MY PUBLISHING JOURNEY: Author Jennifer Anne Davis

Have you ever wondered how authors get their start?
How do they get agents?
How do they get published?
Is it luck? Talent? Drive?

This segment is an attempt to satisfy my immense curiosity...to answer the one question I'm dying to ask every author out there: How did your book become a book?

Visit the full catalogue of "My Publishing Journey" interviews HERE.

Today's Featured Author

Jennifer Anne Davis

www.jenniferannedavis.com
Author of 

THE TRUE REIGN SERIES & REIGN OF SECRETS

AGENTS

I started this route. I sent out hundreds of query letters. I had a lot of interest that ultimately ended in rejections. When I look back, I realize I didn’t know what I was doing at the time.

PUBLISHING

After a ton of rejections from agents, I queried publishers and I had a lot of success. For my first book, I went with a small publisher. We had the same vision for the book and I clicked with the people I’d be working with. I’m glad I went this route as it allowed me to understand the world of publishing.

For my second book, I knew I needed a bigger publisher who was more marketing savvy. I queried a series and was picked up by a newer publisher. Their books had fantastic covers, they publish a lot of books quickly, and they were eager to get my books into the hands of readers. This was the best decision I ever made. I really learned the ins and outs of publishing and I sold a ton of books.

I decided for my next series, I wanted a bigger publisher. I queried, found a publisher that looked fantastic. Great covers, great rankings, in stores, etc. They appeared perfect. I signed a three book series with this publisher and it was the worst decision I ever made. I am not allowed to say anything about this publisher. However, my advice is to ALWAYS talk to other authors at that publishing house. Ask them how editing went, if they’re being paid, if they’re happy there. I was so caught up in what this publisher could do for me, that I never bothered to speak to other authors there. If I had done that, I may not have signed with them.

After that awful experience, I decided to self-publish my next book. I was originally going to sign with the publisher I liked. However, after a lot of thought and consideration, I realized they couldn’t do anything for me that I couldn’t do for myself. I think a lot of new authors think the publisher will be out there pushing your book for you. And the truth is, the author is the one doing most, if not all, of the work. Since I had a following, I knew I could self-publish and do it well.  

MARKETING

I hire a cover artist, formatter, and editor. I don’t skimp on these elements. If I want my books to compete with other traditionally published books, I want to make sure my book looks/sounds/feels like traditionally published books. I publish via IngramSpark which allows me to publish in paperback and hardback. I upload all ebooks myself in order to maintain higher royalty amounts. I have opened my own publishing house that I publish under. I also have audiobooks through ACX. I love self-publishing. I find that a lot of the errors I have encountered with publishers (book not being for sale on the right day, wrong files being uploaded, wrong price, etc.) are no longer issues I have to deal with.

ADVICE

Don’t be afraid to self-publish. And know the first book is always the hardest to sell. The best thing you can do is to keep writing. Once you have a few books out in the world, marketing becomes a lot easier. Don’t give up! There are a lot of author communities out there (on FB etc) that offer support. Join these groups, help one another out, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

AVAILABLE NOW!

Within these pages lie kingdoms with castles and princes who fall in love with fair maidens, but make no mistake-this is no fairytale.

His father’s kingdom is on the brink of upheaval and at the center of it all is an ordinary girl who could be the key to its undoing. When faced with the ultimate choice, will he choose the girl he’s falling in love with or the kingdom he has sworn to protect?

An ordinary girl with an extraordinary past. All she wants is to be free. What she doesn’t realize is that freedom comes with a price she can’t afford to pay. She’s forced to accept the proposal of a prince she despises, even though her heart belongs to someone else . . . his brother.

Seventeen-year-old Rema lives in a brutal kingdom where travel between regions is forbidden, people are starving, and looking at someone the wrong way can mean death. Nineteen-year-old Darmik is the king’s son and Commander of the King’s Army. He spends his days roving the island, doing his father’s bidding and trying to maintain control over the people.

When a chance encounter throws Rema and Darmik together, they share an instantaneous connection, but any sort of relationship between them is strictly forbidden. Darmik’s brother, the Crown Prince, notices Darmik’s interest in Rema and, in a calculated, political move, blackmails her. Faced with an impossible choice, Rema is forced to sacrifice her heart in order to save her family.

As Rema is taken to the palace with the Crown Prince, Darmik confronts the growing rumor that a legitimate blood heir to the throne exists and is trying to overthrow Darmik’s family. In Darmik’s quest to hunt down and kill the threat, he discovers that nothing is as it seems. Locked in the king’s castle, Rema finds herself a key player in a massive power struggle. When Darmik shows up, she’s not sure if she can trust him. The line between friends, enemies, and loyalty becomes blurred. As truths are unlocked, Rema understands that she just might be the key to finding the rightful heir and restoring peace to the kingdom… if she can manage to stay alive long enough. 

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE  | GOODREADS