My Personal Path To Publication - Dominique Eastwick

I am so excited by today's guest.  I have Dominique Eastwick!  Not only is she an accomplished writer, but she recently launched a brand new publishing company with, in her words, "three of the most talented and savvy women she knows."  Musa Publishing is scheduled to go live on October 1st, 2011, but you can submit to them now, your novels, your novellas, even your short stories.  They have an ezine too!  Check their fabulous new venture out at www.musapublishing.com.  And check out Dominique's amazing personal journey here:  She grew up the daughter of a Navy father (same as yours truly!) and traveling all over the country left her all kinds of time to use her imagination.  Today she lives in beautiful North Carolina with her family and turns out amazing and exciting romance, as you will learn.  Now read about her amazing journey!

1.   How long have you been writing?

I have been writing on and off for 25 years, but it wasn’t a serious need to write until about eight years ago. I had a son who never slept. He would fall asleep at 3 in the morning and wake up at 5. Doctors said he went straight into REM so he has no need for the pre-sleep phase.  Anyway to keep him safe I was awake with him. I slept when Hubby was up. So I wrote all night long.

2.   Are you published and if so, how long have you been a published author?  If not, what’s your plan? 

I am published with two separate companies. My first book Hunting JC was published January 1^st 2010. I have a Fourth book coming out with Musa Publishing the end of October if I can get it finished.

3.   Which route did you choose for becoming published, the traditional route, with an agent, the “indie” route, going directly to the publishers yourself, or deciding to self-publish?

I actually run a group called the aspiring romance writers loop. Many of us there have gone on to be published. But my route was simple an old beta reader of mine was now an editor and she asked me to submit a book she had read, so I did.

4.   Why did you choose that particular route?

Honestly it was just easiest.

5.   How long did it take you to write your first novel?                                

My first novel which is not published took me several months to write, it’s unpublished because I know it’s a pile of crap and needs some serious rewriting. The first one published took me a few months but just as many reworking.

6.   How long did it take you to publish it?                                              

From the time Kathy my editor got the novel in August it took a little over 4 months to get it published.

7.   How many times did it get rejected before it got published?

For me it’s been who I have known, and who I have helped. Both my editors had worked with me for years before asking me to submit to them. But that being said I am sure had I submitted it before Kathy got her editing hands on it, it would have been rejected a ton.

8.   What was the best news you ever got in your writing life and how did it make you feel?

I think as an author that someone relates to your characters is the best news. That they can’t wait for the next in the series. All of this makes me as an author excited.  One day I was on facebook, and it was national read a book day…”Go to page 64 of the book you're reading and post the first 4 lines”. Well suddenly before me were four lines from my book that someone had posted to their status. I felt like an Author that moment not a writer.

9. What’s the worst piece of advice you ever got? 

Don’t change your work to fit the publishers needs. Now I am not saying I am going to add more sex or change the basic needs of my story for a publisher but if they say no head hopping then I had best make sure there is no head hopping.

10.  Now, tell us the best!

Rules of Writing

1. Don't get it Right, Get it Written!
2. You cannot fix a blank page!
3. Give yourself permission to write crap, Crap can be fixed...see #2!

11. What’s the one thing you would want an aspiring writer to take away from your personal path to publication?

By helping others you will get the help you need later. Never give up on a dream. Any book can be made better if you are a willing to open yourself too it.  And for god sake Do Not head hop, I don’t care if Nora Roberts does it you are not NR and you can’t do it so stop arguing about it and just accept it.

12.  Where can we read your blog?                    http://dominiqueeastwick.blogspot.com/

Buy your books?

Amazon search for Dominique Eastwick, or at All Romance Ebooks. (My first series is about to move to a new publishing house but for now is still for sale until the 20^th of Sept.) Strawberry Kisses is available at Decadent Publishing

Connect with you on facebook?  http://facebook.com/dominique.eastwick

On Twitter? @DominiEastwick

Your website? www.dominiqueeastwick.com

Aspiring Romance Writers Website http://aspiringromancewriters.webs.com/

Book Blurb:

Are they ready to gamble on a 1Night Stand?

Mia hides behind her computer, designing popular computer games. And though she knows just what to do to keep men coming back for more on the other end of the modem, she doesn’t seem to have the same knack in person.

Gavin hides behind numbers. Since his wife left him, the only thing he cares about is his son and his job. One failed relationship was enough, but if the right curvaceous woman came into the picture he just might manipulate the numbers a bit.

Can two meddling sisters enlist Madame Eve to bring Mia and Gavin together and show them two is always better than one?