Did You Know...?
Let's play a game!
Since I’ve spent the past month on holidays enjoying a well-earned break, I’m going to do something a little different here and let you in on some lesser-known facts about me, my writing process and my debut novel.
Let’s go!
Did you know…?
I’ve been writing for over twenty years, working towards publishing a book for ten, and could fill an entire room with the number of rejections I’ve received. I consider myself an optimistic person, but even I had days where I was ready to chuck it all in and give up. Then one day I realised I couldn’t stop writing. I wouldn’t stop. Even if I never got published, I loved writing too much to stop. Twelve months after I had that realisation, I signed my publishing deal.
Publishing is a game of patience and persistence. Don’t give up. You never know what might be just around the corner!
Did you know…?
I wrote young adult, fantasy, dystopian and women’s fiction novels before I discovered rural romance. Once I found my genre, the ideas wouldn’t stop coming and the stories wrote themselves. When I finished writing my second RuRo and already had the plot for another, I knew this was it for me. I began building my author brand around it, and by the time I won the Emerald Award I had three completed manuscripts, a branded author website and an Instagram page that showed agents and publishers not only that I knew my genre well, but I was serious about building a writing career long term.
This doesn’t mean you have to pigeon-hole yourself as a writer! I believe you should write the stories you can’t stop yourself from writing. This is just what worked for me.
Did you know…?
I came up with the idea for A Farm in Golden Clouds a few weeks after we made a tree-change to a small hobby farm on the side of a mountain. My husband almost flipped the ride-on mower on a steep paddock, and for a moment I thought he was going to leave me all alone with a thirty-acre farm I had no idea how to run, seven sheep I had no clue how to look after and two kids. Once I knew he was okay, I found myself jotting down the idea because it sounded like a fantastic premise for a rural romance novel.
The takeaway? Ideas and inspiration are everywhere! (no husbands were hurt in the making of this book 😊)
Did you know…?
There will be nineteen months between signing my book deal and releasing my debut novel. Publishing a book is a game of patience, with long periods of waiting interspersed with short, sharp bursts of panic and deadlines. On top of the endless rounds of edits to get through, there’s a crazy amount of work that goes on behind the scenes, such as editors, proofreaders, cover designs, audiobook recording, publicity and marketing.
Every publishing journey is different, so whether yours feels like a hyper-coaster of a ride or a plodding adventure, just remember you’ll get there in the end.
Did you know…?
I’ve written five manuscripts in five years, but one of them won’t be published... YET. It was originally two ideas I’ve played with for years, but one day I discovered a way to weave them together. It’s bigger and bolder than all the other stories I’ve written, and by the time I was halfway through I knew I didn’t have the skill or knowledge to do it justice right now. It’s rural fiction, but not your typical rural romance. I pushed through and finished the manuscript anyway, then put it in my drawer to wait for the day I’m ready to write it the way I’ve always imagined.
Writers learn, improve, grow and evolve with every story they write, so even if your idea feels impossible now, it won’t always feel that way. One day you’ll be ready.
Did you know…?
Pre-ordering a book before its release day is a huge support to authors—especially debut authors (oh hey, hi, it’s me!). Pre-orders not only build momentum, but it alerts booksellers and publishers that there’s a high reader demand. This may determine how many copies retailers choose to stock and where to display it in bookshops (high visibility may lead to more sales), increase the initial print run, convince the publisher to invest in marketing and may help the author secure another contract for future books.
In other words, would you pretty please pre-order my debut novel, A Farm in Golden Clouds, if you haven’t already? If you’re still unsure, don’t just listen to me—see what best-selling author Maya Linnell has to say about it:
'A sparkling debut, full of love and hope. I couldn't put it down!' Maya Linnell.
Next month will be HUGE! We’re talking publicity, finalising the launch party and how I could be spiralling 4 WEEKS out from release day…