Okay, so we've been traveling for the past few weeks. Zach, Alec and I were visiting my folks in Oklahoma for two weeks and then we joined hubby Mike in New Mexico for another week to spend time in the mountains at the family cabin with his parents and brother. Three weeks away from home! It was good and I'm very glad we went, but I can't express how thankful I was to sleep in my own bed when we finally arrived home a couple of days ago. I'm still trying to get things back in order and I've got piles of laundry to do, but at least my internal clock is returning to the correct time zone.
I'll post more about my travels later on, but right now I've got some extra interesting news. I've been writing a book for about a year (and no... I'm not finished). I submitted a few chapters to a publisher about two months ago and today I received word that they are interested in publishing it. Now before anyone gets too excited... there are a few hitches to my perfect dream coming true. Number one: I'm not finished writing. Ha! That is a pretty big hitch. The publishing contact, Janey, was about to send me a contract to sign before I mentioned that small detail. She suggested that we hold off on signing anything until the writing was completed. Pretty good idea, I guess.
Number two: The publishing company requires me to spend some of my own money. Basically I put up about $4000 and then they spend about $20,000 in the production of the book which includes editing, layout, book jacket design, marketing, and even putting the book into audio format. So I've done some research on this and it looks like this is pretty common. If the author sells 5,000 copies then the author's investment is paid back in full plus any other income the books generates. Also the book is always 100% mine. My copyright, not the publishing company's.
I'm not completely sure if this is a good plan for me. I have researched the company and I like what I see. It looks like a valid organization and they are a Christian company from my home state of Oklahoma. However, I don't have $4000 collecting dust on my coffee table and Mike and I are committed to NOT going back into debt so that is a pretty big hitch to the perfect dream. I don't have an agent and it looks like an author cannot get a book published with the larger companies without an agent and it looks like you can't get an agent without already having a book published. Vicious cycle. So, this might be a stepping stone to getting an agent? I don't know.
The publishing company is Tate, here's their website. www.tatepublishing.com
If anyone has insight into this issue, let me know. I would appreciate any helpful information. The first thing I have to do is finish the book! Prayers are always appreciated, and prayers specifically about me having the creative energy to finish and the wisdom to make a good decision on the publishing are absolutely coveted.
Thanks!
5 comments:
How exciting!!!! Is your book Christian fiction or another genre? Wish I could have seen you on your trip down south. You are in my prayers...book, money for the book, and a move closer to home in the near future! Love ya!
Pray, pray, pray...and keep writing!!
Many of you have e-mailed me personally on this and I just want to say I appreciate your prayers and your encouragement. Also, to answer Cara's question, I wouldn't technically classify the book under the Christian fiction genre but certainly there are aspects of my faith woven into the text. I couldn't write without that part of my being. But the book is a fictional story about a man who loses his wife and is left with a newborn baby. It chronicles his journey into fatherhood and back into a loving relationship. There are also elements of suspense because the woman who opens his heart again has a dangerous past!
Andrea - congrats on this! It is awesome that you are receiving positive feedback on your book. You have always been a great writer! Prayers coming your way for a completed book and a great publishing opportunity.
I don't know much about the publishing world, but it sounds like the $4k investment isn't too outrageous (if only we all had that just laying around, right?!), and do you completely retain your book rights, which is key.
Keep us posted - I'll be thinking of you!
Hello Andrea and family,
Leon Mentzer here. Congrats on your book may God's Grace shine thru it. I'm at christianstoryteller.com and would love to hear about your upcoming book. I have two published and three almost done....
Getting published is the most stressful thing I've ever done, but my wife stood behind me with a stick.LOL Let's talk about getting published! After all I wrote a book about it...LOL
Drop me a line.
Blessings Leon
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