Publishing Success

[BLD]

I'm new to the site, and glad I found it. A great place to meet others who are writing for Christ.

I signed a three book contract with Harvest House in June (my first). These are mystery novels (PI - hardboiled) and set in Indianapolis. The first is out in March and is titled "Original Sin"

[Inspiredwriter]

Great work!! May your success continue and may you give and receive much help and encouragement in this forum.

Blessings,

[DrRita]

Praise the Lord, BLD and Welcome to CW. !thumbsup!

[edmmom]

Bld,
Congradulations!!! I for one will be looking out for your first book in March, since I am a BIG mystery fan!!!

[whitehawke]

Hey, that is real cool. !thumbsup!

[tolebyjane]

That's is just wonderful. Is this series your first to be published? I'm not there yet. but returning to this group just today has already encouraged me to keep on keeping on.

I am our church librarian and I hope our budget crunch will be over when your book comes out. Please, do remind us when it's out. Thank you.

[Bill Snodgrass]

Congrats! Great news!

[patches]

Congratulations! That's awesome!

Steph

[David Meigs]

Congratulations! Sorry I didn't see this sooner. I feel like a dope. Great news, I look forward to getting my copy.

[ladypreacher]

BLD,

Congratulations! What a good report! You are an encouragement to all of the rest of us to be sure!

Welcome to the forum! It's a great place to hang out!

[tolebyjane]

This is just so emabarrassing albeit funny as the dickens. I ask for understanding and respect for my great age...without counting my senility.

I wrote in very recently and said complimentary things about being here (true) and how good it was to find this site, etc. Just now I went to the list of all pieces I''ve sent in and found I was here in 2003! Didn't stay long, for whatever reason, and completely forgot the visit.

My face is very bright red as you can imagine. And I will say in my own defense, though I do not accept senility as a cause, "Hey, folks, what can you expect from 76 years of memories?" One escapes now and then.

Jane, NOT a newbie. :)

[ellenjames]

Welcome BLD!
Congratulations on your 3-book contract.

Ellenjames

[ladypreacher]

Jane,

You're cute :) and welcome anytime! Maybe if you don't wander off again we can get to know you better! I hope so!

Ladypreacher

[tolebyjane]

Oh, I plan now to hang around. Don't why I left except to say I run on emotions sometimes. Feeling confirmed in my belief that Christian publishing houses don't take (usually) controversial subjects settled me into starting a new rewrite using only bits and pieces of the original. I already had the theme, premise or whatever from the history I have acquired of my own church which was in apostasy years ago and is not now. Also have a most helpful pastor, a history buff, who has given me encouragement.

So many times along the way, too, I've asked God, "Do you really desire that I write?" When I sit down to do so the joy satisfies the question.

Yes, I hope to get to know you all better. Thanks
Jane

[ladypreacher]

Jane,

I'm not so sure about cutting and pitching your hard work to satisfy the publishing industry... I guess if that's how you feel led, then that's what you need to do. My trilogy doesn't fit the mold and that's okay with me. I didn't intend it to.

Recently I got a response (a critique, actually) from a Non-fiction publisher concerning my novels. He had some good pointers that I intend to follow, but when he said that he was at a loss as to where to have me submit my work my heart literally rejoiced!

He was concerned that they were too Anti-church for the Christian market, (which they really aren't. One of my main characters simply had told a younger character that she hoped that she didn't have a 'religious experience' as it was the religious people that crucified Christ. That is a truthful statement and not against the church at all! The key is that we have to have a personal experience with the Lord Himself, and to be cautious not to buy into a 'religious spirit'.) He also stated that he thought my writing was too 'religious' for the secular market. So let me see, too non-religious for Christians, and too religious for unbelievers? Bingo! I had accomplished my goal! I wrote my books to cross market them with the religious and the secular markets both. I'm not at all convinced that I have not written a readable work of fiction! My characters aren't perfect, even the 'saved' ones have flaws and make terrible mistakes... And even the worst of the heathen are redeemable.

How can I hope to minister to the un-churched if I speak only to Christians? I have a forward that plainly tells people that if they don't want to hear my preachin' then they can't read my book. I have no apologies.

That may seem strange, but from the very beginning I had known that there wouldn't be anyone that I wouldn't offend at least once somewhere within my books. Afterall, being offended is a choice. I didn't write them to pacify believers, nor did I write them to be tolerant of the sinful nature of the world. I wrote them to exhort and to educate and to bring conviction to believers and non-believers alike. The Lord will open the right door, I am certain of that. Meanwhile, I meddle, and it's a joyful little journey...

Watch for my introduction of my book, EVEN IN SILENCE, The Journey of a Lady Preacher. It's not so conventional either, but Lulu.com didn't seem to care... :) (That's a really user-friendly self publishing web site.) It's a project that I wrote in a month, called a Nano book after a writing challenge that several people took in November. I'm going to be promoting it once I get my proof book back and make the necessary changes and then make it available for purchase. I already found a couple of errors in the manuscript that I submitted... GRR!

You touched on something that I hold firm in my heart... Sorry for the ramble. Hope something that I said was even a little bit useful! Glad to have you here and glad to hear that you plan to stick around!

[tolebyjane]

Oh, not too long a reply (I won't say ramble, for it's not), but one that I found very interesting.

Actually I am not cutting and pitching to satisfy the publishing industry alone. Yes, I''d love to be published but I convinced myself that the writing was the greater pleasure of the two. So I put that novel aside. After that decision I decided I really would like to try for publication one day so am taking many of the happenings of the first one and completely changing the premise or theme or message...or all. I did not want to write an entirely new story for much of this fits right in. My characters are the same and the antagonist has not been raped by her youthful uncle so she's not so angry and on and on. She got jilted instead.:)

I was put off momentarily when you wrote about "religious experience." But then came the light. How important that we talk the same language, know what we both mean.

As for self-publishing, that is out. It would be most difficult for this aged person to do much marketing with a publisher, impossible on my own. And then the cost is out.

I, too, will have a "joyful little journey" for myself, but having renewed hope this better writing will get published.

Jane

[ladypreacher]

Jane,

I love your attitude. Isn't that the bottom line, BETTER WRITING! May we all strive to write our very best no matter what the motivating factors are! As for publishing through Lulu.com there is no upfront cost, which is really nice. I'm still pressing on for that 'book deal' but have a few things that I'd like to say and weren't no way no one would be picking up my story! EVEN IN SILENCE... It's not your conventional little story.

Ladypreacher

[tolebyjane]

I just checked out Lulu.com. Sounds like a possible way to go. I had gone to Staples to get a price for the same thing, but of course they don't market. Have you ever used this service?

Thanks for mentioning it.

I'm trying out a new signature with trepidation. :) Should have come up with one from the beginning, but it takes time for me to get things organized.

[ladypreacher]

Just thought I'd use your signature so you could see it on the top of the page... :) This is my first time using Lulu.com but I've heard a lot of good reports on it. I found out about the site from the writing challenge, Nanowrimo. My book will be coming to my door really soon. I'll have to do some editing on it before I make it available though. I'll enjoy doing the proof reading with an actual book in my hand!

I wish you the best whatever you decide to do. There is a web site that I found that is a lady that reads obscure books that were 'self published.' Her blog, (online rambling or whatever) is Pod-dymouth@blogger.com. Maybe I should go grab a link as the one I just typed isn't hot... http://girlondemand.blogspot.com/ This link is the url and will take you there if you copy and paste it into your address bar at the top of your screen... ( I don't know how well you get around on your computer, but I know me, and I need all the help I can get!)

Anyway, it's good talking to you!

Take care,

Ladypreacher

That shows what I know! The first link is her email address, and the second will take you right to her web page if you click on it... (this is my edit... LOL)

[tolebyjane]

I get around the computer pretty well, but thank you for your concern. When I can't I call in son guru, but that' usually when I've just about gagged the machine with downloads which brought me all kinds of pop-ups, spam, etc.

Thanks for the good wishes and url.

[KO'Leary]

Congratulations!!!!! Wishing you much success with your books.

Karen