I am one of those guys who always looks for a service offered. When people ask me for interviews, I am the first to explain what I offer. Searching through the internet I found Laura Kendall who offers her services as a “self publishing consultant.” I had never heard of one of those– so I emailed her and asked her to join me on this blog for an interview. Who I found was a woman who knew what she was doing and obviously gives more than she takes. Laura Kendall should be the first stop for all of you who want to publish a book.
Q ) Hi, Laura! So tell me about your experiences as a writer? How did you start?
A) I started in 1996 after reading a Patrica Cornwell suspense novel. I decided to write one myself and thought, “Well, how hard can that be?” I found out how hard. Mystery and suspense needs lots of plotting and twist and turns. Plus, I lacked confidence in myself so it took me until 2007 to finally finish my first book entitled A Simple Case of Suicide.
Q) How did Patricia Cornwell inspire you? What made her the catalyst for you to start writing?
A) Her novels drew me in to the point I forgot about my life and really felt like I was in the story. Her characters are real and complex just like people are. Her plots are also very intricate and keep you guessing. I loved her books and still do.
Q) So tell me about that first book you wrote– A Simple Case of Suicide— what’s it about?
A) I work as a paramedic and have for the last twenty-six years. We get called out frequently to do pronouncements of death as part of the job. I thought, “”What if I was ever called to a scene to do a pronouncement where the lead investigator said it was suicide, but clearly there were signs it was murder? What would happen if no one believed me and I set out to investigate on my own with the killer being someone very close to the investigation?” So, Paramedic Kendall Rose was born and her cohort partner CJ Wagner. Together they set out to investigate and all heck breaks loose. The book has been well received and people really seem to enjoy reading it to the point they can’t put it down and stay up all night reading. This just makes my day and it helps quiet the inner critic that often pops up in a writer.
Q) I know that inner critic well. Did you ever feel, as I have, that writing is just a dream?
A) Absolutely. I thought, “Who will ever want to read my book?” Well, it turns out lots of people do and really enjoy the ones I’ve written. Now, with the advent of the internet and the amazing opportunities for self publishing authors, the sky is the limit. I believe that every book you write and publish can be a mini-business earning you income. I haven’t mastered the marketing end yet, but I’m working on it. After writing the first book and gaining confidence and quieting a little that inner critic, the other eight just seemed to fly out. It is my passion in life to now to empower other writers to squash that inner critic and write their book – self publish it and be a published author.
Q) Are you looking for authors to work with you actively? Could readers get in touch and talk to you and gain help?
A) Yes! I obtained my Professional Coaching Certification in 2011 and discovered the niche I am passionate about is self publishing. Nothing lights me up more than seeing one of my clients write, self publish their book on Amazon, Nook and Kobo and have a new outlook and belief in themselves. It is an awesome feeling.
My website is www.adaringwriters.com and my email is ljkendallcompany (@) gmail.com for anyone who is interested in exploring self publishing and the opportunities out there. I coach clients through the writing process and publishing. I also will publish the books for my clients in paperback and ebook form if they do not want to do it themselves. What is unique about me as a publisher is I publish the book for a flat fee and hand over the reins to my clients. Their royalties are theirs to keep–100%.
Q) So, what is your flat fee?
A) My fee for publishing a book to Amazon.com as a paperback and Kindle is $750.00 US. Pubit (which is Nook) is $350.00 as it requires more work to format; and Kobo is $250.00. I do not do editing as I am just not good at that, but I do have an editor I work with who is a professional coach and editor. My coaching fee is $75.00 an hour. The only time there may be an additional fee is if the formatting is horrible for the paperback version, but I coach clients through the basics so the book is usually well-formatted before it gets to me for upload. I also provide a unique cover for the book as well.
Q) Well, your fees sound very reasonable to me. How many books have you worked with? Do you prefer any particular genre?
A) I prefer fiction, self-help and metaphysical books. These are what I have mainly done for my clients and myself, but I’m always open for learning.
Q) How does it feel to be working with authors and making their dreams come true?
A) It is my passion. I believe that everyone has the answers already within them and, through coaching, we not only work on the book, but the inner critic as well. My clients are so excited and happy when they see their book live on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo as well as their own website with a digital store. This has really restored my excitement and sense of purpose in my life. I absolutely love coaching, publishing, writing and most of all, my amazing clients.
Q) I know the feeling– that’s why I love doing these interviews. Just to share some of the excitement of publishing a book is a thrill. So what is next for you?
A) I’m currently in the process of writing a sequel to my book Witches Enchantment and it is called Vampire – Seduction of a Cougar Witch. I also have a third book in the Simple Case series in the works. Plus, I get to work with other authors and coaches publishing their books. I have the most amazing and awesome job.
Q) Could you give me some titles of books you’ve worked on? I’ll make sure there’s links to them with this interview.
A) Sure! A Simple Case of Suicide and A Simple Case of Revenge are my suspense thrillers; Witches Enchantment is my paranormal romance; Goddess School is an empowerment book for women over 50; Hurricane Deadly is a book I wrote after living through the terror of Hurrricane Sandy; A Daring Writer’s Handbook and its companion workbook A Daring Writer’s Workbook help writers with plotting, formatting, scene setting, character development etc.; my medical books are The Top Five 911 Emergencies and How to Handle Them Until the Paramedics Arrive and The Top Five Winter Emergencies and How to Handle Them Until The Paramedics Arrive. I write under the name L.J. Kendall for my fiction novels and Laura J. Kendall for my self help and medical. They are available as paperbacks on Amazon.com, Kindle and ebooks for Nook and Kobo.
Q) You are certainly prolific. I think a lot of authors would be making the right move to work with you. Do you ever turn down manuscripts sent to you?
A) I don’t want to say “turn down,” but if they are poorly written, formatted and edited I will try to work with the writer and coach them in those areas. With coaching, my clients are able to work through many of those areas and getting a non-judgemental opinion can really be refreshing for a writer used to rejection or criticism. I will say it is very important to have your book professionally edited. I made the mistake of putting A Simple Case of Suicide out there after having friends good at grammar and English edit. Let me tell you I got three reviews from people telling me how badly they were edited. They all said they loved the story, but my editing sucked. Reviews show up on Amazon and influence how people will buy your book. Now that the book has been professionally edited, those negative reviews have stopped and sales are picking up.
Q) That’s wonderful news! I get the feeling that you truly care for the authors you work with. Have you had any success stories yet? Or would you say each new entry on Amazon is a success story?
A) I say each person who dares to write and put themselves and their books out there are heads above the average person. That is why my writing books are called A Daring Writer’s because we as writers really do open ourselves up for review, critique and criticism. So I say all my authors are successes whether they only give their books away to family members or they sell a million. For them to have taken that leap of faith makes them winners in my book!
So there we have another godsend to Authors! If you have a manuscript and you don’t want to make the journey by yourself– or you need someone to help you make it to success– you need to meet Laura and work with her. Thank you for coming over for the interview!
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