I’m very excited to be able to welcome another Australian Romantic Suspense author, Karly Blakemore-Mowle, to my blog today! Karly’s a very prolific author with three books released this year. I read her book FALLOUT a couple of months ago and loved it! OPERATION SUMMER STORM is out now with Wild Rose Press. THE CATTLEMAN’S RUNAWAY BRIDE was released earlier this year and she’s releasing SHIMMER with Allen and Unwin in April next year. What an amazing twelve months! Karly, how do you juggle all that?
I’d like to say I was some kind of writing machine—but sadly I’m not! I wrote solidly for two years before I became published and already had Operation Summer Storm, The Cattleman’s Runaway Bride and Shimmer written by the time I got a foot in the door with Fallout being published. For most of the time, it’s been a lot of waiting around between release dates and edits. I’m sure all that will change once Shimmer comes out though.
Still sounds incredibly busy to me…
You’ve had the experience of working with an e-publisher and now with a print publisher. How do the experiences compare?
I don’t think you can compare them, they have a lot of similarities, but they are two very separate identities.
E-publishing is all about instant demand. It’s very dynamic, and fast paced. It was a fantastic foundation for my writing career and I am so glad for the opportunities it’s given me.
The editing process has been the biggest difference I’ve come across with mainstream print publishing. The detail of the first editorial report for Shimmer was massive and the editor’s comments and suggestions were just amazing. I’ve loved every single moment of the challenge, working my way through it.
Editing is certainly something that seems to differ from publisher to publisher as well. What advice can you share about those two different publishing approaches?
For a new writer, I think e-publishing can be an exciting, experience. Because they’re smaller, it allows, especially novice writers, to gain some valuable experience in publishing. You have to be prepared to do all your own promotion though, and if you are like me and love your print copies—be prepared that Australian bookstores won’t order them in themselves and you’ll need to become distributor, promoter, writer, agent and salesperson for your book! It’s been a steep learning curve, but so rewarding.
The larger print publishers intimidated me when I first started out. I think, because they are so much bigger, it was off putting. I often thought, what hope have I got with a slush pile that could take years for them to get through to my MS? I think this is where the e-pub industry has an advantage. For starters, most submissions are done via email—it’s still a three month or so wait, but I’ve had some responses come back a lot quicker than that.
My ultimate dream was always to have a print book out on my local bookstore shelf and I’m so excited that it’s now a reality! Of course, having said that, my other books are in both print and e-book form anyway, so you really can have the best of both worlds with e-publishing.
E-books are definitely a growth side of the market aren’t they!
Your books with Allen and Unwin are rural romances. Where does the inspiration for those stories come from? Are there still elements of suspense in them?
I write rural fiction because I’ve only ever lived in rural communities, and I know absolutely nothing about the city!
When I started writing Shimmer, I had no intention of it having romance or suspense. It was supposed to be a more family, woman on a journey kind of story. However, a love interest kept butting in and became so annoying that I had to include it, and then by the end of it, there was also a touch of suspense, so I guess I haven’t strayed too far from my romantic suspense roots after all! The only thing missing in these are the helicopters, car chases and Marines!
And while I’ll miss those Marines I’m sure you’ll give us more sexy heroes to lust after 🙂
How does a day in your life run?
Usually like a three-ringed circus! With kids, I try to get up early so I can write with no interruption while the rest of the house is asleep. Then it’s just a matter of snatching ten minutes here and there throughout the day, between being at the kids beck and call and housework that never seems to end! I also have that annoying hassle of going to work, which is a necessary evil—apparently children and husbands are quite fond of food and the bills need to be paid!
That sounds all too familiar, Karly… Thanks for taking time out of your busy life to drop by and chat. All the best with your latest release!
To celebrate Karly’s latest release – details below – there’s an e-book of Operation Summer Storm up for grabs. All you need to do to go into the running is to tell us what device you use to read your favourite e-books (I’m after first hand advice here – Christmas is just around the corner 🙂 )
Tate Maddox is a wanted man, accused of a crime he didn’t commit.
Summer Sheldon holds the key to his freedom—for a price.
Her demands are simple–rescue her journalist sister from a rebel hostage camp and she’ll hand over the evidence to clear his name. There’s just one small catch. He has to take her with him. From the depths of a Cambodian jungle to the tropical paradise of the Philippines, two unlikely allies are forced to learn how to coexist or lose everything each holds dear. Together they must expose a truth that leaves them both vulnerable to the ruthless killer behind Tate’s nightmare.
Murder, blackmail, and injustice brought them together. Will Tate and Summer save Willow and restore Tate’s reputation in time, or will they pay the ultimate price for honor?
Thanks for being such a wonderful guest, Karly! We’re all waiting for Shimmer to hit the shelves in 2011!
The winner of an e-book copy of Operation Summer Storm is Steve J 🙂 Send me an email from the contact page, Steve, and let me know your details.
Thanks to everyone for dropping by today. I still managed to write 3000 words on Burning Lies while having a lovely sociable time on the blog!
Thank you for everyone who dropped by today, it was lovely to see everyone. Thank you Helene for having me, and I can’t wait to read Shattered sky next year!
Lol, Karly, you just have to make technology work for you – no technical terms required 🙂
Zosia, I had heard Bron’s books weren’t available in Australian yet as e-books, but there’s high hopes that will change soon!
Many of the big American publishing houses block us. Most recently I’ve discovered I can’t buy Cindy Gerard or Christy Reece’s books (I could until about six months ago).
I bought Bronwyn Parry’s ebooks from a major website, and yesterday I received an email that told me Australians are no longer allowed to buy anything from them. She’s Australian for Heaven’s sake!
I don’t have a proper ebook device at the moment, so I read them on my computer. There’re lots of different formats, but Adobe seems to be a popular choice. The different formats can be downloaded for free.
I’m also glad you’ve asked that question Helene, I write ebooks, but I have no clue what to read them on.. I have a few and just use the computer or that free down load thingy from Amazon.. umm, not on my computer at the moment, so I can’t look up the name, but it uses a ebook program on your computer… see I’m dangerous with technology!
You’re so right about technology, Suzanne. If I could work out how to get rid of some of the apps my nieces insisted I needed on my iPhone it would be a fine thing…
hi everyone, sorry, I’ve been running after kids! Thanks for dropping by and all the great comments… Zosia– you are doing wonderfully with the PR.. When I need a professional, you’re my gal! 🙂
Fiona, I hope your hubby takes the hint!! I think I may just have to buy one for GW and then fill it full of books I want to read 🙂
Zosia, welcome! You do a wonderful job of promoting so many Aussie writers – we really, really do appreciate your hard work (and prolific reading ability!!) Interesting that so many e-books aren’t available here in Australia. I didn’t realise that. Clearly I’ve only tried to buy ones that were released here. And yes, I too have shelves overflowing with paperbacks…
Oh Zosia, I do know spelling as well. lol.. shelfs. lol
Great and interesting post, Helene and Karly. I agree with the rise of e-books, and the experienced gained from a smaller press publisher. Let’s hope in the near future I will get picked up. I also would love to see my novel/novels on the Aussie shelfs. 🙂
I read occasinally from my laptop Helene. I’m looking into something else that I have no idea about. Technology is forever on the move lately, and I haven’t the time to keep up with the latest.
Suzanne 🙂
Argh ‘TOO’. I know grammar, I really do!
Everyone GO BUY THIS BOOK!! (How I am doing helping with the promotion?!)
It really is so good. There’s nothing better than having an Australian woman being swept off her feet by a Marine – it’s nice to know maybe it can happen…sort of…
Ebooks would do better here if we weren’t blocked from buying so many of them. So often when I go to buy one I get a lovely message telling me they won’t sell to Australia (but it’s fine if you’re just about anywhere else). Drives me crazy, but then I’m very fond of my mountains of paperbacks to.
Thanks Karly and Helene, I can’t wait to read Shimmer. And i’d love to read OSS – I don’t have any cool devices except for my computer. (would love an ipad for xmas..did you read that hubby?!?!) Best of luck Karly. x 🙂
What a lovely interview – and your books sound wonderful! Best of luck to you. 🙂
Hi Cathleen, thanks for dropping by. I really don’t know how Karly’s managing all the writing, editing and managing the STALI contest as well!
Erin, The Cattleman’s Runaway Bride is lovely, isn’t it. Like you, I can’t wait to read Shimmer.
Margaret, thanks for visiting. Tate and Summer’s story sounds like a very exciting read!
Hi Karly,
Great interview. You are cetainly on a roll and you deserve it. Loved the blurb too, really got the adrenalin pumping.
cheers
Margaret
Hi Karly,
Loved The Cattleman’s Runaway Bride…can’t wait for Shimmer!
xo
Sounds utterly fascinating, Karly. Congratulations on your success. Must have been great to work with your Allen and Unwin editor too.
Best
Cathleen Ross
Thanks Steve 🙂 I struggle with gadgets, but I think for an iPad I could make an exception and learn how not to break it!
Thanks Cathryn 🙂 Ditto on the congrats!
Karly, it’s a pleasure!
Steve, I must admit to lusting after an iPad myself. One of the pilots I was checking the other day turned up with all his manuals and his log book on his iPad… V jealous…
Hi Cathryn. Congrats on being No 4 on the Carina Press most popular list – you must be stoked!
Great interview, ladies. Always very interesting to read someone’s journey to publication.
Can’t wait to see Shimmer hit the shelves, Karly. It’s definitely on my buy list.
Nice interview, ladies.
I’ve recently bought an iPad and you can’t go past them. Interactive, easy to use, easy to read and everyone around you is jealous as hell 🙂
Good luck with your new release, Karly
Lovely to be here Helene, thank you for doing such a fun interview 🙂