Things I’ve learned since publishing my first book and this list isn’t all inclusive. 

1. Some vanity publishers and small presses don’t have your best interests at heart. Hence my first costly mistake and I mean thousands of dollars.

2. Most charge for editing, other packages, etc that many first time authors don’t have the money for. Yes – I paid them and in return I received unsalable books. Boxes of them. A lot of boxes.

3. Once burned (like I was) you may feel like giving up. Don’t do that! 

4. My first book, a memoir, When Angels Fly, is under revision number five, and from five different professional editors. With each successive editor I became more depressed as each one kept finding errors. This fifth time is the last one, the final edit, and my editor is a wonderful actress, voice coach, and screenwriter who lives in NYC, and she is doing my audible for When Angels Fly which is on sale for FOUR more days at .99 cents! By the way, her name is Paula Slade. Look her up as she is simply wonderful!

5. I had two negative reactions when some people found out that When Angels Fly became an Official New Apple E-Selection winner. My book wasn’t good enough (due to the poor editing) to be a solo medalist, but the multiple messages, life-affirming messages, were such that it was selected as an official selection – this doesn’t mean a solo award winner. Because the editing was poorly done, one person in a noted book group was appalled to find it as an E-Selection, and she ridiculed my “atrocious” book. That hurt! Like I said, I wasn’t a solo medalist because my book wasn’t good enough. The E-Selection was due to the powerful messages, hope, loss, life-affirming events, and how it helps others in the situations that I was in.

6. I have found that illustrated children’s books are a favorite of mine both in narrative and illustrations. 

7. I have found many great friends by being an author. You all know who you are. 

8. It is beneficial to read all the blogs you can as you learn so much! 

9. One must read as much as they write as you will only get better by doing so. 

10. One star reviews are simply that. Don’t take it personally or give up!

11. My faith in God has lifted me from the depression I was in over my first book. Now I’m at 14 books with two more works in progress. 

12. If you only take away ONE thing from this post let it be – Never Give Up! 

    #RRBC #IAN1 #CR4U #ChildhoodCancer #Cancer #faith #love #God #abuse #PDF1 #WhenAngelsFly #Christian #AwardWinning #BestSeller #FeatureFilm #NewApple #CircleOfBooksRingsOfHonor