Backfill

28 pages

This is a zine about the making of a novel. It’s one relatively inexperienced writer’s process and learning by doing. Writing a novel is hard enough, publishing one can be even harder. A trip to the ER and right place, right time coincidence led to a publishing contract. And that was just the start. Despite 20+ years in the publishing industry, every day was a learning experience.

If you are interested in a behind-the-scenes look at publishing or somehow know me, this zine might be for you. Otherwise, it might be kind of tedious. You’ve been warned.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Why Did I Write a Novel?

How Did I Write a Novel?

Why Lorida?

My Sexuality Might Be a Well-Formatted Excel Document

I’m Gonna Be (500 Words)

Michael Connelly Saved My Life

“Do you mean Lorida?”

Done, but Nowhere Near Finished

Worst Pitch Ever

Developing the Characters, Developing the Writer

The Making of a Pub Date

The Dreaded Author Photo

The Cover

Three-Figure Advance

Hiring a Publicist, Twice

Too Much Information*

On Zoom, No One Can See My Shoes

Ways You Can Help Support Sinkhole

Would I Do This Again?

Sinkhole Trivia

Bonus Story…Some Woman Tried to Trademark the Word “Hon” and as a Result, I Died