Ask Tracey Garvis Graves discussion
Ask Tracey!
Mod
Hi Heather,
I typically write from 9-3:30 Monday through Friday because the house is empty and quiet. I can't write with any noise, so I never turn on the TV or stereo when I'm writing. I have, however, been known to edit with SpongeBob SquarePants on in the background, and kids running in and out of the room.
I usually get in the mood for writing by reading over whatever I wrote the day before and then taking off from there. I don't have a favorite thing to write as far as differentiating between dialogue and narration, but I do love the days where I can hardly type fast enough to keep up with my thoughts. That's a wonderful thing! If I've done a good amount of planning and know what I'm sitting down to write about, I can usually write about 2,000 words a day. After I hit that point my brain is pretty tired so I'll switch to answering readers' e-mails and responding to tweets and Facebook messages (I'm sorry to say I'm usually woefully behind on this, especially when I'm under deadline).
By 4:30, both kids are home and it's time to switch to Mom mode. :)
Mod
If you are gonna ask questions about Covet please use the spoiler alert, in favor of those crazy people out there who don't read the synopsis and go far to know nothing about a book befo..."
Hi Agueda,
Thank you for posting the spoiler reminder. :)
Tracey wrote: "Agueda wrote: "Hey guys,If you are gonna ask questions about Covet please use the spoiler alert, in favor of those crazy people out there who don't read the synopsis and go far to know nothing ab..."
Hi!
Reading all your anwers at work, i'm gonna get fired. :)
Mod
I love OTI. I wanna know how OTI was born and when you knew in the writing process that you had a book in your hands.
Was OTH the first try of writing a book?
About Covet, did you f..."
Hi Agueda,
I'll answer your questions a bit out of order: Yes, On the Island was my first attempt at writing a full-length novel. I had written a few short stories in college - and always wanted to be a writer (and more specifically, a novelist), but put writing on the back burner when I got married and had my kids. Once they were both in school, I decided to give it another try. One of the items on my bucket list was 'write a novel' so I thought I'd better get started.
I have always been fascinated by the desert island premise so I decided I'd write my own version of a desert island book. I just wanted to see if I could actually get to the part where you type THE END. At first it was hard because I didn't know what I was doing. I had to learn how to write a book while I ...wrote a book. I had many mis-steps and sometimes I became very frustrated. But somewhere around the 40K word mark I realized that, not only were these characters very real to me, but the story had started taking on a life of its own. Even though I was the one writing it, I couldn't wait to see what would happen next.
With Covet, I definitely felt the pressure. I think anyone's sophomore effort, whether they're a writer or a musician or an artist, is always under a bit of scrutiny which is normal and to be expected. I started writing Covet while I was trying to get an agent for On the Island, so I wrote the story that had been churning around in my mind for a while. Covet is different from On the Island in a couple of different ways. The setting of Covet is a suburb of Kansas City. No desert island this time. The main characters are already married so the genre sways a little more toward women's fiction than contemporary romance (although the story is similar to On the Island because there are still lots of romantic elements). The characters are the same age this time around(34).
I would say my writing style is still the same, though. Just like in On the Island, I wrote Covet from multiple viewpoints (three this time, although Claire is by far the main narrator and has more chapters than Chris and Daniel).
Mod
"On The Island" was a FABLOUS TREAT to read. (I must thank my younger female friend for telling me 'I must rea..."
Thank you, Elyse!! This is a wonderful message to receive. I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed Anna and T.J.'s story. :)
I'm also very pleased to know that your are excited for Covet. I do think the premise will be one that women can really relate to (and men, too!)xoxo
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Just want to say I LOVED On the Island. :) Bought the paperback though i already have an ebook. Too bad f..."
Hi! Thank you so much for such a sweet message. I'm so glad you loved On the Island!! I will never get tired of hearing that.
xoxo
Mod
As the first two words of the introduction of the new book "Covet" as presented by Goodreads.
Why biforcate your audience?Fo..."
Hi Rob,
I was overjoyed by the number of male readers who reached out to me to let me know how much they enjoyed On the Island, and I’m hoping many of those readers will be interested in reading Covet as well. Adding women’s fiction to the book’s description is absolutely not meant to discourage my male audience from picking up the book.
The women’s fiction label (in regard to literature) is simply a genre categorization, not an attempt by Goodreads, my publisher, or me to apply a gender bias. You’ll find these genre categorizations anywhere books are sold, and many readers use them for assistance in choosing a book to read. They are meant to be helpful, not limiting. Other genre categories include mystery/thriller, literary fiction, science fiction and fantasy, YA, etc…
One of the reasons it’s important to point out the genre here is because Covet, unlike On the Island, is not a contemporary romance novel and I wanted to be sure that readers knew this. Women’s fiction and contemporary romance share a lot of overlap, but there are subtle differences between the two genres.
According to the Romance Writers of America, “the main plot of a romance novel must revolve around the two people as they develop romantic love for each other and work to build a relationship together. Both the conflict and the climax of the novel should be directly related to that core theme of developing a romantic relationship although the novel can also contain subplots that do not specifically relate to the main characters' romantic love. Furthermore, a romance novel must have an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending.” Most of us know this type of ending as the happily-ever-after.
The Romance Writers of America organization defines women's fiction as, "a commercial novel about a woman on the brink of life change and personal growth. Her journey details emotional reflection and action that transforms her and her relationships with others, and includes a hopeful/upbeat ending with regard to her romantic relationship.” According to Writing-World.com, “A man (or a hero) might be waiting for the heroine of these novels at the end of her journey, but he does not usually get equal time or equal depth to his internal journey during the course of a book. In straight-up romantic fiction, the author renders the hero in every detail – an expectation of readers. This is not necessarily the case in women’s fiction.”
The definition for women's fiction fits Covet perfectly, which was why I put those two words in the description. I read both genres, but sometimes I'm in the mood for something with a little more romance, and someimes I'm in the mood for something that focuses a bit more on the main character and whatever she is dealing with.
I hope that clears things up a little. I will be absolutely delighted if my male readers embrace Covet the way they have with On the Island.
Mod
Hi Jhiehan,
I was inspired by my love of the desert island premise. I absolutely loved the movie The Blue Lagoon (I wanted to BE Brooke Shields, and I fell head over heels for Christopher Atkins). On the Island is my modern-day literary interpretation. I also love survival stories, and I watched the movie Castaway several times. I wanted Tom Hanks to have something other than a volleyball to form a deep bond with. :)
Mod
'Gender' divison happens enough on its own. Listen to the way we each talk.
I've been guilty of saying things like:
"ch..."
Hi Elyse,
I addressed Rob's mention of the 'women's fiction' label above, so I'll re-post the response that I gave to him.
I was overjoyed by the number of male readers who reached out to me to let me know how much they enjoyed On the Island, and I’m hoping many of those readers will be interested in reading Covet as well. Adding women’s fiction to the book’s description is absolutely not meant to discourage my male audience from picking up the book.
The women’s fiction label (in regard to literature) is simply a genre categorization, not an attempt by Goodreads, my publisher, or me to apply a gender bias. You’ll find these genre categorizations anywhere books are sold, and many readers use them for assistance in choosing a book to read. They are meant to be helpful, not limiting. Other genre categories include mystery/thriller, literary fiction, science fiction and fantasy, YA, etc…
One of the reasons it’s important to point out the genre here is because Covet, unlike On the Island, is not a contemporary romance novel and I wanted to be sure that readers knew this. Women’s fiction and contemporary romance share a lot of overlap, but there are subtle differences between the two genres.
According to the Romance Writers of America, “the main plot of a romance novel must revolve around the two people as they develop romantic love for each other and work to build a relationship together. Both the conflict and the climax of the novel should be directly related to that core theme of developing a romantic relationship although the novel can also contain subplots that do not specifically relate to the main characters' romantic love. Furthermore, a romance novel must have an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending.” Most of us know this type of ending as the happily-ever-after.
The Romance Writers of America organization defines women's fiction as, "a commercial novel about a woman on the brink of life change and personal growth. Her journey details emotional reflection and action that transforms her and her relationships with others, and includes a hopeful/upbeat ending with regard to her romantic relationship.” According to Writing-World.com, “A man (or a hero) might be waiting for the heroine of these novels at the end of her journey, but he does not usually get equal time or equal depth to his internal journey during the course of a book. In straight-up romantic fiction, the author renders the hero in every detail – an expectation of readers. This is not necessarily the case in women’s fiction.”
The description of women's fiction fits Covet perfectly. I read both women's fiction and romance almost exclusively, and I have used these definitions for years in order to select the book that best fits my mood. Sometimes I'm looking for a book that's heavier on the romance, and sometimes I'm looking for something that might be similar to what I'm experiencing, or have experienced, in my own life.
To answer your other question, it was actually my husband's and my own experience with job security during the recession that inspired the premise for Covet. In 2008/2009, there were a series of layoffs at my husband's company (as there were all over the United States). At the time, I was a stay-at-home mom so we only had one income. My husband is a senior development manager in the commercial real estate sector so finding another job would have been difficult. My background is in Human Resources and that was definitely a field that was stagnant as companies were reducing their workforces, not adding to them. And we did have friends who lost their jobs. It was heartbreaking watching them try to get back on their feet.
Luckily, my husband was not laid off and I was able to find a job in my field when my youngest started first grade. But that uncertainty generated many questions: What if my husband had lost his job? What if he was out of work for a long time? How would he struggle emotionally? What kind of impact would it have had on our marriage? The answers to these questions (at least my imagination's interpretation of them) later became the basis for Covet.
Hi Tracey, I loved On the Island. Especially since you explored the power dynamic between not only male/female but also teacher/student, Two sort of taboo subjects. Was that conscious and/or intentional? (By the way it was done with grace and class, so kudos!)
Mod
Hi Veronica,
I write from about 9-3:30, while my husband is at work and my kids are at school. While I'd love to write every single day, sometimes I have other things I need to work on with my publisher or publicist. Sometimes I'm blogging or working on other writing-related things like interview questions or guest posts.
But a good day is one where I sit down to write and make my word count goal of 2K words before the kids get home. If I've done my planning ahead of time, I'm usually very motivated to sit down and write! I'm truly in my happy place when the words are flowing.
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Hi Jenny,
Thank you!! And I love hearing from fellow Iowans.
When I knew I wanted to set my story on a desert island, I literally typed 'uninhabited island' into the Google search box. The Maldives popped right up! I spent quite a bit of time, both before I started writing On the Island and also during, just researching the Maldives on the Internet. I looked at countless aerial views, pulled up all kinds of pictures, and studied the climate, animals, and plants. Once I put Anna and T.J on that island (two characters who really SHOULDN'T ever be together), the storyline shifted to what I could do to them that would endanger their lives and generally make them miserable. Fiction writers can be cruel sometimes. But I also wanted to watch those two characters form a bond. My hope was that I could pull it off by convincing the reader to root for them to be together.
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Do you think is mandatory for a writer to prepare academically to be a writer? Collegue, courses, etc? If so, what would you recomment them to be about?
Who do you really trust to r..."
Hi Agueda,
I don't think it's necessary, but I will say that I loved the fiction writing courses I took as electives in college. I majored in business and sometimes I wish I would have switched to a more writer-friendly major. I think all writers should take at least one class (and you can do this online now)to learn the general rules of fiction.
That being said, craft is something you can always improve upon (and I hope to continually work toward being a better writer). But learning how to tell a story is something that's a little harder to teach. I personally want to read the book that I can't put down, even if by some standards the writing isn't considered to be "good." My own prose is very simple and I'm not one for a lot of description, but if I can keep readers turning pages then I feel like I've done my job well.
As for who I trust, my sister, my critique partner, and my beta readers will give it to me straight! I'd be lost without them.
Mod
Hi Carmen,
Thank you!! I'm so happy to hear that you loved On the Island.
When I decide on a story to write, it's usually because I have an idea that's been swirling around in my head for a while. I let my mind wander and start to form the basis of the book in my head. After that, I usually start taking notes, doing some preliminary research, and sketching out an outline of what I already know and what I still need to come up with. Then I name my main characters and attempt to nail down my opening line. After that, I keep writing and I don't stop until I type THE END.
Since I write out of sequence, if I experience writer's block in one part of the story, I'll skip to a scene or chapter I've been dying to write. Usually that helps me get "unstuck" and I can go back and write the part I was struggling with.
Hi Tracey! Like everyone here, I loved On the Island. Are you planning on any book tours for Covet? If so, please consider coming to the San Francisco Bay Area. ;)
Mod
And what made you fall in love with writing?
Thanks"
For T.J., I really wanted a name that sounded like a teenager. I knew from almost the beginning that I would use initials. I also liked the idea of T.J.'s dad being Tom sr. and T.J. being Tom jr. For Anna, I wanted a name that would capture the type of person I imagined Anna to be: kind, sweet, strong, but a bit demure at times. Anna is such a lovely, classic name.
My kids actually help me come up with character names, and they won't stop giving me suggestions until we're done. I love including them in this part of my writing process, and they get a HUGE kick out of helping me.
And lastly, I fell in love with writing because I feel so good when I'm doing it. There is nothing quite like watching a story unfold and listening to the characters tell you they want to do something different than you'd planned. It's just a wonderful feeling. I achieve a real sense of accomplishment when I finish a book.
Mod
Hi Sharon,
My lonely little blog received about 19 hits a day prior to On the Island being self-published. I have much more traffic now, but I don't blog regularly and prefer to spend my time writing books instead of blog posts.
I do have a fairly strong social media presence (I prefer Facebook and Twitter), but the thing that really drove awareness of On the Island was the fantastic word of mouth marketing created by my readers and by the wonderful blogging community. They read the book and told their friends and followers about it.
Goodreads was extremely instrumental in making this happen since the site makes it so easy to share recommendations. I don't think any social media platform can top the power of a large number of readers who connect with a book and tell others about it. I'm eternally grateful to the readers and bloggers for doing this.
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Just wanted to know how you could imagine the Robinson Crusoe kind of living that TJ and Anna had On The Island. Were you ever left alone in such a situation or did someone speak about it. ..."
Hi Nitish,
Honestly, when I decided to write On the Island, I knew I would not be able to sugar-coat what it would be like to be in such dire straits. After I got them to the island I had to ask myself, "Okay. What happens next? You have no food, no water, and you're injured."
This is when I had to rely on part imagination, and part survival skills (of which I have none. Seriously. I don't even like camping). I first decided to tackle the dehydration issue and lighting a signal fire. I did quite a bit of research on how long you could survive without water, and I watched several videos on YouTube about how to make a fire. I watched the movie Castaway several times to see if there was anything I might have missed. Then I tried to put myself in Anna and T.J.'s shoes. Would they fight or would they die? Obviously, both characters were made of pretty strong stuff, but I think anyone placed in that situation would adapt just like Anna and T.J. And I hope I'm never in a similar situation!
Regarding the way Anna and T.J. got together, I did not have any firsthand experience with the older woman, younger man dynamic. But I tried to imagine the natural evolution of their relationship based on how they handled the situations I put them in. I felt like I could see them falling in love.
Hi Tracey,I've just read the excerpt of Covet, LOVE IT, LOVE IT..... I can not wait for the book.
xoxoxoxoxoxo Amal
Mod
Hi Joy,
Yes, On the Island was my first book and I am over-the-moon happy with the way readers have embraced the story. It has been an all-around dream come true for me, and I smile A LOT. :)
I really wanted to write something different. There aren't many desert island books out there (I'd venture a guess that there aren't any about a teacher and her much-younger student). I love the desert island premise and my husband and I are huge fans of the TV show Lost. I loved The Blue Lagoon and Castaway. But I wanted to write a survival story where the two protagonists were a very unlikely pairing. Can you imagine if I'd flip-flopped the characters so that Anna was younger and T.J. was older? It wouldn't have been the same story, and there would be no element of "will they or won't they" because of course they would! I think the answer to the question of whether Anna and T.J. would finally get together is what kept people turning the pages.
Anna and T.J. worked hard for their happily-ever-after, and I never considered not giving it to them. In fact, I probably would have broken down and cried if someone else had written the book but didn't let Anna and T.J. ride off into the sunset together. My heart wouldn't have been able to take it!
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Hi Steph,
Authors often give the advice to aspiring authors to "write what you know." I'm kind of an outlier here because what I tell aspiring authors is "write what you don't know." I say this for two reasons. One, most of the time our own stories won't be half as fascinating to others as they are to us. That doesn't mean people don't have fascinating life experiences, but whether that experience can support the premise of a full-length novel is another story. The idea has to be big enough to last for 80K words.
The second reason I say "write what you don't know" is because if you use your imagination, you'll never run out of things to write about.
I've never dated a younger man (my husband and I are only six months apart in age), I've never been stranded on a desert island, and I've never been in a harrowing survival situation. But it was really interesting - and challenging - to imagine all of those things.
My husband has never been out of work for a year, but I do live in a suburb so the setting of Covet is definitely something I could draw on from my own experiences of living in a suburban neighborhood.
Everything I write is a combination of something I know, something I've read, or something that someone has told me. I have a T-shirt that reads Careful or you'll end up in my novel. It makes me laugh, but it's also true.
Mod
What was the hardest part of writing On The Island? I can't wait to read Covet!"
Hi Danielle,
The hardest part of writing On the Island was maintaining the balance between what would really happen (realistically) and what I needed to have happen for the plot to move forward.
Unfortunately, I don't think Anna and T.J. would have survived the plane crash let alone three-and-a-half years on an uninhabited island. But I needed them to survive so I had to try and write a (somewhat) believable story. When I visit with book clubs or give presentations I always say that "You either suspend disbelief and come along for the ride with me, or you don't." It's one or the other. Luckily, many of you came along for the ride. :)
Tracey wrote: "Lisa Jo wrote: "Tracey, I want to know what made the decision (in your mind) for Claire [spoilers removed] sooo...?"Hi Lisa Jo,
It's hard to answer this question spoiler-free, but I'm going to d..."
Tracey, Thanks for the honest answer. I wasn't judging at all by the way. I was just curious where your mind was @ the beginning/starting process of this book. I can't wait for COVET & I love the honesty of your words. It's what makes the difference between good & GREAT & your words are GREAT! Mucho love for the author!!!!
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the minute I finished On The Island I emailed you and introduced myself. we exchanged a couple of emails and I thank you for being 'so real'.
I am a big fan of On the Island and congra..."
Hi Jen,
Aw, you're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed our e-mail exchange. I feel bad that I'm quite behind on my responses to others at the moment. I have every intention of getting caught up as soon as I turn in the novella.
To answer your question, I hope MGM stays true to the book, but as you've already mentioned with My Sister's Keeper, that isn't always the case. I will just be ecstatic if the movie gets made (and I'll hope for the best). An option (which is what MGM has) doesn't guarantee that the book will be made into a movie. It's a giant step in the right direction, but Hollywood also moves quite slowly, and sometimes studios sit on projects for years.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed. There is nothing I'd love to see more than Anna and T.J.'s story played out on the big screen.
Mod
Do you have any say in who will play the characters from "On the Island" in the movie?
If so, do you have any ideas as to who will play TJ and who will play Anna?
Sincerely,
Joy Bennett"
Hi Joy,
Unfortunately, I don't have any control over the casting for a movie adaptation of On the Island. I've always said Anne Hathaway and Taylor Kitsch would be great as Anna and T.J., but I also like Minka Kelly (she's so pretty!). I also like the idea of an unknown playing T.J. (similar to Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins in The Blue Lagoon). And John Goodman would be wonderful as seaplane pilot Mick.
I'm sure MGM will come up with the perfect cast. :)
Mod
I absolutely loved On the Island. I was worried about where the story would go considering the age difference of the characters but you wrote such a heartwarming story that it became h..."
Hi D,
Thank you!! I was hoping readers would trust me and just come along for the ride. I wanted to tell a heartwarming (and ultimately uplifting) story.
The statement you made about "the complexities of a crumbling marriage, a budding romance and the struggle to decide whether it's time to move on or remain faithful now more than ever" is extremely accurate. Are you sure you weren't standing over my shoulder when I wrote Covet? You really nailed the premise. Those questions are exactly what I wanted to explore with the novel. I believe it's a highly relatable situation that many men and women have found themselves in. But it's the journey toward the answer (for Claire and Chris and Daniel) that will hopefully keep readers turning the pages. Thank you for wanting to come along. :)
Mod
Thanks, Nitish!!
Hi Tracey! I've been lurking on this board for weeks now and couldn't come up with anything to ask (it seems like most of the questions were repetitive to me).I just wanted to say I received your book as a gift and have been praising it to everyone who'll listen, I loved it.
If you're still answering questions, I do have one for you: what's your favorite kind of tree? :)
Mod
Before writing On the Island, was it was a dream or a nightmar..."
Thank you, Francesca! I'm happy to hear that On the Island elicited such emotional responses from you.
Even though I love the desert island premise, it would be a nightmare for me to think of being stranded on one. Now if I knew I could pick up the phone and call a pilot to come get me, I might not mind as much.
I'd love to do a European tour some day. That would be a dream come true!
Mod
Hi Darlene,
The decision to go with a teacher-student relationship was borne solely of a need to put two people (who should NOT be together) on an island and see what would happen. A teacher-student pairing made the most sense for the book. I do not have any personal experiences to draw from, nor have I ever had a crush on a teacher. But I have friends who are teachers and they tell me it's not uncommon for students to develop crushes, especially the boys.
Regarding the tsunami, I really had no idea (for quite a while) how to get Anna and T.J. off the island. I remember thinking one day, "I wish I could just blow them off the island." Then I actually thought about that for a minute, googled the 2004 tsunami, and discovered that the dates and location lined up perfectly with what I'd already written. It was truly a magical thing. I felt like the solution to my problem had been wrapped up in shiny paper with a bow on top. I actually got tears in my eyes.
I'm so happy you enjoyed On the Island. I hope you enjoyed the second read-through as much as you did the first!
Mod
How do you find time for pleasure reading, while you are in the middle of writing a new book? Do you set aside certain times for reading?
I started writing last year and now I have abo..."
Hi Dennis,
I find it almost impossible to read when I'm in the drafting stage of a manuscript. I didn't read at all when I was writing On the Island (which was really hard), and I tried to read when I first started writing Covet and couldn't do it then, either. I'm too worried that I'll start hearing another author's voice in my head and that it will translate to the page, thus wiping out MY voice. I've recently discovered that I can read memoirs and non-fiction without a problem (for obvious reasons), but I'm really looking forward to going on a big book binge before I start my next book.
I didn't set out to write On the Island so that it would be romantically fulfilling to both men and women, but only because I didn't expect men to be interested in the story because it was classified as a contemporary romance. But I also had it in the action and adventure category on Amazon which is where a lot of men discovered it. It was #1 in that category for over two months, and I was able to reach a demographic I'd never expected. I received so many e-mail messages from men telling me how much they loved the story (and that they hadn't expected to). But it made sense: If female readers could fall in love with T.J., why couldn't male readers fall in love with Anna? And many of them did. When they wrote to me they said they wished they could find an Anna of their own. I loved hearing that.
Mod
Hi Andrea *waves*,
The basis for T.J. having Hodgkins lymphoma was because of his age. I knew the disease had two age groups that it tends to strike, the first being young adulthood (15-35). I also knew I needed T.J. to be sterile (for obvious reasons).
When my first child, Matthew, was two years old I belonged to a playgroup. There was a Mom in the group (who I've since lost touch with) who was married to a man who'd had Hodgkin's at around the same age as T.J. I'll never forget the day she told us that no one had talked to her husband about banking his sperm. They had adopted two gorgeous children and they had a wonderfully complete family, but I never forgot that story. And T.J. offering Anna his banked sperm via the letter he sent her was one of the scenes that I wrote while bawling.
I would love to see On the Island bring heightened awareness to Hodgkins and non-Hodgkins lymphoma, Andrea. And I am so happy that you are a survivor. xoxo
I have heard that "On the Island" will be made into a movie. Who would you like to see cast in this movie? I have never been a reader, but now, thanks to you and another author, I can't put books down. I can't wait for your next one. Thank you. :)
Mod
I am a huge fan of OTI! Read it quickly and thought about it long after reading it. Thank you for sharing this wonderful story with us. I have just self-published my first novel and am i..."
Hi Melanie,
Thank you!! I'm so happy to hear that you're a huge fan of the book. And congratulations on the publication of your first novel. That's fantastic!
To be honest, none of the bloggers I reached out to in the early days of On the Island's publication wrote me back. It is very hard to obtain blogger reviews when there are so many authors in need of blogger attention (which is why the bloggers who finally did take a chance on me are near and dear to my heart). I was so happy when I started receiving requests FROM bloggers, because I knew that word-of-mouth about the book was reaching a higher level. I felt like On the Island was a little snowball that kept growing a bit bigger every week.
When I was first trying to find bloggers I went to kindleboards.com (where I'd be hanging out for about six months, mostly lurking). Occasionally they would post lists of bloggers who were open to review requests. If you're not already familiar with kindleboards, you might want to pop over and have a look around. I also have 11 bloggers who recently participated in the cover reveal for Covet (the post is up on my blog). You can check out their blogs and submit review requests by following their submission guidelines.
I wish you the best of luck with your book!
Mod
Hi Jill,
I sent 14 queries and received 14 form rejections. Not one agent even asked to see a partial. And these 14 agents were the 14 best matches for my book. I figured if they weren't interested, my chances of obtaining agent representation were probably pretty low.
At the urging of my husband and my critique partner, I decided to self-publish instead. I'm really glad I did. It took about six months for the book to really take off, but that was better than leaving it on my hard drive where no one would be able to read it.
Amazon took notice of On the Island last March and included it in a promotion called The Big Deal. This was the tipping point for the book, and by the end of the eight-day promotion, the book was at #9 on Amazon's top 100. After that, an agent queried me which was quite surreal. I did end up signing with her and a few months later she sold On the Island and Covet to Penguin in a two-book deal. I always tell people that I did everything kind of backward.
I honestly think sales matter more than your social media platform (although it's great to have both). I had very few followers on my website (less than 100) and I'd never put any of my fiction up on my blog. I still don't have that many followers. I spend more time on my Facebook pages than anywhere else, because I really like the format and how easy it is to reach readers.
My best advice it to treat self-publishing like a marathon and not a sprint. And in the meantime, keep writing. Good luck!
Mod
Big fan as you know. On The Island was a beautiful book.
This question has been asked but I also wanted to know, where did the idea come from?
Also how much time is spent on research..."
Hi Derna *waves*,
The idea came from my love of all thing desert island related. I loved The Blue Lagoon, Castaway, Lost, Survivor...basically anything set on a remote island where survival was key and danger lurked in many places. If I was going to tackle writing a book, I wanted to have fun while doing it. I thought a desert island book would be very exciting to write (and it was). I also needed to put two people together (two people who SHOULDN'T be together) to make the book's central conflict as strong as it could be, which is why I chose the teacher-student dynamic.
To answer your other question, this was also a very hard book to write. It's extremely difficult to walk that line between what would realistically happen (Anna and T.J. would probably have died in the crash. More than likely they wouldn't have washed up on an island) with what I *needed* to have happen so that there could be a book. I spent hours researching dehydration, malnutrition, building a fire without matches, weather patterns, plants, animals, topography, geography...the list goes on and on. I've told people I never want to write such a research-heavy book again.
Probably will, though. :)
Mod
Good evening. And thank you for taking the time from your busy schedule to answer questions from your loyal readers. I would like to ask the following two questions:
1] In your work,..."
Hi Kenny,
You're very welcome. It's my pleasure.
My protagonists don't necessarily reflect all of my views. They definitely share some of them, but I'm actually looking forward to writing a character whose views are in direct contrast to mine (if I think the story warrants it). I've mentioned this before in some other answers I've given today, but I like to "write what I don't know" versus writing only what I know. It's fun to use your imagination and explore different sides of an issue. That being said, there are things I feel very strongly about, like the abuse of children or animals, and I would never write a character - even a villain - who did either of those two things because I wouldn't be able to stand it. I also tend toward happier stories. But I could totally see writing a character who had different views than my own. The book I'm outlining now has a heroine who does something that I wouldn't be comfortable doing for my own personal reasons. But I'm going to write it anyway because it fits the story I want to tell.
As for authors inventing ideas or tapping sources, I'm not 100% sure what you mean. I write the ideas I can't get out of my head. I've had lots of people tell me they have a great idea for my next book, but I can't write a book based on someone else's idea. I have enough ideas in my head for ten more books, and the ones that develop in my mind organically are the ones I want to spend time writing. The story almost starts writing itself and gets louder until I have no choice but to open a word document and start making notes.
Mod
I'm curious about the writing process for your upcoming release. What was the biggest challenge you faced writing COVET and how did you overcome it?..."
Hi Laura,
The biggest challenge - by far - was my fear that readers wanted and expected another On the Island. I started writing Covet (which leans more toward women's fiction than contemporary romance) when I was trying to get an agent for On the Island. I didn't give much thought to the fact that I was shifting genre a bit, because back then I had no idea that On the Island would be successful. I thought a handful of people might read it, but my expectations for the book were extremely low.
Once the book took off and I was offered a two-book contract, I worried again that readers might be disappointed because Covet was set in the suburbs and not some exotic location. There was no big age difference between the main characters and they were also already married to each other. I finally realized that those thoughts were holding me back from the one thing I loved about writing which was getting lost in the story and watching it evolve and come together (which is a really satisfying process). So I had to let those thoughts go.
I would rather write something different every time versus being an author who writes the same book over and over. My next full-length novel (which is only in the research and outline stage) is contemporary romance, but the one I'll write after that will probably be women's fiction. I know that some readers will have a preference for my romance, some will gravitate toward my women's fiction, and some will enjoy both.
I did feel that the writing process itself was a bit easier for Covet. Since I'd done it once I knew I could do it again. I also applied the lessons I'd learned while writing On the Island, and I felt like I had a better understanding of how to write a book which really helped. I'm certain that I'll continue to apply the things I've learned to each book I write.
Mod
Hi Kayla,
Aw, thanks!! I'm so happy to hear that you loved the book and have recommended it to others. That is so very nice of you.
I will be at the Romantic Times Booklover's convention in Kansas City on May 2-5. That's my only midwestern appearance as of right now, other than the events and signings I participate in in the Des Moines area.
Tracey wrote: "Dennis wrote: "Hi Tracey,How do you find time for pleasure reading, while you are in the middle of writing a new book? Do you set aside certain times for reading?
I started writing last year and..."
Thanks so much for your thoughtful reply. I hope you don't feel pressured to write future books for both sexes. Just write what you feel and we will all love it. :-)
Dennis
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Hi Kay,
Thank you!! I'm so glad you enjoyed Anna and T.J.'s story.
There will be a small tour for Covet, but I don't know any of the cities yet. I hope to know more in the next few months, and I'll definitely ask my publisher to include San Francisco as a potential stop on the tour!
Mod
How do you find time for pleasure reading, while you are in the middle of writing a new book? Do you set aside certain times for reading?
I started writin..."
Tracey wrote: "Thank you, Francesca! I'm happy to hear that On the Island elicited such emotional responses from you. Even though I love the desert island premise, it would be a nightmare for me to think of being stranded on one. Now if I knew I could pick up the phone and call a pilot to come get me, I might not mind as much.
I'd love to do a European tour some day. That would be a dream come true!
Thank you, Francesca! I'm happy to hear that On the Island elicited such emotional responses from you.
Even though I love the desert island premise, it would be a nightmare for me to think of being stranded on one. Now if I knew I could pick up the phone and call a pilot to come get me, I might not mind as much.
I'd love to do a European tour some day. That would be a dream come true!
Thank you very much for your answer Tracey, so I cross my fingers for your dream to become true :)
Mod
Hi Loralee,
Thank you!! I'm so glad you enjoyed the story.
The exploration of the teacher-student dynamic, and the fact that it is taboo, was definitely done intentionally. Not because I wanted to titillate the reader, but because I need a really big conflict for my characters to overcome. Anna and T.J. (but mostly Anna) had to reach a level of comfort with their own relationship while dealing with societal norms and restrictions. I couldn't resist the challenge of putting two people on an island (two people who really SHOULDN'T be together)and developing their characters in such a way that you'd not only be okay with them being together, you'd actually root for them to have a happily-ever-after.
Mod
I've just read the excerpt of Covet, LOVE IT, LOVE IT..... I can not wait for the book.
xoxoxoxoxoxo Amal"
That's awesome, Amal!! Thank you! Yay!
Mod
I just wanted to say I received your..."
Hi Brenda,
Thank you!! I'm so glad you enjoyed Anna and T.J.'s story.
Hmmm....my favorite tree? Well, I love fall and I especially love when the leaves change here in Iowa. The maple and oak trees are so pretty when their leaves turn red and gold, so I guess those would be my favorite.
Mod
How do you find time for pleasure reading, while you are in the middle of writing a new book? Do you set aside certain times for reading?
I started writin..."
Thanks, Dennis. I will!! :)
Hi Tracey,Do you have a top 5 list of your all time favorite books?
Mod
Ask Tracey Garvis Graves
Books mentioned in this topic
Outlander (other topics)On the Island (other topics)
Hi Lisa Jo,
It's hard to answer this question spoiler-free, but I'm going to d..."
I went through this same struggle in trying to decide whether the storyline would bother me. Thanks to the input from other readers who posted reviews and friends who shared their experience, I took the plunge and wish I had read it earlier. I now trust you to handle a storyline honestly and will be fearless in reading one of your books, no matter how controversial the topic.