I Have a New Book Out Today!
Here's how this amazing publication came to life
This is a big day!
As of today, October 11, 2022, I can officially add “published author” to my name (along with editor and publisher…but read on for more on those last two)!
In my last newsletter, I shared how my author-friends, Jodi Cowles, Rachael Mitchell, and I launched The Unknown Authors Club (UAC) in March 2022 as a way to celebrate and promote the work of other unknown authors like ourselves.
As a club, one of the first projects we launched was creating an anthology — a collection of stories — about life as an unknown author. Spreading the word on social media, we got an incredible response from fellow unknown authors who said yes to writing a piece for the book.
Now, our project is complete! Our book — The Life of An Unknown Author: An Anthology on Writing and Publishing from Some of the Best Authors You Haven’t Yet Read — officially released on Amazon today.
Fifteen unknown authors like myself banded together to create something really special.
From all walks of life, and various stages of unknownness, the authors in this book reflect on what it means to be unknown and what lessons are learned in anonymity. Triumphs, defeats, successes, and rejections reveal the mettle and grit born out of struggle. Through penning their stories, and joining them together, their collective voice becomes a community of amplified authors.
Traditional publishing is an incredibly hard world to break into. Unless you’re TikTok famous (or infamous), it is nearly impossible to get a publishing deal. Many amazing manuscripts get passed on strictly due to an author’s lack of platform.
It takes courage and determination to keep writing, especially when you’re unknown. Our hope is for this book to inspire not just other unknown authors, but anyone who has ever been told “no” when they’ve stepped out to pursue a dream. There are some amazing stories and authors in this book, and I can’t wait for you to discover them.
I am honored to have written a piece for the book and to have served as a co-editor and publisher. In fact, Jodi, Rachael, and I had so much fun working on the book that we’ve officially launched our own publishing company — Unknown Authors Publishing. If you have a manuscript that has been passed over, or if you want to work with a publishing team who will treat your work as carefully and considerately as you would, then let us know. We are looking for more amazing unknown authors to publish.
In fact, the next book we are publishing is one that is near and dear to my heart…as it will be my own!
The publishing date for my book is set for early December, and we are already making plans for how we will launch it into the world. As you can see from the sneak peek of the cover, it is a colorful book — the cover and the contents! I am beyond excited to finally have it in print and to share it with all of you. Stay tuned here for all the details.
There is so much fun ahead this year starting today with the launch of The Life of an Unknown Author. I hope you’ll buy a copy today as a way to support what we’re doing.
And thank you to those of you who have sent notes of encouragement and support along the way. The last few months I’ve been working more hours than I care to admit in order to make both of these books a reality. Your thoughtful words have lifted my spirits and kept me going. Thank you.
And lastly, be sure to follow along with my adventures on Instagram. I’m in Seattle today for the official launch of The Life of an Unknown Author book. While you might not be available to join us at the launch party, you can still celebrate with us virtually as we raise a toast to the power of creating what we want to be a part of.
Until next time,
Leslee