For those of you who have read my book or follow me on social media, the above name may not be new to you. Or, you may already be a big fan of the author already. Elise has been the wonderful and very patient editor I’ve worked with on a few projects now. I say patient because every time I try to get on top of a creative project, life always knocks me over from behind like sick children, all day morning sickness, broken limbs, broken drains etc, but although I feel terrible on missing deadlines, Elise takes it in her stride.
Elise is another author who has been published traditionally with Harlequin and Penguin Random House but has chosen to self publish her latest series, On The Road. Here Elise explains why she has chosen to do this and gives a little insight into her world as a writer.
Tell us a little about yourself I live near Melbourne with my husband, two cats, and Chihuahua. I’m a professional editor, an author of romantic suspense, contemporary romance, and new adult, and I’m now what people are calling a ‘hybrid author’ published with Harlequin and Penguin Random House.
What is your writing style, what do you like to write? I have a descriptive/narrative style, and I adore writing dialogue.
Why did you self-publish? New Adult is still an emerging genre. I could have hoped a publisher would figure out where to place it and how to market it, but in the end I had too many plans for this book to surrender the control. One for the Road is the first in my Road series, and I have a clear vision of how the series will look, when the titles will be published, etc. Self-publishing gave me the reigns.
You have been traditionally published yet have chosen to self-publish as well, why?
Harlequin and Penguin Random House are very good to me and I love working with them both, but the Road series is something I need to shape myself. I’m fortunate to have a trilogy being released with Harlequin’s Escape Publishing over the coming months, and I’m working on a project Penguin has expressed initial interest in – so they’re still keeping me busy! I believe that being both traditionally published and self published will be a wonderful opportunity to get more titles out in more ways.
Do you prefer one type of publishing over the other? I’m too new to the self publishing world to have a preference, this is my first title – but the first of many!
What were the advantages of being traditionally published over self-publishing?
Having a team behind you is an extraordinary thing; professional editors, marketers, and the like – they make your book shine and throw the weight of their brand behind everything they do. When you self, you have to source individual professionals or do it yourself. I’m not sure if readers still see publishers’ imprints as a kind of stamp of quality … those who aren’t as familiar with the latest leaps and bounds in the self-publishing world, and the quality of work that can be found within it, may still favour brand-name products, so that’s certainly another advantage of being traditionally published.
What are the best and worst parts of self-publishing? Best: the control. Worst: I’ll let you know. I seem to have had a good experience so far!
What are you currently working on? I’m writing the second book in the Road series, The Road Less Travelled; finishing edits for a contemporary romance with Escape Publishing; and polishing another contemporary romance to ready it for submission. I keep myself busy!
What advice have you got for people who may be thinking of self-publishing? Do a lot of leg work before you hit the publish button. You want to make the best first impression that you possibly can.
Book or eBook? At this point in time, audio book! I have so little time to sit down and read lately, but I listen to audio books on the commute to and from work, and as I get ready in the morning. I’m getting through about a book a week, which makes me very happy.
If you held a dinner party, which literary characters would you invite and why?
This may sound ego-maniacal, but I’d love to have dinner with the six lead characters and their kids in my Ask Me to Stay trilogy – I imagine it would be loud, loving, and full of hilarity. They’re the kind of people I wish I could know. Failing them, probably Laini Taylor’s Karou from the Smoke & Bone trilogy (so I could find out what happened next), and Erin Morgenstern’s Celia from The Night Circus (for so many reasons).
FAST FIVE:
1) What was the last book you read? The Rosie Project. Loved it.
2) Who is your favourite author? Still JK Rowling. I’m reading her Robert Galbraith stuff now.
3) What can’t you leave home without? My phone and headphones – for audiobooks!
4) What was the last song you heard? Carry On My Wayward Son by Kansas. Being the Supernatural tragic that I am, it’s my ringtone.
5) What is your favourite word? (Can be in English or another language)
Damn it, favourite? Wanderlust, probably. It’s pretty much the theme of my Road series. But there are a great many from the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows which resonate with me, too.
You can reach Elise at the following:
claregriffin.com 