Why I’m re-releasing my novels after 15 years

You read that correctly! I’m taking a chance for something I believe in - my books!

I recently requested and received the rights back to my two published novels from Grand Central Publishing (Hachette). My former book editor planted the idea, and my agent made it happen.

It was such an exciting experience to go through the process of traditional publishing fifteen years ago - and now I’m rereleasing them with light edits and new juicy covers.

These two books have quietly been moved to the background throughout the years. My life is so different now than it was when they were released in 2010 and 2011. My audience has more depth and width, many have no idea I wrote novels!

My love of storytelling began in fifth grade, and I always visualized my career as a full-time writer. While my goal was authoring womens fiction, it materialized in the form of a celebrated blog and many published craft books.

Honestly, I don’t even know how I was able to write and sell these two novels. It was half discipline, half manifestation. Persistence. Delulu as the sol-lulu before that was a thing.

Craft books? I can create those, easy. But novels are a whole other muscle.

I know this because I’ve been working on my third novel FOREVER. I hadn’t been able to find the magic I had when I wrote the first two books. Which is crazy because back then I worked full-time by day at the newspaper, made and filled art orders, helped the kids with homework, etc. Then after everyone went to sleep, I wrote the manuscripts from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. every night.

These days I have way more time, but that diligence hasn’t clicked in. And I know this path it is meant to be because I receive signs all the time, everywhere. I can feel it in my soul, my future self reminds me all the time.

Last year I was a speaker at ASU’s Authorpreneur conference and I connected with a former newsroom colleague, Ginger Scott. While I shared my experience about traditional publishing tot he attendees, she talked about going from a newspaper reporter to a best-selling self-published romance author.

I left so inspired and motivated.

Now she is guiding me though the process for these two novels. In order to prep my mind, body and spirit, I enrolled in a ten-week memoir-writing class. This was so helpful to incorporate writing in my daily routine.

Anyway…

First up is Waking up in the Land of Glitter - it is women’s fiction, about a group of friends who come together for the national CraftOlympics. It’s silly and soulful. Each character has a stake in the big event for their livelihood. Think Ugly Betty-meets-Waiting To Exhale-meets-Hacks.

Even if only a few people discover it, I will feel so fulfilled and proud.

The third novel is Buy Me a Churro and Tell Me You Love Me, and it feels good to be in groove of finishing it! Finally!

Here is the takeaway: Everything in the life is temporary. We have the chance to revive, relaunch, restart any time we want along the way. It too shall pass, so why not give it a go?

I could easily sit back and let these books linger in the past, or I can shake my literary snowglobe and reset the glitter. I’m going for it! These are passion works and they deserve another introduction to new readers.

This is a reminder to be the main character in your life, take chances - even if they show your vulnerability. Life is not meant to be plain and uneventful. It’s meant to give you goosebumps, and mucho feelings!

It’s good for the plot, right?