For anyone who has taken the journey to become a published author, you know how tough the road can be. Rejection lurks around every corner. Doubt and lack of self-confidence slowly creeps in. You wonder if writing is really the profession for you.
Then, you get that wonderful, magical email that someone wants your book. They tell you how much they loved it and can’t wait to get it into the world for others to enjoy. You find yourself on cloud 9, loving life and reaffirmed that you really are a writer.
Finding a publisher is the best feeling in the world. It gives you validation that what you’ve created is liked by others. But finding a publisher isn’t the be all end all in the publishing game. Things can go wrong. The journey can once again get bumpy.
The relationship between author and publisher should be professional. There should be mutual respect on both sides—after all, neither one of us can exist without the other (unless, of course, you self publish, but that has pros and cons associated with it also). If one person isn’t holding up their end of the deal, the relationship will fail.
Even if an author does their research and due diligence to find the right publisher, things can still change. That publisher may change hands, editor turnover might be high, etc. However, through all of the tough times, the company should stay transparent and let the authors know exactly what is going on. If nothing else, they should stick to the contract and fulfill the duties outlined there.
The author is also expected to adhere to the contract and follow through with expectations. That’s why the contract is in place: to protect the author and the publisher. However, when one party doesn’t uphold their end, then something needs to happen.
I get it: you waited so long for a publisher to come along and say they want your book. You’re willing to put up with a little bit of nonsense here and there because the publisher wanted your book! It’s fine that the deadline was missed for it to be available to the reading public. It’s still coming out—eventually. It’s fine that royalty reports haven’t been sent in 6 months. The publisher is just busy and will get to them eventually.
While it’s totally up to the author how much they are willing to put up with when it comes to publisher shenanigans, keep in mind that you don’t deserve to be treated like crap. The contract you signed with the publisher is always your reference for the way you and they are supposed to behave. If they’ve breached it in any form, you have the opportunity to get out and find someone new.
Again, I totally understand that the prospect of looking for another publisher seems awful—and maybe a bit like you’ve failed somewhere along the way. Plus, who’s going to take a book that’s already been published (if it actually has) because then they don’t get first publishing rights? And I like the cover. And the publisher is just a little behind, but once they get caught up, everything is going to be amazing.
As I said, it’s up to the author to decide how much they are willing to put up with from a publisher, and I understand the fear and loathing that comes with re-querying to find a new home for a book. But look at it from a business perspective: if you were selling toys or clothes or whatever and the distributor was jerking you around, would you put up with it? Would you say that it was okay because they’d eventually get their poop in a group? Probably not. You’d probably say forget you and find someone who was actually willing to work with you and sell your goods.
Yeah, you say, but there are way more toy and clothing distributors than publishers. That may be, but that doesn’t mean the publishers can treat you poorly. Again, it has to be a business decision on their end too. They picked your book because they thought it would bring them revenue, but that only happens if they publish it. They can’t sell something they haven’t published. If they aren’t willing to do that, how are they going to make money? They won’t be in business for long—that’s for sure.
At the end of the day, the relationship between an author and a publisher has to be professional and it has to be based on business decisions. It may be tough to walk away from the one person/company who said they wanted to publish your book, but if they aren’t actually publishing it or if you have no idea how many copies have sold, how can you stay in business? You have to know what’s going on to know that your efforts are worth it.
Walking away from a publisher doesn’t make you a terrible person. It means that you are looking out for your business interest and doing what you have to do to be successful. Is it easy? No. Will there be issues down the road? Maybe. But, again, refer to the contract to find out what is expected of you and of them and fix any issues that arise—even if that means walking away.
When all else fails and you’re not sure what to do, talk to a lawyer or other professional, show them the contract. They can help you decide what’s best for the business.
Benefits of "Reading" an Audiobook
Audiobooks have been around for a long time, since 1932, to be exact. They were originally developed for the blind, but have evolved and progressed throughout the years.
For a long time, the only way you could enjoy an audiobook was by purchasing a tape (I sometimes still call them books on tape), then technology evolved so you could get them on CD, and now you can download them on a variety of different electronic devices.
It’s easy to access audiobooks, assuming that the book you want has been converted into this format. However, with audiobooks being the fastest growing division of digital publishing, the chances of getting new releases in this format are pretty good.
If you’ve never “read” an audiobook before, I suggest you try it at least once, and I’ve listed some reasons why.
1. You Can Multitask
Sitting down to read is supposed to be a relaxing experience. It takes us out of our mundane lives and lets us experience countless other lives and new places. I love curling up with a book or my ereader and being immersed in another world.
However, I don’t always have time to dedicate to sitting down to read a book. I work a full-time job and take care of my family. I have a house to clean and laundry to fold. I’m running kids from one practice/event to another. At some point, I need to sleep. But that doesn’t mean I can’t read.
One of the amazing things about audiobooks is that you can “read” and do other tasks. I’ve listened to stories while at work, driving in the car, and cleaning my house. I love that I can be engaged in a story but also get other tasks accomplished. And if I want to sit down and just listen, I can do that too.
So, if you have a busy schedule with little to no time to sit and read but you crave time to “read,” download an audiobook and listen while you do other things.
2. Audiobooks Aren’t Cheating
Apparently, there’s an idea floating around that listening to an audiobook is cheating. I’m not exactly sure where this idea came from (book purists maybe who believe that reading words on the page is the only way to read?) or why, but it exists. Because this notion exists, it has been studied by scientists, and it turns out that our brains process the information the same whether we read a book or listen to a book.
So, if you’ve put off listening to audiobooks because you think it cheapens the reading experience or because you aren’t getting the same brain activity from it, you don’t have to anymore. Feel free to listen to whatever you want and enjoy it.
3. Everyone Can Enjoy an Audiobook
As the mother of two children, I know how much my kids enjoy being read to. They are working on improving their reading accuracy and fluency, which means that reading can sometimes be a chore and exhausting. I know that one day they’ll get over this issue, but until then, they still want to hear stories, and audiobooks help them accomplish that task. It’s also a great way for kids who can’t read yet to enjoy stories.
Think back to when you were a child and someone read to you. Didn’t you enjoy the hell out of it? Wasn’t there something magical about listening to the reader change their voice for the characters or a particular scene? Well, the same thing happens when you listen to an audiobook. You get to enjoy the story on another level. The narrator brings the words to life in ways you can’t imagine. It’s amazing!
4. Audiobook Availability Keeps Increasing
As demand continues to grow for audiobooks, more and more become available for readers’ listening pleasure. As the amount of books available increases, prices become more reasonable—which can be a deterrent to purchasing audiobooks. Sometimes, they are ridiculously expensive. I won’t fault you for not buying audiobooks based on price, but as they become more reasonable, they are worth looking into.
There are numerous reasons to give audiobooks a chance, but the biggest is to enjoy a story. I want to help you experience the magic of audiobooks by offering a chance to win a code to download any one of my audiobooks for free. To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment and tell me which book you would want to listen to and why (choices are listed on the side bar).
For a long time, the only way you could enjoy an audiobook was by purchasing a tape (I sometimes still call them books on tape), then technology evolved so you could get them on CD, and now you can download them on a variety of different electronic devices.
It’s easy to access audiobooks, assuming that the book you want has been converted into this format. However, with audiobooks being the fastest growing division of digital publishing, the chances of getting new releases in this format are pretty good.
If you’ve never “read” an audiobook before, I suggest you try it at least once, and I’ve listed some reasons why.
1. You Can Multitask
Sitting down to read is supposed to be a relaxing experience. It takes us out of our mundane lives and lets us experience countless other lives and new places. I love curling up with a book or my ereader and being immersed in another world.
However, I don’t always have time to dedicate to sitting down to read a book. I work a full-time job and take care of my family. I have a house to clean and laundry to fold. I’m running kids from one practice/event to another. At some point, I need to sleep. But that doesn’t mean I can’t read.
One of the amazing things about audiobooks is that you can “read” and do other tasks. I’ve listened to stories while at work, driving in the car, and cleaning my house. I love that I can be engaged in a story but also get other tasks accomplished. And if I want to sit down and just listen, I can do that too.
So, if you have a busy schedule with little to no time to sit and read but you crave time to “read,” download an audiobook and listen while you do other things.
2. Audiobooks Aren’t Cheating
Apparently, there’s an idea floating around that listening to an audiobook is cheating. I’m not exactly sure where this idea came from (book purists maybe who believe that reading words on the page is the only way to read?) or why, but it exists. Because this notion exists, it has been studied by scientists, and it turns out that our brains process the information the same whether we read a book or listen to a book.
So, if you’ve put off listening to audiobooks because you think it cheapens the reading experience or because you aren’t getting the same brain activity from it, you don’t have to anymore. Feel free to listen to whatever you want and enjoy it.
3. Everyone Can Enjoy an Audiobook
As the mother of two children, I know how much my kids enjoy being read to. They are working on improving their reading accuracy and fluency, which means that reading can sometimes be a chore and exhausting. I know that one day they’ll get over this issue, but until then, they still want to hear stories, and audiobooks help them accomplish that task. It’s also a great way for kids who can’t read yet to enjoy stories.
Think back to when you were a child and someone read to you. Didn’t you enjoy the hell out of it? Wasn’t there something magical about listening to the reader change their voice for the characters or a particular scene? Well, the same thing happens when you listen to an audiobook. You get to enjoy the story on another level. The narrator brings the words to life in ways you can’t imagine. It’s amazing!
4. Audiobook Availability Keeps Increasing
As demand continues to grow for audiobooks, more and more become available for readers’ listening pleasure. As the amount of books available increases, prices become more reasonable—which can be a deterrent to purchasing audiobooks. Sometimes, they are ridiculously expensive. I won’t fault you for not buying audiobooks based on price, but as they become more reasonable, they are worth looking into.
There are numerous reasons to give audiobooks a chance, but the biggest is to enjoy a story. I want to help you experience the magic of audiobooks by offering a chance to win a code to download any one of my audiobooks for free. To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment and tell me which book you would want to listen to and why (choices are listed on the side bar).
If any of you are totally for or against audiobooks, I would love to hear why. Leave me a comment with your thoughts!
That Moment When the Passion Comes Flooding Back
I’ve been struggling for the past several months. Well, honestly, it’s probably been closer to the vast majority of this year. I lost my motivation and desire to write, even though every so often I was able to put some words on the page. It’s been incredibly slow, but there has been some progress made.
At the end of last week, I had an amazing day. I actually wanted to write, and the words flowed from me like water. I felt energized and excited and motivated. It felt good. It was beyond good. It was euphoric!
Writing is a weird thing for a writer. On one hand, we want to be able to do it every day to feel normal and productive and accomplished. But the words don’t come easily to us every day. Some days are worse than others, and that can make us feel like failures or hacks. When the words don’t flow freely, I definitely feel like a failure. I wonder if I’m even supposed to be a writer, and this spiral of shame, guilt, and lack of motivation begins. I try to push through those moments, but sometimes it doesn’t always work.
The days that the words do flow freely are magical. They are what sustain writers and keep them moving forward. For me, it feels like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders and this is what I’m supposed to do. I no longer feel like a hack, and the only feelings that drifts through me are excitement and wonder. Yeah, those days are amazing. They definitely bring back the passion and desire to want to write.
I’m currently working on the third book in the Saving Humanity series. As of now, it’s called Finding Humanity. While I still have a long way to go, the path is getting smoother. It doesn’t feel so hard to write right now, and I’m going to hang on to that for as long as I can.
As a reminder, the other two books in the series are Humanity’s Hope (available now) and Edge of Humanity (coming this fall). In total, I plan on having four books in this series, so after Finding Humanity, I still have one more to right. Fingers crossed the passion is still there.
At the end of last week, I had an amazing day. I actually wanted to write, and the words flowed from me like water. I felt energized and excited and motivated. It felt good. It was beyond good. It was euphoric!
Writing is a weird thing for a writer. On one hand, we want to be able to do it every day to feel normal and productive and accomplished. But the words don’t come easily to us every day. Some days are worse than others, and that can make us feel like failures or hacks. When the words don’t flow freely, I definitely feel like a failure. I wonder if I’m even supposed to be a writer, and this spiral of shame, guilt, and lack of motivation begins. I try to push through those moments, but sometimes it doesn’t always work.
The days that the words do flow freely are magical. They are what sustain writers and keep them moving forward. For me, it feels like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders and this is what I’m supposed to do. I no longer feel like a hack, and the only feelings that drifts through me are excitement and wonder. Yeah, those days are amazing. They definitely bring back the passion and desire to want to write.
I’m currently working on the third book in the Saving Humanity series. As of now, it’s called Finding Humanity. While I still have a long way to go, the path is getting smoother. It doesn’t feel so hard to write right now, and I’m going to hang on to that for as long as I can.
As a reminder, the other two books in the series are Humanity’s Hope (available now) and Edge of Humanity (coming this fall). In total, I plan on having four books in this series, so after Finding Humanity, I still have one more to right. Fingers crossed the passion is still there.
My Mind Has Just Been Blown
As I sat down to write this post and tell all of you wonderful readers about my upcoming release, it dawned on me that the book I have coming out this fall will be my 13th novel. 13 NOVELS! I can’t believe it! I’m fairly certain this calls for a celebration, and I’ll think about what to do.
Side note: I also have three nonfiction books floating around, but 13 novels? Where did I find the time to write all of that?
In the meantime, let me continue this post by telling you about Edge of Humanity, which will be coming out this fall. It’s the second in the Saving Humanity series. Humanity’s Hope is the first book.
This series holds a special place in my heart, mainly because Caleb isn’t a typical hero and I can relate to him on a variety of different levels. My goal with these books is to show that people who have been damaged by tragedy and mental issues still have a place in this world, even if they don’t always see their worth and have a hard time being “normal.” I’m excited for you to read about Caleb’s latest adventure.
If you haven’t started this young adult zombie journey, Humanity’s Hope is available for 99 cents on Kindle. Go check it out!
What happens when humanity's hope rests on the shoulders of a teenager?
Caleb didn’t come out of the zombie uprising unscathed. He’s been scarred—both mentally and physically. The rest of humanity is trying to rebuild, to make the world normal again. Caleb is trying to return to a normal life also, but after all he’s seen, after the loss of his family and friends, the transition is difficult. The darkness that led him down a path of self-doubt and self-harm has never left his mind.
Things only become worse when he discovers he’s immune to whatever makes a zombie a zombie. Fighting zombies was predictable. He knew what to expect. Fighting humans is volatile. They are malicious and treacherous. They won’t stop to get what they want, and Caleb has to figure out exactly what that is.
Side note: I also have three nonfiction books floating around, but 13 novels? Where did I find the time to write all of that?
In the meantime, let me continue this post by telling you about Edge of Humanity, which will be coming out this fall. It’s the second in the Saving Humanity series. Humanity’s Hope is the first book.
This series holds a special place in my heart, mainly because Caleb isn’t a typical hero and I can relate to him on a variety of different levels. My goal with these books is to show that people who have been damaged by tragedy and mental issues still have a place in this world, even if they don’t always see their worth and have a hard time being “normal.” I’m excited for you to read about Caleb’s latest adventure.
If you haven’t started this young adult zombie journey, Humanity’s Hope is available for 99 cents on Kindle. Go check it out!
What happens when humanity's hope rests on the shoulders of a teenager?
Caleb didn’t come out of the zombie uprising unscathed. He’s been scarred—both mentally and physically. The rest of humanity is trying to rebuild, to make the world normal again. Caleb is trying to return to a normal life also, but after all he’s seen, after the loss of his family and friends, the transition is difficult. The darkness that led him down a path of self-doubt and self-harm has never left his mind.
Things only become worse when he discovers he’s immune to whatever makes a zombie a zombie. Fighting zombies was predictable. He knew what to expect. Fighting humans is volatile. They are malicious and treacherous. They won’t stop to get what they want, and Caleb has to figure out exactly what that is.
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