Happy New Year

This is my last post of the year, so wishing everyone a Happy New Year.  May 2104 bring you all you dream of.

Merry Christmas

As this Christmas week starts, I'm wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.

Enjoy the holiday's and being with family and/or friends.

Guest Post: Tricia Schneider

I'm please to have Tricia Schneider on my blog today talking about herself and her newest release The Witche's Thief.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I worked as an Assistant Manager at my local Waldenbooks before the store closed in 2010. It was the best job in the world for a book lover! I was so sad when we had to say good-bye. Now, I write full-time while raising my 3 young children. They keep me incredibly busy! But, I get in some time to write in the mornings and at night when they’re in bed. If I manage any more free time, I like to read, cross-stitch or other craft projects and watch some TV. My husband got me hooked on The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones. 

  

What do you like the most and the least about writing?

My favorite thing about writing is when I get so pulled into the story it seems to take possession of my fingers as I type. It’s like the story is writing itself. I’ve heard this called the ‘zone’ by other writers. Whatever it is, it’s a wonderful feeling of becoming one with the story in my head and seeing it come to life on paper (screen).

My least favorite thing about writing is the length of time it takes to complete a project. I like to see a finished product! Sometimes I get very impatient. Before I had kids, I could write for hours and hours with no distractions and write a book in a week or two. Now, I can only squeeze in small amounts of time for writing and I realize that I’ve become a very slow writer.

Give us a peek into your latest published work?

To save her sister’s life, Julia Grey seeks a spell hidden somewhere within Merriweather Manor. Her position as a lady's companion affords her the freedom to search the house. But time is running out. The necromancer she's bargained with is growing impatient. And an unexpected appearance of a man from her past makes matters worse in an already complicated situation.

Basil Merriweather returns to England after ten years abroad to discover his childhood sweetheart living in his home. But, he's no longer the carefree man of his youth and she's hiding something--deadly secrets Basil vows to uncover even as he hides a dark secret of his own.

While neither Basil nor Julia will trust in the other, their hearts speak a truer language.  In a grand attempt to save Julia's sister and Basil's life, the two must finally confess sinister truths. Will their admissions help or hinder any future they may have together? Or will the necromancer destroy all in a vile attempt at revenge.

What’s next on the writing horizon for you?

I’m currently working on books 4 and 5 in The Merriweather Witches series. These books are about Basil Merriweather’s siblings. The first two siblings, Lillian and Melora, were featured in The Witch and the Wolf and The Witch and the Vampire, my previous releases. I plan to have 7 books in the series when it’s complete.

Is there anything you want to tell readers?

The Witch’s Thief is currently available in digital format exclusively at Amazon Kindle and will be FREE from December 17-21. I hope you get a chance to grab a copy!

http://www.amazon.com/Witchs-Thief-Tricia-Schneider-ebook/dp/B00G8HXMJK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1386035934&sr=1-1&keywords=the+witch%27s+thief

You can also find out more about my books at my website, http://www.triciaschneider.com or my blog, http://www.shadowsofromance.blogspot.com

Excerpt of The Witch's Thief:

"What are you doing?" 

He ignored her frantic questioning. Instead, he blocked out the sound of her voice and raised his arms into the air at his sides, his fingers splayed out as he extended his senses to scan the area. His power eased out, like extensions of his fingertips, stretching into the corners of the room, seeking, searching for the source of the magic he sensed. 

It was here...somewhere. 

He had sensed it earlier on his arrival, but being that his aunt and siblings practiced magic on a regular basis he'd never given it a second thought. 

This room, however, stank with it. He smelled the odor, something strangely like sulfur... 

"A spell has been cast in this room," he muttered. A strange spell. Odd. A spell he'd never sensed before, something new. It felt off is some way he couldn't explain. Who would be working new magic of this kind in his home? And, in this room in particular. Aunt Petunia worked her spells in the privacy of her rooms upstairs, or sometimes in the gardens, but never in this room. And his siblings each, practiced in their own private settings, places where they could concentrate without the threat of being disturbed. A fairly difficult task with the number of people normally in residence at Merriweather Manor. 

He took a step closer to the center of the room where he sensed a surge of power. He shivered as coldness seeped into his skin. It wrapped around his arm, sinking into his flesh, right down to the bone. This was not right. 

Thanks for being  here today, Tricia.

Writer's Options

Writers have so many options now-a-days.

There is traditional publishing with a New York publisher where you come out in print, e-book and maybe even a book club.

There is small press publishing where you come out in e-book and print, sometimes e-book only.

Then there is self-publishing where you do everything yourself.  Usually come out in e-book and POD (Print-On-Demand)

And then there is the hybrid author who does both traditional and self-publishing or small press and self-publishing.

There is no right or wrong here.  Each writer must explore what is best for them.

But you need to research your choices.  I hear disparaging comments on all sides of the coin where one side doesn't think the other is very smart.

Talk with other writers, find out why they choose the path they did.  Learn about the business and educate yourself.

No one is going to educate you.  You have to seek out the answers.

Professional writers organizations like Romance Writers of America, Mystery Writers of America, etc.  are a good place to start.  Many of them have some basic education, but again it is up to you as the writer to make the right decision for you after you have done your research.

Also understand there are things a New York Publishing house might do that a small press may not.  Or a small press may do something better than a New York Publisher.  All have their ups and downs.

The only warning I give, is if you decide to go the self-publishing route, remember you have to do it all.  Writing, editing, proofing, copy editing, cover art, formatting, putting it up on every platform, etc.  If you're unsure of anything, hire someone.  I would particularly say hire for editing, copy editing and cover art.

You want to stand out in a sea of thousands, in a good way, make your book the best possible book it can be before you or your publisher puts it out there.

Know What Your Publisher Does for You

Pet peeve here.  If you accept an offer from a publisher, I don't care what kind of publisher, you better know what your publisher does for you.

Does your publisher just put your book out there?

Do they do edits at no charge to you?

Do they do the cover art at no charge?

Do you have input on the cover art?

Many of these are spelled out in your contract. So please, read your contract.  You are signing a legal binding agreement with the contract, make sure you know what you're getting into. 

There are also things like:

Does your publisher do any marketing for you?

Does your publisher arrange blog tours for you?

Do they give you copies to give away or must you purchase them?

Some of these may or may not be in your contract and these are things you need to know and understand. 

If  you don't know something, ask your editor and/or agent.  Or research the answer by talking to other authors published by that publisher.

Don't assume your publisher is doing something unless they've told you.  If you're not sure ask.  You won't appear stupid to the publisher, they know there are so many options out in the world. 

An example of this, I was explaining to some writing friends about my publisher putting my books into Amazon's KDP Select and how it worked out for me with the 5 free days KDP Select has.

Another published author wanted to know when she was going to get her 5 free days with Amazon and how did she set it up. 

Both myself and another writer explained, that was up to her publisher, she needed to talk to her publisher.  This author continued to go on about how if I did it why couldn't she.  I patiently explained my publisher did this, not me.  And since they published her book she needed to discuss with her publisher, she can't take the book the publisher published and make it free without them agreeing and her publisher making it free.

This is just one example.  There are so many options now-a-days.  Writers/Authors need to be informed. Writers/Authors need to do their homework.  

And just because someone else is doing it doesn't mean its the right fit for you.  You have options, explore them all.

Next week: Writer's Options