Something Wonderful: The Ripple Effects of Publishing a Novel

Something Wonderful: The Ripple Effects of Publishing a Novel

From the time I was a child, I’ve had a notebook in front of me and a pen in my hand. The first time I thought about publishing a novel was in high school when I wrote my first full-length story of about two-hundred pages. When I was in college, I took every creative writing class I could, a mix of poetry and fiction. I told my college advisor I wanted to be a writer. He laughed and replied, “You’ll need a day job to pay the bills and maintain your writing life.” While he went on to publish several best-selling novels, win a Pulitzer and have his work adapted to film, I paid heed to his advice. I eventually became an English teacher and, then, a homemaker and mom of three children. While I held these two full time jobs, I carved out writing time when I could. 

I wrote after my children went to bed, while they napped or were on play dates. I wrote during the summer months as often as I could (but never often enough). I wrote at their sporting events or in the car while waiting to pick them up. I wrote while on family vacations.

When each of my children fled off to college and built lives of their own, I asked myself: What’s next for me? The answer was to prioritize my writing. The decision to try to publish came easy. I was in my mid-forties. I knew two things: I could write a full-length novel (by this time I had written four), but I didn’t know where or how to begin to find a publishing path.

I took a course on querying and marketing a book which introduced me to the writing community on Twitter that opened the door to finding critique partners which eventually led to working with a book coach. Ten years after I made that pivotal decision, I signed a contract with Red Adept Publishing to publish my debut, All That is Sacred.

Since then, I can’t even begin to list all of the skills I’ve acquired, people I’ve met, and experiences I’ve had. One chance encounter or opportunity leads to many others like the ripple effect that a stone tossed into the water makes. And, as a writer, I need to follow where it leads (even if it takes me to a dead end). I can’t focus on the dead ends; I need to focus on the many places the tiniest spark has led to that has flourished into something wonderful.

I’m on the cusp of publishing my second novel, Of Lies and Honey, also with Red Adept. While the timing and steps to get here are very much the same, this time feels different. For the first dove in, head first, unknowing of so many things. This time I’m approaching my release with a better plan; this time I’m making wiser decisions; this time I’m living in the moment.

I’d like to share some lessons I’ve learned along the way:

It takes a village. Surround yourself with people in the industry. Join book clubs and writing organizations (both local and national). Meet up with local friends for support and to share information with one another. A writing community is everything.

Trust the process and yourself. Writing a book doesn’t happen overnight. It’s work. Hard work. You need to be passionate, persistent and positive. There might be many times you’ll want to give up or allow other aspects of your life to demand your attention. While I appreciate my college advisor’s advice, I wish I had trusted myself and my writing ability sooner. I kept pushing off my dream until the right time. The fact is, there is no right time. Believing in my dream and myself is what brought me here; it pushed me to put in the work, to not give up. If you believe in yourself and your craft, if you don’t quit or become distracted, you were meant to do this. Persevere. 

Be a sponge. Educate yourself on the stages of not only writing, but also publishing and marketing. They require very different skills than writing. You’ll need to use your whole brain if you’re in this business. Watch webinars, YouTube videos, attend conferences, listen to podcasts. Talk to people in the business–in all facets of it–whenever and wherever the opportunity arises. Take in all that you can and write everything down.

Walk through the fear. There have been many times that I’ve thought, “Oh, I can’t do that” (being on Tik Tok for example or doing a live video of any sort). I promised myself when I signed my contract that signing it meant I’m all in. I’m willing to try the hard things, do what I think I can’t, and embrace this author-life completely. Walk through your fears; I promise you won’t be sorry. 

Find your Zen. You will need a good work-life, writing-life, family balance, but above all you need to take care of yourself. Schedule moments of Zen time whether that means taking a walk, meditating, meeting friends for coffee. You’ll need to walk away in order to be fresh when you return to your author tasks.

Mind your calendar. It is imperative to stay organized. I accomplish this by using my calendar religiously and I created an event spreadsheet by month and day. With so many items on my To Do list, I also schedule writing time to work on my next project.

Just be here. I’m not sure I fully enjoyed the publication of my first novel as much as I would have liked. Because of the steep learning curve, I found myself focused on the next thing instead of the present. Be in the moment through each step. Savor it. Give yourself a pat on the back from time to time. You deserve it. Just be here.

I couldn’t have imagined the many ways in which my life has changed since making my childhood dream come true. While I’m busier than I’ve been since I was chasing my small children around while balancing a full time teaching job, I couldn’t be happier. I’ve met so many amazing people, many of whom I now call friends.

I’m hosting an award-winning podcast called Authors Talking Bookish. I’m the program director of a Facebook book club called the Bookish Road Trip where I get to work with some amazing authors. I’ve been featured in podcasts, in blogs and magazine articles. I’ve written articles for magazines, like this one–twice. I’ve been a featured guest at an author dinner and have given many book talks at local libraries. My novel, All That is Sacred, has won eight awards and is a finalist for another. One of these awards led to a feature in Red Silk Carpet Magazine and another to the Tower billboard in New York City’s Times Square. It’s been an amazing experience. 

I can’t wait to see what the release of Of Lies and Honey has in store for me.

—

Donna Norman-Carbone, the award-winning author of All That is Sacred, published by Red Adept Publishing, has a passion for writing women’s fiction that tugs at the heartstrings. Her novel Of Lies and Honey will release on April 23, 2024.Donna is also co-host of the podcast, Authors Talking Bookish, and a tour guide for the Bookish Road Trip. Her writing affiliations include membership of WFWA, WNBA, and CAPA.

Donna is an English teacher in a small CT suburb, where she and her husband have raised three children, two Labrador retrievers and a Siamese cat. In her spare time, she enjoys reading a good book on a sunny Cape Cod beach (her happy place), spending quality time with family and friends and traveling overseas.

OF LIES AND HONEY

Harper Alexander is devastated by a miscarriage even though she thought she never wanted to be a mother. Because of her husband’s determination to create a family and her inability to carry a child to term, they consider alternative options.

As the result of a secret love affair, Callie Sebastian becomes pregnant. Her socialite mother is appalled by her teenage daughter’s behavior. To protect the family’s reputation, she sends Callie to a Catholic boarding school for wayward girls.

When Raina Edwin’s third child starts school, leaving her with an empty house, she begins to long for another baby. Unfortunately, their farm will not support a new addition to their family. To fill the void, Raina starts a new business: selling honey.

As Harper, Callie, and Raina deal with their strife, their lives collide in unexpected ways. A revealed secret forces each of them to make choices that will alter their roles as mothers and daughters forever.

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Tags: featured, women writers

Category: Contemporary Women Writers, How To and Tips