Typewriter Society Kindle Scout interview

I just did a fun video interview with Carrie Snider and Typewriter Society. We talked about my book, IN TOO DEEP, and what it entails to do a Kindle Scout campaign. There is also a detailed Q&A about publishing.
Check it out here.

Nominate IN TOO DEEP on Kindle Scout

My book, IN TOO DEEP, is up on Kindle Scout right now. 

Kindle Scout is reader-powered publishing for new, never-before-published books. It’s a place where readers help decide if a book gets published. Just pop over to their site, browse and read the selections from various books, and nominate your top three. Books with the most nominations will draw the attention of the publishing team. 

Please nominate IN TOO DEEP. If you keep it in your nomination panel, and it is selected for publication, you'll get a FREE eBook copy! 

Please click on the link and check it out.

 IN TOO DEEP Kindle Scout

Cover Reveal

I'm so excited to reveal the cover for my romantic suspense novel, In too Deep! This book has been a LONG time in the making, and now it's almost here!  

In too Deep is on Kindle Scout. Please click on the link and nominate it for publication. If it is selected for publication, and if you have it listed in your nomination panel (You can keep up to 3 books nominated) then you will get a FREE eBook copy!!!  please nominate IN TOO DEEP. 

From the back cover:

Haley Carter won't let the abusive relationships of her past stop her from accomplishing the unthinkable. While struggling to take care of her disabled mother and pay the bills, she sets aside her aversion to men in order to break into the forbidden world of coal mining. As the only female working underground she descends into the darkness with a desperation to prove herself. When someone threatens Haley's life, she takes greater risks and uncovers something far more sinister than gender politics. Can Hayley open her heart to trust her co-worker, Jake, and uncover a conspiracy before someone kills her?

For other news: I also have a shiny new website. You can check it out here.

The Publication Process--The Life and Times of THE KNIGHT OF REDMOND

 

One of the misconceptions I often see among readers is the off-the-wall idea about how much time it takes to have a book published. I've talked to multiple people who believe that once a manuscript has been submitted to the publisher it should be hitting shelves in a couple of months. Hmmm . . . that would be nice—like someone sending me Lindt Chocolate Truffles every week nice, but let's face it—it ain't gonna happen (darn). Granted all publishers are different and smaller ones tend to have  shorter process. There are also other factors that determine how long it takes for example: 

·         The publisher may request a rewrite, so it takes longer to get it published.

·         Genre—some genres just sell better and can turn out more books in a shorter amount of time due to demand.

·         Author's contract with the publisher (Some authors are contracted to turn out 2 books every year and the publisher clears a spot for them in their lineup—it’s like a Get Out Of Jail Free card.   

So you see, there are many factors, but still, a few months between submission to publication is definitely not the norm.

To give you an idea of what my publication timeline looks like,

 here is the process THE KNIGHT OF REDMOND went through:

THE KNIGHT OF REDMOND (Originally titled UNBREAKABLE CHAIN) was written in 2010 and was submitted to my publisher the 5th of January in 2011.

It took 10 1/2 months before the publisher accepted it for publication. I admit it took longer than average to be accepted, but during that time 2 evaluators from the publisher read it, and then I was asked to do a rewrite on it. The plot was mainly adventure and the publisher wanted to see more romance. So I turned up the heat between the two main characters. I then resubmitted the new manuscript and it went through the evaluators again, and after their favorable reviews it made it to committee. (This is starting to sound like a bill trying to get through congress.) And finally, on November 18th of 2011 I received an email saying it was accepted. Happy dance.

After that it just waited in line behind all of the other manuscripts that were getting ready for publication. My sister and I took that time to coauthor another book together.

(Waiting, waiting, waiting. . . )

Nearly a year later, in October of 2012, I heard from my editor that we were ready to start doing the first edits on THE KNIGHT OF REDMOND. The editing process took several months and then in April the copy edits were finalized and it was sent off to press. And then TADA! The first week of May, I had the book in hand! Woohooo!

So if you do your math right you'll see that it took a total of 2 years and 4 months from the time I first submitted it to when it was released.

SIDE NOTE: There are some authors with significantly shorter turnaround times. (Pause here while I turn green with envy). 

So in short: Yes, in some cases, it is easier to get a bill passed through congress than it is to publish a book. But it's so worth the wait!