Ten years seems like such a long time ago, yet at the same time it seems so short.
Was it really 10 years ago this month that I released into the world my very first book? I can’t say it was a dream come true because I had never really thought about writing and publishing books. Even after I was finishing up this book I wasn’t sure it would actually ever get published. But it did! And since that time I’ve written and published over 50 other titles. Some novels, some novellas, some short stories. It’s hard to believe.
I had only written “historical letters” with some friends before I started my first book, and so that was the format I started with.
During the time of writing, I did so much research, read newspaper articles from those years, found so many stories that I didn’t get to add, and many that I did add. I read book after book after book about the Great War, and practically lived with the families from my story.
My Grandpa even took me on a day trip to visit Codell, KS. It was a hot summer day, and when we arrived we didn’t see a single person. It was almost like a ghost town. I got to visit the school, and see the main street. We stopped in Plainville but the museum was closed. Oh, well.
When I reached the end of writing my book, I cried. It was hard to say goodbye to the characters that I had spend 6 years getting to know and write about. I felt like they were dear friends.
Then it was time to publish. I had been looking and searching and trying to find how to publish my book.
I at last decided to use Xulon Press since I had a great uncle who had used them. It was very expensive! And I had no say in the price, they designed the cover, and did the layout. At that time I didn’t know how to do any of those things, so it was exciting to get it done. Even after I had my book in my hands, I could hardly believe it was real.
But I also realized that if I was going to keep using Xulon I wouldn’t be able to publish books very often.
A few months later, while working at a homeschool convention with my brother’s Light of Faith booth, I got to talking to someone who had recently self-published their book. He told me what he’d done and what it had cost. This place was called CreateSpace, and he had a course that walked you though publishing your own book.
Well, to make a long story short, I bought the course, published The Unexpected Request that fall, and then the following spring I republished Home Fires.
My best friend and I had a cover design time and while she did the actual computer part (I didn’t know how to use Photoshop then), I helped with ideas and layout.
I don’t know about you, but I like the 2nd cover better than the first. It just fits the story better and looks more appealing.
Now, if you actually made it to the end of this history, I have a surprise for you. I am putting the kindle version of my first book on sale. The price is starting out at $.99 but it is going up during the week, so get your copy now. This book almost never goes on sale. So get your copy now, because . . .
If you send me a picture of your receipt I’ll send you the two published Ria and the Gang stories for free.
Have you read Home Fires of the Great War? Have you ever gotten to visit a place where one of your stories took place? If you want to know more about the actual writing of this book, come back next week.
That’s so neat you had the opportunity to visit that small town. Congratulations on your very first book being published 10 years ago!
~Ashley
It was fun to actually see the town.
Thanks, Ashley. 🙂
Ahh, how awesome!! I need to reread this beauty ^_^
🙂 Yes, you probably are due for a reread. 😉
Wow! 10 years since becoming a published author! 😀 😀 😀 That is quite the milestone!! Congratulations!! May God continue to guide and direct your writing endeavours.
Thanks, Lauren. It’s strange to think about it being 10 years.