Have you met Rebekah Lyn? NO, well here's your chance... Do be sure to check out the whole post there are surprises.. So, Who’s Your Publisher? My best friend’s son texted me out of the blue to tell me his buddy was finishing up a book that he thought had a great plotline and wanted to know if my publisher only took Christian books. I smiled at the text from this kid I’ve known for twenty years but haven’t seen since his high school graduation. This was the latest in a serious of similar inquires from friends, relatives, or perfect strangers who happen to be friends with someone who knows me. I replied to the text with the answer I am starting to get down pat. Self-publishing is the way to go if your friend has the nerves for it. Have him call or email me and I’ll share everything I know. When I started this publishing journey I was working with a writing partner, DiVoran Lites, who is several years older. She’d gone to writing conferences as a young woman and even had one of her books considered by HarperCollins. She never got published though and focused her energy on raising a family. We both finished our books and while I started working on a new story she went back to do more polishing and refining. With my second book written I decided it was time to start looking into publishing. I read tons of articles, started following literary agents on Facebook and Twitter, subscribing to their blogs, and crafting query letters. I sent out a few queries and kept reading everything I could find on publishing. That’s when I discovered self-publishing. I liked the idea of having complete control over my manuscript, being able to follow it from start to finish, keep track of sales and manage pricing. I talked about all I was learning with my writing partner, hoping she would take the plunge with me. She smiled and encouraged me, but didn’t think her book was ready yet. In October 2011 I uploaded my first book, Summer Storms, and learned that publishing was only the second step in the writing journey. Now I had to learn how to get my book in front of people who might find it interesting. About six months after I published Summer Storms, DiVoran started asking questions about my experience and before I knew it, she was pulling out that old book that had been sent to HarperCollins, dusting it off and getting it ready to publish. I’d found an editor and a cover designer by this time and they were both working on getting my second book ready for print so I put my friend in touch with them. At this point our publishing journey took a small split as DiVoran was more than happy to have the editor do the book formatting while I like to maintain that control. Another friend of a friend, Dean Gaschler, asked me for direction when he started working on his book of short stories from his career at Walt Disney World. For many years Dean chose the family that would be the grand marshal of the Magic Kingdom parade and had collected their stories. I shared with him all I had learned from my first two books as he and his wife helped me complete the trailer for my third book. In the end, Dean chose to go with a local small press and he seems very happy. Everyone is going to have a different comfort level and I try to make sure those who ask for my advice know the pros and cons of self-publishing. If you want your book to succeed, this becomes a full-time job and there are days when it may not seem worth it. But then there are the days you get to interact with a reader and hear what they enjoyed about your book and there are the days when aspiring writers will come to you for advice. Those days make all of the hard work worthwhile. I love sharing my experiences with others as well as learning from those who have more experience. That is one of best parts of the indie writing scene, the camaraderie and support. Here's her new book... Here's little excerpt... Set Back April 25, 1961 Jessie stood at the edge of the playground with two other boys, anxious for the next space launch. Recess would be over any minute. There would be no time for a hold in the countdown. Two weeks earlier the Russians had announced the successful launch of Yuri Gagarin into space. Once again the Americans had been left behind but today’s launch would hopefully be the last before America put their own man into space. Jessie held his breath as the rocket appeared above the trees. Then it happened. The plume of white smoke erupted into a fiery ball, debris flying in all directions. Jessie didn’t wait for the teacher’s frantic call to take shelter in the school. He shook his head and turned his back on the carnage.At the door, the teacher gently laid a hand on his shoulder and gave him a sympathetic look. Any other day and Jessie might have resented it, but he knew, today, it had nothing to do with his father and the reputation he’d developed for himself the past couple of years. When school was out, Jessie dragged his feet along the familiar path home. He kept walking when he came upon his brothers, his head down, watching the sand shift beneath his worn-out sneakers. “I heard the explosion.” Max draped an arm over Jessie’s shoulders. “Sorry.” Jessie nodded. “Maybe we should go out to the beach, see if we can find any pieces,” Ricky suggested. The thought turned Jessie’s stomach, but then he stopped. “That’s not a bad idea. I’d like to have something to remember we at least tried to get to space.” “Don’t talk like that,” Sam said. “We’ll get there, it’s just going to take time.” Jessie knew Sam was trying to be encouraging, and so attempted a smile of thanks before shifting course across the large field of scrub grass. The boys spread out when they reached the beach. The tide was low but turning. Jessie took the section closest to the water, knowing the rising tide would cover it in another hour. The salty tang of sea spray filled his nostrils and he inhaled, while his eyes and ears locked away every detail of the sand and surf. He saw a flash of light ten feet ahead and quickened his pace, keeping his eyes on the spot. The ocean foamed up, then slowly retreated. Jessie squatted down to find a silver and black triangle, partially buried in the sand. Another wave rushed toward him, splashing over his feet and soaking the bottom of his shorts. He held onto the metal afraid the undertow would pull it out to sea. When the water receded, Jessie pulled the debris free of the remaining sand. It was five inches tall and three wide. Turning it over in his hands he noted scorch marks and part of what he thought might be the letter U or A from the USA painted on the side of the rocket. “Guys,” he waved to his brothers. Max arrived first. “What’d you find?” Jessie handed him the piece of metal. “Cool.” Ricky joined them and reached for the newfound treasure. “Good job, Jess.” Sam clapped his brother on the back. “I didn’t think we’d find anything that big.” Jessie reached for the metal and traced the rough edges. “You don’t think they will give up do you?” Sam shook his head. "Since the Russians have gotten into space already, I don’t see how we can give up now." "I hope they don’t.” Jessie tore his gaze away from his find and looked at his brothers. “I want to be an astronaut." Max laughed. "You can't be an astronaut." "Why not?" "Cause you gotta have money to be an astronaut. You don't think Shepard and Grissom and all those other guys are dirt poor do you?" "Maybe they’re not dirt poor, but they aren’t filthy rich. They were chosen because they were in the military and had good records." "So you gonna enlist when you turn eighteen? We'll probably still be in that dag gum Vietnam and you'll go and get yourself killed the first day in the jungle." "Nuh-huh. I know how to take care of myself. I hide from you in the woods all the time." Jessie balled his hands into fists and planted his feet. Sam stepped between them. "Cool it, Max. If Jessie wants to be an astronaut, then maybe he can be. Lots of things are changing."............... Here's more about the author and where to get her book... Rebekah is a Christian with a heart for new beginnings. She is a Florida native and a graduate of Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, Fl. A love of history, research and journaling led naturally to a passion for writing. She enjoys travel and has traveled extensively across the United States and Canada as well as Europe and the Caribbean. Her reading taste run from the classics to light fiction. When she is not working or writing, she enjoys cooking, baking and sharing recipes on her blog. Her current works include, Summer Storms and Winter's End, books one and two in The Seasons of Faith series, and Julianne the first book in The Coastal Chronicle series. She is currently working on Jessie a coming of age novel set in coastal Florida during the early days of the United States manned space flight program. Jessie is the second book in the Coastal Chronicles Series. AmaHYPERLINK "http://www.amazon.com/Rebekah-Lyn/e/B00635OY94/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1400968409&sr=1-1"zHYPERLINK "http://www.amazon.com/Rebekah-Lyn/e/B00635OY94/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1400968409&sr=1-1"on Barnes and Noble Smashwords iTunes Connect with Rebekah through: Website: http://www.rebekahlynbooks.com Blog: http://www.rebekahlynskitchen.wordpress.com/ Twitter: http://twitter.com/RebekahLyn1 Facebook: http://facebook.com/authorRebekahLyn Email:[email protected]Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5444665.Rebekah_Lyn Independent Authors Network: http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/rebekah-lyn.html Rebekah Lyn Books...... Faith-Adventure-Hope The information about Ms. Lyn and her book has been shared by..... Before you go. Rebekeh and Fabulosity Reads want you to have a chance to win these great gifts: Thanks for hanging in there today's post was a long one, but you have to admit great rewards for the loyal .. HOPE you a winner!
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