18 Years to Publish by Diana Rubino

18 Years to Publish by Diana Rubino 

 

Hello, all published and aspiring authors. I’m Diana Rubino, author of 18 historical and paranormal novels. My publishers are The Wild Rose Press and Solstice Publishing.

My story will inspire you to push on, if nothing else will. It’s unique, because I'm probably the longest aspiring author to be published—18 years. I wrote my first novel in 1982, after a dose of reality in the brokerage business. In those days, executive-level women were virtually nonexistent in the finance industry. My first novel was largely autobiographical, as most first novels are. Although my third and fourth novels came close to getting published with Harlequin, they didn't quite make it.

Because I’m a huge history buff, I decided to write a historical, which became The Jewels of Warwick, set around Henry VIII and a fictional mistress. Jewels took two years to research and write, with no internet. This was 1990. It came very close to publication with several romance houses, but missed the mark for containing too little romance. When I finished Jewels, I scoured the history books for another legendary figure to write about. While I browsed the Cambridge Library stacks, a book snagged my eye. Lying, not standing, on the wrong shelf was Crown of Roses by Valerie Anand. It drew me like a magnet. Richard III is a central character in the story, and the author thanks ‘the Richard III Society’ for helping her. “Who’s this Richard III Society?” I wondered.

Already hooked on Richard, his tragic death at 32 and his reputation as a usurper and a murderer of his little nephews, I joined this Richard III Society (again, through snail mail, no internet). As everyone else who has a story about how they ‘met’ Richard, he fascinated me. I’d found the subject of my next novel! And it tied in perfectly as a prequel to The Jewels of Warwick. Titled Thy Name is Love, it made the same rounds of publishers, remaining homeless after several rewrites and seven years.

But the miracle of the internet came to all of us. My first online experience was CompuServe’s Romance Forum in 1993. This led to meeting many authors who shared leads and their own writing journeys. In 1999, Lisa Hamilton, an author I'd met on the CompuServe Romance Forum, sent me a list of E-publishers, since E-publishing was new and quickly catching on. One of those publishers was Domhan Books, a British publisher who also did print.

When I heard back from them, I figured it was just another rejection, but it was an offer to publish my historicals, since Siobhan McNally, the owner of Domhan Books, was a huge Richard sympathizer. They also published print books, so I lived the moment I’d dreamed about—seeing my first book in print. This was 18 years after that first novel went out into the world.

What surprised me most about the publishing business is that it's very hard to be recognized. You really have to work on promotion as well as writing. I've read many differing opinions on this, but I do believe you should promote as much as time allows, without taking away writing time. I have a website, a mailing list, and attend as many signings and conferences as possible.

But you have to be realistic; it's not easy to shoot up to #1; I'd had delusions of being on talk shows and seeing my name on the NYT bestseller lists after my first novel.

I never felt I had enough information to convey at a workshop, but I can tell aspiring authors to make sure the opening is enough to grab you, make sure the characters are compelling – make sure they're interesting enough and the reader cares enough about them to keep reading – make sure the novel is structured well so that it doesn't have a sagging middle or any pacing problems, make sure the stakes are high enough – they're in life or death situations and it seems they can't possibly get out of them – make sure the secondary characters aren't mere cardboard, and humor always helps.

I don’t have any one favorite author, but there are authors whose books I’ll buy if their name is on them. That includes Doug Preston & Lincoln Child (they write great thrillers together), Barbara Erskine (very eerie paranormals set in Essex, England), and Bertrice Small, who we recently lost. She never disappointed me.

I’ve never had a deadline from a publisher, but I once sent an agent the first three chapters of my vampire romance. He said he’d like to see the entire manuscript so I wrote 5,000 words a day till it was finished. He later rejected it. Oh, well. But at least I know I’m capable of turning out 5,000 words a day. My usual output is 2,500 words a day.

In my ‘other’ life, I own an engineering business with my husband, based in Cambridge.

I’d like to tell any aspiring authors who are frustrated that it’s taken them three, four, five or more years to get that first contract, remember… I wrote for 18 years before getting ‘the call’ so never give up!

Keep believing, and keep the faith! And of course, keep writing, because you’ll only get better. And NEVER give up on your dream!

That's great advice, Diana! Thank you so much for stopping by Writing in the Modern Age today!  :)

Guest Blogger Bio

Setting goals is a key to success. Sacrifice helps, too. In 1999 I signed with my first publisher Domhan Books of the UK. I spent several summers in England writing, researching, and revising my four-book Yorkist saga. A dedicated history buff and Anglophile, I’m a member of the Richard III Society, a fascinating group of learned historians, some of whom claim to have met Richard.

My husband Chris and I own CostPro Inc., a construction cost consulting company in New England. I'm indulging another longtime interest, archaeology, for which I’m working on a Master’s Degree. We also love to travel. The Mediterranean cruise "Cradles of Civilization" aboard the Rotterdam included a visit to the Pyramids of Egypt. I was  fortunate to visit Poland, my grandmother's native land, and Chopin's birthplace as well as the resting place of his heart, Warsaw.

I have a Real Estate license and since 1994 I've owned rental condos in Myrtle Beach and New England.

My stories are romances set against a backdrop of political upheaval, court intrigue, poverty, general drama of the surroundings, and sometimes a splash of the paranormal. What I’m trying to convey is that love can prevail no matter what the conflicts and obstacles, earthly or not.

I recently began writing biographical novels with no fictional characters.

I enjoy living in the most beautiful spot on Earth, my beloved Cape Cod.

Author Links:  

Website:  http://www.dianarubino.com/
Blog:  http://dianarubinoautor.blogspot.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/dianarubino

https://www.facebook.com/DianaRubinoAuthor 

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/DianaLRubino
Amazon Author Central:  http://www.amazon.com/Diana-Rubino/e/B005C4ZSHO/

Goodreads:  https://plus.google.com/u/0/100382402048172055582/posts
Google+:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/845147.Diana_Rubino

 

Diana's Books:  

 

Coming Soon:

 

 

Available Now: