Category Archives: Small Publishers

Author Interview: Rachel Mucha Talks About Her second Release!

Welcome readers!

I am so excited to share this interview with you! Rachel Mucha is the author of Another Day, Another Partner, which released in January, 2022. So many of you have read and fallen in love with her witty way of writing engaging characters intertwined with a snappy, twisty plot…we are so thrilled at the response!

Now, she is back with her second release, Bad Press, and it does not disappoint! I hope you enjoy learning even more about Rachel, the author, and her latest release!

SMNystoriak: For those who are new to your books, tell us a bit about your path to becoming a published author.

Rachel Mucha: For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be an author. I wrote a lot of short stories as a teenager, always wanting to try a novel, but never quite able to follow through and finish one. In 2018 I had such a fully formed idea, I decided to sit down and finally write an entire book. It took me a while, but I did it! I got my feet wet with querying agents, but didn’t have much luck.

Like a lot of people, I used the pandemic as an opportunity to work on my writing. It was both a great way to pass the time and a nice escape from the awfulness going on around us. In 2020 I finished what would become my debut novel, Another Day, Another Partner. I got back in the querying trenches and found my wonderful agent (hi, Susan!), and about a year later, I had an offer of publication from a small press, City Owl Press. It still feels strange thinking about how I have two books out in the world and that people are reading them! The plan now is to just keep writing; I’ve got so many stories I want to tell. 

SMNystoriak: Congratulations on your second book release! Bad Press, while not a sequel, is your follow up release after your successful Another Day, Another Partner. Give us a little summary of the story.

Rachel Mucha: Thank you! Bad Press is a mystery/romance that centers around a feuding crime reporter and detective who work together to solve the cold case of a missing teenager, and find they make a good team (in more ways than one). It’s a little dark, but there are plenty of funny moments, banter, and romantic tension. The main character takes everything in stride and really brings readers on a wild ride throughout her investigation!

SMNystoriak: How did the idea for Bad Press come about?

Rachel Mucha: After writing two books about the police solving crimes, I wanted to try something different and go the cozy mystery route. I liked the idea of having an investigator not needing to play by the rules (and Evie sure doesn’t, does she?!) I have a background in journalism, and I knew showcasing the chaotic life of a reporter would make a great story. I also love writing the enemies-to-lovers dynamic, and the well-known tension between crime reporters and cops was too good not to explore. I thought, “What if I had a crime reporter annoy the crap out of a detective, and then they fell in love?” All the details filled in after I knew what I wanted at the heart of the story.

SMNystoriak: One of my favorite aspects of your writing is your character development. What can you tell us about your approach to creating your characters?

Rachel Mucha: Thank you so much! That means a lot, because I work so hard on developing my characters. When I’m writing, the characters always come first. I’d rather read a story with a boring plot and compelling, lovable characters than the other way around. There are a lot of common themes in my characters. The women tend to be strong and funny, and are definitely active participants in their own stories. Their love interests are usually different from them just enough to cause them to butt heads, but not so different that they can’t find some common ground eventually (and fall for each other!) I truly do love all the characters I’ve created, and I think that comes through in my books.

SMNystoriak:Speaking of characters, I adore Penn! I was curious: do you have a favorite from Bad Press?

Rachel Mucha: I adore Penn, too! He’s hands down my favorite love interest I’ve written. But I think what makes him so great has a lot to do with Evie as well. That pairing really felt like magic on the page for me. They’re both combative and stubborn, which makes for fun banter, but they also manage to work together really well too, because they have the exact same goal: to bring a killer to justice. There’s a mutual respect there–an unwillingness to give up on each other, because they’re a team. Evie and Penn aren’t afraid to duke it out, but when it comes down to it, they’d be there for the other in an instant.

I have to give Hudson a shoutout too, because he’s my favorite antagonist I’ve written. He is devious and awful in the best way. I seem to remember you really enjoying Hudson the first time you read Bad Press. What made you like the “bad guy” so much?

SMNystoriak: Bad Press’s plot is grittier than Another Day, Another Partner, and yet still there is a really light aspect to the story. It is something that your readers have picked up on, and truly love! How do you strike that balance between grit and fun in your books?

Rachel Mucha: I don’t think I could write a 100% serious book if I tried. I was probably influenced by a lot of “dramedy” crime shows I watched growing up (The X-Files, Bones, Castle). These shows of course have some dark crimes, but the joking and flirting between the investigators was always a much-needed breath of fresh air. I think it’s important to give readers a little joy amidst all the heaviness of crime stories. In my real life, I use humor and sarcasm a lot, so it would be incredibly hard for that not to carry through to my characters.

That said, I also love a good dramatic scene–an intense breakup or fight, a scary hostage situation, a sudden shooting or explosion that puts everyone in unexpected danger. My general rule is I want to excite my readers without traumatizing them!

SMNystoriak: What works in progress are you currently working on?

Rchel Mucha: I’m working on so many things right now! I have sequels for both Another Day, Another Partner and Bad Press in progress. I also have a new idea for a second-chance romance between a writer and an actor that I’m actively working on. It always seems like there are too many ideas, too little time!

Thank you so much for chatting with me, Rachel, and, dear readers, Thank you for checking out Bad Press!

Intrigued? Purchase Bad Press here!

Buy Another Day Another Partner here!

Let’s Connect! Have you read Rachel Mucha’s books? Do you have a question for Rachel? We’d love to read your comments!

Add your comments below!

Fall Blog Series: Meet The Editors-Tina Moss of City Owl Press

Welcome Readers! I am so happy you’re here for the launch of my Fall Blog Series, which will focus on the editorial side of the publishing world. Today I am so excited to share my conversation with Tina Moss, co-owner of City Owl Press. Tina and her co-owner, Yelena Casale, started this press from the ground up several years ago, and their press has grown by leaps and bounds since its inception a decade ago.

In today’s interview, Tina shares with us a little bit of the background behind City Owl Press, as well as the process of publishing itself. Have you ever wondered what the query process is like, or what happens after you sign a publishing contract? Now’s your chance to find out!

Connect with Tina!

Twitter @authortinamoss @cityowlpress

Website http://www.tinamoss.com

Do you have any questions for Tina or myself? Put your questions in the comments below! We both love to connect with readers!

Fall Blog Series Coming Soon!

Fall is on the horizon, folks, and I have been pretty busy planning something AWESOME! A Fall blog series is in the works, and you’re not going to want to miss it! First, a few questions for you:

  • Are you a writer?
  • Are you curious about the editorial process, from the perspective of the publishing house?
  • Have you ever wondered how editors choose which projects they accept for their publishing houses?

If you answered “YES!” to any or all of these questions, you’re in luck! I will be meeting with some amazing editors soon, and sharing our conversations with you. In the process, we will discuss these topics and many more.

Confused Kevin James GIF by TV Land - Find & Share on GIPHY

I am lining up interviews now, and when I have a schedule for posts nailed down, I will share that here as well. I hope you’ll join me!

You’re Turn! If you have any questions for the editors that you are dying to know the answers to, drop them into the comments, and I will do my best to include them when I interview the editors.

My Writerly Welcome for 2018!

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Hello, Readers!

It’s hard to believe that 2017 is almost over, but it is.  The weeks between Thanksgiving and New Years always pass with a fury around here, reminding me of a certain holiday fave:

5 Holiday Gatherings

4 Family Birthdays

3 Winter Concerts

2 Events at Daughter’s School

Then, One Day til it’s Back To School

 

The fact that I am a music educator by day has a lot to do with the feverish pace of this season.  Report cards, concerts at school, rehearsals after school, etc, mean that the already hectic, but festive, season is all the more so.  I admit to the neglecting of this blog during this time of year, but sometimes it can’t be helped.

However, it also affords me time for reflection on 2017, and goal-setting for the year to come.  Thoughts of my hopes and dreams, and realities which are just on the horizon.  I can finally see from where I stand today, and that is a glorious feeling!

It’s going to be a big year, I think, for me as a writer.  My Contemporary Time Travel, WORDS IN THE WINDOWSILL is due to be released sometime this year.  My agent is working with me on #PrisonBreakADK to get it ready for submission, I am “this close” to finishing up Book One of my Harbor Bells Trilogy, and I have yet another novel idea just begging to be plotted out (When the idea for it came to me, it woke me from a dead sleep, insisting I write it down).

I literally cannot wait to see where this year takes me.

Happy New Year, everyone!  Do you have anything coming along in 2018 that you are excited about?  I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

How I’m Keeping My Balance…NaNoWriMo Style

 

NaNo 2

Welcome, Readers!

First, the good stuff!  It’s NaNoWriMo!  Congratulations to all who have started this journey for the first time,  and a loud “Hazzah!” to everyone who finds themselves back in the throes of NaNoWriMo for a repeat adventure. It’s daunting.  It’s difficult.  And completing it is one of the most fulfilling things I have ever accomplished in my life.

Now for some tougher stuff:  It’s mid-November.  Mid-NaNoWriMo, and I haven’t added to any word count of anything in two weeks.  (You read that right…Not a new word in November…)  I meant to jump right in on November 1, but I just couldn’t.  Sometimes things happen beyond your control, though, and that’s just life.  I am thinking about balance today, because I refuse to let the entire month go by without a word for my characters, or a plot point being reconciled. This post is meant to be as much of a NaNoWriMo pep talk for you as it is for me.

balance

How can I make it all happen?  And if you are at a point of this crazy writing month where you haven’t met your writing goals, how can you?  Well, for one thing, realize that the month isn’t over.  Any writing you do toward your goal is a step in the right direction.  Personally, I have to stop looking at the calendar thinking that there is no way to succeed at this, when the reality of it is, that even attempting NaNoWriMo is an incredible accomplishment.

But there is always hope, and hope may appear differently than you expect.  A few years ago, our local arts center held a series of NaNoWriMo workshops.  We were all different people, some with day jobs, some retirees, others who were just there to see what NaNo was all about. That was my second NaNoWriMo, and the year I began to work on my novel, WORDS IN THE WINDOWSILL.  During those workshops, our instructor gave us lots of exercises to help us along.

But no writing time to speak of.

The activities she walked us through approached writing a novel from different angles.  For example, we did a lot of sketching, map-making, TV interviewing, role playing, and other things to get us to know our characters and our story on a deeper level.

Some of you might be thinking this is how everyone writes, but not me.  To tell you the truth, until the workshops concluded at the end of November, I hadn’t realized how those activities helped me reach and surpass my 50K goal.  Up until then, I was worried I was wasting precious time.

It’s those other activities that I am going to rely on when I can’t actually do the writing part.  I may or may not reach 50K new words this year, but for me, and this is the balancing part, NaNoWriMo is more about fleshing out a good story.  That’s how I plan to measure my success.

So from here on out, if I can’t actually write words into a chapter of my current Work In Progress, I will be planning it in creative ways.  I need to know my characters as well as I can, so that when I do have the opportunity to write, I can make the most out of it.

The good news is, my head is in the right place for success.  And that novel I was working on during our local NaNoWriMo workshops?  WORDS IN THE WINDOWSILL is due to be published this spring with REUTS Publications!  I don’t think I need any more motivation than that!

I hope I have encouraged you to keep yourself going through NaNoWriMo.  It’s really tough at times, but you can do it!  Dori Just keep writing

How do you plan to keep your balance through this month?  I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

 

Embracing The Courage To Fail

go for it

My husband and I were married in 1996, which, in baseball terms, was Derek Jeter’s Rookie year as a Yankee.  During the years that followed, we watched Jeter and the other members of the Yankees became super-successful in subsequent years.  As a Yankee fan, I can tell you it was a thrilling time to follow the team.

Tonight, Jeter’s Number 2 was retired, and to commemorate the event, there were televised interviews and memories shared.  But, what was it about Jeter that made him so great?  Was it natural born talent?  Was it that his parents raised him a particular way?  Was it that he surrounded himself with people he wanted to emulate?  Perhaps.  More than likely, a combination of these created the baseball player he eventually would become.

During the Jeter event today, one commentator made a statement which stuck with me.  He said something to the effect of “To achieve greatness, you can’t be afraid to fail.”

Ugh.  That’s really hard.  So many of us are programmed to “fail to fail”.  We are taught that failure is bad, that failure will keep you from your goal.  As a writer, failing can mean something small, like I don’t complete my word count, or something large, like secure a publishing contract.  It means I might hit writer’s block and not be able to move a work forward.  It could mean that the concept of a work in progress is a no-go, even when I have spent many months, or even years, trying to develop it.

Failure can be debilitating.

But it doesn’t have to be.  During the Jeter festivities tonight, more than one person commented that Jeter expected to win every day.  He gave his all every time out on the field.  When he “failed” on the field,  his took that failure as an opportunity for growth.  That’s why he was such a good Yankee captain.

#Re2pect

Jeter was successful because he wan’t afraid to fail.

As writer’s, we can use this concept to our advantage.  What does failure as a writer really mean?  Sure, the word count miss, or the lack of a publishing contract seems like they are fails.  However, in the bigger picture, we can look at these little failures as part of our eventual path to greatness.  If we keep at it, refuse to give up, change some things when what we are doing doesn’t work out, we will all get there.

Next time, when writer’s block hits, I think I will try something “radical” with my plot or characters, and see where it takes me.  Maybe next time, I won’t be afraid to play with the structure of a work, if it seems to be “failing”.  I hope I have the courage to do so.

what could go right

I’m glad I got to watch Jeter’s celebration tonight between games of the double header.  It gave me the courage to accept failure as part of a longer, more interesting, path to authorly success.

I hope things are going well with you all, and thanks for reading.  Do you have any advice for spinning failure into the big picture of success?  Let me know in the comments!

100!

100

Welcome, Readers!

It is with heartfelt gratitude that I write this post.  Today, in my WordPress notifications, I got the best news:  I have reached the milestone of 100 follows to my blog!

This may seem like a minuscule accomplishment to many.  I personally follow blogs with many more followers than on hundred.But for this small town author, it means the world, and I couldn’t be more pleased!

I have used this as a forum to showcase authors and their work, to discuss both classic literature and new reads, to talk about issues that writers face, and delve into perspectives in the publishing world.  Through the years of my authoring this blog, I have learned a lot, shared a lot, and met a lot.  I am humbled by all of you who have read, commented on, and liked my posts.

gratitude

Thank you.

Thank you for the follows.  Thank you for the comments through the years .  And thank you for taking an interest in my writerly work.  I am beyond excited for what is on the horizon.  It continues to be an honor to share it all with you.

 

Writerly Reflections and Resolutions, 2016/2017

happy-new-year

Welcome, Readers!

Happy New Year!

I hung up my Music Teacher Hat last week so I could celebrate the holidays with my family and friends.  Along with that, my family is blessed with both of my children’s birthdays during this week as well (December 27 and 29), making this week, for them, the gift that keeps on giving.  I love it!  In the quiet times of this vacation, though, I get to reflect on the year which has passed, and lay down some plans for the the coming year.

2016 brought with it the loss of many familiar people in our lives.I write about the loss of David Bowie here, but we said goodbye to so many other public figures in 2016 as well.  One loss of a very personal nature was Great Grandfather Dede, who was a World War II veteran.  A couple of years ago, he took part in the Honor Flight, which was such an emotional experience for both him and us.  His burial was incredibly moving.

2016 brought with it some fantastic writerly news, as I landed a publishing contract with REUTS Publications, began an internship with Golden Wheat Literary, and signed with agent Jessica Schmeidler, who is representing my writerly works.  I also worked along side a screenwriter to adapt one of my novels, which was as fabulous as it sounds! Here is my adrenaline-charged post about that. 

Finally, after struggling with a work in progress that seemed to be too much to handle, I had an epiphany, and mapped out the story as a trilogy, of which the first draft of Book One (The First Harbor Bell) is two-thirds complete.  I am super proud of that, as it is a story that has been brewing within me for at least five years, and whose initial seeds were planted when I was only fifteen.  I can’t wait to share The Harbor Bell Series with you!

As I roll into 2017, I have three resolutions.

  1.  I hope to continue the trajectory I am on with my writing.  I am on a serious roll with The Harbor Bell Series, as well as a couple of other things, and I resolve to continue my forward-moving progress on those fronts.
  2. I resolve to stay “above the line” as much as possible, in all aspects of my life, writing or otherwise.  For those who may not understand what that phrase means to me, here it is:  “Above The Line” means to focus on the positives in life, and to be the change I want to see.  Dwelling on the negatives is destructive, and I don’t have time for that.
  3. I resolve to get back on my weekly blog-posting schedule.  It’s very doable, and I miss it.  Along with that, I further resolve to let go of any guilt quickly when life happens and I might not be able to post on that schedule for a time.  Things happen, and it’s not the end of the world.

So, there you have it.  Wish me luck, but I know I can do it!  What are your thoughts as we leave 2016 and head into 2017?  Post your comments here!

Novel Noshing: Foods Inspired By Our Novels and Characters, Part 4

october-cutting-board

Welcome Back!  Today’s headlining picture makes me think of my favorite thing about autumn baking…apples and cinnamon.  Here in the North Country, Autumn is in full swing.  Cool, crips nights, and sun-shiny days illuminate the colorful trees here in the Adirondacks.  It’s the season for steamy drinks, comforting casseroles, warm breakfasts to get us started in the morning.

Which brings me to our featured author of the week.

For this fourth installment of my series, I present to you author Melody Winter, and her soon-to-be-released novel, INIQUITY.  Here is Melody, with a bit about her upcoming release.

melodywinter

Village life for my characters in Iniquity is hard. Food is limited, and meat scarce. But the one meal that’s made every morning is a hearty bowl of porridge. The men need a filling breakfast to see them through a day working at the fields, and the women usually eat their fair share as well. The weather is cold, miserable and it often rains, hence a stomach full of warm porridge is a good start to everyone’s day.

oliver-twist

Athena mentions having to soak the oats overnight. This was a traditional way of making porridge. For each serving, the equivalent of 50 grams of oats was added to a mix of 300ml water and goats milk if it was available. The following morning it was cooked in a large metal pot over hot coals, stirring constantly until it boiled, and then stirred again for a further ten minutes.

Unfortunately, in Iniquity there isn’t much else you can add to the porridge as fruit and other plant growth is severely hindered by the lack of sunlight. The villagers only grow the necessities.

INIQUITY is due for release on the 25th October, available through amazon, or a signed paperback direct from Melody. The ebook is currently available for pre-order at a special discounted price on amazon:

Amazon.com: Link to Iniquity on amazon US  

Amazon.co.uk: Link to Iniquity on amazon UK

Email Melody: melodywinterbooks@gmail.com

About the author:

Growing up, Melody showed a natural ability in art, a head for maths, and a tendency to write too long English essays. Difficult to place in the world when she graduated, she pursued a career in teaching, but ended up working in finance. Melody is convinced the methodical times she spends working with numbers fuel her desire to drift into dream worlds and write about the illusory characters in her head.

Melody Winter lives in York, North Yorkshire, England with her husband and two sons. When not dealing with football, rugby, and a whole plethora of ‘boy’ activities, she will be found scribbling notes for her stories, or preparing for another trip to the nearby beaches at Scarborough and Whitby. With an obsession for anything mythical, Melody revels in reading and writing about such creatures, and creating her own.

 

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Novel Noshing: Foods Inspired By Our Books and Characters, Part 2

eat-drink-and-be-literary

Welcome back, Readers!

For today’s post in this series, I introduce author Carys Jones, with a recipe inspired by her novel, Dare To Dream, published by REUTS Publications.  Here is a blurb about the book, from the publisher’s website:

“Fourteen-year-old Maggie Trafford leads a normal life. Well, as normal as being crammed in a three-bedroom house with four siblings and a single parent can be, anyway. But despite being somewhat ignored at home, Maggie excels, earning top grades, a best friend who would do anything for her, and stolen looks from a boy in Maths.

It’s not until the dreams start that Maggie realizes “normal” is the least of her problems. Every night, she lives the same nightmare—red lightning, shattered glass, destruction. But nightmares are just that, right? No one believes her when she says it’s an omen. At least, not until the already mysterious pillars of Stonehenge start falling.

No longer alone in her fear, Maggie and the world watch with bated breath as one after another, the historic stones tumble, like a clock counting down. But only Maggie knows what it means: when the last stone falls, destruction will reign. And when the world ends, there’s only one option left—survive.”

carys_adj2

Here is Carys Jones, in her own words.

I chose a recipe for Red Velvet Cupcakes to represent the character of Maggie from Dare to Dream. In the book, Maggie is plagued by nightmares of red lightning which ultimately destroy the world, hence why I leaned towards a red dessert.

Maggie is a sweet natured girl with hidden depth (like a great cupcake). Whilst not rich she is intense.

dare-to-dream-front-cover1

Dare to Dream is published through Reuts publications and is currently available from all online retailers – https://www.amazon.com/Dare-Dream-Carys-Jones/dp/1942111088/ref=la_B004AEJO7W_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1472901951&sr=1-2

red-velvet

Red Velvet Cupcakes–As inspired by Maggie in Dare to Dream

What you’ll need;

  • 250 grams plain flour
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 100 grams butter
  • 200 grams caster sugar
  • 1 tablespoon red food colouring
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 175 millilitres buttermilk

 

What to do; 

  1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas mark 3/325°F, and fill two muffin tins with paper cases
  2. Stir together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a mixing bowl.
  3. In a different bowl cream the butter and sugar together. Then beat in the food colouring and the vanilla extract
  4. Add the eggs and flour into the mix, beating continuously so that everything becomes a nice thick paste.
  5. Finally beat in the buttermilk and then spoon the mixture into the paper cases.
  6. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. To check if they’re done, pierce a cake with a skewer or knife and if it comes out clean then your cakes are done.
  7. Leave them to cool on a wire rack before adding the frosting.

 

For the Topping you’ll need;

  • 500 grams icing sugar
  • 125 grams cream cheese
  • 125 grams butter

 

  1. Mix the icing sugar, cream cheese and butter together.
  2. Whisk thoroughly until smooth.
  3. Carefully ice each cupcake (once thoroughly cooled)
  4. Decorate with chocolate sprinkles and red sugar if desire.
  5. Enjoy!

 

Carys Jones loves nothing more than to write and create stories which ignite the reader’s imagination. Based in Shropshire, England, Carys lives with her husband, two guinea pigs and her adored canine companion Rollo.

When she’s not writing, Carys likes to indulge her inner geek by watching science- fiction films or playing video games.

She lists John Green, Jodi Picoult and Virginia Andrews as her favorite authors and draws inspiration for her own work from anything and everything.

To Carys, there is no greater feeling then when you lose yourself in a great story and it is that feeling of ultimate escapism which she tries to bring to her books.

For more information about Carys please visit http://www.carys-jones.com or follow her on Twitter; @tiny_dancer85