"I'm a published author."
"I'm the top selling author for my e-publisher."
"I have great reviews."
"I'm a published author."
What? Oh, sorry kids, I was just practicing how those words felt rolling around in my mouth, as I count down to the second in a trilogy of published naughtiness in the beer world.
You remember me. I'm the "Beer Wench" -- the crazy one who owns a craft microbrewery, handles all aspects of sales, marketing and (my personal favorite) distributor relations AND staffs the Tap Room bar 3-4 times a week which includes pouring beer, yacking, making sure the TVs stayed tuned in and the music playing, the toilet paper stocked AND switches to mop-slinger/toilet cleaner extraordinnaire once the doors are locked.
yeah, that's me...the things we do....I am approaching a birthday, in less great physical shape than usual, sleep deprived at a level that rivals "new mom" (and I did that three times so I know), with teenagers whose growing adult-level crises make me wish for newborn babies or at least horrible toddlers back so I can be a better mom to them and I have just experienced the release of my second book to the e-pub world. (click here for the hottest damn holiday story you've read in a while!)
Granted, it's with a small publisher but one has to start somewhere. I wrote about what I loved, made the sex hot and realistic (I tend to stay away from supernatural sex--it scares me a little), kept submitting, and querying. Most importantly--I kept writing.
I've built up something like 4 Works in Progress Major Projects, and revisit them when I can't sleep at 2 a.m. after closing the Tap Room. I'm even contemplating a switch to murder mystery, based in the craft beer world that I think will really be great but that will involve further querying, submitting and receiving rejections with good grace, while my ego takes a licking but keeps on ticking.
I read what so many of you say about "I know I'll be published someday" and remember thinking "no I won't" but trust me IF your work is sincere--that is, you really and truly believe in it and your characters and your story, you will get there. You are likely not to make a good living at it especially in our new and improved world of e-publishing taking over the world (royalties on $1.99 downloads are what we like to call "microcharges" like paying for a McDonalds coffee with your credit card but whatever). It's about creating that back list, and hence learning the business from inside with contracts, line edits, cover art revision and so forth, so when the Big Project is ready for the light of day, YOU are ready, having had your practice runs, tears and hurt feelings over a manuscript that bleeds virtual red ink, and have emerged on the other side, stronger, smarter and savvy.
Keep up the hard work peeps! And Drink Craft Beer (anything else, and the terrorists win!)
Liz
The A2 Beer Wench.
www.a2beerwench.com
www.aabedwench.blogspot.com
The Rookie (September 2010--top seller for Breathless Press)
XXXMas Ale (12/17/10 release)
Jockey Box (2/18/11 release)
The Tap Room Novella (4/8/11 release)
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