I'm pleased to host Patricia Eckerman Ambas' WOW! WOMEN ON WRITING tour of I Can't Wait to Love You Forever. Patricia has also honored us by writing an essay about her self publishing successes. Here's Patricia: I'm Just Getting Started by Patricia Eckerman Ambas It was January of 2022, midway through my first year not teaching full-time in over a decade, when I wrote the story that would become my first published book, I Can’t Wait to Love You Forever: A Big Brother Book. It had taken a career shift, a new baby, and an online course on self-publishing, but I was determined to make my lifelong dream reality. When I sat down to refresh the story I had written seven years before when my oldest was a baby with hopes to publish it back then, I found myself opening a blank document and a different narrative came out. I absolutely loved it - a heart-warming tale about my son and the game he invented while anticipating the arrival of our new baby, but then I wrestled in self-doubt … [Read more...]
Introducing a delightful book for boys – I can’t wait to love you forever
You must read a modern day fairytale
Welcome to Marissa Bañez's WOW! WOMEN ON WRITING tour of Hope and Fortune, a modern day fairytale. Marissa has also honored us with a guest post about whether self-publishing is worth it. Here's Marissa: first her colorful and playful book cover and her guest post. Is Self-Publishing Worth It? For some, getting their story in a published book form is a cathartic exercise. Self-publishing is worth it for them as a matter of self-fulfillment. For others, they just want to be able to say to family and friends that they’ve published a book. The return on their investment of time, energy and resources in self-publishing is irrelevant because their purpose is not to sell the book but rather to simply give it as a gift or to leave a family legacy of sorts. For still others, they have a compelling need to spread their ideas to a broader audience. Because they can’t find anyone to publish their work, they must consider self-publishing. Self-publishing is not free or … [Read more...]
Traditional or self-publishing: that is the question
It's time to report back about the status of my novel. First of all, I'm happy to say I've completed revision nine. The purpose was to cut out unnecessary words and bring my word count more in keeping with the number agents and publishers suggest. After I added a lot of needed new material, as suggested by my critical assessment editor, my word count grew from 85,000 to 103, 052 words. So, my goal was to cut at least 5,000 of them. I'm happy to say I exceeded my goal, and cut 5,675 words. Hopefully I didn't cut anything that I'll have to put back later. My next job is to break up several long chapters into smaller ones. That is an easy fix. And now I feel I'm at a point to think about getting my book published. The question is, should I shop around for an agent or publisher or should I self-publish? That's a question I never thought I'd be asking. I've always said I didn't want to self-publish. I didn't self-publish my memoir, so why go that route with my … [Read more...]
Robert Davis: about writing, publishing, and demons
This is a first for Choices - a guest post by an author of a book of horror stories. However, the writing life of author, Robert Davis, is something all authors can resonate with. And maybe it's time for us all to wander around some other genres. Who knows? We might end up liking them. Please welcome Robert with a hearty congratulations on the launch (TODAY!) of his book. Writing, Publishing, and Demons by Robert Davis Hmmmm, writing a guest blog¦For a week of firsts, I have one more to add! First of all I would like to thank Madeline Sharples for allowing me to blog today. It is great to see how many people support independent authors. My first book Rakasha: Legend of the Hindi Tiger Demon has been released on Amazon today, July 5, 2013, in both Ebook and POD. I have written for years and years and years, since the fifth grade. While I chose not to think back to how long ago that really was, it was a while back. For all this time I have written, edited, and deleted a … [Read more...]