I love discovering new authors! Shelly Bell found a small e-publisher to champion her novel, A YEAR TO REMEMBER. After a few days of a hook-craze on Women’s Fiction Writers, I hope you’ll notice the amazing hook for Shelly’s novel, which I’ve highlighted below. I’ve always found the best way to learn is not only by doing, but by watching other people do it right. I think you’ll learn a lot from Shelly Bell.
Please welcome Shelly to Women’s Fiction Writers!
Women’s Fiction Author Shelly Bell Talks About E-books, Small Publishers and Not Writing To The Market
ASN: Your book, A YEAR TO REMEMBER, will be published by Soul Mate Publishing, an e-book publisher that focuses on romance but encourages overlapping of genres, including women’s fiction. What’s the story in A YEAR TO REMEMBER and what makes it lean toward women’s fiction?
SB: A Year to Remember focuses on the choices which lead Sara Friedman to hit rock bottom and then recover from food addiction. When her younger brother marries on her twenty-ninth birthday, Sara Friedman vows to the wedding guests to find and marry her soul mate within the year. After her humiliating toast becomes a YouTube sensation, she permits a national morning show to chronicle her search.
While the book definitely contains plenty of romance, the story focuses on Sara’s physical, emotional and spiritual journey to recovery. It’s written in first person POV, which I chose specifically to give the reader access to the thoughts of an addict. Oftentimes, the actions of an addict don’t mirror her thoughts.
ASN: How much of “Shelly” is the main character — or any of the characters?
SB: I leave bits and pieces of me on every page of the book and in every character, especially Sara and her best friend, Missy.
Like me, Sara is an overweight Jewish woman with black curly hair. We’re a dime a dozen in Metro-Detroit! We also both suffer from the disease of compulsive eating, but Sara’s behaviors and distorted perceptions are characteristic of many food addicts.
My younger brother did marry before me and I did admit to my jealousy in a toast. Luckily, it was before the age of YouTube. When I was twenty-nine, I threw a lot of my energy, time and money into a search for “the one.” In a year’s time, I think I went on twenty first dates. It was a difficult time for me. I had just about given up hope when I met my husband.
ASN: What’s your writing process? Do you outline and plan or fly by the seat of your pants?
SB: The idea for A Year to Remember came to me on the drive from my house to the movie theater. I skipped the movie and wrote the outline while waiting in the lobby for my family. The complete story came to me like it was downloaded to my brain. The same thing happened with my current work-in-progress.
I begin with a rough outline of the plot and create basic character descriptions. For some reason, I like to give a psychological diagnosis to each main character! It helps me develop the character’s motivation and internal conflict. For instance, in my current WIP, the heroine has post-traumatic stress disorder. I don’t state that fact in the book, but she acts and reacts in a manner consistent with the disorder. Knowing her motivation and goals aided in the creation of the character’s external conflicts.
As I write, the story changes and grows. I might know that two characters will have an argument, but not know what the basis of the argument is until I write the scene.
ASN: Aspiring women’s fiction authors (and all aspiring authors) have more choices and decisions than ever before. What led you to pursue a small e-publisher rather than a traditional “big” publisher or self-publish? (this might easy be asked as — what was your publishing journey?)
SB: I didn’t start writing with the intent of publication. I felt like I had to write the book. Out of curiosity, I began researching the process of publication. When I completed the book, I queried agents. Although it did catch the interest of a few agents, they informed me it would be a tough sell to traditional publishers.
I’ve met several writers through Romance Writers of America that have gained success through e-publishing. Unfortunately, most e-publishers only acquire romance. Through Savvy Authors, I heard that Soul Mate Publishing was seeking submissions in women’s fiction. Although it’s a new company, several writers praised its founder Debby Gilbert. I submitted my book and she acquired it.
Because it’s a competitive market, traditional publishing houses can’t afford to take risks. A smaller publisher isn’t as limited. As a result, they can acquire books that don’t meet the traditional publisher’s criteria.
As a reader, I’ve been exposed to new authors and wonderful stories I never would have gotten the chance to read if not for the e-publishers. I read a book a day, so it saved me money too!
I didn’t consider self-publishing. While I think it’s a wonderful alternative, I didn’t feel comfortable with it.
ASN: How would you define women’s fiction?
SB: When non-writers ask me what genre I write and I tell them women’s fiction, they have no idea what I’m talking about. I define it as books about women, written for women. I’m not insulted by the categorization, but at the same time, I feel it’s really an industry term. Over the years, I’ve read plenty of books classified as general fiction which may now be marketed as women’s fiction. If calling my book women’s fiction helps it find readers, then I’m all for it.
ASN: What is your best advice for aspiring authors of women’s fiction in this ever-changing publishing world?
SB: Write for yourself, not the market, because by the time you finish, the market will have changed. Don’t get discouraged by rejection. Use it as a learning opportunity. If your goal is publication, consider small publishers and e-publishers. Most importantly, keep reading and keep writing.
Shelly Bell started reading at three years old. In elementary school, the librarian gave her books to test out for the school library. As a teenager, she spent her allowance each week on romance novels, enjoying both young adult category romance, young adult paranormal and single title books, and adult romance.
She received her Bachelors of Arts in Social Work and a Certificate in Women Studies from Michigan State University in 1990, where she interned at both the Michigan State Sexual Assault Crisis Center as a counselor and the Michigan Women’s Historical Museum as a docent.
Wanting to leave the cold Michigan winters behind, she moved to Florida to attend law school at Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center where she received her Juris Doctor degree. Practicing law since 1997, she specializes in corporate, environmental and employment law as In-House Legal Counsel for a scrap metal company in Detroit. On the side, she dabbles in horseracing and crematory law.
Married to Jason in 2003, they have two children and reside in the metro-Detroit area, where she reads on her Kindle each night when her family falls asleep.
A recovering compulsive overeater, she wrote A Year to Remember to share her strength and hope with compulsive overeaters and food addicts everywhere. A member of Romance Writers of America, she writes both women’s fiction and paranormal romance.
What a wonderful interview, Amy and Shelly. It’s nice to see authors published by various means and via publishers of different sizes/specialities.
One book a day, Shelly? How on earth do you do that? Your book sounds fascinating, and I love how the ideas simply come to you in a whirlwind of inspiration (what movie did you forego in favor of outlining in the lobby?)
What an interesting post! I was curious to know more about the promotion of your book Shelly and also, given you read so many e-books, how do you select what you read?
Best of luck with A Year to Remember!
Melissa, I’m able to read a book a day because I read about two pages a minute and I suffer from insomnia! At nine at night, I get under the covers and start reading. I don’t stop until I’ve finished the book. I don’t remember what movie I skipped, but it was an education IMAX movie about primates. I think I made the right decision!
Catherine,
To promote my book, I’m currently on a Blog Tour, in which I’m guest blogging on twenty sites this month! I practically live on the Internet, Tweeting and Facebooking. It’s important to me that I use social media not only to promote, but to interact with authors and readers. I don’t want to overload people with a plea to buy my book. Right now, I have a contest running on my website for a Coach purse. I don’t know if it will sell any books, but it does get the word out! As for how I select what books to read, it’s getting more difficult every day. I read every book from my favorite authors and utilize Amazon to pre-order those books. I’ve tried several ebook authors this year, in various romance genres and became addicted to several. I also try and read my friends’ books. I can’t wait to read Amy’s!
This sounds like such a wonderfully interesting book, Shelly; and as usual a danged find interview, Amy.
Small press publishers are wonderful! They give authors a chance and I am forever grateful to mine!
Shelly, your book sounds interesting. It takes guts to write about something so personal – did you have any hesitation about either writing about this subject or about submitting it for publication?.
Great interview, the focus of the novel sounds fascinating and should definitely do well, and the Coach purse idea was a great one.
Hi Shelly. I loved the interview! I’ve been learning so much about all my fellow SMP authors. I love the premise of your book. I wish you much success! 🙂
Thank you guys for visiting me here today! Margaret, my need to bring awareness to the disease of compulsive overeating outweighed my discomfort with sharing some of my own personal experiences with food addiction.
VERY INTERESTING TO READ AS A NON-AUTHOR. GREAT QUESTIONS, INSIGHTFUL ANSWERS.
Hi, Shelly: congratulations on your book and a very nice interview. I liked the dating part.
Thank you so much for sharing your journey, Shelly. I will definitely keep Soul Mate Publishing in mind, and your novel sounds very interesting. I’m also 29, so I want to get to know your MC and what she’s going through 🙂
Fascinating, insightful, and memorable. AYTR is on my must read list.
Thank you all so much! Meredith, Soul Mate Publishing is wonderful. The writers and I really have become a little family over the past few months. I hope you enjoy my book!
I admire you, Shelly, for overcoming your food addiction and being brave enough to incorporate that into your novel. It sounds like a terrific book.
Patti
Thanks Patti!
Excellent interview, Shelly and Amy. Thoughtful questions and insightful answers. Good luck to both of you. I look forward to reading your books.
COngratulations Shelly – A Year to Remember sounds like a very intriguing story. I’m glad you found a great epublisher who loved it as much as you did. I published with a small epublisher as well for the same reasons you site in your interview.
Best of luck!
Thanks Meredith!