’m not a complete Luddite. Well, I am a bit, but I’m not a total moron, although many would argue otherwise. (Especially after reading the next sentence.)

It took me ten attempts to get each book right on Createspace. That’s because I used Amazon’s amazing Interior Reviewer facility and went through both books page by page, because God knows I wasn’t going to be one of those authors with an embarrassing hash tag or question mark inexplicably floating in the middle of a word sea. Bad formatting and weird punctuation that materialise like ghosts is becoming more and more prevalent and if you want to stand out as a credible author (which I consider myself to be), you simply can’t afford to come across as hokey. That’s not what people pay for. So that’s why I was pedantic. And let me say it’s hard enough getting the spelling, grammar and punctuation of a 90,000 word document right, let alone two 90,000 word documents, let alone having to get every aspect of the formatting spot on as well. It. Takes. Time.Finally, finally … mission accomplished! And being that I can be accused of being my Christian-name spelt backwards (my name’s Lana) (think about it), I wanted to get my Amazon and Smashwords electronic uploads just right as well. This time I wasn’t taking any chances. I hired a professional formatter after insisting on testimonials, comparing prices and deciding on somebody who seemed just right. 

Little did I know that Amazon offers a free service to prepare Createspace files for Kindle. My bad.
Instead I turned over my manuscripts – that are close to my only children – to a stranger who successfully prepared my files for Kindle, but submitted my Smashwords files in html format. When I went to upload them, I received an error message declaring that Smashwords only accepts .doc files. ‘Strange that a professional would not be aware of such a thing,’ I mused as I scratched my chin. 

I pointed out said error to said formatter. Said formatter - who is an extremely nice person - apologised profusely and asked for my username and password to upload on my behalf. Great customer service, but probably not the best idea. Said formatter then re-submitted the files, only there were new errors, so we amicably agreed that I would take my business elsewhere, bearing in mind that we were now screaming towards Christmas, writing is my alleged livelihood and eight months had passed.
A lady on ‘Mark’s List’ successfully formatted my books for Smashwords. She did a great job and immediately corrected the small errors I picked up after I uploaded and re-uploaded (times eight). How did I know there were errors? Because I checked through 300 odd pages of two books (meaning 600 odd pages) in their various formats. By ‘various formats’, I mean ePub, Mobi, PDF, RTF and whatever else Smashwords converts to. There are about ten in all (meaning 6,000 odd pages to peruse) and different ‘quirks’ popped up in different versions. Again, I doubt many people would be so my-name-spelt-backwards about unearthing such things. In fact I’m fairly certain they’re not.

I say this because I’m still hearing from writers a resounding, ‘Self-Publishing Is Easy!’ They practically scream it through loudhailers. I've heard that it ‘only takes an hour!’ and that it’s as easy to self-publish as it is to write a book – and we all know how easy that is! (Oops! I just sneezed out another one!) Not for the first time, I wonder if I hail from another planet. What with the legalities, re-packaging, re-formatting and charlatan-leapfrogging, self-publishing for me wasn’t ‘easy’ and I’d love to hear of any super hot cover designers and formatters who truly walk the walk, because I sit today mildly traumatised and I’m only incrementally closer to knowing what to do the next time around. I found that trying to secure the right people to help me on this journey was like shooting fish in a barrel because you don’t know what you’re gonna get ‘til you get it and there are too many people claiming that they know what they’re doing when most of us don’t. This is brand new territory for us all!

There were other hurdles along the way too boring to mention and I have to say I’ve never appreciated my former publishing house so much. There’s nothing like working with experts, particularly if they’re gunning for your books’ success.
In closing, thankfully everything's now up and running and I couldn't be happier with the arrangement. I’m friends with my edits. 

My covers look fab. And my books are at last available worldwide, each up for grabs for the price of a sandwich. 

Yes, I get that self-publishing is a million times easier than it used to be, but easy? 

No, not really, kids.

          

When Lana approached me about writing for my blog, I knew it was meant to be. I have heard traditionally published authors scoff at indies and say it's the easy way, or cheating. 

While I'm twirling five or six plates in the air at any given moment getting ready for my debut, I know this simply isn't true.

Tell me, has self-publishing been easy for YOU?

Writing a Book Series from a Blog Series

One of the hot trends I'm seeing in the writing world is serial fiction. Wattpad and FictionPress are two popular community writing sites.

Amazon even launched a program for serialized fiction. Before any of this happened, Maryanne Wells was publishing her stories on her blog and building a following all her own. Now she's taken those stories and self-published them! 

She must go.

I stare at the computer screen and sigh. I don't want her to leave. She's such a great character, colorful and well-developed.

When I first wrote stories, on a blog, I used a shotgun approach for character introduction. I packed a bunch of 'em into a shell, aimed at a story, and fired.

Now, I'm transitioning from blog to books. I've carefully plotted out the entire Undead Bar Association series. I have time to spread out the introduction of new characters, and given how much happens in each book, the character intros must be spread out. It's just too confusing if everyone appears at once.

I looked again at the blog story. It's going into Book 3 of the published book series. Though blog readers will be familiar with the characters and setting, it's new to many of my book readers. And looking at this story as a new reader, I realize that someone has to go.

“Sorry, Absola,” I say to the character on screen. “Your entrance is pushed out to Book 5. No were-plant zombies for you. But, I promise some wicked ghosts and a run-in with the sorcerers for your Book 5 appearance. Also, I will try to preserve the best of your one-liners. You have my word.”

With that, I begin the painful edit.

Going from blog to book is trekking into the unknown. Some writers have done a fairly direct transition, turning each blog post into a rough book chapter. I decided to do a series, some of it based on old blog stories and some, like recently published Shadowed Demise, written completely from scratch. There's no pre-existing map or formula for what I'm doing; it's a journey of trial and error.

Here's some of the things I've learned so far:

Positives about going from blog to book

1. Established audience – There wouldn't be a book series if it wasn't for my original blog readers. They're the ones who pushed me to make the format change. And, it's comforting to know that I already have people familiar with my work who want to read more.

2. Feedback about what works and what doesn't – Thank God for blog readers! They gave me a lot of feedback about the early stories that impacted the plan for the book series. Specific example: one old blog story included flashbacks to the story of Maryanne and Absola meeting in Romania. Blog readers told me it didn't work; it broke the flow of the main story. I listened. Those flashback scenes will be pulled from the story, when it's included in a book. They'll be in a separate book, one devoted solely to Absola's back story.

Readers also told me they enjoyed stories told from new perspectives, instead of hearing from Maryanne all the time. Y'all want it; y'all got it. Book 4 will be told from Robert's perspective (Robert's the bartendar in Book 3, coming out this spring. He's connected to certain vampires in ways even he doesn't realize...yet). For Book 5, the main voice will be Charles, one of the original Undead Bar Association members from Book 1, Matriculated Death .

3. Time to see how you want the story line to develop – When I wrote each blog story, I had loose ideas about the fictional universe being created. With each story I finished, my vision cleared. Now I see the whole world and the complete story arc. The trial and error writing of the blog enabled my draft of a complete series outline.

4. Writing discipline / scheduling – When you say a new story chapter will be up on the blog by a certain time, then dang it, you'd better get it done. Now that I'm writing books, I don't publish every other day, but I act like that's still the game plan. It keeps me on a strong writing schedule, and insures good output.

5. Write in order – This may be the greatest lesson writing a blog taught me. Before the blog, I jumped around in my stories when I wrote. Write these two scenes in the middle, this bit of end, a smidgen of opening...you get the idea. The problem with jumping around when you write, is that it's really hard to finish.

Want to know the secret to writing a book? Finish a rough draft. That means a complete copy of the book, butt ugly and stinking of grammatical errors, finished and sitting on your desk.

Want to know the fastest way to getting a rough draft? Write straight, without hopping around. When you hop around, you waste time and energy. You end up re-writing scenes, because the plot / character development inevitably takes a turn you didn't expect.

Writing stories on a blog, each chapter in order, forced me to write straight through. I'm a hundred times better a writer now than I was pre-blog. And, best of all, I get the books done!

Drawbacks about going from blog to book

1. 
   Emotional attachment to characters, etc. – The opening of this post offers an example of the emotional attachment you can have for characters. I have deep attachments for people who some of my book readers haven't met. But in going from blog to book, like going from book rough draft to first draft, you can't be ruled by emotions. If a chapter / scene / character / setting doesn't work, you cut it out. Obviously this isn't easy; I just apologized to a fictional character and made her promises in this blog post. But when it's time, it's time. Take the cap off the pen and let the red ink flow.

2. Learning the new medium – You cannot just take a blog story and copy/paste it into a book, if you want the story to breathe in a new medium. Things change – pacing, character development, chapter endings – and if you don't react to the changes, your work suffers. Sometimes I wish I could just copy/paste, but I know I can't. Going from blog to book isn't a shortcut to writing.

3. Spoiler risk – This is my biggest frustration about going from blog to book. I know what happens in every book and in the series, and I want to tell you all of it right now! But if I do, it kills the suspense. So, every time someone asks me a question about future books / the series, I have to think very carefully about my answer. See, it's really cool to me that in Book ___ the heroine runs into ______ at the ______, because I know that in Book ___ she will ____ in the basement of _____, and ______ will have to _____, or else the heroine ______. Part of me would love to fill in those blanks for you, but the rest of me is acutely aware that my editor will hunt me down and wack me upside the head with a laptop if I say another word. So, you'll just have to wait until Book __ comes out.

I'll be waiting, too.

                                

I'd love to hear from someone else who's blogged a book or wrote serial fiction in some other format...