Starting The Wendy Steele Reality Series

Wow! I just looked at the page views and I'm shocked! I didn't even think people really read this blog anymore. So, guess I better get back to updating it on the regular.

Well, while I've been busy trying to figure out what I wanna be when I grow up (I have many talents), I've been working on my first self-help book. I would tell you all the title, only I keep changing it. It is a part of the Wendy Steele Reality Series that I mentioned before though. This is really hard! This first book is about starting a small business and there are tons of these out there! I'm trying to make mine unique and tell aspiring entrepreneurs what to really expect. However... I don't wanna tell you all what to do and then you try it, say it didn't work for you, it only worked for "me" because yada, yada, yada...so I've changed it to just tell my story and how I did it.

I'm also still learning a lot. For the past year I've been learning an awful lot about business growth and expansion. How to handle it, budgeting, new trends in marketing, and I have had to make some of the most critical decisions in my life (business wise). I have had to scale back here, ramp up there, it's crazy! It'll help though in my future writings. So much of what I'm writing about, what I'm learning and everything... I haven't been able to find these things in any business book. I take that back. I mean I haven't been able to find these things in most of the business books I read. I've found a little here and a little there. For example, I found some tips in one book on how to handle slow times. In another I found how to determine which kind of business you want for your life. Such as a lifestyle business. Meaning, do you want to stay small so that you can enjoy life more, or grow really huge and well... not have time to enjoy it as much. I have learned that staying small is not a bad idea, yet if you're going to do it might as well do it big! But... if you do it too big too fast you could go out of business! So, different perspectives and some good advice from different people. I guess it's just all according to what works for you. I'm keeping a steady pace though.

Until next time... CIAO!

I'm Baaaack!!!

Whew it's been a long time! And I do mean long. I've been out of the literary industry for six years (well technically four since I did fill an Amazon order back in '08!). I took the years off to concentrate on my Resume Writing and Career Consulting Company. Now, for those of you who don't know me let me bring you up to speed with a synopsis of my life history :). WARNING: It's long!

Back in 2003, I started an independent publishing company with the sole purpose of publishing my own works. Just to learn the ins and outs of the literary industry first before seeking out a mainstream publisher, see: http://.www.stormysteele.com
I self-published my first novel Behind The Screen, which is about two people who meet through an online dating site. In 2004 I released it, did a whole promotional and marketing tour, got it onto the shelves of ALL of the brick and mortar stores (ok 2, Barnes & Noble and Borders), most libraries and many independent stores around the U.S. I even had readers all the way in England! I participated in nearly every major book conference there was, got radio interviews, some magazine mentions, etc... you name it. My #1 priority was exposure and that I got! I was a marketing and promoting powerhouse diva!! Which led to me getting an agent on my third try, shopping it around, her getting tired, me finishing my second novel, her trying to change me, her quitting the agency and disappearing. Yep! Oh and now I hear from one of her other clients (that she did get a book deal for) that she's out of the literary industry all together. And she had to track her down to find this out! Oh, such is life.

Ok, so one day while on break from touring during the holidays (cause the literary industry practically shut down for the holidays during this time), my old supervisor called me up and asked if I would come and help out for a few weeks. Well, I explained that I still had some tours lined up. He said no problem, and we worked it out where I could tour on the weekends, do my book signings, workshops, etc... and return on Monday or Tuesday. This was working out well. So well that when he asked me to stay permanently I agreed and those few weeks turned into a year. I mean now I had my medical benefits back, vacation time, extra, and I mean GOOD extra money which was good, since those quarterly checks I was getting for Behind the Screen were not cutting it. I either had to put those back into more print runs (I sold between 2500-3000), or by the time they came I needed that money just to survive! Which is why I ended up getting an agent because I just couldn't afford to run my little SOHO publishing company anymore. Who knew that Borders was going to order 980 copies? Not I! Shoot, they just about cleaned me out. Wait, they did. LOL!

So, about a year later after saying yes to going back into IT permanently (that's what my field was by the way in Corporate America), we were laid off. I was going to miss my benefits, but glad that I could get back to writing full time because I kinda put it on hold to concentrate on the job. NOTE TO AUTHORS: IF YOU LEAVE YOUR DAY JOB TO LIVE YOUR LITERARY DREAMS DON'T GO BACK TO YOUR DAY JOB. I mean unless you just have to. More on why later. Now, my second novel was a mystery novel so my agent had a tough time because the agency didn't specialize in these. So, it was put on hold while we brainstormed other ideas like chick lit, YA, writing under a different pseudonym for these new genres, etc... and I wrote some pretty interesting reads. I probably have about eight manuscripts, most half finished! LOL! But... I had to figure out what I was going to do in the meantime because what started out as extra income was now major and without another book coming out, well... I had to figure out something fast!

That's when my resume writing and career consulting firm was born. Ok, I know this is getting kinda long so I'll wrap it up. I built the company up well into six figures. I was a guest speaker at Emory University, featured in Good Housekeeping magazine, another business magazine, now have 7 offices around the U.S. and working on two more divisions. I even give advice to aspiring entrepreneurs and existing business owners who are struggling. I've learned so much during my seven years in business! Now, I have a great team in place and the business runs like a well oiled machine. I could go away for a whole month if I wanted to and it would run just fine. With my guidance from afar of course. :)

My kids are grown now too. One finished college, I think the other is planning to finish, Lord help him. Ok, so now I'm ready to get back into the literary industry. I always said I would once I got the business up and running. Later I said maybe once I retire from the business, but I really miss the literary industry too much to wait that long. I can't believe how fast time flies! One of my bestselling author friends said I haven't missed much! I see a lot of things are the same, but so much has changed! So many indy bookstores out of business, and who would have thought... Borders! We actually had some of their managers as clients. All of these publishing house mergers, everybody and their grandma getting into self-publishing... I mean Simon & Schuster pairing with Archway doing self-publishing? WTH? Literary agents getting into it, man...everybody! And a flood of new authors who have no clue as to how to market, promote and sell. They're expecting POD companies to do everything for them without any legwork themselves. Just a mess. I like the e-book options that are out there now. Authors have still come to me for advice through the years even during my sabbatical, and it just amazes me how little research they do. I had two who had NEVER heard of BEA! And they had been trying to sell their book for months! Again, WTH?

Anyway, my plans now are to try the self-help route. I'm still writing novels (I never stopped writing), but I have so much business knowledge now just waiting to burst out of me! I want to share it. I'm currently working on my first business series. It's the Wendy Steele Reality Business Series. Yes, I'm using my real name for the self-help books, because we have over 11,000 clients now who know me as "Wendy" and they are my targeted audience. I'll continue to write my novels under "Stormy" since that's what my other readers know me as. At least I think they still do.

Be back to write more later. I'm tired now. Until then... keep on writing!

Ciao!

Pen To Paper Literary Symposium

This year I was a presenter at the Pen To Paper Literary Symposium, and I must say I enjoyed it very much! Val and her crew are doing a great job. It was even better than last year's event. This year we even had entertainment; Poets, singers and a comedian. Gospel singer Tonya Baker was amazing! I presented two workshops: How To Get Your Books into Bookstores, and the other on Finding a Good Literary Agent. Val was gracious enough to book my room up on the Club level where we had our own lounge! The room was very nice and spacious. I had plenty of room to work. I also met Dan Poynter! You know he is the Self-Publishing guru... the KING in my opinion LOL! Our rooms were on the same floor. When I ran into him coming out of the lounge I was surprised. Dan is one of the nicest, most encouraging and inspiring people you can ever meet. Thanks to him, I am now getting paid to do more workshops! Now, I don't have to bothered with renting space and all that. Being the super woman that I am (that's what my husband calls me)I'm sure I can fit as many as I can in somehow.
So, be on the lookout for my next up and coming workshops. Once my Literary Source site is updated (Pam where you at? LOL!)I'll post my future dates. Until then... keep on reading and writing!

The Best Book Events

I have to start getting my material ready for my next workshop. It's going to be in Dayton Ohio(in October)on finding a literary agent. Actually, I'm doing two. The other one is getting your book into bookstores, the same one I did in Dallas last month. I must say the Black Writers Reunion and Conference in Dallas was very well put together! Tia did a great job. Now, I would participate in that one again. Some other good ones are The National Book Club Conference held in Atlanta, our former Summit at Sea Cruise (this one is the most fun and first on my list), the Miami BookFair, and the Pen to Paper Literary Symposium which is the one I'm doing in October. I encourage anyone who needs direction on publishing, marketing and promoting to attend as many of these book events as possible. They really help!

Lots of Changes!

Wow! I can't beliiiiieve January was the last time I wrote in this blog! And well... I changed my mind about med school and all that. After doing more extensive research (Optometry was what I was strongly considering), like actually visiting some doctors and seeing what the field is really like, I decided that's not for me. For one thing I just can't seem to get writing out of my system!

When I said that I wanted a career change, a part of me was well... frustrated by my 9 to 5 job. They had just announced lay-offs two months earlier, and although they were planning to ax us soon, it seems like they were doing everything they could to get us to just quit. That way they wouldn't have to pay us any severance. Not that they had to anyway, because technically it's a gift. I felt like, dang here I put my little magazine and writing organization on hold and went back to this? I stopped writing full-time for this? No way! Somethings gotta change so I don't fall into this rat race again only to be let down by corporate America... again. This was my first layoff. It wasn't that I was heart broken (well a little), or worried about how I was gonna make it. I just felt like I took two steps back.

Anyway, I did make a change. I started my own business (again). Another writing business. Only this time I'm not trying to run 2 or 3 different businesses and handle a million different things all at the same time. See, while they were busy getting our severance package ready, I was busy test marketing my business. It's a Resume Writing and Consulting business by the way. I started it back in December of 2005, one month after they announced the layoffs. I was doing it part-time, and once I realized that if I put my all into it I could do it full-time, I made plans for that... to go full-time in June. And that's what I did. I have a beautiful office, steady clientale, and I feel like I'm making a difference by helping people. I can still write my books, and do workshops and seminars. I love this! Making a living doing my own thing couldn't be better. I haven't looked back since, and I don't plan to.

I'm Finished!

I've finally finished writing my second novel! At least the first draft. Now, I don't know how much will be changed or added once my agent makes her notes. I wanted to hire an editor, but I just can't afford it. I've got my website renewal due now, among other things. I'm a pretty good editor, but I always like to have a second pair of eyes from the pros. We have an editor at the agency though, so hopefully my agent will like the manuscript and just have her (the editor) make suggestions. Oh, by the way I changed the working title to: Two Birds One Stone. Characters tend to take a life of their own, and as I was writing I felt that the new title fits the story better. Okay, so now I wait... and wait... then edit, then wait some more. In the meantime I'm going back to school. I'm excited about that too. I'll be a pre-med student. Yep in my 30s and a pre-med student. It's scary, but it's what I wanna do in addition to writing. Something to fall back on ya know? I have decided that I'm going to go as far as I can in life no matter how old I am.

My Second Novel

My agent finally said those magic words I've been waiting to hear. "Let's go on and push the second book!" Or something like that. Now, I do hope that one day we eventually find a home (publisher) to re-release "Behind The Screen" since afterall it's my first baby. No one (at the agency) can seem to understand why it's taking so long. After nearly selling out of my print runs of 3000 copies, the bookstores and libraries still want copies! It's okay, I'm ready to move on now. So, I kept pumping this book up. :) I feel like I've grown a lot in my writing. Plus, I'm so into my second one (Severed Vows is the working title by the way) that's all I wanna concentrate on right now. The Internet is still my topic, but this one is more of a relationship/suspense novel, somewhat of a thriller. I'm having to do so much research! Medical, criminal, diets... yes diets! Whew! Now I have to hit a couple of my buddies up who are in law enforcement so that I know what I'm talking about. LOL! The more I write, the more research I have to do. Those of you who have read "Behind The Screen" will see that I'm very versatile when you read my second novel. It's a killer!

I Can't Believe She Asked Me This!

Okay, for those of you who know me or if you've been reading my blog regularly, you know that I've gone back to working a 9-5 job in addition to writing. Well, some people, those who know nothing about the industry at all or even what a writer does (other than write)think that once you write a book that's it! You've got it made in the shade. So, why work? Especially if your book is in most of the major chain bookstores. Take today for instance. I called to make a dentist appointment; just a routine check up for my kids. When I was writing and traveling full-time promoting my book we had private insurance. Our Dentist wasn't in the network for this company, and they wouldn't cover a dime, so we had to go elsewhere. Those of you who have PPOs, or HMOs know what I'm talking about. Anyway, now that I'm with our former company I'm back with using Cigna insurance. Now, we're able to go back to our old Dentist because they will cover some of it. So, the receptionist and I go over my new policy and everything. She remembers me well and asks "So, you're working a regular JOB now?!" Shocked with emphasis on the word job. I said "yes", then she says "So, you're not writing anymore?" Again I said "yes." Then she says "So what happened to your book?" I could tell by her tone that she thought my book didn't do well, writing wasn't for me, and now I absolutely had to go back to working a regular job like everyone else. Since she sounded so shocked like I'm on the verge of being homeless or something, I politely told her that I'm still promoting my book some, but most copies are sold out. I just finished a literary cruise, etc...I explained to her that I went back because I needed extra money (which was the case in the beginning). I then went on to tell her how my old supervisor called me up to help out temporarily, but it turned into a permanent position. I left out the now I'm addicted to the money, this cushiny job looks good on paper now, and now that I know what I know about the industry I'm planning on working at least until I get my second book deal. Because after all that wasn't any of her business.

It just amazes me though the way people think. I remember running into former co-workers when I took time off from work to promote my book, and they would say silly things like 'So, what do you do all day?' And 'So, do you just write and that's all?' Oh, and here's my favorite 'Your book is in the bookstores now! Wow! You must be really banking huh?' Or, You must be rich, wish I could write a book and leave here, etc... People have no idea. The only reason I left my job after 9 years before was to start my publishing company and get my book out there. I couldn't see how to do that and work for someone else too. Now, mind you this does still take a lot of my time away from my craft, but I'm making it work. For those of you who don't know let me tell you, there are plenty of authors out there who still worked even when they were famous and on bestsellers lists. Some waited until their 3rd book came out before they quit, or their third book deal. I heard of one author who has deals with two different publishing houses, and he still works a full-time job. Rhoshonda Tate Billingsly (sp?) is an Essence bestselling author, with 3 novels out, working on others, and she's an anchor for Fox news! You do what you have to until you feel comfortable enough to let the 9-5 go. And that's all there is to it.