Fiction Scribe

Children’s book author Mayra Calvani joins us today as part of her virtual tour during the month of June. Leave a comment to show your support.

On the Author/Illustrator Relationship…
By Mayra Calvani

For most authors, working with an illustrator for a picture book can be a thrilling yet stressful experience. Having created the imaginary world in their stories, authors often wonder whether or not the artist will be able to grasp the essence of the setting and characters—not only physically, but tone-wise as well. After all, it is up to the artist to bring the story visually to life. Sometimes the artist may have a different idea for the artwork than the author, and this can create problems.

When working with the big publishing houses, authors hardly have any saying as far as the artwork goes. The art department assigns the illustrator who they think will be better suitable for the book, and that’s that. With small presses, the author has more influence in the matter and often authors and illustrators work side by side.

This, by the way, doesn’t necessarily lead to a better book. It’s okay for the author to indicate her vision for the book, but it’s also important to allow the artist to be creative and do her part. Likewise, an illustrator should keep in mind the author’s vision for the illustrations. Mutual respect and communication are essential in any relationship, and for authors and illustrators working together this is no exception.

Of course, an author has the most control over the artwork when she hires an artist for a self publishing project. This is how I found Amy Moreno. Initially I was planning to self publish my children’s picture book, The Doll Violinist. I had sent it out to dozens of agents and publishers, without success. I got some good comments on it, but apparently the editors and agents found the story’s tone too ‘quiet’. Nevertheless, I had faith in my project and set out to find the right illustrator for it. My plan was to keep submitting while the artwork was being done, and in the event that I didn’t have a publisher by the time it was finished, then I would publish it myself.

But to go back to Amy … I spent about three months searching online, studying illustrator’s styles and querying the ones whose work I liked to learn about their fees and work schedules. (more…)

Want to get published? Do it yourself – and make a living from it!

Novice or Seasoned… New to the publishing game? TWFSP takes you step-by-step through every stage of your publishing success story. Been around the block a few times? You’ll walk away with a whole host of new tools and insights. Far from theoretical, TWFSP is one big case study: the author’s own “real-world� success chronicle.

In this how-to book from Peter Bowerman, nothing is hidden and no resources are withheld. Bowerman lays it all out for you so you have a true step-by-step guide instead of only the bits and pieces of what he wants to share.

TWFSP is an excellent book if you’re looking for a resource book in pursuing self-publishing. It’s easy to read and can probably answer any questions you have. Bowerman has a way of talking to you rather than at you about things so you can’t help but start feeling excited about the future possibilities for your book(s).

You have to be careful with charisma, though, because it’s easy to get caught up in an idea. While he does mention it in the first chapter, Bowerman could have spent more time emphasizing that it takes a lot of hard work to sell a book on your own and it also takes your own money to make things start happening.

Overall, this book is a great resource. It’s full of websites, examples, to-do lists, and much much more that any author or would-be author would benefit from having around.

Hello and welcome to Fiction Scribe, Ms. Miller. Let’s start with getting to know you a little better. List five things you feel define you as a person.

Book reader from an early age.
Writer from an early age.
Always interested in learning new things.
Grew up in the Midwest – definitely a defining background.
Taught by my parents to always be the good person.

Where did the inspiration for Mrs. Lieutenant come from?

I was a new Mrs. Lieutenant in the spring of 1970 during the Vietnam War. It was a unique experience and I wanted to preserve that slice of women’s social history.

It’s obvious this book is different from your typical women’s fiction novel. In your opinion, what makes this book different from other women’s fiction?

To me contemporary women’s fiction is usually an inward-looking process; the protagonist is centered on herself and her own problems in a way that appears to discount what’s going on around her in the larger picture. The four women protagonists in MRS. LIEUTENANT are outward-looking because their lives are very much impacted by what’s going on around them in the larger picture.

Are you an army officer’s wife? If so, how much of your experiences come into play in this book? If not, what kind of research did you have to do for your book to read authentically?

I was an army officer’s wife from May of 1970 to May of 1972, and my experiences very much influence this novel. I have all my original documents from that time, so I didn’t have to rely only on my memory to recreate the period. (And some of those original 1970 documents can be seen on my website at www.mrslieutenant.com.)

With the war in Iraq happening, there are going to be many women who identify with the women in this book. Was the timing for the publication and release of this book intentional? If so, why make it about Vietnam instead of the current war?

MRS. LIEUTENANT probably has a lot to say in connection with the current war in Iraq, but the publication timing was not intentional. It took me this long to get the book to where I thought it was ready to be released. And I couldn’t have written it about Iraq because I don’t know enough about officers’ wives today. My main objective was to present an authentic look at officers’ wives, so the book had to be at a time that I personally knew.

What are your dreams for your writing? Where do you see yourself in five years both as a writer and as a person?

I’m writing the sequel now – MRS. LIEUTENANT IN EUROPE – about being part of an occupation army in Germany 25 years after the end of World War II. And I have an outline of a third novel when Sharon Gold returns to civilian life. I hope in five years that both those books will be published. I also hope that my completed manuscript of a success guide for teens will be published or available in some format. And, as a person, I hope to always continue learning new things.

What is the most valuable piece of advice you have been given/learned in your life as a writer?

I’ve learned that a writer has to continually work to improve her/his craft – and to believe in herself/himself and not let other people discourage her/him.

Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers here?

On the advice of a close friend, I changed my fiction reading “diet� to a much wider-range from the steady menu of mysteries I had been reading. This wider-range of reading definitely helped me improve my own writing.

Thank you very much for coming by this blog. I wish you great successes with Mrs. Lieutenant.

Hello everyone!

As you have all probably well and truly noticed by now, 451press blogs have been having a few… problems lately. The sites take a long time to load sometimes and it’s not always easy to comment.

I want to apologize for all the problems and let you know that you aren’t the only ones having difficulties. It’s not just you, not just your computer. Even we bloggers are having difficulties just posting.

Why is it happening? Well, going by the amount of spam comments I have to clean off my sites every day, I think being attacked by one or more spam monsters is driving our servers down into the dumps a bit. Day in and day out of offers to increase the size of your man parts and show you free cartoon porn would do that do anyone, I think.

Hopefully we’ll have everything sorted out very soon and will be back up and running normally soon.

Always remember that you can feel free to contact me using the ‘contact me’ button under the site description. I’m not sure if anything would be so urgent that you would need to let me know, but hey, I’m always up for a casual chat as well.

Please bear with me as all this stuff is happening. It’s not fun for any of us and we certainly don’t like it when our readers are unhappy.

And, just to occupy your time, here is a link to one of my favourite web comics:

Questionable Content

Author Peter Bowerman, Mr. Well Fed Writer, is joining us for three days here on Fiction Scribe. He’ll be talking about his writing, his book, and self-publishing today. Today is his last day here, so be sure to stop by and say hello.

While “self-publishing� has had a bad name, I’m living proof that there’s a new definition out there, one with rising profits as well as rising industry respect. And as it gets progressively harder to land a deal with a conventional publisher, more and more of those writers and aspiring writers with books inside them are starting to (cautiously) glance in this direction.

Not sure which publishing path to take? As I see it, if you’re writing non-fiction, non-fiction how-to (my genre), or even niche fiction (i.e., romance, mystery, horror, sci-fi, etc) to a certain extent, the only reason NOT to self-publish is you simply don’t have the money and/or the time to devote to your self-publishing adventure.

If you don’t have the money, but DO have the time, then conventional publishing will at least provide you with the funding, but remember: the marketing support you get from a publisher will typically be jaw-droppingly negligible. Most of it still falls to you. If you’re okay with the reality of busting your tail for “pocket-change� royalties, go for it (no, I’m not biased towards self-publishing…

If you have neither time nor money, then consider POD (print-on-demand). But be realistic. POD makes sense mainly for those who simply want to be able to call themselves “authors� and make their book available to friends and family. Forget about making much money as a POD author – in the overwhelming bulk of cases, it just ain’t gonna happen. True fact: The average POD author sells 100-150 books, and guess who’s buying two-thirds of them? The author!

General rule of thumb in publishing? Your potential return is directly proportional to the level of your investment – both in money and time. True for a lot of things, I suppose.

Some advice? Make excellence your motto. Sounds cliché (“yeah, yeah, I know that…�) but creating a book that stands out in the marketplace and indeed delivers the potential of a full-time living requires excellence on many levels: excellence in the quality of your manuscript (i.e., write a damn good book; shoot for, at the very least, conventional wisdom that says it’s “one of the best books in the genre�); in the production quality of the book itself; in the quality of the marketing materials you create; in the comprehensiveness and quality of your book web site; in your customer service; in the effort you bring to talks, speeches, and book signings, etc.

Let me tell you this: there are few feelings to compare with creating a really good book, making it the best it can be, bringing it to market and creating a full-time (or even part-time) income stream from it. That’s big stuff. I wish that for you.

Author Peter Bowerman, Mr. Well Fed Writer, is joining us for three days here on Fiction Scribe. He’ll be talking about his writing, his book, and self-publishing today.

Even those authors who manage to gain entry to The Publishing Kingdom quickly discover that the emperor truly has no clothes: paltry royalties, up to two years to publication, the loss of creative control and relinquished book rights. And the most unpleasant realization of all? Even after all those concessions, authors are still expected to shoulder the lion’s share of the book promotion burden themselves! All to earn – in most cases – far less than a buck a book.

Self-publishing offers the opportunity to take the reins of your own book journey. You keep control of the process, the timetable, the rights, and most of the money. Given that have to do most of the marketing yourself even in a conventional publishing scenario, why not reap most of the rewards? Yes, you have to foot the bill for your publishing efforts, but if done right, whatever you invest can quite realistically come back many times over.

Me? I began as an unknown author with one book, NO big publisher, NO publicist, NO big marketing budget and NO publishing experience whatsoever. I was in the black in 90 days, and subsequently turned that book into a full-time living for five-plus years (more like seven-plus now with two more books under my belt).

Of course, I often hear, “I don’t know anything about marketing and book promotion.� Well, I firmly assert that commercial success as a self-publishing author is far more about a process than an aptitude – far more about a lot of things you have to do than some way you have to be. None of those things are particularly difficult – they just have to get done.

Because I realize most people don’t come from a marketing background, I devoted an entire chapter of TWFSP to developing a “marketing mindset� – minus the angst and stress. NOT book promotion – that’s most of the book – but rather grasping the fundamentals of sales and marketing to better understand book promotion. Chapter title? “Learning to Love S&M… (Sales & Marketing).� It just feels like the other sometimes…

Of course, my focus isn’t simply self-publishing. It’s profitable self-publishing. Self-publishing by itself, as a process, is obviously feasible. People do it all the time. And in most cases, they do it like clumsy, sloppy clueless amateurs. And as a result, they go nowhere, reach virtually no one, and make no money. Which is why “self-publishing� gets a bad rap – and in the overwhelming percentage of cases, that rap is well deserved.

But your self-publishing story doesn’t have to end that way. Success isn’t easy or cheap, but it’s do-able. I’ve done it and countless others have done it as well. It all starts with a plan, and that’s the whole point of TWFSP – a detailed blueprint authors can follow to write their own self-publishing success story.

Author Peter Bowerman, Mr. Well Fed Writer, is joining us for three days here on Fiction Scribe. He’ll be talking about his writing, his book, and self-publishing today.

“Writing is a career path of dubious financial prospects.�

I’ve earned a handsome living making a lie of that conventional wisdom. And I’ve done it in two writing arenas: “commercial� freelancing (writing for businesses, large and small, and for rates of $50-125+ an hour) as well as self-publishing.

My name is Peter Bowerman and I’m a commercial freelancer, speaker, business coach, and self-publishing author. In 1994, I started out as a commercial freelancer with NO writing background, experience or training; I’d never written anything for money. I was paying all my bills in less than four months, and I spent the next seven years collecting the all the how-to detail about my field.

I self-published the 2000 award-winning Book-of-the-Month Club selection, The Well-Fed Writer, and its 2005 companion volume, TWFW: Back For Seconds (both self-published; www.wellfedwriter.com). Those two books have become how-to “standards� on starting a lucrative commercial freelancing business. I then chronicled my self-publishing success (52,000 copies of my first two books in print and a full-time living for over five years) in my third book – and the focus of these blog posts – the award-winning 2007 release, The Well-Fed Self-Publisher: How to Turn One Book into a Full-Time Living. www.wellfedsp.com.

Why did I write The Well-Fed Self-Publisher? Well, visit virtually any writer’s web site or read any writing publication, and chances are, you’ll see one or more articles relating to the challenges of getting published – along with tips, strategies, tricks, etc. So many authors chase it, but so few manage to get it.

I felt that for most authors, self-publishing was truly viable, and given the time and energy they’d have to invest even in a conventional publishing scenario to be successful – and all for a lousy return – didn’t it make more sense to do it yourself and keep control of the process, the timetable, the rights, and most of the money?

Given my success at creating a full-time income for five years off ONE book, I felt my story was one worth sharing. Oh, and yes, I thought I could make money! Because my formula had worked twice, it could work again (and has). Yes, that success benefits me, but it also reaffirms the fundamental validity of the book’s premises.

I say … and you think … ?

1. Purchase ::
2. Squeaky clean ::
3. Blended ::
4. Wednesday ::
5. Function ::
6. Look down ::
7. July? ::
8. Raspberry ::
9. Assertive ::
10. Cracker ::

Courtesy of Luna Nina

Hello and welcome to Fiction Scribe, Ms. Merlino

Let’s start with getting to know you a little better. List five things you feel define you as a person.

I am defined by what I believe.

I believe in the unknown and in the possibilities of the future. I believe that a person can always be what he or she wanted to be. I am persistent, I am hopeful and I am a survivor.

Where did the inspiration for Belly of the Whale come from?

The seed of this story was not about a young woman with breast cancer. In fact, the bud of the story was centered on another character in the book, Willy Wu. The original title of the book was “Willy Wu�. At the time that I began putting words to paper I was re-reading some of Joseph Campbell’s works and I was taken once again with his concept of heroes and this became coupled with a desire to write about a character like Willy who is challenged, mentally, physically and verbally. I wondered how much a Willy Wu character actually processed and if he could transcend his stereotyping and be a hero.

Belly of the Whale touches on a lot of emotionally strong subjects like cancer and abuse; what kind of research did you do to give this book an authentic feel?

I spent a year (of three) collecting information, reading articles and exploring emotions. I am intrigued by the way life repeats itself and how when a situation comes around in familial legacy how the next generation deals with their history and the challenges. How or if they break the cycle, change the outcome or continue with what they know for good or for bad.

Many articles I read were about spouses, boyfriends, life partners and breast cancer family members and how the more love that the person(s) gave their mate etc., the more patience with the situation, the better the outcome. This being said whether their partner or family member survived or died the quality of life and that relationship was the best medicine. This type of person(s) is very special, very selfless and caring. This is not an easy do in the face of such heartache.

In one synopsis of the book, it says: “A touching story of despair, abuse, murder and survival takes you on a journey through the darkest places of the human mind and spirit, and in the end leads you back out of “the belly of the whale� enriched by the experience.� How does a book that encompasses so many dark issues leave the reader enriched?

Belly of the Whale speaks about the descent into darkness. Sometimes we are in the light and other times we are in the shadow. Life has its measure of pain and tragedy. We open a newspaper, turn on the television or our computer and the headlines are grim. When a person finds him or her self weighed down by grief, depression or pain and they are able to rise above the obstacles then there is a sort of rebirth. The journey becomes a journey of the soul, we hope for wisdom and we seek to be enriched.

Why do you feel people should read Belly of the Whale?

Belly of the Whale goes outside the lines of specific genre. Its appeal is far reaching. The message of hope and survival can be applied to everyone. The journey into the Belly of the Whale is the descent into life’s darkness. We all have been there or will find his or her way there, some day. The Belly of the Whale is a test of soul.

What are your dreams for your writing? Where do you see yourself in five years both as aw writer and a person?

This writer’s dream has come true. Beyond that, in five years I would like to be writing exclusively and have my next book out in 2011. As a person, I would like to be recognized in the larger community of writers and authors and not lose my sense of self, who I am, and where I came from.

What is the most valuable piece of advice you have been given/learned in your life as a writer?

I keep snippets of wisdom by my desk and on my fridge. Here are a few:

“Writing is an act of faith…�
“Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never…� Churchill
“What will you do with this one, wild passionate life�… Oliver
“What you can do, or dream you can, begin it; Boldness has genius, power and magic in it…� Goethe

Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers here?

While traveling around promoting Belly of the Whale and doing speaking engagements I like to close with a bit of inspiration. I tell people that I am blessed at this stage of my life to be a published author. I also tell my audience not listen to people who have lost sight of their own dream; their own souls. Keep at it…whatever IT is, and if writing is your passion, then keep writing. Do the dream…

Thank you very much for coming by this blog. I wish you great successes with Belly of the Whale.

Having passed the 15,000 word mark in my current work in progress and well fixed on the plot points (and ending), I have been thinking about finishing the first draft. That will be a lovely day, as it will mark not only the end of the first draft but my first completed women’s fiction story.

Anyway, that got me thinking…

1. Save it.
2. Save it again on my USB key.
3. Go to the pub and thoroughly enjoy a gin and tonic.
4. Buy myself a new pen. Or a notebook. Or both.
5. Oh, and while I’m at the pub, I should probably by my husband a pint. Because I’m nice like that.
6. Go out for dinner somewhere. (What? Don’t you celebrate after finishing the first draft?)
7. Occasionally dream of publication.
8. Think about friends who might be willing to (be bribed to) read it.
9. Play some computer games or something like that.
10. Catch up on emails and organize my inbox.
11. Buy whatever is needed for bribes mentioned in #8.
12. Avoid looking at it or thinking about it for a few days. (Weeks?)
13. Start editing.

Check out my other Thursday Thirteens at Write Anyway, Long Relationships, and The Book Stacks

Lo and behold, another call for submissions arrived in my inbox. Here is another call for submissions from Chicken Soup for the Soul. If you don’t have any cancer experience (yesterday’s call for submissions), hopefully this subject will work for you.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Resolution Stories

Release Date: December 2008

Everyone makes resolutions! We make them all year long - not just for the new year. Some of our resolutions are big and life changing; some of them are small. We resolve to change our behavior, to exercise more, to eat less. We resolve to be nicer, to not yell, to get more organized. You name it - someone has resolved to do it. What have you resolved?

Chicken Soup for the Soul is looking for stories about resolutions. What did you resolve to do? How did it work out? What did you learn? We would love to hear from you about the resolutions you have made – both your successes and those that didn’t work out.

Tentative chapter topics include:

• Trying to lose weight
• Getting fit (The weight loss and getting fit stories could tie into our self-esteem, accept-who-you-are theme for girls and women)
• Getting more organized
• Making more money/Giving away money
• Restoring a relationship with someone/Making amends
• Changing one’s behavior
• Stopping bad habits such as smoking, biting fingernails
• Going green
• Eating healthy
• Serious stuff such as substance abuse withdrawal, seeking treatment for mental health issues
• Self acceptance – realizing the resolution wasn’t necessary and you are great the way you are

Stories must be true (non-fiction), written in first person, and 1,000 words or less. Stories should make readers laugh, cry or sigh, and be positive, universal and non-controversial. Also, the “point” or “message” should be evident without preaching. No essays, commentaries, tributes, philosophical or biographical pieces will be accepted. Please refer to other Chicken Soup books to better understand our story-telling style.

You may submit more than one story. For each story selected, a 50-word biography will be included about the contributor and a permission fee of $200 per story will be paid within 30 days upon publication

Please submit stories through the website at www.chickensoup.com. Select the Resolution Stories book title.

The tentative submission deadline is August 31, 2008. Please note that this deadline could change so the sooner, the better!

I’m in a tag kind of mood today, so I am putting up this author tag I found at Reading is My Superpower. Answer in the comments section or put a link there to the answers on your blog if you’d like to play along.

* Answer the questions as you see fit. Although they’re all phrased to ask about a singular author, feel free to respond with multiples, or even a list.
* Where possible & convenient (you don’t have to go as crazy as I did!), include a link here or there to an author’s website, your review of one of their books, or a review that inspired you to try the author(s), so your readers can get more information on anyone that sounds interesting.
* Tag five people and drop by their blogs to let them know you tagged them, or open-tag your readers.
* It would be nice if you included a link back to your tagger.

1. Who’s your all-time favorite author, and why?

I don’t have an ‘all-time’ favourite author, I don’t think. I have a few I grew up reading and have enjoyed. I suppose I leave the distinction to Robin McKinley, though. Her book, The Blue Sword, gave me the confidence to write my own books. Plus, even now, I can pick up that book any time and still enjoy it. I have read it dozens of times.

2. Who was your first favorite author, and why? Do you still consider him or her among your favorites?

My first favourite author would have to be Anne McCaffrey. She caught me up in the world of Pern at a very young age and I still enjoy reading her books. She is definitely still one of my favourites.

3. Who’s the most recent addition to your list of favorite authors, and why?

I’m reading Eon by Greg Bear and I have a feeling he will go on the list of my favourites. But for the most recent author well and truly on my favourites list? Orson Scott Card wrote the last book I got truly excited about.

4. If someone asked you who your favorite authors were right now, which authors would first pop out of your mouth? Are there any you’d add on a moment of further reflection?

Orson Scott Card, Sandi Kahn Shelton, Robin McKinley, Sara Douglass, Tamora Pierce, Caridad Pineiro, Catherin Coultier, David (and Leigh) Eddings, Anne McCaffrey, Piers Anthony…

Need any more?

Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Cancer Book to be published March 2009

We are looking for true stories and poems about your experience with cancer––as a patient, as a relative, friend or co-worker of someone with cancer, or as a medical professional or clergy engaged in a variety of treatments.

We prefer stories and poems written in the first person of no more than 1,200 words.

Here are some suggested topics:

The Initial Diagnosis –– What a Patient Hears, What a Doctor Says
Learning to Say the C Word –– breaking the news to loved ones, friends and co-workers
Relationships – how cancer affects family ties, friendships, and professional connections
Securing a medical team and creating a support system
What’s happening to my body? Living through treatment and an ever changing self-image
No Hair Days –– Embarrassing and humorous moments
Discovering new faith and spirituality
Cancer and Sexuality
Life gets bigger –– Rising above the suffering and fear
Facing mortality for the first time
Regaining strength and seeing life anew
Letting go of a loved one
Life’s not fair but it’s my one and only
What I’ve Learned –– from both sides

If your story is chosen, you will be a published author and your bio will be printed in the book. You will also receive a check for $200 and 10 free copies of your book, worth more than $100.

We will copyright your story in your name and you will retain the rights to resell it.

SUBMISSIONS GO TO this link. DEADLINE IS AUGUST 31, 2008 although we may accept stories after that date if we have room.

I say … and you think … ?

1. Rambling ::
2. Magnetic ::
3. Again! ::
4. Acoustic ::
5. Mahogany ::
6. Promises ::
7. Ill fitting ::
8. Sublime ::
9. Poop ::
10. Disoriented ::

Courtesy of Luna Nina

Interested in reviewing books on your blog? Would you like to interview authors?

We are seeking qualified bloggers who would like to become tour hosts for our clients. If you are a blogger who would be interested in either interviewing our authors, letting them guest post on your blog or would be willing to review their book and posting their review on your blog (or any other type of promotion) on a certain day that both you and we set up together, we would be interested in talking to you.

We are only looking for blogs who receive substantial traffic and are updated frequently.

All our tour hosts receive a link on our sponsors’ page (if you prefer hosting your banner, that’s fine, too), links on our in house blogs, and will receive copies of books where applicable for their time and effort in hosting our authors. You will also receive substantial traffic on your blog while the author is touring as we highly publicize each and every one of our tour stops.

We also spotlight our tour hosts at random in our monthly newsletter. All tour host spotlights will include blog information and an interview with the blog host as part of their feature in the newsletter. More added exposure! And…not only that…we will include your link on this page so that others can see what an outstanding blog you have.

If you are interested, you can visit Virtual Book Tours for Authors, look in the right hand sidebar for the list of authors touring, and let us know which author you would prefer to host.

Once you have decided which author you would like to host, copy and paste the below information into an email and send it to us at thewriterslife(at)yahoo.com. Please put “I Want to Be a Tour Host” in the subject line of your email.