Posts Tagged ‘publishing’
Are you a typo freak?
Inevitably, when each of my books first comes out, I get notes from readers catching typos. “ Doesn’t anyone proofread anymore?” they ask plaintively. The answer? YES! I carefully read through looking for errors, as do my editor, my agent, my assistant, and more people at the publishing house than I care to count. And still, when the…
Read MoreRevising SWEET SALT AIR
Here’s how it works. The author writes her book and sends it to her editor, who reads it, thinks about it, reacts to it, hopefully loves it – but also comes up with a few recommendations to make it even stronger. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Well, it isn’t always. Authors have egos. We have pride and fears. Let me…
Read MoreAre those rave book reviews legit?
I’m referring to “reader reviews” at online bookstores, and I’ve always been a little envious, to tell the truth. I don’t get many reader reviews of my books – at least, not as many as some of my competition get. I always figured it was because I didn’t solicit them. I mean, I prize your…
Read MoreWhat comes after THE END?
I’ve been absent. At the end of writing a book, when my creative energy is focused on climactic scenes and tying up loose ends, it’s hard to think about writing anything else. So my blog takes a hit. I apologize. But Sweet Salt Air is now done – at least, the heavy-duty, mind-drain part of…
Read MoreWhat, me? Preorder?
Well, I don’t do it all the time, but here I am, asking you to preorder the paperback of Escape, which goes on sale Tuesday. So let’s take a minute to discuss the pros and cons of preordering. Pro. You don’t risk forgetting; the book is on your doorstep the day it goes on sale.…
Read MoreWhy do I blog?
Let me make one thing clear. I don’t blog to express a political opinion. As a novelist, my taking a stand on anything political or religious is disastrous. When I talked here last week about civil discourse, it was to vent not about what we say but how we say it. So there you go…
Read MoreMy racy past
Type my name into Amazon, then sort by publication date, and you’ll find books of mine that you’ve never heard of. Take First, Best and Only. Originally published in 1986, a first-ever hardcover edition is coming in March. I didn’t know this until I checked the Amazon list myself, which is often the only way…
Read MoreSurvival guide for a writer in a book group
My book group met last night to discuss The Paris Wife, which is a fictionalized account of Ernest Hemingway’s first marriage. When I read this book last April, I was intrigued by the marriage, but even more, as a writer, by the ups and downs of Hemingway as he struggled to be published. I was…
Read MoreNaming the baby
A book title either hits me, or it doesn’t. When it doesn’t, I defer to my publisher. After all, a title is a marketing tool, and they’re the marketing experts. Of my last five books, from FAMILY TREE to the present, the only one I came up with myself was ESCAPE, but that was a…
Read MoreMy book is a GO!
Good news. My editor called this morning to say that everyone at SMP loves my proposal. There are a few questions, basically things for me to keep in mind as I write, but now that I have a green light, I can start. I’m psyched! And suddenly nervous. Drafting a proposal is one thing. As…
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