What is the ‘back story’ to your book cover and title?


As a rule, the publisher picks the title.


Hazelden’s editors didn’t need to include me in the decision, but they did. We spent time tweaking my working title Yes, but… Fighting the Self-talk that keeps you stuck. Titles need to express the concept of the book in a few words. The editors suggested But He’ll Change — which embodied the hope held most fiercely in the heart of every victim. I knew it would speak to those who needed my book. We clarified the subtitle to — End the Thinking That Keeps You in an Abusive Relationship. At one glance, you know exactly what this book is about.


What made you want to become a writer? What were you motivations and inspirations?


I was always a storyteller. When my


mother and I were driving somewhere, she’d say, “Tell me a story.” All my growing up years if I wasn’t drawing, I was writing. I’d pass my stories around to my friends. As an adult, marriage and children took center stage. Trying to keep peace in the home wrought with violence zapped my creative energy. I remember feeling crushed and old when I turned 31 and was no longer eligible for the Redbook young women’s writing competition. Submitting a story to them was something I’d always yearned to do, but never had the time or energy to follow through.


Did you employ and editor for the storyline, proofreading or editing?


Hazelden provided me with a terrific


Are you self-published or traditional/ Why did you choose to publish this way?


My preference was to go traditional.


Though, not readily available at that time, I did consider self-publishing.


Being nonfiction, I didn’t need an agent. However, I did have to write a proposal according to the publisher’s guidelines. It took me 6 months to write and pull all this information together. At 100 pages in length, it containing information on everything from what the book is about, why I wrote it, chapter summaries to a market analysis of other books similar to But He’ll Change.


Hazelden Publishing was about the 4th publisher to whom I submitted my proposal.


Do you have any hints or tips that you have found in marketing?


Hazelden provided me with a Publicist.


She advised me to use all the electronic social media opportunities out there while she sent out a media blast about But He’ll Change. We had a good response and I did many radio and some TV interviews all over the country.


I got busy and created pages on Facebook and Myspace. Author pages on Goodreads, Linked In and Amazon. Developed a blog. Joined Twitter.


What was your most amazing moment in writing your book?


The way the book was given to me.


editor. She was a dream come true. I knew I could only take the book so far, then I needed new eyes to evaluate it. She was respectful of my work. One thing I really appreciated was that she asked if I wanted her to rewrite the weak sections or if I wanted her to make suggestions and I do the rewrite myself. Since I felt I could learn a lot from her, I rewrote the sections with her guidance. PHF Magazine April 2017


This was the book I was meant to write. I was working on a novel about the relationship between two women touched my domestic abuse. While developing the characters, all the reasons I and others (women I knew from therapy) had used to justify why we couldn’t leave our relationships came to mind. I started jotting them down. Before long, I had two pages of statements — but I love him — my children need a father — he doesn’t mean to hit me — If I leave now and he changes, I’ll lose out.


5


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15