Did you realize that if you are contracted to a publisher, this could tie up not only one book but any other novels you might write for that same series?

I know all about that since it happened to me. Thankfully, when I signed my contract with Wild Rose Press it stated that since I was writing a series, they would have first dibs at any new books that went with that specific series only. Anything else I wrote belonged to me alone.

Be careful! Some publishers don’t make it clear, and if you haven’t checked your contract, they could have certain rights over all your work. Then you’d have to change your name …and well... just be careful!

A year and a half ago when I decided to go Indie, I’ve written 8 more books and will soon have a total of 14 available. And they’re mine… all mine… well except for one.

Have you ever written a book so fast that you felt as if the words came to you magically? Like your fingers couldn’t keep up with the flow? It happened to me when I wrote Together for Christmas in two months. I couldn’t wait to see that book published because it was such a miraculous experience. Sadly, it took them well over eight months before it was released.

And that is my last book tied with the publisher. Finally, in November of this year I will get my rights returned. You know why I can’t wait?

#1 - I’ve never liked the cover. From the first time I saw it, it didn’t reflect my vision of the story. But…I had to be nicey-nice and say thank you while swallowing my disappointment. I have no doubt the cover artist did exactly as asked; it just didn’t work for me.

#2 - I have another Vicarage Bench story halfway finished and stopped writing it when I realized I couldn’t release the novel until I had back all my rights for every one of those books. Because as long as I was still under contract, I was legally forced to give them the first chance to publish it.

#3 - I can close that chapter once and for all. *** I will add here that for me at the time it was a very positive step. I was new, inexperienced and naively grateful to be noticed and to have my writing judged and accepted. Without that encouraging feedback, I might not have had the guts to go after self-publishing. So for that I will always be grateful. And… I’m also thankful for the many friends I made and connections that were formed in those years.

Next post - Should some authors sign away their work?

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