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| Shannon L. Brown |
I can relate to Shannon
Brown’s writing journey, because I also chose to pursue indie
publishing. Are you at a crossroads, trying to decide which path to take?
Enjoy Shannon’s personal story, and don’t miss checking out her unique
“freebie” below.
~ Dawn
Finding My Dream
Once upon a time, I was an author with a dream for a major
publishing contract. I wrote agents, contacted those editors who would let the
unagented through the door, wrote another book. And another book. And another
book.
I finally left the world of fiction for a while and wrote
articles. Hundreds of articles. I dabbled on the side with a mystery for kids
as I did that. After finding some success in the nonfiction world, I tried
fiction again. At this point, it occurred to me that my writing had developed,
my voice was strong, my ideas were solid, but the world at large had changed.
My vision for wholesome books with joyful endings differed from what the world
wanted or at least believed it wanted.
When I talked to parents, and the kids themselves, I learned
that this book had a market. When you tell a ten-year-old girl that two kids
found a briefcase full of feathers in the forest and had to solve the mystery,
her eyes get big. Publishers wanted new, fresh, different. Readers wanted a
story that entertained them. A child didn’t know or care about finding
“different.”
I’d come to a crossroads.
The publishing market had changed enough that I could
self-publish and be accepted. I told God that this was his book and that I
would do my very best for him and it. My book would be the equivalent of one
done by the publishers. I used several professional editors, found an amazing
illustrator for the cover, and—having spent so much on the cover—learned how to
format the interior professionally. (InDesign isn’t a program for the faint of
heart.)
In 2014, The Feather
Chase, a middle grade mystery for ages 8-12 released. I won’t deny the
challenges from that moment until today, but nothing is better than seeing a
little girl’s eyes light up when she tells me she loves this book. I wrote a
sequel to the series, The Treasure Key,
and my illustrator is working on book three in the series right now, The Chocolate Spy, which will release
this fall. I’ve also written the four-book sweet/clean Alaska Dream Romance
series and a journal for readers of Christian fiction.
Self-publishing, now called indie by most indie authors,
brings me more joy because it’s more personal. I touch every aspect of the book
from the first word on the page to the published book. Being an indie also
comes with more work. I am the publisher. I do everything they do.
Would I trade this indie life for one with a major
publisher? Some days the answer is a resounding yes! On other days, I wouldn’t
consider it. This is one of those “other” days.
They start chasing a
mystery—then it chases them.
Twelve-year-old
cousins Sophie and Jessica don’t have much in common. Sophie loves hiking and
her small town. Jessica would rather be shopping in a city. The only mystery is
how they’ll be able to spend the summer together.
Then
they find a briefcase in the forest with a surprise inside. When they hear
footsteps behind them and bad guys run after them, they have no choice but to
work together to solve the mystery of The Feather Chase.
EXTRA!
There’s a FREEBIE tied into this book: a write a mystery
lapbook kit. Free to those who sign up for Shannon’s newsletter. (It can also be
purchased for $8.)
Here’s more about it, along with a sample: http://shannonlbrown.com/lapbook/
And here's the link to the signup and freebie:
Shannon L. Brown
enjoys happy endings in books and in life. Her Alaska Dream Romance series is
set in the state she’s from, the stories are clean, and, of course, have
happily ever after endings. Kids ages 8-12 will enjoy the suspenseful and fun
Crime-Solving Cousins Mystery series. Shannon lives in Nashville, Tennessee,
with her husband and cat Evie.
To connect with Shannon and learn more, please visit:
Website – www.shannonlbrown.com
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/shannonlbrown/author
Pinterest – http://www.pinterest.com/shannonlbrown1
