PART ONE: HOW TO BECOME A BEST-SELLING AUTHOR IN 20 YEARS OR LESS

Today’s guest is New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Olivia Cunning. This is the first part of a special two-part series on finding success as a self-publishing author. Part two will run on Monday, March 17^th. 

We hear so many great success stories in writing and from the outside it often looks so easy. But here’s Olivia to tell us about the truth about becoming an “overnight” sensation.

Part One: The Drawer Books

Sia asked me to talk about my experiences self-publishing. I've known her since before I was published. She’s seen all my ups and downs. Apparently, she thinks my late night, sleep deprived, sugar high induced rants are hilarious. Thanks, Sia. I’ll have you know my angst is real.

Back in the olden days—yes, the early 1990s are the olden days—I read a Silhouette Desire book by Nora Roberts. It wasn't the first romance book I’d ever read, but it was the book that made me want to write my own romance novel. Not because I thought I could write better than Nora-freakin-Roberts, but because I wanted to be like her when I grew up. This was before Nora Roberts was one of the biggest names in the romance genre, but even then I was blown away by her writing style.

I was nineteen years old, in a bad marriage, with a baby on the way, no college education, and my only job experience was in fast food. And I thought, hey, I’ll be a writer! How hard can it be? Don’t answer that. I was young and naive.

This was the “olden days.” There were no e-books. No Internet. Self-publishing consisted of paying out of your own pocket to have 1000 copies of your book printed. You would then stand in a parking lot and beg strangers to buy your book. If you were lucky, your mom bought a copy and used it as a coaster or something, pointing it out to visitors—“that’s by my kid, the writer”—which met with a lot of ceiling gazing and an occasional guilt-sale. So self-publishing never crossed my mind. I didn't have money to print copies of my book, and I’m much too shy and afraid of being punched in the face to annoy strangers in parking lots. So I went the traditional route.

I wrote my masterpiece—cough tripe cough—and when it was finished (with no editing), I saved it on my 5.25” floppy disk and took it to my second cousin’s house to use her dot matrix printer. I was too poor to buy my own printer. Hell, I was too poor to buy paper to put in the damned thing. Luckily, my cousin had a spare, yellowed ream. I looked through publisher marketplace books to find submission guidelines. I sent (via snail mail—there was no email in the olden days) a synopsis and three chapters to Harlequin and Silhouette. Those were the only romance publishers that would take unsolicited manuscripts from authors without agents. Then I waited. And waited. After ten thousand years (so it was more like ten months), Harlequin sent me a letter and requested the full manuscript. Which is good—because it gave me hope. And bad—because it gave me hope. So back to the cousin’s house to print out the entire manuscript and rip off more printer feed edges and separate each page along the bottom perforations. Oy! (Excuse me for a second. *goes to hug laser printer*) I borrowed money from my grandma for postage and sent off the book with big dreams for myself and my son. This was going to change our lives.

And…

You know this is coming, right?

It was rejected with a form letter.

Ugh. I was gutted. Devastated. Destroyed. I was never going to be an author, much less make a living at it. So I went to college. And worked my ass off. And became a science teacher. But my dream was still to be a fiction author. I never stopped writing. I wrote after I put the kid to bed. I plotted during my commute. I wrote on weekends. I plotted some more while in the shower. I wrote during vacations. But I wasn't writing romance. If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, I was the opposite of insane. I tried writing every genre I could as I attempted to find my niche. I could write. I just didn't know what to write.

I tried my hand at another series romance for Silhouette. The manuscript was rejected and shoved in a drawer.

I wrote a fantasy novel five hundred pages long. Agents wouldn't touch it. TOR, who also accepted unsolicited manuscripts at the time, rejected it. Shoved in a drawer.

I wrote a medical thriller. Rejected and shoved in a drawer.

I wrote a YA science fiction novel. Rejected and shoved in a drawer. Removed from drawer and entered into a contest. Lost contest and shoved back in drawer.

I wrote a paranormal romance. Rejected and shoved in drawer. Removed from drawer and entered into a contest. Lost contest and shoved back in drawer.

I wrote an erotic romance about rock stars. And…

Tada!

That manuscript and the rest of the five book Sinners on Tour series was picked up by a small publisher.

The first book was released in October 2010. Finally, after 20 years of trying, I was published. I could go to a bookstore and see my book on a shelf. I could do a book-signing and have half a dozen people show up and have a customer ask the bookstore owner when they were going to have good writers like Stephenie Meyer do a signing. True story. When the customer asked that, she was standing directly in front of me, my book in her hand and her nose turned up. But my first five fans, my family, and Sia showed up at that very first signing, which made me feel a little better about not being a good writer like Stephenie Meyer.

At first, my rock star erotic romance didn't do so well. It did okay for a first book. People discovered it slowly. Very slowly. So I was published, but I wasn't making a living at it. Not by a long shot.

• So how did I finally manage to quit my day job?

Come back on Monday for Part Two: My Own Brand of Insanity

                                                                                                                                                        

Combining her love for romantic fiction and rock 'n roll, Olivia Cunning writes erotic romance centered around rock musicians. Her latest release, Sinners at the Altar, is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other retailers.

SOMETHING IN THE COFFEE WITH ROSE MAYBUD

What could be more perfect for a blog called “Over Coffee,” than a terrific romance called “Something in the Coffee?” And while the coffee here on the blog has no magic potions in it, I can’t promise it doesn't occasionally have a wee drop of whisky!

Today’s guest is Rose Maybud, talking about her funny, sexy contemporary romance, Something in the Coffee, and real-life embarrassing on-the-job situations. I've had funny, cringe-worthy things happen in the office, but nothing like the wickedly sexy plot that Rose dreamed up for this novel! Even better? There’s a prize for the best comment! YAY prizes!

Here’s Rose, on just one embarrassing real-life office mishap:

Trial and (Clothing) Error

Here’s a true story (and I swear it wasn't me): One day, young female lawyer wore her workout clothes to the gym and brought her suit on a hanger, because she was due in court that morning for a very important case.

But when she went to put on her business clothes, she discovered…NO BRA. She’d forgotten to pack it in her gym bag. No time to shop for a replacement. Her sports bra was too bright to wear under her thin white blouse. 

So she had no choice—that day in the courtroom, “The Girls” hung free.

What about you?  I’ll send a free download of Something In the Coffee to the commenter with the most awful, embarrassing, funniest work story ever.

 Inquiring minds want to know!

Something in the Coffee: Office Life Can Be Hell

Have you ever worked in a job you couldn't wait to quit?

Or maybe you didn't want to quit, but you sure wish you could change certain things about the office? Or your co-workers. Or your boss!

Attorney Alex Poindextre knows that people just aren’t getting along at his uncle’s law firm, Sangazure and Poindextre, LLP.

Lawyers are rude and unpleasant to the administrative assistants. Paralegals argue with the IT personnel. Can’t they all just get along?

Alex has a plan: Hire a sorcerer—well, a Potions Account Executive—to slip a little something into the office coffee pot, something to make everyone friendlier to each other.

And boy, do they get friendly…soon everyone in the high-pressure law firm is wildly attracted to the first unattached person they see. Uptight lawyers cavorting with admin assistants, grim-faced paralegals stripping in the copier rooms, serious tech support personnel finding new uses for their extra power cables…chaos reigns supreme, and it’s All. Alex’s. Fault.

Good thing Alex is a clever lawyer, because it’s going to take all his ingenuity to fix this mess…and win back the love of his fiancée, Eileen.

Take a look at the video book trailer for Something In The Coffee

Rose Maybud is a retired lawyer who enjoys singing opera in the shower. She is a wholehearted fan of Gilbert and Sullivan, although she has never performed in any of their comic operas. “Something in the Coffee” was inspired by G&S’s work, The Sorcerer. Currently she resides in Central Ohio. You can fnd Rose on the web at her blog or on Facebook.

 

 

 

 

 

Purchase Something in the Coffee at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

MONDAY'S MUSINGS—RAGING AGAINST THE DYING LIGHT

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, Do not go gentle into that good night.

Y'know? I started out this life with 7 brothers. They were a rough and rowdy lot and I was far from a girly-girl so I fit right in. My brothers are adventurers, storytellers and poets, knights in white armor, and loving pains in the butt. We had a lot of good times. 

Last week I had four brothers left. As of Friday night, I had three.

Jonny, Steve, and Roland. Steve is still with us.
Danny is in a kilt left lower sidebar. 

I knew this death was coming. My oldest brother, Jonny Matt, and I discussed it at length. While I made my peace with its dark approach two years ago, knowing of and preparing for death is not quite the same as dealing with its arrival. The emotional aftermath of that last breath is still shreds the heart.

Last Sunday afternoon Jonny was rushed to the hospital. Instead of death being some inexact time in the future, I was now faced with the reality of days and hours.

As the sun disappeared and the storm clouds gathered so many memories, good and bad, crashed and burned on the landscape of my heart. How fitting, as night fell, were the cold winds that howled and moaned and threw frozen tears against my windows. As Dylan said, “Do not go gentle into that good night…rage, rage against the dying of the light…” And I did.

My brother's battle is done. He's at peace. I'm glad for his sake. 

It's a hard for me and for my family, to face the fact that from this time forward, life will continue without him being somewhere near listening to his music, cracking jokes, telling wild tales, or calling with another outstanding accomplishment of his son or granddaughter.

Lifting a glass to my brother Jonny and sending him on his way with the joy of the fiddle music he loved.

INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW: CHAT WITH JUDI FENNELL

My guest today is a writer who loves pop culture and manipulating language. Her writing comes with lots of fun one-liners, puns, and double entrendres. Her stories always make me laugh and leave the me feeling good. 

I'm happy to welcome romance author, Judi Fennell, back for a visit to Over Coffee.

                                                                

• So, inquiring minds want to know: what was your muse drinking when she came up with hunky men being maids?

I was at my friend's house and her housekeeper was a guy. A young, pretty good-looking guy. So I just started the thought process from there. Sadly, she doesn't have that guy anymore. I'm guessing one of his clients scooped him up since, seriously, who doesn't want a man who can clean a house? Lol!

• I really like Mac. She’s a woman after me own heart. I love the way she suckers her highly successful brothers in a poker game and the losers become maids. Priceless. This series had to be a lot of fun to write?

Yup, this series was a blast because of the characters. The timeline, however… not so much. The stories all take place within the same month and these siblings are close. So that means a lot of interaction between them which means scenes that get written and then published that can’t then be UNwritten so I have to fashion the next book around those scenes and so on through all four. 

But, yes, exploring the siblings’ relationships with each other and how they look out for each other was a lot of fun. It’s a very interconnected series since the opening of each book takes place at that poker game, but from the different sibling’s point of view, depending on whose story it is.

• You've written and been published mostly in the light paranormal genre. What drew you back to contemporary romance?

The stories are what drew me to contemporaries. I have a Beefcake, Inc series about male strippers and it was that story that came to me. The characters are the same, well, minus the merman tail and/or magic, but they’re still men we want to fall in love with. It’s just a different venue for sharing their story. But just as challenging—I might not have to make up a whole new world, but I have to fit the characters in the real world, so that’s a new world that I have to build. And it’s been fun with four siblings, each with their own place in this town I've created.

• You've been traditionally published for several years plus you've also had several indie published books. So you've been on both sides. What’s the advantage, in your opinion, of doing both?

The advantage to readers and to me of indie-publishing is that I get to write the stories I want without having to worry about traditionally publishing’s P&L statements. The downside is I’m the one who has to invest in editorial. The stories have to stand on their own and be as good as the ones published through a traditional NY publisher. The advantage there is the up-front money and distribution and mass market print books that keep the costs down for readers. The good news is, though, that with indie-publishing and traditional publishing, readers have a variety to choose from and a quicker delivery time between books.

• Given your success, what do you still struggle with?

I still struggle with making the story cohesive. Making sure I have all the elements my readers have come to expect with my stories. That doesn't go away. If anything, the pressure is greater because there are a lot of people reading them. You’re only as good as your last book; I don’t want to put out a bad book. That’s always in the back of my mind. Luckily, my characters like to talk over that seed of doubt and I've learned to trust them.

• Give me a triumph--something you're proud of accomplishing.

Writing-wise, winning the awards I've won (Prism and Golden Leaf), having ten books out with traditional publishers (as of February 2015 and hopefully more to come), and having a great fan base who keep clamoring for more stories. Life-wise: raising my kids and showing them that hard work and perseverance can make your dreams come true.

• Any words of advice?

Yup: read a Judi Fennell book. Oh, you mean to aspiring writers? Keep writing, join a professional writing organization and put your work out there for critique—and seeing this as the business it is. Oh, and of course, write the damn book. J

ONE COMMENTER WILL WIN A COPY OF BEEFCAKE & CUPCAKES

                                     

What happens when three irresistibly sexy brothers lose a poker bet to their enterprising sister? They get hired out for her housecleaning venture. Now, the Manley Maids are at your service. Satisfaction guaranteed. It’s what a woman wants...

Resort entrepreneur Sean Manley was all set to buy an historic mansion at a great price, making a name for himself while making millions, when the seller and a poker bet change the game. Now he’s in the place as a hunky male maid and there’s one more complication: Livvy Carolla.

The house is Livvy’s inheritance. Her plan? Unload it to the highest bidder and use the cash to start her own bakery business. One look at “the help” and she’s hot to take him with her. Until she finds out he’s got a secret agenda.

But when Sean falls for the free-spirited, strong-willed Livvy, he has new ideas for the estate—and Livvy’s part in it. If all goes well, they’ll both be getting what they want. And then some.

BUY: AMAZON, B&N, CHAPTERSINDIGO.CA, INDIEBOUND

                                                                                                                                                               

Take a chance...

  

Guest post by Kat Sheridan for the Insecure Writers Support Group (IWSG).

I published my Victorian romance novel, Echoes in Stone, on a dare.

I finished it five years ago, but never published it. Maybe I thought it wasn’t good enough. Maybe I was afraid of failure. Or success. I picked at it, passed it through beta readers and a really good editor, and made it as strong, as compelling as I knew how.

But still, I couldn’t bring myself to make that leap. To share “my baby” with the world. What if I made a total fool of myself? I was terrified of promotion. Of bad reviews. Of being found out as a fraud. Not a writer.

I belong to a group of historical romance writers who meets every three weeks for coffee, pastries, and goal setting. Every meeting I dutifully set new goals for my work-in-progress, and wrote new pages, but was never really finishing anything. Then one member of the group decided that instead of allowing me to set my own goals, she would set one for me.

Publish something. Anything. She challenged me. She dared me.

So I closed my eyes, screwed up my courage, called in favors from every friend I knew…

…and jumped.

One friend gave me a final edit. Another pointed me to a great cover artist. Another offered to upload the book for free as a thank you for past help I’d given her. Sia had me as a guest on her blog and lined up others for me. Friends tweeted and shared and banged the drum for me.

Sales aren’t spectacular. It’s a debut novel by an unknown author. But I’ve made sales. That very first, tiny little royalty check? It was like winning the Golden Ticket to the Wonka factory.

Many years ago, Hubs talked me into going on one of those 3D virtual rides in Las Vegas. I was utterly terrified and queasy even before getting on the ride. My fears were echoed by a little boy in the same waiting line, who kept chanting “Scary, scary, scary…” When the lights came up after the ride, he jumped out of his seat and yelled “Do it again!” And I turned to Hubs and yelled the same thing.

And that’s how I feel about the book I’m working on now. That giddy feeling that comes only from putting your work out into the world, no matter how much you want to throw up? Do it again!

So tell me, if you’re not published yet, what’s holding you back? And if you are published, what made you take a chance?

Coming up Friday: Judi Fennell and her fun new series Manly Maids. You don’t want to miss this one!

Kat Sheridan is a former project manager whose very serious exterior hides a secret romantic. She is fond of books, bourbon, big words, coffee, and shiny things. Kat splits her time between the Midwest in the summer and the South in the winter, sharing her home with the love of her life and an exceedingly dignified Shih Tzu. She loves to hear from readers, and can be contacted at www.KatSheridan.com.

I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH

"I convinced myself I was 'not good enough'...when I finally let go of 'not good enough'...the squashed down writing dream just came bubbling right up to the surface..."

My guest is romance writer, Megan Mulry. The USA Today best selling author had convinced herself she good enough to write story. Guest what? Megan can and writes fun, sexy romantic fiction. Intriguing, no?

Makes me wonder how many writers let the 'I'm not good enough' hold them back?  

It's a pleasure to have Megan visiting with us Over Coffee and she was gracious enough to take the time to answer a few questions for me.   

Thanks so much for inviting me to hang out Over Coffee. I love to laugh and cry (as you can see from my Twitter bio) and I love coffee. And glitches? I got ‘em. So, this should be a match made in heaven.

• How much do current events play into your writing?

A ton! My first manuscript (briefly self-published on a whim in 2010, then withdrawn, and maybe one day—after copious revisions—to be properly published) was inspired by the Lockerbie bombing and Pan Am #103. The entire book sprang from and revolved around that event and how it affected those involved. Later, an obituary about a British aristocrat caught my interest and became the seed that spawned the four books in the Unruly Royals series.

• How often to you get your ideas from what you read or see in the news?

I don’t write suspense very often, but when I weave a suspenseful subplot in (there’s a pretty grisly kidnapping and near-rape in one of my future books) it’s disheartening to realize that anything gruesome I try to invent has already happened. Especially, where I live in Florida, in 2013 there were a spate of horribly tragic domestic murder/suicides. So, I suppose it’s not that I get my ideas from that, but rather that I think, “Oh well, it’s not like I’m writing something preposterous.” (That whole truth is stranger than fiction thing, I guess.)

How often do you see kernel something (via news, a friend’s relaying an incident, the odd online story) and think, wow, that would be cool to write about with xyz additions to make it even better…

Pretty much all day, every day. For example, we moved recently, and of the eight-man-team that moved us, I could probably write a book with each man as the hero. It didn't hurt that they were all super nice, super muscly, and sweating most of the time. But I digress.

• What inspired this series of characters?

The Unruly Royals series was originally inspired by a few articles I had read about the Duke of Norfolk and extended family. Various women I’d met or read about over the years inspired the heroines. Working in New York City and/or London for any amount of time provides a lifetime of dynamic-female-character ideas!

• Have you always wanted to write or was there events that lead you to writing?

I can’t say I always wanted to write, because I had done such a good job of talking myself out of it—I convinced myself I was “not good enough”—but deep down, probably yes, I always wanted to write. So when I finally let go of “not good enough” (*kicks not-good-enough to the curb*) it was like the squashed down writing dream just came bubbling right up to the surface, like, “Hey! Remember me? I’m your dream. Let’s do this!”

• With the book’s release, as you look back, what was the biggest surprise that occurred while you were writing the story?

So many surprises! I guess I had Abby pretty well sorted out (in that she was totally not sorted out and was going to be struggling with her own view of herself and what she really wanted out of life). But the real surprise was Eliot. I had no idea he would be so tenderhearted…for some reason I thought he would be the stereotypical billionaire hard-ass who would be transformed or won over by the heroine. But the more I developed his character, the more it became clear that he had this inner core of intense vulnerability and love. My editor really helped me delve into his family background to reveal why he was the way he was.

• Megan, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer my questions and chat with us! Quite the inspiration. :-)

What fun questions! Thanks so much for taking an interest in my writing and for inviting me to visit!

  

                                                                                                                                                                                                       

BUY: Amazon, B&N, B-A-M,IndieBound

Being royal isn't all it's cracked up to be...

Abigail Heyworth, youngest daughter of the 18th Duke of Northrop, is not your typical British royal—she'll take a recycling drive over a charity ball any day. She can't stand hats and heels. Abby's not getting much sympathy, of course, because everyone thinks the life of royalty is so charmed.

But to Abigail, keeping up appearances is unbearable, while running away doesn't seem to work either. Just when she feels like she's getting whiplash from swinging between flat-out rebellion to miserable capitulation, Abigail meets an all-American self-made millionaire who challenges her on every level.

It may turn out that what Abigail is searching for kind of resembles the American Dream..

                                                                                                                              

Megan Mulry writes sexy, stylish, romantic fiction. Her first book, A Royal Pain, USA Today bestseller,was an NPR Best Book of 2012. Before discovering her passion for romance novels, she worked in magazine publishing and finance. After many years in New York, Boston, London, and Chicago, she now lives with her family in Florida. 

You can find Megan: Facebook – Goodreads - Twitter – Website – Pinterest

BROOKLYN ANN—WRITING THE UNUSUAL

My guest is paranormal author, Brooklyn Ann. She writes fun paranormals with memorable characters, set in both historical and contemporary times, and filled with humor, sass, and a bit of snark. 

Brooklyn was gracious enough to answer a few questions for me.

Welcome back to Over Coffee, Brooklyn! 

In your latest book, Wrenching Fate, you've introduced some unusual job choices for both your hero and heroine. A mechanic with a muscle car fetish? A vampire who is a financial adviser? Both are…hmm…different job choices. What made you decide that?

Akasha's character came to mind when I was in the process of restoring my 1980 Datsun 210. I kept envisioning a character who was much more knowledgeable and stronger than I was, chugging a Coors (ewww) and working on big muscle cars, which I'd always admired. She was always so gruff and angry that I wondered what had happened to make her that way. Well, she showed me, and, well, you'll have to read to find out.

As for Silas, although I'd envisioned him becoming a vampire when he fell on the battlefield in Scotland in 1513, his character seemed more reserved than that of an ancient berserker. As a clairvoyant and a Lord Vampire, he would have to be very good at handling money. The finance industry fit him like a glove. He definitely is a businessman... but he's still a warrior underneath his Armani suits. :)

One thing I admired about your characters (especially the women)—they aren't weak or whiny. They've overcome quite a bit. What’s something you admire about Akasha? About Silas?

I admire Akasha's refusal to take shit from anyone and willingness to do anything to protect those she cares about.

I admire Silas's diplomacy and the way he doesn't judge others.

How did writing this novel differ from writing other books?

For one thing, writing a book that takes place in my own back yard was extremely different from my works set in 19th Century Britain. For another, even though these characters are definitely more "real" in my head, getting them to translate to the page was hard for some reason.

Tell us a bit about you? When you were little what did you want to grow up to be?

When I was younger, I kept vacillating between "Paleontologist" and "Rock star." Alas, neither came to be. I was a mechanic for a few years and now I'm a romance author. I never would have believed it. :)

When you’re not writing or working, what are things you like to do?

I like to work on cars, draw, paint, cook, watch cheesy B-horror movies, and of course, read.

What was the single best or luckiest thing that got you published?

I hate to admit, but I think it was the title I came up with for my first regency paranormal romance, BITE ME, YOUR GRACE. That title was originally a joke title I threw out on twitter, but people liked it so much that I took the dare and queried it under that name. I ended up getting a lot of interest among agents and editors and eventually landed my book deal.

What was the biggest adjustment you had to make in life to include your writing?

I had to cut back on movies and book binges and completely stop doing Karaoke and playing on the dart league. I need all that time for writing, researching, and editing. In short, I became a hermit.

What will we see next from you?

My second historical paranormal romance, ONE BITE PER NIGHT releases in August. 
Here’s the blurb

• Since Sia brought up my characters’ unconventional jobs, what are some of the more interesting character occupations you've seen in romance novels? 

Comment for a chance to win an e-copy of WRENCHING FATE!

                                                                                                                                                      

WRENCHING FATE--Brides of Prophesy I

Silas McNaught, Lord Vampire of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho is elated when he finds Akasha Hope, the woman his psychic visions revealed to him centuries ago. 

To his surprise, Akasha is infuriated when Silas interferes with her life. Furthermore, she is nothing like the sweet woman he’d envisioned. Instead she's a foul mouthed mechanic and, due to being the accidental result of a military experiment, she possesses the strength of ten men ….and government agents are looking for her. 

BUY: Amazon, Apple (ibook store),B&N (Nook and Print)
Kobo Google Play



                                                                                                                                            

A former mechanic turned paranormal romance author, Brooklyn Ann lives in the beautiful city of Coeur d’Alene with her son, her cat, and a 1980 Datsun 210. She can be found online at http://brooklynann.blogspot.com as well as on twitter and facebook.

Published by SourcebooksBITE ME, YOUR GRACE (April 2013)
ONE BITE PER NIGHT (August 2014)BITE AT FIRST SIGHT (To be announced)    Published by Broken AngelsWRENCHING FATE (February 2014)IRONIC SACRIFICE (To be announced)