Natalie Damschroder and The Perfect Cover!

Author Natalie J. Damschroder joins the WordWranglers today to talk about epublishing, covers and taking a chance on a new publisher. Tell us about your road to publication. Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Not at first. I wanted to be an aerospace engineer when I graduated high school, even though the English/writing arena seemed to come more easily to me. I liked math and science better. And I HATED writing nonfiction on topics I didn't get to choose, like Colonial Food. I won third prize for a paper I did my junior year of college on deforestation, and had two abstracts published in The Student Scholar. I started to get an inkling then that maybe writing was more for me. During internships at Sarrett Nature Center and National Geographic, my talent with words was tapped more and more. Finally, after we got a home computer, I dove into writing romantic fiction (which I'd always loved to read), and I never looked back.

What really excites you about writing and publishing?

The best part of writing comes when I get an idea for the story, and go back to seed hints in what I've already written, only to find those hints are already there. When a scene is flowing just right, everything happening in my head faster than I can type it, it's euphoric.


With the publishing part, I start soaring whenever a reader or reviewer says they loved my book so much they'll read anything I write.

You recently signed with Entangled Publishing, a newbie in the e-pub arena. What about Entangled caught your eye and made you want to write for them?

I wasn't really paying much attention until a friend asked what I thought. My interest was piqued when I saw the owner also owns Savvy Authors/Readers, a site that has impressed me since they launched. The names of staff they were bringing on board were intriguing, and then I saw an announcement of a sale by an author I respect and admire. I talked to her, and after that, I knew they were worth taking a chance on.

Your books have some of the best covers (I love them!). On store shelves the cover is really important..have you found that covers are as important in e-publishing?

Absolutely, covers are just as vital in e-publishing. Most of the reviews I've had for my latest release, Fight or Flight, say they picked up the book because of the title or cover or both. I've been sooooo lucky in the covers I've gotten. They've been eye-catching and high quality.

What is the best writing advice you've ever received?

There's been so much valuable advice, I don't think I can pinpoint one piece, at least not to attribute to someone. There are two things that form the cornerstone of my career, though: 1) If you can quit, you should, and that's okay. This business is so difficult, you have to know bone-deep that you belong here. 2) Follow your instincts. That means learning as much as possible, even if it's too advanced for your current status, so when you're presented with choices and decisions, you have a solid basis for making them.


What are your top 3 tips/suggestions for writers who are still working toward publication?

LOL I should have read ahead! The first two would be the same as my last answer: If you can quit, do it. At least ask yourself the question, and see what your reaction is. If everything in you rebels against the idea of quitting, then you should never quit. Perseverance is everything in this business. If you can't quit, follow your instincts, whether it relates to craft or business. My third is also common advice: Find your people. Join writers groups, both online and in person. Nothing feeds perseverance and instincts like being around people who are just like you. Their support and understanding are beyond value.

Tell us about your new release, "Fight or Flight"...

Fight or Flight is about Regan Miller's 18-year crusade to keep her daughter safe from the people who killed Regan's boyfriend and tried to kidnap her baby. She's finally ready to let go and feel safe when those enemies return, forcing Regan to do something she's never been able to do in her life: trust someone who might not deserve it.

What is next on your release schedule?
Carina Press releases my next romantic adventure, Behind the Scenes, on October 31. This book is one of my favorites, featuring a driven security expert with no room in her life for the movie star determined to help her loosen up—especially when he becomes a target, and she's indirectly to blame.

Thank you so much for inviting me to blog with you!
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Natalie J. Damschroder's latest romantic adventure, Fight or Flight, is available now from Carina Press, via Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and wherever e-books are sold. It's also available in audiobook!


You can learn more about Natalie and her books at her website, eHarlequin, Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook. She blogs with three other opinionated writers at The Gabwagon, and with four other obsessed passionate Supernatural fans at Supernatural Sisters.

Comments

  1. Hi, Natalie!
    Thank you for coming by WW today! You aren't kidding when you say you need perserverence in this business. You gotta be tough.

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  2. Nice to see you here. It's always interesting to hear about a new publisher, too.

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  3. {{{{Natalie!}}}}} Hey doll, I didn't know you were going to be blogging here!

    Everyone, Natalie is an awesome writer, and I'm so proud to call her friend. She and I go back a long ways, and I'm delighted to see her career moving forward.

    Check out her books, you won't be disappointed!

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  4. Hi Natalie! Thanks for blogging with us...great Q&A!! Have your new book in my queue for download. :)

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  5. Hi, everyone! Thanks so much for having me here!

    Since I did this interview, I've been assigned an editor and a publicist at Entangled, and so far, everything has been great.

    Aw, Monica, thank you! How funny that we got posted back to back! LOL

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  6. I hope it works out well with your editor, Natalie. Publicist, too!

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  7. Natalie, I love your advice. If you can quit, do it. I knew I wanted to write when I contemplated quiting and couldn't bring myself to do it. Very sound advice!

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  8. Hi, Shawn! Thanks! That's the flip side of the way I wrote that piece of advice. If you try to quit, and just can't, you know you're in it for the long haul.

    I swear, there were so many times over the years that I thought "Maybe I should just quit" and everything in me immediately rebelled. Eventually, I stopped bothering to think it. LOL

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  9. I'm late to the party! Great interview, Natalie! I'm glad that everything seems to be coming together for you.

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