Meeting with Publishing Advisor
I have always wanted to go watch the Sea Otters play in Morro Bay. Can you image they were a little over an hour from home but I never took the time to go.
On my recent trip to California, I went to three book signing and I was so excited to meet with Brian. Brian is who I consider my "Publishing Advisor". He is the publishing guru. I wouldn't be able to do any of this without him. Let me explain.
In 2009, I wrote "Unwanted". In 2010, I joined Pennwriters, a writing group across the state of PA. On their web site I found an editor, Elayne Masters who was willing to sit with me twice a month and teach me grammar, sentence structure and rules to writing. It was like taking a year long college class. Then, I attended two writing conference. But I decided to set my book aside, to raise our three kids... that was the most important job for me, raise these three. I loved every minute of raising these glorious farm-kids, they each own piece of my heart. When my oldest graduated high school in 2021, I pulled my manuscript back out and got back to work on it.
Reading, Changing, Reading, Changing, Reading... this could go on for years. BUT, I started to query ten agents a month.
When My middle child graduated high school in 2022, I decided it was near impossible to get a literary agent. I joined a few self writing groups, talked to many self published and agent published author. I decided to self publish and found Brian Schwartz. He helps author self publish. Brian set me up with a good editor, Patricia Alexander. Patricia respected the fact that I didn't want anything changed but grammar and spelling. If something confused her to let me know and I wanted to fix it. I wanted this to be my work. When she was done editing, she sent it back to me with a lot of grammar changes. (my weakness is grammar) and two "This is confusing" areas. I fixed those and she gave Brian the OK to move forward.
I knew what I wanted the cover to look like and my middle child, Abbie created my vision for me. Then Brian turned everything I gave him, into a book. Brian got everything done that needed done. ISBN #, Ingram sparks, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kindle, Library of congress, Brian did it all. Plus, he was very patient with all my questions.
My youngest graduated high school in 2025 and I am able to travel some. On my trip to California in November, I met Brian at a little coffee shop in Morro Bay. It was a honor to sit, have a Mexican chocolate Mocha and get some work done on my first children's book, "Morgan: The Goofy Therapy Newfie". After our little work-session, I walked to "The Rock"... and watched the Sea Otters.
"Morgan: The Goofy Therapy Newfie" Will be available before Christmas.