Name: Lynn Steward
Book Title: April Snow
Genre: Literary Fiction/Women's Fiction
Publisher: Lynn Steward Publishing
Lynn Steward loves to reinvent herself and her journey has
taken her not just from New York City to Chicago, but from businesswoman to
author. Her career in New York City was spent in New York’s fashion industry in
marketing and merchandising, including the buying team that developed the
woman’s department at Brooks Brothers. Inspired by an intimate knowledge
of the period and extensive research, Steward created the characters and
stories for a series of five authentic and heartwarming novels about New York
in the seventies featuring Dana McGarry. A Very Good
Life, Steward’s debut novel and first in the series,
was published in March 2014. April Snow, volume
two, was just released.
Thank you for your time in
answering our questions about getting published. Let’s begin by having
you explain to us why you decided to become an author and pen this book?
Author:
I
always enjoyed business-related writing and thought a non-fiction self-help
book, with life-lessons I learned along the way, would be a fun project. But, as often happens when you put yourself
out there, I discovered another path and took it: I developed a TV pilot about
New York in the seventies because, as they say “Write what you know” and I know
New York. I’m a native of Long Island, and between attending school and
working, I spent twenty-two years in Manhattan. I was so overwhelmed with
ideas, the TV series expanded to five seasons! Appropriately placed in the New
York City of 1975, which was International Women’s Year, the plots in the
series intermingle fashion legends, business icons, real events, and untold
stories, providing a behind-the-scenes look at inspirational women in the
worlds of art, fashion, and business. It is a time and world that I know very
well.
After
meeting with professionals in the entertainment industry, I realized that the
main character, Dana McGarry, needed
more drama and the plots had to be developed, and I felt the best way to do
that was to convert the pilot into a novel.
A Very Good Life, inspired by
the pilot and first season, was published last year. My new novel, April Snow, is based on season two.
Is this your first book?
Author : No. This is the second
novel in a five book series featuring Dana McGarry. A Very Good Life was published last year.
With this particular book, how
did you publish – traditional, small press, Indie, etc. – and why did you
choose this method?
Author: I self-published April Snow, as I did A Very
Good Life. I spent three years researching,
developing and writing before volume one was completed, so by then, I was ready to publish. I knew it
could take years to find an agent, and more time to be picked-up by a
traditional publisher.
Can you tell us a little about
your publishing journey? The pros and
cons?
Author: There were no cons. I
did extensive research, and found bloggers tremendously helpful. I also hired a
good team: a graphic designer, a formatting company, two editors, a
proofreader, and a lawyer to vet the manuscript. The Amazon community was great
and responsive, and the whole process went smoothly.
What lessons do you feel you
learned about your particular publishing journey and about the publishing
industry as a whole?
Author: I am grateful for the
opportunity to self-publish, and I appreciate the opportunity to be discovered
by a traditional publisher if I am successful on-line. In the meantime, I am
happy to be published, selling books, and ready to start book three of a five
book series featuring Dana McGarry, who is enjoying a nice following!!
Would you recommend this method
of publishing to other authors?
Author: Yes. Do your homework;
all the information you need is on-line. It is a relatively easy process with
the right support team.
What’s the best advice you can
give to aspiring authors?
Author: Write about what you
know and enjoy, and keep writing. Don’t worry about elements of style and
grammar, that’s why we have editors. The more they edit, the better you’ll get.
No comments:
Post a Comment