Agony and Ecstasy of Publishing by Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein

I've had both, that's for sure. My first book, THE ENCHANTED SELF, A Positive Therapy! was printed somewhere in the Far East. I think it was Singapore. Anyway, I was waiting and waiting and waiting. Of course the book wasn't arriving and I was going crazy calling my publisher and spending money on a publicist who had no copies to send out! Finally I found out the real truth. My book was sitting in the hull of a ship in a China sea somewhere waiting until other supplies and packages filled the hull. The boat would not sail with only my book aboard!

I was heartsick and could feel the pain of my books lying in a dark chamber in the bottom of a boat in a cold sea!

This went on for months. About four months later my book arrived. I held it like a baby and felt as if my baby had finally come home from the hospital! Now with digital printing and printing on demand that is less likely to happen. I'm relieved for all of us writers. No one should have her books locked in the hull of a ship in a sea across the world.

My new book, THE TRUTH, I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything! has had other adventures, but none to compare. However, a Chinese professor who lives in China, has already translated THE TRUTH into Chinese. So I guess I have some sort of connection with the Far East. Maybe it all started when my parents took me as a little girl to the Far East Restaurant in New Haven and they got to eat Chinese food while I was given water, bread and ice cream! Hey, there is the makings of a cute story there. See, the ecstasy always overcomes the agony!

Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein
Author of THE TRUTH: I’m Ten, I’m Smart and I Know Everything!
http://www.enchantedself.com/


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Straight Talk from Robin Jay, Author of THE ART OF THE BUSINESS LUNCH

Ah ~ another chance to share my opinion with the fabulous world of writers! I’m in the mood for some tough love (dishing it out, that is), so here we go.

Do NOT let the snobs of the literary world make you feel inadequate for pursuing your craft in any way you can. I just read PG Forte’s blog post about writing e-books in which she shared that basically she doesn’t feel appreciated by the literary snob world because she writes e-books. Hey, she’s getting fan mail – how bad can her writing be?

She wrote, “E-books are convenient, fast, cheap and environmentally friendly.” Sounds to me like a lovely way to write. I have to confess: when I was trying so desperately to sell my book, I would walk through Barnes & Noble and look at some of the titles on their shelves. I would shake my head and wonder how THOSE books got sold! I didn’t believe I saw ANY title that was any better than mine!

I was always amazed that publishers and agents could find the value in some of those dreadful titles, but they couldn’t see how important MY book, “The Art of the Business Lunch” was going to be! What a difference a day makes. My book is now in ten languages worldwide because my friend knew some agents and the agent I chose knew a publisher and my publisher saw the value in it. (I SWEAR I didn’t sleep with anyone to get this book deal! But having contacts DOES help. That is the world in which we live.) My publisher made an offer for my book, on the condition that I would DOUBLE the word count. I pounded out the new manuscript in eight weeks, doubling the work that had taken me two years to write. Interestingly enough, a little validation goes a long way. My writing improved dramatically. Those pages I wrote while “under the gun” came fast and furious. Today I write better than I ever did before.

Am I rich yet? Not hardly. Not off the book, anyway! But I am a traditionally published author now. As a professional speaker, that lends tremendous credibility, which is why I was so determined to sell my book. And, you might enjoy knowing that I originally self-published my book. I still have hundreds of that edition in my garage if you want one to compare. Just pay me for shipping and it’s yours for free. My publisher made me pull it once we inked a deal.

Here are some interesting stats, according to an article by Chris Anderson in the July 17 issue of Publishers Weekly, in 2004:

• 950,000 titles out of 1.2 million tracked by Nielsen Bookscan sold fewer than 99 copies
• Another 200,000 sold fewer than 1,000 copies
• Only 25,000 sold more than 5,000 copies
• The average book in America sells about 500 copies
• Only 10 books sold more than a million copies
• Fewer than 500 sold more than 100,000
• Nearly 200,000 new titles are published each year

Now, am I the only one who can see that if fewer than 25,000 books ever sold more than 5,000 copies, fewer than 500 ever sold more than 100,000 copies, and 950,000 titles sold fewer than 99 copies, that a writer shouldn’t feel badly if the acquisitions editors don’t choose their work?

The literary world is unlike any other. A great book like Dan Brown’s “The DaVinci Code” comes along and becomes the biggest success in years. Staples like Nora Roberts, Stephen King and John Grisham keep their publishers and agents happy. And the rest? From what I can tell, well, I guess I can’t tell much.

I just want you, yes YOU, a writer who loves to write, who is studying their craft and is writing every day - even when you don’t feel like it, I want YOU to relax, tell yourself what a great job you’re doing and take a break. Please don’t let this weird world of publishing get you down. Writers have never had more options than now – for writing, publishing, and distribution. Congratulations

Robin Jay
Author of THE ART OF THE BUSINESS LUNCH
http://www.robinjay.com/

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About Native American Deputy Tempe Crabtree by Marilyn Meredith

Judgment Fire is the sixth in the Deputy Tempe Crabtree series. Tempe was inspired by three women. The first, a resident deputy in the mountain area where I live who I interviewed for the newspaper. She told me about the difficulties she experienced as a female deputy.

On a ride-along with a female police officer, from three a.m. to six a.m. she received no calls. During this time, as we were patrolling the dark streets, she poured her heart out to me about the difficulties of being the only female officer in that department, and the problems she faced being a single mother of a young son.

When I met a young Native American artist who grew up on our local reservation, I knew she was going to be the model for my Tempe and she is who I see when I’m writing. And yes, she has read my books. I’ve only used this young woman’s looks, nothing else.

Tempe didn’t grow up on the reservation and in the first book doesn’t know much about her heritage. In each of the following novels, she learns more and more about her ancestry, including the spiritual side. Her husband, Hutch, is a Christian preacher, and believes she’s jeopardizing her soul when she participates in anything supernatural.

In Judgment Fire, I wanted Tempe to recognize why she hasn’t embraced the fact that she’s an Indian during her younger years. Of course there’s a murder, and it’s during the investigation that repressed memories of her high school years come to the forefront.

Over the years, in the area where I live, the creation of a casino has drastically changed the lives of the Indians who live on and off the reservation. Of course, prejudice rears its ugly head at times, but the atmosphere has definitely improved.

Though many of the books in the series refer to or have scenes on a reservation, though there is resemblance to the reservation near my home, the one in my novels is not real nor is the tribe I’m writing about. I do research, of course, but I want all my readers to realize I’m writing fiction. Even so, one of my most treasured compliments from a reader who is an Indian who called me to tell me he’d read one of the Tempe books, Deadly Omen, which centers on a murder at a Pow Wow. He said, "I wanted to let you know you got it right."

Marilyn Meredith
Author of Judgment Fire
http://fictionfoyou.com/

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Why I Love eBooks by PG Forte

I got fan mail this morning.

Fan mail, in case you don't already know this, is one of the best things about being an author. Praise from people you know is always nice (and semi-suspect if it’s from someone you refer to, or who refers to you, as ‘Mom’). A good review always puts a great, big smile on my face. But for someone to take the time to write you––right out of the blue––for no other reason than to tell you that she loves your books and when will the next one be out...well, wow. Does it get any better than that?

But, I digress...

There's a reason, after all, why this post is titled 'why I love e-books' rather than 'why I love fan mail'. The letter this morning came from a woman in Norway (where, as my daughter so very helpfully pointed out, they speak another language). If it weren't for e-books, this woman would never have found my books.

In fact, if it weren't for e-publishing and the internet I wouldn't have readers in Australia or Singapore either, not to mention reviewers in London and Jamaica!

Yet, for far too many people, e-books just aren’t real books, e-publishers aren’t real publishers and e-authors...well, we just aren’t real authors. Are we?

Sigh. I suppose I should be used to it by now. As a writer of (primarily) romance, I’m already not considered a ‘real writer’ by a large number of literary snobs. Especially not here in the university town I call home. As a writer of erotic romance I’m completely beyond the pale in some folk’s eyes.

Which is why I find all the posturing at Romance Writers of America (where they’ve recently ‘re-defined’ their ideas about what it takes to be recognized as a publisher or as a published author) to be ridiculous. Not to mention pointless, predictable, tacky, ironic, amusing and sad.

It’s rather like the housemaids looking down on the field hands, isn’t it?

According to RWA’s arbitrary and somewhat silly (IMO) standards most (if not all) e-pubs just don’t qualify as publishers. Sorry. Too bad, so sad. I’d be more inclined to laugh it off as a really bad joke if it weren’t for the fact that...well, it’s not really a laughing matter to the very many talented, dedicated professionals who choose to publish, distribute, promote—whatever—our books primarily on the internet.

We’re the Rodney Dangerfields of the reading and writing world, it seems. We get no respect. Or, as the good people at EPIC (the Electronically Published Internet Connection) are putting it these days: it’s not easy being e. And ain’t that the truth?

I really don't understand why more people aren't enthusiastic about e-books. They’re clearly the future of publishing. Look at any sci-fi movie, TV show or book that’s been produced in the past forty years or so. What does the future of reading look like (in all but the most depressing post-Apocalyptic visions, where we’re all living in caves again or floating around on rafts)? It looks a whole lot like today’s e-book readers—that’s what!

E-books are convenient, fast, cheap and environmentally friendly.

You can buy them almost instantaneously, from the comfort of your home—or anywhere else you happen to be. They take up no space at all and if you happen to lose them all due to a computer crash, many e-publishers will replace them for you. Try doing that with a print publisher! You can load who-knows-how-many of them onto an e-book reader and carry around one paperback-sized reader instead of a small library.

In addition, new e-books are cheaper to buy than new print books (especially big ol' books like some of mine have been) which means you can afford to buy even more books. And the technology is getting better and more readily accessible all the time. Last year the New York Times even published an article about the possibility of e-paper subscriptions becoming available in the coming months. Yes! Daily newspapers that you can read on a flexible, foldable, re-usable reader. Then there’s the environmental advantage. Think of all the trees we'll save.

Seriously, where's the bad here? Unless you're looking for doorstops or something to line your birdcage?

Sure, e-books have taken a lot longer to hit the mainstream than many of us thought (or hoped) would be the case. I know a lot of people who are still waiting for my books to make it into print before they read them. And it’s possible I would have sold more books by now if they were readily available in brick-and-mortar bookstores. I would probably have made more money if I had a NY publisher handing out big advances, too.

But would my books have gone into production as quickly? Would they stay ‘in print’ indefinitely? Could you buy them in Oslo or Singapore, Sydney or Kingston or Toronto? I seriously doubt it. Which means I would never have received the lovely note this morning that totally made my day. The note that reassured me that hell, yes, I’m a real author. And those were real books I wrote. The kinds of book that real people can read and love and cherish. That they can pass on to their children (well, okay, maybe not the erotica) That they can—OMG—quote from!

I’m thinking that, for an author, it doesn’t get any more real than that!

PG Forte
Author of WAITING FOR THE BIG ONE

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A Novel Doesn't Write Itself by Kim Baccellia

Contrary to popular belief, it’s hard work to write a novel. It seems like everyone wants to write a book. But how many actually write?

Huh? I actually have to write everyday?

I know life gets in the way. I know that sometimes it’s hard to find the time in a busy schedule to write.

Newsflash: In order to write a novel, you have to stop with the excuses and actually do it.

Here are some tips I’ve found that help me when I don’t feel motivated to write.

** Set a time everyday to write. Find a time that’s best for you. I’m a morning person so I find my creative juices work best earlier in the day.

** Learn to say “no.” Don’t allow others to make you feel guilty. Oprah did a whole episode on this. You have to find time for yourself. If you don’t, no one else will.

** If you have little children, have a notebook or paper handy. Find those extra few minutes a day and write. Fifteen minutes here and there do add up. I’ve also had play dates with other moms so I could have an extra hour just to write.

** Limit surfing the web. This is a tough one. I admit I’ve had problems with this. I try to set limits on when I can go on the web.

** Have your own writing space. I have my own writing room. But if this isn’t an option, find a small space in your house to write.

** Cut back on TV time. Tivo is wonderful. Now I can tape my shows and watch them any time of the day.

In conclusion, a novel doesn’t write itself. Every few minutes do count. You just have to be creative in finding the time to do it.

Kim Baccellia
Author of EARRINGS OF IXTUMEA

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The Familiar Comes Forward by CJ Maxx

Your background will creep into your story. When I started writing IN THE ARMS OF A WARRIOR, my intention was to merely state that she came from a family of warriors. After the first crisis where do I send her--back to her family. Not because of the crisis but because her brother's coming back from the war. It worked and contributed to the resolution of her immediate problem.

I spent twelve years of my life in Special Forces. Obviously, that would be her family background. What I didn't realize was the depth of involvement of Special Forces in the story. It's not a war story, it's a love story.

You know, I couldn't make Susan Ambrose a girly-girl. With her background some of those warrior genes had to influence her. But she's still feminine and a desirable woman. I just didn't know I'd build this toughness into her until I started developing her character.

I guess this is the time to talk about my writing style. I work from a vague outline. I know that you should work everything out beforehand and write a detailed outline. And, I've done that in the past but realized quickly that I ignore it. The story changes as I type it. The details flow from my mind through my fingers when I'm writing. I don't know exactly how the story is going to end until I type the end.

The main male character, David Wilson, does not come across as a warrior or even a good romantic hero in the beginning. As I developed his character I had to balance the negatives with some warrior traits. Again, it came from his interactions with her warrior family.

When another crisis arises, not directly involving their love life, Susan reaches into the active Special Forces community through her father to help prepare David for what he'll face it the near future. Then the story builds on that relationship in the chapter that finds him in great danger, in a war zone.

It wasn't until I neared the end of the story that I realized what Susan really wanted in a man. You have to read the story to see how that happens.

They say you should write what you know. Well, everyone can't know everything, but when you are developing your story or your characters it's helpful to fall back on the familiar, your background.

CJ Maxx
Author of IN THE ARMS OF A WARRIOR
http://www.cjmaxx.net/

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