Pivotal moments come in our fictional stories, but they also come in our real life.
Upon looking back a year ago, I see that I had yet to have my first vampire book published. But I was trying to get it published with an eBook publisher. I simply wasn't getting anywhere with them (I'll not name them, as other people have gone on to publish with them). I think my book wasn't quite right for them, but the editor simply wouldn't tell me. She kept stringing me along, for some reason, all summer long. I asked one more time if she wanted to see the rest of the book. After waiting five weeks and never heard back from her I gave up. Discouraged, but not quite down, I decided to go with Copperhill Media, who'd shown interest in my first chapter. I don't think I could have made a better choice.
Now, with Vampire Ascending out, and the eBook doing really well, and my second book to be released in late Summer, I'm trying to appreciate where I've come from. A lot of well-known novelists don't do this. Those who have made a lot of money not only on their books--as they were published with the big-name publishers--but have had movies made of their books, seem to not be very happy with where they are, as though they're owed much more. I've seen too many interviews with authors who became too large too quickly, and don't think they've really "made it", and are "unavailable". (Of course there are a rare few who are not big-headed.) On the contrast, I've been able to contact other authors, and they've friended me on facebook.
I won't ever become big-headed. I've been struggling far too long to snub friends, followers and fans to do that. I'm not sure if I'll ever enjoy a six-figure check derived from book sales or maybe a movie deal, but I'll gladly take whatever may come. I'm told, or reminded, by my husband I deserve much more. Well, don't most of us, really? Suffering is part of the artist's life. The term "starving artist" isn't just a funny term.
Actually having people enjoying my book all over America, and maybe even the world (my blog, Lorelei's Muse is visited by more than 50 countries, and I seem to be pretty popular with Denmark, Latvia, Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia and Germany), is a big treat for me. It is because I've never had the privilege of such potential readers, fans or just the curious want to check out what I post here, or whatever I've published.
My first book which I self-published, Spell of the Black Unicorn, has suffered sales since the first year. Possibly because it's only in book form, is why, and I've had no idea of how to promote it. It is a fantasy tale I wanted to write, and spent five years doing so. I have a sequel to it, but I'm not willing to go the self-publishing route again. I did so because--again--I could get no where with agents. I'll just wait and see what happens with my vampire novels.
So, the pivotal moment is now, I'd say, with my second in a series about to come out, Vampire's Trill picks up where Vampire Ascending leaves off, in the continuous story of my Touch Clairvoyant, Sabrina Strong. To have several people contact me via facebook who have read Vampire Ascending and tell me how much they loved it, and want to read the second book is, to me, the best ride so far I've ever had. I'm just happy to be able to say it will be coming out soon.
Meanwhile, I work on the third book.
