Nancy K. Allen's new book: TROUBLE IN TROUBLESOME CREEK

The Troublesome Creek kids are back with a new adventure. Their favorite swimming hole has dead fish floating in the water. Stiiiinky! Can the kids solve the mystery of the dead fish?

Check out Nancy K. Allen's blog at www.nancykellyallen.blogspot.com
for news and updates on her latest books, contests and writing tips.

Lauren Sharman, Author of romance/suspense

The McCassey Brothers Series:
No Worries. . .#1 BESTSELLER, December 2006
The Devil's Candy. . .#2 BESTSELLER, May & June 2007
Dusty Rose. . .#1 BESTSELLER, February 2008
The Long Road Home. . .#1 BESTSELLER, November 2008

The McCassey Cousins Series:
When Night Falls...#1 BESTSELLER at Fictionwise, August 2009
Betrayed...#1 BESTSELLER, December 2009, January 2010
Book 3...Available August 1, 2010

www.LaurenSharman.com
All books available at: www.WhiskeyCreekPress.com

Jessica Leader, Author, NICE AND MEAN

See message from Jessica Leader below regarding her new MG novel:

NICE AND MEAN debuts from Simon and Schuster in a mere! 3! months--minus one day!

To celebrate, I am giving stuff away--NICE AND MEAN bookmarks, Dr. Pepper lipgloss and Indian bangle bracelets (the latter two are objects in the book.) The contest is being run at http://tinyurl.com/nicemeangive.

This is the final section of Rita Sexton's interview on her experience of self-publishing. To get your own copy of MY JOURNEY TO MY HAPPY HOUSE, visit Amazon.com or B&N. com

Welcome back to my interview with first-time author, Rita Sexton, on the pros and cons of ‘self-publishing’:

Sandi: As you may know, editors/publishers don’t or won’t recognize ‘self-publishing” as ‘credits’ when it comes to pitching a book proposal. Some editors/publishers won’t even accept a query from an unpublished author—some agents, as well.
Again, I understand why you wrote ‘My Journey to My Happy House”, but how do you feel about not being considered a ‘real’ author—especially since I know you’ve already had several book signings.

Rita: It’s not about being anything more than what I am. I had a story, I’ve told it – it’s being read. It doesn’t bother me if the world sees me as an author or not. I did something I was suppose to do….I can say one thing – I had a mother she had nine children – obviously she was impregnated, carried each child, went through the birthing and delivery, and that’s where it ended, however the world considers her a mother.

Sandi: Other than telling your story, did/do you have the desire to continue to write? If so, are you interested in any one particular genre?

Rita: It’s amazing the positive effects of an accepted submission. The blood, sweat and tears put into your ‘first born’, just like childbirth, are forgotten, and the desire once again to put pen to paper (or typed word) is rebirthed. I haven’t a particular genre, my thoughts often because of daily events, spawn ideas of all kinds. Mostly my writing desire is motivational and or spiritual (both of which, in my world bear the same message).

Sandi: Well, again, I want to commend you on your book and reiterate my own congratulations for finding your ‘happy house’. Thanks for sharing your insight with us regarding the publishing process.

Rita: Thank you for this opportunity and certainly for your heartwarming comments.

For information about Rita’s book, visit www.amazon.com or www.barnesandnoble.com and search for Rita Sexton’s
“My Journey To My Happy House”.

Welcome back to my interview with first-time author, Rita Sexton, on the pros and cons of ‘self-publishing’

Sandi: Once the book was finished, what was your total cost and how is the book ‘marketed’?

Rita: Officially the book cost a total of $3,900 to publish, which included the editing, layout, cover design, etc. After the initial cost, I received some free starter books. I now pay $5.20 for each book. The selling price of my book is $12.99. The book is marketed through a distributor, which I believe is Tennessee-based.

Sandi: What do you do on a personal level to promote your book?

Rita: Book Signings, Church, Civic Clubs, Book Clubs speaking engagements. I have also spoken at Dinners with several hundred people, as well as, Conferences of several thousand.

Sandi: What have you enjoyed most about the entire process? What have you enjoyed the least?

Rita: First and foremost, the realization that God has taken something so very ugly and used it to benefit others going through similar circumstances by allowing them to know they aren’t alone. Second, by allowing me to say because of the positive difference it’s making for others, I wouldn’t change a thing. I am so honored to be used in such an uplifting way. Third, the way people have accepted my mistakes with love and mercy is so healing; I see God smiling every time someone shares that love and mercy with me.

Sandi: Continuing with my question, what about this Company did you like the best? The least?

Rita: I liked my story being accepted the best!!! Whether I earn enough to pay my sweet husband back is irrelevant because it’s more about breaking the lies and ties that bind so many. Events that consume our lives that make us merely breathing beings instead of the realization we’re blessed beings. What I liked least was waiting…..I continually reminded myself, “In God’s timing not mine” and “patience is a virtue”.

Sandi: What about ‘rights’—who owns your book?

Rita: The Company’s representative made it very clear in the beginning, the ‘rights’ to my book are mine and will always be.

Sandi: Back to the submission process, those of us who could paper a wall with rejection slips, was the process you went through to publish your book painful, at all? Did you know, for example, they would ‘accept’ your book from the beginning? Do they accept all submissions?

Rita: Once my book was submitted I received an email stating they would either return my manuscript to me with a rejection letter, OR they would contact me via email of acceptance. They made me aware they received over 15,000 (that’s fifteen thousand) a year and only accept 4%. To say the least, I watched for my manuscript in the mail. However, six weeks later I received an email along with an attachment of contract and agreements which said – “Congratulations on being part of the 4%”. I cried.

Join us next week for the finale of Self-Publishing: An Interview With Someone’s Who’s ‘Been There, Done That…Bought The Book’’

Read my 3-part interview with Rita Sexton on self-publishing...

Welcome back to my interview with first-time author, Rita Sexton, on the pros and cons of ‘self-publishing’:

Self-Publishing:
An Interview With Someone’s Who’s ‘Been There, Done That…Bought The Book’’
Forward:
I’ve known Rita Sexton for many years. We worked together; I saw her on a regular basis. So imagine my surprise when I heard she’d written a book. I read the entire book in one sitting, alternating between tears and laughter. The contents of the book are not the topic for discussion today, but let me say, it’s definitely a ‘journey’. My interest today is the process involved in self-publishing a book, and Rita has graciously agreed to this interview:

SDU: Rita, thanks for agreeing to do this interview. As you may be aware, ‘self-publishing’ is a hot topic among writers today. The very process of submitting to agents/publishers is daunting, to say the least. Let’s get past the experience of the first draft and re-writes; did you ever consider the ‘normal’ submission process?

Rita: You’re welcome and I appreciate the opportunity. To be quite honest, I had no idea of the difference between ‘self-published’ or ‘normal’ once it was time to submit my manuscript. However in recent months I have found the route taken in the ‘self–publish’ method was one which yielded more benefits for the first time author. It was at times exasperating to say the least. While my story was one of a personal journey, it wasn’t one that I chose to do freely-- that in itself was extremely difficult. So in answering your question, “no” the path I took was one chosen for me. However, now that I’ve experienced the ‘self-published’ route, I would, if I choose to submit for publication again, entertain or investigate the path of ‘normal’ publication.

SDU: How much control did you have over ‘edits’? Can you describe that process to us?

Rita: I had total control, although suggestions were made. Because the staff at the Company I chose was such a professional team, I moved in favor of their suggestions unless it changed the meaning or truth. In actuality, not many changes were suggested by them. However, it was left up to me totally – the suggestions were there for consideration. From a legal standpoint they watched out for my benefit due to the very nature of some of the personal events.

SDU: Can you describe for us the process from submission to proof of final product? And how long did it take?

Rita: Once I began writing, I stopped frequently to recover. The pain and re-surfacing issues at times were too much to handle... As I mentioned in the book, often times I would sit typing with my eyes tightly closed, I just didn't want to revisit what I was writing. The process was a long one, but the publishing aspect was the longer of the two, editing approval, cover approval, content approval...everything was managed tightly, which was very professional. It took approximately 18 months from start to finish.

Join us next week for part two of Self-Publishing: An Interview With Someone’s Who’s ‘Been There, Done That…Bought The Book’’

The truth about SELF-PUBLISHING

Self-publishing is the publishing of books and other media by the authors of those works, rather than by established, third-party publishers. Although it represents a small percentage of the publishing industry in terms of sales, it has been present in one form or another since the beginning of publishing and has seen an increase in activity with the advancement of publishing technology, including xerography, desktop publishing systems, print on demand, and the World Wide Web. Cultural phenomena such as the punk/DIY movement, the proliferation of media channels, and blogging have contributed to the advancement of self-publishing. - (2008, July 14). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20:20, July 14, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=3&oldid=223389944:

You’ve finally finished the book! You’ve written and re-written, proofed and re-proofed. Every word smacks of wonder and amazement; every punctuation mark defines the genius you are; every anecdote brings a wry grin; every sub-plot weaves magic; every…you get the idea.

Now it’s time to ship that puppy off to the hundreds of markets that spelled out in black and white they were just waiting with bated breath for this very story. Then the waiting begins: grass grows, paint dries, seasons change. Finally you receive a form letter that clearly wasn’t meant for you. Surely, this cold, indifferent, vanilla-coated letter couldn’t sum up your blood, sweat and tears in one check-mark: “not for us.”

Many have fallen victim to the infamous ‘rejection letter’. It’s enough to drive some people to drink…or even self-publication. Because of the difficulty to break through the ‘slush pile’, many are throwing caution to the wind and bearing the expense of self-publishing and ‘print on demand’.

Is self-publishing so bad? Or is it the ‘way of the future’? Join me next week for the first of a four-part interview with first-time author Rita Sexton who made self-publishing her first choice.