Sunday, February 15, 2015

ENSLAVEMENT by Melinda Friesen Guest Post & Giveaway


ABOUT ENSLAVEMENT (ONE BRIGHT FUTURE #1)

Title: Enslavement (One Bright Future, #1)
Publication date: October 31, 2014
Publisher: Rebelight Publishing Inc.
Author: Melinda Friesen


“One world. One currency. One bright future.”

That’s the promise made by OneEarth Bank after a global economic collapse–but only for those who accept the insertion of a commerce chip.

When Rielle’s parents refuse to comply, government officials tear her family apart. As punishment for her parent’s crimes, Rielle is forced into a Community Service Contract–a legalized form of slavery–and sold a wealthy, abusive banker.

The Banker’s secrets hold the key to Rielle’s freedom, but will she risk prison or even death to escape and search for her family?

ABOUT MELINDA FRIESEN:

Melinda Friesen writes novels for teens and short stories. Her contest winning short stories have appeared in various periodical and an anthology. Enslavement, book one in the One Bright Future series, is her first novel.



Guest Post

Road to Publication

Greetings to all Deal Sharing Aunt readers! Let’s talk journeys, specifically, the journey to publication.

For some, they write their first novel, back out of their driveway and take a left onto Publication Highway. For others, the journey to publication is more of a dirt path—a little rougher going. There are twists, turns and the odd rabid squirrel.

For others, like me, the journey to publication is more like hacking your way through a dark, primordial jungle with a machete. There are mosquitos the size of barn swallows, snakes hanging from trees and pits—the kind with sharpened bamboo at the bottom to skewer me if I fall in.

People have asked, “So you published your first book?” The answer is yes. So now you’re thinking I sound like that first scenario—straight to Publication Boulevard. My yes is deceptive, so allow me to explain. I published my first novel—after I wrote nine subsequent novels.

I can honestly say that I did not have publishing in mind when I started writing. I started writing as a hobby, mainly so I wouldn’t irritate my kids to death. I completed three manuscripts before thoughts of publication entered my mind. I had no clue about this writing/publishing sub-culture I was about to immerse myself in. Four years ago, I struggled to write my query letter. I submitted to ten agents which all yielded rejections. I was stressed. I was disappointed. I realized I needed to learn more about publishing and more about the writing craft.

I took courses, allowed someone not biologically related to me to read my work and joined a writers group. I spent the following years learning everything I could about writing and spent every moment I could writing, writing, writing. Every time I’d learn something new, I’d go back and apply what I’d learned to my completed novels and to my newest project. I studied popular writers’ techniques by going through their books with a fine tooth comb, and I studied their careers. I noticed many wrote short stories and I thought this might be a good way to build my publication credits, so I started writing short stories and submitting them to contests, periodicals and anthologies. My first publishing credits came through my short stories.

It sounds so positive, doesn’t it? But, there were times when I considered giving up. Snakes came in the form of people who gave bad advice and sent me tumbling in the wrong direction. The mosquitos of the publishing world told me it couldn’t be done. There was no place in the crowded marketplace for a new, unknown author. This sometimes sucked the life right out of me. Pits came in the form of rejection after rejection of my other work to the point where I had to stop submitting for a while. There were times when I lay in the pit, skewered emotionally.

But, I always forced myself to climb out of that pit and keep going.

Four years after writing my first novel, I returned to it, put it through a manuscript critique group and decided to take one more stab at getting it published. It was accepted at an independent publishing house called Rebelight Publishing Inc.

Here’s where the machete comes in. Rebelight was a brand new publishing company and they said they needed a beta project. I handed them Enslavement. I waited for a, “No, thank you.” But I got a “Yes.” I took all the bumps and bruises of being the first author to go through the process at Rebelight. We learned together. And then, I got the privilege of holding my book in my hands.

My journey publishing has been far from ordinary. I believed all along that Enslavement was worth sharing. All the disappointment, heartbreak, mistakes and waiting was worth it. I hope you’ll give Enslavement a chance to wow you.

Which road best describes your publishing experience—the highway, the path or the jungle? Are you thinking about writing, but daunted the publishing industry? Do you have some great experiences or not so great ones to share about your journey? I’d love to hear from you.


Connect with the Author:  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest

Giveaway Information:  Winner will be drawn February 27, 2015
·        Two (2) winners will received a signed copy of Enslavement by Melinda Friesen (US/Canada)
·        Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Enslavement by Melinda Friesen (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway



1 comment: