RJ Scott's Anniversary Blog Hop

Hi all!! I'm a late addition to RJ's Anniversary Hop!

Here's the link to find all the other authors:  http://rjscottauthor.blogspot.com/2012/08/competition-writer-is-nothing-without.html


So, what have I learned in my time since I've been published?

Well, I technically was published in the middle of 2009. Then, a month later, my publisher, Mystic Moon Press, went bust. Lesson One: Research Thy Publisher. Read all you can about it. Visit Predators and Editors. Ask other people.

After that debacle, I was picked up at the tail end of 2009. My very first publication, "Even Guys Cry" ended up in the "I Do, Two" anthology, which is a charitable anthology. Lesson Two: It's Not Always About the Money. I know some authors will tell you that's the point of publication, but it's not for me. Never has been. Never will be.

So what else have I learned? In a nutshell - Beta readers are helpful, but not always necessary. Trust your gut. Be flexible, but stand firm on the things that you can't compromise on. Just because a publisher is considered one of THE BIG TEN, doesn't mean they'll treat you right, and it doesn't guarantee sales. Listen to criticism, but take negative reviews with a grain of salt. And don't respond to them. Ever. Behave nicely in public. And by "public" I mean Facebook, Twitter, and blogs. People are watching everything you do. EVERYTHING. And readers remember when you call people nasty names online.

All in all? It's been a wonderful ride that I'm thrilled to keep getting in line for!!!

For my giveaway today, I'm offering up your choice of a free pdf of one of my books, which can be found at www.dcjuris.com.

To enter, just leave a comment with your e-mail and the title of the book you'd like to win. That's it!

Good luck!!!


***I write GLBTQ books. These feature m/m, m/m/m, m/m/m/m, f/f, and transgender characters. If winning a book of that type isn't your cup of tea, kindly pass along to the next blog in the hop and leave this space open for someone else!***