As an aspiring author, I am always looking for opportunities to meet and listen to people who have been successful in their writing careers. Recently I went to a meet and greet for Mary Kay Andrews, a NY Times bestselling author. She has published 26 novels including The Weekenders, The High Tide Club, Hissy Fit and her newest novel that just hit #5 on the NY Times Best Sellers List, Sunset Beach.
How fun to meet the person behind the books you read! I loved listening to Mary Kay (Kathy Hogan Trocheck) talk about what sparked the idea for a plot or a character, how she chose character names, what her writing routine is like, and why she’s made certain choices in her writing style.
It is always a pleasure to hear authors speak. Over the years I have been blessed to hear Elin Hilderbrand, James Dashner, Mary Higgins Clark, John Berendt . . . and now Mary Kay Andrews. Later this summer I’m excited to hear Jane Green and Dorothea Benton Frank.
Each time I meet a successful author, I’m reminded that he/she is a regular person like me. It reinforces that I can publish my book, too! I just have to have patience and persistence.
Watch for my review of Mary Kay Andrew’s Sunset Beach coming soon.
Hi Shells! Thanks for opening my post today. I hope you are enjoying my blogs. Please share with your friends and family. The more, the merrier! Anyone can go to robinshelley.com and sign up to get my blog sent directly to their email box. Your support is much appreciated!
Over the last few years I’ve been learning about the publishing world so I can make an educated plan of attack to get my book published. To publish in the traditional way (not self-publish), I need to find an agent who believes in my writing and my book. When approaching agents, one thing they want to know is the book’s genre. That sounds like an easy request, but not all novels are cut and dry. It’s actually a deeper topic than it first appears for identifying my novel, The Lighthouse Legacy.
Let’s start analyzing: It’s fiction. That’s easy. It has romance in it, but it isn’t a romance book. Still, women readers will be attracted to this story which includes romance. The protagonist strives to overcome his past to become a better person because of the woman he’s falling for. Ahhh, it must be women’s fiction, right? Wrong. Apparently this isn’t the normal formula for women’s fiction. People in the industry argue that women’s fiction must have a female protagonist. Go figure!
Ok, well . . . The Lighthouse Legacy centers around Ryan, a male protagonist, who must break a family cycle to find success in love again. It’s his journey, and yet this multi-generational story is so much more. Ryan arrives in Port Morgan to learn about his grandfather who was a lighthouse keeper there. Through his interest in his family’s past, Ryan meets Kate, a shop owner and local history junkie. She discovers a journal written by Ryan’s grandfather. As they follow up on stories in the journal, Kate and Ryan build a relationship. Together they investigate unanswered questions about a moonshine rivalry during prohibition, his grandfather’s death, and an antique necklace. Meanwhile, when a rich developer wants to force Kate out of business, Ryan tries to fix the situation for her. Plenty for both women and men to enjoy!
During my research to identify the genre, I kept believing my novel was women’s fiction. I went looking for well-written and well-received books that would prove that women’s fiction can have a male protagonist. That’s how I stumbled upon Sand Dollar: A Story of Undying Love by Sebastian Cole. Unfortunately he doesn’t label his book as women’s fiction. He considers his book romantic fantasy. So does that mean my novel is romantic reality? Is there such a genre? Silly, right? It just shows how hard it is to wrap my head around this genre debate.
After reading Sand Dollar and writing The Lighthouse Legacy, I don’t see why male protagonists aren’t in more stories with romantic elements. A male character can be strong while also having a vulnerable side due to love. After all, isn’t that what women are looking for in a mate?
Yes, the industry looks for a female protagonist for women’s fiction, but I continue to wonder why it can’t include male protagonists who are made better by a good woman. Don’t most women think their guy is a better man because of her influence in his life? Wouldn’t women want to read about a man who overcomes for his woman?
What do you think? Can women’s fiction have a male protagonist? Would that turn you off or doesn’t it matter to you? Let me know your thoughts.
Finally, after much deliberation, I’ve decided my book isn’t women’s fiction. Nope. It’s upmarket fiction with a crossover to the women’s fiction market (at least until someone in the industry tells me otherwise!) Upmarket novels lie somewhere between the commercial and literary genres. These books appeal to readers who want a high quality and complexity of writing but also look for strong characters and plot.
Okay, I’ll stop my ranting now. But since I read it for research, my next post will be the book review of Sand Dollar: A Story of Undying Love by Sebastian Cole. Look for it coming to your email box soon!
Hi friends! Welcome to all my new blog followers! Like stores sometimes do a soft opening before opening to the public, I did a soft start of my website and blog this summer. You might call this past week my hard opening. It was an exciting step for me as I invited all my Facebook friends to come along for the ride. I had an overwhelming response! It truly blessed me to see such an outpouring from friends willing to take a moment out of their busy lives to sign up for my blog. And if you’ve been with me since the beginning, welcome back! Thank you all for supporting me as I work toward a dream of being a published author.
I hope you got a chance to look around on the website (robinshelley.com) while you were signing up for the blog. Feel free to check out earlier blog posts you may have missed. You can also peek at the story line of my first book, The Lighthouse Legacy. Hopefully it will get you excited about following my journey to get it published. I’m excited to get it out there for all of you to enjoy!
Photo by Vlad Bagacian on Unsplash
Although I could go the self-publishing route, I prefer to connect with traditional publishers. That is one long road to walk. Let me give you a glimpse into the world of traditional publishing and my journey ahead.
Completing a novel was only the start. I realized that if I wanted people to enjoy it, I had to learn how the publishing industry works. Now I’m putting that knowledge to work.
I am currently focusing on finding a literary agent that is as excited about The Lighthouse Legacy as I am. It takes a lot of research to find the right agents to approach. I email query letters including sample pages and then I wait. Patience and persistence are key. Agents can get hundreds of these emails each week. Therefore, my letter and the story has to catch their attention. It’s about persistence to find that special agent who emotionally connects with the story and sees its potential.
Here’s where you come in. If an agent has some interest, he/she will likely look to see if I have a social media presence. Seeing my website, reading the blog and noting the number of followers I have may sway them to invest more time in my book by asking to see the whole manuscript. When an agent asks for the manuscript, it may take weeks or even months for him/her to find the time to read it. If an agent decides to take on my project, then we discuss representation. If we agree that we want to work together, then the agent begins searching for a publisher for the book.
When a publisher buys the book, it still goes through more preparation before it’s printed, marketed and distributed, taking another year or two to hit the store shelves. Now when I pick up a book at a store, I appreciate all the time and work it represents by a whole team of people.
So, if you ask me how the book’s going, I’ll probably say, “It’s going.” It just means I’m working through the process, being patient and persistent, and dreaming up ideas for the next book! I’ll let you all know when I have any big news. Meanwhile it helps keep me encouraged knowing you’re all out there cheering me on! Thank you! Don’t forget to comment on posts that interest you. And please – tell your friends. The more, the merrier!
