The Motivational Editor

Helping Writers Go from Unpublished to Published

interview

Cynthia T. Toney and Bird Face

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Our Friday Feature author interview today is with Cynthia T. Toney. Her book, Bird Face, released February 2014 and is garnering nothing but 4- and 5-star reviews on Amazon.

Let’s dive in.

Debra: How did you choose the publishers you queried for your book?

Cynthia: I looked for publishers that didn’t always follow trends in their offerings. And those that published middle-grade and young adult fiction that was more serious than silly.Cynthia T. Toney, Author of Bird Face

Debra: Publishers who don’t follow trends—that’s interesting. What gave you that idea, and why did you use that strategy? [Read more…] about Cynthia T. Toney and Bird Face

The Making of a Book Series: an Interview with Author RJ Thesman

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I’m delighted to have RJ Thesman with me today for this month’s Friday Feature author interview. RJ’s publishing credits include 500+ articles, four books, and 13 anthologies. And like me, she’s a writing coach. Grab your brew of choice and sit back for a great read. RJ imparts some terrific tips for writers to add to their publishing toolbox. [Read more…] about The Making of a Book Series: an Interview with Author RJ Thesman

Friday Feature: A Dozen Apologies

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A Dozen Apologies book coverToday’s interview involves a variety of writers, each involved in creating one book, A Dozen Apologies, the creative work of Write Integrity Press.

Write Integrity has published several novella collaborations. I read my first of these novellas, A Ruby Christmas, late last year.  Like many readers, I skipped the table of contents and went straight to chapter 1. Later I discovered the book was the collaborative work of 9 writers.

The voice carried through very well and editor extraordinaire Tracy Ruckman of Write Integrity Press accomplished that. A Ruby Christmas was author J.A. Marx’ project. She understood her character very well, and got that across to each of the project authors.

Fay Lamb birthed the idea that became A Dozen Apologies with 12 authors writing one chapter each. Fay, how did you progress from idea to finished manuscript? [Read more…] about Friday Feature: A Dozen Apologies

An Interview with Author Linnette R. Mullin

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Today is launch day for Finding Beth, so I’m doubly excited about my Friday Feature interview with debut author Linnette R. Mullin because we get to share in her excitement.

Linnette has graciously offered my readers an opportunity to win a free copy of Finding Beth. Keep reading for contest details.

Author Linnette R. Mullin
Author Linnette R. Mullin

I bet you can hardly contain your excitement about today, Linnette. What does the day have in store for you?

Yes, I’m excited and nervous and anxious all rolled into one!

First on the agenda is our visit here, of course. I can’t wait to hear from and talk with readers. I’ll also be running last minute errands, gathering my books, book marks, pens, and whatever other things I need to take to my book launch event.

My whole family will be loading up and heading to Atlanta Bread Company in West Columbia, SC. (What to wear???) We’ll arrive at 5:00 to set up. The party will last from 5:30-8:30. We’ll gather near the fireplace around the Christmas tree.

My son and a friend of his will be supplying us with acoustic music and singing. We’re really excited about that! A press release went out on Sunday, so I’m praying the Lord will use that to bring in readers. One can always hope!

I can’t believe it’s time for celebrating the release of Finding Beth. It’s heady stuff. I feel like I’m moon walking; my feet are hardly touching the ground.

How long did it take to write your book? [Read more…] about An Interview with Author Linnette R. Mullin

An Interview with Author Peggy Cunningham

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It’s the third Friday of the month, time for our debut author interview. Today, I’m visiting with Peggy Cunningham, author of the children’s book series Really Rare Rabbits. Book 1, Giant Ghost Rabbits Guarding the Inca Treasure Fires released in February.

Peggy has been burning up the keyboard this year. Since scheduling my interview with her, she has released the second book in the series, Giant Green Ghosts and the Secret at Peppermint Pass, and book 3 releases next month.

Debra: How long did it take to write your book?

Peggy headshotPeggy: The idea of my book lingered in my head for a few years before my first attempt to jot it down. I scribbled the core of the story on a notepad in an hour or so. It remained in my files for a few years before I began writing it. I took a course on how to write book proposals and had to come up with a story for a book for the proposal. I pulled my rabbit story from my files and wrote the story in a matter of a few days. However, that was only the beginning of my book.

From that point, I developed a book proposal, edited my story, and acquired an editor to help me get it ready to submit.

Debra: What prompted you to take a course about writing book proposals and how did it help you?

[Read more…] about An Interview with Author Peggy Cunningham

Friday Feature: Interview with Author Marie Wells Coutu

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It’s the third Friday of the month, time for our Friday Feature author interview.

This month’s debut author landed a publisher via a contest. Today I visit with Marie Wells Coutu, author of For Such a Moment, released earlier this year from Write Integrity Press.

Author Marie Wells Coutu
Author
Marie Wells Coutu

Welcome, Marie. Thank you for joining us today. How exciting to win a contest that includes publication of your book. How long did it take to write your book?

Marie: I worked on this book for five or six years, off and on. Once I felt it was as polished as I could make it, and I still had not had any interest from publishers, I put it aside and began to work on a historical novel. But after I heard about the Books of Hope Contest, sponsored by Write Integrity Publishers, I dusted off the manuscript and polished it some more before submitting to the contest.

Debra: Obviously your hard work paid off. You won the contest and now book one of your Mended Vessels series, For Such a Moment, has been published. Congratulations.

Initially, at what point in writing your book did you begin to look for publishers?

Marie: Too soon, probably! [Read more…] about Friday Feature: Interview with Author Marie Wells Coutu