1. When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?
I decided to document my experience after I had been intimately involved in a life changing event that affected Florida’s same sex couples. In the past I hadn’t thought about being a writer but this changed my thought process.
2. How long have you been writing? How many books have you written?
I have written poems in the past but never considered writing a book, so this is my first book writing venture.
3. What made you want to self-publish?
I didn’t know the first thing about publishing a book so researching helped me decide that self-publishing would work best for me.
Thankfully, Gatekeeper Press came highly recommended and had excellent references, so I decided to contract with them to publish my memoir.
4. Would you recommend new authors self-publish, and would you recommend Gatekeeper Press?
Being a first-time writer, self-publishing really worked for me especially with Gatekeeper Press. They worked with me every step of the way with no glitches while being very knowledgeable and easy to work with. Having an author manager, Sarah Duckworth, assigned to me made the publishing process go very smoothly. Sarah was so knowledgeable and always responsive when I needed support.
5. What do you do marketing-wise to help announce and sell your books?
Gatekeeper Press listed my book, for sale, on many websites including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I listed it on many Facebook pages, Instagram, did book signings and contacted specialty bookstores, throughout the country, who I thought might take an interest in carrying my book. Our local newspaper published a front-page article, the public radio station dedicated a 30-minute news show to my memoir, and I did an interview on our local NBC TV station to discuss my memoir.
6. What advice do you have for a new or fledgling author?
In retrospect, prior to writing my memoir, I would have liked to know what was involved in publishing a book, so I understood the entire process. I also think audio books should be part of a publishing package as I was told audio books are 50% of book sales.
7. What social media platforms are you on?
Facebook and Instagram
8. What is the one piece of advice you wish you had known when you first started out?
See Number 6
9. What do you feel is the biggest challenge authors are facing going into 2021 (and beyond)?
I think the biggest challenge authors will face in the future is that e-books, that are very popular today, are preferred over actual books. The cost of e-books is far less than an actual hard/soft cover book.
10. Have you won any awards or contests that you would like to mention?
I think publishing my memoir was one of the most inspiring experiences I’ve accomplished during my lifetime….While writing my memoir, I didn’t think that my life would be an open book.. It was only after my book had been published did I realize that it was…At first it was a strange realization…but now I am OK with it as my story had to be told.