I have to admit I really didn’t see this day coming when I sent out my first manuscript for rejection. Okay, you know what I mean, a novice writer with no experience… I know I was lucky. Rebel Ink Press read my first book, Rth Rising, and of all the strange things, bought it! I was a published author. I still remember the wonder of it all. My thanks always to Cherry Adair, the speaker at the HCRW annual conference that year, who I met for the first time the next day after receiving this news. I’ll always remember how she jumped up and ran around the table to hug me.
Rebel Ink was a small eBook only publisher at the time – now most of my books are also in paper and I have two audio books with more on the horizon.
Other books and publishers followed and I’m now a hybrid writer – traditionally and self-published. I retired from my office job and began writing full time in 2015 and was able to finish up a lot of books that I’d started but hadn’t had the time to finish. I got into the groove of writing every day for at least four hours and that still holds true. “Retiring” was a misnomer, I have no idea how I got everything done when I still “worked”.
Now I’m publishing my 50th book, Alien Embraces, sequel to Alien Embrace. Who’da thunk it?? My love for the paranormal and science fiction has grown and I’ve added contemporary to my repertoire. My annual Christmas novellas are now anticipated and requested – talk about an ego boost!
I have found my niche with an incredible critique group of fellow writers that have been more help than I could ever express. My years with Heart of Carolina Romance Writers taught be at least as much if not more than I learned in school. And the best part is I’m still learning and attempting to improve my craft.
I’m often asked what advice I’d give a new writer – that’s easy. Write. Yes, some days it’s trash, and some days you’re pushing rather than have it flow. Good, that means you’re just like the rest of us. Best advice I was given… You can’t edit an empty page (thank you Nora Roberts). It happens to be true. On those days go back and read something you wrote previously or write something that’s been nagging you that has nothing to do with your current work-in-progress. It’s not like you’re cheating on your current book and those notes will come in handy when you get around to your next book.
I’m fortunate to have the time to write, but when I began, I had two young children at home, I worked full-time, and my husband traveled for his job. The writing just refused to take a complete backseat. It was a lot slower but it still got done and was stored in boxes under the bed. Like I had a choice…
So here’s # 50 – Alien Embraces, sequel to Alien Embrace. My thanks to a fan who jolted this one out of that box and demanded to know what happened. Never underestimate what a reader can do for their writer.
Thank you all for your encouragement and support!