Tag: Interview with YA author

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Writing for YA

Audiobook Production for Indies: Interview with YA Author Rachel Kovaciny

When I heard that Rachel Kovanciny recently worked with One Audiobooks to produce her guide: Explore Charlotte Bronte’s classic novel with Jane Eyre: A Christian Reader’s Guide, I had questions! Rachel graciously offered to answer them.

DJS: What made you decide to pursue having your books published in an audio format? For the indie author, what are the benefits of producing audiobooks?

RK: I know many, many readers who listen to audiobooks regularly. I had looked into the idea of creating audio versions of my books a few years ago, when audiobooks began gaining popularity, but hiring voice actors was cost-prohibitive for me. As an indie author, I have a very tiny budget. Another option would be to buy recording equipment and computer programs and do them myself, but I just don’t have the money for that, or the time. So, I gave up on the idea of creating audiobooks for my Once Upon a Western series.

Then One Audiobooks asked me to write a Christian reader’s guide for them. They’re creating a series of these guides to classic books that have Christian messages or themes, meant for teaching literature or for personal study. I wrote them a guide for Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, which is my favorite novel. They were so pleased with it, they decided to look at my fiction and see if my books might be a good fit for their customers. They offered me a contract, and here we are!

For indie authors, getting your books out to the widest audience possible is important. Audiobooks are a big segment of the market right now, so if an indie author can find a way to get audiobook editions of their books made, I strongly encourage them to do so!

DJS: What were some of the challenges authors face when considering audiobooks as a possibility?

RK:Money is the biggest challenge for an indie author, always. When it comes to audiobooks, you either need to pay a voice actor or buy the equipment to record the book yourself, or rent space and time at a recording studio. If One Audiobooks had not reached out and asked to work on these with me, my Once Upon a Western books would not have audiobooks in the works at all.

Of course, now places like Amazon are testing out AI voices for audiobooks, which seems like a real money saver until you think about the ethics behind it. And a lot of readers object so strongly to AI voices, they refuse to listen to audiobooks if they aren’t recorded by real people.

DJS: AI is certainly a sticky issue, and ethics is a big concern. I agree that anyone producing products should make sure they are being responsible. An easy or cheap fix isn’t always best.

Are there any reasons not to publish a book in audio format?

RK:Be sure you can afford the investment before you get started. Do a lot of research so you have realistic expectations of how long it will take to make back what you have spent.

DJS: I can see how it is a risk, especially with the investment coast. Having realistic expectations is a great piece of advice, as is doing your research. Always do your research!

Do you have a personal story or reason for wanting your books on audio?

RK:I have a friend who uses audiobooks in tandem with their print editions to help one of her kids who has reading difficulties. She slows the speed of the audiobook and her kid follows the words in the book with his eyes while hearing them. She says has been really helpful for him. He has dyslexia, and the combination of hearing words and seeing them at the same time helped him gain confidence for reading silently. I find that so awesome. 

I have another friend who also has a child who struggles with dyslexia. He loves books but rarely has time and patience to sit and read through one, so audiobooks are how he reads books outside school time. I hope these help my friends’ kids!

DJS: That is the best reason of all. I believe everyone should have access to books, whatever that looks like for them.

Thank you for talking with us, Rachel!

Do you like audiobooks? Listen to any great audiobooks lately? Leave a comment below.

Born only a few miles from where Jesse James robbed his first train, Rachel Kovaciny has loved westerns all her life. She is a Christian wife and mother, and homeschools her children. In her spare time, Rachel writes, reads, watches movies, and bakes brownies. Find out more about Rachel’s books at her website.  You may also find her on Instagram.

Join Rachel Kovaciny’s newsletter for updates about her books and her latest articles, and you’ll get a FREE copy of her Sleeping Beauty retelling, The Man on the Buckskin Horse! Sign up for her author newsletter.

Explore Charlotte Bronte’s classic novel with Jane Eyre: A Christian Reader’s Guide. Christian author Rachel Kovaciny provides discussion prompts, historical notes on the book and its author, and a breakdown and analysis of each chapter. This audiobook is a great resource for teaching literature or personal study.

Donna Jo Stone is an award-winning author of young adult contemporary and adult historical fiction. She writes about tough issues but always ends her stories on a note of hope. Her novels are about common struggles and finding the faith to carry on through those battles. The first book in Donna Jo’s young adult series is scheduled for publication in 2024.

To find out more, sign up for her newsletter at donnajostone.com.

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Writing for YA

Planning a Novel Series: Interview with YA Fantasy Author V. Romas Burton

V. Romas Burton is the author of two fantasy series, Heartmaker and The Legacy Chapters. Her latest release, Justified, is book two in The Legacy Chapters. I asked her to share a little bit about her experiences writing a series.

DJS: Writing one novel can be daunting, and I imagine a series can only be more so! What pros and cons about planning a series did you learn as you went through the process?

VRB: There have been a lot of both pros and cons along the way. One pro is that once I know the ending to my series, I can usually find my way from the beginning. A con I’ve learned is that sometimes “pantsing” (not planning out the events in your story), is not always the best route when trying to make it to the end!

DJS: I can understand the pansting issue. Sadly, I’ve taken the route of not enough plotting before sitting down to write. That method didn’t work well for me, although one of my critique partners swears by it. As you planned your series, what did you learn about the process that surprised you? And now that you’ve produced a series, is there anything you would do differently?

VRB: I’ve learned that sometimes your story doesn’t end up where you originally thought. Sometimes a better plot line is uncovered or a new twist is added that makes the story richer. Now that I’ve produced a series I would probably look a bit closer at my characters’ development and really try to make those solid and relatable. 

DJS: Trying to figure out where to begin or what resources to start with can be overwhelming. Where do you suggest authors find help planning a series?

VRB: I would recommend attending a writers’ conference to take some classes and also to meet other like-minded authors. It’s always helpful to have people to bounce ideas off of when you’re not sure what to do next. I also recommend reading through your favorite series with the eyes of an author, not a reader, and see how your favorite author crafts their story over the span of two or more books.

DJS: That’s great advice. I always recommend reading. What are your three favorite YA series? Why do you think you like them so much?

VRB: The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

This was the series that introduced me to YA Fantasy and ultimately made me a writer.

The Caraval Series by Stephanie Garber

I love Stephanie Garner’s descriptions and how she crafts her stories.

This isn’t technically a series, but I love all of Jane Austen’s books. Her stories and characters have influenced my writing in many ways.

DJS: You can never go wrong with Austen. (And I think The Lunar Chronicles and The Caraval Series are also great picks.)

Thanks so much for visiting with us!

Find future book updates and news on V. Romas Burton’s website: www.vromasburton.com

V. Romas Burton grew up bouncing up and down the East Coast where she wrote her first story about magical ponies at age seven. Years later, after studying government and earning an M.A. in Theological Studies, V. Romas Burton realized something even bigger was calling out to her—stories that contained great adventures and encouraging messages.

Donna Jo Stone is an award-winning author of young adult contemporary and adult historical fiction. She writes about tough issues but always ends her stories on a note of hope. Her novels are about common struggles and finding the faith to carry on through those battles.

The first book in Donna Jo’s young adult series is scheduled for publication in 2025.

Her short romance, A Wedding to Remember, released Feb 1st, and her adult 1960s inspy romance, JOANN: Apron Strings Books 5, releases May 15th. 

Stay in touch and receive the latest news by signing up for Donna Jo’s newsletter at  donnajostone.com.

Categories
Writing for YA

Interview With YA Author Tabitha Caplinger

Tabitha Caplinger is the author of The Chronicle of the Three Trilogy, The Wolf Queen and, most recently, The Wayward. I talked with her recently about her writing and about how authors can approach writing stories with Christian themes.

DJS: Writing novels can be a daunting task, and it can be hard to stay motivated. What inspires you to write for the young adult age group? 

TC: I was a youth pastor for twenty years. I have such a heart for teens and young adults, and a desire to see them discover and live for their purpose on purpose. Stories have become a way to not just entertain, but challenge and encourage them to live chosen—to know God and make Him known.

DJS: Some novels are labeled inspirational or Christian, while other containing Christian themes are not. What do you feel makes a novel Christian?

TC: For me, it’s all about perspective. I don’t think a novel needs to be overt or preachy to share Biblical truth and point readers to the heart of Jesus. Jesus is the center of who I am and everything I do. I always say if our life is a pie, Jesus isn’t a slice of the pie, He’s the filling. Just like He flavors all parts of my life, He flavors my writing. Sometimes it will be a little more between the lines than others’ but I want His heart and values to shine through. 

DJS: Tell me a little about your process. When you set out to write a novel, how do you discover the story’s core message? 

TC: I start with the story first and let any themes or message happen organically. Whatever sparks my imagination, I begin to ask questions. Who is this about? Where do they live? What is the conflict they are facing? What journey will they take?

I research and outline until I have the main story points down.

Then I start writing. As I flesh out details and get inside my characters’ heads—learning their motivations, fears, strengths, and weaknesses. That’s when the message tends to emerge. 

DJS: What are some key things authors should keep in mind when they feel they have a calling to deliver a specific message to their readers?

TC: I really believe that the story should come first. Readers are more likely to connect with the message if they are connecting to the characters. Do they feel real? Can I empathize with them? Do I care about what they are facing? Weave the message in through their emotions, thoughts, and actions. If we want the message to stick with readers we have to get it into their hearts, and we do that by connecting their hearts with the hearts of characters. Those emotional connections open us up to the deeper truths being presented, even subtly.

Thank you, Tabitha!

Check out Tabitha’s website, tabithacaplinger.com, where readers can subscribe to Tabitha’s newsletter and stay in the loop about upcoming releases.

Tabitha Caplinger is a lover of good stories and helping others live chosen. When she’s not writing book words, she’s reheating her coffee, binging a new show or teaching God’s Word to students. Tabitha, her husband and two beautifully sassy daughters desire to be Jesus with skin on for those around them. They live to love others…and for Marvel movies.

Donna Jo Stone is an award-winning author of young adult contemporary and adult historical fiction. She writes about tough issues but always ends her stories on a note of hope. Her novels are about common struggles and finding the faith to carry on through those battles.

The first book in Donna Jo’s young adult series is scheduled for publication in 2025.

Her short romance, A Wedding to Remember, released Feb 1st, and her adult 1960s inspy romance, JOANN: Apron Strings Books 5, releases May 15th. 

Stay in touch and receive the latest news by signing up for Donna Jo’s newsletter at  donnajostone.com.

Categories
Writing for YA

How and Why to Host Giveaways: Interview with Ya Author Callie Thomas

We all know marketing is a must. One of the tools authors can use to gain traction is hosting a giveaway. Today I’m talking with YA author Callie Thomas about her experiences participating in and running giveaways.

DJS: Tell us a little about why you decided to do giveaways, and what are some of the benefits. 

CT: I love doing giveaways and offering something special for my readers. It’s a great way to give back to my followers, network with other authors, and hook new readers that might have been on the fence before. Giveaways are a great marketing technique that can be just affective as ads to get your name and books in the public eye.

DJS: What should an author expect to gain from running a giveaway?

CT: Usually there is something a contestant must do in order to get their name put in the drawing pool. It can be anything from signing up for a newsletter, following social media accounts, viewing an author page or book page, or just sharing the giveaway with people they know. The best thing an author can expect is to gain followers on social media platforms. In this way, they can get to know you better and learn more about your books. There is a need to earn a reader’s trust before they make a purchase, and it might take seeing posts about an author’s books numerous times before they purchase anything.

DJS: It seems there are endless possibilities for giveaways. The ones that are a little different seem to stick in my mind. What’s some of the most unique giveaways you’ve seen?

CT: I’ve seen some weird giveaways! I’ve seen ones for virtual Zoom meetings with the author, copies misprinted books, and having a character named after or based on the winner. Personally, I like to stick with ebook or signed paperback giveaways versus monetary giveaways. Gift cards can attract giveaway hunters who are only looking for free handouts. Unfortunately, they aren’t interested in your books, only freebies. Don’t use #giveaway or similar hashtags or you’ll attract freebie hunters.

DJS: With all the demands on author’s time, effort, and funds, marketing can be a real drain, stealing time from writing. How can authors maximize their return of investment regarding giveaways?

CT: Start small and stay within your budget. If you are giving away a book, choose one that is a series starter. This can lead to the purchase of the other books in your series. Try to make the giveaway as easy as possible. The more complicated the instructions, the less entries you’ll have. Make sure you are posting about the giveaway in your socials and interacting with participants. Be patient! Remember that it takes time to grow your audience.

Don’t forget to factor in worldwide readers. It costs more to ship outside of your country, but make sure to do a giveaway for them everyone once in a while to show them appreciation, too.

DJS: Do you have any recommended resources or tips for authors who want to do a giveaway?

Having a good platform to use for giveaways is a must. Make websites or other methods of entering easy to navigate. Even with the best prizes and amazing marketing, if the user can’t figure out how to enter it’s all for nothing. I recently switched to KingSumo (https://kingsumo.com/) and have been enjoying their product.

Thanks so much for sharing this information with us, Callie!

Callie Thomas was born in California but moved away immediately after, living in more places in the United States than she can remember. Even now, she can’t stay in one spot. Callie has been writing since middle school when her teacher caught her writing stories instead of vocabulary words in her 7th grade English class. Callie recently published her first Vella series, A Forest of Stolen Memories & A Sea of Golden Chains, and has more books in the works.

You can visit Callie’s website at www.authorcalliethomas.com.

Donna Jo Stone writes YA contemporary novels about tough issues but always ends the stories with a note of hope. She blogs at donnajostone.com.

Categories
Writing for YA

Talking About Microfiction with Sci-Fi YA Author Sophia Hanson

Today I’m talking with Sci-Fi YA author and fellow columnist here on Almost an Author, Sophia Hanson, about microfiction. I reached out to her after noticing her microfiction on Instagram. I have a love-hate relationship with microfiction. Fitting a piece of writing into the limited perimeters is hard enough, but toss in a time constraint and it requires some major flexing of those writing muscles!

DJS: Was the month-long Instagram challenge the first time you’d tried microfiction? 

SH: I’d tried microfiction once or twice in response to Instagram contests. Cassandra Hamm holds prompt contests quarterly. They are tons of fun. I’d never done a month-long challenge before, but wanted to push myself to do the next hard thing. Thirty-one days of posting new content to prompts was definitely out of my comfort zone, and I decided to learn how to include images in the posts. I learned about Canva, tagging, and writing even when I didn’t feel inspired.

DJS: What was the hardest thing about producing microfiction? 

SH: Including a whole idea/world within those fifty words, but sometimes it was just as hard to land on fifty, not forty-seven or forty-nine.

DJS: I can certainly agree with that! The exacting word count of microfiction had left me blinking at my computer screen a time or two.

In what ways did writing microfiction affect and benefit your writing?

SH: I love learning how to write tight, and I love writing to prompts. It’s a great challenge, especially when you’ve been working on a larger piece, because it helps to reset your brain and refresh those creative juices.

DJS: If someone wants to try out writing microfiction, what is your best advice before they start?

SH: I totally recommend following hashtags like #50wordfiction, #50wordstories, etc. on Instagram. It’s a great learning lab and you’ll find out about the various prompt contests there. 

DJS: After the challenge, Sophia made use of her work in a unique way. She printed and bound her Thirty-One Days in October and gave it out as gifts, like a book of poetry! Now that’s a wonderful and clever idea. I’d love to get such a gift, wouldn’t you?

Sophia Hansen is an organic author—using no hormones, antibiotics, or pesticides in her writing unless absolutely convenient. She’s lived on a tiny island in Alaska, the bustling cities of New York and Boston, and now resides in the Southeast where she writes between fresh(ish) cups of coffee and slices of bacon. After 30+ years of marriage, seven children, and numerous pets, Sophia can still fit into her high school earrings.

Water’s Break, Sophia’s debut YA Sci-Fi novel is scheduled to be published by Enclave Escape in January 2024.

Find out more about Sophia and her writing at her website, SophiaLHansen

Sophia is a flash fiction author, and is also an editor with Havok Publishing. You can find some of her stories in the Havok archives and anthologies at GoHavok. She writes the A3 genre column for Sci-Fi/Fantasy.

Donna Jo Stone writes YA contemporary novels about tough issues but always ends the stories with a note of hope. She blogs at donnajostone.com.

Categories
Writing for YA

How to Keep Readers Engaged: Interview with Ya Author M.J. Padgett

M. J. Padgett is a YA author and co-owner of Pirate Cat Publishing and I asked her advice about how to keep readers turning pages.

DJS: So much of our time as writers is spent trying to hook a reader, but that’s only part of the task. What do you feel are the most important elements a story needs to keep YA readers engaged?

M.J.: Keeping young adults engaged is a difficult task for anyone, especially a writer. Times change quickly, but the core elements of life pretty much stay the same.

Everyone wants a sense of community, of fitting in, finding people with whom they can create strong, lasting bonds (and maybe some romance.) While slang words and phrases, societal concerns, and social climate might change, those are human needs that rarely disappear.

When writing, I try to remember those things and touch on important topics like family—both good and bad aspects, especially including examples of healthy familial relationships—friendships, and young love. Engaging their thoughts and emotions by putting characters in similar situations they might be experiencing is key, especially in true-to-life books.

In fantasy, a sense of escapism that might help readers see their problems in another light, hopefully one that is positive and aids in growth.

What keeps readers engaged is honest discussion about topics we all face. It’s important to bring a Christian perspective to common concerns, showing teenagers that their feelings are not only understandable but also something we have all faced at some point, then offering them realistic and healthy ways to manage those feelings and situations.

DJS: What are some common pitfalls you’ve seen that can cause a reader of teen fiction to lose interest?

M.J.: Recently, many of my YA readers have voiced the same concerns–YA content has become too adult for their liking. Extensive scenes where teens are sexualized and often exploited, characters that are abusive in one way or another are portrayed as desirable, and too political content turns them off. They want to feel, but they want to do it in a healthy way.

DJS: Some stories for teens and YA readers seem to be long-lived favorites. What are your favorites among older literature, and what do you think makes them so timeless? 

M.J.: The Anne of Green Gables series, Little House on the Prairie, Little Women, and so on are all classics I see resurface among YA readers from time to time. I think, even though they might contain some worrisome topics here and there, they represent a time when literature was more wholesome and realistic. They told tales people related to and in a way that people can still relate to today. I think they survived because their authors knew how to write good stories that would stand the test of time and change.

Writing is M. J. Padgett’s true passion (after raising her daughter, of course), and she writes as often as possible. When it comes to reading, she loves a book that can make her forget where she is no matter the genre. If she can get lost and feel like the characters are her real friends, she’s a happy reader.

M.J.’s latest release is the YA Fantasy, Dark and Devious.

Something dark and devious lurks in the moors around Roisin Dubh’s home, and it’s her duty to stamp it out before it gets its claws into the humans she’s vowed to protect.… even though those humans would kill her on sight if they knew she was Fae.

Roisin is bound by a vow to protect the humans of Gwenlyre from dark Fae at all costs, but now something sinister has entered Gwenlyre, and it will strain Roisin’s vows – and her heart – to their limits.

M. J.’s Website: https://www.mjpadgettbooks.com/

Instagram: @M.J. Padgett

Pirate Cat Publishing is a platform offering clean YA in consumable form along with loads of bonuses.  https://www.piratecatpublishing.com/join

Donna Jo Stone writes YA contemporary novels about tough issues but always ends the stories with a note of hope. She blogs at donnajostone.com.