Swooning

I guess I do feel a bit faint at the prospect of putting my novel out there for public consumption.  Consumption is right. I have posted The Bedroom Window on a crowd sourcing site that allows members of the reading community to rate and comment on what writers submit there. Scary!

How did I find my way to Swoon Reads?  I agreed to moderate a Fierce Reads event at our local, independent book store, Bookshop Santa Cruz.  In preparing to moderate a panel discussion with four authors, I read each of their newly published works and investigated the process through which their books came to be.

Teen favorite, award winning author Scott Westerfeld’s latest, Spill Zone, a graphic novel, was the big draw. He and Taran Matharu, publishing the third in his Summoner series, which already has a fan following, enticed an audience to meet two debut novelists. I felt a kinship when I learned that Taran Matharu’s first novel began as a NaNoWriMo novel! He then posted it chapter by chapter on Wattpad and gained an appreciative readership there. Kristin Orlando’s You Don’t Know My Name had its inception on Swoon Reads, where it gained the attention and positive feedback that catches the publisher’s attention. Swoon Reads publishes under Feiwel & Friends, an imprint of Macmillan.  Publisher, Jean Feiwel, wanted to establish a way for readers and writers to connect with Macmillan. This librarian by day, writer by -- any time I am able -- was taking note.
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I’d gotten my first NaNoWriMo effort as far as I could with my own revisions and editing. I had tremendously helpful feedback from early readers; friend, Iraq war veteran, and scholar of all things Afghanistan, Jim Misencik, enlightened me and corrected me when necessary on my scenes set in South Asia.  Creative writing/English professor English teacher team, Greg and Candace Gilbert, gave me valued encouragement and positive feedback. Fellow novelist and Facebook friend, Mary Oswald Hubbell, took the time to put editor’s eyes on my manuscript and gave me helpful notes. Others gave me the positive feedback and thumbs up I needed to brave a broader audience. Talented friend and graphic designer, Nathan Kosta, wanted to make sure I had a professional looking book cover! 
So, my novel is now online as an ebook at: www.swoonreads.com  Anyone can join if you’d like to read The Bedroom Window! Your comments and ratings will be appreciated.
 
References:
About Swoon Reads.
CNN. Swoon lets YA readers choose which books get published. 2014