Thursday, May 7, 2015

Book Publishing Secrets with Susie Kinslow Adams, author of 'My Mother My Child'

Name: Susie Kinslow Adams
Book Title: My Mother My Child
Genre: Non-Fiction Self Help
Publisher: Write By The Sea Press
Purchase on Amazon
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?
Susie: My Mother My Child is an personal account of caregiving and so much more. I unexpectedly found myself as Mother's full-time caregiver for eight years and began journaling my feelings from the first day. I definitely felt God asked me to write the book; it was not something I sought to do. Often I felt as if I were the only person going through the trauma of caring for an aging loved one and there was no help available. Therefore, my journaling became more of an encouraging, how-to account than simply my experiences.
Is this your first book?
Susie: This is the second edition of my first book. The first edition did not include any form of study guide. Encouragement from readers as well as from medical health professionals led me to add a discussion guide at the end of each chapter. The guide is designed for both individual and group participation.
With this particular book, how did you publish – traditional, small press, Indie, etc. – and why did you choose this method?
Susie: The first edition was published by a traditional publisher. As this was my first book, I did not know what to expect. If I were to go with a traditional publisher again, I would feel more confident in stating my expectations. I chose a particular traditional publisher because they were a Christian-based new company and I had confidence in the owners. While I feel I invested more financially into the publication than I had planned, it did not diminish the overwhelming joy of opening the first box of books with my name as author. I took photos of the delivery truck, driver, and first book. I also got excited with each royalty check, no matter how small.

I was new to the world of writers and authors and I did not understand the difference between vanity press, traditional publishers, and other publishing choices. I did, however, realize the need to choose a different route for my second edition.
Can you tell us a little about your publishing journey?  The pros and cons?
Susie: Let's focus on the second edition of My Mother My Child. This time I chose to go with CreateSpace through Amazon. Not being real tech savvy, I did not want to invest much time in learning the how-to of CreateSpace. I needed help in designing a new cover, formatting the book, and in following through with the publishing end of it. I chose Write By The Sea Press to publish the book through CreateSpace. I was extremely pleased with the way each step in the process was handled in a timely manner. I was able to feel in control of the end product without doing all the work. The actual investment was about 1/3 of my first edition cost with a much nicer end result.
What lessons do you feel you learned about your particular publishing journey and about the publishing industry as a whole?
Susie: #1 Stay involved in the process, regardless of who is doing the publishing. It is your book and you need to be pleased with the end result.
#2 Learn what you can about the publisher or program you are using before you sign a contract.
#3 Determine what, if any, editing will be done. Although I had several teachers read my first manuscript, it still lacked some good editing for publishing.
Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?
Susie: Yes, I would, especially for those wanting a few books quickly with little investment and purchasing small quantities and a low price.
What’s the best advice you can give to aspiring authors?
Susie:  Make sure your work is well-written before seeking a publisher. Do research, compare prices and check their track record. Your work represents you and should be your very best. Above all, enjoy the great gift of writing.

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