My journey as an author conclusion:
Please read part 1 on my author history page & part 2 on
my blog.
I hoped and prayed for the next four months. Then finally
Kathie wrote back saying that she was interested in offering me a publishing
contract. I was ecstatic but also nervous. I wondered if maybe the contract
would be a mistake somehow.
I spent a lot of time reading reviews online about
publishing contracts and the do’s and don’ts of the publishing world. I asked
others opinions and got conflicting feedback, but in my gut I had a feeling
that working with this publisher was the right move. I told them that I was
interested in reading the actual contract in full. I had it reviewed by a
lawyer. In the meantime I received a call from Kathie’s husband and business
partner Donald and had a discussion with him about the process and all of my
questions. He, like Kathie, was very nice and knowledgeable. He took the time
to answer anything I wanted to ask and explain in great detail what happens
with a publishing deal. I felt more comfortable after talking with him and
hearing back from my lawyer that the contract was legitimate. Then I signed on
the dotted line and sent the contract back. The publishers sent me the
confirmation that they had received it and were processing it and would get
back to me with next steps soon.
Unfortunately, the next time I heard from Donald it was with
sad news. Kathie had passed away from a long battle with Cancer and Donald
would be continuing the contracts and publishing company on his own. He told me
that he would be working with me himself from now on and that my manuscript was the last one that
Kathie had read and approved for publishing before she went into the hospital.
I was extremely proud. I felt so lucky that she had approved it before her
sickness got worse but I also felt so sad that I would never again be able to
talk to her or meet her in person. She had changed my life and my writing for
the better and was gone. I could never thank her for that.
The next steps in the process were, on my side, waiting. I was
put on a waiting list for editing Once editors were available I had to wait for
several more months for them to read the manuscript and edit it. This was the
hardest part of the process but Donald assured me that it was the longest
waiting time in the process. After the first round of edits they sent me an
electronic copy. I went through it and approved or disapproved of their
changes. They did a second round of edits which took another couple of weeks. Next
the book went through a plagiarism check and in the meantime they sent me mock
cover designs and we discussed those. During this time, I created the back
cover pitch and took an author photo as well as wrote a biography and
dedication page. Finally, a mock version of the final E-Format version was sent
to me for approval. Once I approved it they set to work creating the ISBN
number and other marketing items to publish it first in E-format then in print.
Every author’s experiences with writing and printing are, I
am sure, different. But for me this process has been about believing in myself
and in the story that I was trying to tell. It was also about learning to
accept criticism and suggestions and having the strength to cut my story when
necessary but also being brave enough to say when I thought that cutting
anymore would hurt the integrity of the story. Listening to my gut telling me
what to do was how I made my manuscript the best it could be and sent it to a
publisher that is the perfect match for me. Now I get to watch my dream of
becoming a published author come true and it is exhilarating. I know that I
have a special story full of good positive messages to share with the world
especially with the younger generation and I feel so privileged that I am able
to do so. Until next time….writing=happiness. ;)
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