The big trip: a year of learning about publishing

Today is my last full day of a nice relaxing trip to Baja California Sur in Mexico. We come to this wonderful country nearly every winter, to different locations. I sprained a toe about a week before we came here, and after trying to do my “normal” tourism of exploring the town on foot, I wound up at a clinic being told by a Mexican doctor to rest the foot for a week. Since then, I’ve spent most of my time reading and writing by the pool at our little Mexican hotel.

It could be worse, I suppose! I was still able to hobble to the central mercado and enjoy home-made sweet potato empanadas; go on an eco-sensitive whale-watching tour and see nine humpbacks, including a calf; listen to mariachi one lunchtime and the sound of the surf the next; and window-shop amazing galleries.

Interestingly, my husband chose this holiday as the time to re-read Alias Thomas Bennet. He first read it nearly a year ago to help me catch any glaring errors before I sent it off to Meryton Press. He tells me he’s noticed some changes, subtle bits that landed on the cutting room floor; however, he’s finding it even better this time, mostly because the mystery’s out. Interesting. When Gail (my editor) heard he said that, she wondered if he was disappointed. Nope. He keeps complimenting me.

So how did ATB and I get here in a year? A dear friend and fellow author, C. Rafe Carlson, asked me a question when I said ATB was too long for publishing: “Is the the only reason?” I had to admit I was a little nervous about bad reviews, but yes, the main reason was the story was a bit long for a published novel, and I had tried to pare it down but was at a loss. Rafe encouraged me to submit it anyways. So I then approached Karen M. Cox and asked a few questions about her experience with MP. All good. And all that led up to the email I sent a year and two days ago: the original submission.

Interesting, because my research had told me that the publishing process would take at least a year. Yet here I am a year later and the book has been selling well for over two months. The blog tour I just finished gave reviews of 4/5/4/5 for the book and 4.5 for the cover. My sister tells me she stayed up until 5am reading my novel, and thinks it’s better than the original. Well, not all of us love Austen so well as our sisters, I guess.

What a trip it’s been! I’ve met so many nice people: the international contingent of bloggers from the recent tour, the cluster of associates at Meryton Press, other authors both in this genre and others, a serial tweeter who has become my best marketer, reviewers who I always admired but never thought I’d know as friends, and new friends who have long been fans of the story. It’s like another world I never knew existed, and it’s all because I decided my little homage to Jane Austen was better shared beyond my family at A Happy Assembly.

I’d love to hear your experience with my book, or the story that led you to try it in spite of it clearly being different than most Jane Austen inspired fiction.

Please consider commenting, or contacting me at my Meryton Assembly AHA profile page (member name redhead) or my Facebook author page (links at the top of this page).

My husband had trouble signing up for the email blog posts and I wonder if he’s the only one. If you’ve had that problem, could you let me know? Thank you!

January 4, 2014: Eight Blogs in Nine Days, January 7-15!

As much as Jakki Leatherberry of Leatherbound Reviews would look great in the passenger seat, this is a trip that’s a bit too intense for the little car. Time to pull out the passport and the big suitcase (parka for the north, sunscreen for the south) because we’re heading to all kinds of interesting places. It’s the Leatherbound Reviews Alias Thomas Bennet Blog Tour, January 7-15, 2014!

ATB Blog Tour Banner

Did you wonder about that boat on the cover of Alias Thomas Bennet? Follow me across the sea to Italy (that could be a children’s song!) where I’ll blog about Thomas and Fanny Bennet’s boat trip on My Jane Austen Book Club on January 7 (which also happens to be Christmas Day in my family!).

From there, we’ll fly back to sneak some peeks at my book with an excerpt at eclectic blog Everything Books and Authors on January 8: more about that boat you see on the cover! We’re on the move from here, because on January 11 My Love for Jane Austen will feature a short clip with insight into some threats to the comfortable life Thomas Bennet has built for himself and his family, and on January 15 Elizabeth will find herself in a very precarious situation on Addicted to Jane Austen. But I’m known as the secret-keeper, so these are still going to be “teaser” posts, and you’re still going to have to read the book to find out everything!

I’m down for some cool quizzing with an author interview on Songs and Stories on January 10 following a review on January 9, then my friend and fellow AHA Chat Chit Rose Fairbanks will also interview me on her blog, The Darcy Obsession, on January 12.

Finally, join me in perusing reviews of my book, Alias Thomas Bennet, written by mega-reader Anna at Diary of an Eccentric, and Spanish language blog Warmisunqu’s Austen, on January 14 and 15 respectively. I know Warmisunqu is a great fan of Janet Taylor’s cover for ATB, and I hope she finds the book equally satisfying.

It’s going to be quite the trip. You’ll be surprised as the excerpts drive the story forward with glimpses into the dramatic tension in various sections of the book, and I think I’ll be equally surprised to react to the interviews and reviews. There will be plenty of chances for you to comment on each blog, as well as give-aways for those who love to win stuff. See you at the luggage carousel!

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Alias Thomas Bennet is available at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

December 18, 2013: Outtake from Alias Thomas Bennet at Austenesque Reviews

I never knew Alias Thomas Bennet was so full of hints and spoilers until I tried to figure out what text I could present as an excerpt for a blog post. I love to tease readers about what might come next, but I’d also like them to have a chance to feel the excitement as each little thing is exposed and their suspicions are confirmed, and it wouldn’t be fun if you already knew everything before you read the book. So for today’s guest blog at Austenesque Reviews, I offered to write an outtake, something brand new and unique, to give the flavour of ATB without giving too much away. Meredith liked the idea, and I hope you do, too.

Austenesque Reviews

I didn’t bug my editor, Gail, to check this scene out (she’s on the road again!), but my friend Maria had a look and confirmed it wouldn’t embarrass me technically.

December 2, 2013: Excerpt from Alias Thomas Bennet

This is part of a scene where Darcy and Bennet are chatting at the Netherfield Ball, after Darcy dances with Elizabeth.

“Very well, Bennet, you are indeed a good friend,” said Darcy. “Now, since you chose that last disagreeable topic, I would like to challenge you with my choice.”

Bennet raised his brows, but Darcy’s demeanour revealed there was jest in his intended conversation, and a smile threatened on one side of his mouth.

Darcy saw his friend understood his intention and so continued, affecting outrage, “Tell me, as a friend, what in blazes is that cousin of yours thinking, dancing when he has no notion of the forms? I was pained to see the embarrassment on your daughters’ faces as he was disrupting all the participants in the dance and ruthlessly treading on the ladies’ feet!”

Bennet noticed a hint of a wry smile in Darcy’s eyes. “I see we have abandoned all principles of gentlemanly discourse, and I am sorely regretting upsetting your sensibilities with the last topic, such that you feel a need to punish me severely by bringing up my cousin in such a manner,” Bennet said, his mouth twitching to suppress a grin. “I too observed his performance, and if it were not likely that it would further mortify the young women on the receiving end of his company, I would drag him off by his ear like an errant school boy!” However much he thought his cousin ridiculous, his humour was severely tried by Collins.

“My apologies for his ungentlemanly conduct, old man,” he continued. “He drives me quite mad. I was hopeful about his improvement, but it is obvious he does not care how he exposes himself. I have had more than one occasion to chastise him discreetly this evening, but somehow he thinks he is above heeding my counsel. All the response I receive is another ill-mannered speech about your aunt and her condescension and how the import of his station bestows him the right to do as your aunt would admire. I hope you are not so unfortunate as to be much in his company at your aunt’s estate.”

“I imagine I have succeeded in obtaining a little retribution for your opinions on the last topic, Bennet.” Darcy smiled and added drily, “Perhaps if I am ever again in the company of Mr. Collins, I could imply that you are inferior in the skills needed for a proper supplicating sycophant and make the suggestion that he exert himself to provide you advice on how to show subjection towards me and my station! I am sure he would act on my advice with uncommon alacrity!” Darcy was trying not to laugh. Bennet showed no such restraint and threw his head back with a hearty guffaw.

“If he were able to convince me as you suggest, it would make our wrangling much less lively!”

“You are correct, Bennet; that would certainly be most regrettable. In that case, I have no choice but to amend my strategy. I will avoid him, scowl most viciously to show I am not at all approachable, and refuse to attend to his ridiculous speeches.”

“Well done. In any case, we will not long have him in Hertfordshire; he is to return to Kent next Saturday.”

“I am sure you will be most grateful.”

Bennet indicated his agreement and then paused. He took a deep breath and began, “Darcy, I have another serious matter to discuss. We have a new acquaintance in the neighbourhood who causes me concern. I worry because it is not likely this person will take his leave any time soon since he is in Colonel Forster’s group of militia officers. Do you know Mr. George Wickham?” Bennet turned to point the man out. “He is right now standing up with Miss Maria Lucas. I have not yet met him but have learned much of him. He claims to be known to you.”

Darcy’s defences immediately came to full alert. He roused himself from the amusing thoughts of a moment before, straightened to his full height, and clenched his fists at his sides. “I do know him, sir, and he is a scoundrel. He was the son of my father’s steward, a very good man, and I have known him most of my life. We played together as children, and I was aware of Wickham’s nature, but his pleasant manner allowed him to gain my late father’s good opinion. My father funded Mr. Wickham’s education through school and at Cambridge. Away from my father’s eyes, he used his charms to gain friends who shared his wicked ways. He quickly developed habits of gambling, deceit, and debauchery, which caused me to abandon any presumed friendship from our youth.” Darcy was unable to hide his disgust towards Wickham.

“He tells a tall tale of misuse at your hands, and as much as my family has tried to question the verity of his claims, much of Meryton is charmed by him.”

***

So how much will Darcy tell Bennet, and what does this mean for Wickham’s situation in Meryton? And why are the Bennets questioning his claims? What do they know? How will Wickham react to all of this?

Alias Thomas Bennet is available now at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

November 26, 2013: The car’s in drive and the book’s on the shelves!

I’ve been a bit of a wreck all week knowing that Alias Thomas Bennet was to go on sale any day now. It really wasn’t warranted, but I think it’s traditional.

You see, the people at Meryton Press are so fantastic there was little to worry about, even if I’m a control freak and agonized over the times I had to stop and wait and let them do their jobs.

I had a lot of interaction when it came to editing and layout with Gail Warner and Ellen Pickels, as well as incorporating Janet Taylor’s ability to interpret and enhance my vision of the cover. My opinions were taken very seriously, and I think the only place I grumbled was when I wanted to keep a double negative (Austen used them, you know!) and Gail said she drew the line there! I’ve been told by other authors that I’m lucky I was allowed to be so involved with the process, since most publishers pretty much leave the writer out of the loop. Instead I came away from it with some new friends.

Then there are the invisible people like Zorylee Diaz-Lupitou and Michele Reed who work the marketing and production and strategy and who knows what else. It all happened with selective input by me, which felt strange because usually I’m the one in charge and on top of every detail. But being new to this, I had no clue what the details entailed, and thank goodness someone else was there to handle them.

I was cared for. That’s really a lovely feeling. I got to be the author. The one who was being helped, being pleased. Peel me a grape.

The silly thing is that my mind was dwelling on things like “Should I use a different picture on Amazon?” “What if there’s a problem getting the book on the market?” (Don’t go there, Suzan, even if a self-published friend had a few issues last week!) “Should I have cut ‘those’ scenes so I wouldn’t have to blush when my mom reads it?” and “How many copies do I need to give away to family and friends?” because “What if no one likes it?”

And there lies the classic author’s insecurity.

But see, I like it. That’s the thing. I’m very pleased with a plot that was supposed to be a rather simple “what-if” and turned into something I’ve been told over and over again is extremely unique. I love my new characters, and especially how they pushed their way into importance in the lives of the Bennets. I think I succeeded in the way I used the traditional characters from Pride and Prejudice and changed their actions because of their circumstances but stuck with the base personalities that Austen created for them. And I’m proud of how I put the words and scenes together to create something new and decidedly different.

When I look back and see all I learned as a writer through working with the betas for the original series on A Happy Assembly, and then with Gail on the book, I’m grateful that I had that chance to grow and to make Alias Thomas Bennet the kind of book I’m proud to share with the world. I get to go forward with more confidence and skill as I return to work on my next novel.

And while I’m writing that next book, my readers are getting to find out what’s behind that cover and blurb, like:

“What’s with the boat? Is it coming or going?”

“Who are these people?”
(A good guess is that it’s Jane, Elizabeth, and their father.)

“What is little Jane looking at?”

“Where is this quay that they are standing on, and why are they there?”

“What is the significance of the house on the back cover?”
(Which again a good guess would say is Longbourn.)

“If Jane and Elizabeth are really young, how much of the traditional time period of Pride and Prejudice will we see?”
(The main story is played parallel to canon in 1811-1812, with a few short flashbacks.)

“So if this story is about Mr. Bennet, what about Darcy and Elizabeth?”
(Don’t worry, it’s still all about Darcy and Elizabeth; in fact, our favourite couple’s slightly simpler romance makes for some prime snogging, and there’s a particularly steamy carriage scene!)

“So what is this mystery about the Bennets being recognized and Darcy being important to it all?”
(Okay, I started this post off okay but then got into the habit answering the questions a bit too easily. You’ll have to read the book for this one!)

Heh heh heh.

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Let me know what you think!

November 12, 2013: Guest blog at More Agreeably Engaged: A Mystery is Lurking at Longbourn and Suzan Lauder Wrote It!

Northanger Abbey
Today we’re traveling to Janet Taylor’s blog, More Agreeably Engaged, to find out how Northanger Abbey affected my love for JAFF, the evolution of my writing, and a bit more about Thomas Bennet.

Not satisfied with blogging, Janet is also the cover artist for ATB, so you might want to browse the rest of her site!

See you over there!