Coming soon: Sister of Silence

Okay, my book really is going to happen. It’s not just some pie-in-the-sky dream I’ve had, although some days it does feel that way. Sister of Silence might not land in your local bookstore via a traditional publishing house, but with the industry changes these days that probably isn’t a bad thing.
I say this because during the last few years, the world of publishing has been turned upside down, as e-books, the Kindle and now the iPad have come onto the scene, competing for a major share of the book market. Today that’s happening more and more, making it easier for writers everywhere (like me!) to self-publish their wares. The time for mass-producing your own book and then selling it online has never been better, thanks to sites like Amazon.com.
Sister of Silence has undergone changes, too. Along the way, a New York City literary agent I met while attending a writer’s conference suggested I collaborate with a well-respected editor. That led to an almost totally different book, one that told not just my personal story, but also looked at society in general. Now, two years later, I have stripped the narrative nonfiction sections from Sister of Silence so it’s more in keeping with what a memoir should be.
Most recently, I hired an artist to design the book’s cover. That’s a huge step, and one I’ve been considering for quite awhile. Of course, I once imagined someone from Random House, Scribner or the like would offer me the services of one of their in-house artists, and then we would squabble over whether it was the perfect cover for my book.
With Megan, that wasn’t necessary, and made things much easier. Right now, we’re ironing out the fine details. She’s really gifted and knew what to draw immediately, once I told her the idea I’ve had in my mind’s eye. I’m so excited about this incredible artwork, I can’t wait to post it here for my waiting readers!
Tentatively, I want to complete the final manuscript revisions so it’s ready to ship to a printer by mid-June. In the meantime, we’ll publish the first few pages soon, so please check back often. Sister of Silence will be here before you know it!