If you’ve been
following my blog or my social media accounts, you may know that I’ve got to
the end of this year (2025) to find another publisher who would be willing to
breathe new life into my back list, and publish future books. I gave myself the
grace to be sad when I heard the news that my present publisher will no longer
be excepting submissions, and will pare down their promotion and marketing by
the end of 2025. Authors need growth. We also need challenges. So, I decided to
shake up my author life, and start the query process early so my books can have
another chance to reach new readers, and hopefully keep the ones I’ve got.
The thought of
querying again—after being with my current publisher for ten years—made my
teeth itch and body convulse. Augh. But, like anything, it takes some gumption
and a good deal of action to make things happen in your life. I knew I had a
slight advantage being in the publishing game for a while, so I reached out to
a few of my author friends to see who they were published with, and if I could
use their name when submitting my query. Since it’s a small world in this
business, I got the green light from friend Regan W.H. Macaulay, and submitted
my Canadian book series to Pandamonium
Publishing House based in Ontario, Canada. I made the decision to split up
my two series, The
Last Timekeepers young adult time travel adventures, and Mysterious
Tales from Fairy Falls teen psychic mysteries because I’ve learned the hard
way that you don’t put all your eggs (your books) in one basket (same
publisher) in case they close or go bankrupt. This happens far more often than
you know, so authors are left scrambling to find another publisher.
This is where miracles
happen. Not a day went by when Pandamonium Publishing House emailed me back to
schedule a Zoom meeting with me, and talk about the possibility of signing with
them. The meeting lasted over an hour, and needless to say, they were ready to
sign me to publish my two existing books from Mysterious Tales from Fairy
Falls: Lost
and Found, and Blackflies
and Blueberries. Woohoo! They’ll also take on future project in this series
of five, so it’s nice to find a wonderful home for these books. My two Fairy
Falls books should be republished by the end of May, and I couldn’t be happier
finding a new home for them.
If you’re in the
process of searching for a new publisher, make sure that you look for a
different
experience than the one you’ve had with your previous publisher.
There’s a reason why they closed their doors. Do your due diligence, and see
what other publishers offer to republish your back list, and take on new
submissions. For instance, ask if they add extra bonuses at the back of your
book, like reading guides for teachers or discussions for book clubs. Will they
develop and execute a promotional campaign, including social media outreach,
collaborations, and cross-promotions? What about coordinate tours, author
interviews, and book signing events? Do they create and distribute promotional
materials such as graphics, press releases, and excerpts? Lots to think about
before choosing the right publisher to re-release your book babies. Right?
That said, it’s been a
strange and stressful start to this year with personal and family challenges to
deal with, scheduling an appointment with my orthopedic surgeon for my knee
replacement (looks like August or September), and allowing myself to grieve a tragic
loss. I look forward to a new author life with a new publisher, and hopefully
connecting with new readers. If you’re an author, has this circumstance ever
happen to you? If you’re a reader, do you follow your favorite authors to their
new publishing homes? Would love to read your comments. Cheers and thanks for
taking the time to read my blog. I appreciate you!
