SELF-PUBLISHING IS NOT FOR THE LAZY

Writers Write.

 

Publishers do everything else, or at least they used to.

 

Today’s populace is seduced by the millions authors such as Sylvia Day have made on their self-published novels. But we must remember that those books were not mega sellers until they were bought by traditional publishing houses and distributed worldwide instead of just word of mouth.

 

Savvy authors doing their research know that the mad rush by editors to buy up self-published books is now grinding down to a halt. Unless a self-published author comes with at least 5000 followers, editors are wary. Don’t get me wrong, editors are buying self-published but they are looking hard at the author’s social numbers.

The big question for any author considering self-publishing is do you have the time, the cash, and the support system in place to get the job done well?

A self-published author has to be her own editor, designer, typesetter, proofreader, and printer. I am not going to mention marketer because all authors, whether published by traditional publishers or self published, have to do their own marketing.

So how many hats can you wear well?! Well being the operative word.

Of course, you can pay for others to do the editing, cover design, typesetting, et al. And, yes, there are small outfits that will help you self-published your book, even some agents are getting into the action, but the fees are hefty. Do you have enough money to pay someone else and will your investment be worth it?

Self published authors have to be prepared to do it all. You can’t be lazy.

If you publish with a traditional house, you have their expertise and all their connections immediately at your fingers tips. Self published authors may have to wait months, if not years, before making those kinds of con­tacts. But there are a few indie published author networks that are good sources of support and information.

However, none of that is going to help you if you are not writing. And, if you are not writing, there is noth­ing to sell to either a traditional publisher or to self publish.

My advice is for authors to be flexible. Research the market. Know your strengths. Manage your time. And, write, write, write.

Most experts will tell you that the best authors today are the hybrid authors – ones that are selling to tradi­tional houses and doing their own self publishing on the side. It’s all part of being a smart business person, and writing is a business. At the end of the day, you are the boss, whatever hat you want, but remember that your most important hat is that of writer.♥
  

WHEN YOUR HEROINE IS A MOTHER

by Maria C. Ferrer

The Ides of March are past, the April showers are over, and now we have May flowers popping out everywhere. Flowers are a great gift for Mother’s Day (this Sunday, May 12, don’t forget!).

My heroine is a mother.

Jessenia Lopez is a single mother of a precocious five-year-old, Antonio. She is also a sexy modern woman who runs a day-spa and drives our hero Rafael Quintero crazy with lust. The two spent three wicked nights in bed following their cousins wedding and Antonio was the result. Unfortunately, after their wild weekend they parted ways. Now, six years later, Rafael is back in town and furious that Jessenia kept his son from him. He gets even by moving into the apartment above her and starting his campaign to claim his son and the woman he has never been able to forget.

So the battle of the sexes is on, but with a child in the house it has to be covert.

I have scenes where Jessenia and Rafael awaken to the lust between them. It never died, but there is a child present so it’s not like they can have sex at the drop of a hat, and certainly not in an open room where their son may walk in on them. (Yikes!)

Readers must see Jessenia as a Sexy Mama, after all, they will identify with her. I want my readers to see my heroine as a combination of Marilyn Monroe and Clair Huxtable – sex goddess and mother.


While many of my scenes are between Jessenia and Rafael alone, Antonio still plays a big part because he is the bone they are fighting over. However, once they agree to “joint custody” that part of the battle is over and now the true battle for sex begins. Rafael wants a marriage of convenience; Jessenia wants a lover not a martyr. It is so much fun to write scenes where Jessenia pushes Rafael’s buttons, and of course, the ones where Rafael pushes back are equally hot.

However, I also want readers -- and Rafael! -- to see the good mother Jessenia is so of course I have to have scenes between her and Antonio, with her being nurturing and motherly. Like when Jessenia wakes Antonio in the morning with a game of spiders and drums; when she cuddles him after a traumatic rush to the emergency room; when she reads to him yet one more story at night; when she turns a blind eye to the dog that he slips into his bed.

When your heroine is a mother, the writer must have a good mix of scenes where the heroine is shown as a sex goddess and then as a mother. The writer must always remember that they are writing a romance novel. Readers will want more Marilyn than Clair so most of the scenes should be between the heroine and the hero; maybe 30 percent with the child. Whatever the percentages, a writer cannot shortchange the heroine or the hero or her readers. If they do, mother will be angry!♥



Maria C. Ferrer is not a mother, but she is an aunt and godmother to nine brats. She loves that she can send them home to their real mothers at the end of the day! Her secret baby book is entitled, DADDY FOUND.  This article was also published in the RWA/NYC chapter blog at www.rwanycblogginginthebigapple.blogspot.com.

 

PICTURE FRIDAY: LIONS OF PONCE

Some of you may remember the cows that grazed all over New York City a while ago.  Companies bought the cows and decorated them at will for charity.  There was an Elvis cow, a cow with curlers in her hair, a Statue of Liberty cow, etc, etc, etc. 

Well, it seems the same was done in Ponce, Puerto Rico.  Only instead of cows, there are lions in Ponce.  And, if you know your history, you know the lions represent the Conquistador Ponce de Leon who explored Puerto Rico -- or Borinquen as the Tainos called the island paradise -- from end to end looking for a fountain of youth.  Here in all their glory are the Leones of Ponce that I found in the main Plaza during my last visit. 

And for a look at all the best places in and around Ponce, check out this video.   --mcf

This final lion is from the permanent fountain at La Plaza.

Ponce es Ponce.  Lo demas es parking.

  

The first time

If you can make it here you'll make it anywhere.