1. What inspired you to begin your publishing journey?
It was an inner nudge, perhaps a spiritual push, to write these books. I am an elderly grandmother and this duology is my debut and written from a mature person’s point of view. As we age and evolve from a juvenile to a mature mind, our outlook on life changes. The books reflect this journey. An inner force, a spiritual force we all have within us, drives our evolvement and gives us inner strength. Our future lives in space will be influenced by spirituality and expanded power of our minds such as telepathy and control over machines by our minds alone.
2. What led you to choose the self-publishing route vs. traditional publishing?
Self-publishing seemed easier than trying to find an agent and publisher accepting science fiction books. I had zero experience and when I delved into the complicated world of publishing using the traditional way, I felt like drowning. When I contracted with Gatekeeper Press, everything proceeded like clockwork and I cannot recall any time when I felt something was amiss. On the contrary, I felt I was in good hands with Gatekeeper Press at the helm.
3. How did you select Gatekeeper Press as your publishing family?
I searched the Internet and as a beginner writer, it was difficult to differentiate which publisher would be right for me. After I read the testimonials written by the other authors on Gatekeeper’s website, I just knew I had found my publisher.
4. Were there any moments during your publishing journey where your expectations differed from the actual process?
The process took somewhat longer than I had anticipated, but since this is my book debut, I had nothing to compare with. In retrospect, I realized the publishing proceeded on time and was not slow. My Author Manager was very specific and helpful and answered all my questions promptly.
5. What aspects of the process did you find most enjoyable?
The substantial research behind the books. It took me on a wild ride into the heavens. I have always been a space junkie and acquiring the material to write the books was a learning thrill.
6. What challenges did you encounter during your publishing journey?
I am European and English is not my native language. When I started writing, I felt confident my command of the English language was adequate, but I soon realized improvement was necessary. So, I had to dig out my grammar books and brush up on proper English and also punctuation. The second challenge was the proofreading. I did my own proofreading and read both books three times. It was very demanding and perhaps it is worth it to have the publisher do this task. The third challenge I had was my husband did not encourage my writing and felt I wasted my time. That caused me some distress as I had no support or help from anyone. The whole book writing experience was a solo affair from start to finish, but I believed in myself and a sci-fi story of 840 pages was the result.
7. Would you change anything if you could do it all over again?
In Book 1 of my duology, I introduce some political changes that can be misinterpreted as “politically incorrect”. After publishing, I pondered whether this section should have been eliminated, but determined it was not a mistake. The new society I present is built around a modified version of government and other planets adopt it as well. It is a society for and by the people, where truth reigns supreme and all are equals. Other than that, no changes need to be made.
8. What were the most surprising aspects of self-publishing with Gatekeeper Press?
Peace of mind. Gatekeeper took the stress out of what could be seen as an unsurmountable hurdle for a beginner writer.
9. Would you recommend fellow authors self-publish with Gatekeeper Press?
Definitely. They also offer many services related to finishing a book such as book covers, marketing and so on.
10. With your dream book a reality, what goals do you aspire to achieve with your story?
Be openminded, even when proof is absent. We live in a material society here on Earth, but the Galaxies are full of planets. Beings in bodily form as well as energy beings without form most likely exist in the universe. Never close your mind and don’t let fear hamper your dreams. Allow curiosity to guide you as this force may lead to new inventions and improved living standard for humans and aliens alike.
Amazon Book Page: https://a.co/d/0KymSGv