Signed my first publishing contract this week!

It's a dream for a lot of people. I was lucky to stumble across a lot of help. I did put a lot of work into it. A book called "The Weekend Novelist" by Robert J Ray was a big help in getting started. www.nanowrimo.org is a really great place to get started as well and so is www.writing.com . Getting idea to paper is a tough first step. I wish you success in reaching for the same dream.

I like that. I hope it will be on Amazon. I am still working on mine, but not at the present. Mylotting. I am trying to do two pages and wish I could do more. I also wish I had more time, but right now it is not possible.

I think the genre is best described as action/adventure with a strong romantic subplot. Good luck with your book. I understand having to make a living before getting this kind of project finished.

I do understand needing time without people. When I have too many people around me (family gatherings, too many visits over a week) I find myself withdrawing. I am not a people person like some are, and I feel the stress a lot. I am glad to live alone so I can have down time without having to explain it to anyone. Maybe it has something to do with writing; I don't know. And of course we're cheering for you! It's exciting to have a book published.

I like a certain amount of quiet withdrawn me time before but not like I get after starting to work in a call centre. I often come home not wanting to write or talk. Don't really want to interact with my family. Even interacting with my fictional characters is a chore. I've met a lot of writers and wannabee writers in the call centre environment and I'm not the only one to feel that way. I'm pleased that in spite of it I have been able to continue to produce at least a small amount of work. Most of the other writers have become completely blocked. I will make lots of noise when it is released. It is nice to have so many friends cheering for me.

I'm still around. Doing my best to keep all that emotion in check. Part of me is in a kind of denial yet. This is all new territory for me and I have no clue what I'm doing. Looking forward to learning every part of the process. Honestly wasn't sure I'd ever get to this point.

Thank you.

I will make plenty of noise when it is released. Hopefully you'll be able to get a copy convenient when the urge to read strikes.

Only thing I ever had published was an article in a church newsletter and a letter to the editor. I did have a short story accepted for someone's anthology but that project stalled and to this point hasn't been published. Might still happen. This is the first book manuscript I ever wrote. Appreciate your well wishes.

Ink n Beans is a print on demand publisher. I don't get an advance but they do edit the book properly, and do the basic marketing at their expense. They are more open to new authors than traditional publishing houses. If a writer has the cash and the time they can always use a vanity press or self publish. The problem with that is that you either pay an awful lot of money for something that might not be as good as you think it is or the finished product might end up looking amateurish. There are a tremendous number of self published books out there that really weren't worth publishing at all. Don't get me wrong it might be the right way to go for some. I'm fortunate to have gotten noticed. It can take many years for some. I'm lucky to have stumbled across the help of a quartet of ladies that gave me the keys to get this far.

This is so true. When I get that first copy in my hands I will have a sore face from smiling so much. The facial pain may even last a few days.

Thank you. There is a reward in just getting this far. Actual cash for my efforts will be really nice.

Thank you. Good luck with smashwords. I held off self publishing because I honestly thought my book was worthy of a publisher. Several of my friends thought so too. Now that I have a publisher I'm sure the patience is really going payoff.

I am genuinely interested, it's just I think it too early to even think about it yet. I'm young and just starting out. I haven't even finished a book yet. I have about four started ones just haven't finished them yet. So about the publisher. It's a print on demand publisher like LuLu or CreateSpace or something online like that or through an actually publishing house? Sounds like a very exciting journey!

Ink n Beans press is a small publisher. You can check them out at www.inknbeans.com . They don't hand out advances and they don't print millions of books and send them to all the book stores. They do everything else though. The do edit, market and print the book. They pay royalties. LuLu or CreateSpace are self publishers and I didn't want to go that route.

Don't think it won't happen. If you work at it and meet the right people like I did, it might happen sooner than you think. If you're genuinely interested there are some resources that I referred to earlier in this discussion. They are worth the effort.

Hardly a genius. Congratulations are appreciated though.

Don't know that I have any profound advice for you. Just don't give up. Write and learn all you can about writing and story telling. I do mention resources now and then here on MyLot. Hopefully some of that will be helpful to you.

Thanks, I'll check the resources you've mentioned..

I'm happy just being lucky for now.