Besides desserts, I love hats, and that’s just as well since I tend to wear more than one at a time, career-wise. Besides writing under my own name, and with Fela Dawson Scott as Brit Darby, and working full-time, I’m also an editor for Tirgearr Publishing. Sometimes that means reading submissions on my lunch breaks at the day job, but I don’t mind.
I find editing just as rewarding as writing. I love reading new authors’ works and spotting diamonds in the rough. I never forget that an editor who didn’t know me from Jane once gave me the chance to break into the field (thank you, Jennifer Sawyer Fisher!) I like to think Karma smiles whenever one can pass along opportunity to others.
What I like about Tirgearr’s philosophy is that the author’s book remains their book, from start to finish. Authors have input and say in the editing process, the cover design, even the marketing. All the things most writers don’t get with traditional publishers. I think this novel approach (hah!) is possible because Tirgearr is owned and managed by an author turned publisher, Kemberlee Shortland, and her husband Peter.
Working for and with Kem is great, as any of Tirgearr’s authors can tell you. She includes all their authors in her marketing endeavors, rather than focusing on one or two “stars” and ignoring the rest.
And for authors, new or established, who don’t feel comfortable with handling all the minutia that comes with publishing and just want to focus on writing, a publisher like Tirgearr gives them the structure and guidance that is comforting and supportive.
Tirgearr is offering a free ebook of yummy recipes for the holidays, recipes from the authors themselves and even the staff, including yours truly. My contributions include cheesecake and banana bread.
Starting tomorrow, December 7th, click on this cover or link below, and nab a tasty ticket to decadent desserts!
http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Just_Desserts/just-desserts.htm
I’d comment but I’m a bit emotional at the moment. 🙂
Both of you, along with the rest of the authors and staff, are simply wonderful. Working with each of you is truly a pleasure. An incredible experience.
Cheesecake and banana bread? There goes three months worth of dieting 😉
I agree with everything you’ve said! I love being an author with this house! Kem is the best!
We have been truly fortunate to have such a great crew. For those who haven’t read through Just Desserts yet, or who missed/bypassed the intro, I’ll repeat part of it here —
‘. . . we have also become is a tight-knit team filled with people working together . . . authors, editors, cover artists, proofreaders, and I hate to admit it, even the accountants . . . who work closely together, who are supportive of each other and who have a great respect for each other to make all this happen. As one, we feel we are producing some of the best books on the market today.”
Without our amazing team, we would be nothing. That’s a fact. No one person can do this on their own, no matter how hard they try, and we’d never attempt going is solo. We’ve just been SO lucky to have attracted all the right people at the right time. And we’re proud and honored to be involved with so many wonderful writers. Thank you for putting your trust in us.
Roll on 2013!