10 Things You Didn’t Know About Becoming a Published Author
The work has only just begun! Start marketing right away. Don’t wait until you “get the call” to set up your website, FB Author Wall, and Twitter accounts. Start a blog and get a following.
People will surprise you. Family members you think will for sure read and love your book won’t open it and people you NEVER thought would read it, do and write a fabulous review.
Ah yes, reviews. Grow some thick skin. You can’t make everyone happy and aren’t expected to. Revel in the great reviews and try to find the constructive criticism in the negative ones. Then move on.
Expect to spend more money than you make at first. This is a business and an investment. You have to spend money to help spread the word. The rewards will be worth it – I promise!
Your publisher needs you to help solicit reviews. Even if your publisher makes your book available to review sites, you still need to do legwork on your own and go out there and ask for reviews yourself.
Every step of this journey is fun! Most writers like writing more than editing, but this whole process has so many aspects. Go ahead, and enjoy all of them!
Publishers have others authors. It’s true, even after you sell the book that your publisher has fallen in love with, they really are quite busy people that have also fallen in love with other authors. This doesn’t mean they have forgotten about you! Don’t feel bad emailing them whenever you have questions or concerns. They are there to help. I’d had the privilege of being published with both The Wild Rose Press and Crescent Moon Press (as Kat Green). Both publishers are top notch!
The publisher is expecting your second book to be done and polished the day your first book comes out, so get writing!
Other authors are in your same situation. Network, network, network. You will love having these friends as sounding boards as your career progresses.
People will come you know you in your public circles as “the author” – Wow! Embrace this new title, you deserve it!
Calise Rowe's question of who walks among us leads her into an ancient war between seers and demons.
For
years, Calise Rowe has been able to sense unusual energy from people,
making her believe she is different. Pulled into an ancient war raging
for centuries between demon hunters and seers, she's about to find out
she's right.
Her search for the truth leads her to
Lucas Rojas, a seer of angels and demons who walk the earth shrouded
from normal human eyes. He's hidden his gift for years and refuses to
endanger Calise by sharing it with her.
In the sultry
Costa Rican Jungles, their worlds collide. As their passion and desire
ignite, so does the ancient war between demons and seers. Will their
combined efforts be enough to save themselves and the entire human
world, or will their new found love be their downfall?
2nd Place Winner in the LuckyCinda Book Contest 2014 for Paranormal
Semi-Finalist in the KBR’s Best Kindle Book Awards 2014
Indie Book of the Day Award Winner July 25, 2014
Genre: Mainstream Paranormal/Paranormal Romance
Bio:
Author
Kat de Falla was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where she
learned to roller skate, ride a banana seat bike, and love Shakespeare
thanks to her high school English teacher.
Four
years at the UW-Madison wasn’t enough, so she returned to her beloved
college town for her Doctor of Pharmacy degree and is happily employed
as a retail pharmacist where she fills prescriptions and chats with her
patients.
She is married to her soul mate, classical guitarist, Lee de Falla and raising four kids together ala the Brady Bunch.
Kat’s Links:
Twitter: www.twitter.com/@katdefalla
Facebook:www.facebook.com/authorkatdefalla (message me to join my street team!)
Lee’s Bio/Info:
Composer
Lee de Falla, a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was raised in a family
of professional musicians. He picked up his father's guitar at age eight
and hasn't put one down since. Although well versed at playing all
genres of music, his love is composition for modern classical guitar and
instrumental orchestrations. He is finishing work on two CD's which
will be available later this year.
Composer Website: www.bayafaya.com where FREE music requests are available that accompany THE SEER’S LOVER:
- Anna’s Dance is a jazzy bossa nova meant to accompany chapter two.
- Shane's Torment is a churning soundscape of despair meant to accompany chapter six.
- Cali and Lucas First Dance is a Latin fusion instrumental love song meant to accompany chapter twelve.
As I touch on Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) in this book, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to www.iorphan.org
Buy Links:
AMAZON
BARNES AND NOBLE
KOBO
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-seer-s-lover
Excerpt:
She traced a circle in the sand with her finger.
Why
would she disclose her whole existence to someone she’d just met?
Someone who talked so little about himself that she found herself
talking to fill the void. Saying things she could barely admit in her
own head.
His hand covered hers. “I’m lonely, too.
Getting to know you this week has been the brightest point in my life
and I don’t want you to leave, but I know the only place you’ll be safe
is far away from me.”
She swallowed. He had read her mind.
He
lay down on his back and closed his eyes. “Cali, you know when you hear
a song for the first time and you kind of ingest it? You can’t possibly
know right away that it will be one of your favorite songs for the rest
of your life. A classic.”
“Yeah.” She hoped he was going somewhere good with this.
“That
first listen,” he continued, “you pick up a little of the melody and
some lyrics that catch you. But when the song ends, you have to hear it
again because you want to memorize all the words and sing along. After
you hear it a few times and learn the words inside and out, then you
begin to let the melody seep inside you. Next thing you know, you’ve
completely digested the song and find yourself humming it while you are
doing nothing, like shaving or driving your car. Finally, the song
becomes so ingrained it becomes a part of you. Forever. You can recall
it and it’s with you whenever you need it. Am I making any sense?”
She nodded, blinking back the tears fighting to fall.
“Cali, I don’t want you to go back because you’re my favorite song.”
Acclaim for THE SEER’S LOVER:
“Distinctly
haunting and deliciously dark, The Seer's Lover is the debut novel from
author Kat De Falla and it’s one to be read with the light on! A
paranormal romance, it may not howl originality as the age old forces of
Angels and Demons muster for yet another face off, but De Falla
certainly distinguishes herself with the quality of her writing and the
ability to weave a riveting and intriguing plot. With a meticulous eye
for detail her characters are skillfully drawn, shunning the genre
tendency towards stoic stereotypes to deliver flawed real world personas
that quickly feel familiar and are ultimately endearing. The action is
generous and well described, the twists served with perfect timing, it
has all the elements readers expect from the best in genre and they are
sure to keep the pages turning at a frantic pace.”
The Seer's Lover is
truly an unusual creation in the e-world: it comes with musical
interludes (which can be downloaded for free) and it tells of Calise,
who has long known she has different abilities than most. What she
hasn't realized is that her powers will draw her into an ancient
conflict between good and evil, pitting her against some of the
strongest adversaries in the universe.
If
all this sounds familiar, it's because the classic 'good-versus-evil'
plot has been done time and again: but as with any good book, it's not
just the plot that makes for an exceptional read, but how it's done.
Kat
de Falla places her main protagonist on a journey of discovery that
leads to the Costa Rican forest, there to encounter a man who (much like
herself) has hidden his abilities. Lucas can actually see the
demons and angels who walk the earth; but not only has he concealed his
abilities; he doesn't want to endanger her by sharing his gift.
What
evolves is paranormal romance fiction at its best: a story steeped in
passion with the overlay of deadly dangers and powerful talents woven
into an ever-changing plot.
Now,
the genre of paranormal romance has rapidly expanded. Over the last ten
years romance writers have added a variety of elements to spice their
creations, and entry into paranormal realms is just one of these newer
devices. Another device used here is that of music which runs through
the story line as a theme so that musical passages accompany the story.
The Seer's Lover is
all about building atmosphere, from its eye-catching cover of a man and
a woman on an island facing down blazing red eyes in the sky to these
musical interludes that reinforce action.
And this atmosphere is created right from the start, where Calise is already involved with Lucas: "Why
would she disclose her whole existence to someone she’d just met?
Someone who talked so little about himself that she found herself
talking to fill the void. Saying things she could barely admit in her
own head."
There
are no pat answers here; no formula approaches that would lend too much
predictability to events. Calise is alternately brave and terrified, as
her abilities are yet untested but her adversaries are seasoned and
powerful: "This is not going so well. I’m turning out to be a pretty shitty Buffy the Demon Slayer."
And
there are surprises peppered throughout: in the form of a mother whom
Calise comes to realize as the wellspring of her powers, and in the
guise of a romances past and present which rise up to haunt her. There
are unexpected religious experiences, there's a search to find self, and
there are elements of suspense tying all of these events together.
In
the end Calise faces the greatest challenge of her life - and with
prior events having helped her grow, she's in the strongest position
ever to find peace in her life.
The
open-ended conclusion leaves room for a possible sequel but in the true
style of a superior read, it's not essential that more be written: The Seer's Lover is a self-contained novel that properly wraps up its story, and will satisfy any reader of paranormal or romance fiction.
Highly
entertaining by anyone’s reckoning, The Seer's Lover from author Kat De
Falla is an exciting debut novel and certainly one that deserves a
place on your reading shelf. It is strongly recommended.
--D. Donovan, eBook Reviewer, MBR
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