Category Archives: Small Publishers

Best Summer Vacation…Ever!

fireworks

Welcome readers!

About a year ago, I posted about my BEST BIRTHDAY MONTH…EVER!  Today, I feel s though I have come full circle in some ways.   This has been the Best Summer Vacation…Ever!

As you know, I teach music to Middle Schoolers, and summer vacations afford me the time to delve even more into my writing endeavors than I can during the school months.  This Summer vacation started off with a bang with my press release from REUTS Publications.  That day, My novel, WORDS IN THE WINDOWSILL, was announced along with author Katie Hamstead’s latest book as well.   Not only did my press release show up on REUTS’ own blog, but it was listed in Publisher’s Marketplace as well.  That was a huge feeling!!!

A month later, almost to the day, I received another message that every author dreams about:  Agent Jessica Schmeidler, of Golden Wheat Literary, sent me an offer of representation.  Jessica is amazing, and it is a privilege to be able to call her my agent.

The reason I feel like I have come full circle, is that back about a year ago, during my amazing birthday month, I actually met my agent for the first time.  She had requested to read one of my manuscripts based on a Twitter pitch I had made.  I am fortunate in so many ways.

So, this has been an incredible Summer!  In the span of a month, two of my writing dreams have come true, and I know this is just the beginning.  Thank you all for coming along with me as I sail into these new waters.  It is clear to me that I am in the best of company, with the most fabulous of followers.  I am filled with gratitude.

If you have any comments, please share them below.

A Writer’s Roller Coaster Ride, 2.0

roller coaster

Welcome, Readers!

Thank you for stopping by my Writer’s Block! A few years ago, I posted on the topic of the writer’s roller coaster ride. I had just entered a contest, and earned a spot in the mentor and agent rounds.  It was HUGE!!!  Today, I write about this topic again, this time through the lens of an author with a book deal.  The emotions I go through are detailed below, on this Writer’s Roller Coaster Ride I am currently on.  I love it, and I wouldn’t want it any other way!  Maybe you have experienced some of these on your own writing journey.

DISBELIEF:  As many of you know, the process of submitting a book to agents and publishers is filled with twists and turns, and a lot of disappointment.  When I received the offer of publication from REUTS, I almost could not believe it.  I had gotten to know the team a bit through the years, and I hoped deep down that my book would find its home with them.  When it finally happened, it took a while for it to sink in.

PRIDE:  This really speaks for itself.  When a writer gets positive feedback of any kind, be it from a critique partner, a literary agent, or a publisher, the pride swells.  And that’s okay!  Enjoy it!  Revel in it!  Get ready for the next steps in your writer’s journey.  The day I saw the official press release about my novel in Publisher’s Marketplace and on the REUTS blog, I knew it was really happening!  My heart swelled!  I love my publishing team at REUTS, and know that my book baby is in the best of hands.

SELF-DOUBT:  I think as writers, we are very comfortable with self-doubt.  We know it well, and consider ourselves friends.  I say that in a jokingly sort of way, but truthfully, writers see so much in the way of “N0-thank-you’s” that we sometimes wonder if we are up to the tasks in front of us.  Eventually we do grow more comfortable with self doubt.  Now, as an author with REUTS, I still have my own doubts.  I think about upcoming revisions and marketing my book, and wonder what those processes will be like.  But through all of the wondering, I know I have an amazing support system in place; my family, friends, and my publisher are all part of my cheering section.

TRUST:  Trust can be tricky for writers.  We spend so much with our stories and characters while we write them.  It can be tough to see their world as anything different than what we envision in our own minds.  But part of the writing process includes trusting people with our book babies. It’s through the eyes of others that writers can create a more complete, fulfilling novel for our readers.  Through the years, I have grown more and more comfortable asking for criticism and critique from people.  I write about that topic a little bit here.  I also get more comfortable with trust by helping others sculpt their own novels.  There is something empowering about that. (see below)

EMPOWERMENT:   The feeling of empowerment is also a tough thing for a writer, or any creative artist, to feel.  We are always looking for what’s wrong with our work so we can fix it.  Sometimes we can’t ever get to the point where we believe it’s any good.  When writers learn to trust themselves with the writing process, and others with advice as they help you sculpt your book into a work of art, that’s when the magic happens.  Your book takes on a life of its own.  With that magic, comes empowerment.  It took me a while to understand this, but it’s okay to step back, look at your novel, and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

PEACE:  Peace for me as a writer comes and goes.  Self doubt rears it’s ugly head from time to time, but then fades away as my novel writing progresses.  Peace with the writing process comes and goes.  I need to remember to embrace it when it comes, and get excited when I meet little goals!

ANXIOUSNESS:  This is where I am currently at on this roller coaster ride toward publication.  As I write this post,  I am super anxious and excited at what lies ahead for my book baby.  I appreciative the incredible support system of my family, friends, and publisher, REUTS.  I can’t wait to see what happens next!

I love comments!  Please feel free to comment below, or share your experiences with your own writer’s roller coaster ride.

Big News, And I’m Shouting It From The Mountaintops!

On the mountain top

It’s been a really great day!!!  Here’s why:

Today I have the privilege to announce a new adventure: My novel, WORDS IN THE WINDOWSILL, has been acquired by REUTS Publications, and I couldn’t be more pleased.   Read the official announcement here!

This book and I have quite a little history!  Here’s how our adventure began.

In 1994, a friend and I went on an adventure of our own; a month-long trip through several countries in Europe.  As classically trained musicians, we were quite interested in the histories and world that Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, and other master composers lived in, and that trip afforded us an opportunity to see much of it first hand.  I hadn’t realized it at the time, but on that trip, the seeds of WORDS IN THE WINDOWSILL were planted.  During the years (10+!) that followed, I revisited those memories through the photos and journals that I kept during the trip, and as time went on, I knew I had to continue the adventure, in the form of a novel.

NaNo 2

2012 brought another stop on WINDOWSILL’s adventure:  I decided to use NaNoWriMo as the launching pad for writing it.  By the end of the November, I had the first draft nearly completed, and it was clear what a special story it was to me.  Its plot continues to hold a unique connection to me and my musical life, as do its characters.  But I wondered:  Would anyone else feel similarly?

I beta’d it.  I revised it.  I modified and added parts to it.  I removed parts of it.  I freaked out a little bit when I realized that I still needed those discarded parts, so I sifted through older drafts to put them back in.  (It’s true what they say about keeping all of your early drafts… ) I continued to believe in it, and I never gave up hope.  Now, several drafts, edits, contests and queries later, the reality is finally sinking in.  My novel, set partially in the 21st century and partially in the 1800’s, has found its home, and a new adventure is about to begin.

fireworks

Along this journey, I have met some amazing writerly people, who guided and encouraged me.  New friends, professionals in the business.  I never met a contest or Twitter pitch party I didn’t like.  At one point, I posted about how even though the art of writing seems like a lonely, solitary endeavor, it really isn’t (at least not for me!)  We learn from each other in so many ways.

Thank you, so much, to everyone who supported me on this incredible journey thus far.  It means a lot!

excited doggie

So now, WORDS IN THE WINDOWSILL and I embark on another part of this publishing adventure together.  I look forward to posting updates on the process from acquisition to publication as we go, and I hope you’ll share the ride with me!

Feel free to leave comments below!

And visit my Facebook Page and Twitter as well!

 

 

 

My Post-Conference High

 

lakeflywriters_logo

Greetings!

I just got home from a writer’s conference, and it was a good one.  I thought I might share some of the awesomeness with you all.  First, a little bit of background:

I heard about the Lakefly Literary conference in OshKosh, Wisconsin on Twitter a few months ago, when one of my good Twitter friends posted about it.  My thought at the time:  Sounds like fun!  I wish I could go!

Then I went online, and read about the lineup of workshops and presenters.  I admit that I was not familiar with the presenters.  They seemed to be local to Wisconsin, and here I am in Northern New York.  But the workshops seemed to be just what I needed, especially the one about making a marketing plan.  Also, the price point couldn’t be beat.  But the final thing that tipped the cart for me was the fact that several of my Twitter friends would be there, live and in person, and what an opportunity it would be to meet face to face.

So I booked my conference and flight to Wisconsin!

The Lakefly Literary Conference is still pretty young, only in its 4th year.  It is small enough for an out-of-stater like me to feel welcomed, yet offers enough of what I was looking for to really make it worthwhile.

Ruth Percey, who runs the OshKosh library, puts the event on along with several other folks, and they really went out of their way to make sure that the offerings met our needs.  By the end of the conference, she knew me by name! I left there with a great feeling of accomplishment.  Being able to meet and hang out with authors and publishers is a special thing.  There were many opportunities to browse books of all sorts, and even have them signed.  New friends were made, and folks I had only known in the Interwebs suddenly became real people.

So here I sit, in my Post Conference high.  I look forward to using the information I gathered at #Lakefly16.  Feels good!

Anyone else going to a writing conference?  Have you been to any good ones recently?  Feel free to share in the comments!

 

I’ve Got a Cover To Reveal! Who’s curious?

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A little less than three months from now, Without Benefits will be showing up on doorsteps and in e-readers! But today we get a first look at the amazing cover, designed by Ashley at Cardboard Monet! Ashley even did a special photoshoot just for this cover. So check out the cover and make sure you scroll down to the giveaway below!

Here’s a bit about the book:

Emma will always be a New Yorker at heart, even though she has a perfect life in Seattle. She has a prestigious job fundraising for the Seattle Symphony, a handsome boyfriend who adores her, and a Belltown apartment with views of the Sound. It should be more than enough to keep her pain from not playing the piano, and her 9/11 nightmares, away.

But when her old college crush, Owen, comes back into her life, it’s more than just spending time with him that’s causing cracks in her picture-perfect life. As she steps back on stage, and back into the spotlight, her connection with Owen and his world, dredges up old memories that Emma worked hard to forget.

Emma’s past comes back to haunt her, forcing her to face the truth about more than just her fears of returning back to New York. As her once perfect life begins to burn down, Emma is forced to figure out what she really wants: her fundraiser and cocktail party-filled life with her boyfriend, or forging a new future with the one thing, and one person, she’s ever loved–even if it means returning to New York.

Without Benefits is a beautiful and moving exploration of modern relationships and family written in the vein of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Renee Carlino.

So here it is…

The moment we’ve been waiting for…
WithoutBenefitsCover-663x1024
Isn’t it gorgeous? Pre-order your copy today!
 

About the author:

Nicole Tone is a freelance editor, MFA student, traveller, pet collector, binge-watcher, and a self-proclaimed coffee snob. She lives in Buffalo, NY with her husband, three cats, and two very large dogs, but spends as much of her time in Seattle as possible. You can like her page on Facebook, @ her on Twitter, swoon over dream houses together on Pinterest, and add Without Benefits on Goodreads.

I’ve Got A Cover To Reveal: Sachael Desires, by Melody Winter!

Welcome readers!

I just love these days!  I get to share an amazing, never before seen, book cover!

First, a little bit about the book, SACHAEL DESIRES, Book 2 in Melody Winters “Mine Series”:

During her ordeal with the Sect, Estelle Bailey dreamt of escaping back into the arms of the sea—and Azariah. But freedom came at a price, and though she’s back with the Sachael who’s stolen her heart, she’s also land-bound until the next full moon. And with the threat of Orontes looming ever larger behind them, Azariah, Estelle, and Michael—her once-captor turned rescuer and friend—are on the run.  Following Michael’s lead, they seek sanctuary amidst the natural beauty of the Orkney and Shetland Islands until Estelle can complete her next submergence ritual and Azariah can whisk her away to the safety of Saicean.  ​ ​ Secrets, betrayals, and old enemies await them, though, and as events spiral out of control, Azariah makes a decision that puts all their lives at risk, forcing Estelle to face a journey she never wanted to take. With time running out and tempers running high, her only hope to save the man she loves lies in a reconciliation between two kingdoms who despise each other.

Book Two in the Mine Series, Sachael Desires further expands on the intricate underwater world of the Sachaels, and the hostility and isolation of not belonging.​

Add to goodreads

And here is its amazing cover:

SachaelDesires-Winter

About Melody Winter:

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

Melody Winter lives in 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 beach. With an obsession for anything mythical, Melody revels in reading and writing about such creatures. In fact, if she wasn’t such a terrible swimmer, she’d say she was a mermaid.

Sachael Desires is her second book in the New Adult Romantic Fantasy series – the ‘Mine Series’.
Melody Winter Author Photo

Learn more about Melody Winter on her website, twitter or facebook.

Let’s Talk: Is There Value In Diversifying Our Writerly Portfolio?

Welcome Readers!

I have been writing seriously for several years now.  I write mostly novel length fiction, with the occasional short story or novella thrown in.  This past summer, I began to dabble into writing poetry.  I’m not sure how that came about, but it did, and as I always do, I welcomed the inspiration to try it with open arms.  The jury is still out on whether or not I’ve got what it takes to be a poet, however, inspiration is inspiration, and a writer’s got to write.

As I was looking back on my output, I was a little bit shocked.  Last week, I wrote about Learning From The Master’s, and how a writer should seek out and study the works of others in order to perfect their craft and discover their own unique author’s voice.  I believe in that whole heartedly.  It’s great advice for any artist.  But what surprised me as I looked at my own writerly output? There is a lot of different stuff in there!  That “a-ha” moment leads me to ask:  Is there value in diversifying our writerly portfolio?

I would like to believe there is.  One of the great joys I get in life is learning.  Whenever I am tasked with teaching a new course at school, I love to seek out the information needed to become proficient in that area.  I think that with writing, I enjoy the challenge of stretching my wings to embrace a new form or genre.

Last week’s “Learning From The Master’s” post, however, points out the importance of taking the time to perfect one’s craft.  This might account for the amount time it actually takes an author to get from first draft to publication.  It takes a lot of time to create something, let alone keep it true to a style, and further, to develop you voice.

Earlier, I mentioned the variety of styles which my writerly output embodies.  I did notice there are a couple of commonalities, though.  One commonality, for me, is the age of the MC.  It turns out that most of them are in their twenties.  Not all, but most.  Another trend in my writing is Speculative Fiction.  Again, not all, but most.

So what is my take-away from this discovery?  Well, I think it’s that even if someone’s writing output seems very eclectic, there are probably common threads that tie their Writerly Portfolio together.  For me the common threads are age of MC and genre.

What do you think?  Is there value in diversifying a writerly portfolio?  Do you feel it’s better to focus on one style and stick with it?  When you look at your own writing output, what common threads do you find?  What differences?  I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Thanks for stopping by today!

In Touch With My Inner Zebra

Zebras

Welcome Readers!

I often read the blog of Kisa Whipkey, a writer, and acquisitions director at REUTS publications. I follow her blog regularly, because within each post, I seem to pick up a few new gems of information, some insight or an angle on a topic that I hadn’t thought of before, or validation of something I believed in.

Her recent post, “A Zebra In a Herd Of Mustangs”, hits upon all three for me: Reading it gave me a gem of confidence, insight into current trends in paths to publication, and validation of some of my personal thoughts on the topic. Within the post, Kisa outlines her diverse, non-traditional path into the world of publishing. A highlight of that post is when she describes how each meandering segment of her life led her to where she is today; each part of her life gave her skills needed to be successful in the publishing world. That last bit was the little gem of confidence I mentioned. I was inspired after reading it to write this post today.

I can admit it. Like Kisa, I am a Zebra on this path toward publication. There is nothing “traditional” about how I got to this point, but every step on my life’s trajectory has led me here. Although I am a musician, educator, former Spanish major, and travel aficionado, I also have also always been a reader, and admirer of the written and spoken word. While I am still working at getting my novels into publication, one of my short stories has been published in the Summer Nights anthology!  I hope my novels will get there someday, too.

In Kisa’s post, she refers to herself as a zebra in a herd of mustangs. I like that analogy a lot, but I would even go one step further and say, we are all zebras in our own right. Even a mustang is like a zebra, with a different size and coloration. (Biology buffs: I know, genus, species, right? But visually they are similar). The stripes on any two “Zebras” are never the same, just as no two of us follow the same path.  The road to publication can be windy and filled with little detours.

Which leads me to this post. I’m not taking a scientific poll or anything, but I am curious: How many of you found your way to writing by taking the scenic route as I did, and how many of you followed a more traditional pathway toward publishing. I have often thought, in hindsight, how amazing it would have been to have the opportunity to take writing courses in college, but alas, my Music major’s schedule kept me in the practice and rehearsal rooms pretty steadily.

So, if you feel like sharing, write a comment below.  I’d love to hear about your path towards publication. Are you published? How did you get there? What was your path? Not published yet? What life experiences got you where you are today? I’d love to hear from you about this!

Thank you for stopping by today 🙂

I’ve Got a CoverTo Reveal…Who’s Curious???

No…The picture above isn’t the cover being revealed today, but I hope it got you all curious.  Today’s cover is for the 2014 Project REUTSway anthology, and it looks nothing like the question mark above.

The title of this years Project REUTSway anthology is Not-So-Local Legends of Triumph & Terror.  I am really excited about this particular anthology, because I have personally read works by a few of the contributing authors, and I can tell you that this anthology is sure to please!

Without further ado, cue the trumpets:

The Cover!

tn

Splendid!

And, directly from REUTS themselves, a blurb:

“The second annual collection of short stories presented by REUTS
Publications. Authors competed weekly with their unique twists on world
myths. Congrats to this years winners:

Felicia Anderson
Shawn Thomas Anderson
CC Dowling
N.H. Fennecus
Drew Hayes
Michelle Hoehn
Scott Hughey
Shannara Johnson
Jennifer McCoy
Kathleen Palm
Alexandra Perchanidou
Debra Vega
Summer Wier
Melody Winter

Release Date: Fall 2015”

Fall is almost here, everyone; the wait is almost over!  In the meantime, check out the Goodreads link, here:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26111897-not-so-local-legends-of-triumph-terror

Well done, authors!

Writerly Advice: Keeping Busy While In The Query Trenches

Hello Readers!

Thank you for stopping by my blog today 🙂

Today’s post finds me at a time where I am waiting to hear back on some important information.  So I thought I might share some of my diversions which are helping me deal with the wait.  Since you are most likely a writerly type, this will pertain to you, and you will most likely be able to relate.  But many of us wear multiple hats, and some of this might ring true to other areas of your lives as well.  I know it does for me.

Diversion #1:  New Manuscript.

once upon a time

As many of you are aware, I recently started a new manuscript.  I know, I know.  I broke my policy of finishing my fall NaNoWriMo project by the end of the summer (see my Summer Bucket List post for proof).  But this new manuscript couldn’t wait.  I swear.  So in the back of my head, I feel a little bit of guilt about shelving my 2015 NaNo, but it’s okay.  No Biggie.

I mention the new manuscript because working on it has kept me busy.  Really busy.  It’s not keeping me completely sidetracked while I wait, but seriously, it’s helping.  And I actually love the fact that I had to let my NaNo sit a little bit, because when my mind feels like the new manuscript has to gel some, I can switch gears back to it.  Which is good, but sometimes I feel a little bit like this:

stressed with post its

Except unlike this picture, my sticky notes have things written on them; things that occasionally help me keep ideas organized, but not always.

Diversion #2:  This Blog.

There is nothing more gratifying to me as a writer, than connecting with other writerly types.  This past couple of years, I have spent time with authors, poets, screenwriters, and industry professionals all right here on this blog.   Waiting to hear back as a writer can be tough.  When my mind starts to think the worst, I try to take the bull by the horns and learn something new or share something useful.

Blogs are great for that.  Through them, you can pose questions, share helpful information, interview other writers, etc.  All of these things aren’t going to make the time go any faster, but they might make the time more pleasurable, and divert your attention somewhat.

Diversion #3:  Read something new.  And review it.

This isn’t rocket science.  We like to read.  It’s what we do.  It’s what we hope to give our own readers.  By taking the time to read the works of others, we help to pay it forward.  By reviewing the books, perhaps on your blog, you can get a conversation started, thereby helping to pass the time as well.

Diversion #4:  Plan a trip.

journal coins, map

You don’t actually have to take the trip, mind you, but I sometimes got to a travel site and make plans, down to what excursions I’ll take once there.  On my “To-Visit” list is The Pacific Northwest, South Dakota, Iceland, Scandinavia, and Austria.  There are plenty of other places I’d love to see, but these are just what I have been thinking about as new stories and world’s swirl around in my head.

Hopefully this helps.   And as an added bonus, writing this post tonight has helped divert my attention from the waiting game for about an hour or so!  To that end, I’m going to get myself a couple of Oreo’s and get back to Diversion #1:  my new manuscript.

Happy writing and waiting, everyone!