Okay so it looks like I fell off the planet. Promise - I'm still here. The last four years have been ... hard. There's no other word for it. Everything is fine. I'm fine, but I've been the caregiver of my mom who has Dementia. Between her needs, work, etc I seem to have lost control of my time. I am still writing and am trying hard to get back to my blog.

In case you weren't aware Phaze and HSWF which where under the Mundania Umbrella have closed. I was smart enough to get my titles back before all this happened. I'm happy to say the three books I sold to HSWF have been picked up by Melange Books and are available through their Satin Books imprint. I have even sold a new title to them called Magical Quest due out in 2022

I have also been lucky enough to find a publisher for my Vespian Way series. I'm now with Blushing Books under the name of Bethany Drake. I have five titles out with them right now and am close to submitting two more. There's Desire's Destiny, Desire's Duty and Desire's Promise. Then there is two in my werewolf series, Tears of the Queen and Legend of the Tears. I have just finished the rough draft of the third book in the series and have plans for a fourth one the moment I submit it.

I'll probably still be sporadic here on the blog. Unless I win the lottery and can hire someone to help me I can't avoid it, but know I'm still here still working hard in the background and am hoping to do better at keeping my blog alive.

Barb:)



Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Writing Down the Bones: The Ten Commandments of Fiction Writing - Last post

Well here is the last two. I hope my comments helped you. Writing is always a learning process.

9.) Trust Your Editors: As an editor of a small press I agree. We work hard to make your book as good as it can be. I’ve been lucky enough to have a few authors win or final in contests with the books I edited. That lets me know I’m doing my job. I will put an author be aware on this. When you hire an editor for self-publishing be sure to do your homework. See who else they have edited. Make sure they are a good fit for you.


10.) There are no Certainties: This is so true. You could right the next Pulitzer and not be able to get a publisher to buy it. And as sad as this is you could write a ton of books, but not make what you thought you would and decide not to write anymore. I’ve heard some authors are making this decision. It breaks my heart. We all know writing is subjective. Someone will love your book no matter how many flaws and others will nit-pick every little detail.

2 comments:

  1. Both are so true. As a former editor for a small epress (who sold to a larger company and I didn't follow over as editor) I tried very hard to work with my authors to make their book as good as I'd want one of my own. It's the ones who don't let you help and do your job that makes it tough for all.

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  2. I know exactly what you're talking about Calisa - we're all sensitive about our writing but I want someone to show me where my mistakes are. Sometimes we're too close to our work and can't see what someone else can.

    Barb:)

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