Publisher Feature week: Meet Blaze Project Manager Kristen

1.       Tell us how you came to work with Blaze.Krystal and I have been talking about opening a publishing company since 2012. For the longest time, it was just a pipe dream. However earlier this year, Krystal came and told me she was going to do it. She wanted to take things into her own hands, and I decided I would do everything I could to help.
2.       What does your job entail? My job is separated into two parts. First and foremost, I am in charge of Author Relations. One thing that we noticed in some other publishing houses is that sometimes you go over a week without hearing from someone after you have asked a question. We definitely did not want that for Blaze. So I act as the liaison from Blaze to the Authors, a personal contact they can reach out to. The second part is Project Management. I have worked extensively in project management for over ten years, and keeping a project on schedule is vital to the success of any business. I work with both the authors and the other blaze members to make sure our production schedule runs smoothly, and completes on time!
3.       What do you enjoy most about being project manager and author relations? My favorite part is working with the Authors, and seeing their book come to life. I get front row tickets to watching someone’s dream come true, and you really can’t beat that.
4.       What have your experiences been like working with the authors?It has been great! I work with three fantastic authors, and we just signed on two wonderful women! I can’t say it won’t be hard at times, as any partnership always has its ups and downs, but I am glad to be doing what I am doing.
5.       What is the hardest part of your job?Waiting. Waiting for submissions. Waiting for the Author to accept our offer. Waiting for the final cover art. Waiting to hold the published book in my hands. Patience was never one of my strengths, and this job is all about patience!
6.       And what is the best part?That’s a tough one. A part of me believes it is working with three fabulous women who truly want to make a difference in the industry. They want to help Authors publish their books. They want to help readers connect with high quality and meaningful stories. Another part of me would say it is helping authors achieve their dream of publication. It is magical to see how excited they are when we offer the acceptance, and with how much excitement they tackle their tasks. Its inspiring. However, if I were being honest with myself, I would have to be selfish and say that the best part is getting to read all the submissions and books. Maybe it will save me some money on my Amazon bill!
7.       Last question; If you could bring any book/movie/TV show to life, what would it be and why?
Harry Potter. Definitely Harry Potter. Why? Because I want to ride a magic broom, and jinx my nosey next door neighbor.