Your name: Jennifer Turner
Your website/blog: www.peakspress.com
Your bibliography: My Name is Jake
1. What is your background?
I have a corporate background with extensive sales and marketing experience. Children’s books were never on my radar or bookshelves until having children of my own. We now have quite an extensive collection. The creative and fun nature of the books I read to my children is what inspired me to write My Name is Jake.
2. What led you to self-publishing?
No matter your genre, it is extremely competitive to have your book chosen for publication, unless you are an established author or celebrity. For children’s books, publishers generally only want to see your text and pair it with an illustrator of their choice. If you are lucky enough to get your book chosen for publication, it typically takes several years from inception until the book is actually available. I’m impatient by nature and had already picked a local artist I wanted to use. Susan Bell is a former neighbor and owns a gallery, Susan Bell Fine Art, in Denver, Colorado. Since I had a clear idea of the direction in which I wanted to head, I decided to not submit my book for consideration and self-publish it.
3. What have you found to be the biggest challenge in self-publishing?
I created a timeline for getting my book completed and the marketing campaign. Foolishly, I thought everything was going to adhere to my schedule. Being the parent of two young children, I should have known things rarely go according to plan.
4. What has been the biggest surprise about self-publishing?
I was very emotional when I received the first copy of My Name is Jake. I did not realize the experience would affect me the way it did. Another initial surprise was how quickly things are changing in the publishing industry. I have learned to expect change is the norm.
5. What inspires you?
My most recent inspiration was totally unexpected and happened during my daughter’s preschool graduation. The week before graduation, the teachers asked the children what they wanted to be when they grew up. They read the answers out loud at graduation. None of the parents knew about it in advance. When my daughter picked up her diploma, her teacher announced she wanted to write a book like her mommy when she grew up. This moment gave me a tremendous amount of pride and joy. It never occurred to me that my daughter would want to emulate what I was doing. The idea of being a role model for my children (and potentially other children) inspires me to keep writing.
6. Describe your writing process.
It usually starts with caffeine. When I begin a project, I’m writing almost stream of conscience. A lot of time is spent editing and rewriting what has been written. A book of synonyms is regularly used because I’m constantly trying to figure out how to say the same thing a different way. Frequently, I write something and will put it away for 1-2 months. When I look at it later, I have a new perspective on the work, which can be very helpful.
7. How do you stay disciplined?
I have to isolate myself from everyone and everything at home in order to write. It is too easy to become distracted with things that need to be done around the house such as laundry, dishes and paying the bills. We have an office in our basement I call “the cave.” It is a good escape when I need to concentrate on writing.
8. What is your favorite self-marketing idea?
I have not tried this yet but think it is clever. John Kremer, a book marketing expert, mentioned it at a conference I recently attended. He said to get t-shirts made with the cover of your book and website printed on them. He suggested you and family members wear them while flying. You are a walking billboard for yourself in airports. Apparently, he has done it and a lot of people have asked him about his t-shirt.
9. What advice do you have for burgeoning self-publishers?
Persistence is very important. Go around or through any roadblocks in the way of getting your project done. These roadblocks may be mental ones you create or tangible delays and obstacles that slow you down. No one cares about getting your book completed and selling it as much as you do.
10. When you’re not writing what do you do for fun?
I spend a lot of time doing things with my children. Our family likes to go on bike rides and hikes. I also enjoy yoga. It clears my head and lets me relax. Reading (other authors’ books) is something I really enjoy and consider a luxury.
11. What project are you currently working on?
I am working on an interactive e-book that lets children make choices as they read through the book.
