How I Began My Writing Career

handwriting

I started writing small things in elementary school, poems, book reports and the like. It wasn't really until 6th grade that my english teacher Mrs. Troublefield encouraged and inspired me to write longer things outside of class work. My writing back then was FAR from being anything worth reading... but she took a look at a few of my stories that I had written for fun. Instead of pulling them apart and redlining the entire thing she told me there was potential there and to keep on working. 

I was homeschooled through the rest of my school years, but I continued on with my writing. In the evenings as I lay in my bed I would analyze the structures of  sagas like Harry Potter and Star Wars. Then I would begin creating and recreating (as in I would throw them away and start over) my own worlds in my mind and imagining what the characters would say and do.Many times my stories would bleed over into my dreams and continue developing there!

When the stories got long enough I finally sat down with stacks of notebook paper and wrote them out. (I still have those pencil and ink splotched manuscripts) Later I began typing them up. I hadn't reached 18 by the time I was finished with my first book. I was told by agents that although they liked my work they didn't want to deal with having to work contracts with parents in the mix. So, I paid to self-published my first book. My second one Visionary From The Stars was published by a publisher that shall not be named- (BUT if you find out who it is PLEASE don't take anything to them- you have been warned. I went with them in 2006 before I knew anything about Writer Beware)

In 2012 I saw all the changes in the book industry, with CreateSpace and KDP (amazon's kindle program) opening up new avenues for authors. Neither of my books were in e-book format and my publishers didn't offer those services at that time. So, I got the rights back to my first book and self-published The Alien Mind. It was from that experience that PDMI Publishing LLC found my work and offered me a contract to publish both of my books under their imprint Rara Avis with their distributors. 

I LOVED self-publishing but it was hard for me to market as much as I needed to, and without the backing of a publisher I found it very difficult to get bookstores to even consider stocking my books. More on why I have enjoyed being a PDMI author here.

In 2013 I illustrated a book for PDMI called Wiggle Worm's Shape Adventures by author twins Karen and Kathy Sills.

And in the summer of 2014 PDMI hired me on to be their Illustration and Design Department Manager. Both of my books should be published and released by them sometime this fall (stay posted!). Rumor has it that I may be able to bring both of them to the Novel Wine Tasting Arts and Literary Festival!

Why I Signed With PDMI Publishing

www.pdmipublishing.com

As many of you know, my books use to be (and one still is for now) self-published. I loved self-publishing, but there were many things that I just couldn't achieve with my limited budget as a self-published author. 

I checked out agents and other publishing houses before I chose self-publishing and decided then that what those other houses had to offer wasn't worth the creative input (and the royalties) that I would need to give up.

Then one day, PDMI Publishing approached me with a contract proposal after seeing my work on my website. I'm here to tell you that the PDMI versions of my books are not even published yet and I already have a million reasons why I love being an author with PDMI. I'll go through only a few of them here though...

Authors should be allowed to have a voice in the process of bringing their books to life. No one wants to see the books they have worked so long on torn to shreds and completely changed from how they saw their story unfolding, and yet many mainstream publishers out there change the author's story.  PDMI does not. PDMI works with the author to make sure any changes made to the book still fit within the author's intended vision of the story.

Working on my edits with the editor from PDMI was actually really rather fun! My editor was Clay Gilbert- his comments were hilarious!

Many publishers publish the author and then the author is left to do most if not all of the promoting. Now, PDMI does expect their authors to promote their books- BUT they also help on their end! PDMI has a marketing department that is constantly knocking on doors to get their authors into book events and onto shelves. They maintain an active and personable social media platform and are always looking for new ways to get their authors out there. They even help their authors figure out how to navigate social media effectively!

PDMI also has a massive professional distributing network that makes their books available through any book buying avenue out there. PLUS something else that all bookstores require for shelving that self-publishing can not offer- book store returns! Bookstores want to be able to know that they can return the book if it doesn't sell. (This was the number one reason I was always given as to why I couldn't get my self-published book into the bookstores I approached.)

PDMI even helps support their authors at events! They have represented one of their authors at a film festival when the author was wanting to drum up financial backing to get the author's book made into a movie. They even go to book festivals all over the United States to support their authors. 

When the book is released they'll even help you set up a book tour if you are game for that!

Above all, they are down to earth people that really want to make a difference in the literary world. They promote quality over quantity and strive to design and publish books that will catch the readers eye. They even strive to keep ahead of the market trends!

One of the main things I checked for before signing on with them was their book covers and interior design. If the book covers are plain jane two or three photoshopped photos thrown together you will not get that WOW response from your reader. PDMI has their own illustrators and cover designers on staff and their covers and interior designs are amazing! No other publishing company out there that I have seen publishes books with this amount of quality and thought put into the design! Here are some of PDMI's book covers.

"Yeah but I bet you have to pay for all that!" Says the cynic.

NOPE! On the contrary, they offer a 50% royalty rate to their authors (40% on childrens books), and they publish your book the way any non-vanity professional publisher would- without charging! 

PDMI Publishing is the pinnacle of what I believe a publisher should be. They have an ethics committee that keeps them honest and they strive to treat authors the way they should be treated, like family. After all, if my book sales pay to keep your company open and your company is enabling my book sales everything works out better if we work hand in hand right! To prove that, they have a group on facebook to allow their authors to interact with all the department heads as well as the owners Tc and Nessa Mckenny. We laugh, joke, share and support everyone; that group is our main hub!

Many of their authors are even integrated into their company staff as well. This further helps connect them to their authors and keeps the company down to earth.  I myself was hired to be their Illustration and Design Department Manager just a month or two ago. Speaking of which, their illustrators are even paid by royalties in order to help solidify the idea that everyone benefits when everyone works together to promote the books!

Now yes, I may LOOK a tad biased because I am now on their staff but in all fairness, I had this blog post written out on my old blog over a year ago. My blog got munched by the internet pixies a few weeks ago and I am trying to rebuild lol.

If you get the chance please stop by and give their page a like. Drop them a line and tell them to keep up the good work if you get the chance! The heads of the company, Tc and Nessa, the company director Victoria, and the rest of the staff, are all wonderful people and would appreciate your encouragement!