Reading, wRiting, and Roaming with Author Valerie Biel

April 28, 2021

KINDLE VELLA: WHAT NEW BEAST IS THIS?

HOW THE PANDEMIC IS AFFECTING BOOK PUBLISHING

FEATURED ARTICLES

Kindle Rolls Out New Exclusive Fiction Serialization Option

Kindle Vella is a new exclusive way to serialize your fiction stories and deliver them to readers one episode/chapter at a time. This is only for US based authors via Amazom.com, and it is only for new stories. You can’t serialize a book you’ve already published. There’s plenty of talk out there about this new option. First, take a look at Dave Chesson’s article giving the program details. Then dive into Publishwide’s... Continue Reading

April 20, 2021

I didn’t become a coffee drinker until my forties. How did I survive without it? I’m an early bird, so coffee, my computer, and my characters are what I’m about at five o’clock in the morning. Also, I love local coffee shops. They’re great places to meet friends and make notes about writing projects. (I can’t write in public spaces, though. Too distracting. When I write, it has to be in a quiet spot without noise or diversion.)

I’m a member of a writer’s group where we share chapters of our mystery-novels-in-progress. We have different writing styles, characters, and plots, but one location we write about is similar: The coffee shop.

Coffee shops are our “third place.” A home-away-from-home where... Continue Reading

April 6, 2021

Welcome to the April installment of the 2021 Author Series. Each month a published author takes the stage to share their wisdom as they tell us what they wish they had known before they published their first book or what advice they would go back and give their pre-published self. This month mystery-suspense-thriller author Chris Norbury shares his wisdom with us. (If you haven’t had a chance to read his books Straight River and Castle Danger, add them to your reading list! The stories feature Matt Lanier, a southern Minnesota farm kid-turned professional musician whose middle-class world is turned upside down by a conspiracy... Continue Reading

March 30, 2021

THE BIG 5 BECOME THE BIG 4

HARPERCOLLINS ACQUIRES HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT TRADE DIVISION

5 AUTHOR SIDE HUSTLE IDEAS

ARTISTIC JEALOUSY IN THE TIME OF QUARANTINE

FEATURED ARTICLES

The Big 5 Become the Big 4

It’s been in the works since late last year, but it looks like now it is official. Penguin Random House will acquire Simon & Schuster for $2.2 billion. (You may remember that Penguin and Random House merged back in 2013, reducing the big 6 publishers to the big 5.) The other three are Macmillan, Hachette Book Group, and HarperCollins. Kirkus has a comprehensive article on the merger. There’s plenty of... Continue Reading

March 23, 2021

Welcome to the March installment of the 2021 Author Series. Each month a published author takes the stage to share their wisdom as they tell us what they wish they had known before they published their first book or what advice they would go back and give their pre-published self.

I’m so glad that Nick Chiarkas has agreed to share his wisdom with us this month. I first met Nick many years ago, long before we both started writing fiction. It has been delightful to connect with him again in the publishing world. Plus, I’m a huge fan of his book, Weepers!

Nick Chiarkas’ extensive legal and law enforcement background allows him to write from a place of powerful personal experience. He doesn’t... Continue Reading

March 16, 2021

It’s coming. Revision of my finished manuscript is approaching like warm weather—and mud and bugs. Writing the second draft of my novel will occupy my summer. I’m looking forward to the process like a new season; it promises new life and fresh ideas. But with every silver lining, there’s a cloud. Revising book chapters that have been ingrained in my mind for a year will be a challenge.

The subject of this blog post is in response to a survey that Valerie Biel conducted among her readers. How does a writer approach the second draft of a novel?

I’m offering advice for revision: First, consult (or create!) your book’s outline to highlight the... Continue Reading

March 2, 2021

“Edith: The Rogue Rockefeller McCormick” is an exceptional book about an exceptional woman. Andrea Friederici Ross’ extensive research is obvious and draws us into Edith’s story and all she was able to accomplish (despite not being taken seriously as a woman in so many situations.) This story will make you angry on her behalf but you will also admire her ongoing tenacity. This is a remarkable work that honors Edith’s many legacies and highlights a history that might otherwise have been lost. This is a well-written and beautifully documented work that has the suspense and pace of a fiction novel. 

 

To Purchase the Book:

Use coupon code SIUP20 to get 20% off Edith at the publisher’s website:... Continue Reading

February 23, 2021

WHO SHOULD YOU ASK TO ENDORSE YOUR BOOK?

THE GREAT EBOOK PRICING QUESTION

BUILDING YOUR WRITING SUPPORT TRIANGLE

FEATURED ARTICLES

Who Should You Ask to Endorse Your Book?

Sandra Beckwith dives into the process of gaining “meaningful testimonials from people your ideal readers admire and respect.” This article really helps you build a list of the best endorsers for your book. Even if you think that some well-known people might not be interested in doing this favor, it never hurts to ask—you may get a YES!

The Great Ebook Pricing Question

David Gaughran’s... Continue Reading

February 16, 2021

So, the novel is in the hands of the powers-that-be. While its future hangs in the balance, what does a writer do in the meantime?

It could be the perfect moment to step away from writing. Give the brain a break from creating and living inside your book’s world. Full breaks from the keyboard have benefits—and I do take advantage of it. Usually, it’s during the summer, and a pontoon boat and hot sun are involved.

Sending a manuscript out to be read by industry experts is thrilling. I know revision lies ahead for my work. And my mind is still in the story and characters I’ve created. But I don’t want to make changes until I have feedback from the experts. What’s a writer to do during “down time,” or the in-between stages of submission and revision?

This month... Continue Reading

February 9, 2021

Welcome to the February installment of the 2021 Author Series. Each month a published author takes the stage to share their wisdom as they tell us what they wish they had known before they published their first book or what advice they would go back and give their pre-published self.

Angie Stanton is a young adult author who I’ve known for many years. Back in 2014 when I had just published my first young adult novel, I noticed an article about her latest book release in the Wisconsin State Journal. I loved the story and reached out asking if she’d be interested in being interviewed for my blog. She said yes! Since then we’ve forged a great friendship and are often on writing journeys... Continue Reading

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