Author Q&A with Local Author Sandy Henry

October 2005

Q: Why did you choose to follow up your romantic thriller (Something Borrowed, Something Blue) with a children’s book?

A: Actually, the project I completed after the release of my mystery was an anthology based on the television series Gunsmoke. Gunsmoke: Legends of the Long Branch is actually more mystery than western, consisting of nine short stories featuring the show’s characters. I’ve now got a publisher interested in the project, but it’s been a tougher sell than my children’s picture book.

Q: What seems to be the holdup with Gunsmoke Legends?

A: I think part of the problem with a project like this is that there are copyright issues. I approached the Clearances and Permissions people at CBS/Viacom before the manuscript was even finished. However, I understand that securing permission to “borrow” the characters might take a while.

Q: How did you get the folks at the DIY Book Festival to look at Gunsmoke?  After all, the show has been off the air for quite some time.

A: I couldn’t believe it at first when I found the DIY Book Festival contest.  They were the only organization I’ve ever seen that had a Fan Fiction category, so the work didn’t need to be in bound, published form like the entries in their other categories. Apparently they look for different and unexpected. And a big portion of the judging in their competition involves marketing. I put together a full media kit for them, with a mock press release, sell sheet, cover shot, back cover text . . . even reviews. I was thrilled that they were open to it and awarded it a second-place prize. I lost out to vampire erotica!

Q: How did the children’s picture book (A Child’s Bedtime Companion) come about?

A: I was looking for Christmas gifts for my nieces and nephews, specifically a rhyming prayer book to replace the classic “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep” rhyme.  Like the flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz, the part about “if I should die before I wake” scared me as a child. So I was looking for a kindler, gentler Christian book that rhymed. When I couldn’t find what I was looking for, I wrote Bedtime Companion.

Q: How did you begin your search for a publisher?

A: Well, I have to confess to being a little clueless about children’s literature and publishers. I didn’t know going in whether I was supposed to have an illustrator with sample drawings or how to even query children’s publishers. I learned a great deal from a very successful illustrator I met at a book fair. She’s been illustrating beautiful books for children for years, and she explained that it wasn’t expected that I’d send illustrations with the text. She also gave me lots of information about querying without an agent, along with the names of some organizations I might look into. I decided to try my publisher search on my own, and I chose four traditional publishers who produce beautiful books like I envisioned for my prayer story. I heard back from Ambassador Books very quickly about my query. They requested the full manuscript and phoned a few weeks later expressing interest in the project.  It’s been a really terrific experience working with them, and we’ve all been so thrilled with our illustrator, Vera Pavlova. She lives in Rome.  But we’ve had no logistal problems or problems of any kind really since we all came together.

Q: Who are some of the writers who have influenced you?

A: As a kid, most of my favorite writers were from television. I especially enjoyed the writers from M*A*S*H and Gunsmoke. Kathleen Hite was my very favorite—her characters were always so fresh and original. And of course I devoured every Nancy Drew mystery from Carolyn Keene. Currently, my favorite novelist is Joy Fielding. Her mysteries are always complex and layered—she gives a reader lots of twists. For years, her writing intimidated me, though, and I still don’t read her books when I’m writing my own.

Q: You’ve had experience with Print On Demand publishing and traditional publishing. Are there major differences in the publishing process?

A: I’ve been lucky with both. The biggest difference for me at least is in the setup costs and marketing. My POD experience has been really wonderful—I spent under $500 to have Llumina Press create an eye-catching book for me. They commissioned the artist for my cover. They set it up with Amazon and the other online vendors. And they made it available to bookstores and libraries through Ingram, the distributor who handles traditionally published books. For me, the POD process worked just the way I’d hoped it would. It paid me a modest monthly royalty, allowing me to pay some bills while I was writing other things to market to traditional publishers. 

With Ambassador, I pay nothing out-of-pocket and they provide all of the same services. They’ve been really respectful about my vision for the finished book, and they’ve really welcomed my input every step of the way. The royalty scale is higher with my traditional contract. And they will market the book, as well. So there are differences and similarities with both.

Q: Do you think there is a stigma about self-published or Print On Demand books?

A: So far, the only bias or stigma I’ve experienced has been from other writers.  It hasn’t been an issue with bookstores, libraries, writing contests or readers.  Of course, I would have had a tougher time getting my book onto the shelves of the major chain stores had it not been returnable. That’s a critical issue with POD books.

 Q: Is there anything readers might be surprised or interested to know about you?

A: I’m not sure about interested. Maybe “concerned” would be a better word.  Many have expressed concern that I dress up my dogs in costume for our annual holiday card . . .

Q: What has been the best thing about working as a writer?

A: I really enjoy meeting readers and sharing with other writers information about all of their publishing options. Nowadays, there are lots of ways into print that didn’t exist before. And it’s gratifying to help others to live their dream of being published.

Q: What other projects are you currently working on?

A: I’ve had a pretty busy year, having been published in a variety of different genres. Most recently, I’ve had my first poem published in the book, Gunsmoke: An American Institution by Ben Costello. Ben and I are doing a joint book signing at the Waterfront Barnes and Noble in Homestead on Tuesday, November 15th. I’ve been published in Book Marketing From A to Z, as well as Changing Course, a collection of essays for women by bestselling author Yitta Halberstam (Small Miracles). 

And I’ve also got my first independent film in preproduction. It’s called Shots at The Hideaway, and we start filming in San Francisco later this month. 

Q: What types of things are you doing to market your books?

A: I’ve got several book signing events scheduled, including a pajama party at the new Barnes and Noble store at South Hills Village on November 22nd. And my publisher will be setting up some other things for me, as well. And last month, I was one of the guest author/speakers at the 50th anniversary celebration of Gunsmoke in Dodge City, Kansas. Since it was Gunsmoke that first inspired me to pursue writing as a career when I was about six years-old, that really was a huge thrill for me. 

Q: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

A: The best advice I can give is to write what’s in you. I’ve found that when I try to tailor my work to a specific guideline or submission request (“write the best Halloween story and win a million dollars!”), I struggle with it and it’s no fun. But when I write whatever I’m inspired to, be it a mystery, essay, poem, whatever, the words flow easily. Then I try to find a place to send it when it’s finished. It’s worked very well for me.  And I don’t worry about the agents who tell me I should stick with one genre and be a mystery writer or children’s author. That would bore me senseless. 

     Also, anyone choosing to work in the arts has to have tough skin and a belief in themselves. Don’t ever listen to those people, well-meaning or not, who tell you that you can’t do it, won’t be able to support yourself.  Work leads to more work. And it’s so much more fun to work at something you really love!

Readers interested in learning more can visit my website: www.sandyhenry.com.