#10 - Experimenting with Self Publishing with Darcie Chan

Christine Munroe, US Manager for Kobo Writing Life, interviews Darcie Chan, author of the NYT and USA Today bestselling novel, The Mill River Recluse.

Christine and Darcie discuss:

• Darcie's dedication to this novel, which she finished writing almost 10 years ago, and her unique experience from experimenting with self-publishing to signing a deal with a traditional publisher
• The exciting moments when in 2011 MILL RIVER RECLUSE sold 100 copies – and when it hit the NYT Bestseller List a few months later
• Why it's important for authors to read across different genres – and whether Darcie would ever write outside of what she describes as her "mainstream fiction comfort zone"
• What Darcie would do differently given the benefit of hindsight: hint, it involves making your book as professional as possible
• Collaboration with other writers – Darcie describes the group Backspace as "the most invaluable source of information" she found on her journey as an author
• Darcie's daily writing life, including a description of her above-garage "Writer's Nook" where she does all of her work
• The real-life inspiration behind Mary, the protagonist of The Mill River Recluse, who left a legacy of generosity in Darcie's hometown, Paoli, Indiana
• Hints about the long-awaited follow-up to Mill River Recluse, which Ballantine will publish in 2014

Mark Lefebvre, Director of Self Publishing & Author Relations, talks about the "KoboWriMo" team at Kobo participating in NaNoWriMo and offers up a couple of helpful tips. The following links on the Kobo Writing Life Blog are useful and NaNoWriMo related.

• Kevin J. Anderson's "Tips from a Pro" – How to Boost Writing Productivity
• Episode 006 of the KWL Podcast includes an interview with Chele Cooke and outlines how she used NaNoWriMo for her new novel.
• Heidi Loney's "How to Write the Great American Novel. Well, not really…" article

OTHER LINKS/REFERENCES:

Darcie's website

Follow @DarcieChan on Twitter

Buy The Mill River Recluse on Kobo.com

Stay tuned for Darcie's next book, forthcoming in 2014!