When I returned from the Smoky Mountains, I sent several pictures to my publisher to use for advertising, possible book cover background, marketing, etc. The pictures I took this time were with my good Canon, not my cellphone, and were better quality. It was so exciting talking to my cover designer and my book editor, Kevin, who went over changes he wanted to do in the format of my book. It seems like forever when I started the book, and now we are to the final stages of putting this book together. The waiting is the hard part now.
Working on a book is like having a baby. There are times it goes smoothly, and then there are times it is tough and a struggle. Sometimes your editor wants you to change things, and you want to stick to your feelings, but know, in the end, they are the experts. With Smoky Mountain Romance, there were no changes in the story. I was lucky, and everything went smoothly with my editing team. There were a few spelling errors and sentence restructuring they found, and that is why I now have experts to edit my books. I am the first to tell them thank you because, without them, I couldn’t imagine putting out a great book. The hardest part now is the waiting for it to be released to the public.
I love my books, and I have two which are sitting in a file because I have lost the direction I want them to go. They will be worked on again one day, but Smoky Mountain Romance stepped in, and it took over. It grew on its own and had a life that encompasses the Smoky Mountains, the town, and the people who live in the area. I dedicated this book to the hospital personnel, paramedics, and fire department personnel.
Being a writer is an escape for me at times. I can venture into another world and create characters who are like my friends or family, or someone I would love to have in my life. It is fun to take current events from the world and incorporate them into my books. I have written COVID-19 into the sequel I am working on now. It has such a significant impact on many people, so it needs to be part of the story. It needs to affect the characters like it is changing our lives. This also adds drama to a book in ways the readers may not see coming. As I said I love writing so I can travel with my characters and the story.
Nothing says YOU can’t be a writer. You need to choose a subject and write, even if it is a children’s book or a blog. Start small like I did and work from there. If you are going to do a book... get professional help. Make it the best you can and do it right. It reflects on you and who you are.
Have a wonderful day everyone and stay safe!
Samantha