Click on David’s image to read it!
publishing
All posts tagged publishing
Victoria Daugherty
TR: Hey, good morning, Victoria…I’m so pleased to have you today!
VD: Good morning, Thomas…it’s my pleasure 🙂
TR: So, what do you say we get this party started? What was the first thing you wrote, and how old were you when you wrote it?
VC: Hmmm…probably Second Grade. It was a superhero short story about a lighting fast little girl who creates all sorts of mischief.
TR: That’s an early start. What have you written since then?
VC: Nothing. Just kidding. I’ve written speeches, essays, plays, translations, ghosted a memoir, plus finished two novels and am working on two more.
TR: Man, you’ve got your train rollin’. What made you choose your genre of writing, and what about your genre fascinates you?
VC: I grew up in what my husband describes as “the ultimate Cold War family” – with a little bit of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and WWII thrown in for good measure. So, writing noir-ish spy thrillers with a ghostly twist sort of came naturally to me.
As to what most inspired and fascinated me – it was my family. The dinner table I grew up around was full of stories and cigarettes and rich, world-weary laughter. My house was a place where there was always an old map of the world pinned to a wall somewhere – and two tickets to Buenos Aires in a locked drawer just in case (or so I suspected).
I also lived in Prague during the 1990s and was finally able to connect with my family culture in a way that had eluded me during the Cold War years. My family was full of political dissidents, so all my life I’ve been deeply interested in how people behave under intense pressure and how historical forces make sweeping changes in people’s lives.
I also love a good action sequence.
TR: Sounds like you love it right where you are. Would you ever consider writing in a different genre?
VC: Absolutely. In fact I’m working on 2 ½ YA books right now (the half is an idea that I haven’t started writing yet).
TR: Very nice! Now, much has been written about how a book will change from the original intent of the writer, as it’s being written. How did your book change as you created it, and did it surprise you how it came out?
VC: I would say evolve more than change. Does it ever surprise me how it turns out? Sometimes. But I love surprises. And I have to say, it’s not as if I didn’t know it was there in my heart and mind to begin with – it’s just curious how it ultimately came to be expressed.
TR: Curious, indeed. Tell us, in your opinion, what is the most difficult part of writing a book?
VC: I love writing. I’m not one of those people who sits in agony over a blank page. I love devising a plot, creating a character, I love editing – there isn’t a single thing I would trade about the process. I am giddy when I sit down at my computer.
TR: So much for difficulty. Would you consider changing over from indie publishing to traditional? (Or vice versa). Why or why not?
VC: I’m a hybrid of indie and traditional as it is and I no longer distinguish between the two. It’s a brave new world.
TR: It is that. Now, what do you consider to be the most important element in selling your book?
VC: My books are about story and atmosphere. A lot of atmosphere. I love black and white photography, for instance, and have made that a crucial element of my social media platform. I hope to incorporate imagery into my novels as well. I want my readers to enter a world that’s more than an impression, but with room enough for their own imagination, if that makes sense. I suppose that’s what is most important in selling my books – a sense of time and place. A distinct aesthetic. That, and the best writing I can deliver, of course.
TR: Of course. What mistakes have you made in regards to publishing and marketing your work, and what will you do differently in the future?
VC: Perhaps I’ve been too cautious. I have an agent – and one I care deeply about and with whom I have a long-standing relationship – so I guess you can say I come out of traditional publishing. But I’m also an entrepreneur, and I’ve always loved the idea of my books being my own. It’s just taken me longer to get there. Now that I am there – I’m on fire with the possibilities. As for marketing mistakes – I don’t know, as my first novel has yet to come out. Check with me in about a year.
TR: I’ll be happy to. So, now that you mentioned it, tell us a bit about your first book.
VC: My first novel, The Bone Church, is coming out this fall. It’s a Cold War spy thriller with a ghostly twist and I have never loved writing anything more. Hopefully, my readers will feel that intense emotion.
It involves a mysterious Roman Catholic Cardinal, a reckless sculptor intent on making a big political statement, a gypsy with a dangerous sex life, and an émigré priest who is forced to confront the fragility of his faith. There’s love and sex and danger all over the place.
TR: It sounds fascinating! And your second one?
VC: My second book is written. It’s called The Hungarian and I’m publishing it late next Spring. And I have endless ideas for books – it’s a blessing and a curse.
TR: A curse that ain’t bad to have. Okay, so how do people get in touch or follow you?
VC: The best place is my blog. It’s called Cold and you can click on www.victoriadougherty.wordpress.com to get there. Cold is the way revenge is best served; the way a war was fought; the way a story should be told. At least in my humble opinion
You can also follow me on twitter: @vicdougherty
And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Victoria-Dougherty/127269077354041
And tumblr: http://vicdougherty.tumblr.com/
If you’re out for a walk, you can also catch me drinking a whiskey on my front porch most nights.
TR: Save a sip of that for me. Victoria, it was a blast. Come back any time, okay?
VD: Thanks so much, Thomas…I’ll take you up on that 🙂
That’s a wrap folks. Victoria has her first book “Bone Church” coming out in the fall, so why don’t you buddy up to her, so you can stay tuned for the launch, and get yourself a great book?
In case you’re interested, here’s a quick synopsis…
The Bone Church
After secretly witnessing the murder of his father at the hands of a Nazi thug, Czech hockey star Felix Andel sets his sights on revenge. Soon Felix and his half-Jewish lover, Magdalena Ruza, become embroiled in a Prague Underground plot to assassinate the man who ordered the hit on his father: Hitler’s nefarious Minister of Propaganda, Josef Goebbels.
But in the surreal and paranoid underworld of wartime Prague, Felix and Magdalena must forge unlikely alliances in their quest—with a mysterious Roman Catholic Cardinal, a reckless sculptor intent on making a big political statement, and a gypsy with a dangerous sex life.
When the assassination attempt against Goebbels goes wildly wrong, fierce historical winds blow the lovers in separate directions. Critically wounded and slipping into a fog of extraordinary visions, Felix’s destiny is sealed at The Bone Church, a mystical pilgrimage site on the outskirts of Prague where he experiences a religious conversion. Magdalena, abandoned by the Cardinal who promised her safe passage out of the country, goes deep into hiding lest she be rounded up and transported to Auschwitz.
Twelve years pass.
Felix, now a Jesuit priest, is an emissary for people in trouble. From Vienna, he runs a Vatican-financed operation that smuggles prominent dissidents out of Soviet-occupied countries. Only this time, it’s Magdalena who needs his help. After a long exile in various political prisons, she turns up in a bleak corner of the Czech countryside – disgraced, impoverished and struggling to stay alive. Felix’s superior in Rome, the Cardinal who betrayed Magdalena, reluctantly dispatches him to collect her.
With government security forces closing in around them as they run for the border, the émigré priest is forced to confront his past…and the fragility of his faith.
‘Nuf said…
Victoria Daugherty
TR: Hey, good morning, Victoria…I’m so pleased to have you today!
VD: Good morning, Thomas…it’s my pleasure 🙂
TR: So, what do you say we get this party started? What was the first thing you wrote, and how old were you when you wrote it?
VC: Hmmm…probably Second Grade. It was a superhero short story about a lighting fast little girl who creates all sorts of mischief.
TR: That’s an early start. What have you written since then?
VC: Nothing. Just kidding. I’ve written speeches, essays, plays, translations, ghosted a memoir, plus finished two novels and am working on two more.
TR: Man, you’ve got your train rollin’. What made you choose your genre of writing, and what about your genre fascinates you?
VC: I grew up in what my husband describes as “the ultimate Cold War family” – with a little bit of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and WWII thrown in for good measure. So, writing noir-ish spy thrillers with a ghostly twist sort of came naturally to me.
As to what most inspired and fascinated me – it was my family. The dinner table I grew up around was full of stories and cigarettes and rich, world-weary laughter. My house was a place where there was always an old map of the world pinned to a wall somewhere – and two tickets to Buenos Aires in a locked drawer just in case (or so I suspected).
I also lived in Prague during the 1990s and was finally able to connect with my family culture in a way that had eluded me during the Cold War years. My family was full of political dissidents, so all my life I’ve been deeply interested in how people behave under intense pressure and how historical forces make sweeping changes in people’s lives.
I also love a good action sequence.
TR: Sounds like you love it right where you are. Would you ever consider writing in a different genre?
VC: Absolutely. In fact I’m working on 2 ½ YA books right now (the half is an idea that I haven’t started writing yet).
TR: Very nice! Now, much has been written about how a book will change from the original intent of the writer, as it’s being written. How did your book change as you created it, and did it surprise you how it came out?
VC: I would say evolve more than change. Does it ever surprise me how it turns out? Sometimes. But I love surprises. And I have to say, it’s not as if I didn’t know it was there in my heart and mind to begin with – it’s just curious how it ultimately came to be expressed.
TR: Curious, indeed. Tell us, in your opinion, what is the most difficult part of writing a book?
VC: I love writing. I’m not one of those people who sits in agony over a blank page. I love devising a plot, creating a character, I love editing – there isn’t a single thing I would trade about the process. I am giddy when I sit down at my computer.
TR: So much for difficulty. Would you consider changing over from indie publishing to traditional? (Or vice versa). Why or why not?
VC: I’m a hybrid of indie and traditional as it is and I no longer distinguish between the two. It’s a brave new world.
TR: It is that. Now, what do you consider to be the most important element in selling your book?
VC: My books are about story and atmosphere. A lot of atmosphere. I love black and white photography, for instance, and have made that a crucial element of my social media platform. I hope to incorporate imagery into my novels as well. I want my readers to enter a world that’s more than an impression, but with room enough for their own imagination, if that makes sense. I suppose that’s what is most important in selling my books – a sense of time and place. A distinct aesthetic. That, and the best writing I can deliver, of course.
TR: Of course. What mistakes have you made in regards to publishing and marketing your work, and what will you do differently in the future?
VC: Perhaps I’ve been too cautious. I have an agent – and one I care deeply about and with whom I have a long-standing relationship – so I guess you can say I come out of traditional publishing. But I’m also an entrepreneur, and I’ve always loved the idea of my books being my own. It’s just taken me longer to get there. Now that I am there – I’m on fire with the possibilities. As for marketing mistakes – I don’t know, as my first novel has yet to come out. Check with me in about a year.
TR: I’ll be happy to. So, now that you mentioned it, tell us a bit about your first book.
VC: My first novel, The Bone Church, is coming out this fall. It’s a Cold War spy thriller with a ghostly twist and I have never loved writing anything more. Hopefully, my readers will feel that intense emotion.
It involves a mysterious Roman Catholic Cardinal, a reckless sculptor intent on making a big political statement, a gypsy with a dangerous sex life, and an émigré priest who is forced to confront the fragility of his faith. There’s love and sex and danger all over the place.
TR: It sounds fascinating! And your second one?
VC: My second book is written. It’s called The Hungarian and I’m publishing it late next Spring. And I have endless ideas for books – it’s a blessing and a curse.
TR: A curse that ain’t bad to have. Okay, so how do people get in touch or follow you?
VC: The best place is my blog. It’s called Cold and you can click on www.victoriadougherty.wordpress.com to get there. Cold is the way revenge is best served; the way a war was fought; the way a story should be told. At least in my humble opinion
You can also follow me on twitter: @vicdougherty
And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Victoria-Dougherty/127269077354041
And tumblr: http://vicdougherty.tumblr.com/
If you’re out for a walk, you can also catch me drinking a whiskey on my front porch most nights.
TR: Save a sip of that for me. Victoria, it was a blast. Come back any time, okay?
VD: Thanks so much, Thomas…I’ll take you up on that 🙂
That’s a wrap folks. Victoria has her first book “Bone Church” coming out in the fall, so why don’t you buddy up to her, so you can stay tuned for the launch, and get yourself a great book?
In case you’re interested, here’s a quick synopsis…
The Bone Church
After secretly witnessing the murder of his father at the hands of a Nazi thug, Czech hockey star Felix Andel sets his sights on revenge. Soon Felix and his half-Jewish lover, Magdalena Ruza, become embroiled in a Prague Underground plot to assassinate the man who ordered the hit on his father: Hitler’s nefarious Minister of Propaganda, Josef Goebbels.
But in the surreal and paranoid underworld of wartime Prague, Felix and Magdalena must forge unlikely alliances in their quest—with a mysterious Roman Catholic Cardinal, a reckless sculptor intent on making a big political statement, and a gypsy with a dangerous sex life.
When the assassination attempt against Goebbels goes wildly wrong, fierce historical winds blow the lovers in separate directions. Critically wounded and slipping into a fog of extraordinary visions, Felix’s destiny is sealed at The Bone Church, a mystical pilgrimage site on the outskirts of Prague where he experiences a religious conversion. Magdalena, abandoned by the Cardinal who promised her safe passage out of the country, goes deep into hiding lest she be rounded up and transported to Auschwitz.
Twelve years pass.
Felix, now a Jesuit priest, is an emissary for people in trouble. From Vienna, he runs a Vatican-financed operation that smuggles prominent dissidents out of Soviet-occupied countries. Only this time, it’s Magdalena who needs his help. After a long exile in various political prisons, she turns up in a bleak corner of the Czech countryside – disgraced, impoverished and struggling to stay alive. Felix’s superior in Rome, the Cardinal who betrayed Magdalena, reluctantly dispatches him to collect her.
With government security forces closing in around them as they run for the border, the émigré priest is forced to confront his past…and the fragility of his faith.
‘Nuf said…
Book Description:
“They Won’t Shut Up” is Cindy J. Smith’s second book of poetry in which she explains life as she sees it. Her poems deal with emotions and conflicts that are universal to the human condition – pain, love, suffering, joy and loss. Cindy J. Smith writes of dreams and magic, she writes of the moments we live that are woven subtly into the fabric of our lives and nature’s beauty.
Several special poems have been added to the end of “They Won’t Shut Up”, written by Jasmine McMurtrey Reindl, Smith’s late daughter.
————————————————————————————————————————————
5.0 out of 5 stars Heart warming selection July 13, 2013
By diebus
“They Won’t Shut Up” by Cindy J. Smith is another wonderful selection of poems by a woman with a big heart. I would have called this anthology after one of the poems, Heart Song, (one of y favourites) to honour this fact.
Smith writes poems to her friends, about her friends and family, warm, full of feeling and caring.
She is not just emotional but also philosophical at times or witty, e.g. when she addresses an Adonis.
The range of emotions and subjects portrayed is wide, Cindy seems to be inspired/ dictated the words by those voices that won’t shut up everywhere and 24/7, which makes for a great selection.
Some of these gems could even be pop song lyrics, I advise the author to seriously look into this. A selection that holds something for everyone. Well done.
Smith writes poems to her friends, about her friends and family, warm, full of feeling and caring.
She is not just emotional but also philosophical at times or witty, e.g. when she addresses an Adonis.
The range of emotions and subjects portrayed is wide, Cindy seems to be inspired/ dictated the words by those voices that won’t shut up everywhere and 24/7, which makes for a great selection.
Some of these gems could even be pop song lyrics, I advise the author to seriously look into this. A selection that holds something for everyone. Well done.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great reads for any kind of day July 12, 2013
By JacquieMT
I received a copy from the author for an honest review.
Wouldn’t we all like to be able to put our thoughts on paper and have them written exactly how we feel? Ms. Smith has done it for us from seasons to children, feelings of loss and hope. She has poems that will make you think, one’s that will make you smile and so on. I love her work and I found so many as favorites as I hope you will as well.
Wouldn’t we all like to be able to put our thoughts on paper and have them written exactly how we feel? Ms. Smith has done it for us from seasons to children, feelings of loss and hope. She has poems that will make you think, one’s that will make you smile and so on. I love her work and I found so many as favorites as I hope you will as well.
4.0 out of 5 stars I’m glad they won’t shut up! July 14, 2013
By Juli
Cindy has done it again. I’m pretty sure she is the only person in the world who writes poetry that I truly enjoy. Upon receiving TWSU from the author, I found myself reading passages to my husband, my kids. Poetry for everyone. I think Cindy is the true window to bringing poetry back!
Buy this. Its fantastic!
Book Description:
“They Won’t Shut Up” is Cindy J. Smith’s second book of poetry in which she explains life as she sees it. Her poems deal with emotions and conflicts that are universal to the human condition – pain, love, suffering, joy and loss. Cindy J. Smith writes of dreams and magic, she writes of the moments we live that are woven subtly into the fabric of our lives and nature’s beauty.
Several special poems have been added to the end of “They Won’t Shut Up”, written by Jasmine McMurtrey Reindl, Smith’s late daughter.
————————————————————————————————————————————
Cindy’s new poetry collection, “They Won’t Shut Up”, launches today, so in recognition of such an auspicious occasion, I decided to have her by for a chat…
TR: Cindy, I’m so pleased you came by today. Congratulations on your new collection!
CS: Thanks so much Thomas…it’s great being here today, and I’m very excited about the book 🙂
TR: So, what do you say we crank it up? How old were you when you wrote your first piece?
CS: Don’t you know it is impolite to ask a woman her age? I realize I was probably 6 but, really, age?
TR: It’s interesting to know how differently folks started writing. I’ve interviewed some who didn’t start until their 50’s. So, what did you write at the tender age of six?
CS: I would write extra lyrics to the songs and poems my sisters taught me. So, I guess my genre has always been poetry.
TR: See? That’s a fascinating beginning! What made you write something like that?
CS: I grew up at a time when Dick and Jane books were the rage. How anyone who learned to read with those books ever developed and interest in reading is a mystery to me. I wanted excitement like I found in good books like Seuss and Mother Goose.
TR: I know, the Dick and Jane books were pretty inane. What have you written since then?
CS: I write poetry all the time. I have written a few short stories, mostly farce. It is really not a form of writing I am comfortable with.
TR: Well, to each his own. That’s what makes the ball of mud go ’round, right? Now tell us, what was the inspiration for “They Won’t Shut Up?”
CS: All my writing is based on life. I write about what I see and feel, and also what I think others might be experiencing. If a friend asks me to help them come to terms with a situation, I try to put myself in their place and that is what I write. So far, that seems to have worked out great.
TR: Makes sense to me. Tell us a little about it, and where it’s available.
CS: “They Won’t Shut Up” is available starting today, and is being published by Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing. It is a book of 150 poems that cover a multitude of topics. I have poems that describe natural beauty, grief, love, hope and a few very sarcastic ones. It is a roller coaster ride for your feelings.
TR: Nice…a bit of everything. So, is there a particular place or setting where you get your writing ideas?
CS: I get ideas anywhere. My mind just suddenly picks a word, a view or a newscast and runs with it. Most ideas come to me while I am driving, as I do that at night when it is peaceful. I carry a voice recorder for this reason.
TR: Smart girl. Now, you’re published through two different houses. What made you choose traditional publishing?
CS: My first book I self-published through a print-on-demand company. It was a nightmare. When I decided to release a second book, I was going to try total self-publishing but a friend suggested Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly to me. It is a decision I am so glad I made. Having the support of this wonderful family of authors is amazing!
TR: It sounds amazing. Good for you! Now, if you had to choose the most important element in an author’s platform, what would it be?
CS: Not sure exactly what you are asking here. I think the most important thing an author needs is a good editor and the willingness to listen to the advice and act on it. I have noticed several authors have problems accepting constructive criticism. They act as if it is a personal attack. If the editing is bad in the first book a person reads of yours, it is very doubtful they will buy book two.
TR: Sound advice, there. Now to my favorite question – What mistakes have you made in regards to publishing and marketing your work, and what will you do differently in the future?
CS: Publishing I already answered. As for marketing, I am learning how to do it. I really am not good at it, which I am assured is normal. I accept any suggestion of what to do and try my best. Most important thing to remember is to never give up.
TR: Do you have an idea for your next book?
CS: I have already written 30 new poems, and expect to have another collection out in the not too distant future. For anyone who would like to see my work, or contact me, my links are:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CindysVoices
Barnes and Noble: http://tinyurl.com/cu4q7c8
Amazon Authorpage: http://tinyurl.com/clybzs8
Amazon Paperback: http://tinyurl.com/cv6mcwg
Amazon Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cjt3ka6
AmazonUK paperback: http://tinyurl.com/clbxnbl
AmazonUK kindle: http://tinyurl.com/ccnn3bf
Goodreads: http://tinyurl.com/cc65z86
Twitter: @cindysvoices
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/cindyjsmith1
TR: Cindy, it was a true pleasure having you. All the best with your book 🙂
CS: Thanks very much, Thomas. I had fun…
TR: That’s a wrap, folks. I’ve read Cindy’s poetry, and it’s top shelf. This collection promises to be more of the same, so why not drop by the big “A” and get you some?
Click on Paula’s photo to read it…:)
Thomas Rydder 