Guest Post - How to Survive and Thrive List for Debut Authors by Vicky Dreiling

Please enjoy this guest post from Vicky Dreiling. You can get a sense of Vicky's humor from this great article! Thanks for sharing Vicky.

Vicky Dreiling’s How To Survive and Thrive List for Debut Authors

How to Celebrate Your First Sale

1.     Squee in your agent’s ear. Apologize profusely afterward.

2.     Call your friends and insist on meeting up at your favorite Mexican food restaurant for celebratory Chambord swirl margaritas.

3.     Spend part of your first advance check on something special – you earned it!

4.     Eat lots of chocolate. It is one of the basic food groups for authors.

How to Prepare for Your First Revision Letter

1.     Buy post-it notes in many colors. They are your friends and make the printed pages look pretty.

2.     You will need the printed version because the page numbers will change as you revise.

3.     Stock up on your caffeinated beverage of choice.

4.     Memorize the phone numbers and/or website addresses of Pizza Hut, the local Chinese Delivery service, and Chili’s to Go.

5.     Eat lots of chocolate. It is one of the basic food groups for authors.

How to be a Glamorous Almost Published Author

1.     Make an appointment with a photographer for your author photo.

2.     Try on several outfits and decide you deserve a new one for the photo.

3.     Smear mascara under your eyes. You’re out of practice putting on makeup since you’ve become a recluse.

4.     Ask the photographer if he can work miracles with Photo Shop.

5.     Eat lots of chocolate. It is one of the basic food groups for authors. 

How to Write Your First Dedication and Acknowledgements 

1.     Sniff a little as you dedicate your book to someone special who helped you make your dream come true.

2.     Thank your wonderful editor whose insights made your book so much better.

3.     Thank your Uber Talented agent who knew exactly how to sell your book.

4.     Sniff a little as you thank all your fabulous writing friends and family members who encouraged you along the journey.

5.     Eat lots of chocolate. It is one of the basic food groups for authors.

How to Stay Sane as You Realize You Didn’t Prepare Enough 

1.     Call your published friends and beg them to tell you what works for publicity. Friends will tell you nobody knows. Don’t freak out. And don’t overspend (Hah!).

2.  Get a professional website. Don’t skimp as this is your window shop to the world.

3.     Social media is not an option. Embrace it. You’ll make friends and gain name awareness.

4.    Admire your Advance Reader Copies. Keep one and give the others away on blog tours.

5.    Eat lots of chocolate. It is one of the basic food groups for authors.

How to Count Down to Your First Publication Date

1.     Remember writing comes first. Facebook and Twitter do not count as writing.

2.     If a less than positive review bothers you, take a look at the reviews for bestselling authors. You’ll be magically cured.

3.     Ignore those bestseller ranking numbers on Amazon. They bounce up and down constantly.

4.     A week or two before your first book signing, take a look in the mirror. If you scream because you look like Medusa, get thee to the hair salon pronto.

5.     It’s here – your book is on the shelves! Take photos in the bookstore and don’t forget to eat lots of chocolate!

 

Vicky Dreiling is the historical romance author of HOW TO MARRY A DUKE available now. HOW TO SEDUCE A SCOUNDREL is slated for publication in July 2011.  For more information or to read an excerpt, visit her website at: http://www.vickydreiling.com/index.php

Backcover Copy for HOW TO MARRY A DUKE

Tristan, the Duke of Shelbourne is a man with a mission: find a wife he can tolerate as long as they both shall live. No love is necessary—nor desired. But how to choose amid a dizzying array of wealthy-yet-witless candidates? Hire London’s infamously prim and proper matchmaker. Then pretend she’s not the most captivating woman he’s ever met . . .
Helping a devilish Duke create a contest to pick his perfect mate is the kind of challenge Tessa Mansfield relishes. Her methods may be scandalous, but she’s determined to find the notorious bachelor more than a wife—she’ll bring him true love. Yet when Tessa watches the women vie for the Duke’s affections, she longs to win his heart herself. And after a stolen kiss confirms Tristan’s desire, Tessa knows she has broken a matchmaker’s number one rule: never fall in love with the groom.

Be sure to check out my review and enter the giveaway for a chance to win one of three copies of this fun book!