ALL THE ABOVE is currently being featured by Women’s Book Reviews, a gem of a site that I just discovered through my friend Rona Simmons, author of historical and literary fiction!
Click here to read about the book and about me, and tell your friends about the site. I recently reviewed two books, and I’ve been intrigued by the reviews of others. What a great way to find out about books and get recommendations!
One of my “Sisters in Crime,”* a talented editor, posted this quote on Facebook today:
Be so good they can’t ignore you.
– Steve Martin
Good advice for any field, she said. However, I’m going further. I’m making it my (new) motto.
Some things to know about writing books are:
I’ve self-published fiction and nonfiction, and my (originally self-published) novel UNDERWATER was acquired and rereleased by a traditional publisher.** Somehow, they found it (I didn’t approach them). Was it so good that they – “they” – couldn’t ignore it? I don’t know, but I did the best job I could, writing it.
My next book (ALL THE ABOVE) was already written, edited, and ready for publication when that novel was rereleased. But I waited a few months before publishing it, myself. I wanted it to be so good that it wouldn’t get ignored.
Over the previous two years, I had poured my heart into writing ALL THE ABOVE. I got feedback from my writers’ group, beta readers, and my freelance editor. I made all the recommended changes. I combed through it for mistakes and typos. I paid attention to the details. I wrote the back cover copy, and approved the design created by my cover artist. Last March, I released it in paperback and on Kindle. Since then, it’s been selling steadily and has received 24 Reviews on Amazon.
It’s hard to get noticed, to stand out, and not to be ignored. But I’m inspired now, to be so good that they can’t ignore me.
One word at a time.
*A national mystery/thriller writers organization
**Thomas & Mercer
While checking email over my morning coffee today, I was thrilled to discover that a reader had just posted a 5 star review of my first novel, MAKE THAT DEUX!
“GREAT BOOK!! I LOVE IT!” she said. “I really enjoyed reading this book. I liked all of the different characters and reading about their adventures. It never got boring. It kept me wanting to keep reading and reading. Great story!!!”
She had already read my third book, ALL THE ABOVE, which is nonfiction (a true story), and a very different type of book. Here’s what she said about that:
“I read this book in two days! I felt so many different emotions while reading it. I felt so sorry for the family to have to deal with this horrible and scary situation. Poor Jack having to go through cancer treatments while in the beginning of his college career. The book was very well written and an honest story of how the family coped during this time of tragedy. It showed how the McDermott family relied on their strong faith while so many obstacles were being thrown their way. I loved this book and had a hard time putting it down.”
I thanked her on Goodreads (she’d posted her reviews there, and on Amazon), and asked if she might consider reading my 2nd book, suspense novel UNDERWATER. She replied, “You’re welcome 🙂 I actually already read Underwater last year and loved it as well! I can’t wait to read your next one!”
All of that got my Friday (and my weekend, and month) off to a wonderful start! So, to celebrate, I thought I would share some (very old) photos from my year in Montpellier, France, the experience on which my novel MAKE THAT DEUX is based. (And it’s NOT a true story! Novel = Fiction!)
The handwritten words are grâce à one of my girlfriends, with whom I shared an apartment in Palavas* that year, and the photos come from a collage she made for me:
Me (left), another girlfriend (right), and the teenage son of our program’s directrice, on a visit to Carcassonne…
Like Jenny in MAKE THAT DEUX, sometimes I actually studied!
Our apartment building is still there…
I’m on the right, with 2 girlfriends and the French boyfriend of one!
*Palavas-les-flots, a beach town 20 minutes away, where we lived
This isn’t a “List Post,” but here’s a few new things, for 2016:
“It ain’t what they call you, it’s what you answer to.”
– W. C. Fields
For my 200th blog post (?!?!!!) –
Well – if not exactly “flakes,” they’re writers, artists, and social media mavens!
AND —
Since this is my second “Nouvelle Année” Post, I thought I would look back to a year ago and add comments and updates. Here is what I wrote in January 2015. Comments are in blue.
Finally – a postscript for all you “Pizza and a Movie” post followers:
My Top 5 Movies of 2015:
And – here are 5 Movies I missed seeing, and want to see:
*Actually, I saw this just after Christmas in France, but it was dubbed in French. I understood it 😀 – but still want to see the English language version soon.
It’s a very short list, and I love it!
Here’s my holiday poem, two thousand fifteen.
A year filled with suspense, and yet, sometimes, serene.
Underwater was published in German*, last winter.
After months of translation, it went to the printer.
Then in March, I released the book, All the Above,
a true story of hope, and of courage, and love.
It took 2 years to write, lots of blood, sweat, and tears,
and it’s my “open book” of my son, and my fears.
Just before, with my husband, to Texas, I flew.
We visited fam’ly, gave them a preview.
Since fall of last year, I’ve been writing “Book 4.”
I am finished, and, of it, I soon will say more.
In the fall, to a conference in Raleigh, I went.
Then to Nashville, another, and at both, time well spent.
At the end of the year, it’s to France I’ll vacation,
Besides this one, the French one’s my favorite nation.
I send you my holiday wishes for peace
For joy and for laughter, and for troubles to cease.
I hope that you’ll find, as gifts, under the tree,
A book that I’ve penned, or two, or even three!
*Unter Wasser in German
This week, Wendy and I met for lunch at Le Bilboquet, a French restaurant in the heart of Buckhead, located in the “Shops of Buckhead.” Just off Peachtree Road (and, for those of you who don’t live here, there is only 1 real Peachtree), the restaurant is on a corner, with the Spanx building just behind it and à côté. We sat by the window on a rainy Wednesday and caught up over a glass of wine about our recent and upcoming travels, current events, and this and that.
Les fleurs sur la table–l’une commerciale, l’autre, littéraire
Wendy had lots of fun on her recent trip to a Caribbean island, where she celebrated her birthday. She has a few European trips planned for next year, and I’m off to France in a few weeks. We are both passionné about what’s happening across the pond. And Wendy knows that Mademoiselle (my daughter) is in France right now, and was in Paris last weekend.
We also talked about my books, and I updated Wendy on where things stand with “Book 4.” (She knows the title, whose initials are AZSG.) The “full manuscript” (the entire book) is in the hands of two people in the publishing industry, and I’m waiting to hear back.
I met one of them in Nashville, and I told Wendy she said that UNDERWATER and AZSG (title to be revealed later) are upmarket fiction, rather than straight suspense, and cross over from suspense into women’s fiction.
Wendy smiled. “Isn’t that last part what I said, after I read it [AZSG]?” * (Wendy was my beta-reader this fall, and her feedback was invaluable.) “And most readers–and people who buy books–are women,” she added.
“Right!” I said. “You did say that, and they are.”
“What is ‘upmarket’ fiction, though?”
“Basically, it’s a merger–or an intersection–of commercial and literary fiction,” I said. “It appeals primarily to women, especially book clubs, and its readers are usually well-read and educated. The stories have strong characters and plot, but are a little more thoughtful and discussion-provoking than commercial fiction.”
“Books like Gone Girl,” she said, and I nodded.
We chatted on, and I told Wendy I would let her know when I had any news about AZSG. When we said au revoir, I glanced up at the Spanx building, and was struck by the fact that the protagonist of UNDERWATER is the CEO of “SlimZ,” a fictional version of the Atlanta-based company.
Who knows? Maybe, some of my readers work there…
*I don’t know if these were our exact words, but this was the gist of it.
In case you didn’t get an email from me about this…
I’ve just added a new TAB where you can sign up to receive my new newsletter!
Click on NEWSLETTER, and enter your email address to receive news and updates about promotions and sale prices for my books, sneak peeks, new release alerts, and info about my upcoming appearances!
I’ll also share title and book cover reveals, chapter excerpts,updates on what I’m working on, and the odd this-and-that…
Here’s my FIRST NEWSLETTER (the rest will be sent via an email, after you sign up):
1. On my HOME page, there’s now a PayPal button. Click on it to purchase a personalized, signed copy of ALL THE ABOVE: My son’s battle with brain cancer. I’ll ship the book to your address.
So far, ALL THE ABOVE has received 17 Reviews on Amazon, with a 4.8 out of 5 Star average, and is steadily selling online. It would make a great holiday gift! Get a copy for yourself, too. (Send me an email if you would like a signed copy of UNDERWATER.)
2. Speak German – or know anyone who does? Starting last Thursday, Nov 12, and ending at midnight on Friday, Nov 20, you can register for a drawing to receive a free copy of UNTER WASSER as a Goodreads giveaway.
If you aren’t on Goodreads yet, go to goodreads.com and sign up. You’ll find all my books there, and get tips and recommendations from other readers.
3. My 4th book and 3rd novel (and 2nd Suspense – I know, it’s confusing!) will be out soon. The TITLE is FOUR WORDS. Here are the initials:
AZSG
Email me with your guess of what it stands for! The first person to answer correctly will win a free, signed copy!
JULIA MCDERMOTT 