One Month From Today
Somebody remind me to breathe!
I’ve been writing “Coming July 8, 2025” for over a year now. Very soon, I may never have to write those words again because it’s finally happening!
The publishing wheels do not turn quickly, I’ve learned, but there is good reason for that. There’s a helluva LOT of work to do!
The following is a short summary of a five-year adventure told by a novice writer turned published author:
First, you have to do your research. Perhaps you will want an agent and then a publisher. That process alone just about did me in. (Actually, first you have to write the book!! I began writing in mid-2019, and wrote consistently.)
I decided to go with a hybrid publisher and submitted my book directly to She Writes Press. Completing the submission process took me nearly three months. They wanted a summary in a specific format. It was like writing a short version of the entire book.
Once the SWP team accepted the book and gave me feedback, I needed a developmental editor. I could have used one of theirs, but I wanted a specific person: Rebecca Heyman, who edited Alice Early’s beautiful novel The Moon Always Rising.
There was little chance of getting Rebecca, I was told, but as luck would have it—or was it good astrology? I wasn’t checking the stars back then—she just happened to have an unexpected opening right when I contacted her, and said that if I could get her my manuscript in a week, she could turn it around quickly.
I did and she did, and honestly, I don’t know what this book would be without her. I cannot overstate the value of a good editor.
That rewrite and several more smaller rounds of revisions took over a year. Yes, you read that right. Over a year.
This was not an easy time. My mantra: Books are not written; they’re rewritten. Truer words I do not know.
Meanwhile, the team at SWP was busy on their end with industry and legal stuff, art and cover design, the tip sheet (information that goes to the distribution team—Simon & Schuster, in my case, w00t, w00t!—so they know how to best market the book), metadata (all the book info you see on Amazon and other retailers’ websites), copy editing, proofreading, permissions, back cover design, including reviews, blurbs and awards, and the layout and design of the physical book and ebook. (All of this needed my input and approval.)
I also needed an author photo, which entailed a trip to Fort Lauderdale, professional hair and makeup, and a professional photographer. Thank goodness for Lisa Nalven!
And, I wanted to submit the book for awards and reviews. I kept a lengthy list of organizations, requirements, and deadlines, trying to use my time efficiently and still get the most relevant and prestigious exposure possible.
“An engrossing and often moving novel about the ways in which disaster can create newfound fortitude.”—Kirkus Reviews
Finally, I had to learn how to produce an audiobook since my publisher does not do this, and I, as an Audible addict, knew I wanted an audio version to come out at the same time as the print version. (I will devote a separate post to this equally humbling and ultimately successful endeavor.) I did that, too!
Even before I finished the editing process, I had to start thinking about who I could ask to “blurb” my book. If you don’t know, blurbs are those short recommendations you see on the front or back cover of a book.
Ask any author, and I think you will hear that asking for blurbs is just about the last thing anyone wants to do ever, and yet, we all need them.
My favorite tagline may be “Life is short. Read fast,” but a close second has always been, “Life’s too short to read bad books.”
Therefore, I pay attention to blurbs. I want to be directed to books I might like by writers I respect. But I was intimidated to ask anyone to do this for me, especially at first, before I had any good editorial reviews to point to.
I’ll share my favorite blurb story here, especially for new authors who may be suffering through this unappealing chore right now.
I had met Michelle Wildgen, author of YOU’RE NOT YOUR and WINE PEOPLE, at the Literary Feast in Fort Lauderdale in 2024.
I had an opportunity to talk with her very briefly during a group dinner. About nine months later, I struggled to compose an email. She is a huge author, editor, and teacher. One of her books was made into a movie starring Hilary Swank, for chrissake. I am nobody. She spoke with me for a few minutes nearly a year earlier. I felt downright stupid asking her to blurb my debut. And, I assure you, I had zero expectations of getting so much as an auto reply in response.
Thanks to my friend, author Megan Walrod, who encouraged me and helped me write the letter, I sent the email despite my low expectations. (Megan’s charming novel, IT’S ALWAYS BEEN ME, is out now. Get it!)
As you’ve probably guessed, not only did Michelle respond, but she did so quickly and graciously, writing, “Congratulations on your novel! I’d be happy to give you a quote.”
“I can’t believe it,” I said to a group of fellow authors. “I didn’t think anyone was that nice anymore.”
“Of course she’s nice,” one of them remarked. “She’s from Wisconsin.”
The moral of the story is that Wisconsinites ARE nice, and since you never know who wants to pay it forward by helping you, just GO FOR IT!
What am I doing now, you might ask?
I’m learning about publicity and marketing. I’m writing this newsletter and posting on Instagram. I’m trying to create tie-in articles that my PR team can use for promotion. I’m developing a class to accompany the launch. I’m reaching out to bookstores, libraries, yoga studios, and book clubs, and I'm working at my full-time job as a financial advisor and portfolio manager.
As I write today, looking back on over five years of work and ahead to one month of anticipation,
I can honestly say that writing and publishing this book is the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
And yet, strangely, I’ve enjoyed it all. I never wanted to quit, though I often questioned why the hell I was doing it since no one was ever going to want to read it anyway. The self-doubt is endless. In the end, what it will all amount to, I have no idea.
Still, I wouldn’t change a thing.
I’ve learned so much about the craft of writing fiction, about myself, and about my incredible friends and family. Most of you reading this have helped or encouraged me in some way, large or small. All of it has been invaluable. I have felt your energy whenever I sat down to write. I have thought of my parents and how proud they would be. I have felt their presence. They knew I always wanted to be a writer, and I think, finally, I’ve earned the right, though it’s still difficult, to hold my head high and say definitively, I am a writer.
Thanks, as always, for being here. And remember. . .
Life is short. Read fast.
Just one more thing. . . for anyone who’s curious, here’s all the blurb I received. The gratitude I feel for each of these writers is difficult to convey.
Jayne Mills’s BOTTOM OF THE BREATH is about struggle and acceptance, secrets and losses—and also both frank and hopeful, a willing and wise embrace of what is.—Michelle Wildgen, author of WINE PEOPLE
Finely crafted and emotionally rich, BOTTOM OF THE BREATH' is a captivating debut from a fresh voice in fiction.—Deborah Sharp, author of THE MACE BAUER MYSTERY SERIES
BOTTOM OF THE BREATH is an uplifting, well-paced story with a touch of humor—a great read.—J.A. Wright, author of EAT AND GET GAS
I was drawn into this delightful debut novel by the promise of secrets revealed and pulled along by Jayne Mills’s sprightly and approachable prose, vibrant characters, and satisfying plot surprises. Drowning in a tidal wave of wrenching discoveries about every family member she thought she knew, Cyd Carr flees from a menacing hurricane in Florida to the majesty and spirituality of the Grand Canyon, seeking a way to ground herself and face a bewildering future. Through the wisdom and generosity of lifelong friends, strangers, and the man she needs to let love her, she emerges with an understanding that things are just as they are meant to be. Readers who enjoy multi-generational family secrets and stories of women triumphing over whatever life throws at them will devour this book.—Alice C. Early, author of THE MOON ALWAYS RISING
Set against the grandeur of the American Southwest, this is a story of seeking—not only for answers but the physical strength and spiritual clarity needed to recover from a profound emotional blow. Populated by an eclectic cast of characters, this inspiring journey takes us to the depths of the Grand Canyon and reveals the resilience of the human heart.—Kerry Sanders, Former TODAY SHOW correspondent
Jayne Mills's vivid storytelling pulled me straight into Cyd’s journey through the Grand Canyon and beyond, and I couldn’t help but feel the magic of the place myself. With humor, heart, and deep insight, this story beautifully explores how nature, friendship, and self-discovery lead us back to what truly matters. If Eat, Pray, Love and The Celestine Prophecy had a love child, Bottom of the Breath would be it—in the best way possible.—Megan Walrod, author of IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ME
Using the breath as a yogic metaphor for going deeper, Jayne Mills’s novel guides readers on a vision quest that starts with the trauma of divorce, runs through the Grand Canyon, and uncovers pathways to healing. A lively read that, like the breath, will hold your attention and sustain you.—Jude Berman, author of THE VOW, a 2024 Kirkus Best Indie Book
BOTTOM OF THE BREATH is an adventure for the soul. Don't miss it!—Jennifer Grace, author of DIRECTING YOUR DESTINY
From one lover of the written word to another,
With love,
Jayne
Coming July 8, 2025! Bottom of the Breath is the story of a woman catapulted from her tranquil life on the Florida panhandle onto a cross-country road trip with her recently estranged husband. She must outrun a hurricane, digest a shocking, decades-old family secret, and come to terms with her own pain-filled past. Laced with mysticism and set among the majesty of Sedona and the Grand Canyon, the novel explores the power of friendship, the importance of forgiveness, and the vital need to create a future that embraces the past.
So excited! And now I can finally appreciate why books take so long to be published... that's a lot of work, indeed!