Category: On Publishing
From Letters to Novel
I come from a family who still writes letters—handwritten with envelopes and stamps and delivered by the postal service. While we don’t eschew email, it’s lovely to open the mailbox, recognize personal handwriting, and tear open the envelope. When Matt, my husband, was fighting in Iraq, we wrote letters—and emailed, of course. It was our […]
From Print to Re-publication
Then… When the intermittent electricity failed in a remote village in rural Bangladesh, I lit a candle stub to continue writing the daily instalment of my journal. I had no idea it would become a book. It was 2002, and my first visit to South East Asia. Back home, my head and heart remained full […]
Growing up in Italy – a literary journey
I recently launched a small publication company which specialises in Italian women writers. When I tell people, they either nod knowlingly or look quizically at me, and in both cases they say: “Ah, books in translation”. My love of books goes back a long way. Family lore tells of how often I could be found, […]
To Self-Publish or Not to Self-Publish
‘‘Are you sure you want to self publish again?” asked a colleague of mine who is traditionally published. We were discussing my plans to self publish my historical novel. I felt defensive because I knew what was coming next. I’d heard it before. “You will never land a traditional publisher if you do. Believe me, […]
A Tale from the Other Side
My heart is in my mouth. Nearly two years ago I went to an event where new authors read from their work in progress. One in particular stood out, and I set my heart on representing her. Her writing showed steel, and wit, and cool and I fell in love with it. Nervously I pressed […]
5 Stories about Publishing that are No Longer True (and maybe never were)
Maybe all professions like to scare young hopefuls — to weed the flock, so to speak — and the publishing industry, notorious for its gloom and doom predictions, is no exception. As a graduate student in a Creative Writing department, I heard all sorts of stories from teachers and other students that made it seem […]
Truths and Lies about Self-Publishing
Some say self-publishing is the greatest invention since sliced bread. Others say it’s ruining the industry. A lot of people have weighed in on this hugely popular phenomenon. Now, it’s my turn. I’ll address a few commonly held ideas and say if they’re true, or false. Self-published books are low quality. False. However, there is […]
My Culinary Route To Publication
Occasionally I’m asked about how difficult I found it to get a publishing contract. The short answer is that in 2011, I emailed my novel to an agent and then spent a year polishing it before I got a two-book deal. The long answer is – well, go fetch yourself a cup of coffee (and […]
Self-publishing – What I’ve Learned
Eighteen months ago I self-published my novel Dappled Light, based on the life of James Stewart, a medical missionary whose reputation was tarnished by a liaison with Mary Livingstone, wife of the explorer. Stewart subsequently married my great great aunt Mina, the daughter of a wealthy Scottish shipbuilder who was himself the subject of a […]
How The Writing Community Shaped Me
The publishing world is one of the biggest learning curves I have ever faced. Two years ago, or thereabouts, I grabbed a tatty old notebook that my kids kept stealing pages from, and a part chewed pen and I began to write. I really didn’t know what I was doing, but I have learned a […]
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