Once upon a time, these words filtered past my lips, “I’d never publish an e-book!” Folks, never say never, all right? Not only did March 4th mark the release of my first e-book, that same day, I stumbled across a Newsweek article written over fifteen years ago about how the Internet was simply a passing fad. Was this a timely coincidence? Maybe. Whether we want to accept it or not, digital innovations has and will continue to change the way authors do business.
So, how do I feel about this e-book business? Honestly, I was a little, no correction, really scared to jump aboard the bandwagon. I was one of those die-hards who flat-out refused to purchase anything other than a traditional print book. So never in my wildest dream did I think one of my titles would end up in e-format. My saving grace was the belief that a good story is a good story, whether it’s in electronic format or on paper.
A couple of weeks ago, I looked over my youngest son’s shoulder as he put the finishing touches on his English project. The assignment was simple. From an approved list, he had to write a five-paragraph essay on a famous African-American author or poet. When he finished, I asked him what he’d gained from completing [...]
As the publishing world transitions into the digital revolution, many have asked the question of whether literary agents are on life support. Think about the validity of the query. Authors can authors can upload their manuscript to say, a Kindle Service and sell directly to the consumer. And unless you’re a big name author, most [...]
Authors are exceptional human beings. Frankly, anyone who can withstand the challenges in this business while working in solitary confinement is exceptional. Being an author is not for the faint-at-heart. Being able to endure long hours and rejection are mandatory qualifications. Now add in the next to nothing pay received and it’s a wonder there [...]
No, this post has nothing to do with the Presidential address before the Unites States of Congress, so stay with me. However, it has everything to do with the union of authors and reviewer bloggers.
A few weeks ago, this very topic cropped up over lunch with some fellow authors. After a spirited discussion, the polling ended in a fifty-fifty split. However, every single person at the table believed they needed some type of feedback before submitting their work to an agent or editor. Whether friend or critique partner, everyone [...]
A rarity occurred for me the other day. On the way home after dropping the kids off at school, I had six whole hours with absolutely nothing to do. Aaah, perfect bliss! This was a chance to pluck a book from the top of my TBR pile, which by the way, is almost ceiling high, [...]
Forgive me for being a day late and a dollar short. For the last couple of months, I was on deadline, so I’m playing catch-up with some of my favorite blogs. A few days ago, I discovered the blogosphere brouhaha surrounding the Coretta Scott King Book Award. The controversy surrounding the CSK Award has a [...]
The word that has only has two letters, one syllable and denotes refusal. Yep, it’s the one authors hate to hear.
No!
For as long as I can remember, I’ve juggled the responsibilities of wife, mother, business owner and community activist fairly well. Then about four years ago, I added the task of author to my plate. [...]
