A Good Editor is Worth… A good editor is worth their weight in gold, as far as I’m concerned. While waiting for the release date for “Black Wolf: Lakota Man”, my editor and I decided to begin work on the second in the series, “Black wolf at Rosebud.” In an earlier post, I mentioned that the first few chapters were rewritten a few times. Once those were ironed out, she worked on the third chapter. When it came back to me yesterday, it was solid red ink! In revising the first chapters, I had dropped some pertinent information that made the third chapter make sense. Even after reading and re-reading it before I sent it to her, I never spotted it. In my mind, all was well and as it should be. I am very grateful for her eagle eyes. Knowing that I don’t have that much gold, I will simply have to pay her in U.S. currency – and perhaps throw in a bit of choklit for her sweet tooth.

Only Two Drafts The illustrator for the cover of “Black Wolf: Lakota Man” is also designing my letterhead/business cards. In the past, we’ve had several drafts of artwork, trying to somehow reconcile the picture I wanted with what actually showed up on paper. So, I was assuming it was going to be the same for the letterhead, etc. I received his first draft yesterday and I had to make some major revisions last night. Today, I get the second draft and – voila! – perfection. He even threw in an added touch, which is very classy. (I love this guy!) If you’re looking for an illustrator, he’s Ken Faulks (kfaulks@islandnet.com). Tell him I sent you. He’s sending the files to my printer today, so hopefully, by Monday, she’ll be able to hit the ground running. Yahoo!!

To PayPal or Not To PayPal I’ve put together quite a team to get “Black Wolf: Lakota Man” ready to publish and sell. This necessitates that I pay these people. (As cute as I may or may not be, they still insist on being paid in legal tender.) Many of them take payments through PayPal. It doesn’t get much more convenient than that. However, the PP fees get steep if the bill is large. My editor suggested that she and I split the fees since it is such a convenience for both of us. We began looking for alternative ways to pay. She didn’t want a check – finding time to make the deposit, etc. etc. Through the course of our discussion, we discovered that we both use the same bank, though in different states. I called the bank and found out it would be easy to make an in-bank transfer. Voila! Easy as pie. Not! The first screen I came to for setting up her account as a transfer account asked me for my ATM card number for verification. I never use the thing. Don’t even know where it is. So, I went through the five minute ‘cloud’ on the bank’s telephone and finally reached a very patient lady who told me my ATM card had expired last month. Oh brother. I had to order a new one and it will take a week before I get the thing – only to use the number on it to set up a transfer account – only to avoid the PayPal fees. How convoluted can one simple thing as paying someone for her work get? Apparently – very.

Q&A Revisions - again. The Q&A list for the“Black Wolf: Lakota Man” press kit continues to morph. My editor got a hold of my answers and sent me her revisions yesterday. I happily made the changes and sent it on to the publicist, thinking I was done. Nope. The publicist sent them back today with more suggestions. I’ve made those and sent it back. Hopefully, this will do the trick. I also got my illustrator and stationery printer talking to each other today. They are speaking each other’s language and are ironing out the details on what I’ll need to look magnificent on paper. Hehehe. All in all, not bad for a Monday.

Stationery Blues Since the release date for“Black Wolf: Lakota Man” is getting very close, it was time. Time to get the business letterhead, business cards and bookmarks (my publicist’s idea) ready to go. (I’ll be doing good to get all of this for $300.) It took a few tries to find a printer locally who could do all of that. But, finally, I confidently walked into the printers with the CD my illustrator had sent me. The CD contained the logos he had made for me. Well, the best laid plans… The CD wouldn’t work. Rats! I’ll tackle it again on Monday. For now, I'll watch some Nascar on Sunday and root for Tony Stewart, #20!!

Answers to Q&A My publicist has sent me a list of questions for interviews concerning “Black Wolf: Lakota Man”. I published the list a few days ago and thought about the answers. Here they are: A Conversation with Author Magnolia Belle Q: Give us a brief synopsis of your new book Black Wolf: Lakota Man Black Wolf, an Austin, Texas rock band of four Lakota Sioux brothers, has just signed with a national label. Caleb Black Wolf, oldest of the brothers, has the world by the tail. Studio work on their new CD is going well. Their fan base is growing. More and more concerts are selling out. Getting women has never been easier for the young player. Until he meets Sara Bradford, a woman he wants but who doesn’t want him. Trying to find the high road in an industry full of loose standards takes all Caleb has. Sara, with her own music career, doesn’t need another musician in her life. Past mistakes have cost her dearly and Caleb has all the markings of another heartbreak waiting to happen. Old habits die hard for Caleb. Touring schedules keep Sara on the road. A publicist, who wants him for herself, deliberately sets out to keep Caleb and Sara apart. Caleb suffers a breakdown on stage in front of thousands of fans. How could the one woman he’s ever truly loved walk away from him? His brothers watch him spiral into an alcoholic nightmare as he refuses all of their desperate help. But, a family’s love, a father’s wisdom, brings him back. Love, it’s been said, conquers all. Q: How did you come to write Black Wolf? I had the opening scene clearly in my mind and wrote it down. I showed it to a group of friends and they insisted that I keep writing. Five books later, Black Wolf is done. Q: What inspired you to write of the music industry? I love music and am somewhat familiar with that industry. The overwhelming advice for writers is to write what you know. Q: Have you had experiences dealing with conflicting cultures? Yes. Living as a military dependent, there were times I was the minority race, culture, religion. I have had first hand experience in living through cultural differences, most of them nice, but some not. I’ve had rocks thrown at my school bus for being American and I’ve been slapped for being white. My grandmother (through whom I inherited my Native American genes) refused to discuss her Native American heritage because of the stigma she still felt even as late as the 1980s. Q: Where you ever in a band? Yes. In the 1980’s, I was in a local band in Washington State. We played a little bit of everything from rock to country to jazz to blues. All of our material was original. I was one of the songwriters as well as vocalist and rhythm guitarist. Q: Are there any sequels in the works? Yes. Black Wolf is a series of five books, each one about the life of one of the Black Wolf brothers. Q: How did you find your publisher and what was the process working with them for this book? I searched the web and asked around about publishers and finally found one who made sense to me. The process is fairly straightforward. I was responsible for finding the editor, illustrator, etc., while they are primarily responsible for printing, selling and opening sales venues for my book. Q: What problems did you have to tackle to complete the book and what process did you undertake to finish the story? I really didn’t have any problems finishing the book. Once I got started writing, it seemed to pour out of me. I’d put on my Los Lonely Boys CDs, grab the laptop and write and write and write for hours. Q: What advice do you have for first time writers? Find people who aren’t friends or relatives to read your work for an objective opinion. Q: What else would you like to tell us about your book? While it is a romance, it is not a sexcapade. It’s a story of people being brave enough to change and take a chance on really finding and giving love. Q: What else would you like to tell us about you? I’ve been happily married since 1977 and currently have three dogs (who aren’t spoiled at all). While I’ve lived in several states and countries, I consider myself a full-blood Texan.

Q&A My publicist has sent me a list of questions for interviews concerning “Black Wolf: Lakota Man”. This is, of course, based on the assumption that I am asked to do interviews upon the book’s release. Thought maybe the list would be interesting to other self-publishers reading this. A Conversation with Author Magnolia Belle Q: Give us a brief synopsis of your new book Black Wolf: Lakota Man Q: How did you come to write Black Wolf? Q: What inspired you to write of the music industry? Q: Have you had experiences dealing with conflicting cultures? Q: Where you ever in a band? Q: Are there any sequels in the works? Q: How did you find your publisher and what was the process working with them for this book? Q: What problems did you have to tackle to complete the book and what process did you undertake to finish the story? Q: What advice do you have for first time writers? Q: What else would you like to tell us about your book? Q: What else would you like to tell us about you? Looks like I’ve got some thinking to do. Hmmmm.

Hello, Blog Surfers It’s finally happened. I don’t have anything new to report on the progress of “Black Wolf: Lakota Man” and it’s continuing self-publishing saga. So, I thought I’d take some time and say howdy! to all of you surfing blogs in order to get credit so that your blog will be surfed. Isn’t life grand and our logic impeccable? Hope you all have a great weekend, your teams win, your house is magically cleaned by elves, and you win the lottery!

A Blessing I had a nice surprise waiting for me on the “Black Wolf: Lakota Man” website’s guest book yesterday. A man who is an artist/blues guitarist (who I don’t know) signed it. He is Lakota and told me, “Just wanted to add that a Lakota friend has been sharing good thoughts.” Knowing that the first book is about a Lakota guitar player, I felt like I had received a blessing through this man from the Lakota nation. Thank you!

They’re in the Loop For some reason, I haven’t told any of my family that I’ve written“Black Wolf: Lakota Man” or any subsequent books. We had a get-together over the weekend at my house (my three brothers, their wives and chitlins) and I finally let them in on what I’ve been doing all year. Showed them the website. Showed them the book cover. Told them the sale date was late November, early December. Answered a bazillion questions about where I was in the process of self-publishing. Now, they are as excited as I am. This is going to be a lot of fun, whether book sales are good or not. Just having everyone on board and rooting for the same thing is a real treat.

Press Release Draft My publicist just sent my a first draft of the press release for “Black Wolf: Lakota Man”. To say I’m excited is an understatement. It will be reworked (naturally), but here is the first pass. For Immediate Release Love, Culture and Rock & Roll! In her novel Black Wolf: Lakota Man, author Magnolia Belle weaves a story of two lovers caught in the midst of a cultural battle. As if coming from different cultures wasn’t enough, the lovers encounter meddlers outside of their cultural dilemma who continually attempt to drive them apart. Black Wolf: Lakota Man is a romantic novel that shows how love can overwhelm the body and soul bringing two very different people together. Sarah Bradford, from Anglo lineage and Caleb Black Wolf from Lakota, meet by a spontaneous kiss. Unexpectedly, they both feel more than they anticipated. Caleb begins his usual pursuit, but Sarah turns out to be an unusual conquest. After several crash-and-burn attempts at starting a relationship, they put aside their preconceptions of each other and cautiously explore what could be. Both Sarah and Caleb are musicians with bright futures. Sarah is a solo blues artist and Caleb is in a rock band with his three brothers. Being in the music industry, they both have relationship skeletons in their closets that are not content to stay behind their respective closed doors. One woman even goes to the lengths of using Caleb’s credit card number to convince Sarah that Caleb is being unfaithful. Yet Sarah and Caleb are drawn closer as various past and potential lovers try to drive them apart. But overcoming the past is just the first battle they face. A cultural tension is formed when Sarah hears Caleb telling one of his brothers he doesn't think she should come to a family birthday party. Caleb finally explains to her that he is concerned that his family won't accept Sarah since she is not Lakota. But, after talking with her, he changes his mind and brings her to the party where she is met by a very chilling reception. Family tensions rise and the tentative couple has to work twice as hard to convince his family that the color of their skin doesn’t affect the depth of their love. Amidst all of the chaos of the music industry, handling family cultural differences and dealing with past loves, Black Wolf: Lakota Man is a romantic journey of self-discovery. Magnolia Belle portrays an exotic love affair full of passion and learned respect that endures the differences that threaten to pull it apart. About the Author Magnolia Belle graduated in 1978 from Tarleton State University. She won first place in the Texas State Press Editorial competition in 1977. She grew up in the military and has lived in several states as well as the Orient. She played as a singer/songwriter and guitarist with a band in the 1980s that made 3 albums. While not of Lakota ancestry, she proudly declares Native American heritage. ISBN: 1-4120-6866-5· 6 x 9 · Trade Paper · 146 pages · $15.95

BlackWolf at Rosebud Editing has started on the second book in the Black Wolf series, “ Black Wolf at Rosebud”. This story is primarily about the second eldest Black Wolf brother, Matthew, who is the band’s keyboard player and one of the primary songwriters. I wasn’t very happy with the first few chapters, so a few months ago I did a rewrite. Still not happy, I sent the first 4 chapters to my editor last week for suggestions on structural revamping. The woman is brilliant! She gave me a really good place to start and now I’ve just sent her the second rewrite. It required doing a little research into the Lakota Sioux history starting at the Wounded Knee massacre of 1890. Then, knowing that the Sun Dance had been prohibited in 1888 and outlawed by the US Government in 1904, I wondered when it had been legally reestablished. The internet is a wonderful place. I was able to find out. 1978. Jimmy Carter. Who knew? Now, let’s just hope my editor likes the rewrite!