My Personal Path To Publication - Lindsay Downs
My guest today is a fellow author at Astraea Press and an author of mystery/suspense novels as well as romance. There has also been a brief dabble into YA (at my request) but Lindsay is first and foremost a writer and lover of a good mystery. The next offering you can expect has a most unusual protagonist, a collie named Dakota, who is a partner of the other protagonist, Emily Dahill, CID, the lead character as well as the title of the book. I don't get lucky enough to interview Dakota here, but I reserved the right with Lindsay to get her in the future. Here now, enjoy Lindsay's journey:
1.How long have you been writing?I'vebeen writing with an eye toward being published since 2006 when I joinedRomance Writers of America (RWA). Before then I did a newsletter which was partfiction, part non-fiction, depending on the stories I could find. I've alsowritten for a weekly newspaper. In total I've been writing since the mid 80's.1980's that is.
2.Are you published and if so, how long have youbeen a published author? If not, what's yourplan?BesidesAstraea Press I have stories with two other presses. The Wild Rose Press gaveme my first contract in 2008 for a historical romance. I'm also published withanother press, who will remain unnamed. I have a romance also through them.Even though I have two romance stories out in cyber land I'm much happierwriting mystery/suspense.
3.Which route did you choose for becomingpublished, the traditional route, with an agent, the"indie" route, goingdirectly to the publishers yourself, or deciding to self-publish?I'vepitched to both agent and editors at conferences. To date I've only had onestory sold that way, Somewhere in North Africa and that was to The Wild RosePress. So, I guess you could say I went the 'indie' route and am glad,correction ecstatic, to have found Stephanie Taylor at Astraea Press. I did tryputting out a book via the self-publishing route but decided to pull the bookdue to bad reviews. I'm planning to rewrite that story and then submit it topublishers.
4.Why did you choose that particular route?I chose to gothe small press route because I feel there is so much more hands on with them.You develop a relationship with the staff and are given personal attention.You're not lost in the crowd of other authors.
5.How long did it take you to write your firstnovel?That'sreally a tough question to answer. My first story, a short, that I wascontracted for probably took about six months. This was back when I wasstarting out and learning how to write. Which, I must add, I still am to thisday.
6.How long did it take you to publish it?I pitched theshort at a conference when after getting rejected on the spot for a full. Theeditor asked if I had anything else and when I told her I had a WWII historicalI gave her the unprepared pitch and sold the story.
7.How many times did it get rejected before itgot published?Asyou can see from above it never got rejected. However, the full I wrote severalyears later has been rejected with every publisher and agent I submitted thestory to. That's the major reason for rewriting the book. A few of therejections gave me suggestions on how to improve the story and I'll beimplementing them in the rewrite.
8.Tell us about worst rejection letter.Allrejection letters are bad. I can't, even though I have them all, pinpoint any onein specific as being worse than the others. Rejection letters are all part ofthe writing process and if you take them personally then maybe this isn't theright job for you.
9.What was the best news you ever got in yourwriting life and how did it make you feel?Thebest news wasn't so much my first contract but the latest one with AstraeaPress. How did it make me feel-like I finally made it. Here was a new pressthat had the same faith in me and my characters, Emily Dahill, CID and her veryunusual partner, Dakota, as I did.
10. What's the worst piece of advice you ever got?Whateverit was I forgot what it was or took it and reversed the advice into good andapplied it to my writing.
11. Now, tell us the best!Writewhat you know. And it wasn't necessarily romance but military. Since then I'vefocused on having some or all my characters in the Army. That's how I ended upwith mystery today.
12. What's the one thing you would want an aspiringwriter to take away from your personalpath to publication?Learnthe craft, which is an ongoing process. Develop your own voice. And have faithin you, your writing and your characters.
13. Where can we read your blog? Buy your books?Connect with you on Facebook? On Twitter? Your website?Blog: www.murdersandmystyeries.wordpress.comFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1015004477Twitter:ldowns2966Website: www.lindsaydowns.com
Back cover blurbs for Emily Dahill, CID Part 1FinalMission-After being seriously wounded in a copter crash in Iraq Sgt. EmilyDahill meets her new partner as she embarks on her new Army career as a CIDagent. Who could this new partner be?A Body inthe Snow-Emily and her partner, Dakota, cross bullets with their most determinedfoe. Who will survive?RightPlace, Wrong Day-On leave to hang with friends Emily gets the surprise of herlife.Dog onFishing-When it comes to knowing how to fish, and catch the big ones, never underestimateyour partner. He might surprise you.
Exciting, right? I know I can't wait to read this and the rest in the series. I happen to know there are more and Lindsay is readying them for release as we speak. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for the rest in the series. And the next time you see a beautiful collie, think of Dakota. Somewhere, somehow, an attractive detective is relying on a surefooted canine for a partner. And she always gets her man!
1.How long have you been writing?I'vebeen writing with an eye toward being published since 2006 when I joinedRomance Writers of America (RWA). Before then I did a newsletter which was partfiction, part non-fiction, depending on the stories I could find. I've alsowritten for a weekly newspaper. In total I've been writing since the mid 80's.1980's that is.
2.Are you published and if so, how long have youbeen a published author? If not, what's yourplan?BesidesAstraea Press I have stories with two other presses. The Wild Rose Press gaveme my first contract in 2008 for a historical romance. I'm also published withanother press, who will remain unnamed. I have a romance also through them.Even though I have two romance stories out in cyber land I'm much happierwriting mystery/suspense.
3.Which route did you choose for becomingpublished, the traditional route, with an agent, the"indie" route, goingdirectly to the publishers yourself, or deciding to self-publish?I'vepitched to both agent and editors at conferences. To date I've only had onestory sold that way, Somewhere in North Africa and that was to The Wild RosePress. So, I guess you could say I went the 'indie' route and am glad,correction ecstatic, to have found Stephanie Taylor at Astraea Press. I did tryputting out a book via the self-publishing route but decided to pull the bookdue to bad reviews. I'm planning to rewrite that story and then submit it topublishers.
4.Why did you choose that particular route?I chose to gothe small press route because I feel there is so much more hands on with them.You develop a relationship with the staff and are given personal attention.You're not lost in the crowd of other authors.
5.How long did it take you to write your firstnovel?That'sreally a tough question to answer. My first story, a short, that I wascontracted for probably took about six months. This was back when I wasstarting out and learning how to write. Which, I must add, I still am to thisday.
6.How long did it take you to publish it?I pitched theshort at a conference when after getting rejected on the spot for a full. Theeditor asked if I had anything else and when I told her I had a WWII historicalI gave her the unprepared pitch and sold the story.
7.How many times did it get rejected before itgot published?Asyou can see from above it never got rejected. However, the full I wrote severalyears later has been rejected with every publisher and agent I submitted thestory to. That's the major reason for rewriting the book. A few of therejections gave me suggestions on how to improve the story and I'll beimplementing them in the rewrite.
8.Tell us about worst rejection letter.Allrejection letters are bad. I can't, even though I have them all, pinpoint any onein specific as being worse than the others. Rejection letters are all part ofthe writing process and if you take them personally then maybe this isn't theright job for you.
9.What was the best news you ever got in yourwriting life and how did it make you feel?Thebest news wasn't so much my first contract but the latest one with AstraeaPress. How did it make me feel-like I finally made it. Here was a new pressthat had the same faith in me and my characters, Emily Dahill, CID and her veryunusual partner, Dakota, as I did.
10. What's the worst piece of advice you ever got?Whateverit was I forgot what it was or took it and reversed the advice into good andapplied it to my writing.
11. Now, tell us the best!Writewhat you know. And it wasn't necessarily romance but military. Since then I'vefocused on having some or all my characters in the Army. That's how I ended upwith mystery today.
12. What's the one thing you would want an aspiringwriter to take away from your personalpath to publication?Learnthe craft, which is an ongoing process. Develop your own voice. And have faithin you, your writing and your characters.
13. Where can we read your blog? Buy your books?Connect with you on Facebook? On Twitter? Your website?Blog: www.murdersandmystyeries.wordpress.comFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1015004477Twitter:ldowns2966Website: www.lindsaydowns.com
Back cover blurbs for Emily Dahill, CID Part 1FinalMission-After being seriously wounded in a copter crash in Iraq Sgt. EmilyDahill meets her new partner as she embarks on her new Army career as a CIDagent. Who could this new partner be?A Body inthe Snow-Emily and her partner, Dakota, cross bullets with their most determinedfoe. Who will survive?RightPlace, Wrong Day-On leave to hang with friends Emily gets the surprise of herlife.Dog onFishing-When it comes to knowing how to fish, and catch the big ones, never underestimateyour partner. He might surprise you.
Exciting, right? I know I can't wait to read this and the rest in the series. I happen to know there are more and Lindsay is readying them for release as we speak. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for the rest in the series. And the next time you see a beautiful collie, think of Dakota. Somewhere, somehow, an attractive detective is relying on a surefooted canine for a partner. And she always gets her man!
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