This week I am delighted to welcome my friend Julie Stock back to my blog. I am particularly pleased and honoured because she has made time in her Publication Week to come here for a chat.
Julie is the a multi talented lady who works freelance as a writer, supply teacher and WordPress website designer and troubleshooter. Her latest novel, The Vineyard in Alsace, is published on March 6th.
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Julie, welcome back. It's a whole year since you were last here. Since then we met in real life at the RNA Conference last summer in Lancaster and spent ages nattering. Then in October, the two of us, plus Kate Field and Catherine Meadows, met up in Birmingham for lunch. One thing about writers - we'll travel long distances for friends and a good meal!
I have to open this interview with congratulations on the publication of your second novel, The Vineyard in Alsace, on March 6th. Tell us a bit about it. |
Thanks, Sue. It’s been a very exciting and busy time pre-publication! The Vineyard in Alsace tells the story of Fran and Didier, who were in love with each other at university but split up when she left for a job in London and he stayed behind to train as a vineyard manager. |  |
And you have another lovely cover. You have an eye for just the right cover illustration.
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From Here To Nashville's cover is stylish and clever... |
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...and this new one is pretty and romantic. |
h I am so pleased with my cover. This time, I worked with Rachel Lawston who has done a fabulous job in conveying the messages I wanted the cover to get across. It obviously conveys that it’s a romance, as you’ve said, and the vine illustration clearly shows that it’s set on a vineyard. The last piece in the puzzle was to give a suggestion of the location, which comes from the church and from the stork, the traditional symbol of Alsace, which is hidden among the vines.
Sorry to interrupt, Julie - I have to stop you for a moment while I go and look for the stork. Found it!
Overall though, it’s the combination of the colours and the beautiful illustrations that really make it such a success. The feedback I’ve had has been amazing!
h There's more to publication day than meets the eye, isn't there? I know 2016 was a difficult year for you, but you ended it by making decisions about your publishing life. Do you mind sharing the process you went through?
Well, this book went through the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme again and when I got it back in 2015, the feedback was very positive so I made a few changes and after a lot of thought, I decided to try submitting it to agents and publishers. I had some good feedback and I came very close to having it picked up by an agent but not quite close enough. So I decided to act on the feedback I’d received with the help of an editor. She acted like a mentor to me really and we worked together to do a structural edit on my book. I then met an agent and a publisher at the RNA Conference who had both read the newly edited first three chapters. One of them hated it and one of them loved it! Literally. What can I say?
h It was at this point that I started to wonder whether I was doing the right thing if their reactions were so diverse. Anyway, once the whole book was ready, I sent it out to two more publishers. One of them rejected it and the other didn’t ever get back to me. That’s when I realised that I had spent the best part of a year chasing this and all to no avail. When I considered all the things I’d been told along the way, things like ‘it needs to be much more commercial for us to take it’, as well as the disappointing stories I was hearing from some friends about their experience with their publishers, I knew I had to really think about what I wanted from my writing career. That’s when I decided to self-publish again. Having done it before, I knew what would be involved and I knew I could do it. It’s not easy and I’m not saying that I wouldn’t like to get the same sort of sales my friends with publishing contracts are getting but I think indie publishing just suits me and my writing better.
h Was there a single moment when it all fell into place?
That moment at the Conference was telling for me but the publisher liked it so much, I thought it was worth another round of submissions to see what would happen. To be honest though, when it was rejected again, in a way I felt relieved because I was already thinking about self-publishing and the freedom it would give me to do my own thing and to be in control. I knew then that if I was relieved, not disappointed, I ought to go with my instinct and continue with self-publishing.
h And are you feeling settled now? Happy with the way ahead?
Yes, I feel very happy with my decision and I’m looking forward to what the future may bring with the publication of this second book. And now that I’ve decided to continue pursuing the indie route, it has given me confidence and motivation to get on with things.
h I'm so pleased to know you feel like that. What lies ahead? The immediate future, I'm sure, includes lots of blogs, publicity and general celebration surrounding your new book.
The immediate future is really busy, as you say, which is fantastic, if a bit scary! I am desperately trying to get going with my first draft of my third book to send it off to the New Writers’ Scheme this year. Then I am determined to edit my sequel novella to my first book, From Here to Nashville.
h To finish off, please tell us something about the story inside that attractive cover.
h Here’s the blurb:
h Is there really such a thing as a second chance at love?
Fran Schell has only just become engaged when she finds her fiance in bed with another woman. She knows this is the push she needs to break free from him and leave London. She applies for her dream job on a vineyard in Alsace in France, not far from her family home, determined to concentrate on her work.
Didier Le Roy can hardly believe it when he sees that the only person to apply for the job on his vineyard is the same woman he once loved but let go because of his stupid pride. Now estranged from his wife, he longs for a second chance with Fran if only she will forgive him for not following her to London. h Working so closely together, Fran soon starts to fall in love with Didier all over again. Didier knows that it is now time for him to move on with his divorce if he and Fran are ever to have a future together. Can Fran and Didier make their second chance at love work despite all the obstacles in their way?
A romantic read set against the enticing backdrop of the vineyard harvest in France.
h Julie, it has been a pleasure having you here again for a good chat. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences. You are always so honest about everything on your blog and in interviews and I'm sure that has helped other writers.
Best of luck with The Vineyard in Alsace. Now then, after all that talking, we deserve something to eat... or perhaps a little glass of something...
h Thanks very much for having me on your lovely blog again, Susanna. Your continued support means so much and I hope we’ll be able to meet up again in real life very soon over food and wine!
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Julie's links:
Her Twitter page Her website and blog Her Facebook page Amazon's Julie Stock page
Amazon page for The Vineyard in Alsace
Amazon page for From Here to Nashville |
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Comments (23)
Best wishes
Jessica
Thanks for reading my blog post and for leaving a comment too. You definitely need tenacity as a writer these days and I'm very persistent! It's not easy, no, you're right but I think there are rewards that make it all worth it along the way :) Looking forward to reading more about your publishing journey soon :)
I've just bought the book and I'm looking forward to reading it. Good luck Julie - hope it goes well.
I enjoyed this interview for many reasons but, perhaps most importantly, because you reflected so honestly on the ups and downs of the writing journey, and related career decisions, all writers face. I'm happy you've found the path that works for you both personally and professionally. You are indeed doing indie publishing the right way and for the right reasons.
Caroline, I loved reading your comment and Julie's reply. One feature of the writing profession that we can all be proud of is how very encouraging and helpful writers are towards one another, even on the shortest acquaintance, as your words and Julie's make very clear. I'm glad you enjoyed reading Julie's interview.
How lovely that you remember meeting me at the conference last year. I remember that conversation so well and all the positive advice you and the others gave me - all far more experienced than me and yet so encouraging and kind. I feel relieved now to have made my decision and to be getting on with it but it was an experience I had to go through to get to where I am now, I guess. Thanks so much for your lovely comments about my writing and my cover - I'm really honoured to receive that praise from you. It is a slog whichever path you choose but I'll be happier on that path knowing that it really is the best one for me. Thanks so much for all your kind words and for reading my interview with Susanna xx
Thanks so much for your lovely comment. It is hard to keep going through that constant round of submissions and rejections, and to keep picking yourself up and starting again. For me though, I suppose it was all part of working out what I wanted from my writing career and part of that is being in control of my own destiny. So something had to give. As you say, indie publishing has come a long way and is respected when done properly. Thanks for your good wishes. I love the idea that I have my own niche ;) Thanks for taking the time to read my interview with Susanna and for leaving a comment.