Sarah M. Cradit's Blog, page 3

Dear Louisiana…

Elizabeth Burgess

Dear Louisiana,

I know you are hurting. We are hurting too. From Bossier Parish all the way down to Vermilion Bay, and in the places in between. From Slidell to Natchitoches, Ruston to Houma. Every one of us who loves this great state sees your plight, and we’re here to shoulder the burden. Side by side. Arm in arm.

You’ve been knocked down and you might think no one cares. You’re on your back scared, afraid… drowning. You may believe all hope is lost and the sun will never shine again. Reach inward, Louisiana, dig deep and you will find the light inside of you.

You were born with an indomitable spirit, and though there are parts of you that sit below sea level, you rise. You are a mix of faiths and races and you march to the beat of your own drum. You draw…

View original post 147 more words

The Voice Of An Angel

Eric Shaw Quinn

Over the years I’ve gotten the feeling that The Prince’s Psalmwas a novel that was meant to be somehow. Along the road to publication, people told me the book was too old fashioned, too modern, too long and too short. There are more than a dozen drafts and scores of rewrites.

And every time I have thought to put the book aside, it has come up again, on its own.

There are plenty of books I want to write. Ideas that have been orbiting around up there, waiting on their chance, for years. I’ve written books that are moldering away on old, actually-floppy discs and some that are big-banded and stuffed into long forgotten stationery boxes.

I published Write Murderlast fall, the first in a murder mystery series I’ve always wanted to write.

There is a folder in my files entitled “I Think Maybe” that has little scraps…

View original post 649 more words

The Prince’s Psalm Blog Tour Sarah M. Cradit Trilogy

The Eric Shaw Quinn trilogy for #ThePrincesPsalm, all in one place. Check it out!

Eric Shaw Quinn

Publishing a new book is a great way to find out who your friends really are! And I don’t mean that snarky. A novel is a big ask of anyone, even a close friend. And a big fat, historical, biblical, gay romance, well that really gives your bestest, besties the chance to rise to the occasion. I apparently have a lot of really wonderful friends! So many people have taken time to help me promote my latest in a busy and indifferent marketplace. From astonishing posts to head spinning reviews to standing up for me against the online homophobes to showing up and getting a book signed or buying a copy and reading it, I feel very lucky so far. I can only hope that the enthusiasm of so many dear friends will translate into success for my dream project. Case in point: I have no idea what I have done…

View original post 205 more words

What I’m Working On

From time to time, I like to check in and let readers know what I’m working on.

In somewhat random, somewhat relevant order:

The Secrets Amongst the Cypress (House of Crimson & Clover Volume 8)– The first draft is complete, and I’m preparing to jump in for the next phase, which includes a lot of edits and rewrites. The cover reveal for the book is coming on July 31 (as well as the pre-order links), and it releases October 25th. The story involves Jacob and Amelia’s travel back to nineteenth century Louisiana.
Text Message Serials– My co-writing murder mystery series/serial with Becket has one book complete (The Bee in the Golden Spiral) and a second in development. We will be announcing our publishing plans for this in the not-too-distant future, so stay tuned!
The Last Dryad (The Complex)– A novella part of the broader multi-author sci-fi project set in a shared universe, The Complex. More details to come soon!
Lagniappes Volume II– The second collection of Crimson & Clover short stories, to include Pandora’s Box, The Menagerie, and A Band of Heather. Also will include Banshee and The Ephemeral, which have not previously been published as individual titles.
Untitled Series– I’m also working on a sort-of-top-secret brand new series that combines historical fiction and vampires.
Within the Garden of Twilight (House of Crimson & Clover Volume 9)– Planning is underway for the 9th volume in the series, which is tentatively scheduled to release in March of 2017.

The Eric Shaw Quinn Series | Part 3 of 3: An Exclusive Excerpt from The Prince’s Psalm

The three-part Eric Shaw Quinn series, as part of The Prince’s Psalm Blog Tour, concludes with Part 3 of 3: An Exclusive Excerpt on … And Then There was Sarah.

This is the post you’ve been waiting for. Eric Shaw Quinn, New York Times bestselling author and co-host of The Dinner Party Show, released on June 7th his most exciting and ambitious work yet: a biographical narrative of the powerful love between biblical heroes David and Jonathan. Now, you can read an EXCLUSIVE excerpt from the novel, right here.

The series began with an “in his own words” guest post from Eric, continued with an interview, and, finally, the best for last: an exclusive excerpt from The Prince’s Psalm!

Schedule:

Part One: Guest Post Written by Eric Shaw Quinn (July 5th)

Part Two: An Interview with Eric Shaw Quinn (July 12th)

Part Three: An Exclusive Excerpt from The Prince’s Psalm. (July 19th)

To learn more about this story (including links to where to purchase), click here.

Note: The below excerpt is copyrighted and may not be reproduced without permission of the author.

 

An Exclusive Excerpt from The Prince’s Psalm by Eric Shaw Quinn

Their small party sat on cushions on the cool tiles of the floor in Nitzevet’s sewing room. David played as the women spun wool and flax into thread for the winter weaving. The sun drooped lazily under the eyebrow of the thickly overgrown arbors that shielded the rooms of the large house. A breeze blew in from the central courtyard.

David’s voice and music were like pale wine. Sharp at first and then soothing. The pure sweet notes took away the late summer heat of the month of Elul and eased the drudgery of the mundane tasks the karmel demanded.

“Oh God, do you believe in me?” David sighed as he plucked absently at the strings of his lyre.

His mother looked up at him from under a disapprovingly arched eyebrow and then back down at her work.

“I know I believe in you, Lord,” he went on. “One has only to behold the night sky or feel the heat of the Hamsin winds or witness a streak of light fall from heaven and split an oak to feel your presence. But what would you have of me?”

“David,” his mother scolded gently without looking up. She sighed wistfully but remained intent on her task, twisting wool onto her distaff. “You mustn’t say such things.”

“Does the Lord know of me or care about me?” David continued as though his mother hadn’t spoken, making a song of it as he accompanied himself on his lyre. “Though I have many blessings from him, he’s never answered a single one of my prayers. Can he not hear me? Or does he just not care? How do I find comfort in either answer?”

“David, you are such a terrible boy,” his sister Abigail giggled, more amused than disturbed by her younger brother’s regular proclamations on such grand topics.

“Yes, it is most fortunate that he can play the harp and sing so well. God would surely frown on such presumption otherwise if he didn’t make it sound so pretty,” his eldest sister, Zeruiah, confided loudly to Abigail.

“The Lord could not frown on such a gamila,” cackled Maha, the serving woman attending the three ladies.

“Little girl?” David translated Maha’s Arabic slang indignantly.

“Pretty little girl,” Abigail corrected with a prim smirk.

“I may be the eighth of eight brothers,” David threatened, striking an ominous cord on the lyre strings. “But I am still a man in this house.”

“And you look better in a silk tunic than any of the women who live on your father’s karmel,” Maha sniffed as she refilled the water cups.

“Maha,” David said sternly, plucking two dissonant notes to echo his tone. “You forget yourself.”

“Indeed,” Nitzevet said sternly, still not looking up. “My son has the best legs in all of Bethlehem, not just the karmel.”

Even David had to smile as the roomful of women dissolved into a musical chorus of chirping laughter.

“Is it not bad enough that I must be treated this way by my father and all my brothers?” David moaned, resuming his playing with a doleful tune. “Sisters, even your sons regard me more as their aunt than their uncle. I was doomed by the Lord’s malice to be a servant of my brothers before I even learned my prayers.”

“David, practice your music,” Nitzevet said sharply, looking up. She tired of her son’s all-too-familiar verses. “It’s too hot for all this again just now. Play something soothing if you’re going to stay in here.”

With a respectful nod to his mother, the only person from Dan to Beersheba and all of Israel in between who could command from him more than a haughty head toss, David resumed his playing. He began an amusing song of a shy young shepherd extolling the virtues of his great love, who turned out in the final verse to be his finest sheep. Nitzevet only rolled her eyes at the clever lyrics and their implications. It was a little coarse for the company but easier to hear than David’s endless poetic writhing against his fate.

Though she knew there would be little for David at the time of inheritance, she took some measure of comfort in the certain knowledge that there would always be a place for David at Eliab’s table. Nitzevet gave thanks that her most precious one would always have a fine home and a comfortable future in his brother’s house. If only David could be more at ease with his place in the world, she thought in her own silent psalm.

As if in answer, David took up a bittersweet love song. His voice drifted out with the light breeze that cooled the fine limestone house. Set high in the hills above the city, Jesse’s imposing home commanded a fine view of the sprawling farm. The large open rooms inhaled the steady sea breezes that coursed in a heartbeat the three-day journey across the plains of Philistia. Ruffling the sycamores and scrub in the rugged shephelah and climbing into the hills of Judah, they arrived cool and calm in Nitzevet’s sewing room.

The music, the summer day, and the hard work lulled everyone into a drowsy repose. Nitzevet alone saw Eliab. She smiled in response to Eliab’s pleading sign behind David’s back. He stole in through the courtyard garden.

The house was at peace and in order. Then, David’s legs were flying through the air as his benevolent but unseen assailant tossed him over his shoulder kicking and screaming. The disturbance spread as Eliab ran away with his little brother.

David wasn’t startled for long. He knew his brother’s playful grasp all too well.

David had passed the days of his youth stuffed into oil jars, stranded on tree limbs, and tossed into every body of water large enough to get him wet and muddy. He had also had the best seat at every festival, sacrifice, and trip into town: his brother’s broad and sturdy shoulders.

Though three summers had passed since David had stood up as a man to read from the scroll, they had neither of them outgrown this, their traditional greeting. Eliab was of age to marry. Only his desire to go adventuring in the king’s army kept him single. His stay in town was filled with as many women as there were nights in his visit.

Still each year it was the same. Eliab abducted David; David screamed and struggled like a virgin being captured by Amalekites to be sold into slavery.

The custom was well kept that evening. David shouted the house down as Eliab bore him on a wild and circuitous ride to the mule trough. There, as always, he dangled David above the murky water until the pleading and threatening brought the intervention of ultimate authority—Nitzevet.

“Eliab, you put me down this instant or I will poison your wine at table,” David howled, swinging wildly and without much malice toward his brother, his arms too short to afford his fists any serious purchase.

“Ah, little brother,” Eliab teased, splashing water onto David with one hand and dipping him dangerously close to the water’s surface with the other. “Is that any way to welcome your loving older brother home? Besides, you look as though you could use a little mikveh, and the mule trough is so refreshing.”

“Eliab.” Nitzevet’s voice rumbled from the distance like thunder coming over the hills before a summer storm. Her determined stride drew her quickly nearer to play her part in the ceremony. She tried not to smile as she approached, happy and relieved at replaying the old fun and not the old fight.

“What about my welcome home?” David demanded. Still upside down, he folded his arms and looked up into his tormentor’s face. “Why not come home with a casket of jewels to show your affection for your favorite brother rather than this primitive rite to prove your manhood? I’m hardly challenge enough to be much of a trophy.”

“I think you’d make an admirable trophy,” Eliab said, holding his brother up for inspection. “In fact, I think I’ll have you dipped in bronze and mounted on marble like a little Canaanite god. We could keep you in the kitchen to scare away evil spirits, or at least vermin.”

Eliab laughed loudly and alone at his own joke, though it was an effort for David not to join in.

“Put your brother down at once,” Nitzevet shouted as she arrived, breathless. The contest always and inevitably ended at the stables. There were only fields, orchards, and hills beyond.

“Now you’ve done it,” David said, checking his nails for dirt and evenness as casually as if he was standing upright.

“Where is your father?” Nitzevet demanded, smacking Eliab on the back of the head as she caught up to them. “You two will turn me into stone one of these days, carrying on like a Philistine invasion.”

“I rode ahead so I could surprise my brother,” Eliab said, upending David and crushing him to his chest like he was hugging a Canaan shepherd pup. “And why scold me? You might have warned him when you saw me coming, if you’re so concerned about the state of your delicate nature and our refined household.”

“Mother!” David accused, joining his brother in shifting the focus of torment to her. “How could you?”

“Oh, throw him in, then,” Nitzevet called over her shoulder. Turning her palms heavenward, she raised her hands above her head as she stalked back toward the house. “Your father will be home soon. I need to speak with him about disinheriting you both.”

“Well, there goes nothing for me, though a sad loss for you.” David sighed. Eliab stood him upright before again crushing him in an overzealous embrace. “Let go of me, you big oaf.”

“Oh, little brother,” Eliab said, putting an arm around David’s shoulder and dragging him back up the hill toward the house. “You’re too pretty to worry about such practical matters as inheritance.”

“That’s easy to say when you’re the eldest and the ugliest,” David groused as he feigned a struggle against his brother’s iron grip.

“Perhaps you’ll marry a rich husband?” Eliab said, pinching David’s cheek. “Your sisters haven’t done so badly.”

“Neither have their husbands,” David said, managing to tuck the back of his brother’s robe into his sash unnoticed.

“Speaking of which,” Eliab said, freeing David enough to allow him to walk alongside. “I ran into your betrothed, Micah, after Rosh Chodesh at temple last new moon.” They paused as they came into the small, fragrant kitchen garden fringing the side of the house.

“You are such a simple beast.” David groaned, trying to hide his excitement about news of Micah. “Just because you were born in the country is no reason to act quite such the son of Belail.”

“Oh, so sorry to waste your time with my like,” Eliab said with a humble bow. Picking up his stride, he easily left David behind. “I guess you don’t care to hear any message Micah sent for you by such as me,” he called back over his shoulder.

“No, Eliab,” David said, doubling his shorter stride to catch up and trying not to plead. He pursued Eliab into the thicket of fig trees that sheltered Nitzevet’s kitchen garden from the wind. “Micah’s a good friend, and I have hardly seen him since we were in town for Passover worship.”

“Well, which is it, little brother?” Eliab demanded with a devilish gleam in his mahogany eyes. He wheeled so suddenly that David collided with him and was once again in the vise grip of his brother’s arms. “Do you want to hear the message from your sweetheart or don’t you?”

“Eliab,” David wailed.

“Which is it?”

“Micah’s off to join King Saul’s army for the spring campaign,” Abinadab said, emerging suddenly from behind the fig trees and smacking Eliab’s bare backside. His delight in spoiling Eliab’s torment of their younger brother was unconcealed.

“You jackal,” Eliab said, dropping David into a bed of coriander in the confusion. He struggled to untangle his robe from his sash and cover his naked ass as he attempted to capture Abinadab.

Eliab found this brother’s capture and punishment a more formidable task than the previous round. Abinadab, only a year Eliab’s junior, was almost as tall and more stalwart. They were as much in league as men as they had been as children. Nitzevet called them the twins, as one was always to be found about the same designs and mischief as the other. They were as evenly matched. Their battles grew titanic as they grew into men, splintering furniture and shattering crockery with their struggles to resolve whatever argument brought them to blows. The best anyone could do or hope for was to stay out of their way until they’d reached some truce or agreement or were just too tired to battle on. Most simply fled their clashes. Their father Jesse laughed helplessly. Only one possessed the bronze to still their storms like rain on a brush fire.

“Abinadab, David, Eliab bin Jesse,” Nitzevet bellowed, emerging from her kitchen like a she-bear from her lair. “Get out of my garden and stop that at once.”

The men scrambled like boys as they scattered and made to deflect the wrath of their beloved mother.

“Go and get yourselves cleaned up for supper, and don’t let me hear any more of this nonsense until after the harvest is in,” she said, striking Abinadab with the wooden spoon in her hand, simply because he was the nearest.

Eliab snatched David out of the coriander before his mother could see the damage. They all filed past under her withering glare. Each son kissed her check as they went inside. They left her to find water, oil, and linens and make ready for the homecoming feast they’d smelled all the way up the hill from Bethlehem.

To learn more about this story (including links to where to purchase), click here.

The Eric Shaw Quinn Series | Part 2 of 3: A Conversation with Eric

The three-part Eric Shaw Quinn series, as part of The Prince’s Psalm Blog Tour, continues with Part 2 of 3 on … And Then There was Sarah.

Join me below as I interviewed the diversely talented Eric Shaw Quinn, New York Times bestselling author and co-host of The Dinner Party Show. On June 7th, he released his most exciting and ambitious work yet: a biographical narrative of the powerful love between biblical heroes David and Jonathan. Widely lauded as a beautiful retelling of 1 Samuel 18:1 & 3, Quinn sat down to chat with me about the book and his experiences in sharing it with the world.

The series began with an “in his own words” guest post from Eric, continues now with an interview, and, finally, the best for past: an exclusive excerpt from The Prince’s Psalm!

Schedule:

Part One: Guest Post Written by Eric Shaw Quinn (July 5th)

Part Two: An Interview with Eric Shaw Quinn (July 12th)

Part Three: An Exclusive Excerpt from The Prince’s Psalm. (July 19th)

To learn more about this story (including links to where to purchase), click here.

An Author-to-Author Conversaion with Eric Shaw Quinn

Sarah: Hi Eric! Thank you so much for your time to sit down and chat.  

Eric: Delighted!

Sarah: This has been an exciting month for you. The Prince’s Psalm released June 7th, which tells the powerful tale of the love between David and Jonathan, heir to Israel. You’ve said this is a story you’ve wanted to tell for a long time. What prompted you to do it now?

Eric: Well, Sarah, to be honest, I was ready to go 10 years ago when I first wrote it. I think maybe the world is ready now.

Sarah: I agree. And those who aren’t ready never will be, but this train has left the station.

Eric: God, I hope so!

Sarah: “The greatest gay love story ever told is in The Bible.” You mentioned your father came upon the scripture that first brought this story to your attention. What brought it from interest to a need to tell the story?

Eric: When I first realized I was gay all the information I had was that it was the worst thing I could be. Fortunately for me, my titanium ego allowed me to arrive rather swiftly at a place where I realized that if the world thought gay people were terrible there was a mistake, because I wasn’t terrible. I knew at once that I had to do what I could to let people know they were wrong about me and other gay people. A lot of the choices I’ve made since, both personally and professionally, have been based on that moment of truth. When I first read those first few verses of 1 Samuel 18 the “scales fell from my eyes.” I had just assumed that the big mistake about me was being caused in large part by The Bible and that my relationship to that institution was irreconcilable, so the thought that there were gay people in the Bible took my breath away and once again, I knew I had to let people know.

Sarah: While being a woman comes with its own share of unfair and incorrect prejudices, I can’t imagine what it must be like to be told, from the time you were old enough to know who you were, that who you were was wrong. Worse, an abomination. It’s fair to say that many use the Bible as a weapon to preach intolerance, but there are others who see the scripture as you and I do, with open eyes. Have you had readers come to you and say this story has helped to open their eyes?

Eric: Some of the most moving responses I’ve had have been from those people for whom The Prince’s Psalm made them feel “seen.” I think it’s akin to what I felt when I first discovered the story of Jonathan and David and their love. Growing up gay has meant growing up very much alone, isolated, invisible. I was not even sure if there were other gay people and who they were or how to know. I hope it doesn’t mean that as much or at all any more, but I think it’s still very important for gay people to be visible and for us to own our gay history and our gay heritage.

Sarah: I hope it doesn’t as well, but thankfully we have those, like you, who stand bravely to tell a better story. On The Prince’s Psalm, many have sought to tell their own stories from biblical passages, though, undoubtedly, the choice in highlighting a romantic relationship between two men is a controversial one, even if it shouldn’t be. How did you prepare yourself for the (putting it kindly) backlash?

Eric: Oh, honey, I grew up a little gay boy in small towns in the south in the 60s and 70s. I was 5’ 6 ¾” 108 pounds soaking wet when I graduated from college. I’ve heard way worse and taken far more brutal beatings than the internet cowards sniping at The Prince’s Psalm. I guess I’ve been preparing for it all my life. It’ll be a bigger adjustment for me when the reflexive bigotry toward gay people finally goes away.

Sarah: That last statement is incredibly sad to me, because it is all too real for many. To change our world, we must change ourselves, when self-reflection is deceptive by definition. Your reaction, to fight with knowledge, is so very inspiring. And now, you have so many allies willing to fight alongside you, rather than turning away because it isn’t their fight.

Eric: I hope that’s true more and more. It took me as long to get The Prince’s Psalm published as it did Say Uncle and that’s a thirty year time span. The media including and especially most publishing is still very conservative about gay people. We are all too often “disappeared” from the story. I’ll be interested to see in the Rio Summer Olympics if any gay partners get the kind of coverage that their non-gay counterparts do. NBC wouldn’t even show Matthew Mitcham receiving his gold medal, let alone his partner in the stands cheering for him and his win was not only an upset but record setting. The discrimination can seem very subtle when what you’re seeing is nothing.    

Sarah: That’s very true. You sure brought all the bigots out of the woodwork with this one! We should all thank you for this surfacing act. What advice would you give an author who is struggling to tell their own controversial story? And how have you handled the ensuing vitriol?

Eric: I’m a big believer in being the change I want to see in the world. I try to remember that the gay rights movement is where it is because free speech includes offensive thoughts and ideas. For most of my life mine were the offensive thoughts and ideas. I’m amazed that things have changed so much. The bullies and bigots are the minority, maybe the Internet is proving that they always were! But I wouldn’t have know it if I hadn’t risked telling Jonathan and David’s story. I discovered when my first novel Say Uncle came out that if I want people to support me I have to give them the opportunity to do it. And so far so good!

Sarah: That’s a great point, about giving people the opportunity to support you. Along those lines, what has been your biggest surprise in this process?

Eric: When Say Uncle, my first novel, first came out, the idea of gay people raising children was VERY controversial. The courts were still taking gay people’s own children away from them. So when I had my first signing and launch at a bookstore in Columbia, South Carolina, I was uncertain how it would be received. My family is there and the novel is set there, but I was far from certain of my reception returning there. I warned my family and apologized in advance. And people stood for over an hour in the rain for the chance to get their book signed and say congratulations. It still moves me to think of it. My secret hope is that most people are a lot better than we think they are, it’s just that a few shitheads get all the press!

Sarah: The Prince’s Psalm is getting rave reviews! One of my favorite review quotes is this one, from an Amazon consumer: “This telling of the great Biblical love story between David and Jonathan was a masterfully wrought pairing of old testament scripture and sensitive exegesis. The author has reclaimed the grand romance between these two great men and placed into its proper, well-researched, historical and cultural context.”

Eric: I’m not a big review guy, but the response to The Prince’s Psalm has been so overwhelming. I got actual edits from actual editors like, “Oh, for crying out loud, this is so amazing!” And several reviewers and a number of readers have taken the time to write to me and tell me their personal experiences of how deeply the story moved them. One woman told me she gave it to her 80-something ultra-conservative mom who read it, wept, and said it was the best love story she’d ever read. That’s how I’ve felt about this story since I first discovered it. It’s the reason why I always felt like it was important that I tell it. I’m gratified if I’ve done it justice.

Sarah: Beyond The Prince’s Psalm, you have a diverse writing resume, including comedy satire with your recent Write Murder, an uplifting tale of gay adoption in Say Uncle, screenplay novelization for the fantastic Queer as Folk, and, of course, ghostwriting for an infamous blonde bombshell. With each of your projects being so distinct, you undoubtedly have taken learnings from each. What has been your most important lesson?

Eric: Write the story you want to read even if it’s not a story you would read! Writing is an accidental career for me. Aside from on-the-job, I don’t have any training as a writer. I took a part time job running errands and writing copy for an ad agency when I was in college and here we are. I was planning to be an actor and have done plenty of that as well. I bring that actor’s sensibility with me. When I can I choose projects that interest me, but sometimes I just need a J-O-B. I take the assignment I’m given and make the most of it. I’ve gotten some of my biggest applause for playing parts I didn’t want and I landed on the New York Times Bestsellers’ List for one of the worst jobs I’ve ever had. Bloom where you’re planted, right?

Sarah: I’ve found that to be true, too. My readers, for example, will love the most the characters I least enjoy writing. With acting, that must be even more challenging at times, because you’re on visible display. On the flip side, what was your favorite acting job?

Eric: Golly! What a hard question!! I really love acting so I tend to love every chance I get. Since I haven’t pursued acting as a career, those opportunities have been fewer than I’d like and sweeter as a result. Of course, TheDinnerPartyShow.com has been a huge amount of fun and given me lots of little chances for voice acting and I’m looking forward to bringing the show out as a YouTube channel soon. I did a production of Noises Off once that was sublime. And roles in Robber Bridegroom, Wild Oates, Zoo Story, Arsenic and Old Lace, Dames at Sea, The Country Wife, and I Rise in Flame Cried the Phoenix are stand outs. But a recent role in a little training film called Love Your Customer I did for a director friend was huge fun. I just love doing it. Honestly, I think for me writing is just my chance to play all the parts!

Sarah: From one author to another, let’s talk process. You decide to sit down and write. Describe your process, from how/if you plot your stories, to what your writing setting needs to be for maximum creativity.

Eric: I am so lucky. I learned to write while sitting at the front desk and answering the phone at a busy ad agency. I wrote my first novel in longhand on yellow legal pads. I graduated from college with a major in theatre and a minor in philosophy so no employable skills. Not even typing. Learning to compose on a keyboard was the most remarkable addition to my repertoire. As a result of my eclectic learning curve I have a sort of journeyman’s approach to the task. Every novel is different so I write them all differently. And I can write anywhere, though I try to be comfortable, if that’s not on offer, even that won’t stop me.

Sarah: As a writer, you do have to learn to be versatile, and tune out the noise. And, let’s face it, there’s always noise! Let’s branch beyond the arts, though. If you hadn’t been a writer, what road do you think you’d have taken (not including any creative profession).

Eric: Wow, that’s a stumper. I’d have said actor, obviously, and even my “corporate” life was creative work at ad agencies. I worked at Target when I was in college (they called it Richway back then). And I was really good at that. I sold paint and hardware and took my department from dead last to number one in the chain in 60 days or something. I still have my paint mixology diploma from Glidden somewhere. So I guess I could have done that. But I’d have just become a decorator and made it creative. I actually thought I would be an architect – still creative – when I was a kid but then I took drafting and that was that. I think the answer is whatever I did, I’d have turned it into a creative job. I’m just an artist in my soul.

Sarah: The moral of a creative’s story is that they cannot and should not escape the art.

Eric: Art, there’s no escape.

Sarah: What advice would the Eric of today give the Eric just starting his writing career?

Eric: Don’t wait. Don’t defer your dreams or your happiness. The worst choices I’ve ever made were the ones where I convinced myself I was playing it safe. 

Sarah: Finally, the table is yours. What would you like your readers to know most about The Prince’s Psalm?

Eric: Where The Prince’s Psalm is concerned I’m far more interested in what my readers think—how this story affects them. I still cry every time I read it. Every. Time. It’s such a powerful story. Besides The Prince’s Psalm, only It’s a Wonderful Life makes me cry every time. High cotton for me. Now, I’m a crier. I cry during the Making a Difference minute at the end of the news. I’m a big crier. But every time? That’s more than just me being leaky. The Prince’s Psalm is a powerful story on so many levels and the love story between David and Jonathan is the heart and soul of it. But around them there are sweeping epic battles, searing personal conflicts, intense human feelings – comic and tragic – not to mention supernatural elements from prophets and seers to witches, spirits and god himself. My Hollywood pitch is: It’s Gone with the Wind meets Game of Thrones. Something for the whole family!

Sarah: If that’s not a winning combination, I don’t know what is! Eric, I’ve really enjoyed chatting with you. I appreciate you taking the time to sit down and talk about this journey!

Eric: Thanks for this Sarah! And thanks to everyone who gets a copy of The Prince’s Psalm. I hope you love it as much as I do.    

 

To learn more about this story (including links to where to purchase), click here.

The Prince’s Psalm Digital Book Tour

Check out Eric Shaw Quinn’s blog tour for The Prince’s Psalm… lots of great stops and content, including several on this blog over the next few weeks.

Eric Shaw Quinn

The Prince’s Psalm, my first ever romance, first ever historical, first ever Biblical epic about the sweeping love story between David, of David and Goliath fame and Prince Jonathan, the first heir to the throne of the then brand new, emerging nation of Israel, launched June 7th in print and digital versions (available in all platforms here: http://thedinnerpartyshow.com/albums/the-princes-psalm/

There has been a book tour going on, but it’s been online. It has taken the form of guest posts and reviews on the blogs of generous colleagues and book enthusiasts. It began at The Purple Rose Tea House with a guest post about my emotional first encounter with Michelangelo’s iconic David and the lasting effects on me and my home décor here:    http://www.purpleroseteahouse.com/2016/06/08/guest-post-il-david-the-princes-psalm-by-eric-shaw-quinn/

The Novel Approach blog shared my thoughts on the challenges of writing a novel I wasn’t qualified to write until I was finished writing it — Now I could teach a class!! —…

View original post 421 more words

The Eric Shaw Quinn Series | Part 1 of 3: A Guest Post from Eric

I’m thrilled to introduce a three-part series with the diversely talented Eric Shaw Quinn, New York Times bestselling author and co-host of The Dinner Party Show. On June 7th, he released his most exciting and ambitious work yet: a biographical narrative of the powerful love between biblical heroes David and Jonathan. Widely lauded as a beautiful retelling of 1 Samuel 18:1 & 3, Quinn sat down to chat with me about the book and his experiences in sharing it with the world.

The series begins with an “in his own words” guest post from Eric, continued the following week with an interview, and, finally, the best for past: an exclusive excerpt from The Prince’s Psalm!

Schedule:

Part One: Guest Post Written by Eric Shaw Quinn (July 5th)

Part Two: An Interview with Eric Shaw Quinn (July 12th)

Part Three: An Exclusive Excerpt from The Prince’s Psalm. (July 19th)

The Prince’s Psalm- A Guest Post by Eric Shaw Quinn

I’m not really a Bible person. As a gay person, I never really felt welcome in the Christian church around which I grew up. I wasn’t sure what offended me more. The Christians who used their bible and their faith to justify discriminating against and even killing gay people, or the Christians who claimed they didn’t hate “the gays” but did nothing to stop the destructive actions of the lunatics who did. One thing was for sure. Both groups turned me off to the whole thing. It turned out to be a personal blessing as it allowed me to explore my spirituality unfettered by outdated ideas. I got the chance to decide what I believe and what I don’t believe. Without five-thousand-year-old, out of date rules to encumber me, my faith continues to evolve. The only thing I’m certain about is that I don’t believe in organized religion. I think it’s a harmful and destructive force responsible for most of the evil in the world today.

My father is a man of strong faith. He’s had his own struggles with religion. In his lifetime, he’s pursued a career as a minister, studied for a doctorate of divinity at SMU and left the church altogether over its views and inaction on segregation. More recently, Dad was personally shaken when his delegation to the Methodist convention was denied a chance to speak about standing up for gay people against those Christians who wanted to use the church as a weapon against others. His faith remained strong, however. Later when his own minister decided to be a dick in public about the incident at the convention, my father stepped away from his church’s regular organized observances. Still, despite being in his eighties now, he continues his work at the church-based soup kitchen he helped start after he retired. That’s just one of his Christian outreach efforts where he tries to do “unto the least of these.”

It was the nineties, the heyday of Christian hate against gay people. On the television airwaves and beyond, alleged Christians felt free to just say whatever hateful, hurtful thing they wanted to and about gay people. Yet my father’s faith and his belief in his own mission was strong enough that he turned to that same faith for answers to his conflict. In a Bible study group with whom he was reading and discussing the Bible chapter by chapter, he came upon the first book of Samuel and, as he read on, to 1 Samuel chapter 18 which begins:

And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

2 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father’s house.

3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

My father could see the truth in these beautiful words. These two men — one of them arguably the second most famous person in the Bible – were not only in love, but pledging their commitment to one another as David was taken into Jonathan’s family. This was gay marriage, right smack dab in the middle of the holy book that was being used to argue against the idea and to justify the hatred of and discrimination against gay people throughout the world. I don’t know where my father was when he read these words or what his Bible study class had to say about it, or if leapt to his feet and raced to call me or just remembered to let me know what he’d found when we next spoke. I do know that from the moment I first heard those words more than twenty years ago, the novel that became The Prince’s Psalm was born in my heart. Thanks Dad, for sharing your faith with me and for inspiring me to tell Jonathan and David’s love story.

To learn more about this story (including links to where to purchase), click here.

 

So You Want to Self Publish

I am often asked some variant of the question: “I’ve written a book. How do I self-publish it?” The question, as well as the answer, can feel overwhelming. Certainly whenever I’m asked, I often think, where do I start? What level of detail do I share? How much of my time can I give to assisting?

Time is unfortunately a commodity I have very little of nowadays, but I also love to help others, especially those serious about pursuing their creative endeavors. This article attempts to achieve that balance.

What This Is: The basics to get someone started in publishing, to get their feet wet. To literally get a book for sale and ready to market. Things you need to know before you publish, and the places you can go to do so.

What This Is Not: An all-inclusive guide to self-publishing. There’s no way I could cram 5+ years of learning into a single post, nor does my brain cooperate in that way. This is also not a guide for how to find an agent or a publisher.

This article assumes you have already written a book. This also assumes that you are aiming to publish your work with the intention of getting it into reader’s hands (as opposed to just printing copies for yourself). I have other guides that cover tips for the writing process. This guide picks up at the point you have a completed book and need to know what to do next.

10 Things That Have to Happen Before You Publish
If you are serious about getting your work into the world, these are all things you have to consider. They all require considerable time, and in certain cases, money. If you expect to see any success in this business, they’re also not optional (with the exception of author groups). Proceed with a deep breath, and decide if you’re ready for this level of commitment.
 

Editing: You must have the book edited. Sometimes new authors believe this is an optional step, but I can assure you, no matter how proficient you are in your language (even if you yourself have edited books), you need an objective set of eyes. You cannot be objective. We just are not wired that way. The best way to find an editor is by recommendations from other authors, and most credible editors will do a small sample for free for you so you can get a feel for their process and style. Be sure to find one who is experienced and has good relationships with their clients. Your friend Sally who got an A in English is not a substitute for an editor. The type and degree of editing you need will depend on your experience level. I started off needing a content editor, but now have a copy editor.
Beta Reading: Beta reading differs from editing in that with beta reading you are looking for pure reader reaction. What works? What doesn’t work? Where are there inconsistencies in story or character behavior? What was unclear? Unlike an editor, your beta readers do not need to have any formal experience, they only need to feel comfortable and safe giving you very honest feedback. You can find beta readers within author groups, or even from friends. The most important thing is that your beta reader is not telling you what you want to hear, but what you need to. I recommend 2-3 beta readers. Beta readers should be willing to work for free, although sending them a paperback of the finished book is a nice gesture.
Formatting: Your book needs to be formatted to properly work on the various types of e-readers, as well as for paperback. Some authors (myself included) do their own formatting, but for your first time, I recommend leaving this in the hands of an expert. You’ll need an .epub file, a .mobi file, and a PDF of your paperback. Some editors also offer formatting, but if not, there are a lot of places to go to find a formatter.
Blurb: Yep, those things on the back of the book telling readers what it’s about? You need one. They can be painful for authors to write, as it’s often hard to paraphrase our own work, but your editor can help you get it cleaned up. Couple of tips: strong statements, avoid repetitive words, and keep it in present tense.
Cover Design: You need a cover. Not just any cover, but a good cover. Unless you are already a skilled and proficient graphic designer, no you cannot create the cover yourself. Fair or not, many readers can and do judge a book by the cover, and a cover that is either poorly done or does not fit with your genre/theme/brand is not only not doing you favors, it will actually work against you. You can find a cover designer the same way as an editor. You might even reach out to authors whose covers you loved and ask who they used.
Brand: You need to decide what your brand is. What keywords should be associated with you, what you want readers to think of when they see your name and read your books. This is not a black and white exercise, but as you begin to wrap your mind around this, everything you do (from your covers, to your marketing, to your social media presence, etc.) should represent your brand. I may speak more on this in another article, as this is a huge topic that deserves its own space.
Marketing: You can write the best book in the world, have it edited to perfection, commission the best cover, and have a consistent brand message, but if you don’t market your work, you will not sell any books. Sadly, books do not sell on their own. I know marketing is typically an ‘after the fact’ activity, but I bring it up in the ‘before you publish’ category because you need to know and decide upfront how much money and time you are going to invest in marketing. This includes time you spend on social media promoting your own work as well as paying third party advertisers to help you spread the word. Realistically, I spent 5-10 hours marketing (sometimes more) each week. Many authors are caught off guard by the cost and necessity, so it’s better to go in armed.
Social Media & Newsletter: Create your social media presence EARLY. It’s so much easier to build from day one than to go back after a year and attempt it. You’ll want Facebook (an author page, not a personal profile), Twitter, and a Newsletter for sure. You might also want Google +, Instagram, and Pinterest, but your mileage may vary with these. And, most important of all, get your newsletter started. This will be the single biggest marketing tool you have as an author. I cannot stress this enough. You can get a free account with Mailchimp or Mailerlite, and it only becomes a cost service once you reach a higher number of subscribers. Include links to all of these places (FB, Twitter, Newsletter, etc.) in the back of every single one of your books.
Author Groups: Look for author groups on Facebook and join them. Observe the discussions. Befriend authors, and where you take help, also offer it (perhaps by offering to beta for them, as an example). Over time, your author friends will become your tribe, but they will also help you navigate the often unfair, often confusing waters of publishing. They are also the only ones who know what it is to suffer from crippling self-doubt, but, on the flip side, the absolute high from nailing a passage.
Financials: This one is as simple, or as complicated, as it needs to be. Essentially, you need to decide where you’re going to get your checks. It’s usually easier and cleaner to open a separate account for any book revenue. Also, be sure to track any expenses related to your books for tax time. Covers, editing, marketing, materials- items directly related to expenses to keep your writing business moving forward can probably be written off at tax time. I am not a tax attorney, though, so take that advice with this fact in mind, and consult one if needed.


That may seem like a lot; it is. But if you’ve come this far, and you’re serious about the work you’ve created, then your work deserves your continued focus to make it a success. Every single topic above deserves its own article, and I may one day expand on those, but there are also a ton of resources on the internet. Just be wary of anything that feels like a shortcut to success. As with fad diets and get rich quick schemes, they often fall way short of reality.

 

So by now you should have a fully edited and beta read book, with a fabulous cover that fits your brand, a marketing plan (or at least an idea of the time you plan to spend marketing), your social sites created and running, and some author support groups on your Facebook. Phew!

You’re ready to publish!

For self-publishing, there are a number of sites where you can load your book. Each site asks for a different file type, and has certain requirements. Most are fairly easy to navigate once you get the hang of it. Below I’ve listed out the main sites where you can distribute your work. They all have FAQs and Tutorials should you need help.


For eBooks, you can publish directly or through a third party. For paperbacks, there are several places you create and distribute your work, and I’ve listed them below separately.


Bear in mind that eBook royalties vary by how you price your work. Most retailers will only offer max royalty if you price your book $2.99 or higher.


Direct Distributors for eBooks
A direct distributor simply means you are selling your books directly through the retailers. With Amazon, you have to go direct, as they no longer allow third party uploading. For all others, you can choose to use one of the third party options above, or you can upload directly with them for quicker reporting and tighter control.



Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing: http://kdp.amazon.com. Distributes to all Amazon markets that sell ebooks. Kindle sales are a top earner for most authors, so I recommend starting here. KDP also offers a program called Kindle Unlimited that has some perks, but requires exclusivity (can’t publish anywhere else). They offer 70% royalties on books priced $2.99-$9.99 and 35% to anything under $2.99 or over $9.99. On top of that, they remove a small amount for delivery fees, which is based on the size of your .mobi file. For uploading, for best results, use a .mobi.
Barnes & Noble Nook: http://nookpress.com/. Distributes to Barnes & Noble US and some EU countries. For royalties, they pay 40% up to $2.99 (or over $10) and 65% for $2.99-$9.99. When uploading, for best results use an .epub.
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/writinglife. Kobo is a Canadian company that distributes to a number of markets. They’ve seen a lot of recent growth, including the ability to book promotions directly with them. They offer 70% for books over $2.99 (no cap), and 40% for anything under.
Apple iBooks: https://itunesconnect.apple.com. Apple is the only one of the retailers listed here that requires you to have very specific hardware: a Mac, in this case. You have to download an app called iTunes Producer to distribute content to iTunes. If you do not have a Mac, you can use one of the third party aggregators listed below to get your work on iBooks. Apple does not have a firm royalty table published, but royalties come out between 60-70% usually.
Google Play: https://play.google.com/books/publish/. I’ve never been able to find a straight answer about Google’s royalty payments. I always estimated between 50-60%, and the end result comes out around there.
All Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/publishers.html. I don’t have much personal experience with this retailer, but some romance authors do very well here.



Third Party Distributors for eBooks
A third party distributor basically acts as a middle-man between you and the direct distributor (Nook, Amazon, etc.), and handles all the publishing and sending of files to those retailers. The benefit of this is being able to manage it easily in one place. The downfall is that the reporting is often delayed, and you have less direct control over how your content is sent and displayed. There are also different royalties using third party than doing direct. Note: Neither will distribute to Amazon, so even if you go this route, you will still need to distribute directly with Amazon.



Draft 2 Digital: https://www.draft2digital.com/ They distribute to iBooks, Kobo, Nook, and several other niche retailers. D2D, of the two, is easier as they do not have rigorous controls over the content you upload. It also appears on the retailers quicker, in my experience.
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/ They distribute to most of the big retailers (iBooks, Nook, Kobo), as well as many of the smaller, up-and-coming, or niche retailers (see site for full list). Smashwords, in addition to distributing to other retailers for you, has their own storefront where consumers can buy your books as well. Their content requirements can be more tedious if your formatting isn’t perfect, and they take longer to send books to retailers. However, Mark Coker, CEO, is very active in the indie community and loves feedback.


Note: for both third party distributors, you can choose which retailers you want to distribute to, or opt out of. Also, some of the smaller/niche retailers listed for these third party uploaders can ONLY be uploaded to via their site, and not direct.


Third Party or Direct?
There are pros and cons of both and it comes down to personal preference.

For third party, on the pro side, you have convenience, and also some of the retailers (like Scribd, as an example) don’t have direct selling options, so you get your book in more places. On the con side of third party, your reporting is often delayed and less sophisticated, and you’re trusting a third party to translate your content.

On the direct side, the pro is the control and reporting. On the con side is, for iBooks specifically, you can only upload directly if you own a Mac.

Personally, I distribute direct everywhere.


Paperbacks     
There are several third party companies who will do print-on-demand for your paperbacks. Some cost you nothing upfront, others have an expense. They all have different distribution options, as well. Personally, I use CreateSpace due to their ease of use and broad distribution, and my books can be purchased online at Amazon, Nook, Powell’s, and other retailers. Lightning Source and Lulu are other companies you could check out for comparison (I have not personally used them). Ingram Spark is also popular, but has setup fees. And Barnes & Noble is also offering a paperback creation service now.


Your Books Are Uploaded: Now What?
First, check the retailers to find your titles. Depending on the retailer, this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days, but once you have your links, I recommend keeping them in a note somewhere so you can find them easily.



Start executing on your marketing plan. This is another topic that deserves a separate post (if not an actual course). However, the absolute best marketing for your book is another book. If a reader loves it, but has nothing else from you to buy, they will move on.
Keep your social media active. DO market your work there, but DON’T only post about your books. Find interesting content, images, etc. that relate to your brand. For example, my books are set in New Orleans so I often post articles and pictures of the area.
Engage with people who engage with you. If you start selling like Stephen King, this might prove more challenging for you, but in the beginning you have all the time in the world and you should use it wisely.
Don’t ask for favors from other authors. They are your friends, and maybe your fans, but mostly your friends. On the flip side, do join cross-promo groups or author co-ops designed for helping one another with promo. Learn from other authors, take what advice works, and adapt it to work for you.
Learn early that everyone’s experiences are different, and what works for one may not work for another. Everyone I know who has seen success in writing has done it in different ways. Master your brand, keep it consistent, write good content, and most importantly, begin writing the next book.
Start tracking your sales. Put your spreadsheets together early, and update them periodically so you don’t have to go back months later and reconcile. There’s a lot of ways to look at data, and I may tackle this is another post, another time.
Don’t expect overnight sales. Or even any sales. You might get no sales at all for a while, and 10 books in your first month might be ambitious. It takes a long time, a lot of work, and a significant amount of patience to build a brand and a fan base. But, don’t despair. One reader will lead to another, and another. View this as a business that deserves (and requires) your time and commitment to thrive.
Research! There’s so much to learn, and so many great resources out there. Here’s a list of some sites that have some great information for authors new to publishing: https://soulsistersauthoradvocates.wordpress.com/start-here/



That’s All For Now!
If you’ve made it to the end, you’re likely thinking that was ridiculously long. I don’t mean to scare you, but this barely scratches the surface. This gets you through the door and into the big, scary, but immensely rewarding world of publishing. I could talk about marketing, brand, pre-orders, optimizing call-to-actions, networks, loss leaders, how and when to put your book on sale, and a million other things but they will mean little to you at this stage. For now, you did it! Now, take a deep breath, and get to learning.

Good luck!

NOW LIVE: Hook & Ladder 69 | 18 Authors, 1 Sexy Firehouse

NOW LIVE!!

☆☆18 Authors, One Sexy Firehouse☆☆

All proceeds donated to child burn victims


‪#‎1click‬ Now for ‪#‎99c‬‬
 (Limited time price!)

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1VsYB2V

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1sq4aUo

iTunes: http://apple.co/1PhtUwp

B&N: http://bit.ly/1TEo4XW

Kobo: http://bit.ly/25kFE5i

Hook & Ladder 69 by Emme Burton, M.C. Cerny, Sarah M. Cradit, Michelle Dare, Jami Denise, L.B. Dunbar, Lisa Edward, Lia Fairchild, Mary Catherine Gebhard, Z.B. Heller, Glenna Maynard, Kristen Hope Mazzola, Morgan Jane Mitchell, Emerson Shaw, Kacey Shea, M. Stratton, Madison Street, & Felicia Tatum

Meet the brave men and women of Station 69, serving the citizens of St. Louis while igniting hearts along the way. Eighteen authors have joined forces to bring you their sizzling stories—some sweet, some five alarm hot—but all for a great cause. Follow the antics and adventures of these sexy firefighters in what promises to be one of the hottest summers yet! This delectable book begs the question: Can anyone resist a hero in uniform?

Multiple authors have come together to give you one firehouse where all proceeds from this collaboration go to the Burned Children Recovery Foundation. The Burned Children Recovery Foundation is a national recovery agency that has provided Emotional Support and Financial Aid to Burned Children and their Families since 1989. For more information about this foundation:

http://www.burnedchildrenrecovery.org/

Photog: Eric Battershell Photography/FITography

Cover Model: Shane Williams

Design: Qdesign, Amy Queau

‪#‎HL69‬‬ ‪#‎1Click‬‬ ‪#‎4Charity‬‬ ‪#‎CoverReveal‬‬ ‪#‎eroticrom‬‬