 ThaWhere did the idea for this book come from?
I enjoy reading military fiction, Christian fiction, and watching a ton of military/war movies and shows. One day I was watching one of my favorite television shows and wondered what would happen if a Special Forces Sniper married a SWAT officer. From there the ideas just kept coming and Clubs was born. How long did it take you to write this book? It took almost two years from the day I started writing Clubs until it was published. When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission? I had a pretty clear vision of the journey I wanted to take my main characters on. The ending came to me rather early in the process, so it was a matter of simply getting my characters from where they began, to where I wanted them at the end. Once the first draft was completed it went through revisions and editing. Only after my editors returned the manuscript, all edits were made, and I read through and did revisions myself was I comfortable with submitting my work. I want it as close to perfection as it could be before it went out into the world. What happened along the way in your publication process? I published Clubs through Amazon so submitting the manuscript was simple. I had to ensure I knew what genre to place the book in and write the back cover description so readers could get a feel for the story and decide if they wanted to give Clubs a chance. As an indie author I maintained complete control of the cover from concept to completion. I worked closely with my cover designer and we discussed all the fine points of the cover to ensure it came out exactly as I envisioned. Once I submitted the book, it was just a matter of waiting for it to go live on the website. What marketing are you doing for this book? My marketing is primarily though Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. My Author page is where I keep my readers up to date on all the latest news about Clubs and the series, as well as interact with my readers. Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication? The journey to publishing Clubs was a wonderful experience. Seeing a simple idea turn into a thirty-seven-chapter book, then holding the book in my hands, is quite an experience. I loved every step of the process (well, editing not as much) and look forward to repeating the steps from start to finish with the next book in the series. Where can you be found online? Website: https://marthapruett.wixsite.com/author Twitter: @mrspruett09 Facebook: Martha Pruett - Author Instagram: mpauthor Where can your book be purchased? Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KGL5XW3 Thank you, Martha, for sharing with us.
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 Where did the idea for this book come from?
I attended a program put on by the Clinic for Special Children in Strasburg, PA, where I learned about hereditary diseases that affect only Amish and Mennonite children at birth. That might not seem like a very romantic start for a love story, but once I pictured an Amish midwife delivering a baby at home and added an Englisch (non-Amish) doctor who opposes home births and natural medicine, the story took off. How long did it take you to write this book? The Amish Midwife’s Secret is book 2 in the Love & Promises series, so my due dates were 6 months apart. I didn’t have the full time to write it because I took off on a 3-week mission trip to Africa in October and also had Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday travel during that time. Then in March, I spent two weeks in England and Scotland on a children’s literature tour. I tried to get some writing in, but with so many scheduled activities, I could only write late at night. Tell us about your revisions… I have to confess that I basically turned in a first draft to my editor after a quick read-through and making the corrections my Amish beta reader suggested. When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission? Actually, my agent sold this 3-book series on a proposal. I came up with three blurbs and wrote three sample chapters. My agent read it and made a few suggestions for changes. Obviously, this isn’t the usual process for fiction when you’re starting out. When I sold my first series to a different publisher, it was a more involved process, so I’ll detail that below. What happened along the way in your submission process? Before I got my first fiction contract, I wrote several inspirational novels in what I hoped would be a series. I took the first 10 pages to the Oregon Christian Writers conference and signed up for editor appointments. Unfortunately, all three agents said the book I’d written was too dark and angsty for the inspirational market (I think that’s changed now). One agent, Mary Sue Seymour said she really liked my voice, and we chatted about my life and goals as a writer. When she found out I lived near Lancaster, PA, and had spent time with the Amish, she asked if I’d ever considered writing Amish romances. She said if I ever decided to, I could send her a query and synopsis. Now most people who get an offer like that would jump on it right away, but I didn’t. I was busy writing educational books, mostly work for hire, and I had tight deadlines. Yet I still dreamed of writing fiction. Five years later (Yes, 5!! So, if you get an opportunity or a revise/resubmit, don’t panic and rush through it.), I sent her the synopsis. She not only remembered me, she wrote back and gave me detailed suggestions for making the synopsis stronger. Once again, she warned me that my ideas were too dark and had me cut out a death I thought was central to the story. I really struggled with that, but I followed her instructions. Now I’m glad I did, because that character became the heroine in the second book in the Sisters & Friends series (Buried Secrets), and many people have told me that’s their favorite story. When I finally finished the synopsis to her satisfaction, she told me to go ahead and write the book. This is a rather backward process, but it worked. I’d send her several chapters, and she’d tell me if I was heading in the right direction. It took about 8 months until I turned in the 85,000 words she’d requested. I sent it to her right before Christmas, and she asked for extra time to read it. In January, she sent it back with edits – 2 words changes and a 1-paragraph addition – BUT she thought it would work better for the category market. Would I be willing to cut it to around 60,000-65,000 words? Gulp! Cutting 20,000 words was torture, but I did it and sent it back. A few days later, she emailed to say she’d sent it out on sub. I didn’t even have time to get nervous, but waiting was difficult. When and how did you get the offer on your book? The book went out in February, and we had our first interest in March. The book needed to go to committee, etc. and while that long process played out over almost two months, we got another offer. The advance was good for a first novel, and they wanted a 3-book deal, so I had to come up with two more book ideas right away. There was only one hitch. They wanted the books to be 75,000 words. Acckk! You’d think I could just go back to the original manuscript and add some words back in, but no, I’d changed the story so much none of that would fit. And I couldn’t just shoehorn in extra description and pad the manuscript. I had to go back and write it again from the beginning. They also had a few things they wanted me to take out or change, so I worked on the story for a few months (along with attending grad school and working full time). I turned it in to my agent in July and was thrilled when she emailed a deal memo for the Sisters & Friends series in early August. After we hammered out some details, I finally signed the contract in October. Since then, I’ve been blessed to sign several other contracts for Amish novels and series, including a 6-book contract with Kensington. Tell us about the editorial process… I detailed the editorial process for my first novel in the previous question. After all that back-and-forth, it seemed strange to send my editor the first draft of The Amish Midwife’s Secret. My editor emailed listing the changes she wanted:
In addition to sending a detailed email and Track Changes in the manuscript, my editor likes to follow up with phone call. I’m an introvert, so phone calls always make me nervous. I’d be happy to work from the emails and skip the call. After the first round of big-picture edits, I often get second-pass edits to clean up a few things that need to be clarified. Then the book heads to the copyeditor, who picks up on little details and inconsistencies. Next, the proofreader does a final pass for typos. From there, it goes to galleys. I get a pdf version of the final book and need to read it for errors. Amazingly, I still find some. Did you get to participate in the cover process? If yes, how? Yes, I did, which I really appreciated. I was even invited to the photo shoots in New York, but unfortunately, I couldn’t attend any of them. My editor went and took snapshots for me. For my other books, I just filled out a sheet with some basic information about the hero and heroine’s looks, and I included pictures of the clothing, hairstyles, and other details to be sure they were correct. After that I had no input; they just sent the final cover design. Although I love all my covers, not all the covers have authentic outfits or hairstyles. With Hachette/Grand Central, though, I provided detailed directions about the clothing, and they followed it exactly. I even sent my Amish friend’s heart-shaped kapp (headcovering) for all 3 book covers in this series. It makes me so happy to see that all the major details are correct, and I think they created gorgeous covers. How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand or on screen (e-book)? For this series, Grand Central made the offer in January 2017 (we also had another offer for the series, so my agent negotiated with both, and we went with the best deal). I signed the contract in March 2017, and the first book came out April 2018. What marketing are you doing for this book? I have an interview with USA Today, a brief TV appearance, and a radio show. My street team is reading the book and will review and help promote it. I have two blog tours scheduled, as well as quite a few guest blogs set up. I have 6 in-person book events coming up. Unfortunately, with this novel releasing so close to winter, I didn’t set up many book signings. I’ll do more when book 3, The Amish Widow’s Rescue, comes out in March 2019. Instead, I’m doing a lot of online events. I have shared book parties with other inspirational authors. I’m part of a lot of book giveaways, especially for the holidays. I’m interacting with several online book clubs and will do some in-person and Skype book events. For me, Facebook is where my target market can be found, so I try to interact a lot on there with my readers. Before each book releases, I hold an Amish Life series in a private Facebook group, Rachel J. Good’s Hitching Post. Anyone who’s interested in learning more about the Amish or wants to hear about the unusual things I discovered while researching for the book is welcome to join. I’ve talking about Amish herbal medicine, Amish pregnancies, babies and midwives, the Special Clinic for Children, and other fun details. The last session was held Monday, November 26 at 8 PM EST, but readers can stop by any time to read the posts. Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication? Persistence is the key in this business. Although I’m mainly talking about my triumphs here, these came after many years of struggle and discouragement. I’ve found over the years that it’s not necessarily the best writers who get published, but the ones who keep picking themselves up and moving on. And even after you get an agent and a book contract, it isn’t all an uphill climb. Publishers close down lines, books get remaindered, and agents die. All of those have happened to me. At the time it seems all is dark, but I’ve discovered that if I keep plodding ahead and trusting God, I find new publishers (even ones willing to take on orphaned books), and a wonderful new agent. And here I want to give a shout-out to my agent, Nicole Resciniti, who’s done some amazing things for my career. Where can you be found online? Website: www.racheljgood.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachelJGood1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Rachel-J-Good/100009699285059 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelj.good Newsletter sign-up: http://bit.ly/1qwci4Q Where can your books be purchased? (Please include links.) Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Amish-Midwifes-Secret-Love-Promises/dp/1538711281 ChristianBooks.com: https://www.christianbook.com/the-amish-midwifes-secret/rachel-good/9781538711286/pd/711286 Other retailers: https://books2read.com/u/bWzJoY *Walmart, Sam’s Club, Meier’s, and Barnes & Noble carry them. If they aren’t there, you can ask them to order them in. 12/19/2018 0 Comments New Book - HIS CINDERELLA SWEETHEART Book Blurb
Internationally recognized outdoorsman and business leader Jace McKibbon is not used to feeling helpless, until he sets foot in America’s favorite amusement park, Neverland. When his grieving daughter forms a connection with the young woman playing Cinderella, Jace gratefully places himself in the beautiful princess’s hands. Carolina is in her element helping the little family negotiate the park, and Jace’s sparking blue eyes and rugged good looks don’t hurt. But as much as Carolina loves playing Cinderella at Neverland, she longs for more challenging work in God’s world. Can Jace help Carolina find a fairytale ending? INTERVIEW with author ANNA GRACE Where did the idea for this book come from? I was struck with the image of a little girl desperate to connect with someone who could understand her suffering. The characters of Jace and Carolina filled in later, but the initial scene of Ruthie rushing up to a woman playing Cinderella at an amusement park was the spark for the story. How long did it take you to write this book? I wrote the first draft in about six months, then I set it aside for over a year. I tried to focus on other projects, but this book just kept calling to me. Finally I decided I would finish it with the intention of creating a fun book for my teenage daughter and her friends to enjoy. The final edits only took three months. I’m a teacher, so I was home for the summer and would get up before my family everyday and chip away at it. Tell us about your revisions… Honestly the revisions were really fun. I felt like I was trying to figure out how the characters wanted the story to be told. When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission? I read through the book carefully and came up with a list of problems, everything from character inconsistencies to words I overused. Then I just forced myself to go down the list and correct all the problems. I gave the manuscript to my mom to read, and once I had her seal of approval I started looking for publishers. What happened along the way in your submission process? This is my first published novel. I’ve been facing rejection for years and was hesitant to put this book out there. But I really love this novel and felt like it would appeal to readers. I researched a number of small publishers and thought Clean Reads might be a good fit. When and how did you get the offer on your book? It was about 9:30 on a Friday evening. My husband and I had just gotten home after going to a play at the high school where we both teach. I don’t know why but I decided to check the email on my phone. When I saw I had a response from Clean Reads, I assumed it would be a rejection. I almost didn’t open the email, but took a deep breath and told myself to deal with it. And there was a brief note from the editor saying she loved my book and had attached a contract! I was dancing around the kitchen, laughing and yelling. Then I called my mom, and continued with the laughing and yelling. Tell us about the editorial process… The Clean Reads editors had some great ideas about how to word things more clearly, and helped sharpen the focus of the book. The biggest wrench in the system came when I found out that Disney would not allow me to use their name in the book. I freaked out for a good twenty-four hours when I got the official-looking letter with mouse ears stating that I would not be allowed to use Disneyland as a setting. I brainstormed with my family, and finally came up with Neverland as a setting. That was actually freeing, because I didn’t need to worry about getting all the Disneyland details right. Did you get to participate in the cover process? If yes, how? The cover process was one of my favorite parts. The designer, Cora Bignardi, sent a beautiful cover, but it didn’t fit with the characters. I went to the designer’s pinterest page and looked at all of her covers, then let her know what type of image I thought would work. Stephanie Taylor (owner and Chief editor of Clean Reads) weighed in on the process. Cora ultimately came up with this gorgeous cover. I couldn’t be happier with the way it turned out. How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand or on screen (e-book)? Just nine short months! It’s hard to believe I went from someone struggling to get published to a working author in less than a year. What marketing are you doing for this book? There’s so much to do! I thought it would be difficult, but I love these characters and am excited to share them with others. I’m focused on asking friends and family members to read and review the book on Amazon. A funny detour on that road has been my high school students. In a sincere effort to be helpful they keep going on to Amazon and saying His Cinderella Sweetheart is the best thing since the Sumerians invented writing, way better than Shakespeare, the best romance novel ever written. I have to ask them, gently, to take their lavish praise down. I like my book, but there have been better things written in the last 5000 years. I’m also reaching out to bloggers and asking them to read and review my book (Thank you!) And finally, I am in the process of making an audio book. Years ago I was an actress, and have always loved reading out loud. Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication? This book really wanted to be written. From the inspiration to the final product, I’ve always felt like I was just helping this story get told. I loved the process and am excited to share it with others. Where can you be found online? Website: MudandGraceStyle.com Twitter: @AnnaEmilyGrace Facebook: Anna Grace Author Instagram: mud.and.grace Where can your books be purchased? Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/His-Cinderella-Sweetheart-Contemporary-Romance-ebook/dp/B07KG8Z66N/ Clean Reads: http://cleanreads.com/catalog/adult/his-cinderella-sweetheart-a-contemporary-romance Author Bio Anna Grace lives on a small farm outside of Eugene, Oregon. She spends her time writing, rock climbing, keeping up with her family, attempting to keep up with the garden, and wrangling goats. She writes about honest fashion for active women at MudandGraceStyle.com. 11/29/2018 0 Comments Fall Book Release - HOPE FOR TOMORROW Michelle De Bruin’s new book came out from Mantle Rock Publishing in September.
Book Blurb: When Logan De Witt learns of his father’s sudden death, he returns home to the family’s dairy farm. During his stay, he discovers his mother’s struggle with finances and his younger sister’s struggle with grief. Concern for his family presses Logan to make the difficult decision to leave his career as a pastor and stay on the farm. As a way to make some extra money, he agrees to board the teacher for their local school. Karen Millerson arrives from Chicago ready to teach high school but her position is eliminated so she accepts the role of country school teacher. Eager to put her family’s ugly past behind her, Karen begins a new career to replace the trust she lost in her own father who had been in ministry when she was a child. Logan and Karen both sense a call from the Lord to serve him, but neither of them expected that one day they would do it together. Can Karen learn to trust again? Will Logan lay aside his grief in exchange for God’s purpose for his life? Where did the idea for this book come from? The idea for this book came from my family history and Dutch heritage. I also wanted to help people know how to handle loss and grief well. How long did it take you to write this book? Three years. Tell us about your revisions… I worked with a freelance editor. She helped me develop the characters and strengthen the plot line. When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission? When the freelance editor and I had reached the last chapter. What happened along the way in your submission process? An agent expressed interest in my manuscript but decided not to offer representation. I had taken a class with Kathy Cretsinger through ACFW and remembered that she owned a publishing company. I met their requirements for submission so sent them a sample. When and how did you get the offer on your book? I received an offer in February 2018. Kathy e-mailed me. Tell us about the editorial process… The editorial process was good. My manuscript was originally 97,000 words but the publisher preferred manuscripts between 80,000 and 85,000 words. The editor helped me make the best cuts. Did you get to participate in the cover process? Yes. The publisher sent me a questionnaire about my characters and what I would like to see on the cover of my book. How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand or on screen (e-book)? 8 months. What marketing are you doing for this book? Participating in Facebook parties, appearing on blogs, telling local bookstores and churches about it, and selling at craft shows. Where can you be found online? Website: https://michelledebruin.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichelleDAuthor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleDeBruinsAuthorPage/ Author Bio: Michelle De Bruin is a worship leader and spiritual services provider. She lives in Iowa with her husband and two teenage sons. A romantic at heart, Michelle is always looking for glimpses of God’s love through the window of a good story. Where can your book be purchased? Amazon (ebook and paperback): https://www.amazon.com/Hope-Tomorrow-Michelle-Bruin/dp/1945094583 Barnes and Noble (paperback): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hope-for-tomorrow-michelle-de-bruin/1129589055  I’ve decided to celebrate fellow author’s releases. These will be clean adult fiction: romance, suspense, and/or inspirational. First up to be interviewed is Emily-Jane Hills Orford with Queen Mary’s Daughter, a historical fiction/fantasy.
Book Blurb: “This novel is a masterpiece, written by a great storyteller, one who leads readers into the workings of the hearts of her characters and allows them to explore the conflicts inherent to human nature.” - Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite There are so many possibilities that affect the course of history. One change, one small item overlooked, can make a world of difference, not only in a person's life, but in the history and well-being of an entire nation. And then there are those multiple scenarios of what if? What if King James VI of Scotland didn't succeed in amalgamating Scotland with England? Would Scotland have remained free and independent and a nation of its own well into the twenty-first century? And would Scotland, this independent version, make its own decision to join the European Union when its southern neighbor was choosing to pull away? And, what if there was another heir to the Scottish throne? In Queen Mary's Daughter (Clean Reads Publisher), author Emily-Jane Hills Orford presents another plausible timeline, one that incorporates both historical fact and fiction with the endless possibilities of time travel. Where did the idea for this book come from? First and foremost, my grandmother (Gran). She and I had a special relationship. When I was old enough, we traveled together. One special trip took us to Scotland where we traced Gran’s childhood memories (she was born in Scotland) and we followed the trail of Mary Queen of Scots. We had been enjoying a number of novels and biographies about the ill-fated queen and my grandmother ignited my interest by telling me about ancestors who helped in her escape from Loch Leven Castle. I always wanted to write about Queen Mary, but it wasn’t until the Brexit debacle and the ongoing desire of the Scottish people to separate from England, that I started looking more closely at the stories around Queen Mary. I knew she had given birth, prematurely, to twins while imprisoned at Loch Leven. History records that the babies died at birth and were buried on the island where the castle sat. An interesting footnote states that the location of the burial and the babies’ remains have never been found. So, I started thinking, ‘what if?’. What if there had been another heir to the Scottish throne and Scotland never did amalgamate with England and Ireland? And my story unfolded. How long did it take you to write this book? For the first draft, just over a year. Then came all the editing. Tell us about your revisions… It’s a painful process for a writer. We have to be very self-critical and look at our own work from the perspective of our potential readers. Does it flow? Does it make sense? And watch out for all those typos – when we’re writing, fast, there are bound to be typos. Sometimes very humorous typos. When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission? After several full edits, I took the plunge and found Clean Reads. I worked with their editors and fine-tuned the manuscript even further. What happened along the way in your submission process? I really lucked in with Clean Reads. Queen Mary’s Daughter was only sent out to a couple of publishers before Clean Reads snatched it up. While I awaited the contract, I continued working on other writing projects, including my recently released Middle Grade fantasy novel, Mrs. Murray’s Ghost (TellTale Publishing). When and how did you get the offer on your book? Everything was done via email. Which was great. Ten years ago, I was still submitting manuscripts via snail mail, which, when adding the return postage, was becoming expensive. And it took longer to get a response, if I ever did hear back from the publisher. Tell us about the editorial process… I had already gone through several edits before sending out the manuscript. Clean Reads has a very intense process. I think I went through three different editors to get the manuscript ready for publications. It was a lengthy process. Did you get to participate in the cover process? Not really. But I’m pleased with the cover. It really captures the main character and the Scottish flavor. How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand or on screen (e-book)? 6 months. What marketing are you doing for this book? I’ve participated in a lot of blog tours, advertising campaigns, seeking book reviews. I almost spend as much time promoting my books as I do writing them. Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication? I learned a lot of interesting details about Scottish (and English) history. Where can you be found online? Website: http://emilyjanebooks.ca Twitter: https://twitter.com/ejhomusic Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realpeoplestories Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1732544.Emily_Jane_Hills_Orford Author Bio: Emily-Jane Hills Orford is an award-winning author of several books. Her recent historical fiction/fantasy novel, Queen Mary’s Daughter, is receiving rave reviews as is her recent Middle Grade fantasy novel, Mrs. Murray’s Ghost. She writes about the extra-ordinary in life, in both creative nonfiction styles and historical fiction/fantasy. A regular book reviewer, the author loves to read almost as much as she loves to write. Where can your books be purchased? On Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/Queen-Marys-Daughter-Emily-Jane-Orford-ebook/dp/B079DMRRR8/  Why did you decide to become a writer?
It’s more a matter of writing decided to embrace me, I think. As far back as upper elementary school, I was composing little ditties and couplets. By junior high school, I was writing multi-stanza poems and short-short stories. By about 10th grade, I was fully on fire with poetry and stories, had a couple of things published at the school, and even attempted (but never completed) a novel. By my senior year, I’d won some cash prizes in a regional writers conference and had a first place winning poem published on the front page of my hometown newspaper. So, I guess you can say, I’ve “always” been a writer. Do you have authors who inspired you to write? If so, whom? My dad was a writer. He wrote novels and plays (never published or produced), along with short stories and poetry. Some of his stories and poems were published and/or placed in contests. He and my mom were always very supportive of my creative writing. My older brother was also a big writer, having completed a novel while he was still in high school. He’s gone on to publish numerous non-fiction books and several novels, along with hundreds of articles in professional journals. Also, a friend of my parents – the famous novelist Walker Percy – lived nearby and he was (for a while) a member of the local writers’ group that my dad was involved with. What genre(s) do you write and what made you choose it (them)? Another tough question, because I think of my fiction work as being mostly “hybrid.” After I retired from my full-time library job, I shifted from non-fiction books, poetry, reviews, and articles… and felt led to try my hand at long fiction. I made a conscious decision to write fiction for the broader market that includes what people consider “romance” — though there are so many sub-genres and hybrid-genres within “romance” that it’s less of a category than a phenomenon. All that said, my fiction has romantic elements, along with humor, and usually an action sequence. Some titles have been suspense and some have been what people call “contemporary.” I have at least one ghost story and two of my novels have elements of science fiction. Several have been under the broader tag of humor — some of which are straight-out “screwball” comedy, while others are not quite that far out. What kinds of classes, workshops, organizations, groups helped you learn the craft of writing? I’ve never taken a writing class, other than the English courses in high school and college… in which there were always compositions and research papers to complete. I’ve been a member of Romance Writers of America since 2007, I think. In 2010 I joined the Chick Lit Writers of the World Chapter… which later was re-named Contemporary Romance Writers. Do you belong to a critique group? If so, how often do you meet? No. In the instances – earlier in my writing career – in which I shared poetry with other poets, I found that I put a lot more into my feedback about their poetry than they ever did about mine. [To put it one way, I was giving a dollar’s worth of effort and receiving back only a dime’s worth.] And, too often, I found some of their comments to be way less than helpful — at times even dismissive. Tell us about your first break into print experience. I mentioned, above, the poem on the front page of the local paper. Prior to that I guess my first time “in print” was during 10th grade when the faculty sponsor of the creative writing anthology selected my short-short story to run in that year’s issue. I was ecstatic, of course. After high school, I was on the staff of a college newspaper and saw my byline a lot. Later I was a full-time photo-journalist for a small-town daily and got many more bylines for articles and photos. After that, I moved to a small-town weekly where there many more bylines. In the military, I worked on three different base newspapers. As a librarian, my articles and reviews appeared in professional publications. My first real BOOK was a non-fiction work co-authored with my brother in 1988. It was released by one of the top three publishers of resources for libraries and librarians (at that time). We co-authored another book with them in 1991. My first novel – The Overnighter’s Secrets – was released in May 2012 by Astraea Press (since re-named Clean Reads). What’s one tip you’d share with other writers? Since I found this trait in my own early writing years, I assume it’s pretty common: the tendency to think of one’s first drafts as “ready” (and perhaps even “perfect” — ha). I feel confident in saying a first draft is almost never ready to go anywhere. Be willing to revise, re-draft, and re-think scenes. If something’s not working in your story, be willing to cut it — maybe it will find a home later, in another work. Always proofread… then proofread again. Try to find an insightful, honest beta reader whose own writing is of high quality and whose feedback you trust. LISTEN to what she/he says about your work. That doesn’t mean you have to adopt every single suggestion they make, but if they tell you Chapter Three bogs down horribly and loses the interest of the reader… they’re probably on to something. Re-do Chapter Three. Please share your most recent book title and the opening line. (Please include a buy link.) My most recent is Not Easy Being Android, released by TouchPoint Romance on Feb. 16, 2018 This is a good example of the hybrid genres I discussed above. It’s got romantic elements, along with a bit of a detective plot, some “sci-fi,” and an action scene. It actually begins with a teaser scene, but here’s the first line of Chapter 1: If the caller had not quickly mentioned my former faculty advisor, I would’ve hung up because I rarely converse with people from numbers I don’t recognize. Buy link: https://tinyurl.com/NEBAndroid Bio Besides 15 fiction titles, Salter has published non-fiction monographs, articles, reviews, and 120 poems... and has won 40 writing awards. As a newspaper photo-journalist, he published some 250 bylined articles or photos. Before working 30 years in librarianship, he was a decorated USAF veteran. Salter is the married father of two and grandfather of six. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ AuthorJLSalter Twitter: @AuthorJLSalter Blog: https://fourfoxesonehound. wordpress.com/ |
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SM Ford writes inspirational fiction for adults, although teens may find the stories of interest, too. She also loves assisting other writers on their journeys. Archives
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