I have been writing ever since I was a little girl. Now when I say "writing" I really mean telling stories. You see, I didn't know how to write yet, but I sure did know how to tell a story. However, I thought I was writing. I would get my hands on a piece of paper, any kind of paper - an old envelope, a paper bag...anything. I would scribble down letters and then I would share that story, "reading" it from the pages. Those stories got and held people's attention.
As a teenager in the 60s and early 70s I would read those romance magazines and make up my own stories. I shared them with my classmates. I also wrote letters for my classmates. If someone was interested in a boy and wanted him to know, I would write him a love letter. If someone wanted to break up with someone, I wrote those too. I was good at that. I loved writing letters.
I was married and living in New Mexico when I began to write my life story. I was twenty-three years old and honestly believed I had lived enough life that folks would be interested in reading my story. As the years passed I added more information, and when I was ready to get an agent so I could get it published I printed it off and let a close relative read it. She, of course was a big part of the story of my life. I thought she would be honored that I mentioned her. She was livid! "Have you lost your mind? Is that how you perceive me? You can't publish this mess! What is our family and (her friends) going to think?" she asked, very angry. I decided that I would change it up a bit...okay a lot and get it published anyway.
First I had to get an agent and it proved to be harder that I ever imagined. That was back in 2000. I would mail off five letters at a time and within a couple of weeks I would get five responses. "Though I enjoyed the synopsis of your book, it is not something I am interested in at this time." I got over 300 rejection letters from agents. Then I was told about a relative that had published a book. I got her contact information and called her. I had met this cousin when she was a little girl and I was a teenager. She didn't remember me and I didn't expect her to. She told me about her book, but didn't tell me how she came to be a published author, which was why I had contacted he in the first place. Each time I asked her she would be vague. What I did learn was that she had self-published. She bragged about having her own publishing company. I was so impressed! Would she help me? Would she publish my book? She just wasn't going to tell me anything so I stopped asking.
I contacted a print on demand company and sent my manuscript off to get published along with a check for $5000! In return I got ten "free" copies of my first book, Through the Fire. I ordered a few hundred copies of my book that I had a price tag of $18.95! While visiting another website I read a post by an author named Shelia V. who had used a print on demand company as well. She and I both were unhappy with our book deals. We emailed each other regularly and then began to talk on the phone. I told her about my cousin who had self published and had her own publishing company. On a three-way call, with me being silent, Shelia contacted my cousin. Willingly, my cousin gave her all the information she needed to get on the road to being a self published author. I was in the background writing down everything!
I contacted the print on demand company I had used and wanted to know why I had never received a royalty check. People were always telling me they had ordered my book from amazon.com. A few days later I got a check for $1.56! If a book is selling for $18.95 what percentage is $1.56? I wrote the company telling them to stop printing my book.
I took some time and learned more about self publishing. I thought long and hard and came up with a name for my publishing company. I decided to name it "That Special Touch, Ink." I purchased a couple of books about self-publishing and marketing. I ordered ISBNs from Bowker. I had my daughter design my logo. I ordered letterhead, envelopes, business cards and post cards from vistaprint.com.
I was going to be on the Oprah Winfrey show! And my book would be the book of the month and I would be rich! That was my plan! Well it didn't work out that way at all. I have published 2 books that I self published. I recently decided to do some eBooks. I have two eBooks available, one is my first book Through the Fire and a suspense book called Hello Maribeth!
I know I am a good writer. People have been telling me that for twenty years. However, now there are so many books out there, learning how to put my book in the forefront is not so simple. With self publishing being so easy now, (createspace.com and eBooks) everyone and their momma is publishing a book.
I didn't get called by the Oprah show, therefore I am no where near rich. I am not even well off. I am not even nearly there! But now my goals have changed. It is no longer my goal to be rich. My goal now is to have people read my book and enjoy it enough to let others know about it. For a true writer, that is all many of us want.
I enjoy writing, so I will continue to put out quality books, but I will step up the marketing side. I don't want to be the author who passes away and then everyone realizes how well a writer the person is. Give me my flowers while I am alive to smell them!
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