I am happy to have Silvia Webber, author of The Wolves Keeper Legend, at Cafe of Dreams today! Ms. Webber has been so kind to write a delightful and excellent guest post for readers to enjoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Publishing Journey or How I Became a Published Author
We started looking for a Publisher in 14 April 2008.
First of all, we bought the books Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook 2009 and Writers’ Market UK 2008. We read them right through, me and my husband, every tip, every detail. On one hand, it helped us with the bases – how to compose a query letter, how to write a good Synopsis. But then we thought – if I was a Publisher, or an Agent, would I be interested in reading the same model of query letter a hundred times a day? Wouldn’t I be so bored that I would start just throwing them in the bin? We started breaking the rules, writing more from the heart, avoiding the cold business letter. Of course, in some cases, probably the Publishers and Agents threw our inspired letters on the bin anyway, but at least we were doing what we believed.
These books indicated that if I had a celebrity to back me up, my book would be easier to publish. We tried to contact some celebrities, but, of course, most celebrities’ addresses are not in the lists or in the net. The ones we found didn’t mind. One answered, but by reading the e-mail we suspected immediately that our message didn’t even get to her.
Agents? No way. As a first writer, to find an Agent to help us is like for a first time actor to win an Oscar. We tried to contact all the ones we found in the lists, but the answer, generally, was that they are not interested in unpublished Authors. It is understandable, it is a business and certainly they know how hard it is to find a Publisher. So they don’t want to invest in a full risk book, even if it is very good. I’m not talking about mine, I’m talking in general. But I must say, though, that my husband, being a foreigner like me and not knowing the Market at all, managed to publish a first-writer book. Then, why can’t they?
The most frustrating thing that I found in this process is to know how rare is to find someone who effectively reads the book before saying his verdict on it. How can we judge a book without reading it? How can we say “It’s no good!” without knowing it? As a teacher of Literature, I taught the great Classics to youngsters and some of them were absolutely “dry” in the first pages, presenting the family genealogy, the story of the past generations, the story of cities... But I always told my pupils “Give it a chance, read further into it! When you get into the story, you’ll see how good it is.” And it was true – the book caught their interest and, after that, they just couldn’t let it go. So, sending the first sample chapters of a book, wherever it is, is a misrepresentation of a book, is a deceit. My impression, even knowing of the amount of books that arrive each day to the hands of an Agent or of a Publisher, is that they should take more time and read carefully through the books, but make a correct evaluation instead of a hasty one.
What really launched the true possibilities of publishing a book was the site www.firstwriter.com. It has a fee, but it is a hundred per cent worth every cent. There, we could see an extended list of all kinds of publishers and Agents, that can’t be found, as I know, anywhere else. There are the characteristics of each one – what genres they do prefer, how to submit a book, when they accept submissions, and, utterly important, the feedback of who already went through the process. This site is updated every twenty four hours. They are very careful and dedicated and very supportive to those like us, who are tired and demoralized by knocking every door and only finding unfunded refusals. There, the publishers are classified by the way how they work, if it is a Classic, a Vanity, a Publisher on demand or a Self-publisher and we know what we can count on – includes how much they pay or how much we must pay for them. Lots of precious information, the best site for who is trying to find a way.
We started by sending the queries by e-mail – around twenty a day. It was easier, faster, and we didn’t have any expenses. Then, printing the sample chapters, writing letters, SASE envelopes; sending them everywhere where there was a Publisher or an Agent interested in Fantasy or Fiction books. My husband spent whole nights doing it, while I was working at the night-shift. Thanks to his perseverance I’m here. Answers “No, at the moment we have too many...” or “No, at the moment we are not receiving...” Some of them didn’t even answer at all. I didn’t keep all the answers, and today I regret it so much. There was one, I remember, who said “No, in a true dialogue, a person doesn’t put two sentences together, and each sentence doesn’t have more than five, six words.”
One month, day after day. Some publishers asked for the whole manuscript, we filled our hearts with hope. My husband prepared a special box, his design of the cover, the book printed in high quality paper. First quality, all very beautiful. Some of the manuscripts came back untouched. We sent more – Special Delivery, SASE.
When we were starting to get absolutely desperate, running out of possibilities, we resourced to the Self-publishers. We never resourced to Vanity publishers, though I think that is a way of doing business as good as any other. There was one self-publisher, his name was Jonathan, as I remember, who told us “I like your book, we can publish it, but wait a little while longer. I’m sure you’ll find another way.” One of the most extraordinary and supportive answers I received. All my respect to him, and all my respect to the self-publishers, because they give a chance to those who have nothing and we can’t take as a rule, knowing the market, that the self-published books have no quality. That’s a nonsense. No-one gives a chance to the first-time authors, even presenting potential best-selling, high quality books.
Then, when we least expected, the answer came from Pegasus.
But remember: you can have published a great book and see it die in your shelves or in the friends and family’s hands, without the proper promotion....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About Silvia Webber:
Sylvia Weber was born in the twentieth of June 1968, in a small town in the heart of Portugal. Until 1973, she grew up in a farm, in the shores of the river Tejo, in an environment in which the traditions, and the respect for Nature exerted a very strong influence in what concerns the development of personality. At the age of five, she moved to Abrantes, where she received the first multicultural perceptions from her neighbours, emigrants from Angola. In 1979, her parents left to Lisbon, after the bankruptcy of Metalúrgica Duarte Ferreira, but Sylvia stayed in Abrantes, living at Lady Annatia’s home and learning all the secrets of growing the most extraordinary roses. At the age of eleven, she was studying at a Christian nuns’ college, where she had her first steps on Christianity, but also lived side by side with legends, the same legends present in her stories.
In 1980, at the age of twelve, she moved with her parents to Lisbon, in the suburban Amadora, yet the second largest city of Portugal. The cultural confrontation with the cosmopolitan life was very deep, and it was definitively what made a writer out of Sylvia. The age of adolescence was a time of growing ideals and of commitment in the construction of a fairer society and of a better world. In the teenage years, Sylvia discovered the pleasure and the freedom of writing and she spent her every moment writing. At this time, her ideal was Leonardo da Vinci, and Sylvia wanted to learn everything about everything. So, she studied all the subjects she could get her hands to and all those allowed by the Portuguese legislation, within the areas of Literature and Science.
In 1987, she was admitted in the course of Modern Languages and Literature of the Universidade Nova of Lisbon, specializing, after five years, both in Education and Investigation. Thanks to her outstanding results in Linguistics, she was invited to participate in the elaboration of an International Dictionary, at the National Institute of Scientific Investigation. At the time, it was heavy to the choice the fact that Sylvia was already feeling in her blood the need to know the world. . Possibly, having immediately accepted such an offer would have taken her to a life of success and opportunities, which she hasn’t had in other way. Meanwhile, the National Institute of Scientific Investigation was closed for lack of funds.
Sylvia started, in 1992, an extraordinary teaching career, marked by the creativity and innovation which the pupils like so much. This career lasted sixteen years and provided wonderful and unforgettable moments. Even today, she keeps a friendly and supportive relationship with pupils of every year, which is significant of the trust and cordiality raised in her classes. During her career, Sylvia met many people from different nationalities and learnt how precious the difference is. She worked with Mozambican artists and accompanied the East-Timorese community in Portugal, in the very moment when they achieved Independence. She also studied with people from Angola, Mozambique, East-Timor, Cape-Verde, São Tomé e Príncipe Islands, Guinea and Italy, which was one of the most interesting experiences in her life. Then, she tried to work at the Camões Institute, but she was refused, as she didn’t have the same goals – she didn’t see the use of a fancy car with a driver, a house with a swimming pool and air conditioned, working in countries where people starve to death. She would go there for the pleasure of teaching children who are eager to learn and to help communities to grow. A Mozambican poet used to say: “We don’t want you to give us the bread, but instead to teach us how to seed.” As a teacher, her most remarkable and unforgettable project was the Day of Peace, among many others.
In 1993, she married for the first time, but this relationship was marked by violence and suffering, having ended in a tragic way. But as in every storm there is always a ray of sunshine, Sylvia had in 1994 a wonderful son.
Sylvia never lost the interest and the enthusiasm for her intellectual development and she went on studying and creating, year after year. Thanks to her work she gathered a remarkable collection of certificates and diplomas.
In 2002, she lived her first happy love story and she married the artist Robert Weber. In 2004, she had two little twin girls.
In 2006, she moved from Cascais to her home town, looking for the paradise of her childhood, but as times and mentalities change, this world was already lost. What she found was a world of preconceptions, and this was the stone in the water to her decision of leaving to England.
A whole series of tragic happenings, which started with her father’s death, due to a dilatory and inefficient Justice, and proceeded with the fact of being refused to her husband the possibility of applying for Nationality, without any reason, made her decide to look for new horizons. The choice was pending, then, among USA, Canada, Ireland and UK. At the time, the UK was the most receptive, due to the fact that the GTCE approved her application for QTS in the seventh of May, and the work proposals were raining.
In September of 2007, she left to England with her husband, taking only a van loaded with essential goods (music, photos, books and clothing), a handbag of documents and a heart full of hope.
The start wasn’t easy: without work or references, renting a house was a true drama. After having travelled up to Scotland with her husband and having slept several nights on the road, Sylvia returned to Essex, where she finally could find a generous heart who opened the doors to her.
The first job she had in UK was in a prestigious Care Home, but the procedures and the absence of Love she found around her made her give up after two months, even though she had a very affective relationship with the elderly people she cared for. Then, she started teaching, but the agent who used to find the placements for her left the company and there was no more work.
In February of 2008, she found a job in a supermarket chain, doing the night shift. After eight months of very successful work at night, she was given a day shift, at her own request. She was deceived with promises of a brilliant future, “Sky is the limit”, and suddenly Sylvia realized that she had no perspectives. Then, having acquired a deeper and deeper knowledge of the business world, she decided to study Management Accounting, an interesting course which represents an adequate challenge to her intellectual ability.
Visit her website at http://www.wolveskeeperlegend.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About The Wolves Keeper Legend:
".... From the beginning of time, it seemed that rivalry between man and wolf was at the root of man's dislike for the animal, discovered only too well by Sealgair. Was his fate forever to be condemned to isolation, to see terror and hate in the eyes of the once he once loved? All he could see in his mind was the last pictures of Awena's beloved face, which he carried in his heart for all his life.
Was the only way out to discover the special secret held by the papyrus-pearls in the stone pot - what secrets could this hold? And which stone pot could keep that precious secret when there were so many of them?
Seanns' quest to find the pearls and uncover the secret ended with tragic consequences, resulting in him not only discovering the truth of his birth and who his real mother and father were, but the realisation that his father lived among the wolves..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WIN PRIZES!!!
THE WOLVES' KEEPER LEGEND BLOG TOUR '09 will officially begin on July 6 and end on July 31. You can visit Silvia's blog stops at http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in July to find out more about this great book and talented author!
As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author or a $50 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors' blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available.
Sylvia Weber was born in the twentieth of June 1968, in a small town in the heart of Portugal. Until 1973, she grew up in a farm, in the shores of the river Tejo, in an environment in which the traditions, and the respect for Nature exerted a very strong influence in what concerns the development of personality. At the age of five, she moved to Abrantes, where she received the first multicultural perceptions from her neighbours, emigrants from Angola. In 1979, her parents left to Lisbon, after the bankruptcy of Metalúrgica Duarte Ferreira, but Sylvia stayed in Abrantes, living at Lady Annatia’s home and learning all the secrets of growing the most extraordinary roses. At the age of eleven, she was studying at a Christian nuns’ college, where she had her first steps on Christianity, but also lived side by side with legends, the same legends present in her stories.
In 1980, at the age of twelve, she moved with her parents to Lisbon, in the suburban Amadora, yet the second largest city of Portugal. The cultural confrontation with the cosmopolitan life was very deep, and it was definitively what made a writer out of Sylvia. The age of adolescence was a time of growing ideals and of commitment in the construction of a fairer society and of a better world. In the teenage years, Sylvia discovered the pleasure and the freedom of writing and she spent her every moment writing. At this time, her ideal was Leonardo da Vinci, and Sylvia wanted to learn everything about everything. So, she studied all the subjects she could get her hands to and all those allowed by the Portuguese legislation, within the areas of Literature and Science.
In 1987, she was admitted in the course of Modern Languages and Literature of the Universidade Nova of Lisbon, specializing, after five years, both in Education and Investigation. Thanks to her outstanding results in Linguistics, she was invited to participate in the elaboration of an International Dictionary, at the National Institute of Scientific Investigation. At the time, it was heavy to the choice the fact that Sylvia was already feeling in her blood the need to know the world. . Possibly, having immediately accepted such an offer would have taken her to a life of success and opportunities, which she hasn’t had in other way. Meanwhile, the National Institute of Scientific Investigation was closed for lack of funds.
Sylvia started, in 1992, an extraordinary teaching career, marked by the creativity and innovation which the pupils like so much. This career lasted sixteen years and provided wonderful and unforgettable moments. Even today, she keeps a friendly and supportive relationship with pupils of every year, which is significant of the trust and cordiality raised in her classes. During her career, Sylvia met many people from different nationalities and learnt how precious the difference is. She worked with Mozambican artists and accompanied the East-Timorese community in Portugal, in the very moment when they achieved Independence. She also studied with people from Angola, Mozambique, East-Timor, Cape-Verde, São Tomé e Príncipe Islands, Guinea and Italy, which was one of the most interesting experiences in her life. Then, she tried to work at the Camões Institute, but she was refused, as she didn’t have the same goals – she didn’t see the use of a fancy car with a driver, a house with a swimming pool and air conditioned, working in countries where people starve to death. She would go there for the pleasure of teaching children who are eager to learn and to help communities to grow. A Mozambican poet used to say: “We don’t want you to give us the bread, but instead to teach us how to seed.” As a teacher, her most remarkable and unforgettable project was the Day of Peace, among many others.
In 1993, she married for the first time, but this relationship was marked by violence and suffering, having ended in a tragic way. But as in every storm there is always a ray of sunshine, Sylvia had in 1994 a wonderful son.
Sylvia never lost the interest and the enthusiasm for her intellectual development and she went on studying and creating, year after year. Thanks to her work she gathered a remarkable collection of certificates and diplomas.
In 2002, she lived her first happy love story and she married the artist Robert Weber. In 2004, she had two little twin girls.
In 2006, she moved from Cascais to her home town, looking for the paradise of her childhood, but as times and mentalities change, this world was already lost. What she found was a world of preconceptions, and this was the stone in the water to her decision of leaving to England.
A whole series of tragic happenings, which started with her father’s death, due to a dilatory and inefficient Justice, and proceeded with the fact of being refused to her husband the possibility of applying for Nationality, without any reason, made her decide to look for new horizons. The choice was pending, then, among USA, Canada, Ireland and UK. At the time, the UK was the most receptive, due to the fact that the GTCE approved her application for QTS in the seventh of May, and the work proposals were raining.
In September of 2007, she left to England with her husband, taking only a van loaded with essential goods (music, photos, books and clothing), a handbag of documents and a heart full of hope.
The start wasn’t easy: without work or references, renting a house was a true drama. After having travelled up to Scotland with her husband and having slept several nights on the road, Sylvia returned to Essex, where she finally could find a generous heart who opened the doors to her.
The first job she had in UK was in a prestigious Care Home, but the procedures and the absence of Love she found around her made her give up after two months, even though she had a very affective relationship with the elderly people she cared for. Then, she started teaching, but the agent who used to find the placements for her left the company and there was no more work.
In February of 2008, she found a job in a supermarket chain, doing the night shift. After eight months of very successful work at night, she was given a day shift, at her own request. She was deceived with promises of a brilliant future, “Sky is the limit”, and suddenly Sylvia realized that she had no perspectives. Then, having acquired a deeper and deeper knowledge of the business world, she decided to study Management Accounting, an interesting course which represents an adequate challenge to her intellectual ability.
Visit her website at http://www.wolveskeeperlegend.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About The Wolves Keeper Legend:
".... From the beginning of time, it seemed that rivalry between man and wolf was at the root of man's dislike for the animal, discovered only too well by Sealgair. Was his fate forever to be condemned to isolation, to see terror and hate in the eyes of the once he once loved? All he could see in his mind was the last pictures of Awena's beloved face, which he carried in his heart for all his life.
Was the only way out to discover the special secret held by the papyrus-pearls in the stone pot - what secrets could this hold? And which stone pot could keep that precious secret when there were so many of them?
Seanns' quest to find the pearls and uncover the secret ended with tragic consequences, resulting in him not only discovering the truth of his birth and who his real mother and father were, but the realisation that his father lived among the wolves..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WIN PRIZES!!!
THE WOLVES' KEEPER LEGEND BLOG TOUR '09 will officially begin on July 6 and end on July 31. You can visit Silvia's blog stops at http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in July to find out more about this great book and talented author!
As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author or a $50 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors' blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available.
2 comments:
Thanks for the introduction of another new author, I'll be checking this one out!
Thanks for the heads up!
Dottie :)
Fantastic article- thank you! Wanted to let you know about a site that prints and ships your physical manuscripts for you and sends them to America which, as a UK writer, is brilliant! wordhustler.com. cheers!
Post a Comment