Well,
my story is too long but I would try to make it shorter. Ha-ha.
My dream of being
published started with the Fateful Italian Passion series in 2013. I had worked on another
book a few years prior but abandoned the project because the story failed to
captivate me. I don’t think I was ready for it. But who knows, maybe I will get
back to it one day.
Fateful Italian Passion was my first serious
attempt at writing. I soon realized, however, that my skills weren’t up to par
yet. I put my ideas aside and took some time to find my own style.
After several years of
reading and analyzing the works of bestselling authors like Erika James, Sylvia
Day, and Sylvain Reynard, I felt confident enough to resume my work on Fateful
Italian Passion.
In 2015, I happened along
Wattpad. At the time, it was still a free platform and popular among readers of
all ages. I signed up and published my first book there. Like any debut author,
I was scared and unsure of myself. Criticism and even hate can damage one’s
confidence significantly, sometimes beyond repair. Fortunately, my readers fell
in love with my books at first sight. They enjoyed the dynamics, the suspense,
the emotions, but also the erotic and psychological themes I addressed. I was
over the moon when I read the comments.
I spent another two years
on Wattpad polishing my writing and posting other books until I finally decided
to make my dream come true. The first book in the Fateful Italian Passion series
was released on Amazon in the summer of 2017. I would never have dared to make
the leap without my friends and fans who encouraged me to publish my stories. I
have found so much love on social media, and I am grateful to have met so many
wonderful, supportive people.
My parents played a key
role in my publishing adventure as well. They were in awe when they found out I
was an author. Not just a poet – I have a poetry book in my native language –
but a novelist! My mom and dad didn’t believe I could write. (Ha-ha). I had
never showed them my drafts before because I was unsure how they would react. I
do write explicit erotica, after all. But my secret came out by accident! My
parents caught me at night. Instead of sleeping, I was typing away at my series
like crazy. I was so engrossed in the drama of my characters that I didn’t hear
them come in! After showing them some paragraphs, my parents were pleasantly
surprised – thank goodness! That was the second reason I wanted to publish my
book. My parents’ support really put the wind in my sails!
However, publishing my
first book on Kindle Direct Publishing was no cakewalk. I had no one to help me
and had to research the entire process myself, from start to finish. I am proud
of the things I learned. I knew next to nothing about self-publishing, like how
to find a great editor (and determined their professional skill). I also didn’t
know much about cover design, formatting, and marketing. Thanks to my
persistence, my drive to talk to every person I meet online, and also the
kindness and help of editors, designers and some bloggers, my dream came true.
Nowadays, I navigate the
world of self-publishing more smoothly. Even then, I have a lot to learn still.
How to publish a paperback and an audiobook, for example. Every move an Indie
author makes costs money, but sometimes you get lucky and you find a friend who
helps you for free!
My publishing rate is
about one to two books per year. I believe that quality not speed determines a
great book that readers want to read over and over again. A lot also depends on
the author’s professional skill. I am at the start of my writing career and
have many things to improve still, things that will enable me to write faster. I
currently combine writing with a day job, so I have to find time to pen down my
stories.
On a final note, I want to
share a quote by American novelist Toni Morrison. If there's a book that you
want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.
This quote has become my
personal mantra, and I hope it will encourage aspiring authors to pick up that
pen and start writing.
Good luck, guys! I wish
you all the best!
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