Process of Publication

(This is my blog about writing that I usually do on Saturday, but I am going to posting three times a week instead of daily, after April 1, I'll be posting on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Therefore, I won't be doing a blog this Saturday, April 2.)

My readers seem interested in the process of publication, and some have asked about it. Of course the process will vary with different publishers. Here is the process I go through with Ambassador International, based in Greenville, SC, and Belfast, Ireland. 

First, I send in the manuscript after they request to see it. I just did this yesterday for Transplanted to Red Clay, the fourth and last novel in my Appalachian Roots series. They will review it and offer me a contract, which I sign and send back. Their contract is very clear and straight-forward. I understand this is not always the case with publishers.

When they get the signed contract, they will assign an editor. I have worked with two different editors in the three books we've already published. Brenda worked with me on Cleared for Planting and Christy edited Sown in Dark Soil and Uprooted by War. I'll have to wait until I get the contract, sign it, and Ambassador gets it back before an editor will be assigned to Transplanted to Red Clay. It takes about a month for the editor to do her first read-through and get back to me. I review her corrections and suggestions, and we normally go back and forth on this about three times before we're both satisfied.

From editorial, it goes to the design department to be formatted and have the cover design. I do another read-through here. I always look forward to working with Ambassador's graphic designer, because she is very good. I've liked all the covers we've finally come up with. Sometimes I'm not too sure when I first see them, but they grow on me until I love them. This was the way it was with Cleared for Planting and Uprooted by War, but those two have become my favorites.

When the design department is through with them and some final scrutiny is given, the book goes to be formatted for ebooks and sent to the printer. The ebook will come out first, and that should happen soon for Uprooted by War. It took nearly eight weeks to get Cleared for Planting back from the printer but only four weeks for Sown in Dark Soil. Ambassador had used a different printer. We'll see how long it takes for Uprooted by War. At least I have Transplanted to Red Clay starting the process before Uprooted by War is back from the printer, so that should help the release time between.

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